STOPNJE STVARJENJA - MISTIČNO BOŽJE MESTO - drugo poglavje

STOPNJE STVARJENJA

 

MISTIČNO BOŽJE MESTO – drugo poglavje

 Odlomek iz odlične knjige Marije Agredske:  

MISTIČNO BOŽJE MESTO (Mystical City of God)

Prevod tega teksta iz angleščine v slovenščino je precej zahteven in bi bila dobrodošla tudi kakšna izboljšana verzija tega teksta, če bi se kdo lotil tega.

_____________

Viri (v angleščini): http://www.stjames-church.com/book1c2.html

http://www.catholicbible101.com/mysticalcityofgod.htm

http://www.themostholyrosary.com/mystical-city.htm

_________________________________________________________

Marija Agredska:

MISTIČNO BOŽJE MESTO 

DRUGO POGLAVJE

BOŽJE NEDOUMLJIVO BISTVO –

STOPNJE STVARJENJA

O Kralj, najbolj vzvišen in modri Gospod, kako nedoumljive so Tvoje sodbe in skrivnostne Tvoje poti!

(Rim. 11,24)

Nepremagljivi Bog, ki si od nekdaj, ki večno trajaš in čigar začetek je nepoznan! (Pridigar,18,1)

Kdo lahko razume Tvojo veličino in kdo je lahko vreden Tvojih najbolj veličastnih del, ali kdo Ti lahko pove, zakaj si jih bil ustvaril? (Rim. 9,20)

Zakaj Ti si vzvišen nad vsem in naš duhovni pogled Te ne more dojeti in naš razum Te ne more doumeti. Veličastni, bodi blagoslovljen, veličasten Kralj, ker si mi blagovolil pokazati, Tvoji služabnici in nevrednemu črvu zemlje, plemenite zakramente in najbolj vzvišene skrivnosti.

Videla sem Najvišjega in hkrati ob istem času razumela, kako je Njegovo Veličastvo v Njemu Samem. Prejela sem jasno razumevanje in resnično dojemanje tega, kaj je mišljeno z Bogom, kaj pomeni Bog - neskončen v svoji Biti in Lastnostih, večen, vzvišen nad vsem, tri bitja v Osebi (trojen v Osebi) in en resnični Bog. Trojen v Osebi zaradi treh dejavnosti in učinkov delovanja (trojnega delovanja) ZNANJA (VEDENJA, RAZUMNOSTI in MODROSTI), RAZUMEVANJA (DOUMEVANJA, VSEOBSEGANJA in VSEVEDNOSTI) ter LJUBEZNI drug do drugega, Eden, da tako zagotovijo VEZ večne,  neskončne in nespremenljive EDINOSTI. To je Trojica Očeta, Sina in Svetega Duha. OČE ni bil narejen, niti ustvarjen, niti začet, niti ne more biti rojen ali imeti začetka. Dojela sem, da je SIN dobil svoje POREKLO, svoj IZVOR od Očeta samega skozi večni ZAROD, skozi večni rod in potomstvo in da so ENAKI v njihovem trajanju skozi vso večnost. In da je On Prvorojenec po rodovitnosti Očetove INTELIGENCE (razumnosti, znanja, razumevanja in poznavanja). SVETI DUH izhaja iz Očeta in Sina skozi LJUBEZEN. V njihovi NELOČLJIVI TROJICI ni ničesar, kar bi lahko imenovali prvi ali poslednji, večji ali manjši, VSE TRI OSEBE so ENAKO VEČNE in VEČNO ENAKE. Obstaja ENOTNOST BISTVA v TROJICI OSEB. Niti se osebe ne prekrivajo, torej se ne spojijo, pomešajo ali združijo –  da bi oblikovale enega Boga, niti se BOŽJA BIT,  BOŽANSKA VSEBINA ali SUBSTANCA  NE LOČI ali NE RAZDELI, da bi oblikovala TRI OSEBE,  ki se razlikujejo kot Oče, Sin in Sveti Duh. Oni so vseeno eno in isto Božanstvo, en in isti Bog, enaka v Vsakem od Njih je slava, veličastvo, moč, večnost, neskončnost, modrost in svetost in vse lastnosti. In čeprav so tri osebe, v katerih te neskončne popolnosti obstajajo, On je en in resnični Bog - Sveti, Pravični, Močni, Večni in Neizmeren.

Prejela sem tudi razumevanje načina v katerem ta Trojica doumeva, obsega in vključuje Sama sebe skozi preprosto videnje, da tako nobeno novo ali posebno znanje in poznavanje ni nujno potrebno:

Oče ve in pozna to, kar je znano Sinu in Sin in Sveti Duh vesta in poznata to, kar je v INTELIGENCI - razumnosti, poznavanju, znanju in razumevanju Očeta. Razumela sem kako ljubijo Drug Drugega z eno in isto brezmejno, silno in večno ljubeznijo. Kakor tu obstaja ena sama, nedeljiva in enakovredna edinost, istovetnost in soglasje znanja, ljubezni in delovanja, tako tu obstaja ena preprosta, čista in jasna, nesnovna in  breztelesna oz. duhovna in nedeljiva narava, božansko bistvo resničnega in pravega Boga, v katerem so spojene in združene vse popolnosti v njihovih najvišjih in v neskončni in brezštevilni stopnji.

