59. While the Most High continued the proximate
preparation of our heavenly Princess for the reception of
the eternal Word in her virginal womb, She, on her part,
persevered without intermission in her fervent sighs and
prayers to hasten his coming into the world. When the
night of the sixth of these days, which I have begun to
describe, had arrived, and when She had previously been
elevated by still more profound illuminations, She was
again called and invited in spirit to the abstractive vision
of the Divinity. Although this happened in the same
manner as at other times, yet it was accompanied by more
heavenly effects and by a more profound insight into the
attributes of the Most High. She remained nine hours
in this trance and issued from it at the third hour. Yet,
although the high vision of the essence of God ceased at
that hour, the most holy Mary continued to enjoy another
kind of vision and prayer. This was indeed inferior to
the first, but in itself was most exalted and more excel
lent than that experienced by any of the saints or the
just. The gifts and favors so far described partook more
and more of the divine during the last days preceding the
Incarnation, without at the same time being a hindrance
to the active occupations of her married state, for here
Martha had no right to complain, that Mary forsook her
in her ministrations (Luc. 10, 40).
60. Having seen God in this vision She was immedi
ately shown the works on the sixth day of the creation of
the world. She witnessed, as if She Herself had been
present, how at the command of the Lord the earth
brought forth the living beings according to their kinds,
as Moses says (Gen. 1, 24). Holy Scripture here refers
to the terrestrial animals, which being more perfect than
the fishes and birds in life and activity, are called by a
name signifying the more important part of their nature.
She saw and understood all the kinds and species of
animals, which were created on this sixth day, and by
what name they were called: some, beasts of burden,
because they serve and assist man, others, wild beasts,
as being more fierce and untamed; others, reptiles, be
cause they do not raise themselves or very little from the
earth. She knew and comprehended the qualities of all
of them : their fury, their strength, the useful purposes
which they serve, and all their distinctions and singular
ities. Over all these She was invested with dominion and
they were commanded to obey Her. She could without
opposition on their part have trodden upon asps and
basilisks, for all would have meekly borne her heel. Many
times did some of these animals show their subjection to
her commands, as when, at the birth of her most Holy
Son, the ox and the ass prostrated themselves and by
their breaths warmed the infant God at the command of
his blessed Mother.
61. In this plenitude of knowledge and science our
heavenly Queen understood perfectly the secret ways of
God in making all creation serve for the benefit of man,
and how much man owes to his Creator on this account.
And it was most proper that She should possess this
knowledge and understanding, so that with it She might
be able to give fitting thanks for these blessings. Neither
men nor angels have done so, failing to correspond and
falling short of their duty in this regard. All these voids
were filled by the Queen of all, and She satisfied for the
debt of gratitude, which we could not or would not pay.
Through Her, divine equity was duly satisfied, consider
ing Her as a medium between itself and the creatures.
By her innocence and gratitude She became more pleasing
to his Majesty than all the rest of the creatures. The
mysterious advent of God into the world was thus being
prepared: for the last hindrance was removed by the
sanctification of Her, who was to be his Mother.
62. After seeing the creation of all the irrational
creatures, She became aware, how the most blessed Trin
ity, in order to complete and perfect the world, said :
"Let us make man to our image and likeness"
(Gen. 1, 26), and how by virtue of this divine decree the
first man was formed of the earth as the first parent of all
the rest. She had a profound insight into the harmonious
composition of the human body and soul and of their
faculties, of the creation and infusion of the soul into
the body and of its intimate union with the body. Of the
structure of the human body and all its parts, She
obtained a deep knowledge: She was informed of the
number of the bones, veins, arteries, nerves and ligatures ;
of the concourse of humors to compose the befitting
temperaments, the faculties of nutrition, growth and loco
motion ; She learned in what manner the disturbances or
changes in this harmony caused the sicknesses, and how
these can be cured. All this the most prudent Virgin
understood and comprehended without the least error,
better than all the wise men of the world and better than
even the angels.
63. The Lord manifested to Her also the happy state
of original justice, in which He placed the first parents
Adam and Eve; She understood their condition, beauty
and perfection of innocence and grace, and for how short
a time they persevered in it. She perceived how they
were tempted and overcome by the astuteness of the
serpent (Gen. 2, 51), and what were the consequences
of their sin ; and how great were the fury and hate of the
demon against the human race. At the vision of all
these things our Queen made great and heroic acts of
virtue, highly pleasing to God. She understood, that
She was a daughter of these first parents and that She
descended from a nature so thankless to its Creator. In
the remembrance of this She humiliated Herself in his
divine presence, thereby wounding the heart of God and
obliging Him to raise Her above all that is created. She
took it upon Herself to weep for the first sin and for all
the rest, that followed from it, as if She Herself had been
guilty of them all. Hence, even at that time, that first
sin might have been called a fortunate fault, which caused
tears so precious in the eyes of the Lord, and which
earned us such sureties and pledges of our Redemption.
