Chapter 24: For Wednesday in Holy Week

ON Wednesday in Holy Week, at the words Tn nomine Jesu St. Gertrude bent her knees in honour of this most worthy name, to repair all the negligence which she had committed in this matter ; and, perceiving that our Lord was pleased with this, she knelt a second time at the word coelestium, to supply for the negligence of the saints when in this life, in regard to the honour which they owed to God. When she had done this, the whole celestial court rose up with great sentiments of gratitude, thanking God for having given this grace to her, and praying for her. At the word terrestrium, she made another genuflexion, in satis faction for the negligence of the faithful in praising God ; and then the Son of God imparted to her with singular joy the fruit of all the devotions which had been offered to Him throughout the whole Church. At the word infernorum, she also knelt to atone for the negligences of the damned. Then the Son of God arose, and stood before His Father, saying : " It is My right to condemn, since Thou hast given Me all power ; and by an equitable judgment I have con signed them to eternal flames. Therefore, I receive with such satisfaction the reparation which Gertrude has made for them, that the reward which I reserve until she is capable of the enjoyment of beatitude could not be com prehended by any mortal."

While the Passion was read, at the words, Pater, ignoscc illis, St. Gertrude besought our Lord earnestly, by the love which made Him pray for those who crucified Him, that

" In the name of Jesus, let every knee bow," &c. — Introit for Wednesday in Holy Week.

He would be pleased to pardon all those who had ever offended Him in anything. At this petition all the saints rose up in admiration, beseeching God to pardon her all the faults which she might have committed on their solemnities or festivals. Then the Son of God presented Himself also before His Father, offering the merit of His holy life, in satisfaction for all the faults which the Saint had committed in thought, word, or deed.

As they read the words, " To-day shalt thou be with Me in paradise," she knew in spirit that no one could obtain the grace of penitence in his last hour, if he had not ren dered himself worthy of it by performing some good action during his life ; and that the good thief had obtained the favour of entering into glory the same day as our Lcrd, because, by the grace of God, he had seen and reprehended the injustice of his companion in crime, and could not bear to hear him pouring forth reproaches on One whom he knew to be innocent ; and had acknowledged himself deserving of the punishment which he suffered. Therefore God showed him mercy.