Thursday, August 15, 2019

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary


Posted by David Martin

From the following excerpt from Venerable Mary of Agreda’s *City of God, we see that the Apostles of Jesus had great reverence for the Virgin Mary. But too, we see that Mary was not subject to the particular judgment at death as all other men are, since She was exempt from the sin of Adam, of which death and judgment are a consequence. Nor could the corruption of the grave have any hold on Mary, since She, from the first instant of Her Immaculate Conception, was never a partaker in the least corruption of this earthly life. As such, the Lord took Her body and soul into Heaven to be seated on her queenly throne amidst the Trinity and the Heavenly Host.
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In order that the Apostles, the Disciples, and many others of the faithful might not be too deeply oppressed by sorrow, and in order that some of them might not die of grief caused by the passing away of the Most Blessed Mary, it was necessary that the Divine Power, by an especial providence, furnish them with consolation and dilate their heart for new influences in their incomparable affliction. For the feeling, that their loss was irretrievable in the present life, could not be repressed; the privation of such a Treasure could never find a recompense; and as most sweet, loving and amiable intercourse and conversation of their Great Queen had ravished the heart of each one, the ceasing of Her protection and company left them as it were without the breath of life. But the Lord, Who well knew how to estimate the just cause of their sorrow, secretly upheld them by His encouragements and so they set about the fitting burial of the sacred body and whatever the occasion demanded.

