Marian Creed of Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, with some Revelations of Saint Bridget

Very deep, devotional and loving thoughts expressed and compiled in this Marian Creed of Saint Gabriel, truly showing the immense Greatness, Love, Power and Might of the Blessed Virgin Mary – as expressed through the writings of the Saints.

Also some Revelations of Saint Bridget added at the end showing the immense Greatness, Power, Beauty, Grace, Joy and Delight for the elect through the vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

Marian Creed of Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

I believe, as it was revealed to St. Matilda “that all you heard, you heard prudently, and with great thankfulness, and held yourself to be above no-one.” And with the blessed St. Elizabeth I hold firmly that “you held yourself of little value and unworthy of the grace of God.”

I believe, O Mother of my joy, as you revealed to St. Bridget “that you merited to be the Mother of God because you regarded nothing you possessed and nothing that you were came from yourself alone.”

I believe that your divine motherhood was hidden from St. Joseph out of your humility, until that time when it was necessary for it to be revealed.

You served St. Elizabeth and always gave yourself the last place.

I believe, as was told to St. Bridget, “that those amongst you held the same lowly view of you as yourself because you thought and held that nothing you had or were came from you and so in no way gave yourself glory but only the Divine Benefactor and Creator.”

And I confess with St. Bernadine that there is no creature whose humility compares with yours and that in the world there is nothing to compare with even the smallest degree of your humility.

I believe that if all in the earth and sky were placed in the fire of love which you burned towards God that they would be consumed in an instant, and that even all the ardour of the seraphim cannot be compared to it.

I believe that you alone perfectly fulfilled the precept “You shall love the Lord your God”, that you surpassed all men and all angels in your love of God, from the first moment of your life, and even the blessed seraphim learn how to love God from your heart.

I believe with St. Bonaventure, that you were filled with a divine fire that never lost its spark and that, as it was revealed to St. Bridget “you did not think of anything but God, nor did anything please you but God.”

I believe with Suarez, Rupert, St. Bernadine, and St. Ambrose that “whilst your body rested, the spirit kept watch”. And that to you sleep seemed to impede the love of God, whence to you applies “I sleep, but my heart is awake” (Canticle of Canticles 5:2). And that whilst on earth you continuously loved God, that you did nothing that you knew would not be to His joy, and that you were full of all charity “as much as could be possible for a pure creature”, in such a way that “you struck the divine heart and seized him”.

I believe that your love for neighbour was so great that there neither was, nor ever shall be, one who has loved as much as you and thus there is no creature in the world [to be compared to you].

And that if one united all the love that all the mothers of the world have ever carried for their children, of all wives for their husbands and of all saints and angels for their devotees, it does not even reach the love you have for but one soul and that the love all mothers have for their sons is a mere shadow of the love you have for us.

I say of you with St. Augustine: “Heaven itself was opened by your faith, when you gave your ‘fiat’ to the angel of the Annunciation.”

I believe with Suarez that you have more faith than all men and angels, and that “though the disciples doubted, you did not doubt; therefore with St. Cyril I call you “sceptre of the orthodox faith”.

I believe that you are the “Mother of Holy Hope” and the model of confidence in God.

You were the most mortified of all beings: I believe what St. Epiphanius and the Damascene tell me, that you were mortified particularly in the eyes whose gaze you kept always to the ground and refused to fix them on anything.

I believe what you revealed to blessed St. Elizabeth, that you achieved no virtue without toil and prayer.

I believe what you told St. Bridget, that “whenever possible you chose to bear indignities, and you kept no extra clothes for yourself and ate only a little food.” I believe that you “regarded the riches of this world as nothing more than mud”.

I believe firmly that you chose to be poor.

I believe, as you revealed to St. Bridget, “that you are the Queen of Heaven, the Mother of Mercy, the Guide of the Just and the Way by which sinners return to God.” And that “nobody is so unfortunate that he lives without your mercy” and that “nobody is so rejected by God that, having called upon your name, he will not then return to God who will have mercy, but he who does not approach your mercy will ever be miserable”.

I believe that you are the mother of all men, and in the person of St. John you received all as your children, according to the will of Jesus.

I believe that you are, as you told St. Bridget, “the mother of all sinners who hope to amend their ways”, and that you intercede for the sinful soul, saying ‘Have mercy on me!’”

I believe that you are our life, “and after God, the one hope of sinners”, as St. Augustine said.

