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

[Therese]

'Of these ineffable virtues of Mary this history is replete, for in all the actions of the Queen of heaven her incomparable humility shines forth beyond everything else.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, p. 456
(Bk. II, # 591)

[Therese]

'This most wise Virgin knew in her wisdom the arrangement of the whole world and the powers of the elements (Wisdom 7, 17), the beginning, the middle, and the end of time with its mutations, the course of the stars, the natures of the animals, the fury of the wild beasts, the powers of the winds, the dispositions and thoughts of men, the virtues of plants, herbs, trees, fruits and roots, the hidden and occult things beyond all thoughts of men, the mysterious ways of the Most High: all this Mary, our Queen, knew and She delighted in it through the wisdom, which she drew from its original fountain and which was embodied in all her thoughts.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, p. 468
(Bk. II, # 605) 

[Therese]

'If creatures would empty their hearts of earthly love and affections, although their heart is limited, they would participate without measure in the torrent of the infinite Godhead through the inestimable gifts of the Holy Ghost.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, p. 472-473
(Bk. II, #612)

[Shin]

Getting near the finish of the first volume Therese, no? Deo gratias et Mariae semper Virgini.

It's been splendid to read and to read the happy comments of folks like whiterockdove and eschator.

If only people would empty their hearts of earthly love and affections!

And exchange the natural for the supernatural!

[Therese]

Getting near the finish of the first volume Therese, no? Deo gratias et Mariae semper Virgini.

It's been splendid to read and to read the happy comments of folks like whiterockdove and eschator.

If only people would empty their hearts of earthly love and affections!

And exchange the natural for the supernatural!

Yes, Shin, if we all could only detach ourselves from all that is not God and mortify ourselves, we'd be able to be so filled with God.  Soon I'll be on my second volume.  I, too, am very happy whenever whiterockdove and eschator and you, Shin, respond to these excerpts.  Hopefully other people are getting a lot out of these excerpts about our Blessed Mother.  God bless you!

[Therese]

'In the Queen of heaven these intelligences or revelations were vastly different from those which are proper to the Saints and Prophets; for her Highness enjoyed them continually, both in habit and in act, whenever She was not enjoying other more exalted visions of the Divinity.  Moreover the clearness and the extent of this intellectual light and all its effects were incomparably greater in most holy Mary.  For of the truths, mysteries and sacraments of the Most High, She knew more than al the holy Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and more even than all the angels combined; and She understood more profoundly and clearly, more unerringly and securely all that She did know.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, pg. 492
(Bk. II, #636)

[Therese]

'All that thy earthy inclinations demand, refuse to thyself, although it may be small and licit in itself; turn thy back on all sensible things, seeking only to love and to suffer.'

Our Lady to Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, p. 499
(Bk. II, #645)

[Therese]

'Most holy Mary as being the Mother of the Word, was Mistress of all creation; but being a faithful representation of her onlybegotten Son, She in imitation of Him made so little use of creatures, of which She was Mistress, that none ever used them less than She, for She excluded all that was not absolutely necessary for the service of the Most High and for the natural life of her most holy Son and of Herself.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, p. 500
(Bk. II, #646)

[Therese]

'The Queen of angels and men knew all these angels and others as they are in themselves, without dependence on the senses or the phantasy, and without any hindrance from the mortal or earthly body.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, p. 503
(Bk. II, #650)

[whiterockdove]

Reply #81 is; 
Especially  with spring  and gardening coming along.

[Shin]

Reply #81 is; 
Especially  with spring  and gardening coming along.

Yes it reminds me of the collection we have on Saints' Books of St. Francis de Sale's writings called 'Mystical Flora'. 

[Therese]

Reply #81 is; 
Especially  with spring  and gardening coming along.

You are very blessed that to have a place to garden, Whiterockdove!

[Therese]

'In her infancy She consulted the angels and followed their counsels; after the incarnate Word was born, She looked upon the Onlybegotten as her Teacher and example in all her actions and at the close of his mysterious life and after his Ascension into heaven, the great Queen of the universe obeyed the Apostles, as we shall relate.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, p. 514
(Bk. II, #664)

Note:  Our Lady and Queen not only obeyed the Apostles but she instructed them, as will be related later in City of God.

[Therese]

'I wish thee to remember, my beloved, that to suffer and be afflicted with our without one's fault is a benefit of which one cannot be worthy without special and great mercy of the Almighty; moreover to be allowed to suffer for one's sins is not only a mercy, but is demanded by justice.  Behold, however, the great insanity of the children of Adam nowadays in desiring and seeking after emoluments, benefits, and favors agreeable to their senses, and in sleeplessly striving to avert from themselves, that which is painful or includes any hardship or trouble.  It would be to their greatest benefit to seek tribulations diligently even when unmerited, yet they strive by all means to avoid them even when merited, and even though they cannot be happy and blessed without having undergone such sufferings.'

Our Lady to Ven. Mary of Agreda, City of God, Vol. I, p. 520-521
(Bk. II, #673)

[Shin]

It's good to hear about Justice in times like these.

[Therese]

It's good to hear about Justice in times like these.

For those who need to hear about it--and many do need to hear about it.  But hearing about God's Mercy is what I personally need, as I have been given a pretty strong knowledge of His Justice, and being reminded of His Mercy every now and then will certainly help me to better approach death.  Yes, God will be most rigorous on Judgment Day and He will appear to us as Judge, but in the present life He is our most merciful Saviour.  Hopefully I will never forget His Justice, or His Mercy.