Accordingly the Holy Apostles, on whom this duty specially devolved, held a conference concerning the burial of the most sacred body of their Queen and Lady. They selected for that purpose a new sepulcher, which had been prepared mysteriously by the providence of Her Divine Son. As they remembered, that, according to the custom of the Jews at burial, the Deified Body of Their Master had been anointed with precious ointments and spices and wrapped in the sacred burial cloths; they thought not of doing otherwise with the Virginal body of His Most Holy Mother. Accordingly they called the two maidens, who had assisted the Queen during Her life and who had been designated as the heiresses of Her tunics, and instructed them to anoint the Body of the Mother of God with highest reverence and modesty and wrap it in the winding-sheets before it should be placed in the casket. With great reverence and fear the two maidens entered the room, where the Body of the Blessed Lady lay upon its couch; but the refulgence issuing from it barred and blinded them in such a manner that they could neither see nor touch the Body, nor even ascertain in what particular place it rested.
In fear and reverence still greater than on their entrance, the maidens left the room; and in great excitement and wonder they told the Apostles what had happened. They, not without Divine Inspiration, came to the conclusion, that this Sacred Ark of the Covenant was not to be touched or handled in the common way. Then Saint Peter and Saint John entered the oratory and perceived the effulgence, and at the same time they heard the celestial music of the Angels, who were singing: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee.” Others responded: “A Virgin before childbirth, in childbirth and after childbirth.” From that time on many of the faithful expressed their devotion toward the Most Blessed Mary in these words of praise; and from them they were handed down to be repeated by us with the approbation of the Holy Church. The two Holy Apostles, Saint Peter and Saint John, were for a time lost in admiration at what they saw and heard of their Queen; and in order to decide what to do, they sank on their knees, beseeching the Lord to make it known. Then they heard a voice saying: “Let not the sacred body be either uncovered or touched.”
Having thus been informed of the Will of God, they brought a bier, and, the effulgence having diminished somewhat, they approached the couch and with their own hands reverently took hold of the tunic at the two ends. Thus, without changing its posture, they raised the sacred and Virginal Treasure and placed it on the bier in the same position as it had occupied on the couch. They could easily do this, because they felt no more weight than that of the tunic. On this bier the former effulgence of the body moderated still more, and all of them, by disposition of the Lord and for the consolation of all those present, could now perceive and study the beauty of that Virginal Countenance and of Her hands. As for the rest, the Omnipotence of God protected this His Heavenly Dwelling, so that neither in life nor in death anyone should behold any other part except what is common in ordinary conversation, namely, Her most inspiring countenance, by which She had been known, and Her hands, by which She had labored.
So great was the care and solicitude for His Most Blessed Mother, that in this particular He used not so much precaution in regard to His Own Body, as that of the Most Pure Virgin. In Her Immaculate Conception He made Her like to Himself; likewise at Her birth, in as far as it did not take place in the common and natural manner of other men. He preserved Her also from impure temptations and thoughts. But, as He was man and the Redeemer of the world through His Passion and Death, He permitted with His Own Body, what He would not allow with Hers, as that of a woman, and therefore He kept her Virginal body entirely concealed; in fact the Most Pure Lady during Her life had Herself asked that no one should be permitted to look upon it in death; which petition He fulfilled. Then the Apostles consulted further about Her burial. Their decision becoming known among the multitudes of the faithful in Jerusalem, they brought many candles to be lighted at the bier, and it happened that all the lights burned through that day and the two following days without any of the candles being consumed or wasted in any shape or manner.
In order that this and many other miracles wrought by the Power of God on this occasion might become better known to the world, the Lord Himself inspired all the inhabitants of Jerusalem to be present at the burial of His Most Blessed Mother, so that there was scarcely any person in Jerusalem, even of the Jews or the gentiles, who were not attracted by the novelty of this spectacle. The Apostles took upon their shoulders the sacred body and the Tabernacle of God and, as Priests of the Evangelical Law, bore the Propitiatory of the Divine Oracles and Blessings in orderly procession from the Cenacle in the city to the valley of Josaphat. This was the visible accompaniment of the dwellers of Jerusalem.
In the midst of this celestial and earthly accompaniment, visible and invisible, the Apostles bore along the sacred body, and on the way happened great miracles, which would take much time to relate. In particular all the sick, of which there were many of the different kinds, were entirely cured. Many of the possessed were freed from the demons; for the evil spirits did not dare to wait until the sacred body came near the persons thus afflicted. Greater still were the miracles of conversions wrought among many Jews and gentiles, for on this occasion were opened up the Treasures of Divine Mercy, so that many souls came to the knowledge of Christ Our Savior and loudly confessed Him as the True God and Redeemer, demanding Baptism. Many days thereafter the Apostles and Disciples labored hard in catechizing and Baptizing those, who on that day had been converted to the Holy Faith. The Apostles in carrying the sacred body felt wonderful effects of Divine Light and Consolation, in which the Disciples shared according to their measure. All the multitudes of the people were seized with astonishment at the fragrance diffused about the sweet music and the other prodigies. They proclaimed God great and powerful in this Creature and in testimony of their acknowledgment, they struck their breasts in sorrow and compunction.
When the procession came to the Holy Sepulcher in the valley of Josaphat, the same two Apostles, Saint Peter and Saint John, who had laid the Celestial Treasure from the couch onto the bier, with joyful reverence placed it in the Sepulcher and covered it with a linen cloth, the hands of the Angels performing more of these last rites than the hands of the Apostles. They closed up the Sepulcher with a large stone, according to custom at other burials. The Celestial Courtiers returned to Heaven, while the Thousand Angels of the Queen continued their watch, guarding the sacred body and keeping up the music as at Her burial. The concourse of the people lessened and the Holy Apostles and Disciples, dissolved in tender tears, returned to the Cenacle. During a whole year the exquisite fragrance exhaled by the Body of the Queen was noticeable throughout the Cenacle, and in Her oratory, for many years. This sanctuary remained a place of refuge for all those that were burdened with labor and difficulties; all found miraculous assistance, as well in sickness as in hardships and necessities of other kind. After these miracles had continued for some years in Jerusalem, the sins of Jerusalem and of its inhabitants drew upon this city, among other punishments, that of being deprived of this inestimable blessing.
