Living Like Mary in the Divine Will

How Modern Mystical Revelations Illuminate Our Lady's Example

Opening Scripture

"And Mary said, 'Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.'" - Luke 1:38 (ESV-CE)

Introduction: The Heart's Deepest Longing

As Catholics, we've always known that Mary is our perfect model of faith, but we sometimes wonder: How can we actually live like her? How did she maintain such perfect trust through trials? What was her daily life of surrender actually like?

The canonical Scriptures give us the essential framework, but what if God, in His mercy, has provided additional lights to help us understand how to follow Mary's path more concretely?

The Canonical Foundation: Mary in Scripture

Our Unshakeable Foundation

  • The Gospels are divinely inspired and contain everything necessary for salvation

  • Mary's biblical portrait is our authoritative guide

  • All private revelations must be measured against Sacred Scripture

  • Mary's scriptural example shows us the "what" of Divine Will living

Scripture's Beautiful but Limited Portrait

The Gospels give us crucial moments in Mary's life:

  • The Annunciation - her perfect "yes"

  • The Visitation - her service in joy

  • The Nativity - her pondering heart

  • The Finding in the Temple - her surrendered confusion

  • Cana - her confident intercession

  • Calvary - her co-redemptive suffering

  • Pentecost - her maternal prayer

But we hunger for more understanding of how she actually lived these mysteries day by day.

Two Complementary Lights for Our Understanding of Mary

Maria Valtorta (1897-1961): "The Poem of the Man-God"

The Vision: Detailed scenes of Mary's daily life, showing her constant "yes" lived out in ordinary moments

Key Insights into Mary:

  • Her interior dialogue with God throughout each day

  • How she handled domestic duties as prayer

  • Her maternal relationship with Jesus from infancy through ministry

  • Her interactions with neighbours, relatives, and the apostles

  • Her practical wisdom in guiding the early Church

Luisa Piccarreta (1865-1947): "The Book of Heaven"

The Vision: The theological framework of Mary as "Queen of the Divine Will"

Key Insights into Mary:

  • Mary as the first and only creature conceived in the Divine Will

  • Her role as our teacher in Divine Will living

  • How her "fiat" continues to echo through time

  • The infinite value of her every action done in God's Will

  • Her ongoing maternal mission to bring souls into the Divine Will

The Divine Timing: Why These Revelations About Mary Now?

Historical Context

  • Late 19th/Early 20th Century: Marian apparitions increasing worldwide

  • Two World Wars: Humanity's desperate need for a Mother's comfort and guidance

  • Modern Spiritual Crisis: The need for practical mysticism in secular times

  • Approaching End Times: Mary's role as the Woman of Revelation 12

Complementary Purpose

  • Luisa provides: The theological understanding of Mary's unique relationship with Divine Will

  • Valtorta provides: The practical examples of how Mary lived this reality

  • Together they show: How we can imitate Mary's perfect surrender in our daily lives

How They Support Each Other: Mary's Perfect Example

Luisa's Teaching + Valtorta's Examples

Luisa says: "Mary lived always in the Divine Will, never a single act outside of it" Valtorta shows: Mary's constant interior offering of each domestic task, each conversation, each moment of motherhood to God

Luisa says: "Mary is our teacher in the Divine Will" Valtorta shows: Specific scenes of Mary guiding the apostles, counselling the holy women, and forming the early Church through her maternal wisdom

Luisa says: "Mary's 'fiat' continues to resonate through all creation" Valtorta shows: How Mary renewed her "yes" through every trial - from the flight to Egypt to standing at the Cross

Practical Examples: Living Mary's Way

A Concrete Example: The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38)

The Canonical Gospel

"In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph... And the angel said to her, 'Do not fear, Mary, for you have found favour with God.'" (ESV-CE)

Luisa's Insight: The Divine Will's Perfect Dwelling

From Luisa's writings: Mary was prepared for this moment by living always in the Divine Will. Her "fiat" wasn't a single moment but the culmination of a lifetime of perfect surrender. She shows us that when we live habitually in God's Will, we're ready for whatever He asks.

