Chapter 49: For the Vigil and Feast of the Assumption. Of the manner of honouring and saluting the Blessed Virgin

§ 1. Of the prompt assistance which she affords to those who invoice Jier.

As St. Gertrude was ill, on the solemnity of the Assump tion, she was unable to fulfil her intention of saying as many Ave Marias as the Blessed Virgin had been years on earth ; but she tried to supply for this devotion in some degree by the three aspirations — Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. As she offered them with great fervour for herself and those committed to her care, our Lady appeared to her in glory, clothed with a green mantle covered with golden flowers in the form of trefoils, and said to her : " Behold how I am adorned with as many flowers as those for whom you have prayed have uttered words in their petition to me ; the brilliancy of these flowers corresponds to the fervour of their petitions ; and I will turn this to their advantage, to render them more agree able to my Son and all the celestial court."

St. Gertrude observed also that the Blessed Virgin had some roses with six leaves amongst the trefoils, and that three of these leaves were golden and enriched with pre cious stones ; while the other three, which alternated with the former, were distinguished by an admirable variety of colours. The three golden leaves indicated the threefold division of the Ave Maria which she had made during her sickness ; and the three other leaves were added by our Lord — the first, to reward her for the love with which she saluted and praised His most sweet Mother ; the second, for her discretion and prudence in regulating her devotions during her illness ; and the third, for the confidence which she had that the Lord and His loving Mother would accept the little she had done.

At Prime St. Gertrude besought our Lord to obtain His Blessed Mother's favour for her, as she feared she had never been sufficiently devout to her. Our Lord then, after bestowing many marks of tenderness and filial affec tion on His Divine Mother, said to her : "Remember, My beloved Mother, that for your sake I am indulgent to sinners, and regard My elect as if she had served you all her life with devotion."

At these words this most pure Mother gave herself entirely to Gertrude, for the sake of her Divine Son. As the Collect, Deus, qui virginalem was read at Mass, our Lord appeared to renew in His Blessed Mother all the joys which she had experienced in His Conception, His Birth, and the other mysteries of His Humanity. At the words Ut sua nos defensione munitosrf which the Saint read with special devotion, she beheld the Mother of God extending her mantle as if to receive beneath its shelter all those who fled to her patronage. The holy angels then brought all who had prepared themselves very fervently for this Feast, and presented them to her as fair young virgins, who stood before her as before their mother ; while these good angels defended them from the snares of evil spirits, and carefully incited them to good actions.

The Saint understood that they had obtained this angelic protection by the words Ut sua defensione, <fec. ; for at her command the angels never fail to protect and defend those who invoke this glorious Virgin.

2 B

43-1 THE REVELATIONS OF ST. GERTRUDE.

A number of little animals appeared afterwards under the mantle of the Blessed Virgin ; and this signified those sinners who addressed themselves to her with devotion. The Mother of Mercy received them with the greatest charity, and covered them with her mantle ; thus manifest ing with what affability she treats those who have recourse to her ; how she protects them even during their wander ings ; and if they recognise their faults and return to her, she reconciles them to her Son by a sincere penance. At the Elevation, St. Gertrude saw our Divine Lord imparting Himself with all the joys of His Divinity and Humanity to all those who kad assisted at Mass with special devotion in honour of His Blessed Mother, and who had desired to serve her devoutly on the day of her Assumption ; so that, being sustained by virtue of the Adorable Sacrament, they were strengthened in their good desires, even as food strengthens and invigorates the human frame.

After Mass the community proceeded to Chapter, and the Saint saw a multitude of angels surrounding our Lord, who appeared to wait with great joy for the arrival of the religious. Marvelling at this, she said to our Lord : " Why hast Thou come to this Chapter, O most loving Lord, sur rounded by such a multitude of angels, since we have not the same devotion now as on the Vigil of Thy Divine Birth 1 " Our Lord replied : " I come as the Father of a family to receive those who have been invited to eat at My house. I come also from respect to My Mother, to announce the solemn Festival of her eminent Assumption, and to receive all who are prepared to celebrate this Feast with holy disposition. I come also to absolve, by the virtue and authority of My Divinity, all those who humble themselves for the negligences which they have committed concerning their Rule." He added : "I am present on all these Festivals, and see all that you do, although, on the Vigil of My Nativity, I assisted in an extraordinary manner."

§ 2. Devotion for the hour of None.

St. Gertrude recited None with special devotion, as the Office of the Assumption commences at that hour, accord ing to the usages of the Order ; * and it was revealed to hei that on the day previous to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin she had been so absorbed in God, from the hour oj None until the moment of her happy departure from this world, as to have nothing human in her, to live only by the Spirit of God, and to taste in anticipation all those celestial joys which she soon experienced perfectly and eternally in the bosom of God ; and that at the third hour of the night our Lord came for and took her to Himself with exceeding joy.

