Sixfold Vision of Truth – Part 2: Natural Reason

St. Bonaventure wrote:

For according to the first institution of nature there was created a man fit (homo habilis) for the quiet of contemplation, and for that reason God placed him in the paradise of delights. But turning himself away from the true Light towards the completely changeable good (commutabile bonum), he was himself stooped down through his own fault, and his whole race by Original Sin, which infects human nature in a twofold manner, that is the mind by ignorance, the flesh by concupiscence; so that man thoroughly blinded and stooped down sits in the shadows and does not see the light of Heaven unless grace succors him with justice against his concupiscence, and knowledge with wisdom against his ignorance. Which is entirely (totum) done through Jesus Christ, who has been made for us by God our wisdom and justice and sanctification and redemption.

Since therefore first one is to ascend rather than descend upon Jacob’s stair, let us situate the first step of ascension at the bottom, by considering this whole world sensible to us as a mirror, through which we pass-over to God, the Most High Artisan.

In the first manner the power of sight (aspectus) of the one contemplating, considering the things in themselves, sees in them (their) weight, number and measure: the weight in regard to the position, where they are inclining, the number, by which they are distinguished, and the measure, by which they are limited. And for this reason it sees in them a standard of measure (modum), a beauty (species), and an order, and also (their) substance, virtue, and activity (operationem). From which it can rise together, as from a vestige, to understand the power, wisdom and immense goodness of the Creator.

In the second manner the power of sight of the believer (fidelis), considering this world tends toward (its) origin, descent and end. For by faith we believe, that the ages have been made ready for the Word of life; by faith we believe, that the seasons of the three laws, that is of nature, of Scripture and of grace succeed one another (and have descended  in a most orderly manner; by faith we believe, that the world must be terminated by a final judgment; adverting in the first to power, in the second to providence, in the third to justice of the Most High Principle.

In the third manner the power of sight of the one investigating by reasoning  sees, that certain things only are, moreover that certain things are and live, but that certain things are, live, and discern; and indeed that the first things are the lesser, the second ones the middle, the third the best. — Again it sees, that certain things are only corporal, certain things partly corporal, partly spiritual; from which it adverts, that some are merely spiritual as the better and more worthy of both. Nevertheless it sees, that certain things are mutable and corruptible, as (are) terrestrial things, certain things are mutable and incorruptible, as (are) celestial things; from which it adverts, that certain things are immutable and incorruptible, as (are) super-celestial things.

From these visible things, therefore, it rises up together to consider the power, wisdom, and goodness of God, as the being (entem), living, understanding, merely spiritual and incorruptible and intransmutable One.

Moreover this consideration broadens according to the septiform condition of creatures, which is the septiform testimony of the divine power and goodness, if the origin, the magnitude, the multitude, the beauty (pulchritude), the plentitude, the operation and the order of all other things would be considered. — For the origin of things according to their creation, distinction and embellishment (ornatum), as much as it regards  the works of the six days, foretells the Divine Power, producing all other things from nothing, (the Divine) Wisdom distinguishing all other things lucidly and (the Divine) Goodness adorning all other things with largess.

Moreover the magnitude of things according to the quantity of their length, breadth and depth; according to the excellence of their virtue extending far, wide, and deeply, as is clear in the diffusion of light; according to the efficacy of their most interior, continual and diffuse activity, as is clear in the activity of fire, manifestly indicates the immensity of the power, wisdom and goodness of the Triune God who in all other things by power, presence and essence exists as One uncircumscribed.

Moreover the exterior beauty of things according to the variety of their lights, figures and colors in bodies simple, mixed and even connected (complexionatis), as in celestial and mineral bodies, as stones and metals, plants and animals, proclaims in an evident manner the aforesaid three things. Moreover the fullness of things, according to which matter is full of forms according to seminal reasons; form is full of virtue according to active power; virtue is full of effects according to efficiency, manifestly declares the very thing.

