Verba Virginis ad filiam vitam et ordinem sancti Dominici commendantia, et qualiter tempore mortis sue conuersus est ad Virginem, et qualiter modernis temporibus pauci de suis fratribus sequuntur signum passionis Christi per Dominicum eis datum et multi vadunt post signum incisionis per dyabolum eis oblatum.
The Rule of Saint Dominic
The Mother of God explains how Saint Dominic established his rule to counter the world's pride, greed, and lust.
The Mother of God speaks again to the bride, saying: "I told you yesterday about the two who were of the rule of Saint Dominic." Certainly, Dominic himself held my Son as his dearest Lord, and he loved me, His Mother, more than his own heart. My Son inspired this saint to see that there were three things in the world that were displeasing to Him: namely, pride, greed, and the lust of the flesh.✦ To diminish these three things, Saint Dominic sought help and a remedy with deep sighs. Moved by his tears, God inspired him with a law and a rule of life in which the saint established three goods to counter the world's three evils. To counter the vice of greed, he established that they should own nothing without their superior's permission. To counter pride, he established that they should wear simple, humble clothing. Against the insatiable abyss of the flesh, he established abstinence and a set time for self-regulation. He also appointed a prior for his brothers to ensure they kept the peace and maintained unity. Then, wishing to give his brothers a certain spiritual sign, he impressed upon them—as it were—a spiritual, red cross on their left arm near the heart, through his teaching and the power of his example, when he taught and warned them to remember the passion of God continually, and to preach the words of God not for the sake of the world, but for the love of God and of souls. Furthermore, he taught them to prefer being subject to others rather than in charge, to hate their own will, to bear insults patiently, to desire nothing beyond food and clothing, to love the truth in their hearts and speak it with their mouths, and not to seek their own praise, but always to have the words of God on their lips and to teach them, never abandoning them out of shame nor reciting them for the sake of human favor.
Dominic’s Final Prayer
As his death approaches, Saint Dominic entrusts his brothers to the protection and guidance of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
When the time of his passing drew near—which my Son had revealed to him in the spirit—he came to me, his mother, in tears, saying: "O Mary, Queen of Heaven, whom God himself chose for the union of his divinity and humanity." You are that unique virgin and most worthy mother. You are the most powerful one, from whom Power itself came forth. Listen to me as I pray to you. Because I know you are all-powerful, I place my trust in you. Take my brothers, whom I have raised and cherished under my narrow scapular, and defend them under your wide mantle. Guide them and refresh them, so that the ancient enemy may not prevail against them, and may not destroy the new vineyard that the right hand of my Son has planted! My Lady, what else do I signify by the narrow scapular—which has one covering over the chest and another behind—if not the twofold consideration I have held for my brothers? I was anxious for them night and day, concerned with how they might serve God with a reasonable and praiseworthy temperance. I also prayed that they wouldn't crave anything worldly that might offend God or tarnish their reputation for humility and piety in the eyes of their neighbor. Now, because the time for my reward is at hand, I entrust my members to you. Teach them, therefore, as children, and carry them as a mother does. It was with these words, and others like them, that Dominic was called into the glory of God.
The Promise of Mercy
Mary promises to protect those who follow Dominic's rule, defining it as a life of humility, self-control, and detachment.
I replied to him in a vision, saying, “O Dominic, beloved friend, because you have loved me more than yourself, I will defend and guide your children under the shelter of my mantle.” Furthermore, everyone who perseveres in your rule will be saved. My mantle, however, is wide with my mercy, which I deny to no one who asks for it joyfully. But everyone who seeks it is protected under the fold of my mercy. But what do you believe, my daughter, that the rule of Dominic is? They are, specifically, humility, self-control, and a contempt for the world. Anyone who takes up these three things and loves them with perseverance will never be condemned; these are the ones who keep the rule of blessed Dominic.
The Two Signs: Cross and Incision
The Virgin warns of the few who follow the sign of Christ's passion versus the many who follow the devil's sign of self-will.
