Mysticism, especially the visionary type, is a popular topic for discussion in the Church. Rev. Auguste Poulain, S.J., wrote in The Catholic Encyclopedia, “We must always make a sharp distinction between: the divinely guaranteed, universal, public Revelation, which is contained in the Bible and the Apostolic Tradition of the Church, and the numerous private or special revelations of saintly Christian men and women. The first came to an end with the preaching of the Apostles and is a matter of faith for all Catholics, whereas the second has occurred throughout the history of the Church and does not require belief, even when approved.”
The narratives of 4 mystics between the 12th to 19th century
The following are vivid narratives of the Blessed Virgin’s life “as seen by” four great mystics of the Church: St. Elizabeth of Schoenau (approximately 1127-1164), St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1337), Venerable Mother Mary of Jesus of Agreda (1602-1665) and Sister Anna Catherine Emmerich (1774-1824). Many Catholics and non-Catholics were enriched by these narratives, intended as a pleasing religious novel, rather than a fifth Gospel.
We have scriptural testimony that Mary and Joseph had visions. Their many years at Nazareth with Jesus were, in a sense, an extended vision of unsurpassed grandeur, rich with intimate revelation. We may believe in all the visions of the saints. Nonetheless, we must admit that all their favors put together are incomparable to those of the Virgin. As St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a Doctor of the Church and specialist in Mariology declared, “What wonder is there if God, Who is wonderful in His saints, has shown Himself still more wonderful in His Mother?”
In preparation for the Incarnation of the God-Man, the Blessed Trinity trained a chosen people to serve and worship the Lord faithfully in the religion He revealed to them through their patriarchs and prophets. He taught them to purify their hearts by leading a decent and holy daily life, and to pray for the coming of the promised Messiah or Saviour who would be their King. From these pure families, God developed and guided the ancestors of His future Mother. Often, married couples practiced self-restraint over long periods of time, particularly during holy seasons, in order to raise saintly children who would bring salvation to the world.
The 20-year preparation of St. Joachim and St. Ann, Blessed Mary’s parents
The Blessed Virgin said to St. Bridget of Sweden: “It is true that I was conceived without original sin, and not in sin. A golden hour was my conception. Our Lord joined my father and my mother in marriage of such chastity that a purer union has never been seen. Sensuality was extinguished in them. Thus my flesh was formed through divine charity.”
St. Ann was born in Bethlehem of rich parents that regularly gave to the poor a large part of their possessions and kept very little for themselves. Just before Ann’s mother died, she told her that she was a chosen vessel and that she should pray for a worthy husband. A comely, sturdy girl in her teens, Ann bore the modest simplicity of a devout peasant maiden. One day, Ann prayed fervently for a husband who would help her live according to the Divine Law. At the same time, on another farm near Nazareth a pious middle-aged bachelor named Joachim was also praying for a wife. When the prayers of St. Ann and St. Joachim were presented by the angels before the throne of the Blessed Trinity, God decreed that this pure couple should unite in marriage and be the parents of the future mother of the Messiah. The Archangel Gabriel was sent to announce this decision to them both. St. Ann was about 24 at the time and St. Joachim was 42.
God proceeded to purify them still further with a cross, which grew heavier as the years passed: They remained childless. Among the Israelites, this was considered a great misfortune, and a social disgrace. For 20 years, Ann and Joachim suffered increasing contempt and insults from their neighbors.
Then the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Ann in a resplendent human form and declared: “Ann, servant of God, the Lord has heard thy petitions. If He delays their fulfilment, it is in order to prepare thee and to give thee much more than thou asketh. The Most High has resolved to give thee and Joachim holy and wonderful fruit. Now he sends me to give thee joyful news. He chooses thee to be the mother of her who is to give birth to the Redeemer of mankind! Thou shalt bring forth a daughter and she shall be called Mary. She shall be blessed among women and filled with the Holy Ghost.”
Our Lady as co-Redemptrix reveals the painful details of the crucifixion
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to mankind. Rev. Fulton Sheen compares the Blessed Virgin holding the Holy Babe in her arms at Christmas to the moment of Crucifixion, when once more the Mother carries Him lifeless on her lap. Our Lady as co-redemptrix with her Son, suffered simultaneously all His pains, passion and humiliation. Let us recall the Crucifixion through the description the Mother of Sorrows made to St. Bridget of Sweden: “When I saw that my Son’s Heart had been stabbed through, I felt that my own heart was likewise pierced, and it was a wonder that it did not break.
While the others left the scene, I did not want to go away. Later my Son was taken down from the Cross. Two men set up three ladders. One reached to his feet, the second came to His arms under the shoulders, and the third reached to the middle of His body. Then one of the men climbed up the second ladder and drove the mail out of one arm. Then he moved the ladder and drove the nail out of the other hand, for the nails extended far beyond the beam of the Cross. Then while he held the body up and slowly came down a bit, the other man went up the ladder that reached to the feet and drove out the nails. When they lowered the body near the ground, one supported it at the head and the other at the feet. But I, who was His Mother, held Him in the middle. Thus we three carried Him to a stone, which I had covered with clean linens.
“All my Son’s limbs had become stiff and cold in death, and the Blood, which had flowed over them during His Passion adhered to them. But I was indeed consoled that I could touch His body and take Him onto my lap, examine the wounds and dry the blood.
‘.... I knew that my Son would not die again but would live forever’
“It would be impossible for anyone to describe how sad I was then. I was like a woman who gives birth to a child. After the birth her whole body is quivering and although her pain is such that she can hardly breathe, yet in her heart she feels the greatest possible joy, because she knows that her son, which she has borne will never again have to go through that suffering, which he has just experienced. Thus, though I felt grief over the death of my Son that could not be compared to any other, I also rejoiced in my soul because I knew that my Son would not die again, but would live forever. And this same joy mingled with my sorrow. Then they placed Him in the Tomb.”
The mother of God continued to witness in vision the actions of her divine Son after His death. She saw Him visit the patriarchs and souls of the Blessed Limbo. And now she saw the Saviour, in the company of the patriarchs, hovering above the city, while He showed them the various places, where He had suffered during His Passion. As they passed near the Cenacle, Jesus directed their attention to the Blessed Virgin and said to them: “There is Mary, My Mother.”
‘Private revelations… are powerful means of strengthening and increasing Christian sentiments’
Early on Easter morning, at the very instant when the holy soul of Christ re-entered and revived His sacred body in the sepulcher, Mary experienced a mystical ecstasy in which her grief and sorrow were transmuted into ineffable joy and bliss.
These revelations should not be considered history or theology. The famous Dom Prosper Gueranger, C.S.B., abbot of Solesmes and pioneer of the modern liturgical revival, summed up the age-old wisdom of Holy Mother Church’s reminder when he wrote: “Private revelations… are a powerful means of strengthening and increasing Christian sentiments.”
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(Erratum from the column “The Korean, Chinese, Indian and Singaporean Systems of Education”: Go Chok Tong was the second prime minister of Singapore who succeeded Lee Kuan Yew. They have no blood relation. Lee Hsien Loong, Lee Kuan Yew’s son, succeeded Go Chok Tong and is the current Premier of Singapore. The author thanks Loh JY for the correction.)
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