The manifold (multiplex) activity (of things), according to that which is natural, according to that which is artificial, according to that which is moral, by its most manifold variety shows the immensity of His virtue, art, and goodness, which is for all things « the cause of existing (causa essendi), the reason for understanding and the order of living ».

Moreover their order according to the reckoning (rationem) of duration, situation and influence, that is by prior and posterior, superior and inferior, more noble and more ignoble, manifestly intimates in the Book of Creatures the primacy, sublimity and dignity of the First Principle, as much as it regards the infinity of His power; indeed the order of divine laws, precepts, and judgments in the Book of Scripture (intimates) the immensity of His Wisdom; moreover the order of divine Sacraments, benefactions and retributions in the Body of the Church (intimates) the immensity of His Goodness, so that the order itself most evidently leads us by hand (manuducit) to the First and Most High, the Most Powerful, the Most Wise and the Best.

Therefore he who is not brightened by such splendors of created things is blind; he who does not awake at such clamors is deaf; he who does not praise God on account of  all these effects is mute; he who does not turn towards the First Principle on account of such indications (indiciis) is stupid.

Now back to Ven. Mary of Agreda

Vatican officials are gathering evidence to document the case for canonizing the incorruptible and bilocating Spanish nun, Maria of Jesus of Agreda, who evangelized Native Americans in the 1600s. She had the gift of bi-location, traveling from Spain to Arizona and New Mexico 500 times while remaining in Agreda. Bilocation is the ability to be in two places at once.

The Jumanos (Wichitas or Apache) peoples testified to having been visited by the Lady in Blue between 1622 and 1625, when she bilocated from Spain to the New World.

The authenticity of the miracle of her more than 500 visits to America was cexamined and documented by the authorities and twice by the Inquisition in the years 1635 and 1650.

In 1627, Father Sebastian Marcilla, the confessor of Mother Mary of Agreda in Spain, sent a report to the Archbishop of Mexico, Francisco de Manso. He said that Sister Mary, 25 years old, was supernaturally visiting Indian villages in New Mexico and teaching the natives the Catholic faith. Although she spoke Spanish, the Indians understood her, and she understood them when they responded in their native dialect.

In the summer of 1629, a delegation of 50 indians arrived at Isleta, a pueblo mission near what is now Albuquerque, and asked for priests to return with them and baptize their people.

In his Memorial to Pope Urban VIII, Fr. Benavides reported the results of his inquiry:

“We called the Jumanos to the monastery and asked them their reason for coming every year to ask for baptism with such insistence. Seeing a portrait of Mother Luisa [another Spanish Franciscan sister in Spain with a reputation for holiness] in the monastery, they said, ‘A woman in similar garb wanders among us there, always preaching, but her face is not old like this, but young and beautiful.’

“Asked why they had not told us this before, they answered, ‘Because you did not ask, and we thought she was here also.’

Father Benavides sent Father Juan de Salas and Father Diego López and three soldiers to the Jumanos tribe. They were met by a dozen Indians who had been sent to accompany them for the last few days of their trip. They affirmed that the “Lady in Blue” had told them that they were coming.

As the friars approached the village, they were amazed to see a procession of men, women and children coming to meet them. At the head of the procession were Indians carrying two crosses decorated with garlands of flowers. With great respect, the Indians kissed the crucifixes that the Franciscans wore around their necks.

“They learned from the Indians that the same nun had taught them how to go out in procession to receive them and had helped them to decorate the crosses. There were messengers from other Indian tribes who were asking for the priests to come to them as well. Their story was that the same lady in blue had also been their catechist.

The chief of the Jumanos asked the priests to heal the sick “because you are priests of God and you can do a lot with this holy cross”. The sick, about 200 in number, were gathered in one place. The priests made the sign of the cross over them, read the Gospel according to St. Luke, and invoked Our Lady and St. Francis. To reward their faith and prepare the way for great conversions, God worked a miracle. All the sick were healed. 60,000 natives became Christian.

