Thursday
July 7, 2005
vol 16, no. 188

"While nothing in the book (except that which already forms a part of the unchangeable Deposit of Faith) could ever be strictly necessary for salvation, yet who can doubt that Almighty God gives private revelation to dispel ignorance, correct individuals and nations, enkindle devotion, and, in short, form a sort of prelude to the Beatific Vision in which all the details of the Divine mysteries shall be made manifest? This is why spiritual reading, coupled with meditation, prayer and praise, is so beneficial since it is (if you will) practicing and even participating in what we hope to do in Heaven."

    Since the "proof is in the pudding," the only way to truly know the greatness of the City of God is to read it. Reverend Father Blatter, the book's English translator, after quoting numerous approbations, said simply: "Read and be convinced!" (Coronation, p. xiii).

    Let us examine first the book's relation to the public, unchangeable Deposit of Faith contained in Scripture and Tradition.

    The primary excellence of the contents of the book depends on its conformity to Holy Scriptures. Just as the excellence of Mary is due entirely to the relation she has to her Son Jesus, so the excellence of the City of God is due entirely to the relation it has to Sacred Scripture.

    The Louvain approbation makes this point a central theme: 'This History explains more than a thousand difficulties in Holy Scriptures, in a manner equally natural and wonderful. At every step are encountered exquisite interpretations, until now unknown, and which had been hid-den beneath the mere letter, but are laid open in these writings and brought to the light. In short, the whole work is a beautiful web of Scripture passages..." (Incarnation, pp. xvi-xvii).

    Just as Our Lady, in all her actions, constantly referred to Our Lord, being the Mirror of the Divinity, so too the City of God constantly refers to Holy Scriptures, and could be called the "mirror of Holy Scriptures." Scripture quotes and referrals predominate, and every page reflects the infinite wisdom found therein. Entire chapters are devoted to explaining chapters in Scriptures, among others Psalm 109, Proverbs 8 and 31, Ecclus. 24, and Apocalypse 12 and 21. One reason the City of God was given to the Church was to be the key which unlocks these hidden passages. It could be said the only way to truly appreciate it is to have a great love for and knowledge of Scriptures. That the book perfectly defends and upholds the sacred Tradition of the Church, allow His Excellency, Franz Albert, Archbishop of Salzburg and Primate of Germany, to testify what one of the most learned men of his time said (Conception, p. xxii-my emphasis):

    "The learned and pious Cardinal D'Aguirre says that he considers all the studies of fifty years of his previous life as of small consequence in comparison with the doctrines he found in this book, which in all things are in harmony with the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Fathers and Councils of the Church."

It is well to note that the "Spanish Benedictine Cardinal D'Agguirre" was "one of the great adversaries" 7 of the City of God - until he read it.

    The book also perfectly harmonizes with the liturgy of the Church. The origin and date of many feasts are explained, all in perfect accordance with the Church calendar. One of my favorite examples is the Introit for February 11, Our Lady of Lourdes: "I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Apocalypse 21:2). This mystical passage contains such deep mysteries concerning Our Lady that explanations of Apocalypse 21 form the subject of not one, but five entire chapters in the book.

    We now come to the true core of the book, the revelations given to Venerable Mary Agreda regarding the history of our Queen. This history is complete, beginning with God before He created her and ending with the Coronation. What has astonished generations of Catholics, from Popes to theologians to simple laity, are the descriptions of the interior life of Our Lord and Our Lady, replete with verbatim narrations of prayers of Both, and communications of the Holy Trinity, which are absolutely beyond mere human meditation. In these narrations of the Blessed Trinity and of Our Lord Jesus Christ, generations have recognized the voice of the Shepherd Whom all the sheep shall hear (John 10:4, 27; 18:37). The revelation of the interior lives of Christ, Our Lady and many saints was explicitly given as a purpose for the book. Almighty God said: "My spouse, many mysteries pertaining to My Mother and the saints have been made manifest in the Church Militant; but many are still hidden, especially the interior secrets of their lives, and these I wish now to make known" (Conception, p. 11-my emphasis).

    From the Louvain approbation: "All can easily persuade themselves that, it the interior life of Christ our Lord and of the most holy Virgin was not just as described in these books, it could certainly have been like it; and that it would have been well worthy of Them, if it was as it is there depicted" (Incarnation, p. xvii).

    Thus many consider it the best Life of Christ outside of Scripture, as well as the best life of Mary, the living Imitation of Christ.

    The revelations concerning St. Joseph are another prime example of this. Have you ever realized that not a single word of his is recorded in Holy Scriptures? What a mystery! God, however, has disposed that our happy age be enlightened and instructed by the many sublime words and prayers of St. Joseph recorded in this work. What a grace to be instructed by the living Imitation of Mary, our glorious Patriarch!

    Narrations of battles with the demons, conferences with the holy angels, the doings of so many of the greatest saints that it could be called a miniature Lives of the Saints, and many, many other topics, are beyond brief comment. You must read the book to appreciate it.

    In the practical order, the express intention of Our Lord and Our Lady in giving us these revelations is so we can use them as the Imitation of Mary - a daily guide in which she corrects our faults, teaching and leading us on the true path of virtue. This point is so important that I shall devote the last installments in this series to "The Importance of the City of God," especially its relation to Holy Slavery so cherished by this religious congregation. Here is one of many similar admonitions of Our Lady to Venerable Mary (and to us):

"My object in revealing to thee in this history so many sacraments and secrets...is that thou use them as a mirror of my life and an inviolable rule of action for thy own" (Incarnation, p. 338).