Naučila sem se tudi razumeti lastno svojstvo in kakovost teh popolnosti najvišjega Gospoda: – da je on LEP brez pomanjkljivosti, VELIK brez števila ali velikosti, DOBER brez mere, VEČEN brez trajanja časa, MOČAN brez vsake slabosti in šibkosti, ŽIVEČ brez dotika razkroja, RESNIČEN,  pravi in pristen, brez prevare ali iluzije, PRISOTEN v vseh krajih, na vseh mestih, izpopolnjujoč jih, brez da bi jih zasedel oz. zavzel, BIVAJOČ in NAHAJAJOČ SE v vseh stvareh, brez da bi zavzel kakršenkoli prostor. Ni nobenega nasprotja in protislovja v njegovi dobroti, niti kakršnekoli pomanjkljivosti ali napake v njegovi modrosti. V svoji modrosti je On skrivnosten in nedoumen, v svojih sklepih, odredbah in Volji je strašen, v svojih sodbah pravičen, v svojih mislih najbolj skrit, v svojih besedah najbolj resničen, v svojih delih svet in v svojih bogastvih obilen in bogat. Zanj noben prostor, prostranstvo ali vsemirje ni preširok ali preobsežen, nobena ozkost ali omejenost Ga ne omejuje, njegova Volja se ne spreminja in ne menja. Žalost mu ne povzroča bolečine, preteklost Zanj ni minila in prešla, niti se prihodnost še ne dogaja v oziru Nanj – je ne upošteva in je ne smatra. O večna neskončnost, brezmejnost in ogromnost, kako brezmejno razprostiranje,  raztezanje, širjenje in prostranost sem videla in gledam v Tebi? Kakšno veličino in neizmernost, brezmejnost  vidim v tvojem neskončnem, neizmernem Bitju? Videnje se ne neha, nima konca, se ne zaključi in ne omeji, niti se nikoli ne izčrpa,  potroši ali izprazni v Tvojem breznu bivanja in obstoja, v breznu Tvojega Bitja. To je nespremenljivo, stalno Bistvo, Jedro, Bitje nad vsemi drugimi bitji, najbolj popolne svetosti, najbolj trajne, stanovitne in zveste resnice, to je neskončnost, neskončna prostranost, dolžina, širina, višina in globina, to je veličastnost in sijaj, blaženost in slava in njen vzrok, njeno načelo in povod, počitek brez utrujenosti, neizmerna  in neizmerljiva dobrota.

Razumela sem, da je bil Najvišji v stanju mirovanja svojega lastnega bitja, ko so tri Osebe (v skladu z našim načinom razumevanja stvari) sklenile  sporočiti in izkazati svoje popolnosti kot zastonjsko darilo. Zaradi večje jasnosti, moram pripomniti, da Bog  obsega in vključuje ter doume v Sebi vse stvari z enim samim, nedeljivim, najbolj preprostim in takojšnjim,   istočasnim dejanjem oz. delovanjem.  Ne gre od razumevanja ene stvari k razumevanju druge stvari, kot to delamo mi, ko razločujemo in razumemo  najprej eno stvar in nato napredujemo k znanju drugih stvari, ki so povezane s temi, ki jih že poznamo, Bog jih pozna in spoznava povezano,  združeno, vse naenkrat, brez prej ali kasneje, ker so vse skupaj in naenkrat hkrati vsebovane in obsegane v Božjem in (še) neustvarjenem večnem znanju, poznavanju, vednosti in spoznanju. Ravno takšne, kot so doumljive, vključene in obsegane v njegovem neskončnem, brezmejnem Bitju, točno takšne so v svojih prvih začetkih, izvorih in izhodiščih. Čeprav je to božje znanje ena celota, najbolj preprosto in nedeljivo, je vseeno potrebno, ker so stvari, ki sem jih videla številne, ker jih je mnogo in ker obstaja določen red, od katerega so nekatere prve in nekatere pridejo kasneje, je nujno razdeliti in razmejiti znanje, vednost, spoznanje in izkustvo Božje inteligence, razumnosti, znanja, poznavanja in spoznanja Njegove volje na številne trenutke ali v veliko različnih dejanj  in prizorov, v kolikor se skladajo in  ujemajo z raznolikim, mnogovrstnim razporedom, ureditvijo in redom oz. urejenostjo ustvarjenih stvari. Kajti kot nekatera od bitij in stvari bivajo in obstajajo zaradi drugih, tako obstaja tudi odvisnost ene na temelju  druge oz. zanašanju ene na drugo. Lahko bi rekli, da je Bog določil in namenil to pred tem, eno na račun druge in da, če ne bi želel ali vključil v dalekovidnem poznavanju in razumevanju vidika enega, ne bi želel drugega. Toda pri takšnem načinu govorjenja ne smemo poskušati prenesti sporočila in izraziti pomena, da je Bog namestil in vpeljal številna dejanja razumnosti ali volje. Raje bi morali namero samo nakazati, da so ustvarjena bitja odvisna eno od drugega in da sledijo eden drugega. Da bi bilo mogoče doumeti načine stvarjenja in jih lažje razumeti, uporabljamo red stvari, kot  jih vidimo objektivno – za dejanja Božje inteligence in volje v njihovem ustvarjanju.

Razumela sem, da ta red in zaporedje vsebuje sledeče trenutke.

