Welcome back to the City of God (no not St. Augustine's haha). Last time we saw that St. Anne was spiritually attacked during her pregnancy. Then the birth of Mary is revealed and her operations in her infancy. It reveals that Sts. Joachim and Anne promise to and give Mary into the care and the instruction of the temple. Mary's status as the true Ark is explored especially in the context of Mary's commitment to chastity from a young age. Mary of Ágreda reveals that God ordained Mary transition from a life as a consecrated Virgin to a married woman; this ultimately leads to Saint Joseph entering the story and the pair becoming betrothed. So what happens next?
Mary of Ágreda reveals the novena of days which God poured out in preparation for the Annunciation. Then came the actual moment of the Annunciation. Mary of Ágreda writes: "It was on a Thursday at six o'clock in the evening and at the approach of night. The great modesty and restraint of the Princess of Heaven did not permit her to look at [the Archangel Gabriel] more than was necessary to recognize him as an angel of the Lord" (Part II Book I, 131). It intrigues me that the Annunciation occurred on a Thursday. The greatest mystery of all time, the Passion and Death of Jesus, started with the last supper on a Thursday. So why would not the beginning not be similar to the end?
Absolutely Beautiful.
The chain of events, set off in the moments to follow changed the world, not just for the temporal dimension, but for the eternal dimension. Mary contemplates the plan of God desires for humanity. Then asks a practical question as she took a vow of virginity, which. of course, Gabriel reveals her pregnancy will result from an act of the Holy Spirit. Mary of Ágreda writes of the events which occur as the result of Mary, the Blessed Mother saying yes to the incarnation, saying: "At the pronouncing of this 'fiat', so sweet to the hearing of God so fortunate for us, four things happened. First, the most holy Body of Christ our Lord formed from the three drops...from the heart of Most Holy Mary. Second, the most holy soul of the same Lord was created, just as the other saints. Thirdly, the soul and the body united int order to pose his perfect humanity. Fourthly, the Divinity united itself in the Humanity, which together became one composite being in hypostatical union" (Part II Book I, 138). These instances are amazing, it seems these happened simultaneously, but from the Gospel's the news of her pregnancy is not the only pregnancy, Mary, the Blessed Mother, hears of from Gabriel. The other is that of her elderly cousin Elizabeth. Well, it seem in one instance, the annunciation is happening, then suddenly she is on the road to visit Elizabeth. However, Mary of Ágreda reveals, Mary, the Blessed Mother did not take the journey on her own convictions, or from her own permission alone. Mary of Ágreda writes: "The humble spouse immediately proceeded to ask the consent of saint Joseph, for executing the mandate of the Most High" ( Part II Book I, 194). This is a beautiful image. Mary, the Blessed Mother, even though God convicted her to go and help Elizabeth, she honors the structure God prefers in the home, where the man is the head of the household (I know this is a controversial statement, but this series and post is not the place to discuss it). Of course, St. Joseph says yes, because the visitation is in the Bible. Now, let's discuss that very event, the visitation.
Mary of Ágreda reveals much about the Visitation in Book I of Part II of The City of God. One important note, is that St. Joseph with Mary, In the interaction with Elizabeth Mary of Ágreda reveals: "Together with this preparation [John the Baptist] was sanctified from Original Sin, made an adopted son of God and filled with most abundant graces of the Holy Ghost and with the plenitude of all his gifts" (Part II Book I, 310). So, John, then, stands as one of the only humans who did not struggle with the effects of original sin. It also makes sense, as John was supposed to be "the voice crying out in the desert 'make straight the ways of Lord'". While this is the case, of the visitation, once Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth other things would eventually come to light.
The daily life in Nazareth was rather normal. Mary and St. Joseph lived by the standards of a Holy marriage. Mary of Ágreda states: "The Holy Joseph applied himself to his ordinary daily work, providing for the sustenance of the Queen; and his trusting heart was not deceived in her (Prov. 31, 11)" (Part II Book I, 319). It is supremely beautiful that Joseph has such a radical trust in the Blessed Mother. Yet, we all know that eventually, Mary's pregnancy would become readily apparent to him. Mary of Ágreda relates: "One day, when saint Joseph was full of anxious doubts and saw [the Virgin Mary] coming out of her oratory, he noticed more particularly this evident change without being able to explain away what he saw so clearly with his eyes" (Part II Book II, 375). This moment would throw St. Joseph into a whirlwind of emotions. He now, had to ask how this happened when he and she had not had sexual relations and continued to not have them after the marriage. So Mary of Ágreda reveals: "The heart of saint Joseph, filled with these painful considerations found itself as it were exposes to thrusts of man sharp-edged swords without any other refuge than the full confidence which he had in his spouse" ( Book II Part II, 377). Naturally, though, he knew questions would arise once the wider community discovered the pregnancy.
