Chapter 22: Favours granted to the Saint during the recital of the Divine Office

Once, as the Saint was reciting the Divine Office with extraordinary fervour, on the Feast of a Saint, each word which she uttered appeared to dart like an arrow from her heart into the Heart of Jesus, penetrating it deeply, and filling it with ineffable satisfaction. From one end of these arrows rays of light shot forth like stars, which seemed to fall on all the saints, but especially on the one whose festival was celebrated j from the lower end of the arrows drops of dew flowed forth, which fertilised the souls of the living, and refreshed the souls in purgatory.

As the Saint endeavoured on another occasion to at tach some particular intention to each note and each word of her chant, she was often hindered by the weakness of nature, and at last exclaimed, with much sadness : " Alas ! what fruit can I obtain from this exercise, when I am so unstable ? " But our Lord, who could not en dure to behold the affliction of His servant, with His own hands presented her with His Divine Heart, under the figure of a burning lamp, saying to her: "Behold, I present to the eyes of your soul My loving Heart, which is the organ of the Most Holy Trinity, that it may accomplish all that you cannot accomplish yourself, and thus all will seem perfect in you to My eyes ; for even as a faithful servant ia always ready to execute the commands of his master, so, from henceforth, My Heart will be always ready, at any moment, to repair your defects and negligences."

Gertrude wondered and feared, because of this amazing goodness of her Lord, thinking that it was not becoming for the adorable Heart, which is the treasure-house * of the Divinity, and the fruitful source of every good, to remain continually near so miserable a creature, to supply for her defects, even as a servant attends on his master. But the Lord consoled and encouraged her by this comparison : " If you have a beautiful and melodious voice, and take much pleasure in chanting, will you not feel displeased if another person, whose voice is harsh and unpleasant, and who can scarcely utter a correct sound, wishes to sing, instead of you, and insists on doing so ? Thus My Divine Heart, understanding human inconstancy and frailty, desires with incredible ardour continually to be invited, either by your words, or at least by some other sign, to operate and accomplish in you what you are not able to accomplish yourself ; and as its omnipotence enables it to act without trouble, and its impenetrable wisdom enables it to act in the most perfect manner, so also its joyous and loving charity makes it ardently desire to accomplish this end."