Prvi trenutek je: Bog, prepoznava svoje neskončne lastnosti in popolnosti, skupaj z ljubeznijo in neizrekljivim nagibom (težnjo), da sporoči in izrazi, izkaže Sam Sebe navzven. To spoznanje Boga kot zaupnega, izkazujočega in  komunikativnega bitja v trenutku pride najprej. Božje Veličanstvo, zagledajoč, zapazujoč naravo svojih neskončnih, neizmernih in  brezštevilnih popolnosti, njihovih kreposti in obilnosti, izdatnosti delovanja s krasoto, sijajem in veličastjem, je videlo, da je samo in najbolj primerno in pravično, in kot da je to dolžnost in nujnost, sporočiti in izkazati Samega Sebe in slediti temu nagibu podeljevanja in izvrševanja svoje darežljivosti in usmiljenja z razdeljevanjem zunaj Sebe s popolnim in obilnim veličastjem neizmernih, neskončnih, brezštevilnih Božjih zakladov in dragocenosti shranjenih v Božanskem.  Ker je neskončen in  neomejen v vseh stvareh, je veliko bolj naravno, da On izkazuje, sporoča in podeljuje svoje darove in milosti, kot da se ogenj vzpenja navzgor ali kot da se kamen usmerja k svojemu težišču ali kot da more sonce raztresati in razpršiti svojo svetlobo. Ta neizmerljiva, neskončna in nedoumljiva globina popolnosti, ki nima svojega dna, to silovito pritekanje neskončnih bogastev, darov in obilja,  je postavljeno v gibanje s svojo lastno nagnjenostjo, da izkaže in sporoči samo sebe. Istočasno je Bog Sam v Sebi zavedajoč se, da razdeljevanje darov in milosti ne zmanjšuje njegovih bogastev, temveč ga povečuje in množi na edini možen način, tako da daje izhod, izvir k neizčrpnemu vodnjaku njegovih bogastev in obilja.

V tem razsvetljenju in spoznanju, ki sem ga imela, sta dve stvari moje mlačno srce držali v začudenju in ga vžgali do uničenja.  Prva je nagnjenost  ter vztrajna in goreča želja (hrepenenje), ki sem jo videla v Bogu, ter močna volja sporočiti, izkazati in  objaviti svojo Božanskost in zaklade njegovih milosti. Druga je neizrekljiva, nepopisna in nedoumljiva, brezmejna razsežnost, neskončnost dobrih darov, (za) katere sem videla, da jih On želi razdeliti, skladno s tisto  stopnjo, kot jih je določil za ta namen in kljub temu ti darovi še vedno ostajajo neskončni  in brezmejni, kot da še ni ničesar daroval. V tej goreči  želji in nagibu, ki napolnjuje Njegovo Veličanstvo, Ga vidim pripravljenega posvetiti, opravičiti, preplaviti z darovi in popolnostmi vse stvari, vsa bitja skupaj in vsako posamezno posebej. Pripravljen je dati vsakemu bitju posebej več kot je dal vsem angelom in serafinom skupaj, če bi bile celo vse kaplje v oceanih in zrna peska na njihovih obalah, vse zvezde, planeti in elementi in vsa bitja sposobna razsodnosti in razumnega razmišljanja, razumevanja njegovih darov, bi jih sprejeli brez omejitev in mere, pripravljeni, da bi uredili sami sebe in ne bi postavljali ovir temu, da bi te darove lahko sprejemali. O strašna zloba in  strahotna zahrbtnost ter zlonamernost greha, ki je edini sposoben preprečiti in naglo prekiniti tok in obilico tako velikih in večnih darov.

Drugi trenutek je v hipu potrdil in določil objekt oz. predmet in namen tega  izkazovanja in sporočilnosti Boga – to bi namreč moralo prispevati k Njegovi večji slavi in k zvišanju, povišanju njegovega Veličanstva ter k  prikazovanju in proglasitvi njegove veličine in velikodušnosti. To svojo lastno povišanost je Bog videl kot konec, zaradi katerega je sporočil in izkazal Sam Sebe, naredil Sebe spoznanega po svoji darežljivosti in velikodušnosti v razdeljevanju svojih lastnosti in postavil v gibanje, v tek svojo Vsemogočnost, da bi lahko bil spoznan, čaščen, poveličevan, hvaljen in slavljen.

Tretji trenutek se je strnil v izboru in določanju reda, razvrstitve in  ureditve, ali načina in oblike tega izkazovanja in sporočilnosti Boga, da se tako uresničijo v primernem, ustreznem načinu in obliki najbolj vzvišeni cilji. Red, urejenost in razpored, ki je primeren in neoporečen,  bi namreč moral biti vzdrževan, ohranjan in podprt glede na  sporočilnost in izkazovanje Boga ter njegovih božjih lastnosti: da bi tako te aktivnosti Gospoda lahko imele svoje primerne razloge, utemeljitve in namene in da bi se tako lahko nadaljevalo,  napredovalo in uspevalo najlepše in čudovito zaporedje, nepretrgan niz  harmonije, ubranosti, složnosti ter poslušnosti in podrejanja. V tem trenutku je bilo najprej odrejeno, da mora Božja Beseda prevzeti meso (človeško naravo) in mora postati vidna. Popolnost in značaj ter sestava  najbolj svete človečnosti Kristusa, našega Gospoda, je bila določena,  odrejena in oblikovana v Božjem razumu, inteligenci. Podrejeno temu, so bile oblikovane tudi zamisli in predstave ostalih ljudi kot posnetek, kopiranje oz. imitacija Prvega. Božji razum je preddoločil harmonijo, skladnost in okrasitev človeške narave, ki je sestavljena iz organskega telesa in (p)oživljajoče duše, da je obdarovana s sposobnostjo in zmožnostjo, da spozna in uživa svojega Stvarnika, da razlikuje med dobrim in zlim ter s svobodno voljo ljubi tega istega Gospoda.

Četrti trenutek je bil v določanju darov in milosti, ki so bili podeljeni in preneseni na človečnost Kristusa, našega Gospoda, v zedinjenju z Bogom.  Tu je Najvišji odprl darežljive roke svoje Vsemogočnosti in Svojih drugih lastnosti, da okrasi in obogati najbolj sveto človečnost in dušo Kristusovo z najvišjo mogočo mero polnosti in izobilja svojih darov in milosti. Nato je bilo izpolnjeno, kar je kasneje David rekel: »Tok reke namaka mesto Božjega veselja« (Psalm 45,5).