St. Joseph had to contend with the decision to remain or to leave. Since he trusted in Mary, the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph ultimately landed upon departure. Mary of Ágreda writes: “The least evil will be to absent myself and leave my house before her [Mary’s] delivery comes upon Her; for then I would be still more confused and afflicted. I would then be obliged to live in my house with a child not my own, without being able to find an outlet or expedient” (Part II Book II, 389). St. Joseph shows lot of wisdom here. With his knowledge at the time, St. Jospeh could only land on the choice to leave if he wanted to avoid further afflictions for himself, and presumably Mary as well. However, Mary, the Blessed Mother was not at apathetic to St. Joseph's pain. This is revealed in the instruction which Mary, the Blessed Mother, gives Mary of Ágreda after relating these events.
Mary, the Blessed Mother did not immediately explain the origins of her pregnancy though it would of course, allied any fears Joseph may have had. As The Blessed Mother consistently emphasizes the student/teacher dynamic between her and Mary of Ágreda in asking the latter to imitate her, her command to Mary of Ágreda is: "Let it therefore be to the rule always to be followed that thou reveal nothing to anyone except for your spiritual guide, unless I command otherwise" (Part II Book II 396). This order stresses the authority which spiritual directors and/or confessors had and have. In this command, it shows that caution should be taken, to the extreme, when receiving spiritual messages, as a way to show obedience; this is further emphasized by the Blessed Mother's explanation of her interior state at the time.
Mary of Ágreda writes:"The reverential fear of God bound me to silence (as was proper) such as a high regard for the Treasure deposited to me. Nonwithstanding my natural feeling of love and obligation to my master and spouse saint Joseph, and in disregard of the sorrow and compassion to his afflictions of which I so desired to free him, I hid the secret of my state in silence, preferring the pleasure of the Lord to all of these, and leaving to him the defense of his cause" (Part II Book II, 396). In this, Mary, the blessed Mother, shows the importance of giving God prominence. It may be easy to dismiss this teaching, because Mary, alone did not have original sin from conception, but as the Bible says many times, be not afraid. Failure is inevitable, but without failure no learning occurs. Here, it shows us sometimes radical trust in God, and patience, is necessary when struggles.
Now St. Joesph does his due diligence and prepared himself to leave. These unfortunate preparation to leave his house were made, based upon limited knowledge of the situation and logical conclusions. Yet, the physical exertion and emotional exhaustion, unsurprisingly, cause physical exhaustion as well. But, in all things, even in this Joseph included the Lord. Mary of Ágreda writes: "Full of this sorrow, which had now had become an intolerable pain, St. Joseph, after praying the prayer above mentioned, composed himself for a short sleep" (Part II Book II 399). The Bible tells us what happens next. Joseph has. dream in which the Angel Gabriel announces to him the origin of Mary's pregnancy. What is not told is what his first interaction with Mary was like after this dream. Mary of Ágreda unravels this mystery for us. writing that some of his first words the Blessed Mother were: "Do not reflect, my mistress uon the ignorance of such. a lowly creature, who now beter instructed consecrates his heart and his whole life to they service and attendance" (Part II Book II, 407) What beautiful words? Even in his role as head of household, he is willing to subject himself to a worthy queen. Now Mary, the Blessed Mother, as a humble person, chooses to still honor St. Joseph as head of household.; this initiated a most holy struggle as both desired to serve each other as they sought. Centuries later, no one less than the Pope would imitate St. Joseph, when St. John Paul II, took the words "Totus Tuus"as his Papal motto, encouraging all the faithful to be servants of the Blessed Mother. Yet, this Pope wasn't the first priest, to encourage such reverence to Mary, but you'll have to keep reading to find out who else did so.
Of course next comes the census which necessitates Mary and St. Joesph to leave Nazareth for Bethlehem. Now, as they are rejected by several inns, the couple end up in a cave and then the events of the Nativity occur. Mary of Ágreda writes: "At the moment when she felt and saw that the body of the Infant God began to move in her virginal womb; how, releasing and freeing Himself from teh place which in the course of nature He had occupied for nine months, He now prepared to issue forth, form the sacred bridal chamber. This movement non ondly did not cause any pain or hardship, as happens with the other daughters of Adam and Eve in their childbirths" (Part II Book II, 475). What exactly did it mean that Mary had not birth pangs, and how should we understand the vagueness of Mary of Ágreda's words? There aren't clear answers to either questions. Also where is St. Joseph in all of this? Outside the cave in ecstasy, naturally. But not for long.
It is only proper that at some point a father sees his child, even if in St. Joseph's cases, he is only the foster father, as any earthly father, I"m sure, will attest, the sight of a child which is yours, not matter biology, brings great joy. Mary of Ágreda writes: "At the desire of his heavenly spouse he [St. Joseph} issued from his ecstasy and , on being restored to consciousness the first sight of his eyes was the child in the arms of the virgin Mother reclining against her sacred countenance and breast. There he adored Him [Jesus} in profoundest humility and in tears of Joy" (Part II Book II, 485). What a most glorious sight? This moment exemplifies what centuries later, St. Louis de Monfort (St. John Paul's II's inspiration for the aforementioned papal motto), highlighted that the quickest and easiest way to Jesus is through Mary.
And with that our time in Ágreda again ceases. Next, time we visit, the story of the Nativity from the point of view of the Blessed Mother. Until then, May Mary, the Blessed Mother protect and guide you to her Holy Son.
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