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1. It was through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus came into the
world, and it is also through her that he must reign in the world.
2. Because Mary remained hidden during her life she is called by
the Holy Spirit and the Church "Alma Mater", Mother hidden and
unknown. So great was her humility that she desired nothing more
upon earth than to remain unknown to herself and to others, and to
be known only to God.
3. In answer to her prayers to remain hidden, poor and lowly, God
was pleased to conceal her from nearly every other human creature
in her conception, her birth, her life, her mysteries, her
resurrection and assumption. Her own parents did not really know
her; and the angels would often ask one another, "Who can she
possibly be?", for God had hidden her from them, or if he did
reveal anything to them, it was nothing compared with what he
withheld.
4. God the Father willed that she should perform no miracle during
her life, at least no public one, although he had given her the
power to do so. God the Son willed that she should speak very
little although he had imparted his wisdom to her. Even though
Mary was his faithful spouse, God the Holy Spirit willed that his
apostles and evangelists should say very little about her and then
only as much as was necessary to make Jesus known.
5. Mary is the supreme masterpiece of Almighty God and he has
reserved the knowledge and possession of her for himself. She is
the glorious Mother of God the Son who chose to humble and conceal
her during her lifetime in order to foster her humility. He called
her "Woman" as if she were a stranger, although in his heart he
esteemed and loved her above all men and angels. Mary is the
sealed fountain and the faithful spouse of the Holy Spirit where
only he may enter. She is the sanctuary and resting-place of the
Blessed Trinity where God dwells in greater and more divine
splendour than anywhere else
in the universe, not excluding his dwelling above the cherubim and
seraphim. No creature, however pure, may enter there without being
specially privileged.
6. I declare with the saints: Mary is the earthly paradise of
Jesus Christ the new Adam, where he became man by the power of the
Holy Spirit, in order to accomplish in her wonders beyond our
understanding. She is the vast and divine world of God where
unutterable marvels and beauties are to be found. She is the
magnificence of the Almighty where he hid his only Son, as in his
own bosom, and with him everything that is most excellent and
precious. What great and hidden things the all-powerful God has
done for this wonderful creature, as she herself had to confess in
spite of her great humility, "The Almighty has done great things
for me." The world does not know these things because it is
incapable and unworthy of knowing them.
7. The saints have said wonderful things of Mary, the holy City of
God, and, as they themselves admit, they were never more eloquent
and more pleased than when they spoke of her. And yet they
maintain that the height of her merits rising up to the throne of
the Godhead cannot be perceived; the breadth of her love which is
wider than the earth cannot be measured; the greatness of the
power which she wields over one who is God cannot be conceived;
and the depths of her profound humility and all her virtues and
graces cannot be sounded. What incomprehensible height! What
indescribable breadth! What immeasurable greatness! What an
impenetrable abyss!
8. Every day, from one end of the earth to the other, in the
highest heaven and in the lowest abyss, all things preach, all
things proclaim the wondrous Virgin Mary. The nine choirs of
angels, men and women of every age, rank and religion, both good
and evil, even the very devils themselves are compelled by the
force of truth, willingly or unwillingly, to call her blessed.
According to St. Bonaventure, all the angels in heaven unceasingly
call out to her: "Holy, holy, holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God."
They greet her countless times each day with
the angelic greeting, "Hail, Mary", while prostrating themselves
before her, begging her as a favour to honour them with one of her
requests. According to St. Augustine, even St. Michael, though
prince of all the heavenly court, is the most eager of all the
angels to honour her and lead others to honour her. At all times
he awaits the privilege of going at her word to the aid of one of
her servants.
9. The whole world is filled with her glory, and this is
especially true of Christian peoples, who have chosen her as
guardian and protectress of kingdoms, provinces, dioceses, and
towns. Many cathedrals are consecrated to God in her name. There
is no church without an altar dedicated to her, no country or
region without at least one of her miraculous images where all
kinds of afflictions are cured and all sorts
of benefits received. Many are the confraternities and
associations honouring her as patron; many are the orders under
her name and protection; many are the members of sodalities and
religious of all congregations who voice her praises and make known
her compassion. There is not a child who does not praise her by
lisping a Hail Mary. There is scarcely a sinner, however hardened,
who does not possess some spark of confidence in her. The very
devils in hell, while fearing her, show her respect.
10. And yet in truth we must still say with the saints: De
Maria numquam satis : We have still not praised, exalted, honoured,
loved and served Mary adequately. She is worthy of even more
praise, respect, love and service.
11. Moreover, we should repeat after the Holy Spirit, "All the
glory of the king's daughter is within", meaning that all the
external glory which heaven and earth vie with each other to give
her is nothing compared to what she has received interiorly from
her Creator, namely, a glory unknown to insignificant
creatures like us, who cannot penetrate into the secrets of the
king.
12. Finally, we must say in the words of the apostle Paul, "Eye
has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has the heart of man understood"
the beauty, the grandeur, the excellence of Mary, who is indeed a
miracle of miracles of grace, nature and glory. "If you wish to
understand the Mother," says a saint, "then understand the Son.
She is a worthy Mother of God." Hic taceat omnis lingua : Here let
every tongue be silent.
13. My heart has dictated with special joy all that I have written
to show that Mary has been unknown up till now, and that that is
one of the reasons why Jesus Christ is not known as he should be.
If then, as is certain, the knowledge and the kingdom of Jesus
Christ must come into the world, it can only be as a necessary
consequence of the knowledge and reign of Mary. She who first gave
him to the world will establish his kingdom in the world. |