I believe of you what you showed St. Gertrude; with your open mantle many find refuge; lions, bears, tigers and that you not only seek out sinners, but with great pity you welcome and caress them.

Through you we receive the inestimable gift of holy perseverance: “following you I will not deviate, praying to you I will not despair, if you remain I shall not fall, if you protect me I shall have no fear, with you as my guide I shall not tire, you shall keep watch over me until I come to you.” (St. Bernard)

You are the hope of Christians, and their help, especially in death, for as you told St. Bridget “you go as a mother to meet them in death because there you give them consolation and relief.” And that “you will not” as you told to St. John of God, “you will not abandon your devotees in the hour of death.”

You are the hope of all, especially sinners, you are “the City of Refuge” and especially those deprived of all hope.

You are the “protector of the condemned, the hope of the despairing”, and as St. Bridget heard Jesus say of you “even the devils ask your mercy humbly”. “You do not abhor the sinner, no matter how offensive he be, if he raises only a sigh to you.” Of you I say with St. Bernard, “You raise the pitiful from the abyss of despair”.

I believe that you wish to help all those who invoke you, and that you are “the salvation of those who invoke you”, and that “your love to do good to us is greater than our desire to receive it”.

I believe, as you revealed to St. Gertrude, that you soon open wide your mantle to welcome those who have recourse to you, and that the angels hasten to protect your clients from the furies of hell. You protect those who seek you, and even when we do not quickly call upon your name “you hasten to our aid”.

I believe, as you revealed to St. Bridget, that “demons at once leave the soul when they hear the name of Mary”.

I confess with S. Girolamo, Epiphanius, Anthony and others that your name descended from heaven itself and was given to you by order of the divine.

I believe with St. Anthony of Padua that in your name is the same sweetness that St. Bernard found in the name of Jesus: “Your name O Mary is joy to the heart, honey to the lips, music to the ears”.

I believe that after the name of Jesus “there is no other name by which men receive such grace, such hope, such consolation”.

And with St. Bonaventure I confess that “your name cannot be invoked without great spiritual advantage”.

And I believe what you told St. Bridget, that “that there is no-one in this life who is so cold toward the love of God, that if he called upon your name with the will to repent, the devil would be able to remain with him”.

I believe that your intercession is morally necessary for salvation, and that all the graces of God come through your hands, and that all of the mercies which are dispensed to men, all of them come through you, and that “no-one enters into heavens who has not first passed through you to come to that heavenly gate.”

I believe that your intercession is not only useful, but morally necessary.

I believe that you are the co-operator of our justification, “the restorer of men, the authoress of the salvation of mankind, the restorer of all the human family, the co-helper of redemption, the saviouress of the world”, that all those who are not received into this ship [Mary] will be lost in the sea of this world, and thus I believe that “no-one enters through the door of salvation unless you open it to them”, and that “nobody is saved except through you”.

I believe that “God has decided to concede nothing, except through you”, that “our salvation lies in your hands” and that “those who are without your aid are like those trying to fly without wings”.

I believe also that “it would be fruitless to pray to other saints without your help”; and that “whilst all can obtain with you, you can obtain without all”; and that “if you be silent no-one will lend their aid, none pray, but if you pray, all will come to help and intercede.”

And finally I say of you with St. Thomas that you are “all the hope of life”, and of you I say with St. Augustine “I confess that you are alone and unique as our intercessor in heaven”.

I believe that you are the treasurer of Jesus and that “no-one receives anything from God, except through you”, and that “in you can be found every good”.

I say with St. Bernadine of Siena that “of all the favours concede by God in the old covenant I do not doubt that the greatest of all was given to you alone” (not excluding Jesus).

I believe that “one breath of yours contains more suffrage than all the saints put together” and I confess with St. John Damascene that “in truth you can save anyone”.

I believe that as an advocate you do not refuse to defend even the cause of the most miserable.

I say to you with St. Andrew of Crete “Hail, O Divine Reconciliatrix of men”. And with St. Germanus “there is no end to your patronage”.

You recognise the love between sinners and God, and I believe you are the Most Sweet, created by God to capture men, and especially sinners, to turn them back to Him, as He revealed to St. Catherine of Siena; and thus “as the magnet draws iron, in the same way you attract hard hearts”, as you told St. Bridget.

You are always on guard to sympathise and succour our miseries, thus I call you with St. Epiphanius “Most Attentive”, and this is confirmed in what St. Bridget heard Jesus ask of you “Mother, tell me, what do you desire?” and you replied “I ask compassion for the miserable”.