Ko je potok, tok Njegovih darov tekel k človečnosti Besede sporočajoč in izkazajoč Ji vso navdihnjeno spoznanje, razumevanje, milost, dobroto in odličnost,  katere je bila Njegova blagoslovljena duša sposobna obdaritve, usmiljenja in slave, da bi tako iz tega silovitega toka lahko bili udeleženi in podeljeni v obliki in na način, v katerem se je kasneje resnično zgodil. 

Ravno tako je temu trenutku - in kot da mu je pripadal po naravnem redu,  v naravnem, nepretrganem nizu - pripadal odlok in preddoločitev (vnaprejšnja določitev) Matere učlovečene Božje Besede; kajti tu, kot  razumem, je bilo določeno in odrejeno to čisto Bitje pred čimerkoli drugim. Torej, kot sledi, pred vsemi drugimi bitji, je bila Ona zamišljena  v božjem razumu, v takšnem načinu in v takšnem stanju, kot je bilo spodobno in primerno, vredno dostojanstva, vzvišenosti in darov človečnosti njenega najbolj svetega Sina. K Njej in čez Njo, se je naenkrat in v trenutku, neposredno izlila reka Božanstva in Njegovih lastnosti z vso njihovo silovitostjo in močjo do mere, kot jo je omejeno bitje sposobno prenesti in kot je primerno in pripada dostojanstvu Matere Boga.

V vedenju in spoznavanju teh vzvišenih skrivnosti in odlokov, priznam, da sem bila prevzeta v občudovanju in prenesena daleč preko mojega pravega  jaza. Razumevajoč in dojemajoč oblikovanje tega najbolj svetega in čistega Bitja in razumevajoč predstave Božjih misli od začetka in pred vsemi dobami, pred vsem časom, sem veselo in zmagoslavno slavila in  poveličevala Vsemogočnega za čudovite in skrivnostne odloke, s katerimi je oblikoval za nas tako čisto in sijajno, vzvišeno, veličastno, tako skrivnostno in Bogu podobno Bitje, ki je bolj vredno in je bolj primerno, da je občudovano in slavljeno od vseh bitij, kakor da ga kdo opisuje in orisuje.  V mojem občudovanju lahko rečem s svetim Dionizom Aeropagitskem: »Če me vera ne bi poučevala, in če me razumevanje tega, kar vidim, ne bi učilo, da je to Bog, ki si jo je zamislil v svojem razumu in ki edini lahko in zmore v svoji Vsemogočnosti oblikovati takšno podobo svoje Božanskosti, če vse to ne bi bilo predstavljeno mojemu razumu, bi morda začel dvomiti, če morda Devica Marija ne vsebuje v sebi lastne Božanskosti.«

O kakšne solze so padale z mojih oči in kakšno obžalovanje in obžalujoča  osuplost je prevzela mojo dušo, ko sem videla to božje čudo nepriznano in da se to čudo Najvišjega ne razglasi vsem smrtnikom. Veliko je znanega o tem, toda veliko več je neznanega, ker ta knjiga pečatov ni bila odprta. Prevzeta sem v zaznavanju, dojemanju in gledanju tega Božjega tabernaklja in dojela sem, da je Avtor le-tega bolj občudovan v njeni ustvaritvi, kot pri ustvaritvi vsega preostalega sveta in stvarstva, čeprav raznolikost  in različnost bitij dokazuje čudovito in sijajno moč njihovega Stvarnika. Samo v tej Kraljici je vsebovano in zbrano več zakladov kot v vseh ostalih stvareh združenih skupaj, in raznoterost, mnogovrstnost in neprecenljivost njenih bogastev in darov časti Gospoda bolj kot mnoštvo drugih stvari.

Glede na naš način razumevanja je bila tukaj (v tem prizoru) dana obljuba oz. kot da je bil sporazum oz. dogovor sklenjen z Besedo, o stopnji čistosti in svetosti, in popolnosti in darov in milosti, ki naj bi jih posedovala Marija, njegova Mati. Prav tako o zaščiti, podpori in obrambi, ki naj bi bila predvidena, zagotovljena in pripravljena za to resnično Božje Mesto, v katerem je Njegovo Veličanstvo motrilo in opazovalo milosti in zasluge, ki jih je Ona zaslužila Sama Zase, kot tudi sadove, ki bodo zbrani za njegove ljudi z ljubečimi odpovedmi in zasluženji, ki jih je bila Ona naredila Njegovemu Veličastvu. V istem trenutku, in kot da je bilo na tretjem in zadnjem mestu, je Bog določil ustvariti kraj in prebivališče, kamor bi se učlovečena Beseda in Njegova Mati morala prenesti in preoblikovati ter bivati. Za Njiju je v prvi vrsti ustvaril nebo in zemljo z njegovimi zvezdami in elementi in vse, kar je v njem. Drugi namen in odlok pa je vključeval ustvaritev članov, udov, katerim naj bi bil Jezus Glava in katerih naj bi bil Kralj; da bi tako s kraljevsko skrbjo in previdnostjo, vse nujno potrebne in primerne ter ustrezne priprave in ureditve lahko bile narejene vnaprej.

