Chapter 18: The devotion of St. Gertrude to the Mother of God— She is taught to invoke her as the white lily of the adorable Trinity, and the vermilion rose of heaven

As Gertrude offered herself to God during her prayer, and inquired how He desired her to occupy herself at this time,

He replied : " Honour My Mother, who is seated at My side, and employ yourself in praising her." Then the Saint began to salute the Queen of heaven, reciting the verse, Paradisus voluptas, &c. — " Paradise of delights ; " and extolling her because she was the abode full of delights which the impenetrable wisdom of God, who knows all creatures perfectly, had chosen for His dwelling ; and she besought her to obtain for her a heart adorned with so many virtues that God might take pleasure in dwelling therein. Then the Blessed Virgin inclined towards her, and planted in her heart the different flowers of virtue — the rose of charity, the lily of chastity, the violet of humi lity, the flexibility of obedience, and many other gifts; thus showing how promptly she assists those who invoke her assistance.

Then the Saint addressed her thus : Gaude, morum (Hsciplina — " Rejoice, model of discipline ; " praising her for having ordered her desires, judgment, and affection with more care and circumspection than the rest of mankind, and for having served the Lord, who dwelt in her, with such respect and reverence, that she had never given Him the least occasion of pain in her thoughts, words, or actions. Having besought her to obtain for her also the same grace, it appeared to her that the Mother of God sent her all her affections under the form of young virgins, recommending each in particular to unite her dispositions to those of her client, and to supply for any defects into which she might fall. By this also she understood with what promptitude the Blessed Virgin assists those who invoke her. Then the Saint besought our Lord to supply for her omissions in de votion to His Blessed Mother, which He was pleased to do.

The following day, as Gertrude prayed, the Mother of God appeared to her, in the presence of the ever-adorable

Trinity, under the form of a white lily, with three leaves, one standing erect, and the other two bent down. By this she understood that it was not without reason that the Blessed Mother of God was called the white lily of the Trinity, since she contained in herself, with more plenitude and perfection than any other creature, the virtues of the Most Holy Trinity, which she had never sullied by the slightest stain of sin. The upright leaf of the lily repre sented the omnipotence of God the Father, and the two leaves which bent down, the wisdom and love of the Son and the Holy Spirit, to which the Holy Virgin approaches so nearly. Then the Blessed Virgin made known to her that if any one salutes her devoutly as the white lily of the Trinity and the vermilion rose of heaven, she will show her how she prevails by the omnipotence of the Father, how skilful she is in procuring the salvation of men by the wisdom of the Son, and with what an exceeding love her heart is filled by the charity of the Holy Ghost. The Blessed Virgin added these words : " I will appear at the hour of death to those who salute me thus in such glory, that they will anticipate the very joys of heaven." From this time the Saint frequently saluted the Holy Virgin or her images with these words : " Hail, white lily of the ever-peaceful and glorious Trinity ! hail, effulgent rose, the delight of heaven, of whom the King of heaven was born, and by whose milk He was nourished ! do thou feed our souls by the effusions of thy Divine influences."

CHAPTER X[X.

How the praises offered to the Saints may be referred to God. As St. Gertrude was accustomed to refer all that was sweet and agreeable to her Beloved, when she heard or read the praise of the Blessed Virgin or of the Saints, and was moro than usually moved thereby, she raised her heart to God, so that she thought more of Him than of the Saint whose memory was honoured ; and as she heard a sermon on the Feast of the Annunciation, in which the Blessed Virgin was spoken of exclusively, and no mention was made of the Incarnation of the Son of God, she was so grieved, that as she passed the altar of the Blessed Virgin, returning from the sermon, she did not salute her with her usual devotion, but rather offered her salutation to Jesus, the blessed Fruit of her womb. But afterwards she feared she had displeased this august queen, until our Lord consoled her by these loving words : " Fear not, Gertrude, My beloved ; for al though you have referred the honour and praise which you usually render to My dear Mother exclusively to Me, it will not be the less agreeable to her."