The Divine Life of the Most Holy Virgin: Abridgement from The Mystical City of God

Very, very interesting book about the Blessed Mother. If I didn't know this book had an "imprimatur" and was deemed permissible for Catholics to read, I would say it read like fiction. So much new information about Mary's childhood, and the gifts and graces given her at the moment of her conception in Anne's womb. Beautiful retellings of how she communicated Christ from time in the womb to after His resurrection. This is a book one has to re-read to fully digest the insights into Mary's holy life. Only one problem. The second I opened up the paperback -- it fell apart. I had to hold the book together with two handsf while trying to read it. Luckily, the seller understood my complaint about the condition of the book and refunded my money. I think I'll order this book again, but this time, I'll read it on my Kindle.

Gave it to a person whom I knew would understand it

This book gives me the chills each time I read it. Brings me to a better understanding of what my Lord did for me. Written plainly and easy to understand. Really beautiful portrayal of the life of the mother of God; full of hope!

This book tells about the life of the Most Holy Virgin Mary from her conception to the life of herself and the apostlesand her Assumption into heaven. It does much to increase one's faith and create a sincere love of Mary and the cost she paid in our redemption.

It teaches things about the Holy Mother that I never was taught about her life and her divine connection with God. Great read.

Love this book. I have read it a few times and have bought several copies for others. This book opens so much revelation and insight it really is a must read. It is also very easy to read.

The book is quite old, and I sent it to my sister, will have to order another one for me!

This book will absolutely let you look into the life of our Blessed Lady with more understanding !! Mary never wanted any glory for herself, just for her Son!! This book tells Mary's life in ways you can understand and be in awe of!!

I do believe in miracles. No doubt about it. Some people do have visions. Some people do get prophetic messages. Sadly, my honest opinion is that this is a work of fiction. The feeling that I got was that this was a complete nobody desperately trying to become someone in a very Christian religious environment and was simply making it up. If I am right in my analysis, (and, like I say, the "assurance" I got to expressing that analysis confirmed my analysis as being correct), this is possibly as good an example as any of "taking the Lord's name in vain". Looked at from that perspective, ie as an object lesson on what you shouldn't do, it is worth five stars. A more contemporary equivalent is when people give out "prophecies" in the more charismatic or Pentecostal type meetings, often saying stuff that no-one can disagree with, but adding "thus saith the Lord" or something along those lines to it, when actually the prophecy isn't a prophetic message at all, but simply people trying to give themselves some status within the group that otherwise they wouldn't have. When this happens it is often due to a failure of leadership. These people should be discretely told to shut up. Ditto really for this book. The authorities should not, I think, give it their seal of approval.

This is an abridgment of a Catholic classic, 'The Mystical City of God', by Venerable Mary of Agreda. The author was a Franciscan nun in seventeenth century Spain and the details of Our Lady's life were revealed to her in mystical revelations and conversations with Our Lady. These revelations concern both the earthly and heavenly life of the Virgin Mary. Although plentiful detail is given about Our Lady's earthly life the main emphasis of the book is on her spiritual life which is covered in great detail. Through these revelations you are given an insight into a life of the greatest holiness. The intensity of that spiritual life, the attitude that God is everything and I am nothing and I will do what he commands, are strange to the modern mind conditioned to believe that the self is everything. The book is therefore both an insight into Our Lady's life of intense spirituality, and also an insight into the past, into the spirituality and mindset that existed at the time of Jesus.This abridged version contains all the main points of the original in a concise and easily readable form. Highly recommended.

I recommend this book to everyone, it is a must to understand the life of Christ and his beloved mother. I t truly made me a better person, knowing what the Holy Virgin went through seeing her son suffer for our redemption. It delves into their souls and spirit and you understand better what Christianity is about. Please read it.