I believe in the intrinsic mercy of your maternal nature, that the pilgrimage you made on this earth to the poor is exceeded in greatness now that you reign in heaven, in the same way that the sun exceeds the moon in splendour, as St. Bonaventure tells me.

And that since the celestial bodies are illuminated by the sun, so then there is not anyone in the world who, through you, does not share in the divine mercy, as you revealed to St. Bridget.

Also I believe with St. Bonaventure that “You are offended, O Lady, not only by those who injure you, but also by those who do not pray to you”.

And the same saint persuades me that “whomsoever excels in paying you homage will be far from perdition” and I believe with St. Hilary that “Though one be even a great sinner, if they are devoted to you they will not perish for eternity.”

And I say with St. Bonaventure: “he who neglects you will die in his sins. He who does not invoke you in this life will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven; for those from whom you withdraw your glace, there is no hope of salvation”.

I believe with Anselm that “he for whom you once prayed will not be lost forever”.

And that devotion to you is a sure sign of salvation, that God does not grant this grace except to those whom he wishes to save, as the Damascene assures me.

And I conclude with St. Anthony “It is impossible for those to be saved from whom you turn away your face, for it is necessary in order to be saved and glorified that you have your gaze fixed on us, for you are our sponsor.”

I believe, as you already revealed to St. Bridget, that you are the mother of all the souls in purgatory, that the pain which they merited by faults they committed in this life, are in some way mitigated by your prayers.

Gladly therefore I say of you with St. Alphonsus, “happy and fortunate are your devotees as St. Bernadine assures us that ‘you free from the torments of purgatory in a particular way, those who have been devoted to you.’” St. Bridget confirms this with what she heard Jesus say to you “You are my mother, you are the Mother of Mercy, the consolation of all souls in purgatory.”

I believe that you, being about to enter into paradise, without a doubt obtained permission to take with you all the souls which you found then in purgatory.

I believe also, as you promised to Pope John XXII, that those who are enrolled in the Brown Scapular will be delivered by you from purgatory, on the Saturday after their death. But how happy are your devoted clients “for whom you shall open the gates of heaven.” You are “the entrance gate to the heavenly Jerusalem, the blessed gate of heaven, the path to paradise”.

I believe that “in [the heavenly] Jerusalem your power includes commanding whomsoever you will and similarly guiding into heaven whomsoever you will. For you heaven is opened, hell is emptied, the heavenly Jerusalem is restored, the miserable at the point of damnation are restored to life.” (St. Bernard)

I believe that “he who listens to you shall not be confounded and those who labour under you shall not sin”, and I recognise in you the celestial pilot who leads to the eternal port your devotees who you recover in the vessel of your protection, as was shown to St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi; and that devotion to you, as St. Bernard said, “is an infallible sign of eternal salvation”, and with Blessed Alan “that he who practises this devotion (the frequent recitation of the Hail Mary) is a sign of great worthiness of predestination to glory”.

And I conclude with the Abbot Guerric: “to serve the Queen of Heaven is to reign already in heaven and living in obedience to her commands is more than to reign”. I believe with St. Anthony that “of all the saints, none can be found with such compassion for the weak as you, O Most Blessed Virgin Mary”.

You give more than we ask of you: “Seeing our miseries you hasten to help us with your mercy”. “You are always working to secure our salvation”.

“How many” I say with the Abbot of Celles, “are those who are justly condemned in your Son’s justice, who you, being the Mother of Mercy, free from punishment”.

And I believe what the Lord told St. Bridget: “Without your intercession in prayer, one cannot hope for mercy.”

And I hold with St. Fulgentius that “the sky and the earth would have been destroyed long since, had your prayers not sustained them”.

I believe that you are higher than all the saints and angels, to whom you are superior, and that “such is your perfection, that God alone can know it”.

I believe that “after being God, there is being the Mother of God” and thus “you could not be more united to God without becoming God” (Albert the Great)

I believe that “the dignity of the Mother of God is infinite of its kind”; and that your state is the highest “that could be given to a pure creature”.

I confess with St. Bonaventure that “it is the greatest grace conferrable upon a pure creature to be Mother of God, and the greatest that God could give. God could create an enormous world, a vast heaven, but none greater could he make than the Mother of God.”

