Chapter 13: For Quinquagesima (continued)

How acceptable good works are to our Lord during the three days of the Carnival ; and how such works obtain merit by union with the Passion of Christ.

ON the night of Quinquagesima Sunday the Lord Jesus appeared to Gertrude, seated on a throne, and attended by St. Jyhii the Evangelist, who sat at His feet writing. As she inquired what he wrote, our Lord replied : " I have desired him to note carefully on this paper the services which the community rendered Me yesterday, and I will also have those noted down which they will render Me on the two following days ; so that when I am enthroned as Judge by My Father, I may render to each, after her death, good measure for what she has done ; that the fruit of My Passion, which is the source of all the merit and excel lence the actions of men can have, may render this mea sure pressed down ; and that this parchment * which I will bring to My Father may render the measure so heaped up, that it will pour forth abundantly : and this is for the ser vices which they render Me at a time when men overwhelm Me with injuries by their debaucheries ; for as I never fail in fidelity, I cannot be wanting in justice to those who serve Me. Furthermore, although King David acknowledged during his life the services which his friends had rendered to him, still he recommended Solomon to show favour after his death to the children of Berzellai the Galaadite, and to admit them to his table, because they came to meet him when he fled from Absoloni. For as the services which we ren- der in adversity are far more esteemed than those which are rendered in prosperity, so I esteem far more the services which are offered to me now, when the world offends Me so much more than at any other time.

As St. John sat and wrote, she saw him dipping his reed into the horn which he held in his hand, and then the writing appeared black ; but when he dipped his reed into the loving Wound of the Side of Jesus, the writing ap peared rose-coloured ; in some places it was diversified with black and gold. She understood by this, that the black writing signified the works which were done by the re ligious through custom, such as fasting, &c., which all religious communities commence now ; that the red letters, diversified with black and gold, indicated the works which were done in memory of our Lord's Passion, to obtain grace or other similar intentions. But those works which were done purely for the glory of God, and in union with the Passion of Christ, for the salvation of all mankind, without any view of self-interest, of grace, or merit, were written in letters of pure gold ; and these works would obtain the greatest reward from God, since what is done purely for the love and glory of God is of the highest merit and value, and increases beyond all measure the recompenses of eternal life.

The Saint also perceived spaces between the writing ; and as she inquired what this signified, our Lord replied : "As your community is accustomed to remain with Me at this time, and to offer your petitions in honour of My Passion, I have caused each thought and word to be inscribed here; in the vacant places all that you have done in memory of My Passion, and not from mere custom, is inscribed." "But how could all our actions be thus ac ceptable 1 " inquired Gertrude. " They would be so," replied our Lord, " if your fasts, vigils, and regular discipline were performed in memory of My Passion, and were offered to Me in union with the mortification of My senses which I practised during My Passion. For although I could have silenced My accusers by a single word, I was as a sheep led to the slaughter ; I inclined My head humbly, and cast My eyes to the ground, never opening My lips before My Judge, or replying even to one of the false accusations which were brought against Me."

"Ah!" exclaimed Gertrude, "teach me, 0 best of teachers, how to perform even one action perfectly in memory of Thy Passion." Our Lord replied : " When you are praying, extend your arms to represent the manner in which I extended Mine to God My Father in My Passion ; and do this for the salvation of every member of the Church, in union with tho love with which I stretched out My arms upon the cross." " If I do this," she replied, " I must hide myself in a corner, for it is far from being customary." Our Lord replied : " If any one prays thus with his hands extended, without fear of contradiction, he pays Me the same honour as one would do who solemnly enthroned a king."

St. Gertrude also observed in these writings, that the actions of those who, for the love of God, gave good ad vice to others, were noted down ; from which we perceive the exceeding goodness of God, who not only delights in procuring our salvation, but even seeks to recompense doubly the least good that we do. Then the Saint said : " 0 Lord'! why is it that St. John has been chosen to write these things rather than our holy Father St. Benedict, who belongs to our own Order?" Our Lord replied : "I have chosen My beloved disciple because he has written of the love of God and the neighbour, therefore is most fit for this office ; for I have confidence in him that he will record what is most suitable to My power and My Divinity, as well as what will be most for your advantage."

On Ash Wednesday St. Gertrude came to our Lord, in the person of the Church, and with the Church, offering to him the penance of the fast for the Church ; and she was received by Him with so many tokens of love, and in so favourable a manner, that she learned indubitably, and by experience, the strength and tenderness of the affection which Christ has for the Church His Spouse, in whose per son she approached Him.