Song of Songs 4:12

Song of Songs 4:12                          *(see note)

You are a garden enclosed, my sister, my bride; a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain. 

Mary is the garden enclosed that the writer of the Song of Songs speaks of.  She is the sister and bride of the Holy Spirit.  The power of the Father comes upon her, the Holy Spirit overshadows her, the Son becomes incarnate in her womb.  He grows there in secret for nine months embellishing this garden with every grace, blessing and virtue.  She is radiant with the radiance of God emanating from her.  Her body and her soul were conceived in the heart and mind of the the Almighty God, the God of all ages - Master Designer and Master Creator of this, His divine masterpiece.  There never was and there never shall be another creature as lovely, good, pure, sweet, gentle, noble and grace-filled as Mary - my Mother, my Mama, my Queen.

NOTE:

To highlight Mary's chastity, her effigy is surrounded by two of the classical symbols of Our Lady's virginity, namely:

Hortus conclusus

(enclosed garden)

Fons signatus

(sealed fountain)

Both symbols appear in the Song of Songs, "You are. . .my sister, my bride, an enclosed garden, a fountain sealed." (Canticle 4, 12).

The typical half-image of Mother and child form the crown of a tree which bears simultaneously, flowers and fruit. They are symbols of Mary's role as simultaneously virgin (flower) and mother (fruit).

Song of Songs 2:8-14, Psalm 33:11-12, 20-21

She

The voice of my lover! Behold he comes, springing across the mountains, jumping over the hills, like a gazelle or a young stag. Now he stands behind our wall, looking through the windows, peering through the lattice.  My lover speaks to me,

 

He

“Arise, my love, my beautiful one!  Come, the winter is gone, the rains are over.  Flowers have appeared on earth; the season of singing has come; the cooing of doves is heard.  The fig tree forms its early fruit, the vines in blossom are fragrant.  Arise, my beautiful one, come with me, my love, come.  O my dove in the rocky cleft, in the secret places of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice.  Your face – how lovely!  Your voice – how sweet!”

My Beloved, You always speak the words I need to hear.  Thank You for telling me once more how passionately You love me.  My life my love, my being is Yours my own true God.  I give it all to You through Mary.

Psalm 33:11-12, 20-21

But His plan stands forever, and his heart’s design through all generations.  Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord – the people he has chosen for his inheritance.  In hope we wait for the Lord, for He is our help and our shield.  Our hearts rejoice in Him, for we trust in His holy Name.

All that You say to me today makes my heart leap for  joy.

Genesis 49:9-10, Psalm 72:17

Genesis 49:9-10

Judah, a young lion! You return from the prey my son! Like a lion he stoops and  crouches, and like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? The scepter shall not be taken from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and who has the obedience of the nations.

Psalm 72:17

May His Name endure forever; may His Name be as lasting as the sun. All the races will boast about Him, and He will be blessed by all nations.

My Beloved, You are the young, strong invincible Lion of Judah.  You have conquered and destroyed the prey of evil.  Like a lion You stoop and crouch and You are ready to strike at all who dare to harm the poor, the outcast the weak, those with no voice.  You are the Ruler of the earth and all creation submits to Your rule in loving obedience.

As the psalmist foretold, Your Name endures forever - the sun will not last but the SON will.  All races boast about You and You are blessed by all nations.  Although many in the world wish to deny Your existence by denying You my Beloved, they cannot silence the many, who armed with Your Holy Spirit, are prepared to lay down their lives to proclaim You.

Psalm 85:11-14

Psalm 85:11-14

Love and faithfulness have met; righteousness and peace have  embraced.  Faithfulness will reach up from the earth while justice bends down from heaven.  The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its fruit.  Justice will go before him, and peace will follow along his path.

My Beloved, how clear it becomes once the Holy Spirit points out how God reached down to ask for Mary's cooperation and she reached up in faith and humility; to allow God complete freedom to accomplish His plan, using her as His instrument to bring it about.  May I too always say yes to Your will and plan for my life.