    The book also fulfills an important role in satisfying the holy curiosity all Catholics should have regarding the life of Christ our Savior, His Holy Mother, and other subjects related to our Faith. Alas, this curiosity is often misdirected and used by the devil, apparent in our day in so many false "apparitions" and "messages," and has formed the basis for an entire heresy, Gnosticism, which has been said is a root of all heresies, being the belief that one has or needs "special knowledge" beyond the Deposit of Faith for salvation.

    While nothing in the book (except that which already forms a part of the unchangeable Deposit of Faith) could ever be strictly necessary for salvation, yet who can doubt that Almighty God gives private revelation to dispel ignorance, correct individuals and nations, enkindle devotion, and, in short, form a sort of prelude to the Beatific Vision in which all the details of the Divine mysteries shall be made manifest? This is why spiritual reading, coupled with meditation, prayer and praise, is so beneficial since it is (if you will) practicing and even participating in what we hope to do in Heaven.

    Did you ever want to know more about the hidden life of Our Lord, those thirty years of which Scripture relates only one incident? What happened in Egypt? at Nazareth? What about the interior life of Jesus and Mary, Their prayers? Perhaps most importantly, have you ever wondered what really happened during the Passion, the details of which are not in Scripture? Be prepared to be astonished, to weep, and to be inflamed with love at what our Savior has suffered for us ingrates! Scriptures were given to prove the Divinity of Christ and other chief truths; the City of God was given to provide details, and it is certain the mysteries revealed therein skirt the outer realm of human understanding, of all we can comprehend in this life in which we see "through a glass in a dark manner" (1 Corinthians 13:12).

    All this helps us to do what the author of the Imitation of Christ says: "Let it, then, be our chief study to meditate on the life of Jesus Christ." 8

    The instructions of our Queen certainly form an integral core of the book. Vast multitudes, including Popes, bishops, theologians, priests, religious and laity, are all convinced that these words are actually her words.

    From the Louvain approbation: "[T]he instructions given by the most holy Virgin at the end of each chapter contain the purest morality, instruct, entertain, and at the same time sweetly inculcate the love of virtue and the abhorrence of vice, painting them in the most vivid and natural colors. They do not only convince the intellect, but they contain such a special unction that they enkindle a sacred ardor in the soul. In meditating upon them, one certainly will experience a delight not met with in ordinary writings; and the more they are read the greater is the delight experienced. Finally, the whole work contains something so unwonted and attractive that, once begun, the reading of it can scarcely be relinquished. The novelty and variety found in these writings delight and recreate the reader beyond all that is pleasant in the world, at the same time instructing him and and inspiring him with new fervor" (Incarnation, p. xvii).

    This touches upon the sweetness one feels in reading the book. This is precisely what those who have read the book find so hard to explain to those who have not. It is as if one tastes the reality of what our Queen says, "My spirit is sweet is above honey" (Ecclus. 24: 27). I confess it is recreation in its truest sense to me.

    The prophecies found in the book are certainly worth noting. Most important are the passages describing in detail the "state of the Church," giving reasons and solutions for the current crisis. In Conception, pp. 218-219 and Incarnation, pp. 290-291, are prophesied a "dreadful chastisement" and a single victory of Our Lady in which she will vanquish all heresies at once. These prophecies coincide perfectly with the messages of La Salette and Fatima and are of interest to us today as we battle Modernism, which St. Pius X defined as the "synthesis of all heresies." 9

    Also, I cannot help but mention an astounding prophecy which promises a "great and glorious reign" for the Pope who defines the Immaculate Conception (Conception, pp. 245-247), verified in Pius IX, whose 32-year reign is second only to St. Peter's in length!

    Finally, while summarizing such a vast and divine work is beyond me, we may recognize four of the great themes of the work, noting their excellence and applicability to our day. They are cooperation with grace in the daily practice of virtue; gratitude for all God and Our Lady have done for us; 10 constant meditation on the Passion of Christ, weeping over our own sins, the loss of souls, and the state of the Church; and the power of the intercession of our Queen.

    On this last point the Holy Trinity said: "Whoever shall call upon her 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" (Transfixion, p. 762; cf. Ecclus. 24:24, 31; Proverbs 8:35). Our Lady said: "The Most High still wishes to give liberally of His infinite treasures and resolves to favor those who know how to gain my intercession before God. This is the secure way, and the powerful means of advancing the Church, of improving the Catholic reigns, of spreading the Faith, of furthering the welfare of families and states, of bringing the souls to grace and to the friendship of God" (Coronation, p. 662).

Next Week: Part Six The Fruits of City of God

FOOTNOTES:

7 James A. Carrico, Life of Venerable Mary of Agreda (Stockbridge, MA, Marian Press, 1959), p.90

8 Book 1, ch. l ,no. l

9 Pascendi dominici gregis, VII

10 I have often thought an alternate title for the book could be The Mystery of Man's Ingratitude.

(First Published in Reign of Mary #78, Summer 1994)

For the full volumes of Venerable Mary of Agreda's work on line, see THE MYSTICAL CITY OF GOD

For past articles in Fiat Voluntas Dei, see 2005tim.htm Archives