Having again gathered in the Cenacle, the Apostles came to the conclusion that some of them and of the Disciples should watch at the Sepulcher of their Queen as long as they should hear the celestial music, for all of them were wondering when the end of that miracle should be. Accordingly some of them attended to the affairs of the Church in catechizing and baptizing the new converts; and others immediately returned to the Sepulcher, while all of them paid frequent visits to it during the next three days. Saint Peter and Saint John, however, were more zealous in their attendance, coming only a few times to the Cenacle and immediately returning to where was laid the Treasure of their heart.
Of the glory and felicity of the saints in the beatific vision Saint Paul says with Isaias [1 Cor. 2, 9; Is. 64, 4], that neither have mortal eyes seen, nor ears heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love Him and who hope in Him. In accordance with this Catholic Truth, we should not wonder at what is related of Saint Augustine, the Great Light of the Church, that, in setting out to write a book on the Glory of the Blessed, he was visited by his friend, Saint Jerome, who had just died and entered into the Glory of the Lord, and was admonished by his visitor, that he would not be able to compass His design; since no tongue or pen of man could describe the least part of the blessings enjoyed by the saints in the beatific vision.
If on this account the glory even of the least of the Saints is ineffable, what shall we say of the Glory of the Most Blessed Mary, since among the Saints She is the Most Holy and She by Herself is more like to Her Son than all the Saints together, and since Her grace and glory exceed those of all the rest. as those of an empress or sovereign over Her vassals? This truth can and should be believed; but in mortal life it cannot be understood, or the least part of it be explained; for the inadequacy and deficiency of our words and expressions rather tend to obscure than to set forth its greatness. Let us in this life apply our labor, not in seeking to comprehend it, but in seeking to merit its manifestation in glory, where we shall experience more or less of this happiness according to our works.
Our Redeemer Jesus entered heaven conducting the Purest Soul of His Mother at His right hand. She alone of all the mortals deserved exemption from particular judgment; hence for Her there was none; no account was asked or demanded of Her for what She had received; for such was the promise that had been given to Her, when She was exempted from the common guilt and chosen as the Queen privileged above the laws of the children of Adam. For the same reason, instead of being judged with the rest, She shall be seated at the right hand of the Judge to judge with Him all the creatures. If in the first instant of Her Conception She was the brightest Aurora, effulgent with the rays of the sun of the Divinity beyond all the brightness of the Most Exalted Seraphim, and if afterwards She was still further illumined by the contact of the Hypostatic Word, who derived His Humanity from Her Purest Substance, it necessarily follows that She should be His Companion for all eternity, possessing such a likeness to Him, that none greater can be possible between a God-man and a creature. In this light the Redeemer Himself presented Her before the Throne of the Divinity; and speaking to the Eternal Father in the presence of all the Blessed, who were ravished at this wonder, the most Sacred Humanity uttered these words: “Eternal Father, My Most Beloved Mother, Thy Beloved Daughter and the Cherished Spouse of the Holy Ghost, now comes to take possession of the Crown and Glory, which We have prepared as a reward for Her merit. She is the One Who was born as the Rose among thorns, untouched, pure and beautiful, worthy of being embraced by Us and of being placed upon a Throne to which none of our creatures can ever attain, and to which those conceived in sin cannot aspire. This is Our chosen and Our only One, distinguished above all else, to Whom We communicated Our Grace and Our Perfections beyond the measure accorded to other creatures; in Whom We have deposited the Treasure of our Incomprehensible Divinity and Its gifts; Who most faithfully preserved and made fruitful the talents, which We gave Her; who never swerved from Our Will, and who found grace and pleasure in Our eyes. My Father, Most Equitous is the Tribunal of Our Justice and Mercy, and in it the services of Our Friends are repaid in the most superabundant manner. It is right that to My Mother be given the reward of a Mother; and if during Her whole life and in all Her work She was as like to Me as is possible for a creature to be, let Her also be as like to Me in glory and on the Throne of Our Majesty, so that where Holiness is in essence, there it may also be found in its highest participation.”
This Decree of the Incarnate Word was approved by the Father and the Holy Ghost. The Most Holy Soul of Mary was immediately raised to the Right Hand of Her Son and True God, and placed on the Royal Throne of the Most Holy Trinity, which neither men, nor Angels nor the Seraphim themselves attain, and will not attain for all eternity. This is the most exalted and super-eminent privilege of our Queen and Lady, that She is seated on the Throne with the Three Divine Persons and holds Her place as Empress, while all the rest are set as servants and ministers to the Highest King. To the eminence and majesty of that position, inaccessible to all other creatures, correspond Her gifts of glory, comprehension, vision and fruition; because She enjoys, above all and more than all, that Infinite Object, which the other Blessed enjoy in an endless variety of degrees. She knows, penetrates and understands much deeper the Eternal Being and its infinite attributes; She lovingly delights in its mysteries and most hidden secrets, more than all the rest of the Blessed.
Just as little can be explained the extra joy, which the Blessed experienced on that day in singing the new songs of praise to the Omnipotent and in celebrating the glory of His Daughter, Mother and Spouse; for in Her He had exalted all the works of His Right Hand. Although to the Lord Himself could come no new or essential Glory, because He possessed and possesses it immutably infinite through all eternity; yet the exterior manifestations of His pleasure and satisfaction at the fulfillment of His eternal decrees were greater on that day.
On the third day after the most pure soul of Mary had taken possession of this Glory never to leave it, the Lord manifested to the Saints His Divine Will, that She should return to the World, resuscitate Her sacred body and unite Herself with it, so that She might in body and soul be again raised to the right hand of Her Divine Son without waiting for the general resurrection of the dead. The appropriateness of this favor, its accordance with the others received by the Most Blessed Queen and with Her super-eminent dignity, the Saints could not but see; since even to mortals it is so credible, that even if the Church had not certified it, we would judge those impious and foolish, who would dare deny it. But the blessed saw it with greater clearness, together with the determined time and hour as manifested to them in God himself. When the time: for this wonder had arrived, Christ Our Savior Himself descended from heaven bringing with Him at His right hand the soul of His Most Blessed Mother and accompanied by many legions of the Angels, the Patriarchs and ancient Prophets. They came to the sepulcher in the valley of Josaphat, and all being gathered in sight of the virginal temple, The Lord spoke the following words to the Saints.