Prešla sem k petemu trenutku, čeprav v realnosti, katere sem se zavedala, da jo izkušam. V tem petem odloku, je bila določena in utemeljena stvaritev angelske narave, ki je bolj čudovita, odlična in bolj podobna duhovnemu bivanju Boga. Hkrati je bila določena in odločena, odrejena delitev in  urejenost ter razvrstitev angelskih množic na devet korov in v tri hierarhije. Ker so bili ustvarjeni najprej in predvsem za Slavo Boga, da služijo pred Njegovim Veličastvom in da Ga poznajo in ljubijo, jim je bilo kot drugovrstno in podrejeno temu, odrejeno, da podpirajo, slavijo in častijo, izkazujejo spoštovanje, se poklonijo in služijo pobožanstveni človečnosti večne Besede, prepoznavajoč Ga kot Glavo in čaščeč Njega tudi v Njegovi Materi, najbolj sveti Mariji, Kraljici teh istih angelov. Naloga in poslanstvo je bilo dano tem angelom, da »jih nosijo na svojih rokah« na vseh njihovih poteh (Ps 90,12). V tem trenutku je Kristus, naš Gospod, prislužil zanje s svojimi neskončnimi zaslugami, sedanjimi in prihodnjimi, navzočimi in  vnaprej predvidenimi, vso milost, ki so jo bili prejeli. Bil je določen in postavljen kot njihova Glava, Vzor, Zgled in kot najvišji Kralj, kateremu morajo biti podaniki (podložniki). Četudi bi bilo število angelov neskončno in neomejeno, bi zasluge Kristusa, našega najvišjega Dobrega, obilno zadostovale, da jih vse oskrbuje z milostjo.

Temu trenutku pripada tudi vnaprejšnja določitev dobrih in zavrnitev,  obsodba slabih angelov. Bog je videl v njem, s pomočjo Njegove neskončne (vse)vednosti, znanja, poznavanja in razumevanja, vsa dela od prvega do zadnjega in primernost ter pravilnost vnaprejšnje preddoločitve in izbire - po njegovi svobodni volji in po njegovi milosti polni radodarnosti - tistih, ki bodo ubogali in dajali čast ter zavrnitev z njegovo pravičnostjo za tiste, ki se bodo dvignili zoper Njegovo Veličastvo v ponosu, v neposlušnosti, uporu in neubogljivosti zaradi njihove neurejene, napačne in sebične ljubezni. V istem trenutku je bilo tudi odrejeno stvarjenje vzvišenih nebes, za razglasitev in prikaz njegove slave in plačila za dobro: tudi zemlje in nebesnih teles za ostala bitja, poleg tega pa v središču in v globini zemlje tudi pekel, za kaznovanje slabih angelov.

V šestem trenutku je bilo odrejeno stvarjenje ljudi in občestvo ljudi za Kristusa, ki je bil že oblikovan in zamišljen v Božanskem umu in volji in v skladu z Njegovo sliko, sličnostjo in podobo je bil narejen človek, zato da bi učlovečena Beseda lahko našla brate v duhovnem pomenu, sobrate, sovernike, torej podobne, toda podrejene, nižje od Sebe in ljudi z njegovo lastno naravo, katerim bi lahko bil Glava. V tem trenutku je bilo odločeno in določeno stvarjenje celotne človeške rase, celotnega človeštva, ki se je začelo iz enega moža in žene in razmnoževalo samo sebe, dokler Devica in njen Sin morata biti rojena v vnaprej določenem času. Na račun zaslug Kristusa, našega Rešenika, so bile milosti in darovi vnaprej odrejeni, preddoločeni in tudi izvorna pravica, če jo bodo le ohranili, obranili in obvarovali. Padec Adama je bil vnaprej predviden in v njem padec vseh ostalih, razen Kraljice, ki ni vstopila v ta odlok. Kot zdravilo temu, za   pomoč, popravek in izboljšanje tega, je bilo objavljeno in predpisano, da mora najbolj sveta človečnost biti sposobna trpeti. Vnaprej določeni so bili izbrani po prostovoljni milosti in usmiljenju in vnaprej predvidevani, vnaprej sluteni so bili zavrnjeni in obsojeni z natančno  pravičnostjo. Vse to je bilo umestno in primerno ter nujno, potrebno in neizogibno za ohranitev in zaščito, za obvarovanje človeške rase ter za doseganje zaključka Odrešenja in Odkupa. In ta vnaprejšnja Preddoločitev in odreditev je bila vnaprej določena brez poseganja in vmešavanja v svobodno voljo človeka - ker takšna odredba in odlok je bila bolj združljiva, skladna in ustrezna Božji naravi in Božji  pravičnosti ter nepristranosti. Tu ni bilo storjene nobene krivice zanje, saj če z njihovo svobodno voljo lahko grešijo, se tako lahko tudi vzdržijo od greha  s pomočjo milosti in s svetlobo, jasnostjo razuma in razumnostjo. Bog ne tepta in ne krši pravic nikogar, ker se ni nikomur odrekel in ni nikogar zavrnil, niti ne zavrača ali odteguje nikomur to, kar je nujno potrebno in neizogibno. Ker je Njegov zakon zapisan v srca ljudi, nihče ni opravičen in oproščen za nepoznavanje, neljubljenje Njega kot najvišjega Dobrega vsega stvarstva.

V zaznavanju in dojemanju teh skrivnosti sem videla z veliko jasnostjo in močjo, najvišje in najbolj vzvišene motive, ki so povzročili, da je Bog proglasil in izkazal ter proslavil in poveličal Sam Sebe in ki bi morali prepričati, nagovoriti ljudi, da slavijo in obožujejo veličino Stvarnika in Rešitelja vseh. Videla sem tudi, kako počasni in oklevajoči so ljudje, tako v priznavanju in potrjevanju teh obvez in dolžnosti, kot tudi v povračilu za dane dobrote, koristi in  prednosti. In omogočeno mi je bilo, da sem se zavedala pritožb in užaljenosti, prizadetosti in jeze Najvišjega zaradi te pozabljivosti in površnosti ljudi. Njegovo veličanstvo mi je zapovedalo in me opominjalo, naj ne bom kriva takšne nehvaležnosti, naj Mu raje ponudim žrtev in daritev slavljenja, hvaljenja in poveličevanja ter novo pesem, in da ga lahko slavim v imenu vseh bitij.