The Viceroy and Archbishop Francisco de Manso dispatched Fr. Benavides to Madrid “to inform his Majesty, as the head of all, of the notable and unusual things that were happening.” On August 1, 1630, Father Benevides arrived in Spain and reported to the Bishop of Viseo. The bishop had already been informed by her confessor of the bilocations of Mother Mary of Agreda.

Fr. Benevides met Sister Mary. He describes his first impression:

“Before saying anything else, I state that the said Mother Mary of Jesus, at present Abbess of the Convent of La Concepción, is almost 29 years of age, with a handsome face, a very clear and rosy complexion and large black eyes.

“The fashion of her habit is simple like ours, that is, of coarse brown sackcloth worn next to the body without any other tunic. Over this brown habit is one of heavy white sackcloth, with a scapulary of the same and the cord of our Father St. Francis. Over the scapulary is the rosary. They wear no shoes or other footwear except boards bound to their feet or some straw sandals. The mantle is of heavy blue sackcloth and the veil is black.”

She said, it seemed to her “that through her words and the miracles God wrought in confirmation of them, an extensive kingdom and its leader were being brought to the Holy Faith.” “She told me many particularities of that land that even I had forgotten and she brought them to my memory,” including the features and individual traits of missionaries and various Indians.

“She told me all we know that has happened to our brothers and fathers, Fray Juan de Salas and Fray Diego Lopez, in their journey to the Jumanos. She gave me their full descriptions, adding that she assisted them. She knows Captain Tuerto [a Jumano chief] very well, giving a detailed description of him and of the others.” He concluded, “She has preached in person our Holy Catholic Faith in every nation, particularly in our New Mexico. “

She wrote: “Since God created these Indians as apt and competent beings to serve and worship Him, it is not just that they lack what we, the rest of the Christian faithful, possess and enjoy. Rejoice then, my dear fathers, for the Lord has given you the opportunity, occasion, and good fortune of the Apostles. Do not let it go to waste because of considerations of difficulty. Remember your duty to obey the Almighty and to extend and plant His holy Law regardless of the hardships and persecutions you may suffer following the example of your Master“.

She was named a Venerable of the Roman Catholic Church shortly after her death in 1665, but has not yet been beatified or officially canonized as a saint. Practically all the popes from Innocent XI to Pius VI were involved in her canonization process, and they all encountered opposition and difficulty. Part of the difficulty was that the Inquisition placed an embargo on her book Mystical City of God, a series of visions of Our Lady, because she called Our Lady the Immaculate Conception, a term revealed to her, that was not defined as a Church dogma until 1854. 

There is probably no other writings which was so closely scrutinized by those in authority, both civil and religious, and afterwards so singly approved as the “Mystical City of God.” By order of Innocent XI, Alexander VIII., Clement IX., Benedict XIII., and Benedict XIV. it was repeatedly subjected to the closest scrutiny and declared authentic, worthy of devout perusal and free from error. The title “Venerabilis” was conferred upon the author.

When Mary of Jesus’s casket was opened in 1909, a cursory scientific examination was performed on the 17th century abbess’s body. In 1989, a Spanish physician named Andreas Medina participated in another examination of the remains and told investigative journalist Javier Sierra in 1991: “What most surprised me about that case is that when we compared the state of the body, as it was described in the medical report from 1909, with how it appeared in 1989, we realized it had absolutely not deteriorated at all in the last eighty years.” – let alone in 400 years. Investigators took photographs and other evidence before re-sealing her casket, which remains on display in the monastery church. Some consider that incorruptibility, that is, lack of normal rot and decay after death, further evidence of sanctity.

Lying below the blue recumbent statue is the incorrupt body of the Venerable María de Jesús de Ágreda in the Church of the Conceptionists Convent in Ágreda, Spain.