Question 111: Did Mary Know Everything?
"The most blessed Virgin had many privileges in her knowledge of things.
The first was perfect knowledge of the Trinity without mediation, which she had in life through a most special grace.
The second was perfect knowledge of the mystery of the Incarnation: and this she had through grace and her singular experience.
The third was knowledge of her predestination, which she had through revelation and cause.
The fourth was knowledge of her soul and of spirits in their proper species, which she had dispositively through nature and completely through grace, and through which she saw angels and spirits and demons.
The fifth was perfect knowledge of everything pertaining to the status of life, which she had through the infusion and inspiration of grace: and this included perfect knowledge of the Scriptures, of works and of contemplation.
The sixth was knowledge of everything about herself in the future, which she had through revelation and in the mirror of readings.
The seventh was knowledge of everything pertaining to the status of her country, which she had through the revelation of contemplation.
The eighth was knowledge of all creatures, which she had through nature, grace and contemplation.
The ninth was knowledge of evening and morning, morning through grace, evening through nature and grace.
The tenth is the conclusion of everything said above, because there was nothing of which she was ignorant."
--Ps. Albertus Magnus, Mariale, sive Quaestiones super Evangelium "Missus est angelus Gabriel", ed. Augustus and Aemilius Borget, B. Alberti Magni Opera Omnia, vol. 37 (Paris: L. Vives, 1898), pp. 167-68, my translation.
The first was perfect knowledge of the Trinity without mediation, which she had in life through a most special grace.
The second was perfect knowledge of the mystery of the Incarnation: and this she had through grace and her singular experience.
The third was knowledge of her predestination, which she had through revelation and cause.
The fourth was knowledge of her soul and of spirits in their proper species, which she had dispositively through nature and completely through grace, and through which she saw angels and spirits and demons.
The fifth was perfect knowledge of everything pertaining to the status of life, which she had through the infusion and inspiration of grace: and this included perfect knowledge of the Scriptures, of works and of contemplation.
The sixth was knowledge of everything about herself in the future, which she had through revelation and in the mirror of readings.
The seventh was knowledge of everything pertaining to the status of her country, which she had through the revelation of contemplation.
The eighth was knowledge of all creatures, which she had through nature, grace and contemplation.
The ninth was knowledge of evening and morning, morning through grace, evening through nature and grace.
The tenth is the conclusion of everything said above, because there was nothing of which she was ignorant."
--Ps. Albertus Magnus, Mariale, sive Quaestiones super Evangelium "Missus est angelus Gabriel", ed. Augustus and Aemilius Borget, B. Alberti Magni Opera Omnia, vol. 37 (Paris: L. Vives, 1898), pp. 167-68, my translation.
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