O najbolj vzvišen in nedoumljiv Gospod! Da bi bila imela ljubezen in popolnosti vseh angelov ter pravičnost in neoporečnost, da bi lahko izpovedala in poveličevala ter slavila vredno Tvojo veličastnost in veličino. Priznavam in potrjujem, velik in mogočen Gospod, da tako slabo in ničvredno bitje kot sem jaz, ne morem imeti zaslug za te nepozabne koristi in prednosti sprejemanja tega jasnega in vzvišenega znanja, spoznanja in svetlobe, ki se tiče Tvojega vzvišenega Veličastva. Ob pogledu in prizoru Tvoje veličine zaznavam in dojemam svojo majhnost, ki mi je bila pred to srečno uro neznana. Bila sem nevedna in nepoučena, ne zavedajoč se veličine in izvrstnosti, odličnosti kreposti ponižnosti, ki je bila  spoznana in izkušena v tem spoznanju in razumevanju. Ne želim reči, da sedaj imam to krepost, toda tudi ne morem zanikati, da mi je bila pokazana določena pot, ki vodi do nje. Tvoja Svetloba, o najvišji Gospod, me razsvetljuje in Tvoja Luč mi kaže pot (Ps 118, 105), da lahko vidim, kaj sem bila, kaj sem in se bojim, kaj lahko postanem. Razsvetlil si, najvišji kralj, moje razumevanje in vnel mojo voljo z njenim najbolj vzvišenim namenom.

_________________________________________________________

"City of God"

