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

[Therese]

'Whoever shall call upon Her [Blessed Mary] from his heart shall not perish; whoever shall obtain her intercession shall secure for himself eternal life.  What she asks of Us, shall be granted, and We shall always hear her requests and prayers and fulfill her will; for She has consecrated Herself perfectly to what pleases Us.'

The three Divine Persons, addressing the choir of holy angels and the other saints, as revealed to Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. III, 790




'He elevated Her [Blessed Mary] into a new state of knowledge and power, by means of which nothing was to be hidden from Her either of the divine mysteries or of the inmost secrets of the human heart.  She was made to understand and know when and how She was to use this communicated power of the Divinity in her dealings with men, with the demons and with all creatures.  In short, all that can possibly be conferred upon a mere creature was received and given over in all its fullness and excellence to our great Queen and Lady.  Of these sacramental operations saint John was to a certain extend made aware, in order that he might form an estimate, how much he was to esteem and appreciate the inestimable Treasure consigned to his care.  From that day on he venerated and served the great Lady with new solicitude and reverence.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. III, 790

[Therese]

''My sweetest children, I am about to ascend to my Father, from whose bosom I descended in order to rescue and save men.  I leave with you in my stead my own Mother as your Protectress, Consoler, and Advocate, and as your Mother, whom you are to hear and obey in all things.  Just as I have told you, that he who sees Me sees my Father, and he who knows Me, knows also Him; so I now tell you, that He who knows my Mother, knows Me; her who hears Her, hears Me; and who honors Her, honors Me.  All of you shall have Her as your Mother, as your Superior and Head, and so shall also your successors.  She shall answer your doubts, solve your difficulties; in Her, those who seek Me shall always find Me; for I shall remain in Her until the end of the world, and I am in Her now although you do not know how."  This the Lord said, because He was sacramentally present in the bosom of his Mother; for the sacred species, which She had received at the last Supper, were preserved in Her until consecration of the first Mass, as I shall relate further on.  The Lord thus fulfilled that which He promised in saint Matthew:  "I am with you to the consummation of the world" (Matth. 28, 20)  The Lord added and said: "You will have Peter as the supreme head of the Church, for I leave him as my Vicar; and you shall obey him as the chief highpriest.  Saint John you shall hold as the son of my Mother; for I have chosen and appointed him for this office on the Cross."'

Our Lord Jesus Christ to the 120 faithful in the Cenacle, as revealed to Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. III, 794

[Therese]

'I myself have commanded the Evangelists not to write anything about my privileges except what is contained in the articles of faith and in the commandments of the divine law and what was necessary for the establishment of the Church.  For, as the Teacher of the Church, I knew by infused science of the most High, what would then be proper for its beginning.  The manifestations of my prerogatives, being included in the dignity of Mother of God and in my being full of grace, was reserved by the divine Providence for a more opportune and convenient time; namely, when the faith should be better known and established.  In the course of the centuries some mysteries pertaining to me have been made plain; but the plentitude of light has been given to thee, who art a poor and insignificant creature; and this has been done on account of the necessities and unhappy state of the world.  God in his kindness wishes to offer this opportune remedy to men, in order that all of them may seek help and eternal salvation through my intercession.  This thou hast always understood, and thou shalt understand it still better.  But above all I desire, that thou occupy thyself entirely in the imitation of my life and in the continual contemplation of my virtues and works, in order that thou mayest gain the desired victory over my and thy enemies.'

Our Lady to Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. III, 796

[Shin]

'When they [Mary Magdalen, Mary Joseph* and the other holy women] came forth from the house of the Cenacle, it was yet dark, but before they arrived at the sepulchre the sun had already dawned and risen; for on that day the three hours of darkness which had intervened at the Death of the Savior, were compensated by an earlier sunrise.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. III, 767

*not a typo

Interesting!

[Therese]

'When they [Mary Magdalen, Mary Joseph* and the other holy women] came forth from the house of the Cenacle, it was yet dark, but before they arrived at the sepulchre the sun had already dawned and risen; for on that day the three hours of darkness which had intervened at the Death of the Savior, were compensated by an earlier sunrise.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. III, 767

*not a typo

Interesting!