In the evening, at Vespers, the Saint beheld our Lord drawing into His Heart all the praises which had been chanted in honour of His Blessed Mother, and from thence pouring them forth upon her in an impetuous -torrent. As the Antiphon Ista pulchra es was chanted, St. Gertrude offered the words to our Lord through His Sacred Heart, in memory of the sweet caresses He had bestowed on His Blessed Mother by the same words ; and this devotion, passing through the Heart of Jesus to the heart of Mary, encircled her like a cincture of stars, consoling her in a marvellous manner. Many of these stars appeared to falJ to the ground ; * but the saints gathered them up, presenting them to our Lord with joy and admiration. This signified that all the saints obtain ineffable joy, glory, and beatitude from the superabundant merits of the Blessed Virgin.

When the Community chanted the Response, Quce est wta/fthe angels united with them in singing it. Our Lord Himself intoned the Ista est speciosa, the Holy Spirit animating His Divine Heart to praise and glorify the most excellent of all creatures.

At the hymn Quern terra, pontus, the Blessed Virgin seemed unable to contain the plenitude of her delights, and reclined on the bosom of her Son until the words 0 gloriosa Domina. J Then she appeared as if aroused by the devotion of the faithful, and extended her hands over them to protect and console them by her maternal love. At the verse Deo Patri she rose again, and made three profound genuflexions, in honour of the Ever-Blessed Trinity • and then she continued praying for the whole Church until the Magnificat. At the Antiphon Virgo prudentissima, she sent celestial light to all who invoked her devoutly.

§ 3. Other revelations concerning the Messed Virgin.

On another occasion, at the Assumption, when St. Gertrude was so feeble as to be unable to assist at Matins, the Lord, the Orient from on high, visited her with ineffable goodness. It appeared to her at the sixth Response that she assisted in spirit at the moment when the Blessed t iv. Ant. at Vespers, but worded differently now. The other responses are also in the present Office, and the hymn Quern terra, &c.

J " 0 Queen of all the virgin choir ; " Hymn at Lauds.

Virgin paid the last debt of nature, and entered heaven. Her rapture continued from this Response until the Te Deum, when she returned to herself once more ; but during this rapture, she was favoured with a heavenly intelligence of all that was chanted, which filled her with ineffable joy.

At the Response Super salutem she saw the angels and apostles chanting in concert, as if to congratulate their Queen for her singular privileges. Meanwhile, as the soul of the Blessed Virgin left her body, it was received by her Divine Son into His arms. But our loving Jesus, who is the Father of orphans, recommended the needs and neces sities of the Church, His Spouse, which are ever in His Heart, to her, while the seventh Response, Sancta Deo dilecta, was chanted. Then the Blessed Virgin advanced farther, while her Son united with the choirs of angels in singing the eighth Response, Salve, Maria, and the ninth, Salve, pia mater Christianorum ; when our Lord, continuing in the person of His Church, added these words in a clear voice : Virgo, solamen desolatorum.

While the Queen of Heaven was being received therein, the Canticle Audite me, Divini fructus,^ was sung with a transport of joy which no human words can express ; and she appeared to enter a field adorned with the most ex quisite flowers. At the words Et frond e in gratiam^ all these flowers became marvellously brilliant, and emitted a sweeter perfume, giving forth more melodious sounds than tFrom Eccl. xxxix. 17. The first ot the three Canticles, iii. Nocturn, Office of the Blessed Virgin ; but it commences, Obau dite me — " Hear me, ye Divine offspring, and bud forth as the rose planted by the brooks of water."

1 " Bring forth leaves in grace."

could be given by all the voices in the world united together in the most exquisite harmony.

Then the Blessed Virgin, transported with joy because of this incomparable beatitude, returned thanks to God in these words, Gandens, gaudebo in Domine ; * and the Eternal Father, as if pleased with the exalted perfection of this excellent Virgin, blessed the Church Militant upon earth with abundant sweetness, saying : Non vocaberis ultra derelicta.^ All the choirs of angels then chanted these words : Sexaginta sunt regince ; indicating by this that the Virgin Mother was elevated above their orders. The choirs of saints sang, Et octoginta concubince, de claring her elevation above them ; while both saints and angels united their choirs in personating the Church Triumphant, and chanted, Et adolescentularum non est numerus; elevating the Mother of God above all, as she merits to be elevated.

Then the Holy Spirit chanted the words, Una est columba mea; her Divine Son adding, Perfecta mea, as if to say that she was the most perfect of creatures. The Eternal Father then said, Una est matri suce electa, with exceeding love, which indicated all that he desired to say of her; after this the whole celestial court chanted her praise in the Versicle Salve, nobilis.

Then the Blessed Virgin was placed on a throne of t "Thou shalt no more be called forsaken" (Is. Ixii. ; iii. Canticle). The quotations which follow are not in the present Office. The quotation "sexaginta" is from Cant. vi. 7: "There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and young maidens without number. One is my dove, my perfect one is but one ; she is the only one of her mother." The applicability of the first part of this quotation is not very obvious.

glory on the right hand of her Son ; while all the citizens of heaven assisted before the throne, employing themselves in extolling her sovereign glory and the high and eminent sanctity of her life, by which she had merited to obtain it ; singing the Response, Beata est virgo Maria; to which the Blessed Trinity added the words, Ave Maria, renewing in her heart all the joy which she had formerly experienced when saluted by the, angel ; the choirs of saints chanting the words, Ecce exaltata est, and recommending the Church Militant to her intercession.