CHAPTER II GOD’S INSCRUTABLE ESSENCE; THE DECREE OF CREATION O King, most high and wise Lord; How incomprehensible are thy judgments, and inscrutable thy ways (Rom. 11, 24)! Invincible God, enduring forever and whose beginning is unknown (Eccli. 18, 1)! Who can understand thy greatness and who can be worthy of thy most magnificent works, or who can tell Thee why Thou hast created them (Rom. 9, 20)? For Thou art exalted above all of them and our vision cannot reach Thee and our understanding cannot comprehend Thee. Mayest Thou be blest, magnificent King, because Thou hast deigned to show me, thy slave and a vile worm of the earth, great sacraments and most sublime mysteries. I saw the Most High, at the same time understanding how his Majesty is in Himself; I received a clear intelligence and a true perception of what is meant by a God, infinite in his substance and attributes, eternal, exalted above all, being three in Person, and one true God. Three in Person, because of the three activities of knowing, comprehending and loving each other; one, so as to secure the boon of eternal unity. It is the trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. The Father is not made, nor created, nor begotten, nor can He be generated or have a beginning. I perceived, that the Son derives His origin from the Father alone by eternal generation; and that they are equal in their duration from eternity; and that He is begotten by the fecundity of the intelligence of the Father. The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son through love. In their indivisible Trinity there is nothing which can be called first or last, greater or smaller; all three Persons are equally eternal and eternally equal; there is unity of essence in a trinity of persons. Nor are the persons mingled in order to form one God, nor the divine substance separated or divided in order to form three Persons, being distinct as the Father, as the Son and as the Holy Ghost. They are nevertheless one and the same Divinity, equal in Each is the glory and majesty, the power, the eternity, the immensity, the wisdom and sanctity, and all the attributes. And though there are three Persons, in whom these infinite perfections subsist, He is the one and true God, the Holy, the Just, the Powerful, the Eternal and the Measureless. I also obtained an understanding of the manner in which this Trinity comprehends Itself by simple vision, so that no new or distinct cognition is necessary: the father knows that, which is known to the Son, and the Son and the Holy Ghost know that which is in the intelligence of the Father. I understood how they love One another with one and the same immense and eternal love; how there is a single, indivisible and equal oneness of intelligence, love and action, how there is one simple, incorporeal and indivisible nature, a divine essence of the true God, in which are joined and united all the perfections in their highest and in an infinite degree. I learnt also to understand the quality of these perfections of the highest Lord: that He is beautiful without a blemish, great without quantity, good without need of qualification, eternal without the duration of time, strong without any weakness, living without touch of decay, true without deceit, present in all places, filling them without occupying them, existing in all things without occupying any space. There is no contradiction in his kindness, nor any defect in his wisdom. In his wisdom He is inscrutable, in his decrees He is terrible, in his judgments just, in his thoughts most hidden, in his words most true, in his works holy, in his riches affluent. To Him no space is too wide, no narrowness causes restraint, his will does not vary, the sorrowful does not cause Him pain, the past has not passed for Him, nor does the future happen in regard to Him. O eternal Immensity, what illimitable expansion have I seen in Thee? What vastness do I see in thy infinite Being? Vision does not terminate, nor ever exhaust itself in thy abyss of being. This is the unchangeable Essence, the Being above all other beings, the most perfect sanctity, the most constant truth; this is the infinite, the length, the breadth, the height and the depth, the glory and its cause, rest without fatigue, goodness immeasurable. I understood, that the Most High was in the quiescent state of his own being, when the three Persons (according to our way of understanding things), decreed to communicate his perfections as a free gift. For greater clearness, I must remark, that God comprehends in Himself all things by one indivisible, most simple and instantaneous act. He does not go on from the understanding of one thing to the understanding of another like we do, distinguishing and perceiving first one thing by an act of the understanding, and after that proceeding to the knowledge of others by their connection with those already known. God knows them conjointly all at once, without before or after, since all are together and at once contained in the divine and uncreated knowledge and science, just as they are comprehended and enclosed in his infinite Being, as in their first beginning. Although, this divine knowledge is one, most simple and indivisible, nevertheless since the things which I see are many, and since there is a certain order, by which some are first and some come after, it is necessary to divide the knowledge of God’s intelligence and the knowledge of his will into many instants, or into many different acts, according as they correspond to the diverse orders of created things. For as some of the creatures hold their existence because of others, there is a dependence of one upon the other. Accordingly we say that God intended and decreed this before that, the one on account of the other; and that if He had not desired or included in the science of vision the one, He would not have desired the other. But by this way of speaking, we must not try to convey the meaning that God placed many acts of intelligence, or of the will; rather we must intend merely to indicate, that the creatures are dependent on each other and that they succeed one another. In order to be able to comprehend the manner of creation more easily, we apply the order of things as we see them objectively, to the acts of the divine intelligence and will in creating them. I understood, that this order comprises the following instants. The first instant is: God recognizing his infinite attributes and perfections together with the propensity and the ineffable inclination to communicate Himself outwardly. This knowledge of God as being communicative ad extra comes first. The majesty of God, beholding the nature of his infinite perfections, their virtue and efficacy operating with magnificence, saw, that it was just and most proper, and, as it were, a duty and a necessity, to communicate Himself and to follow that inclination of imparting and exercising his liberality and mercy, by distributing outside of Himself with magnificence the plenitude of the infinite treasures, contained in the Divinity. For, being infinite in all things, it is much more natural that He communicate gifts and graces than that fire should ascend, or the stone should gravitate towards its center, or that the sun should diffuse its light. This unfathomable depth of perfections, this affluence of treasures, this impetuous infinity of riches, is set in motion by its own inclinations to communicate itself. At the same time God is in Himself conscious that to distribute gifts and graces, is not to diminish his riches, but to increase them in the only possible way, by giving an outlet to the inexhaustible fountain of his riches. In this enlightenment and knowledge which I possess, two things hold my lukewarm heart in wonder and inflame it unto annihilation. The first is the inclination and urgent desire, which I see in God, and the strong will, to communicate his Divinity and the treasures of his grace. The second is the unspeakable and incomprehensible immensity of the good gifts, which I see He wishes to distribute according to this degree, assigning them for this purpose and yet remaining infinite, as if He had not yet given nothing. In this desire and inclination, which fills his Majesty I see Him prepared to sanctify, justify, overwhelm with gifts and perfections all creatures together and each one in particular for itself. He would be ready to give to each of the creatures more than what is held by all the angels and seraphim together; even if all the drops in the ocean and the grains of sand on their shores, all the stars, the planets and the elements, and all creatures were capable of reason and of his gifts, they would receive them without measure, provided they would dispose themselves and place no obstacle toward receiving them. O fearful malice of sin, which alone is capable of holding up the impetuous stream of such great and eternal gifts! The second instant was to confirm and determine the object and intention of this communication of the Divinity ad extra, namely, that it should redound to his greater glory and to the exaltation of his Majesty and the manifestation of his greatness. This his own exaltation God saw as the end, for which he would communicate Himself, make Himself known by his liberality in the distribution of his attributes, and set in motion his Omnipotence in order that He might be known, praised and glorified. The third instant consisted in selecting and determining the order and arrangement, or the mode of this communication, so as to realize in an adequate manner the most exalted ends. The order namely, which it is proper should be maintained in regard to the communications of the Godhead and its divine attributes; so that this activity of the Lord may have its proper reasons and objects, and so that it might proceed with the most beautiful and admirable sequence, harmony and subordination. In this instant was decreed first of all, that the Divine Word should assume flesh