Chapter 48: For the Feast of St. James

Advantages of the pilgrimage to Compostella — And how we may honour the Saints by Communion.

ON the Feast of St. James the Great, this Apostle ap, peared to Gertrude, adorned with the merits of thos<j pilgrims who had visited his shrine. As the Saint was rapt in admiration thereat, she asked our Lord why this Apostle was so honoured by pilgrimages, that his relics appeared even more revered than those of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. Our Lord replied : " The fervour of his zeal for the salvation of souls has obtained this special privilege for him. And as I took him away from the world so soon, according to the decrees of My providence, that he was unable to convert many persons, which he most ardently desired to do, his desire still remains before Me fresh and flourishing, and what he was unable to do during his life I permit him to accomplish after his death, by bringing an immense number of pilgrims to his shrine, absolving them from their sins, and strengthening them in the Catholic faith."

Then, as she desired to obtain the remission of her sins through the merits of this Apostle, and as she could not undertake the pilgrimage, she approached the Holy Com munion. As soon as she had accomplished her design, she beheld herself seated at a table with our Divine Lord, \vhich was laden with various delicious viands. And as she offered our Lord His precious Body, which she had re ceived, for the increase of the beatitude and glory of this Apostle, St. James presented himself before God as a prince, to thank Him for the favours which he had received through this Adorable Sacrament. He then asked that God would work in the soul of Gertrude all the good which He had ever deigned to work in any soul through his merits, be cause she had offered this Adorable Sacrament in bia honour.