I believe “that for you the world was created”, and that “by your order the world was sustained, that you were with him in creating all things” and that for love of you God did not destroy man after the Fall.

I believe that God has given you the greatest of all graces that in general and in particular He has given to all creature, and I believe what the Lord revealed to St. Bridget that your beauty surpasses that of all mankind and the angels.

I believe that your beauty dispels impure motives and generates purity.

I believe that you were like an infant but of this state you had only the innocence, not the defect of incapacity; you were a virgin first, but without the reproach of sterility, you were a mother, but a virgin.

You were occupied in the active life, but your labour did untangle your union with God; in contemplation you were recollected with God, but without neglect of your duties.

Death touched you but without distress or corruption of the body.

I believe with Albert the Great that you were the first who, without advice and without the example of another, offered to God your virginity, and give to Him all those who have imitated you and to whom you are the standard-bearer, and that for you your most pure spouse Joseph retained his virginity; and that to conserve virginity you would have happily renounced, with divine approval, the dignity of being the Mother of God.[*]

[* Editor’s comment: This must be understood in the sense if there were some other worthy mother of God present, and provided it was not against God’s will that she renounced this dignity, since I do not believe Mary – who is infinitely compassionate for the salvation of souls through God – would ever have denied becoming the Mother of God and hence have failed to cooperate with Him in the salvation of all of mankind – just in order to preserve Her virginity.]

Revelation on the Power of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The words of the Queen of Heaven to her beloved daughter about the wonderful love the Son had for His Virgin Mother, and about how the Mother of Christ was conceived within the most chaste marriage and sanctified in the womb. She tells how she was assumed, body and soul, into Heaven, and about the power of her name, and about the good and evil angels assigned to men for their protection or trial.

Book 1 - Chapter 9

“I am the Queen of Heaven. Love my Son, for he is most worthy; when you have him, you have all that is worthwhile. He is also most desirable; when you have him, you have all that is desirable. Love him, too, for he is most virtuous; when you have him, you have every virtue. I want to tell you how wonderful his love for my body and soul was and how much he honored my name. My Son loved me before I loved him, since he is my Creator.

He united my father and mother in a marriage so chaste that there could not be found a more chaste marriage at that time. They never wanted to come together except in accordance with the Law, and only then with the intention to bring forth offspring.

When an angel revealed to them that they would give birth to the Virgin from whom the salvation of the world would come, they would rather have died than to come together in carnal love; lust was dead in them. I assure you that when they did come together, it was because of divine love and because of the angel’s message, not out of carnal desire, but against their will and out of a holy love for God. In this way, my flesh was put together by their seed and through divine love. Then, when my body had been made and formed, God infused the created soul into it from his divinity, and the soul was immediately sanctified along with the body, and the angels guarded and served it day and night. When my soul was sanctified and joined to its body, my mother felt such great joy that it would have been impossible to describe it!

Afterwards, when my lifetime had been accomplished, my Son first raised up my soul - for it was the mistress of the body - to a more excellent place than others in heaven, right next to his Divinity. Later, he also raised up my body in such a manner that no other creature’s body is so close to God as mine. See how much my Son loved my soul and body! Yet, there are some people with a malevolent spirit who deny that I was assumed into Heaven, body and soul, and also others who simply do not know any better. But this is a most certain truth: I, with body and soul, was assumed to the Divinity!

Hear now how much my Son honored my name! My name is Mary, as it is said in the Gospel. When the angels hear this name, they rejoice in their mind and thank God for the great mercy that he worked through me and with me and because they see my Son’s Humanity glorified in his Divinity. Those within the fire of purgatory rejoice exceedingly, just like a sick and bedridden man does if he receives a word of comfort that pleases his soul: he is suddenly overjoyed! When the good angels hear my name, they immediately move closer to the righteous for whom they are guardians, and rejoice over their progress in good deeds and virtues.

All humans have been given both good angels for their protection, and bad angels to test them. The good angels are not separated from God; they serve the soul without leaving God. They are constantly in his sight. Yet they work to inflame and incite the soul to do good. All the demons, however, shudder with fear at the name of Mary! When they hear the name, “Mary”, they immediately release a soul out of the claws with which they had held her. Just as a bird or hawk, with its claws and beak embedded into its prey, releases it immediately if it hears a sound, but soon returns when it sees that no action follows, so do the demons - frightened when they hear my name – release the soul. But they return and fly back as fast as an arrow if no improvement follows.