Valtorta's Elaboration: The Human Reality

Valtorta describes Mary's interior preparation through prayer, her momentary human questioning (not doubt, but seeking understanding), her complete trust despite not understanding fully, and her immediate shift to practical concerns about serving God's plan.

The Integration: How We Can Live This

  • Daily Preparation: Like Mary, cultivate constant awareness of God's presence

  • Trusting Questions: It's okay to ask God for understanding whilst still saying "yes"

  • Immediate Surrender: Move quickly from "What does this mean?" to "How can I serve?"

  • Practical Application: Begin each day renewing Mary's "fiat" in your own circumstances

Another Example: Mary at Cana (John 2:1-12)

The Canonical Gospel

"When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.'... His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.'" (ESV-CE)

Luisa's Insight: The Divine Will's Maternal Heart

Luisa teaches that Mary's life in the Divine Will gave her supernatural sensitivity to others' needs and perfect confidence in God's merciful response. Her intercession shows us how living in God's Will makes us powerful advocates for others.

Valtorta's Elaboration: The Maternal Details

Valtorta describes Mary noticing the hosts' distress, her maternal concern for their embarrassment, her quiet approach to Jesus, and her complete confidence that He would respond with love. She shows Mary's practical wisdom in immediately directing the servants to obey.

The Integration: Mary's Way of Intercession

  • Attentive Love: Notice the needs of others, especially their hidden sufferings

  • Confident Prayer: Approach Jesus with Mary's quiet assurance of His love

  • Practical Guidance: Like Mary, help others understand how to cooperate with grace

  • Trust in Timing: Sometimes mercy comes in unexpected ways and moments

A Third Example: Mary at the Cross (John 19:25-27)

The Canonical Gospel

"But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!'" (ESV-CE)

Luisa's Insight: Co-Redemption in the Divine Will

Luisa reveals that Mary's suffering at Calvary wasn't passive endurance but active participation in redemption. Her perfect union with God's Will made her sufferings infinitely valuable for our salvation.

Valtorta's Elaboration: The Mother's Heart

Valtorta describes Mary's interior anguish, her physical weakness held up by divine strength, her constant prayer for Jesus's executioners, and her immediate acceptance of John (and all of us) as her children even in her deepest sorrow.

The Integration: Suffering in the Divine Will

  • United Offering: Join your sufferings to Mary's and Jesus's for the salvation of souls

  • Prayer for Enemies: Like Mary, pray for those who cause your pain

  • Maternal Heart: Let suffering make you more motherly, not more bitter

  • Trust in Purpose: Believe that God brings infinite good from our surrendered pain

Practical Applications for Daily Life

Morning Consecration (Inspired by Both Mystics)

"Mary, my Mother and Queen of the Divine Will, take my hand this day and teach me to live as you lived. Let every breath be a 'yes' to God, every action an act of love, every moment a renewed offering of my will to His. Present all my imperfect acts to the Father united with your perfect acts, that they may have infinite value. Amen."

Throughout the Day: Mary's Way

  • Before each task: "Mary, help me do this in the Divine Will as you did all your actions"

  • In difficulties: "Mary, you trusted perfectly even when you didn't understand - help me trust now"

  • In joys: "Mary, teach me to receive God's gifts with your gratitude and humility"

  • Meeting others: "Mary, help me see Jesus in this person as you always saw Him in everyone"

Evening Reflection (Mary's Way)

"Mary, I offer you this day with all its imperfections. Like you, I want to ponder all things in my heart. Show me where I lived in God's Will and where I followed my own will. Cover my failures with your perfect love, and help me wake tomorrow more conformed to your example of perfect surrender."