Who would have known?!

[Therese]

'It is in conformity with the inclinations of his holy and perfect will to regale rather than afflict creatures, to console them rather than cause them sorrow, to reward them rather than to chastise them, to rejoice rather than to grieve them.  But mortals ignore this divine science, because they desire from the hands of the Most High such consolations, delights and rewards, as are earthly and dangerous, and they prefer them to the true and more secure blessings.  The divine Love then corrects this fault by the lessons conveyed in tribulations and punishments.  Human nature is slow, coarse and uneducated; and if it is not cultivated and softened, it gives no fruit in season, and on account of its evil inclinations, will never of itself become fit for the most loving and sweet intercourse with the highest Good.  Therefore it must be shaped and reduced by the hammer of adversities, refined in the crucible of tribulation, in order that it may become fit and capable of the divine gifts and favors and may learn to despise terrestrial and fallacious goods, wherein death is concealed.'

Our Lady to Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. III, 818


END OF THIRD VOLUME

[Therese]

I wish that all you folks would obtain Mystical City of God and read it, all four volumes.  There is so much that has been passed over.  In this last chapter, written about the Ascension of our Lord, we read about how Blessed Mary was taken up to the empyrean heavens with her Son where she took her seat on the divine throne to the right of her Son, while at the same time remaining on earth (miraculously she was able to be in two places at the same time).  She remained in heaven with God and all the Saints for three entire days and was given the choice by God to remain in glory in heaven or to return to earth to console, assist and instruct the new Church.  In heroic imitation of her Son she chose to return to earth to console, assist and instruct the new Church.  Some of the Saints had their bodies with them up in heaven just like Jesus Christ and Blessed Mary had their bodies in heaven.

[Shin]

I wish that all you folks would obtain Mystical City of God and read it, all four volumes.  There is so much that has been passed over.  In this last chapter we read about how Blessed Mary was taken up to the empyrean heaven with her Son where she took her seat on the divine throne to the right of her Son, while at the same time remaining on earth (she was able to be in two places at the same time).  She remained in heaven with God and all the Saints for three days and was given the choice by God to remain in glory in heaven or to return to earth to assist the new Church.  In heroic imitation of her Son she chose to return to earth to assist the new Church.  Some of the Saints had their bodies with them up in heaven just like Jesus Christ and Blessed Mary had their bodies in heaven.

Congratulations Therese!

Three volumes of extracts! You must be very thankful to God and I know everyone here is very thankful! Thank God and thank you Therese for this! 

Isn't this is what is called making the memories that last forever in this life and the next, because they are truly good and holy -- works of virtue done in charity! Works done in charity for the sake of the love of God and neighbor for the sake of the love of God. . .

Often enough people wonder if what they are doing is good or worthwhile.. but here is something doubtlessly worthwhile and good that one can be happy about and look back upon happily now and forever.  People will read these extracts and benefit!

Yes I can only echo what you are saying, after reading these extracts who cannot wish to open the volumes themselves? And read the further priceless knowledge. . .

[Therese]

I wish that all you folks would obtain Mystical City of God and read it, all four volumes.  There is so much that has been passed over.  In this last chapter we read about how Blessed Mary was taken up to the empyrean heaven with her Son where she took her seat on the divine throne to the right of her Son, while at the same time remaining on earth (she was able to be in two places at the same time).  She remained in heaven with God and all the Saints for three days and was given the choice by God to remain in glory in heaven or to return to earth to assist the new Church.  In heroic imitation of her Son she chose to return to earth to assist the new Church.  Some of the Saints had their bodies with them up in heaven just like Jesus Christ and Blessed Mary had their bodies in heaven.

Congratulations Therese!

Three volumes of extracts! You must be very thankful to God and I know everyone here is very thankful! Thank God and thank you Therese for this!  