No one is so cold in his love of God (unless he is damned) that he will not experience the devil releasing him from his habitual sins if only he invokes my name with the true intention of never returning to his evil deeds. The devil will never return to him unless he resumes the will to commit mortal sins. Sometimes, though, the devil is allowed to trouble him for the sake of his greater reward. However, the devil shall never own him.”

Revelation on the Humility, Love, Compassion and Kindness of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The words of the Virgin to the daughter about two wives, one of whom is called Pride and the other Humility (the latter signifying the most sweet Virgin Mary), and about how the Virgin Mary comes to meet those who love her at the moment of their death.

Book 1 - Chapter 29

The Virgin Mary, the Mother of God spoke to the Son’s bride and said: “There are two wives. One of them has no special name, because she is too unworthy to have a name. The other wife is Humility, and she is called Mary. The devil himself is lord over the first wife because he has control over her. This wife’s knight said to her: ‘O my wife, I am ready to do anything I can for you, if only I can satisfy my sexual lust with you just once. I am mighty and strong and brave of heart, I fear nothing and am ready to go to my death for you.’ She answered him: ‘My servant, your love for me is great. But I am seated on a high throne, and I have only this one throne, and there are three gates between us.

The first gate is so narrow that all that a man is wearing on his body gets pulled off and torn to pieces if he enters by this gate. The second one is so sharp that it cuts through even to the very sinews of the man. The third gate is burning with such a fire that there is no escape or rest for him from its heat but, instead, anyone entering through this gate is immediately melted down like copper. In addition, I am seated so high up on my throne that anyone who wants to sit next to me – for I have only one throne – will fall down into the greatest depth under me.’ The knight answered her: ‘I will give my life for you and the fall does not bother me.’

This wife is Pride and the one who wants to come to her must go, as it were, through three gates. Through the first gate enters the one who gives all he has for human praise and for the sake of pride. And if he does not own anything, he uses all of his will to have a reason to be proud and win praise of men. Through the second gate enters the one who sacrifices all his work and everything he does, all his time and all his thoughts and all his strength so that he may fulfill his pride. And even if he could give his own flesh over to be wounded for the sake of pride and honor and riches, he would do so willingly. Through the third gate enters the one who never rests or has peace but entirely burns like fire with the thought of how he may attain some honor or something he may feel worldly pride over. But when he attains his desire, he cannot stay in the same state but falls painfully and miserably; however, pride still remains in the world.”

“But I,” Mary said, “am the one who is most humble. I am seated on a spacious throne and above me there is neither sun nor moon nor stars nor even a sky, but a wonderful and unimaginable clear light proceeding from the beauty of God’s majesty. Below me there is neither earth nor stone but only an incomparable sweet rest in God’s virtue. Around me there is neither barrier nor wall but only the glorious host of angels and holy souls. And although I am seated so high, I still hear my friends who are in the world, daily pouring out their sighs and tears to me. I view their work and their perfection to be greater than that of those who fight for their wife Pride.

I shall therefore visit them with my mercy and help and place them near me on my throne, for it is very spacious and can house everyone. But they cannot come to me or sit with me yet, for there are still two walls between us which I shall lead them securely over so that they may come to my throne. The first wall is the world, and it is narrow. Therefore, my servants in the world shall be consoled by me. The second wall is death. Therefore, I, their most dear Lady and Mother, shall come to meet them and run to them at their death, so that even in death they will feel encouraged and consoled! I will place them together with me on the throne of heavenly joy, so that they, in limitless joy, may rest eternally in the delight of God and in his sweet arms and love of eternal glory and unimaginable joy.”

Revelation on the indescribable Beauty, Delight, Sweetness and Joy in the Blessed Virgin Mary

About how the bride saw the most sweet Virgin Mary adorned with a crown and other adornments of indescribable beauty, and about how Saint John the Baptist explains to the bride the meaning of the crown and the other adornments.

Book 1 - Chapter 31

“The bride of God saw the Queen of Heaven, the Mother of God, wearing a priceless and beautiful crown on her head and her wonderfully shining and indescribably beautiful hair hanging down over her shoulders, with a golden tunic shining with an indescribable light, and a blue mantle of the color azure or a clear sky. When the bride of God, Saint Bridget, was full of wonder at such a lovely sight, and in her wonderment was standing there totally enraptured and amazed, then blessed John the Baptist appeared to her and said: “Listen closely to what all this signifies. The crown signifies that she is the Queen and Lady and Mother of the King of angels; the hair hanging down signifies that she is an unstained and pure virgin; the sky colored mantle signifies that all worldly things were as dead in her heart and will; the golden tunic signifies that she was fervent and burning in the love of God, both inwardly and outwardly. Her Son, Jesus Christ, placed seven lilies in her crown, and between the lilies he placed seven gems.