and should become visible. The perfection and the composition of the most holy humanity of Christ our Lord was decreed and modeled in divine intelligence. Secondarily, also were formed the ideals of the rest of men in imitation of the First. The divine mind prearranged the harmony and adornment of the human nature composed of an organic body and a vivifying soul, endowed with faculties to know and enjoy its Creator, to discern between good and evil, and with a free will to love that same Lord. The fourth instant was to determine the gifts and graces, which were to be conferred upon the humanity of Christ, our Lord, in union with the Divinity. Here the Most High opened the liberal hands of his Omnipotence and his other attributes, in order to enrich the most sacred humanity and the soul of Christ with the highest possible plenitude of his gifts and graces. Then was fulfilled what afterward David said: "The stream of the river maketh the city of God joyful" (Ps. 45, 5). When the stream of his gifts flowed toward the humanity of the Word, communicating to it all the infused science, the grace and goodness of which his blessed soul was capable of grace and glory, in order that from this impetuous stream they might partake in the manner in which it afterwards really happened. To this instant also, and, as it were, in natural sequence, pertain the decree and predestination of the Mother of the Divine Word incarnate; for here, I understand, was ordained that pure Creature before aught else whatever. Thus, before all other creatures, was She conceived in the divine mind, in such manner and such state as befitted and became the dignity, excellence and gifts of the humanity of her most holy Son. To her flowed over, at once and immediately, the river of the Divinity and its attributes with all its impetuousity, in as far as a mere creature is capable and as is due to the dignity of the Mother of God. In the knowledge of these exalted mysteries and decrees, I confess myself ravished in admiration and transported beyond my proper self. Perceiving this most holy and pure Creature formed and conceived in the divine mind from the beginning and before all the ages, I joyously and exultingly magnify the Omnipotent for the admirable and mysterious decree, by which He formed for us such a pure and grand, such a mysterious and godlike Creature, worthy rather to be admired and praised by all beings, than to be described by any one. In my admiration I can say with St. Dionysius the Areopagite: "If faith would not instruct me, and if the understanding of what I see would not teach me, that it is God, who has conceived her in his mind, and who alone could and can in his Omnipotence form such an image of his Divinity, if this all were not present to my mind, I might begin to doubt, whether the Virgin Mother contain not in Herself Divinity." O what tears flowed from my eyes, and what sorrowful astonishment possessed my soul, to see that divine prodigy not acknowledged and that wonder of the Most High not manifest to all the mortals. Much is known of it, but much more is unknown, as this sealed book has not been opened. I am ravished in the perception of this tabernacle of God, and I perceive that the Author of it is more admirable in her creation, than in that of all the rest of the world, although the diversity of the creatures manifests the wonderful power of their Creator. In this Queen alone are comprehended and contained more treasures than in all the rest of things joined together, and the variety and preciousness of her riches honor the Lord above all the multitudes of the other creatures. Here (according to our way of understanding) the promise and, as it were, the contract was made with the Word as to the degree of sanctity, and perfection and the gifts and graces, which were to be possessed by Mary his Mother. Also as to the protection, support and defense, which was to be provided for this true City of God, in which his Majesty contemplated the graces and merits, which She earned for Herself, as well as the fruits to be gathered for his people by the loving returns, which She was to make to his Majesty. In the same instant, and as it were in the third and last place, God determined to create a locality and an abode, where the incarnate Word and his Mother should converse and dwell. For them primarily did He create the heaven and earth with its stars and elements and all that is contained in them. Secondarily the intention and decree included the creation of the members, of which Jesus was to be the Head, and of whom He would be the King; in order that with kingly providence, all the necessary and befitting arrangements might be made beforehand. I pass over to the fifth instant, although in reality I have found that, which I sought. In this fifth decree the creation of the angelic nature which is more excellent and more like unto the spiritual being of the Divinity, was determined upon, and at the same time the division or arrangement of the angelic hosts into nine choirs and three hierarchies, was provided and decreed. As they are created first of all for the glory of God, to assist before his divine Majesty and to know and love Him, so secondarily they are ordained to assist, glorify and honor, reverence and serve the deified humanity of the eternal Word, recognizing Him as Head, and honoring Him also in his Mother, the most holy Mary, Queen of these same angels. Commission was given to these angels, "to bear them up in their hands" in all their ways (Ps. 90, 12). In this instant Christ our Lord earned for them by his infinite merits, present and foreseen, all the grace, which they were to receive. He was constituted as their Head, Exemplar and supreme King, of whom they should be subjects. Even of the number of angels had been infinite, the merits of Christ our highest Good, would be abundantly sufficient to supply them all with grace. To this instant belongs also the predestination of the good, and the reprobation of the bad angels. God saw in it, by means of his infinite science, all the works of the former and of the latter and the propriety of predestinating, by his free will and by his merciful liberality, those that would obey and give honor, and of reprobating by his justice those who would rise up against his Majesty in pride and disobedience on account of their disordered selflove. In the same instant also was decreed the creation of the empyrean heaven, for the manifestation of his glory and the reward of the good; also the earth and the heavenly bodies for the other creatures; moreover also in the center or depth of the earth, hell, for the punishment of the bad angels. In the sixth instant was decreed the creation of a people and the congregation of men for Christ, who was already formed in the divine mind and will, and according to his image and likeness man was to be made, in order, that the incarnate Word might find brethren, similar but inferior to Himself and a people of his own nature, of whom He might be the Head. In this instant was determined the order of creation of the whole human race, which was to begin from one man and woman and propagate itself, until the Virgin and her Son should be born in the predestined order. On account of the merits of Christ our Savior, the graces and gifts were prearranged, and also original justice, if they would only preserve it. The fall of Adam was foreseen and in him that of all others, except of the Queen, who did not enter into this decree. As a remedy, it was ordained that the most holy humanity should be capable of suffering. The predestined were chosen by free grace, and the foreknown were reprobated with exact justice. All that was convenient and necessary for the conservation of the human race and for obtaining the end of the Redemption and the Predestination, was preordained, without interfering with the free will of men; for such ordainment was more conformable to God’s nature and to divine equity. There was no injustice done to them, for if with their free will they could sin, so also could they abstain from sin by means of grace and the light of reason. God violated the right of no one, since He forsook no one nor denied to any one that which is necessary. Since his law is written in the hearts of men, nobody is excused for not knowing and loving Him as the highest Good of all creation. In the perception of these mysteries I saw with great clearness and force the high motives which caused God to manifest and magnify Himself and which should induce men to praise and adore the greatness of the Creator and Redeemer of all. I also saw how tardy they are in the acknowledgment of these obligations and in making return for these benefits; and I was made aware of the complaints and the indignation of the Most High on account of this forgetfulness. His majesty commanded and exhorted me not to be guilty of such ingratitude, but to offer Him a sacrifice of praise, and a new song, and that I magnify Him in the name of all creatures. O most high and incomprehensible Lord! Would that I had the love and perfections of all the angels and the just in order to confess and praise worthily thy greatness! I acknowledge, great and mighty Lord, that such a vile creature as I cannot merit the memorable benefit of receiving this clear and exalted knowledge and light concerning thy exalted Majesty. At the sight of thy greatness I perceive my littleness, which before that happy hour was unknown to me; and I was ignorant of the greatness and excellence of the virtue of humility, which is learnt in this science. I do not wish to say that I now possess that virtue, but neither can I deny that I have been shown the certain path which leads to it. Thy light, O most high Lord, illumines me and thy lamp shows me the paths (Ps. 118, 105), so that I see what I have been and what I am, and fear what I may become to be. Thou hast lighted up, most high King, my understanding and inflamed my will with its most exalted object.