Isn't this is what is called making the memories that last forever in this life and the next, because they are truly good and holy -- works of virtue done in charity! Works done in charity for the sake of the love of God and neighbor for the sake of the love of God. . .

Often enough people wonder if what they are doing is good or worthwhile.. but here is something doubtlessly worthwhile and good that one can be happy about and look back upon happily now and forever.  People will read these extracts and benefit!

Yes I can only echo what you are saying, after reading these extracts who cannot wish to open the volumes themselves? And read the further priceless knowledge. . .

Thank you, Shin!  Yes, I am very thankful to God for this project.  All for Jesus and Mary! ... and for the salvation of souls!  I am so pleased that you can appreciate Mystical City of God for its true worth!  What a magnificent work it is!!

[Therese]

The author of Mystical City of God has made use of capital letters in the text slightly at variance with common usage, in order to avoid complication and secure greater clearness.  The paragraph numbers are those of the newest Spanish edition of "Ciudad de Dios" (1912).  In the abridgement of Mystical City of God they vary slightly.

[Therese]

'Thy conversation is to be on high (Phil. 3, 20); thy intercourse, with the Lord of all creation and thy Spouse; thy conference shall be with the angels and saints, and thou must rivet thy whole attention upon me, thy Mother and Teacher.  For all the rest that is earthly and visible thou must have neither movement of life, nor any activity; no more than a dead body, which shows no feeling of life in response to anything that may happen to it or may be done to it.  Neither must difficulties disquiet thee, nor flattery or pleasures affect thee; thou must not respond to injuries, nor be elated by honors; let neither presumption inflate thee, nor mistrust cast thee down; thou must not give consent to any feeling of concupiscence or anger; because thy model in all these passions must be a dead body, already freed from all of them.  Nor must thou have any more dealings with the world than the dead; for the world immediately forgets those whom it has praised in life, and to such an extent, that, though they be father or brother, and the most intimate relatives, it hastens to put them out of sight.  All this the deceased permit, without a murmur of a feeling of offense; nor do the dead make any account of the living, much less do they attend to them or to anything they may have left among their survivors.'

Ven. Mary of God, Mystical City of God, Volume IV, Introduction, 12

[Therese]

In Mystical City of God Introduction to Vol. IV it says that Ven. Mary of Agreda had as her Guardian Angel one of the 1,000 Angels who were guardians of our Blessed Mother.  He was appointed because he was an eye-witness of the BVM's divine works and excellences.  He furnished her with the necessary images and understandings to elucidate what Blessed Mary was to instruct her.

[Shin]

In Mystical City of God Introduction to Vol. IV it says that Ven. Mary of Agreda had as her Guardian Angel one of the 1,000 Angels who was guardian of our Blessed Mother.  He was appointed because he was an eye-witness of the BVM's divine works and excellences.  He furnished her with the necessary images and understandings to elucidate what Blessed Mary was to instruct her.

It's a great gift to know of these angels and so be able to thank God for them and ask for their help.

[whiterockdove]

Hi Therese, you are a hardworking scribe 
I often wonder how you decide on what to pick for your posts, any page in these volumes could be posted;
 its all so interesting to read.

I would have a hard time deciding what to post!

I sure like reading them, though.

 

[Therese]

In Mystical City of God Introduction to Vol. IV it says that Ven. Mary of Agreda had as her Guardian Angel one of the 1,000 Angels who was guardian of our Blessed Mother.  He was appointed because he was an eye-witness of the BVM's divine works and excellences.  He furnished her with the necessary images and understandings to elucidate what Blessed Mary was to instruct her.

It's a great gift to know of these angels and so be able to thank God for them and ask for their help.

Yes, that's right!

[Therese]

Hi Therese, you are a hardworking scribe 
I often wonder how you decide on what to pick for your posts, any page in these volumes could be posted;
 its all so interesting to read.

I would have a hard time deciding what to post!

I sure like reading them, though.

 

I'm doing well, thanks, Whiterockdove!  I pick passages from MCG that strike me and that are not too long, and passages that I think others should know about.