Mater Dei dicit sponse, quod non modicus dolor fuit ille sibi inter ceteros, quando scilicet pre timore fugiebat cum Filio in Egiptum et audiuit Filium persequi ab Herode et interfici innocentes. Et narrat pulchre illa, que Filius fecit in infancia et adolescencia sua vsque ad tempus predicacionis et passionis.
The Sorrows and Joys of the Holy Family
Mary recounts the early trials of the flight to Egypt and the hidden wonders of her Son's childhood.
Mary speaks to the bride, saying, "I have told you about my sorrows." But it was no small sorrow I bore when I was fleeing into Egypt with my Son, and when I heard that the innocent children were being killed and that Herod was hunting for my Son.✦✦ But even though I knew what had been written about my Son, my heart was still filled with pain and sadness because of the great love I had for Him. Now, however, you may ask what my Son did during all those years of His life before He suffered. I answer that, just as the Gospel says, he was obedient to his parents and acted like other children until he reached a more mature age. There was no shortage of wonders in his youth: how creation served its Creator, how idols fell silent and many collapsed at his arrival in Egypt, and how the magi foretold that my Son would be a sign of great things to come.✦ Look at how the mysteries of the angels appeared, and how no impurity ever touched him, nor did any confusion ever appear in his hair. You don't need to know all these things, since the Gospel already sets forth the signs of his divinity and humanity, which are enough to build up both you and others.
The Hidden Life and Wisdom of the Son
Jesus grows in age and wisdom, balancing humble labor and obedience with profound spiritual teaching.
When he reached a more mature age, he was constant in prayer, and in obedience, he went up with us to Jerusalem for the appointed feasts and to other places. His appearance and speech were so wonderful and welcoming that many who were troubled would say, 'Let’s go to the son of Mary, from whom we can find comfort.' As he grew in age and wisdom—though he was full of both from the beginning—he would sometimes work with his hands on suitable tasks, and he would speak to us privately, sharing words of comfort and words about the Godhead, so that we were constantly filled with unspeakable joy.1 When we were in poverty, fear, and hardship, he didn't provide us with gold or silver, but instead urged us toward patience. And we were miraculously protected from those who envied us. We also had the necessities of life, sometimes through the compassion of kind souls and sometimes through our own labor, in such a way that we had what was needed for simple sustenance, not for excess, because we sought nothing but to serve God alone. After this, he would talk casually at home with friends who came to visit, discussing the Law and its meanings and symbols. He also debated in public with the wise, so that they were amazed and said, 'Look, the son of Joseph is teaching the masters; some great spirit is speaking within him.'✦
The Mystery of the Passion and Divine Will
Jesus consoles Mary regarding His coming passion, explaining the necessity of His suffering for the redemption of humanity.
And when, at one point, I was thinking about His passion and He saw me deeply saddened, He answered me, 'Do you not believe, Mother, that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?' Were you defiled by My coming, or were you troubled by My leaving? Why are you shrinking back in sorrow? It's my Father's will that I suffer death; in fact, it's my own will, too, as I am one with the Father. What I have from the Father cannot suffer, but the flesh I took from you will suffer, so that the flesh of others may be redeemed and their souls saved.
The Manifestation of Divine Power
Mary reflects on the hidden power of her Son, witnessed through His obedience and authority over spirits, and exhorts the bride to cherish these revelations.
He was so obedient that whenever Joseph happened to say to him, 'Do this or that,' he would do it immediately, because he was hiding the power of his divinity in such a way that it could not be known except by me, and occasionally by Joseph—for we had many times seen an amazing light shining around him and heard angelic voices singing over him. We also saw that unclean spirits, which couldn't be cast out by the exorcists approved in our law, would depart at the sight of my Son's presence. Look, daughter, keep these things in your memory constantly, and thank God more sincerely, because he chose to reveal his infancy to others through you.
Read the original Latin
Maria loquitur ad sponsam dicens: "Dixi tibi de doloribus meis. Sed ille dolor non erat minimus, quem habui, quando filium meum deferebam fugiens in Egiptum et quando audiui pueros occidi innocentes et Herodem persequi filium meum.
