Chapter 37: Of the nails of sweet-smelling cloves * which the Saint, moved by love, put into the wounds of the crucifix instead of the iron nails, and of the gratitude which our Lord testified for this

One Friday, when the Saint had spent the whole night in meditation, and had been prevented from sleeping by the ardour of her love, she remembered with what tenderness she had snatched the iron nails from a crucifix which she always kept near her, and replaced them by nails of sweetsmelling cloves, and she said to God : " My Beloved, how didst Thou accept my drawing the iron nails from the sacred Wounds of Thy Hands and Feet, to place these cloves therein, which give an agreeable odour?" Our Lord replied: "It was

"Qariofilis.1 so agreeable to Me, that in return for it I poured forth the noble balsam of My Divinity into the wounds of your sins. And for this all the saints will praise Me eternally • for your wounds, by the infusion of this liquor, will become agree able." " But, Lord," inquired the Saint, " wilt Thou not grant the same grace to those who perform the same ac tion ? " " Not to all," He replied ; " but those who do it with the same fervour will receive a similar reward ; and those who, following your example, do likewise with all the devotion of which they are capable, will receive a lesser recompense."

Gertrude then took the crucifix and clasped it in her arms, kissing it tenderly, until she felt herself growing weak from her long vigil, when she laid it aside, and taking leave of her Spouse, asked His permission to go and rest, that she might recover her strength, which was almost exhausted by her long meditation. After she had spoken thus, she turned from the crucifix and composed herself to sleep. But as she reposed, our Lord stretched forth His right Hand from the cross to embrace her, and whispered these words to her : " Listen to Me, My beloved ; I will sing you a canticle of love." And then He commenced, in a tender and harmonious voice, to sing the following verse to the chant of the hymn Rex Christe, factor omnium ; —

" Amor meus continuus Tibi languor assiduus : Amor tuus suavissimus Mihi sapor gratissimus." f t The hymn Rex Christe may be found in Gerbert's Monumenta vcteris Lituryice Alcmannicw. It was composed by St. Gregory the Great, and was formerly chanted at Tenebrae after the Benedictus.

OF THE HYMN " REX CHRISTE." 227

Having finished the verse, He said : " Now, My beloved, instead of the Kyrie eleison, which is sung at the end of each verse of the hymn Rex Christe, ask what you will, and I will grant it to you." The Saint then prayed for some par ticular intentions, and her prayers were favourably heard. Our Lord again chanted the same verse, and at the end again exhorted Gertrude to pray. This He repeated many times, at different intervals, not allowing her a moment's rest, until she became completely exhausted. She then slept a little before daybreak ; but the Lord Jesus, who is always near those who love Him, appeared to her in her sleep. He seemed to prepare a delicious feast for her in the sacred Wound of His adorable Side, and He Himself placed the food in her mouth in order to refresh her ; so that when she awoke, she found that she had been marvel lously strengthened during her sleep, for which she returned most humble and ardent thanks to God.