“My Mother was conceived without stain of sin, in order that from Her virginal substance I might stainlessly clothe Myself in the humanity in which I came to the world and redeemed it from sin. My flesh is Her flesh; She co-operated with Me in the works of the Redemption; hence I must raise Her, just as I rose from the dead, and this shall be at the same time and hour. For I wish to make Her like Me in all things.” All the ancient Saints of the human race then gave thanks for this new favor in songs of praise and glory to the Lord. Those that especially distinguished themselves in their thanksgiving were our first parents Adam and Eve, Saint Anne, Saint Joachim and Saint Joseph, as being the more close partakers in this miracle of His Omnipotence. Then the Purest Soul of the Queen, at the command of the Lord, entered the Virginal Body, reanimated it and raised it up, giving it a new life of immortality and glory and communicating to it the four gifts of Clearness, Impassability, Agility and Subtlety, corresponding to those of the soul and overflowing from it into the body.
Endowed with these gifts the Most Blessed Mary issued from the tomb in body and soul, without raising the stone cover and without disturbing the position of the tunic and the mantle that had enveloped Her Sacred Body. Since it is impossible to describe Her beauty and refulgent glory, I will not make the attempt. It is sufficient to say, that just as the Heavenly Mother had given to Her Divine Son in Her womb the form of man, pure, unstained and sinless, for the Redemption of the World, so in return The Lord, in this Resurrection and new regeneration, gave to Her a glory and beauty similar to His Own. In this mysterious and Divine interchange each One did what was possible: Most Holy Mary engendered Christ, assimilating Him as much as possible to Herself, and Christ resuscitated Her, communicating to Her of His Glory as far as She was capable as a creature.
Then from the sepulcher was started a most solemn procession, moving with celestial music through the regions of the air and toward the Empyrean Heaven. This happened in the hour immediately after midnight, in which also the Lord had risen from the grave; and therefore not all of the Apostles were witness of this prodigy, but only some of them, who were present and watching at the sepulcher. The Saints and Angels entered Heaven in the order in which they had started; and in the last place came Christ Our Savior and at His right hand the Queen, clothed in the gold of variety [as David says Ps. 44, 10], and so beautiful that She was the admiration of the Heavenly Court. All of them turned toward Her to look upon Her and bless Her with new jubilee and songs of praise. Thus were heard those mysterious eulogies recorded by Solomon: Come, daughters of Sion, to see your Queen, who is praised by the morning stars and celebrated by the sons of the Most High. Who is She that comes from the desert, like a column of all the aromatic perfumes? Who is She, that rises like the aurora, more beautiful than the moon, elect as the sun, terrible as many serried armies? Who is She that comes up from the desert resting upon Her Beloved and spreading forth abundant delights? [Cant. 3, 6-9; 8, 5]. Who is She in whom the Deity itself finds so much pleasure and delight above all other creatures and whom He exalts above them all in the heavens! O novelty worthy of the Infinite Wisdom! O prodigy of His Omnipotence, which so magnifies and exalts Her!
Amid this glory the Most Blessed Mary arrived body and soul at the throne of the Most Blessed Trinity. And the three Divine Persons received Her on it with an embrace eternally indissoluble. The Eternal Father said to Her: “Ascend higher, My Daughter and My Dove.” The Incarnate Word spoke: “My Mother, of whom I have received human being and full return of My work in Thy perfect imitation, receive now from My hand the reward Thou hast merited.” The Holy Ghost said: “My Most Beloved Spouse, enter into the eternal joy, which corresponds to the most faithful love; do Thou now enjoy Thy love without solicitude; for past is the winter of suffering for Thou hast arrived at our Eternal embraces.” There the Most Blessed Mary was absorbed in the contemplation of the three Divine Persons and as it were overwhelmed in the boundless ocean and abyss of the Divinity, while the Saints were filled with wonder and new accidental delight. Since, at the occasion of this work of the Omnipotent happened other wonders, I shall speak of them as far as possible in the following chapter.
Words of the Blessed Virgin to Ven. Mary of Agreda
My Daughter, lamentable and inexcusable is the ignorance of men in so knowingly forgetting the Eternal Glory, which God has prepared for those who dispose themselves to merit it. I wish that Thou bitterly bewail and deplore this pernicious forgetfulness; for there is no doubt, that whoever willfully forgets the Eternal Glory and happiness is in evident danger of losing it. No one is free from this guilt, not only because men do not apply much labor or effort in seeking and retaining the remembrance of this happiness; but they labor with all their powers in things that make them forget the end for which they were created. Undoubtedly this forgetfulness arises from their entangling themselves in the pride of life, the covetousness of the eyes, and the desires of the flesh [John 2, 16]; for employing therein all the forces and faculties of their soul during the whole time of their life, they have no leisure, care or attention for the thoughts of Eternal Felicity. Let men acknowledge and confess, whether this recollection costs them more labor than to follow their blind passions, seeking after honors, possessions or the transitory pleasures, all of which have an end with this life, and which, after much striving and labor, many men do not, and can never attain.
This is a sorrow beyond all sorrows, and a misfortune without equal and without remedy. Afflict Thyself, lament and grieve without consolation over this ruin of so many souls bought by the Blood of My Divine Son. I assure Thee, My dearest, that, if men would not make themselves so unworthy of it, my charity would urge me, in the Celestial Glory where Thou knowest Me to be, to send forth a voice through the whole world exclaiming: “Mortal and deceived men, what are you doing? For what purpose are you living? Do you realize what it is to see God face to face, and to participate in His Eternal Glory and share His company? Of what are you thinking? Who has thus disturbed and fascinated your judgment? What will you seek, if once you have lost this true blessing and happiness, since there is no other? The labor is short, the reward is Infinite Glory, and the punishment is Eternal.” 
*The divine history and life of the Virgin Mother of God as relayed by the Blessed Virgin to the 17th century Franciscan nun Mary of Agreda (1602-1665). This monumental work has the approbation of popes of the past four centuries. Upon exhumation in 1909 and again in 1989, her body was found to be incorrupt.

