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

[Therese]

'143. Notwithstanding all this the Most High, in his ineffable kindness, gave our first parents  his  benediction,  in  order  that  the  human race  might  grow  and  multiply.  The most high Providence permitted that Eve, in the unjust Cain, should bring forth a type of the evil fruits of sin, and in the innocent Abel, both in figure and in imitation, the type of Christ our Lord (Gen. 4:3ff.).  For in the first just one the law and doctrine of Christ began to exert its effects.  All the rest of the just were to follow it, suffering for justice  sake, hated  and  persecuted by  the sinners  and  the reprobate and  by  their  own brothers (Mt.  10:21-22).  Accordingly,  patience,  humility  and  meekness  began  to appear  in Abel, and  in  Cain, envy  and  all  wickedness, for  the benefit  of  the just  and for  his  own  perdition.  The  wicked  triumph  and  the  good  suffer,  exhibiting  the spectacle, which the world in its progress shows to this day, namely, the Jerusalem of the  godfearing  and  the  Babylon  of  the  godforsaken,  each  with  its  own  leader  and head.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. I, 143

[Shin]

'136. On the sixth day He formed and created Adam, as it were of the age of thirty-three  years (Gen.  1:27).  This  was  the  age  in  which  Christ  was  to  suffer  death,  and Adam  in  regard  to  his  body  was  so  like  unto  Christ,  that  scarcely  any  difference existed.  Also  according  to  the  soul  Adam  was  similar  to  Christ.  From  Adam  God formed  Eve  so  similar  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  that  she  was  like  unto  Her  in  personal appearance  and  in  figure.  God  looked  upon  these  two  images  of  the  great  Originals with the highest pleasure and benevolence, and on account of the Originals He heaped many blessings upon them, as if He wanted to entertain Himself  with them and their descendants until the time should arrive for forming Christ and Mary.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. I, 137

This is very memorable!

[Therese]

'136. On the sixth day He formed and created Adam, as it were of the age of thirty-three  years (Gen.  1:27).  This  was  the  age  in  which  Christ  was  to  suffer  death,  and Adam  in  regard  to  his  body  was  so  like  unto  Christ,  that  scarcely  any  difference existed.  Also  according  to  the  soul  Adam  was  similar  to  Christ.  From  Adam  God formed  Eve  so  similar  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  that  she  was  like  unto  Her  in  personal appearance  and  in  figure.  God  looked  upon  these  two  images  of  the  great  Originals with the highest pleasure and benevolence, and on account of the Originals He heaped many blessings upon them, as if He wanted to entertain Himself  with them and their descendants until the time should arrive for forming Christ and Mary.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. I, 137

This is very memorable!

How God loved Adam and Eve!

[Therese]

