Chapter 34: Of the utility of meditating on the Passion of our Lord, and how He offers Himself to the Eternal Father in satisfaction fot our sins

ON a certain Friday, in the evening, Gertrude cast her eyes on a crucifix, and, being penetrated with grief, she ex claimed : " Ah, my Creator and my Beloved ! what cruelties hast Thou not suffered on this day for my salvation ! while I, alas ! have been so occupied that I have not devoutly recalled what Thou didst suffer for me each hour, when Thou, who art the Life which vivifies all things, didst will to die for love of me." To which our Lord answered from the cross : " I have supplied what you neglect, for I have accumulated each hour in My Heart what you ought to have accumulated in your heart ; in consequence, it is so inflamed with love, that I have ardently desired this hour in which you have addressed this prayer to Me, in union with which I will offer to God my Father all that I have done for you during this day, and without which even that could not be so advantageous for your salva tion."

We may learn from this the faithful love of God to wards man, since He satisfies His Eternal Father by a single intention which He excites in them, and this in so sublime and excellent a manner that it merits the everlast ing praises of men.

As this Saint touched the crucifix devoutly, she learned that if any one only looks on the image of the cross of Jesus Christ with a holy intention, God regards him with such goodness and mercy, that he receives in his soul, as in a spotless mirror, an image which is so agreeable that the whole court of heaven delights therein ; and this serves to increase his eternal glory in the life to come in pro portion as he has practised this act of devotion in this life.

On another occasion she learned that when any one turns towards a crucifix, he ought to persuade himself that our Lord speaks thus lovingly to his heart : " Behold how, for your love, I have been fastened to this cross, — naked, despised, torn and woanded in My Body, and in all My members ; and still My Heart has such tender charity for you, that were it necessary for your salvation, and were there no other means of saving yon, I would even at this moment suffer for you alone all that I have suffered for the whole world." By this reflection man ought to excite himself to gratitude, because it never happens that any one looks at a crucifix without a particular providence. There is no Christian, therefore, who is not guilty, if he is so ungrateful as to neglect the adorable price of his salvation, since we can never look at a crucifix thoughtfully without receiving great benefit thereby.

On another occasion, as she was occupied in considering the Passion of our Lord, it was made known to her that there is infinitely more merit in meditating attentively on the Passion of Jesus than in any other exercise. For as it is impossible to handle flour without attaching it to yourself, so also is it impossible to meditate devoutly on the Passion of the Lord without deriving great fruit thereby. And when any one reads anything concerning the Passion, they at least dispose their souls to receive the fruit of it, as it is more meritorious to meditate on it than on any subject. Let us, then, endeavour to reflect constantly on it, that it may be honey to our lips, music to our ears, and joy to our hearts.

As the Saint endeavoured to choose, amongst the dif ferent favours which our Lord had bestowed on her, the graces which would be most for the benefit of others, if revealed to them, our Lord spoke thus to her : " It is most advantageous to men to make known to them that it would be of extreme utility to remember constantly that I, who am the Son of a Virgin, stand before God the Father for the salvation of the human race, and that whenever they commit any fault in their hearts through human frailty, I offer My spotless Heart to the Eternal Father in satisfaction for them ; when they sin by their actions, I offer My pierced Hands; and so in regard to the other faults that they commit. Thus My innocence appeases Him, and disposes Him to pardon those who do penance for their faults. And there fore it is that I desire My elect should return Me thanks whenever they have obtained pardon for their faults, be cause it is through Me that they have obtained it so easily."