52 comments:

AL Meggers said...

The most beautiful and inspiring words I have ever read!
So true and pure the words resonate with a love of a son for his beloved mother-
That it brought tears to my heart
Such devotion thru His Divine love by Her son our Lord has moved me to secure in my own soul greater admiration and love-
In the power and Glory of Her infinite goodness!

susan said...

a really magnificent presentation on the Assumption by the Institute of Catholic Culture...a great way to spend an hour...the Q&A at the end is really good too.

https://instituteofcatholicculture.org/talk/body-and-soul/

and Barnhardt's best essay ever....I read it at least once a year, and it still makes me weep...

https://www.barnhardt.biz/2013/11/23/the-one-about-the-science-of-the-immaculate-conception-and-assumption-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/



Diana Contreras said...

I love this beautiful article on our Blessed Mother, it's so sad that other religions seem to ignore her, the Roman Catholic Church, the true church of Jesus Christ honors and encourages devotion to her, she is our guiding light to her Divine son Jesus and into Heaven. To Jesus through Mary!

David Martin said...

Note in Mother Agreda's discussion that Our Lord offered Our Lady the option of not dying but of going straight to Heaven, something that was already due to Her, just as it was due to Christ, but because Our Lord voluntarily chose to suffer and die for man, She too chose to follow His footsteps and go the normal route, which Our Lord blessed. Mary was truly exempt from the curse of our first parents in every which way, this exemption being preordained before the foundation of the world.

Some erroneously think that Mary was in the course being conceived in the normal manner, i.e. in original sin, but then God intervened and prevented it, as if Her Immaculate Conception was a "holy baptism" to purify her from this influence. The fact is that She needed no purification or redemption. She was already preconceived and set aside from the rest of the human race long before Her placement on earth. When She said in Her Magnificat, "I rejoice in God my Savior," She was simply acknowledging that She was a creature who cannot lift herself to Heaven by her own shoe straps, but She needed no salvation from sin or hell.

PW said...

