Introduction

It is through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus Christ came into the world, and it is also through her that he must reign in the world. Mary was very hidden in her life; this is why she is called by the Holy Spirit and the Church Alma Mater — "hidden and secret Mother." Her humility was so profound that she had no attraction on earth more powerful and more constant than to hide herself from herself and from every creature, to be known only to God alone.

God, to grant her the requests she made of him to hide, impoverish, and humble her, took pleasure in hiding her in her conception, in her birth, in her life, in her mysteries, in her resurrection and assumption, from all human creatures. Her very parents did not know her, and the angels often asked one another: Quae est ista? — "Who is she?" because the Most High hid her from them; or, if he revealed something of her to them, he hid infinitely more.

God the Father willed that she should work no miracle during her life, at least none that attracted notice, although he had given her the power to do so. God the Son willed that she should speak hardly at all, although he had communicated his wisdom to her. God the Holy Spirit willed that his apostles and evangelists should speak of her only very little, and only as much as was necessary to make Jesus Christ known, although she was his faithful spouse.

Mary is the excellent masterpiece of the Most High, whose knowledge and possession he has reserved to himself. Mary is the admirable Mother of the Son, who took pleasure in humiliating and hiding her during her life, to favor her humility, calling her by the name of "woman," mulier, as though she were a stranger, although in his heart he esteemed and loved her more than all the angels and all men. Mary is the sealed fountain and the faithful spouse of the Holy Spirit, into which he alone enters. Mary is the sanctuary and the resting place of the Holy Trinity, where God dwells more magnificently and more divinely than in any other place in the universe, not excepting his dwelling above the cherubim and seraphim; and no creature, however pure, may enter there without a great privilege.

I say with the saints: the divine Mary is the earthly paradise of the new Adam, where he became incarnate by the operation of the Holy Spirit, to work there incomprehensible wonders. She is the great and divine world of God, where there are beauties and treasures beyond telling. She is the magnificence of the Most High, where he has hidden, as in his bosom, his only-begotten Son, and in him, all that is most excellent and most precious. Oh, what great and hidden things this mighty God has done in this admirable creature, as she herself is obliged to say, despite her profound humility: Fecit mihi magna qui Potens est! — "He who is mighty has done great things for me!" The world does not know them, because it is incapable of it and unworthy.

The saints have said admirable things of this holy city of God; and they were never more eloquent or more content, as they themselves confess, than when they spoke of her. After that, they cry out that the height of her merits, which she has raised up to the throne of the Godhead, cannot be perceived; that the breadth of her charity, which she has spread wider than the earth, cannot be measured; that the greatness of her power, which she exercises even over God himself, cannot be grasped; and finally that the depth of her humility and of all her virtues and graces, which are an abyss, cannot be fathomed.

O incomprehensible height! O ineffable breadth! O immeasurable greatness! O impenetrable abyss! Every day, from one end of the earth to the other, in the highest heavens and in the deepest abysses, all things preach and proclaim the admirable Mary. The nine choirs of angels, men and women of every age, condition, and religion, good and bad, even the devils, are compelled to call her Blessed, willingly or not, by the force of truth. All the angels in heaven, says St. Bonaventure, cry out to her unceasingly: Sancta, sancta, sancta Maria, Dei Genitrix et Virgo — "Holy, holy, holy Mary, Mother of God and Virgin!" And they offer her millions upon millions of times each day the Angelic Salutation, Ave Maria, prostrating themselves before her and asking for the grace of being honored with some of her commands. Even St. Michael, says St. Augustine, though prince of all the heavenly court, is the most zealous in rendering and in having rendered to her every kind of honor, always waiting for the privilege of going, at her word, to serve one of her servants.

The whole earth is full of her glory, especially among Christians, where she is taken as patron and protectress in many kingdoms, provinces, dioceses, and cities. Many cathedrals are consecrated to God under her name. There is no church without an altar in her honor; no region or district without some miraculous image of hers, where all kinds of evils are healed and all kinds of blessings obtained. So many confraternities and congregations in her honor; so many religious orders under her name and protection; so many brothers and sisters of all the confraternities, and so many religious men and women of all the orders, who proclaim her praises and announce her mercies! There is not a little child who, while lisping the Hail Mary, does not praise her. There is scarcely a sinner who, even in his hardness of heart, does not have some spark of confidence in her. There is not even a devil in hell who does not fear and respect her.

After all this, we must truly say with the saints: De Maria nunquam satis — "We have not yet praised, exalted, honored, loved, and served Mary enough." She has merited still more praise, respect, love, and service.

After all this, we must say with the Holy Spirit: Omnis gloria ejus Filiae Regis ab intus — "All the glory of the King's Daughter is within"; as if all the outward glory that heaven and earth vie with one another to give her were nothing in comparison with that which she receives within from the Creator, and which is unknown to the small creatures who cannot penetrate the secret of secrets of the King.

After all this, we must cry out with the Apostle: Nec oculus vidit, nec auris audivit, nec in cor hominis ascendit — "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man" the beauties, the grandeurs, and the excellences of Mary, the miracle of miracles of grace, of nature, and of glory. If you wish to understand the Mother, says a saint, understand the Son, for she is a worthy Mother of God. Hic taceat omnis lingua — "Here let every tongue be silent."

My heart has dictated all that I have just written, with a special joy, to show that the divine Mary has been unknown until now, and that this is one of the reasons why Jesus Christ is not known as he ought to be. If then, as is certain, the reign of Jesus Christ comes into the world, it will be only a necessary consequence of the knowledge and the reign of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who brought him into the world the first time, and will make him shine forth the second.