'83.  The  holy  archangel  Gabriel  appeared  to  saint  Anne  in  human  form  more resplendent  than  the sun, and  said  to her:  "Anne, servant of  God, I  am  an  angel  sent from  the  council  of  the  Most  High,  who  in  divine  condescension  looks  upon  the humble of the earth (Ps. 137:6). Good is incessant prayer and humble confidence. The Lord  has  heard  thy  petitions,  for  He  is  nigh  to  those  who  call  upon  Him  with  living faith and hope, and who expect his salvation (Ps. 144:18).  If He delays hearing their clamors  and  defers  the  fulfillment  of  their  prayers,  it  is  in  order  to  dispose  them  to receive and to oblige Himself to give much more than they ask and desire. Prayer and almsgiving open the treasures of the Lord, the omnipotent King, and incline Him to be lavish in mercy toward those who ask (Tob. 12:8, 9). Thou and Joachim have prayed for  the  Fruit of  benediction  and  the  Most  High  has  resolved  to  give  you  holy  and wonderful  Fruit;  and  by  it  He  will  enrich  you  with  heavenly  gifts,  granting  to  you much more than you have asked.  For having humiliated yourselves in prayer, the Lord wishes to magnify Himself in conceding your petitions: because those, who in humble confidence pray to Him without belittling his infinite power, are most agreeable to the Lord.  Persevere  in  prayer  and  ask  without  ceasing  for  the  Redemption  of  the  human race in order to constrain the Most High.  Moses by unceasing prayer brought victory to the people (Ex. 17:11); Esther by prayer obtained liberation from the death sentence (Esther  4:11);  Judith  by  the  same  means  was  filled  with  fortitude  to  execute  a  most arduous  task  for  the  salvation  of  Israel:  She  fulfilled  it,  though  a  weak  and  frail woman  (Judith  9:1ff.;  13:6ff.).  David  came forth  victorious  in  his  combat  with  the  giant, because he prayed, invoking the name of the Lord (I Kg. 17:45). Elias drew fire from heaven by his sacrifice (III Kg. 18:36) and by his prayer opened and closed the heavens. The humility, faith and the alms of Joachim and of thyself have come before the  throne  of  the  Most  High  and  now  He  sends  me,  his  angel,  in  order  to  give  thee news  full  of  joy  for  thy  heart:  His  Majesty  wishes,  that  thou  be  most  fortunate  and blessed. He chooses thee to be the mother of Her who is to conceive and bring forth the  Onlybegotten  of  the  Father.  Thou  shalt  bring  forth  a  Daughter,  who  by  divine disposition shall be called MARY. She shall be blessed among women and full of the Holy  Ghost.  She  shall  be  the  cloud  that  shall  drop  the  dew  of  heaven  for  the refreshment  of  mortals  (Ib. 44), and  in  Her  shall  be  fulfilled  the  prophecies  of  thy ancestors.  She  shall  be  the  portal  of  life  and  salvation  for  the  sons  of  Adam.  Know also  that  I  have  announced  to  Joachim,  that  he  shall  have  a  Daughter  who  shall  be blessed  and  fortunate:  but  the  full  knowledge of  the mystery  is  not given him  by  the Lord,  for  he  does  not  know,  that  She  is  to  be  the  Mother  of  the  Messiah.  Therefore thou must guard this secret; and go now to the temple to give thanks to the Most High for having been so highly favored by his powerful right hand.  In the Golden Gate thou shalt meet  Joachim,  where  thou  wilt  confer  with  him  about  this  tiding.  Thou  art  the one,  who  art  especially  blessed of  the Lord  and whom  He wishes  to  visit and  enrich with  more  singular  blessings.  In  solitude He  will  speak  to  thy  heart (Osee  2:14) and there  give  a beginning  to  the  law  of  grace,  since  in  thy  womb  He  will  give being  to Her, who is to vest the Immortal with mortal flesh and human form.  In this humanity, united  with  the  Word,  will  be  written,  as  with his  own  blood,  the  true  law  of  mercy."'

'184.  In  order  that  the  humble  heart  of  the  holy  Anne  might  not  faint  away  with admiration and joy at these tidings of the holy angel, she was strengthened by the holy Spirit  and  thus  she  heard  it  and  received  it  with  magnanimity  and  incomparable  joy.  Immediately  arising  she  hastened  to  the  temple of  Jerusalem,  and  there  found  saint Joachim,  as  the  angel  had  foretold  to  them  both.  Together  they  gave  thanks  to  the Almighty  for  this  wonderful  blessing  and  offered  special  gifts  and  sacrifices.  They were enlightened anew by the grace of the holy Spirit, and, full of divine consolation, they returned to their home. Joyfully they conversed about the favors, which they had received   from   the  Almighty,  especially   concerning   each  one's   message  of   the archangel  Gabriel,  whereby,  on  behalf  of  the  Lord,  they  had been  promised  a Daughter  who  should  be  most  blessed  and  fortunate.  On  this  occasion  they  also  told each other, how the same angel, before their espousal, had commanded each to accept the  other,  in  order  that  together  they  might  serve  God  according  to  his divine  will.  This secret they had kept from each other for twenty years, without communicating it, until  the  same  angel  had  promised  them  the  issue  of  such  a  Daughter.  Anew  they made  the  vow  to  offer  Her  to  the  temple  and  that  each  year  on  this  day  they  would come to the temple to offer special gifts, spend the day in praise and thanksgiving, and give many alms. This vow they fulfilled to the end of their lives, spending this day in great praise and exaltation of the Most High.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. I, 184-185

