Chapter 10: For Septuagesima Sunday

Instruction concerning receiving and abstaining from the Holy Communion.

ON the Sunday Circumdederunt St. Gertrude, though still very weak, desired ardently to receive the Sacrament ; but although she had prepared herself with great fervour, she abstained, by the advice of her spiritual mother, througli discretion. As she offered this privation to God, she found

SEPTUAGES1MA SUNDAY. 339 herself standing before the Lord ; and He inclined sweetly towards her, placing her in the bosom of His paternal goodness, saying to her, with the caresses and affability of a mother to her child : " Since you abstain from receiving Me purely for Me, I will keep you in My bosom, so that no exterior labour may trouble you." The Saint, being overwhelmed with delight on the bosom of our Lord, said to Him : " O most loving Spouse, since the whole world is seated in wickedness (1 John v. 19), and opposes Thy glory at this time more than at any other by the excesses into which it plunges, I desire with all my heart that my congregation should be employed in making reparation to Thee. Therefore, if Thou wilt deign to acknowledge me as Thy servant, though, alas ! so unworthy, and accept me as Thine ambassador, I will gladly announce some special exercise for Thy love to all who are devoutly disposed, in order to honour Thee in reparation for the sins now com mitted." Our Lord replied : " Whoever will be My am bassador on this occasion will have this reward — that all which he gains for Me will be acquired and gained for himself."

From this she learned that all who labour to instruct others, either by their words or their writings, for the honour of God and' the advancement of their neighbours' salvation, will receive a reward even to endless ages for the fruit which has been drawn from their books or their instructions. Then He added : " Whoever offers Me the satisfaction of his corporal necessities, such as eating, drinking, sleeping, &c., saying in his heart or with his lips : ' Lord, I take this food ' (or whatever it may be) ' in union with the love with which Thou didst perform the like action when on earth, for the glory of Thy Father and the salvation of men,' praying that, in union with My Divine love, it may serve for the salvation of all in heaven, on earth, or in purgatory — each time he makes this offering, he presents Me with a strong shield to protect Me against the insults and outrages of sinners."

Then, as the sisters communicated at the Mass, our Lord placed Gertrude tenderly at the loving Wound of His Side, and said to her: " Since discretion obliges you to ab stain from receiving Me corporally in the Sacrament, drink now from My Heart the sweet influences of My Divinity." Having drunk of this torrent of sweetness and delight, as she thanked our Lord devoutly for it, she saw all those who had communicated that day standing in the presence of the Lord, who gave to each a marvellously beautiful habit, and a special gift, which enabled them to prepare them selves worthily for Communion. As they obtained these great favours through the merits of Gertrude, they also offered to our Lord in their turn the advantages which they had received through her, for the increase of her glory and merit. From this she understood that those who dispose themselves for Holy Communion by particular prayers and devotions, and who nevertheless abstain for good reasons, as through obedience or humility, are replenished by God with the torrent of Divine delights; while their preparation for Communion contributes to prepare others, and the fruit which others derive thereby returns to their advantage. Then St. Gertrude exclaimed : " 0 Lord, if it is true that those who abstain thus from communicating receive such great fruit, is it, then, more advantageous to abstain ? " Our Lord replied : " By no means ; for those who approach the Sacrament for love of My glory receive the food of My Divine Body as the delicious nectar of the Divinity, and are adorned with the incomparable splendour of My Divine virtues." " Lord," inquired the Saint, " what will happen to those who abstain from Communion on account of their negligences, and yet pass the day in the same negligences 1 " He replied : " They render themselves still more unworthy of Communion, and they deprive themselves of the fruit of the Communions made on that day throughout the Church." Then the Saint continued : " Tell me, I beseech Thee, 0 Lord, why it happens that certain souls, who judge them selves unworthy of Communion, and apply themselves less earnestly to prepare for it, are nevertheless pressed by so ardent a desire to receive Thy sacred Body, that it grieves them exceedingly to abstain on the days appointed for receiving it ? " Our Lord replied : " This happens to them by a special grace of My sweet Spirit ; as a king, who is always accustomed to the court, naturally prefers the plea sure which he always enjoys there, to the satisfaction which others find in roaming through the streets and squares."