Chapter 30: That our prayers are certainly heard, even though we do not per ceive their effect ; and how to supply for our unworthiness in approaching Holy Communion through the merits of Jesus Christ and His saints

One day, as Gertrude felt herself enkindled with extraor dinary desires, she said : " Lord, may I pray to Thee now ? " " You may, My beloved one," * He replied tenderly, " be cause I will comply with your will in all things, as a servant would obey the commands of his master." " I am well assured," replied the Saint, " O God, full of charity, that Thy words are always true ; but since Thou dost mani fest such condescension towards me, although I am so un worthy of it, whence comes it that my prayers so often remain without effect 1 " Our Lord replied : " If a queen desires her servant to give her some thread,! which she supposes, because she is unable to see behind, is hanging from her left shoulder, and he finds it at her right, does he not equally fulfil her intention, if he hands it to her from the place he finds it in, as if it were from the place she supposed it to be ? So also, if in My inscrutable wisdom I do not hear your prayers exactly as you desire, I do so in a manner more useful for you, though human frailty prevents you from seeing this."

As the Saint was about to communicate on one occasion, she felt grieved that she had not made sufficient preparation, and she besought the Blessed Virgin and all the saints to offer to God for her all the dispositions which each hud entertained in receiving the various graces which had been granted to them. She then besought our Lord Jesus Christ that He would be pleased also to offer for her the perfection with which He appeared on the day of His Ascension, when He presented Himself to God the Father and entered into eternal glory. Afterwards she desired to know of what avail this prayer had been to her, and our Lord replied : "It has enabled you to appear before the whole court of heaven with all the ornaments you have desired." He added : " Why should you distrust Me, who am all-power ful and all-merciful, since there is not one upon earth who could not clothe his friend in his own ornaments and garments, and thereby make him appear as gloriously attired as himself 1 "

As she remembered afterwards that she had promised to communicate that day for some persons who had recom mended themselves to her prayers, she besought God with great fervour to grant them the fruit of this Sacrament, and received this reply : "I will grant them this favour ; but I leave it to their free will to avail themselves of it as they wish." She then inquired how these souls should be prepared to receive this grace, and our Lord answered : " Whenever, from this time, they turn to Me with a pure heart and a perfect will, invoking the assistance of My grace, if only by a single word or the least sigh, they will immediately appear clothed with the ornaments that you have obtained for them by your prayers."