The first lily is her humility; the second lily is her fear; the third, her obedience; the fourth, her patience; the fifth, her steadfastness; the sixth, her kindness, for she is kind and gives to all who beg of her with love and a will to amend; the seventh, her mercy in difficulties, for in whatever difficulty a man may be in, if he calls on her with all his heart, he will receive mercy and help from her because she is full of compassion and mercy.

Between these shining lilies her Son placed seven precious gem stones. The first gem is her incomparable virtue, for there is no virtue in any other spirit or in any other body, which she does not have in a higher fashion. The second gem is her perfect purity, for the Queen of the kingdom of Heaven was so pure that from her first entrance into the world up to the final day of her death, not a single stain of sin was ever to be found in her; and none of all the devils could ever find enough impurity in her to fit on the head of a needle-point. She was truly the most pure, for it was not fitting for the King of glory to lie in any vessel but the purest, chosen before all angels and men and more pure than they. The third gem was her beauty, for God is praised constantly by his saints for his Mother’s beauty, and all the holy angels and holy souls are filled with joy over her beauty. The fourth precious gem in the crown is the Virgin Mother’s wisdom, for she is filled with all divine wisdom in God and all wisdom is fulfilled and perfected through her. The fifth gem is her power and might, for she is so powerful and strong with God in her that she can subdue anything that has been created. The sixth gem is her clarity, for she shines so clear that she even illuminates the angels, whose eyes are clearer than light, and the devils do not dare to look upon her clarity. The seventh gem is the fullness of every delight and joy and all spiritual sweetness, for her fullness is such that there is no joy that she does not increase, no delight that is not made fuller and more perfect by her and through the blessed vision of her, for she is filled with grace and mercy above all the holy saints. She is the most pure vessel in which the Bread of angels laid and in which all sweetness and all beauty is found.

Between the seven lilies in her crown, her Son placed these seven gemstones. Therefore may you, her Son’s bride, honor and praise her with all your heart, for she is in truth worthy of all praise and all honor with her Son!”

Revelation on the Beauty, Virtue and Power of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The words of praise of the Mother and the Son to each other in the presence of the bride, and about how Christ is now regarded as shameful, dishonest, and despicable by people, and about the horrifying and eternal damnation of these people.

Book 1 - Chapter 46

The Queen of Heaven spoke to her Son and said: “Blessed be you my God, who are without beginning and without end. You had the most noble and beautiful body. You were the most brave and virtuous man. You are the most worthy creature.”

The Son answered: “The words proceeding from your mouth are sweet to me and delight my inmost heart like the sweetest drink. You are more sweet to me than any other creature in existence. For just as different faces can be seen in a mirror by a person but none pleases him more than his own, so too, even though I love my saints, I love you with a special love, because I was born from your blessed flesh. You are like myrrh whose fragrance ascended up to the Divinity and led the Divinity to your body. This same fragrance drew your body and soul up to God, where you now are with soul and body. Blessed be you, for the angels rejoice in your beauty and all are saved by your virtue and power when they call on you with a sincere heart. All the demons tremble in your light and do not dare to stay in your splendor, for they always want to be in darkness.

You gave praise to me for a threefold reason, for you said that I had the most noble body; second, that I was the most brave man; and third, you said that I was the most worthy creature. These three things are only contradicted by those who have a body and soul, that is, human beings. They say that I have a shameful body and that I am the most despicable man and the lowliest of creatures. For what is more shameful than to tempt others to sin? For they claim that my body tempts to sin when they say that sin is not as abominable or displeasing to God as much as is said. They say that nothing exists unless God wants it to be so and that nothing is created but by him. ‘Why should we not use the created things to our benefit? Our natural frailty demands it and this is how everyone has lived before us and still do live.’ This is how people now speak about me and my Manhood, in which I, the true God, appeared among men. For I advised them to abstain from sinning and showed what a serious and grave matter it is, and this they say was shameful, as if I had advised them to do something useless and shameful. They say that nothing is honorable but sin and that which pleases their will.