The Scriptural-Mystical Integration: What This Means for Us

Mary's Role Clarified

  • Scripture shows us: Mary's essential role in salvation history

  • The mystics show us: How we can participate in that same role through living in the Divine Will

The Path Made Practical

  • Scripture gives us: The blueprint of Mary's holiness

  • The mystics give us: The detailed instructions for following that blueprint

Our Call Specified

  • Scripture tells us: "Let it be to me according to your word"

  • The mystics tell us: How to live that "fiat" moment by moment, day by day

Questions for Personal Application

  1. How might these insights help you read the Gospel accounts of Mary with fresh understanding?

    • Consider how Mary's few words in Scripture contain depths of surrender we can explore

  2. What practical steps could you take to begin living Mary's constant "yes" to God?

    • Think about specific moments in your day when you could renew your fiat

  3. How do you see Mary as your personal teacher in the Divine Will?

    • Consider what aspect of Mary's surrender you most need to learn

  4. What draws you most to this vision of Marian life?

    • Reflect on how Mary's example could transform your relationship with God

The Church's Wisdom: Discernment and Balance

Important Distinctions

  • Public Revelation (Scripture/Tradition): Closed with the apostolic age, binding on all Catholics

  • Private Revelation: Helps us live public revelation more fully, but never replaces it

  • Discernment: The Church guides us in evaluating mystical claims about Mary

Our Approach to Marian Mysticism

  • These writings are helps, not authorities equal to Scripture

  • They should illuminate Mary's scriptural portrait, not overshadow it

  • We read them with humility and ecclesiastical obedience

  • Their value lies in how they help us imitate Mary more perfectly

The Invitation: Mary's Call to Her Children

These mystical insights into Mary's life seem to be her maternal way of drawing us deeper into the Divine Will. She wants us to understand not just that she surrendered perfectly, but how we can follow her path of surrender.

The ultimate goal isn't to analyse mystical phenomena about Mary, but to be transformed by imitating her perfect example of living in God's Will.

Mary's Promise from Luisa's Writings

"Those who learn to live in the Divine Will through my maternal guidance will be my greatest joy. I will present their every act to the Most Holy Trinity with infinite value. They will live on earth as I lived - in constant union with God's Will - and this will prepare them for the eternal life of Heaven."

A Complete Daily Programme: Living Like Mary

Upon Waking

"Mary, as you awakened each day in perfect harmony with God's Will, help me begin this day with the same surrender. Let my first thought be of love for God, my first breath an offering of my entire being."

Morning Prayer Time

  • Read a passage about Mary from Scripture

  • If helpful, read a related passage from Valtorta or Luisa

  • Ask Mary to help you understand how to live that mystery today

Before Meals

"Mary, as you prepared food for Jesus and Joseph in the Divine Will, bless this nourishment and let me receive it as a gift from the Father's loving providence."

During Work

"Mary, Queen of the home of Nazareth, help me work as you worked - with love, care, and constant awareness of God's presence in ordinary tasks."

In Relationships

"Mary, Mother of the Church, help me love others as you loved - with patience, understanding, and the desire to lead them closer to Jesus."

Before Sleep

"Mary, as you rested each night in perfect peace, trusting completely in God's care, help me surrender this day and rest in divine providence."

Closing Reflection: The Ultimate Goal

Mary's life, whether seen through Scripture or illuminated by mystical revelation, points us always towards one goal: perfect union with God's Will. She doesn't want us to focus on her, but to follow her path to Jesus.

When we learn to live like Mary - saying "yes" constantly, trusting completely, serving joyfully, and suffering redemptively - we discover that the Divine Will isn't a burden to bear but our natural home.

This is Mary's greatest gift to the Church: not just her intercession, but her example of how human beings can live in perfect harmony with God.

Final Consecration Prayer

"Mary, Mother and Queen of the Divine Will, I consecrate myself entirely to you that you may form me into a perfect copy of your Son. Teach me to live as you lived - always in God's Will, never in my own. Let my life become a continuation of your 'fiat,' echoing through time until Jesus comes again. Take all that I am and present it to the Father, that through your maternal hands, even my poorest actions may give infinite glory to God. Amen."

May we live in the Divine Will with Mary, as Mary, and for Mary, that through us, her maternal heart may continue to bring Jesus to the world.