64. Rendering worthy thanks to the Creator for the
magnificent work of the creation of man, She reflected
deeply on his disobedience, the seduction and deception
of Eve, and She inwardly resolved to yield that perpetual
obedience, which these first parents had refused to their
Creator. So acceptable in his eyes was this subjection,
that his Majesty in the presence of the heavenly courtiers
decreed the immediate fulfillment and execution of that,
which was prefigured in the history of the king Assuerus,
by whom the queen Vashti was repudiated and deprived
of royal dignity on account of disobedience, while the
humble and gracious Esther was raised to her place
(Esther?, 2).
65. There was an admirable similarity between that
event and these mysteries ; for the exalted and true King,
in order to show the greatness of his powers and the
treasures of his Divinity, had prepared the great banquet
of his creation, and having spread the liberal repast for
all the creatures, invited the guests, that is the human
race, by the creation of its first parents. Vashti, our
mother Eve, disobeyed, failing to submit herself to the
divine command, and now amid the wonderful acclama
tion and jubilee of the angels, the true Assuerus ordered
the most humble Esther to be on that day elevated to
Sovereignty over all creation, this Esther being none
other than the most holy Mary, full of grace and beauty,
chosen among all the daughters of men as their Restoratrix
and the Mother of his Christ.
66. In the plenitude of this mystery the Most High
infused into the heart of our Queen a new abhorrence
of the demon, such as filled Esther toward Aman
(Esther 7, 10) ; and thus it happened, that She thrust
him from his position of superiority and command over
the world. She crushed the head of his pride, hanging
him on the gallows of the Cross, where he had hoped to
destroy and conquer the Godman, but was himself chas
tised and overcome by it. Toward all this the most holy
Mary was instrumental, as we shall relate in its place
(Vol. Ill, 653). Just as the envy of the dragon against
the Woman, that is this heavenly Lady, commenced in
heaven, when he saw Her clothed with the sun
(Apoc. 12, 4, Part I, 95) ; so this strife continued until
he was deprived of his tyrannous dominion. Just as the
most faithful Mardocheus was given the position of the
proud Aman (Esther 6, 10) ; so also was honored the
most chaste and faithful Joseph, who continually urged
Her to pray for the liberty of her people. This was the
constant subject of conversation between Joseph and his
most pure Spouse; for this very purpose was he raised
to the summit of sanctity, and to the exalted dignity of
holding the sealing ring of the highest King
(Esther 8, 2), whereby he received authority to com
mand the Godman himself, as is related in the Gospel.
Having experienced all these mysteries, our Queen issued
from her vision.
INSTRUCTION, WHICH THE HEAVENLY QuEEN GAVE ME-
67. Wonderful, my daughter, was the gift of humil
ity, which the Most High conferred upon me in the event
described by thee. And since his Majesty does not reject
the prayers of those, that dispose themselves to receive
it, I desire that thou imitate me and be my companion in
the exercise of this virtue. I had no part in the sin of
Adam, for I was exempted from his disobedience; but
because I partook of his nature and by it was his daugh
ter, I humiliated myself in my estimation to nothingness.
In the light of this example then, how far must those
humiliate themselves, who not only have had a part in
the first sin, but also have committed other sins without
number? The aim and motive of this humiliation more
over, should not be to remove the punishments of those
sins, but to make restoration and recompense for the
diminution and loss of honor, which was thereby occa
sioned to the Creator and Lord.
68. If a brother of thine should grievously offend thy
natural father, thou wouldst not be a loving and loyal
daughter of thy father, nor a true sister to thy brother,
if thou wouldst not grieve for the offense and weep not
over his ruin as over thy own ; for to the father is due
reverence and to thy brother thou owest love as to thy
self. Consider then, dearest, and examine in the proper
light, how much difference there is between thy Father
who is in heaven and thy natural father, and how all of
you are his children, bound together by the strictest
obligation of brethren and of servants of one true Master.
Just as thou wouldst shed tears of humiliation and con
fusion at some ignominious fault of thy natural brother;
so I wish that thou do it for the sins, which the mortals
commit against God, sorrowing for them in confusion
as if thou wert responsible for them thyself. That is
what I did at the thought of the disobedience of Adam
and Eve and of all the evils, which ensued therefrom to
the human race. And the Most High was pleased with my
charitable interest ; for most agreeable in his sight are the
tears shed for the sins, which are forgotten by those, that
have committed them.
69. At the same time see thou bear ever in mind, that,
no matter how great and rare are the favors received
from the Most High, thou do not despise the danger of
sin nor contemn the solicitous and humble performance
of the ordinary duties of precept and charity. For these
do not oblige thee to leave the presence of God: faith
teaches thee, and inspiration should govern thee, to bear
Him with thee in all occupations and places, quitting thy
self and thy inclinations, but fulfilling in all things the
will of thy Lord and Spouse. Do not allow thyself to be
led in these sentiments by the trend of thy own inclina
tions, nor by that which seems to agree with thy own
interior liking and taste; for many times the greatest
danger is hidden beneath this cloak. In such doubts and
hesitations let holy obedience be thy umpire and master ;
through it thou canst decide securely, and thou wilt need
no other criterion for thy actions. Great victories and
advances in merit are connected with the true submission
of self and subjection of our own judgments to those of
others. Thou shouldst never wish to retain for thyself
the power to will or not to will : then thou shalt sing of
victories and overcome thy enemies.
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