They also say that I am the most shameful man. For what is more shameful than someone who, when he speaks the truth, gets his mouth beaten with stones and gets hit in the face and, on top of that, hears people insulting him, saying: ‘If he were a man, he would revenge himself over such an injustice.’ This is what they do to me. I speak to them through the learned fathers and Holy Scripture, but they say that I lie. They beat my mouth with stones and their fists when they commit adultery, murder, and lying, saying: ‘If he were manly, if he were the almighty God, he would revenge himself for such sins and transgressions.’ But I endure this with patience, and everyday I hear them saying that the torment is neither eternal nor as severe and bitter as it is said, and my words are judged and said to be lies.

Third, they judge me to be the most ugly and worthless creature. For what is more worthless in the house than a dog or a cat that someone would be glad to exchange for a horse, if he could? But mankind holds me to be of less worth than a dog, for he would not wish to take me if it meant that he would lose the dog, and he would reject and deny me before losing the dog’s hide. What is the thing that pleases the mind so little that one does not think of it and desires it more fervently than me? For if they regarded me more worthy than any other created creature, they would love me more than other things. But now they have nothing so small that they do not love it more than me. They grieve over everything but me. They grieve for their own and their friends’ losses. They grieve for an injurious word. They grieve over offending or hurting people more highly placed and powerful than they, but they do not grieve about offending or hurting me, who am the Creator of all things. What man is so despicable that he is not listened to if he begs about something and is not given a gift in return if he has given something? But I am utterly vile and despicable in their eyes, for they do not consider me worthy of any good, even though I have given them all good things.

But you, my most dear Mother, have tasted more of my wisdom than others, and never has anything but the truth ever left your mouth, just as nothing but the truth has ever left my own mouth. I will now justify myself in the sight of all the saints. First, against him, who said that I had a shameful body. I shall prove that I indeed have the most noble body without deformity or sin, and he shall fall into eternal shame and reproach which all will see. To the one who said that my words were a lie and that he did not know if I was God or not, I shall prove that I truly am God, and he will flow down like mud to hell. But the third, who regarded me as useless, I shall judge to eternal damnation so that he will never see my glory and my joy.”

Thereafter he said to his bride: “Stand firm in my service. You have come to a wall, as it were, in which you are enclosed, so that you cannot flee nor dig through its foundations. Endure this small tribulation willingly, and you will experience eternal rest in my arms. You know the will of the Father, you hear the words of the Son, you feel my Spirit, and you have delight and consolation in the conversation with my Mother and my saints. Therefore, stand firm, or else you will come to feel my justice by which you will be forced to do what I am now kindly urging you to do.”

A wonderful comparison of the most sweet Mother to a flower that grew in a valley but rose up over mountains

The Mother blesses the Son in the hearing of the bride, and about how the glorious Son makes a wonderful comparison of his most sweet Mother to a flower that grew in a valley but rose up over mountains.

Book 1 - Chapter 51

The Mother of God spoke to her Son and said: “Blessed be your name, my Son Jesus Christ, and all honor to your Manhood above all that is created! Glory to your Divinity above all good things, which are one God with your Manhood!” The Son answered: “My Mother, you are like a flower that grew in a valley. Around the valley there were five high mountains, and the flower grew out of three roots with a straight stem without any knots. This flower had five leaves that were filled with all sweetness. The valley with its flower grew above these five mountains, and the leaves of the flower spread themselves above every height of heaven and above all the choirs of angels. My beloved Mother, you are this valley for the sake of the great humility you had in comparison with all others. Your humility grew higher than five mountains.

The first mountain was Moses because of his power. For he had power over my people through the Law, as if it were enclosed in his hand. But you enclosed the Lord of all law in your womb and, therefore, you are higher than this mountain. The second mountain was Elijah, who was so holy, that he with soul and body, was assumed into my holy place. But your soul, my most dear Mother, was assumed above all the choirs of angels to the throne of God along with your most pure body. You are therefore higher than Elijah. The third mountain was the strength of Samson that surpassed all other men. Yet the devil defeated him with his treachery. But you defeated the devil with your strength and power. You are therefore stronger than Samson. The fourth mountain was David, who was a man according to my heart and will, but yet fell into sin. But you, my beloved Mother, followed my will in all and never sinned. The fifth mountain was Solomon, who was full of wisdom but nevertheless was fooled. But you, my Mother, were full of all wisdom and were never fooled or deceived. You are therefore higher than Solomon.