Sed licet scirem, que scripta erant de filio meo, tamen cor meum pre amoris magnitudine, quem habebam ad filium meum, dolore et mesticia replebatur. Nunc autem querere poteris, quid egerit filius meus in toto illo tempore etatis sue, antequam pateretur.
Respondeo, quod, sicut loquitur euangelium, subditus erat parentibus et sicut alii infantes se gessit, donec venit ad etatem maiorem.
Nec mirabilia defuerunt iuuentuti sue, quomodo creature seruierunt creatori suo, quomodo ydola obmutuerunt et plurima ruerunt in aduentu suo in Egiptum, quomodo magi predixerunt filium meum signum fore magnorum futurorum,
quomodo eciam misteria angelorum apparuerunt, quomodo nec aliqua immundicia ascendit super eum nec perplexitas in capillis eius apparuit. Que omnia non est tibi necesse scire, cum in euangelio signa deitatis et humanitatis sue preponuntur, que te et alios possunt edificare.
Cum vero venit ad maiorem etatem, in oracionibus erat continuis, et obediens ascendit nobiscum ad statuta festa in Iherusalem et loca alia. Cuius visus et locucio sic mirabilis et acceptabilis erat, vt multi tribulati dicerent: 'Eamus ad filium Marie, a quo possumus consolari.'
Accrescens vero etate et sapiencia, qua ab inicio plenus erat, laborabat manibus quandoque ea, que decencia erant, et loquebatur nobis separatim verba consolatoria et verba deitatis ita, vt indicibili gaudio continue repleremur.
Cum vero in paupertate et timoribus et difficultatibus essemus, non fecit nobis aurum et argentum sed hortabatur ad pacienciam. Et mirabiliter seruati fuimus ab inuidis.
Necessaria quoque prouenerunt nobis, quandoque ex compassione piarum mencium, quandoque ex labore nostro, ita vt haberemus necessaria ad solam sustentacionem, non ad superfluitatem, quia nichil aliud quesiuimus nisi soli seruire Deo.
Post hec autem conferebat ipse in domo familiariter cum amicis aduenientibus de lege et eius significacionibus et figuris. Disputabat eciam in aperto cum sapientibus ita, vt mirarentur dicentes: 'Ecce filius Ioseph docet magistros; aliquis magnus spiritus loquitur in eo.'
Cumque quodam tempore cogitanti michi de passione sua videret me mestissimam respondit michi: 'Non credis, mater, quod ego in Patre sum et Pater in me est? Numquid tu polluta es ad ingressum meum aut in egressu meo tribulata es?
Cur merore contraheris? Voluntas enim Patris mei est me pati mortem, ymmo voluntas mea est cum Patre. Quod autem habeo de Patre, pati non potest sed caro, quam sumpsi de te, pacietur, vt caro aliorum redimatur et spiritus saluentur.'
Sic eciam obediens erat, vt, cum Ioseph casu diceret ei: 'Fac hoc vel illud', statim ipse faciebat, quia sic occultabat deitatis sue potenciam, vt nisi a me et quandoque a Ioseph sciri non posset, qui vidimus lumen admirabile multociens circumfulsisse eum et angelicas voces cantantes super eum audiuimus.
Vidimus quoque, quod spiritus immundi, qui per exorcistas in lege nostra probatos eici non poterant, egrediebantur ad visionem presencie filii mei.
Ecce, filia, hec sint in memoria tua continue, et regraciare Deo sincerius, quia per te infanciam suam aliis voluit patefacere."
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.2.13-Matt.2.14 — Now after they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him." Matt.2.14 — So when Joseph got up, he took the child and his mother by night and withdrew to Egypt,
- ↩Matt.2.16 — Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all its region who were two years old and under, according to the time he had carefully determined from the wise men.
- ↩Luke.2.34 — And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, 'Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed.'
- ↩Matt.13.54-Matt.13.55 — And he came to his hometown and was teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?" Matt.13.55 — Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin 'decencia' here likely refers to tasks or objects that were appropriate, seemly, or fitting for his station and circumstances.
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