Excerpts from Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda

[Therese]

Note:

I am being careful to copy quotes accurately.  If the capitalization of pronouns referring to our Lord appears inconsistent, it should not be on account of my copying but on account of Ven. Mary of Agreda's writing.  

[Shin]

Well, that and the translation possibly.

I am much enjoying these inspiring quotes of bearing crosses and gifts with the grace of God.

[Therese]

Well, that and the translation possibly.

I am much enjoying these inspiring quotes of bearing crosses and gifts with the grace of God.

Yes, that is right, Shin, the translation could account for inconsistencies.  I am so glad that you are enjoying the quotes!  God bless you!

[eschator83]

I am very grateful for your thoughtfulness, but my edition doesn't reflect paragraph numbers; however, I imagine they may be very helpful to others.

[whiterockdove]

"All should  humiliate themselves since of themselves they are nothing..."
 

[Shin]

Amen! Such beautiful words!   

[Therese]

"All should  humiliate themselves since of themselves they are nothing..."
 

So true, Whiterockdove!

[Therese]

'She [Mary] was holy and, in my estimation, most acceptable to Christ; to Her was due all the veneration and worship of men, and even more than they could give; yet I provided and ordained in her regard that She receive no honor or recognition at that time, so that She, as the Mistress of truth, might be the most shining example of all that is holy, perfect, estimable and safest for the instruction and guidance of my elect.  She was to be the shining example of humility, of retirement, of contempt and horror for the dreadful vanity of the world, of love for sufferings, tribulations, insults, afflictions and dishonors inflicted by creatures.  All holiness is adverse and contrary to the applause, honors and estimation of the world, and I decreed that the most pure Mary should not be burdened by them, nor do I desire that my friends should enjoy or be pleased with them.'

Our Lord to Ven. Mary of Agreda. City of God, Vol. I., p. 330-331
(Bk. II, #420)

[Therese]

'My admonition to thee, whom in spite of thy weakness and poverty I have chosen with such generous kindness as my disciple and companion, is this: that thou strive with all thy powers to imitate me in an exercise, in which I preserved during my whole life from the very first moment of my birth, omitting it on not a single day, however how full of cares and labors it might have been. This exercise was the following: every day at beginning of dawn, I prostrated myself in the presence of the Most High and gave Him thanks and praise fore His immutable Being, his infinite perfections and for having created me out of nothing; acknowledging myself as his creature and the work of his hands, I blessed Him, and adored Him, giving Him honor, magnificence and Divinity, as the supreme Lord and Creator of myself and of all that exists. I raised up my spirit to place it into his hands, offering myself with profound humility and resignation to Him and asking Him to dispose of me according to his will that day and during all the days of my life, and to teach me to fulfill whatever would be to his greater pleasure. This I repeated many times during the external works of the day, and in the internal ones I first consulted his Majesty, asking for his advise, permission and benediction for all my actions.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, p. 276-277
(Bk. II, # 343)

[Therese]

'I fulfilled entirely and perfectly all that I proposed to the Lord, as far as was possible in my state in life; never did I look upon the face of a man, not even on that of my husband Joseph, nor on that of the angels, when they appeared to me in human form, though I saw and knew them all in God.  Never did I incline towards any creature, rational or irrational, nor toward any human operation or tendency.  But in all things I was governed by the Most High, either directly by Himself or indirectly through the obedience, to which I freely subjected myself.'

Our Lady to Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, p. 345
(Bk II, #440)

[Shin]

A wonderful quote to add to the modesty pamphlets. 

And a wonderful exercise of trustful surrender to Providence she has given us to model!

Deo gratias et Mariae semper Virgini!

[Therese]

A wonderful quote to add to the modesty pamphlets. 

And a wonderful exercise of trustful surrender to Providence she has given us to model!

Deo gratias et Mariae semper Virgini!

One very holy person I know has a problem, I think, believing that our Lady never looked at a man including St. Joseph.  I think for this reason she has a problem with Ven. Mary of Agreda's City of God.  She knows that Ven. Mary of Agreda was a saint (non-canonized), but she has problems I think accepting that Mary never looked at man and that Jesus' tunic and sandals grew with him.

[Shin]

Perhaps this will help Therese.

'The saints were particularly cautious not to look at persons of a different sex. St. Hugh, bishop, when compelled to speak with women, never looked at them in the face. St. Clare would never fix her eyes on the face of a man. She was greatly afflicted because, when raising her eyes at the elevation to see the consecrated host, she once involuntarily saw the countenance of the priest. St. Aloysius never looked at his own mother in the face. It is related of St. Arsenius, that a noble lady went to visit him in the desert, to beg of him to recommend her to God. When the saint perceived that his visitor was a woman, he turned away from her. She then said to him: "Arsenius, since you will neither seen or hear me, at least remember me in your prayers." "No," replied the saint, "but I will beg of God to make me forget you, and never more to think of you."'

St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

See further for more examples.

[Shin]

Surely a garment that grows is the smallest of miracles? So too that tunic has a special spiritual meaning and significance. One can see such a miracle adding to it.

[Therese]

Yes, I understand what St. Alphonsus is saying, I have read this passage of his before in one of my books written by him.  The woman I speak of is certainly not me, as I believe everything in the City of God with a great pious faith in the book.  God bless you!

[Shin]

Ho ho I didn't suppose it was, or that you were talking of yourself in the second person.