This reads like the script and running sheet for a pre-Christian apotheosis ceremony.
Mary of Nazareth, the mother of Jesus can be imitated as a disciple but how can anyone described in this piece of fantasy be even remotely considered a model. The Mary in this piece of private 'revelation' has been stripped of her humanity and is therefore outside the human orbit

Corinna Swetz said...

Let us not forget Her Divine Motherhood. This truth only glorifies Her humanity. Are you atheist or Jew?

Corinna Swetz said...

Thanks for posting. It's a magnificent revelation. It's a shame that Marie of Agreda hasn't yet been canonized. satan once said that if Marie of Agreda and Catherine Emerich were canonized, half his kingdom would be destroyed.

If you think of it, the key to reviving the Faith today is to revive this essential knowledge of Mary, since She is the Mother of the Church.

PW said...

This sort of tormented Gnosticism does nothing for Mary the Mother of Jesus except to hold up to understandable derision the eccentric brand of Catholicism that promotes it. There is little evangelically attractive about this kind of high altitude piety.

Constantine said...

Catherine Emmerich and Mary of Agreda express private revelation. It is not part of the infallible deposit of Faith. But it can be accepted privately.

Constantine said...

The Eastern Churches celebrate the Dormition. It means Mary NEVER died. There was no "question" posed to Mary and an "answer". She just "Fell Asleep" without dying, just as Adam was put to a "deep sleep" to create Eve. Adam too, "fell asleep" as Mary. The female sex came into being in this life, through a deep sleep, and came into being through a deep sleep into the new life.

Corinna Swetz said...

You obviously do not relish things eternal but the base things of this world. Neither did the Pharisees consider Jesus in all His Glory to be "evangilistically attractive," but that's because they were base and dull of mind. All religious aestetisism comes through Mary, so wake up.

Peter Watson said...

"He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones of dominations or principalities or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood on his cross."
- Paul to the Colossians, 1: 15-20

Jesus is God's aesthesis, not Mary. Sound Catholic Mariology, based on Scripture, not private revelation, insists that Mary always points away from herself to her Son.

David Martin said...

That's a Protestant perspective. Jesus is God Himself, the Maker of the world, while Mary is that sacred "vessel of honor" through whom the things of Heaven are communicated to mankind in a clear, perceptible way. Remember, She is the Mediatrix of all Grace. Without Her intercession, the things of God would be obscurely beyond man and lacking in any aesthetics for us, whereas because Mary we are able to relish the eternal beauties. Anything God does he does through Mary, and that would include the inspiration of Holy Scripture. It was Mary who inspired the evangelists to write and complete the Scriptures. This was her work, or better said, God working through Her. But nonetheless her work. The entirety of the work of God is executed through Her.

BrotherBeowulf said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BrotherBeowulf said...

"Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, alone thou hast destroyed all heresies throughout the world." This includes Bergolio.

Bergoglio. Bergoglianism. And all the magisterium of Antipope 'Francis' to be perfectly clear.

BrotherBeowulf said...

The Immaculate Heart of Mary and the sacred Heart of Jesus are one.

That is the message of Fatima.

That is why the pw's of this world--and all diabolical narcissists which by definition are all of the Sodomfolk--hate her. They also hate Him.

Thank you for this beautiful excerpt so fitting for the Feast Day we all celebrate from Ven. Mary of Agreda. She is also the Lady in Blue who evangelized the New Mexico Indian tribes--see Tradition in Action for the incredible tale of the miracle and a summary of the overwhelming and decisive historical evidence for same. Not that it will convince the modernists, who do not believe in the supernatural--like the pharisees in the face of the Man Born Blind--no matter what.

"Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, alone thou hast destroyed all heresies throughout the world." This includes Bergoglio.

Peter Watson said...

David Martin,
Show the reader where in the official teaching of the Catholic Church is there any support for your claims that:

"Anything God does he does through Mary, and that would include the inspiration of Holy Scripture. It was Mary who inspired the evangelists to write and complete the Scriptures. This was her work, or better said, God working through Her. But nonetheless her work. The entirety of the work of God is executed through Her."

You must have references to this in the teachings of the Councils, Popes etc so let the reader know for his/her edification.

Constantine said...

There was no official Teaching about the Immaculate Conception until it was declared infallible by the Pope. The belief was commonly held by the rank and file Catnolics. It did not come from any direct reference in Scripture. Yet it was declared an infallible Teaching. Beliefs held by the rank and file that have some foundation, and is not inconsistent with Scripture, can be declared an infallible teaching. The commonly held belief Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces is another such commonly held belief

Slander Slinger said...