The flower grew from three roots, because of the three things you had from your youth: obedience, charity, and divine understanding. Out of these three roots grew the most straight stem without any knots, which means that your will was never bent to anything but my will. This flower also had five leaves that grew above all the choirs of angels. My dear Mother, you are indeed the flower with these five leaves.

The first leaf is your nobleness, which is so great that my angels, who are noble before me, when seeing and considering your nobleness, saw that it was above them and more eminent than their holiness and nobleness. You are therefore higher than the angels. The second leaf is your mercy, which was so great that you, when you saw the misery of all the souls, had compassion over them and suffered the greatest torment at my death. The angels are full of mercy, and yet they never endure sorrow or pain, but you, my loving Mother, were merciful to the wretched when you felt all the sorrow and torment of my death, and you wanted to suffer torment for the sake of mercy rather than being separated from it. Therefore, your mercy surpassed the mercy of all the angels. The third leaf is your loving kindness. The angels are loving and kind and want good for everyone, but you, my dearest Mother, had before your death a will like an angel in your soul and body and did good to everyone. And still you do not refuse anyone who reasonably prays for his own good. Therefore, your kindness is higher and greater than the angels. The fourth leaf is your beauty. The angels behold the beauty of each other and wonder over the beauty of all souls and all bodies, but they see that the beauty of your soul is above all that is created and that the nobleness of your body surpasses all created beings. And so, your beauty surpassed all the angels and everything created. The fifth leaf was your divine joy, for nothing pleased you but God, just as nothing but God delights the angels. Each and every one of them knows and knew his own joy in himself, but when they saw the joy in you to God, they beheld in their conscience how their joy flamed up in them like a light in the love of God. They saw that your joy was like a flaming bonfire, burning with the hottest fire, with flames so high that it came near to my Divinity. And for this reason, my most sweet Mother, your divine joy burned well above all the choirs of angels. Since this flower had these five leaves, namely, nobleness, mercy, loving kindness, beauty, and the highest joy in God, it was full of all sweetness.

But the one who wants to taste of its sweetness should approach the sweetness and assume it into himself. This is also what you did, my most sweet Mother. You were so sweet to my Father that he assumed all of you into his Spirit, and your sweetness delighted him above all other things. The flower also bears a seed by the heat and power of the sun and from it grows a fruit. In this way the blessed sun, my Divinity, assumed Manhood from your virginal womb. For just as the seed makes and grows flowers of the same kind as the seed wherever it is sown, so my limbs were like yours in shape and appearance, even though I was a man and you a woman and a virgin. This valley was uplifted with its flower above all mountains when your body together with your most holy soul was lifted up above all the choirs of angels.”

The Virgin compared to a wonderful flower growing in a garden

The Mother blesses her Son and prays to him that his words might be spread all over the world and take root in the hearts of his friends. And about how the Virgin is compared to a wonderful flower growing in a garden. (...)

Book 1 - Chapter 52

The Holy Virgin spoke to the Son and said: “Blessed be you, my Son and my God, Lord of angels and King of glory! I beg of you that the words that you have spoken [through Saint Bridget] may take root in the hearts of your friends and that their minds may cling as firmly to these words as the pitch with which Noah’s ark was plastered, which neither storm-waves nor winds could break and dissolve. May they be spread out all over the world like branches and sweet flowers whose fragrance is spread far and wide, in order that they also may bear fruit and become sweet like the date whose sweetness delights the soul exceedingly much.”

The Son answered: “Blessed be you, my most beloved Mother! My angel Gabriel said to you: “Blessed art thou, Mary, among women!” And I bear witness to you that you are blessed and most holy above all the choirs of angels. You are like a flower in a garden that is surrounded by other fragrant flowers, but surpasses them all in scent, beauty, and virtue. These flowers are all the chosen men from Adam to the end of the world which were planted in the garden of the world and shone and smelled in manifold virtues. But among all of those who were and who will afterward come, you were the greatest in the fragrance of humility and a good life, in the beauty of the most pleasing virginity, and in the virtue of abstinence. For I bear witness to you that you were more than any martyr at my suffering, more than any confessor in your abstinence, and more than any angel in your mercy and good will. Therefore, for your sake, I will enroot and fasten my words like the strongest pitch in the hearts of my friends. They shall spread out like fragrant flowers and bear fruit like the sweetest and most wonderful date-palm.” (...)

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The Revelations and Prophecies of St. Bridget of Sweden