BLESSED MARY SPOKE THE LAST WORDS TO THE APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES
The natural condition and appearance of her sacred and virginal body were
the same as at her thirty-third year; for, from that age onward it experienced
no change. It was not affected by the passing years, showing no signs of age,
no wrinkles in her face or body, nor giving signs of weakening or fading, as in
other children of Adam, who gradually fall away and drop from the natural
perfection of early man or womanhood. This unchangeableness was the privilege
of the most blessed Mary alone, as well because it consorted with the stability
of her purest soul, as because it was the natural consequence of her immunity
from the sin of Adam, the effects of which in this regard touched neither her
sacred body nor her purest soul.
The most holy Mary on Her dying bed
The Apostles and disciples, and some of the other faithful, occupied her
chamber, all of them preserving the utmost order in her presence. Saint Peter
and saint John placed themselves at the head of the couch. The great Lady
looked upon them all with her accustomed modesty and reverence and spoke to
them as follows: “My dearest children, give permission to
your servant to speak in your presence and to disclose my humble desires.” Saint Peter answered that
all listened with attention and would obey Her in all things; and he begged Her
to seat Herself upon the couch, while speaking to them. It seemed to saint
Peter that She was exhausted from kneeling so long and that She had taken that
position in order to pray to the Lord, and that in speaking to them, it was
proper She should be seated as their Queen.
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| She spoke to the apostle and the disciples who occupied Her room |
But She, who was the Teacher of humility and obedience unto death,
practiced both these virtues in that hour. She answered that She would obey in
asking of them their blessing, and besought them to afford Her this
consolation. With the permission of saint Peter She left the couch and,
kneeling before the Apostle, said to him: “My
lord, I beseech thee, as the universal pastor and head of the holy Church, to
give me thy blessing in thy own and in its name. Pardon me thy handmaid for the
smallness of the service I have rendered in my life. Grant that John dispose of
my vestments, the two tunics, giving them to the two poor maidens, who have
always obliged me by their charity.” She then prostrated Herself and kissed the feet of
saint Peter as the vicar of Christ, by her abundant tears eliciting not less
the admiration than the tears of the Apostle and of all the bystanders. From
saint Peter She went to saint John, and kneeling likewise at his feet, said: “Pardon, my son and my master, my not having fulfilled toward thee the
duties of a Mother as I ought and as the Lord had commanded me, when from the
Cross He appointed thee as my son and me as thy mother (John 19,27). I humbly
and from my heart thank thee for the kindness which thou hast shown me as a
son. Give me thy benediction for entering into the vision and company of Him
who created me.”
The sweetest Mother proceeded in her leave-taking, speaking to each of
the Apostles in particular and to some of the disciples; and then to all the
assembly together; for there were a great number. She rose to her feet and
addressed them all, saying: “Dearest children and my masters, always
have I kept you in my soul and written in my heart. I have loved you with that
tender love and charity, which was given to me by my divine Son, whom I have
seen in you, his chosen friends. In obedience to his holy and eternal will, I
now go to the eternal mansions, where I promise you as a Mother I will look
upon you by the clearest light of the Divinity, the vision of which my soul
hopes and desires in security. I commend unto you my mother, the Church, the
exaltation of the name of the Most High, the spread of the evangelical law, the
honour and veneration for the words of my divine Son, the memory of his Passion
and Death, the practice of his doctrine. My children, love the Church, and love
one another with that bond of charity, which your Master has always inculcated
upon you (John 13,34). To thee, Peter, holy Pontiff, I commend my son John and
all the rest.”
She spoke also to all the faithful gathered in chamber from Her dying bed