You can ask Gaybrielle how this is Gnostic, but don’t expect an explanation.

Peter Watson said...

David Martin said:

"Anything God does he does through Mary, and that would include the inspiration of Holy Scripture. It was Mary who inspired the evangelists to write and complete the Scriptures. This was her work, or better said, God working through Her. But nonetheless her work. The entirety of the work of God is executed through Her."

Where are these claims to be found in the Deposit of Faith? The reader awaits your evidence, Mr Martin.

There is one Saviour of the world and that is Jesus. Mary is his Mother. There's a difference and she know is.

Constantine said...

Dear Watson "God speaks to us to more ways than have ever been thought of in your immagination."

Peter Watson said...

Martin posted the article, made the claims so it's his responsibility to provide the evidence from official Church teaching.

"God speaks to us to more ways than have ever been thought of in your imagination (sic)." is nice comforting folksy piety but it doesn't address the question.

Tancred said...

God only talks to people with disordered personalities who are in charge @ Saint Gay’s Parish.

PW said...

The reader awaits the evidence of Mr Martin's claims to doctrinal authority about the Assumption of Our Lady.

Tancred's pro forma reaction illustrates once again that 'circle the wagons' is the default position when another editorial dud is posted.

Tick,tick,tick, Mr Martin.

Tancred said...

Too bad you’ll never be a real public intellectual that gets special kid treatment by the police.

Peter Watson said...

QED

Tancred said...

There’s a long tradition of Mary as the Mediatrix of all Graces. I realize you don’t want the laity reading Catholic books written before 1963 (Unless it’s evil people like von Hügel, Acton or Tyrell SJ), but to profess ignorance of this by your ridiculous demands for citations is pretty funny.

susan said...

T...there's no arguing reason with him; this is a jackass who thinks that Jesus is an auditory sensation of God....not God Himself. Feybriel takes Teilhardian idiocy to a new level of idiocy. Even Teilhard would disown him...if the former wasn't most probably burning in hell (with no way to expel a vocal sensation).

Diana Contreras said...

You're the ones that are fools, it's not Christian like to call names, Jesus gave us his mother at the foot of the Cross and she is the Mediatrix of graces along with her son Jesus. Jesus, Mary I love you save souls!

JBQ said...

Joe Biden just announced when questioned that there are three sexes (at least). There is a male and female response to the Word of God. Mary engenders respect as the chosen vehicle for the entrance of the Christ into the human race. "Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb". "Do unto me according to Thy word." It is the goal of man (woman) to find out the "chosen path" for each one in line with the Will of God. Personal fulfillment is just not part of the plan. As the song warbles so well, "that's the way love goes".

Peter Watson said...

Tancred, Martin, the poster of the article claimed, without evidence, that:

"Anything God does he does through Mary, and that would include the inspiration of Holy Scripture. It was Mary who inspired the evangelists to write and complete the Scriptures. This was her work, or better said, God working through Her. But nonetheless her work. The entirety of the work of God is executed through Her."

He is unable or unwilling to show where the Church teaches these things in the Deposit of Faith. I think he cannot because these are heterodox claims that are not supported in Church teaching.

It would not be outlandish to expect that if a person made allegations about you in public, court for instance, then you would justifiably be entitled to see evidence. There are not free passes or exemptions. It's not rocket science.

Constantine said...

The tentative belief of "Mary Mediatrix of All Graces" that is proposed by many is not that alk graces come through Mary, but rather, that all intercessions performed by the saints go through Mary first, before going to God.

Peter Watson said...

In his 1894 Encyclical "Octobri Mense", Pope Leo XIII wrote:

"The recourse we have to Mary in prayer follows upon the office she continuously fills by the side of the throne of God as Mediatrix of Divine grace"

He does not say, of 'all' Divine grace. The reserve Leo shows is an important indication that the difference between orthodoxy and heterodoxy can be as close as one word. Leo's Mariology, thought keeping with the convolution of the times, is essentially reserved, just like Pius XII's dogma of the Assumption.

Tancred said...


Do you know which graces she’s not responsible for, then?

Does he bypass Mary, in other words, for “graces” involving the salvific nature of non-Catholic sects, or all the saints cranked out in John Paul II’s saint factory, or the ministries of model prelates like Bishop Cawcutt, Uncle Ted, Donna and Der Commie Kardinal Marx?

PW said...

You feel at home in the 19th century so why don't you drop by Leo XIII for a cup of tea and a quiet chat. You can put your questions to him then. Do tell the reader how it all transpired.