But listen to something remarkable: Dominic placed his children under my wide mantle, and yet, look—there are fewer now under my wide mantle than there were back then under his narrow scapular. And yet, not everyone even while Dominic himself was still alive possessed the sheep's wool and the ways of Dominic, just as I'll show you more clearly through an example of their ways. If Dominic were to descend from the heavenly heights where he now resides and say to the thief coming up from the valley—who watches the sheep only to slaughter and destroy them—"Why," he would ask, "do you call and lead away my sheep, whom I know by the clearest signs to be my own?" , The thief can reply: "Lord, why do you claim things for yourself that aren't yours?" For it is a violent theft to usurp what belongs to another." If Dominic were to answer that he had nourished, tamed, led, and taught them, the thief would say: "If you nourished and taught them, then I, by coaxing them gently, led them back to my own will." If you were mixing gentleness with austerity for them, while I was drawing them in more gently and showing them what delighted them more sweetly, then look: many are running toward the pasture and toward my voice. That is why I recognize those sheep who follow me more fervently as my own, because they have the free will to follow the one who draws them. If Dominic were to reply again that his sheep are marked with a red sign upon their hearts, the thief would say, 'My sheep are marked with my sign—namely, the incision in the right ear.' And because my sign is more manifest and evident than yours, I therefore recognize my sheep. That thief, then, is the devil, who has incorporated many of Dominic’s sheep into himself—those who have been marked on their right ear, because they do not listen to the words of the One who speaks of life. The way to heaven is narrow, yet they only find it delightful to follow—and they only carry out—what they already enjoy doing. Yet Dominic’s sheep are few—those who carry the red sign in their hearts, who lovingly reflect on the passion of God, and who, by preaching the words of God, fervently lead a blessed life in all chastity and poverty. For this is the rule of Dominic, as it's commonly said: "Carry all your own things on your back, and desire to possess nothing except what the rule permits." It means not only letting go of what's superfluous, but also, at times, restraining yourself even from what is lawful and necessary, because of the impulses of the flesh.
Read the original Latin
Item loquitur mater Dei ad sponsam dicens: "Dixi tibi heri de duobus, qui erant de regula sancti Dominici. Certe ipse Dominicus filium meum habuit pro suo carissimo domino et me matrem eius dilexit plus quam cor suum.
Huic sancto inspirauit filius meus tria esse in mundo, que displicebant eidem filio meo, superbiam scilicet, et cupiditatem et concupiscentiam carnis.
Ad quarum trium diminutionem sanctus Dominicus impetrauit maximis suspirijs auxilium et medicamentum. Cuius Deus compassus lacrimis inspirauit ei legem et regulam viuendi, in qua ipse sanctus contra tria mala mundi tria bona constituit.
Nam contra vicium concupiscentie instituit nil possidere nisi cum licentia prioris sui. Contra superbiam instituit habere humilem habitum et simplicem. Contra carnis insatiabilem voraginem instituit abstinentiam et tempus debitum ad se regulandum.
Priorem quoque constituit fratribus suis ad obseruationem pacis et custodiam unitatis. Deinde volens quoddam spirituale signum dare fratribus suis impressit quasi unam spiritualem crucem et rubeam in sinistro brachio eorum iuxta cor per doctrinam et exempli sui efficaciam, quando docuit et monuit eos continue recordari passionem Dei, predicare feruenter verba Dei non propter mundum sed propter amorem Dei et animarum.
Docuit insuper illos magis subijci quam preesse, voluntatem propriam odire contumelias patienter ferre, nichil preter victum et vestitum desiderare,veritatem corde diligere et ore proferre, laudem propriam non querere, sed diuina verba semper in ore habere et docere et illa non propter pudorem dimittere nec propter fauorem humanum recitare.
Cumque instaret tempus resolutionis eius, quod filius meus ei in spiritu ostendit,iuit ad me matrem eius cum lacrimis dicens: "O, Maria, regina celi, quam ipse Deus preelegit sibi in coniunctionem deitatis et humanitatis.
Tu es illa singularis virgo et singulariter dignissima mater. Tu es illa potentissima, de qua ipsa potestas prodijt. Audi me rogantem te! Quia enim scio te potentissimam, ideo presumo de te. Suscipe fratres meos, quos educaui et foui sub stricto scapulari meo, et defende eos sub lato mantello tuo!
Rege eos et refoue, ne hostis antiquus preualeat eis et ne dissipet vineam nouellam, quam plantauit dextera filij mei! Quid vero, domina mea, aliud noto per scapulare strictum, quod palliolum unum habet ante pectus et aliud retro nisi duplicem considerationem, quam ad fratres meos habui?
