In addition to regular articles, we want to publish the work Mystical Connection with Mary in installments, the first part of which is now before you.
Something about the author
Sister Mary of Saint Teresa (*1623 – †1677) is a mystic of the greatest significance. In the Carmelite tradition, she can be compared to Saint Teresa and Mary Magdalene de Pazzi.
Throughout her life, she underwent many severe trials, through which she received the greatest mystical graces. She reached the highest levels of mystical connection with Mary and was the first to describe them perfectly.
For 31 years, her spiritual director was Fr. Michael of Saint Augustine. At his special request, she provided him with a monthly report on her life and the graces received. By his command, she also wrote her autobiography.
According to these reports, Fr. Michael published his theological work De vita Mariae formi et mariana in Maria propter Mariam in 1669. After Sister Mary's death, he also published her biography. Both works were translated from Flemish into Latin with the help of his brethren.
From the Latin text, we are translating several reports full of deep connection with Mary and mutual love. The translation is again quite literal to preserve the freshness of the old testimony.
I. God reveals Himself to me as all-pervading, connected with all, and also united with His creatures, from the smallest to the largest, and with the noble as well as the lowly. I even have the impression that we all, including myself, merge with Him. It is hardly possible to express what I recognize, see, experience, and live in this. Regarding love and other internal workings – divine illuminations, knowledge, and other supernatural movements – it seems to me that they are drawn into the unity of this divine One and merge with Him. However, even though these things sometimes abundantly flow into the soul, it is not drawn away from unity by them. On the contrary, it sees, knows, and experiences this divine One in all of them in a mystical and sublime way.
In the same way, I see, honor, love, and pray in this One, in this mirror of divine unity, also to the Mother worthy of all our love. I see her there in unity with this divine mirror, or nameless essence.
When I kneel before her image and ask her for some souls, or the needs of the homeland, or something else that compels me, my internal gaze fixates on this mirror in which the loveable Mother is enclosed and united with all others. In that moment, I immediately penetrate the external image without fixating on anything physical and draw everything into the spirit.
written in the year 1657
II. My love for Jesus and His beloved Mother is as tender as possible. It leads me into a very intimate relationship with my beloved Jesus, and I strive to behave like a tenderly loving bride towards her beloved bridegroom. His dealings with me are also very affectionate.
Something similar occurs between me and my loving Mother. It seems to me that she has accepted me as her own daughter and wants to teach me on the path of perfection and purity of spirit, so that I may please my beloved Jesus even more. She guides me in love towards Jesus and in loving communion with Him.
Sometimes I experience a noticeable sweetness, a satisfaction of both nature and spirit when I utter the most holy names Jesus and Mary, or when I contemplate them in my heart. I often repeatedly say this: Jesus, my beloved Jesus, my only darling, Jesus, Jesus, my life and my everything; Mary, Mary, sweet Virgin Mary, my dearest little mother. I feel that these sweetest and holiest names almost constantly dance in my mind and heart. I engage with them almost insatiably, pronounce them, and devote myself to them with the tenderest reverent and innocent love.
This does not always happen with completely pronounced and full words. Often, they are only partially spoken and the spirit falls into deep solitary quietness and rests in the love of Jesus' embrace or in Mary's lap. Usually, I withdraw from my senses during this.
I believe that my dearest Mother is not satisfied only with drawing me into her constant love and to the purest, most faithful, and most tender love for Jesus, and that she has accepted me as her daughter. Moreover, I feel her request for me to love her dearest bridegroom, Saint Joseph, and she herself instills love for him into my heart. My inner speech then turns to this most holy earthly trio, these three most holy persons, with intuitive simplicity and spiritual unity. They are connected in my spirit and love. Jesus, as my most beloved lover, Mary, as the most beloved and worthy of all love Mother, and Saint Joseph, as my dearest and most beloved father. I hope that through him I will receive such special help and contribution in everything as was given to Saint Teresa.