Zephaniah 3:9, 11-12

Zephaniah 3:9, 11-12

At that time I will give truthful lips to the pagan nations that all of them may call on the name of Yahweh and serve Him with the same zeal.  On that day you will no longer be ashamed of your deeds when you were unfaithful to Me.  I will leave within you a poor meek people who seek refuge in God.

Beloved, I have just finished reading St. Louis de Montfort's little gem  Treatise on True Devotion to Mary.  I  have renewed the consecration of myself to her in order that I  may be more pleasing to You.  If I have the fragrance of Mary I shall be better able to approach You my God through her, in her and with her - Mary my mistress and mother who will always say to me, "Do whatever He tells you."  With Your own sweet Mother beside me You will welcome my approach and be pleased to let me touch the hem of Your garment.

Numbers 24:7

NUMBERS 24:7

His buckets are overflowing and his seeds are always watered.

"My child, You know the truth but unless you apply it to your life there will be no growth.  Your will must cooperate with the grace that I freely give in order that you may produce lasting fruit.  The angels, the saints and above all my Mother are rooting for you and cheering you on because they see your desire to please Me.  But just good desires are  not enough to achieve your goal of sanctity.  To the desire must be added your will - a firm unshakeable will, only then can you become what you desire.

The seeds I plant are always well watered by My Holy Spirit but the soil must be good.  I have not told you these things to make you sad but you must know that anything worth having is worth fighting for.  In this is victory."

"Thank You my Beloved for speaking to me."

Saturday 12.12.2009

My Beloved, I thank You for both St. Alphonso Liguori and St. Louis de Montfort and most of all for Your Word where You are constantly showing me the different facets of the Jewel of God we call Mother Mary.  The Catholic Church has received and recognised the grace to plumb this inexhaustible treasure of beauty and the great things the Triune God has done in this loveliest and humblest of creatures - Your handmaid, because she gave herself to You freely and without reserve.  In heaven the angels and saints vie with each other to sing her praises and do her bidding. 

Mama Mary pray for me.  You know all that is in my heart.  Help me!  Mama. if it is God's will then I know you will reveal and make possible the work that God is probably assigning to me.  You will help to make it clear.  Thank you.

Psalm 1:2-4, Isaiah 48:17-19

My Beloved, the psalmist says that we are blessed when we find our delight in Your law and meditate on Your commandments day and night.  We will find ourselves like a tree beside a brook producing fruit in due season and everything we do will be a success. The same thought is expressed by the prophet Isaiah but differently.

Isaiah 48:17-19

Thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:  I, Yahweh your God, teach you what is best for you; I lead you in the way that you must go.  Had you paid attention to my commandments, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.  your descendants would have been like the sand and those born of your stock like its grains, their names never cut off nor blotted out from my Presence.

My Beloved, for a long time I have had this desire to tithe on my heart.  I have been praying about it as You know - if this is something that You wish me to initiate my Lord, then I as Your slave as well as Mama's, desire to carry out Your will.  I believe that if this is from You then You will be with me and help me.  Time will tell.  Thank You my Lord.

"Be like the child who gave his 5 loaves and 2 fish to Me and with it I was able to feed a multitude."

Isaiah 41:10

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed for I am your God.  I will give you strength I will bring  you help, I will uphold you with the right hand of  my justice.

My Beloved, I thank You for all that is happening to me spiritually right now.  I do believe my Beloved that Your Mama and mine, our dearest Mother Mary is praying for me for she is my benefactress.  She has my hand firmly in hers for I have placed my hand in her own and I ask that she never lets go of it.  Mary my mama pray for me.

Isaiah 40:28-29, 31, Matthew 11:28:30

Isaiah 40:28-29, 31

Have you not known, have you not heard that Yahweh is an everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth?  He does not grow tired or weary, His knowledge is without limit.  He gives strength to the enfeebled, He gives vigor to the wearied.  Those who hope  in Yahweh will renew their strength.  They will soar as with eagle's wings; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and never tire.

Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus said to the crowds: "Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of  heart; and you will find rest.  For my yoke is easy and my burden light.

My Beloved, You have called me to holiness and I must respond.  What does it mean to be holy?  It means modelling my life on that of Mary, Your Mama and mine, the holiest of all Your creatures.

Desiring to be holy is only the first step, I must live each moment aware of this great calling.  You  know perfectly well my Beloved, that I cannot do this alone and so You make available to me the sacraments.  You give me Yourself as food for my soul and You gave me Your Father and Mother for my own for it is You who taught me to call God Abba.

Philippians 1:8-11, Luke 3:4-6

Myra, I love you.  You are Mine.  Not only do I know you by your name, I have given you a secret name that only I know. You are precious to me.  You are my possession.  I love you with an everlasting love.  Love me in return.  Be Mine.  Give me all of yourself, hold nothing back.  Be as simple as a child.  I will supply all your needs.  I will hear and answer your prayers for yourself and for those you love.  Belong to Me.  Hold nothing back.  I have loved you even before the creation of the world and I  have made a place for you with me, so that where I am you may be as well because I want you to be with Me forever.

Philippians 1:8-6

God knows that I love you dearly with the love of Christ Jesus, and in my prayers I ask that your love may lead you each day to a deeper knowledge and clear discernment, that you may have good criteria for everything.  So you may be pure of  heart and come blameless to the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of holiness that comes through Christ Jesus, for the glory and praise of God.

My beloved Jesus, my own true God, grant that I may lose myself in You - may I be be so lost in You that You cannot find me.  My Beloved, how tenderly St. Paul loved the people whom he ministered to.  How much more tenderly do You love me.  Thank You for not only loving me but for the great joy and comfort I feel in my being to know that I am loved so much. 

Luke 3:4-6

It was just as is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah:  listen to this voice crying out in the desert: prepare the way of the Lord, make His path straight.  The valleys will be filled and the mountains and hills made low.  Everything crooked will be make straight and the rough paths smooth, and every mortal will see the salvation of God.

What a great promise and it has come to pass, for all mortals have seen the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 26:3-4, Psalm 118:1

Isaiah 26:3-4

You keep in perfect peace the one who trusts in You.  Trust in Yahweh forever, for Yahweh is an everlasting Rock.

Psalm 118:1

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good His loving kindness endures forever.

My Beloved, thank You for all You  have done for me especially for loving me and assuring me that You love everyone with a different kind of tenderness.  My weaknessess make You feel a tenderness for me different from anybody else.  I love You my Jesus.  You make me smile.  You make my eyes well with tears because You love me.  My Beloved, I want to love You with every fibre of my being and I want the visible sign of my love to be that I strive to be holy and perfect with the grace You so readily make available to me.

Isaiah 25:7-10, Matthew 15:36-37

Isaiah 25:7-10

On this mountain He will destroy the pall cast over all peoples, this very shroud spread over all nations, and death will be no more.  The Lord will wipe away the tears from all cheeks and eyes; He will take away the humiliation of His people all over the world: for Yahweh has spoken.  On that day you will say: This is our God.  We have waited for Him to save us, let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.  For on this mountain the hand of Yahweh rests.

My Beloved, the pall of sin, death, sickness and evil shroud the world like a deadly fog.  You promise to destroy it.  The clutches of the death of sin You will loosen.  You will set us free to love You, adore You and worship You.  You will wipe away every tear and You will fill  with every grace and blessing those who follow You.  Thank You Beloved for the tiny pin pricks of humiliation for then I can experience in a small way what You suffered. 

Matthew 15:36-37

Then He took the seven loaves and the small fish and gave thanks to God,  He broke them and gave them to His disciples, who distributed them to the people.  They all ate and were satisfied, and the leftover broken pieces filled seven wicker baskets.

My Beloved, You do not exhaust Yourself when You give us Your Body and Blood.  All can eat and be satisfied and You will always be available to give us this banquet of love.