Tancred said...

Support for Mary as Mediatrix of Graces is far more ancient than even your own modernist credo, which only goes back to the pyramids.

PW said...

Put up the evidence for the big 'Mediatrix' claim, Tancred.

Tancred said...

It’s widely supported by the Church Father’s, but it doesn’t matter, you’re probabably more worried about offending Hugenots and Walensians than exposition of Catholic truth.

Peter Watson said...

Which Church Fathers have written on Mary as Mediatix of (all) grace and what are the exact references to this in their works?

Tancred said...

Ridiculous.

“Peace on Earth to Men of Good Will”

Prove that it was all men of good will that was meant. It might have been a few men of good will left out.

PW said...

Foot in mouth again. Business as usual.

Tancred said...

You sound desperate.

Tancred said...


“Hail, Mary, Mother of God, by whom all faithful souls are saved”
-Saint Cyril of Alexandria

PW said...

Cyril is one of the Church Fathers but he doesn't mention Mary as 'Mediatrix of all graces' which is the matter being discussed and where are the other Fathers of the Church you mentioned in the straw clutching ambit claim?
Who's desperate now, o feckless and clueless one?

Tancred said...

At Ephesus he said that all the sacraments flow through Mary.

PW said...

Reference? And where too do the other other Fathers of the Church teach that Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces?

Tancred said...

You’re the self-proclaimed expert.

https://taylormarshall.com/2010/12/mary-as-mediatrix-in-church-fathers.html

Peter Watson said...

Pulling the elsewhere despised Taylor Marshall out of hat like a bunny rabbit is a pathetic capitulation on your sweeping claim that the teaching on Mary as mediatrix of grace is "widely supported by the Church Father’s" (sic.
Marshall cites two, neither of whom says anything about Mary Mediatrix. What they do is what the Fathers always did and that was to comment on Scripture albeit from an embellished eisegetical perspective.
All that the two Marshall cites offer is their own extrapolations on Gen 3: 15.
You need to do better than this.

BrotherBeowulf said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BrotherBeowulf said...

Father and Doctor of the Church St. Bernard said: “The Lord gives nothing but what passes through the hands of the Queen of Heaven.”

PW said...

Bernard of Clairvaux articulates his theology of Mary in terms of the prevailing court etiquette of his time when often compassionate Queen mother figures tempered the excesses of their royal son(s). Salette, Fatima etc are the successors of this where the punishing arm of a very bad tempered and vengeful Son of God his held back by his Mother who then triggers the guilt pathology by saying, 'My arm is becoming very tired....'
The underpinning Mariology, like his predecessors, is rooted in Gen 3: 15.

BrotherBeowulf said...

You asked for a Church Father who teaches that Our Blessed Lady is Mediatrix of all graces. There you have it. Padre Pio sounds soundly taught the doctrine as well.

A mariology presupposing enmity between Our Blessed Lady and the devil is most Catholic. From Genesis to Revelation. Nothing outdated about Our Lady of Fatima or La Salette on that score. As we sing in the Ave Stella Maris, Our Lady “reverses the deeds and even the name of Eva....”

Also from the pen of the great St. Bernard of Clairvaux.

AVE maris stella,
Dei Mater alma,
atque semper Virgo,
felix caeli porta.

HAIL, O Star of the ocean,
God's own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin,
gate of heav'nly rest.

Sumens illud Ave
Gabrielis ore,
funda nos in pace,
mutans Hevae nomen.

Taking that sweet Ave,
which from Gabriel came,
peace confirm within us,
changing Eve's name.

Solve vincula reis,
profer lumen caecis
mala nostra pelle,
bona cuncta posce.

Break the sinners' fetters,
make our blindness day,
Chase all evils from us,
for all blessings pray.

Monstra te esse matrem:
sumat per te preces,
qui pro nobis natus,
tulit esse tuus.

Show thyself a Mother,
may the Word divine
born for us thine Infant
hear our prayers through thine.

Virgo singularis,
inter omnes mites,
nos culpis solutos,
mitis fac et castos.

Virgin all excelling,
mildest of the mild,
free from guilt preserve us
meek and undefiled.

Vitam praesta puram,
iter para tutum:
ut videntes Iesum
semper collaetemur.

Keep our life all spotless,
make our way secure
till we find in Jesus,
joy for evermore.

Sit laus Deo Patri,
summo Christo decus,
Spiritui Sancto,
tribus honor unus. Amen.