(83) If now thou wilt behold the Virgin Mary, with her son Jesus Christ, then thou shalt find that she has been justified and saved through her Son; although she is come into great Perfection, as a bright Morning-Star, above other Stars. And therefore also the Angel called her blessed among Women, and said; The Lord is with thee: But she has not the divine Omnipotence.

(4) When Mary said this, she turned their hearts to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the Savior.

(1) When Mary had said this, she fell silent, since it was to this point that the Savior had spoken with her.

(9) ¶Now there stood by the cross Jesus’ mother, and his mother's sister; Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved: and he saith unto his mother,

(14) She turned, and saith unto him, Master. Jesus saith unto her,

(2) But to the sovereignest wisdom of His Godhead lapped in the dark words of His manhood, thither beheld she with all the love of her heart. For from thence she would not remove, for nothing that she saw nor heard spoken nor done about her; but sat full still in her body, with many a sweet privy and a listy love pressed upon that high cloud of unknowing betwixt her and her God. For one thing I tell thee, that there was never yet pure creature in this life, nor never yet shall be, so high ravished in contemplation and love of the Godhead, that there is not evermore a high and a wonderful cloud of unknowing betwixt him and his God. In this cloud it was that Mary was occupied with many a privy love pressed. And why? Because it was the best and the holiest part of contemplation that may be in this life, and from this part her list not remove for nothing. Insomuch, that when her sister Martha complained to our Lord of her, and bade Him bid her sister rise and help her and let her not so work and travail by herself, she sat full still and answered not with one word, nor shewed not as much as a grumbling gesture against her sister for any plaint that she could make. And no wonder: for why, she had another work to do that Martha wist not of. And therefore she had no leisure to listen to her, nor to answer her at her plaint.

(24) When she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come.

(1) SWEET was that love betwixt our Lord and Mary. Much love had she to Him. Much more had He to her. For whoso would utterly behold all the behaviour that was betwixt Him and her, not as a trifler may tell, but as the story of the gospel will witness—the which on nowise may be false—he should find that she was so heartily set for to love Him, that nothing beneath Him might comfort her, nor yet hold her heart from Him. This is she, that same Mary, that when she sought Him at the sepulchre with weeping cheer would not be comforted of angels. For when they spake unto her so sweetly and so lovely and said, “Weep not, Mary; for why, our Lord whom thou seekest is risen, and thou shalt have Him, and see Him live full fair amongst His disciples in Galilee as He hight,” she would not cease for them. For why? Her thought that whoso sought verily the King of Angels, them list not cease for angels.

(34) And therefore thus we say of Mary; She has comprehended the holy heavenly eternal Virgin of God, and put on the holy and pure Element, [together] with the Paradise, and yet was truly she was not called a holy pure Virgin according to her earthly Birth; the Flesh which she had from Joachim and Anna was not pure, without Spot; but her Holiness and Purity is according to the heavenly a Virgin. Besides, she brought not the heavenly Virgin to her out of her own Ability; for the Angel said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Power of the most High shall over-shadow thee; therefore the holy [Thing] that shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.

(19) Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him; but Mary was still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her,

(1) SOME might think that I do little worship to Martha, that special saint, for I liken her words of complaining of her sister unto these worldly men’s words, or theirs unto hers: and truly I mean no unworship to her nor to them. And God forbid that I should in this work say anything that might be taken in condemnation of any of the servants of God in any degree, and namely of His special saint. For me thinketh that she should be full well had excused of her plaint, taking regard to the time and the manner that she said it in. For that that she said, her unknowing was the cause. And no wonder though she knew not at that time how Mary was occupied; for I trow that before she had little heard of such perfection. And also that she said, it was but courteously and in few words: and therefore she should always be had excused.

On account of this it is said concerning her that she said, I am part of my mother, and I am the mother. I am the wife, I am the virgin. I am pregnant. I am the midwife. I am the one who comforts during labor pains. My husband produced me, and I am his mother, and he is my father and my lord. He is my potency; what he desires he speaks with reason. I am becoming, but I have borne a lordly man. Now these things were revealed by the will of Sabaoth and his Christ to the souls who will come to the fashioned bodies of the authorities. Concerning these the holy voice said, “Multiply and flourish to rule over all the creatures.” And these are the ones who are taken captive by the chief creator according to their destinies, and thus they were locked in the prisons of the fashioned bodies until the consummation of the age.

(3) Lo! friend, all these works, these words, and these gestures, that were shewed betwixt our Lord and these two sisters, be set in ensample of all actives and all contemplatives that have been since in Holy Church, and shall be to the day of doom. For by Mary is understood all contemplatives; for they should conform their living after hers. And by Martha, actives on the same manner; and for the same reason in likeness.

(1) WHILE Jesus yet talked, behold, there came his mother and his brethren, desiring to speak with him, and could not come at him for the press. Then one said unto him, Thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. But Jesus answered him that told him,

(2) But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, Say what you wish to say about what she has said. I at least do not believe that the Savior said this. For certainly these teachings are strange ideas.

(4) Jesus answered her not a word. And his disciples came, saying, Send her away. Jesus said,

(36) Therefore we say of Mary, that she has received the heavenly Pledge, which was unknown to Nature, and which she (in her outward Man) knew not at all, viz. the heavenly chaste Virgin of God; and in that [she received] the eternal Word of God the Father, which continues eternally in the Father; out of which the Holy Ghost goes forth eternally, wherein the whole Deity is comprehended.

(35) And she said unto him : " I ask you that the day I die, thou wilt take me in and bury me near Sarah, thy father's mother, and that thou and Jacob will love each other, and that neither will desire evil against the other, but mutual love only, and (so) ye will prosper, my sons, and be honoured in the midst of the land, and no enemy will rejoice over you, and ye will be a blessing and a mercy in the eyes of all those that love you."

(6) ¶Then came unto Jesus the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, desiring a certain thing of him. He said unto her,

(1) "Deus venerunt gentes," alternating Now three, now four, melodious psalmody The maidens in the midst of tears began; And Beatrice, compassionate and sighing, Listened to them with such a countenance, That scarce more changed was Mary at the cross. But when the other virgins place had given For her to speak, uprisen to her feet With colour as of fire, she made response: "'Modicum, et non videbitis me; Et iterum,' my sisters predilect, 'Modicum, et vos videbitis me.'" Then all the seven in front of her she placed; And after her, by beckoning only, moved Me and the lady and the sage who stayed. So she moved onward; and I do not think That her tenth step was placed upon the ground, When with her eyes upon mine eyes she smote, And with a tranquil aspect, "Come more quickly," To me she said, "that, if I speak with thee, To listen to me thou mayst be well placed." As soon as I was with her as I should be, She said to me: "Why, brother, dost thou not Venture to question now, in coming with me?"