[Therese]

190.  In the tribunal of the divine will, as the inevitable source and universal cause of the whole creation, all things with their conditions and circumstances, are decreed and determined, so that nothing is forgotten and no created power can in the least impede  the fulfillment of the decree.  All the spheres and the inhabitants contained in them are dependent  on  this  ineffable  government  that  rules  them  and  cooperates  with  the natural  causes  unfailingly  and  unerringly  in  all  that  must  be  done.  God  works  in  all and  sustains  all  by  his  sole  will;  in  Him  lies  the  preservation  of  all  things  or  their annihilation, for without Him they would return to the non-existence, from which they were drawn.  But  since He has created  the universe for  his glory  and  for  the glory of the  incarnate  Word,  therefore  He  has  from  the  beginning  opened  the  paths  and prearranged  the  ways  by  which  the  same  Word  should  lower  Himself  to  assume human  flesh  and  to  live  among  men,  and  by  which  they  might  ascend  toward  God, know  Him,  fear  Him,  seek  Him,  serve  Him,  love  Him,  praise  Him  and  enjoy  Him eternally.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. I, 190

[Therese]

To the best of my knowledge my citations have been correct, but some of the paragraphs I've posted have the wrong paragraph numbers at the beginning of them.  I'll be more careful typing in the future.  I'm very sorry about my mistakes.

[Therese]

'209.  The  divine  wisdom  had  now  prepared  all  things  for  drawing  forth  the  spotless  image  of the Mother of Grace from the corruption of nature. The number and congregation of the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets had been completed and gathered, and the mountains had been raised on which this Mystical City of God was to be built (Ps. 86:1).  By the power of his right hand He had  already selected incomparable treasures of the Divinity with which to enrich and endow Her.  A thousand Angels  were  equipped  for  her guard  and  custody  to serve  as  most  faithful  vassals  of their Queen and Lady.  He had prepared a royal and most noble ancestry from whom She would descend, and had chosen most holy and perfect parents from whom She would presently be born; none  holier  or  more  perfect  could  be  found  in  that  age,  for  there  is  no  doubt  that  if  better  and more  ideal  parents  existed,  the  Almighty  would  have  selected  them  for  Her  who  was  to  be chosen by God as his Mother.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. I, 209

[Therese]

I have decided to stop posting excerpts from Mystical City of God, at least for the time being.  I encourage you all to obtain a copy of this work or to read the newest edition on-line.  God bless you all!  Mary Immaculate, our loving Mother and Queen, intercede for us!

[Shin]

Thanks be to God for the blessing of these extracts!

And thank you Therese!!

As I reread I benefit again!

[Therese]

You are very welcome, Shin! 

May these extracts help all who read them to be the most perfect imitators of our holy Mother and Queen.  This is why I loved posting them so much!  God bless you!

[Therese]

I just need to inform you that the latest batch of quotes (maybe not the very first ones) have come from an on-line source with text that is slightly different from the books from which I had been quoting.  God bless you and Mary keep you! 

[Shin]

Do not be too concerned, when I catch up to them in my proofreading I will check them against the facsimile version.

[Therese]

Do not be too concerned, when I catch up to them in my proofreading I will check them against the facsimile version.

Excellent!  Thanks, Shin!

[Therese]

'The day of the Immaculate Conception, which the Church now celebrates, is not the day of her first conception, when the body alone was conceived, but it is the day of her second Conception or the infusion of her soul.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. I, 221

[Therese]

'...She [Blessed Mary] was possessed of the most perfect justice, superior to Adam and Eve in their first formation.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. I, 222

[Therese]

'...from her [Blessed Mary's] first instant in the womb of her mother, She was wiser, more prudent, more enlightened, and more capable of comprehending God and all his works, that all the creatures have been or ever will be in eternity, excepting of course her most holy Son.'

Ven. Mary of Agreda, Mystical City of God, Vol. I, 227