Sollicitabar quippe nocte et die pro eis, quomodo in rationabili et laudabili deseruirent Deo temperantia. Orabam eciam pro eis, ne quid de mundo concupiscerent, quod vel Deum offenderet aut famam humilitatis et pietatis apud proximum denigraret.
Nunc igitur quia tempus remunerationis mee instat, assigno tibi membra mea. Doce ergo eos sicut filios, et porta eos sicut mater."
Cum hijs enim verbis et alijs vocatus est Dominicus in gloriam Dei. Cui ego per similitudinem loquendo respondi taliter: "O, Dominice, amice dilecte,quia dilexisti me plus quam te, ego sub lato mantello meo defendam et regam filios tuos.
Necnon et omnes, qui in regula tua perseuerant, saluabuntur. Mantellus vero meus latus misericordia mea est,quam nulli feliciter petenti denego. Sed omnes, qui querunt, sub misericordie mee sinu proteguntur. Sed quid credis tu, o filia mea, quod regula Dominici sit?
Utique humilitas et continentia et contemptus mundi. Nam omnes, qui hec tria assumunt et perseuerando diligunt, numquam damnabuntur, et hij sunt, qui tenent regulam beati Dominici.
Sed audi mirabile: Dominicus assignauit filios suos sub mantello meo lato et ecce pauciores sunt nunc sub mantello meo lato, quam tunc erant sub scapulari suo stricto. Nec tamen omnes viuente adhuc ipso Dominico habuerunt ouina vellera et Dominicos mores, sicut melius per exemplum ostendo tibi mores eorum.
Si Dominicus descenderet de altitudine celesti, in qua est, et diceret furi, qui prodit de valle et considerat oues ad mactandum et perdendum: "Cur", inquiens, "vocas et abducis oues meas, quas ex signis euidentissimis cognosco esse meas?" ,
respondere potest fur: " Cur, Dominice, approprias tibi illa, que tua non sunt? Nam subreptio violentia est aliena usurpare sibi." Si respondere voluerit Dominicus se enutrisse eas et domuisse et precessisse et docuisse, dicturus est fur: "Si tu enutristi eas et docuisti, tunc ego blandiendo suauiter reduxi eas ad voluntatem propriam.
Si tu lenitatem cum austeritate miscebas eis et ego alliciebam eas blandius et ostendebam,quod delectabat eas suauius, et ecce plures currunt ad pastum et vocem meam. Et ideo oues, que sequuntur me, feruentius cognosco esse meas, quia liberum habent arbitrium sequendi allicientem."
Si responderit iterum Dominicus,quod oues sue signate sunt signo rubeo in corde, dicturus est fur: Oues mee signate sunt signo meo, scilicet incisionis in dextra aure. Et, quia manifestius et euidentius est signum meum signo tuo, ideo cognosco oues meas.
Fur igitur iste dyabolus est, qui de ouibus Dominici plures sibi incorporauit, que incise sunt in dextra aure, quia non audiunt verba vite dicentis. Arta via est in celum, sed sola illa delectabiliter audiendo perficiunt, que eas delectat adimplere. Oues vero Dominici pauce sunt, que signum rubeum habent in corde, qui passionem Dei cum caritate recolunt et verba Dei predicantes feruenter vitam beatam ducunt in omni castitate et paupertate.
Nam hec est regula Dominici, sicut vulgo dicitur:"Omnia sua portare in dorso, nichil velle possidere nisi quod permittit regula. Non solum dimittere superflua sed et a licitis et necessarijs, quandoque propter carnis motus temperare se."
Scripture echoes
- ↩1John.2.16 — For all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the pride of life—is not from the Father, but is from the world.
Revelationes (Heavenly Revelations) companion
Keep going — one revelation a day
The full 496-chapter Revelationes lives in the Chosen Portion app, served as free daily portions.
Birgitta's revelations arrived over three decades of daily attentiveness, and the Chosen Portion app lets readers receive them the same way — one portion per day.
- Finish the guided path in 8 weeks at roughly 15 minutes a day
- All 8 books, 496 chapters, in modern English — the complete transmitted text
- Daily delivery so a 30-year masterwork becomes a sustainable habit