God the Father then chanted the words, Ave, speciosa, to indicate the rare beauty of this most perfect of creatures ; God the Son replying, Sunamitis secundum cor summi regis ; f the Holy Ghost added, Ave, mater Maria; and the Son again replied, Spiritu Sancto teste. The saints then knelt before her, in the person of the Church Militant, chanting, 0 sancta, 0 celsa ; and the most Holy Trinity chanted the third Response, Quce est ista ?

The Blessed Virgin then chanted the Te Deum J with the whole celestial court, in honour of the Ever- Blessed Trinity, adoring all the Persons in the first verse, the Eternal Father in the second, the Son in the third, and the Holy Ghost in the fourth. The Saint perceived that each of the Divine Persons in particular was praised in each verse except the seventh, Tu Rex glorice, Christe, which refers particularly to the Son, and wherein He is praised for all the holy affections of the Blessed Virgin, f "The Sunamite according to the heart of the King." Probably an allusion to 3 Kings i. 3, where Abisag the Sunamite is brought to King David for her rare beauty, that she may minister to him. This passage is not in the Office,

J The Te Deum is always chanted by Benedictines, unless the Offic is ferial.

which, by His assistance, she had always employed for the Divine glory. At the verse jfflternafac, she extolled each Person alternately, and perceived that nothing was at tributed to the Father which belonged so exclusively to Him as to prevent its application to the Sou and the Holy Ghost.

When St. Gertrude recovered from this ecstasy, she found her bodily health so strengthened, that she was even able to walk more quickly than her companions ; and this continued until after the High Mass.

§ 4. Other revelations on the, same subject.

Three years after the occurrence of the favours just related, the Saint was confined to bed on the Vigil of the Assumption ; nevertheless she endeavoured to prepare herself for this great Festival with all possible fervour and devotion. While she was thus occupied, she beheld the Blessed Virgin in a beautiful garden, cultivated with the greatest care, and filled with rare flowers. Our Lady ap peared to be in a rapture, caused by an excess of repose and joy, the serenity of her countenance and her gestures indicating that she was full of grace. In this garden there were roses without thorns, lilies white as snow, and fra grant violets, with many other flowers. Rut it seemed very marvellous that the farther these flowers were from the Blessed Virgin, the brighter was their colour and the sweeter their fragrance. Then she appeared to draw this odour to herself by inspiration, and to pour it forth into the Heart of her Son, which seemed to be opened for this purpose. A great number of angels were also in this garden, between these flowers and the Blessed Virgin, who served God by proclaiming her praises. St. John

IfOW THE MOTHER OF GOD IS KNOWN BY HER SON. 441 the Evangelist also remained near her, praying fervent! y, and she appeared to attract his prayers to herself like a sweet vapour.

As St. Gertrude took singular pleasure in this vision, she began to marvel what it might mean ; and our Lord taught her that the garden signified the chaste body of the Blessed Virgin ; tbat the flowers were her virtues ; that the beauti ful roses which appeared so far from her were the actions which she had performed for the love of God and her neighbour, and which increased in merit as the love which prompted them was extended ; that the lilies signified her extreme purity ; and that the prayers of St. John, which she appeared to attract, signified the glory which she had received through him in consequence of the care which he had taken of her while on earth, that she might be enabled to spend more time in prayer.

Then she inquired what advantage St. John had gained from this j and our Lord replied : " My Heart was drawn more towards him for each act of devotion which he offered to My Mother." Lastly, she understood that the vision of the Blessed Virgin which she had seen represented her soul, which always abounded in the fruits of virtue, and which she ever returned to God with the greatest thanks giving.

At Matins she was again rapt in ecstasy, and beheld the Blessed Virgin reposing sweetly and peaceably upon her Divine Son, and the Son pouring forth into the heart of His Mother an ineffable joy, the fruit of the virtues which she had practised, and had returned to Him as their true and only Source. The Eternal Father seemed to chant the first Ilesponsory, Vidi speciosam by which the whole

Celestial court understood that the Blessed Virgin had indeed been a dove in purity and innocence ; that she ascended above the rivers of waters by desire; that her garment — that is, her holy life — was full of ineffable sweet ness ; and that she was surrounded with roses and lilies — that is with every virtue.

Then the Holy Ghost made known the holy life of the Blessed Virgin by chanting the Response, Sicut cedrus ; the fi;dnts, full of admiration and joy, adding the third Response, Qua? est ista ? of which St. Gertrude received a marvellous understanding ; but her infirmity caused her to forget it. The saints then passed in procession round the throne of the Blessed Virgin, chanting the fourth Response, Gaude, reyina, with profound respect and with a marvellous con cord of voices, praising this mighty Queen on whom the eternal light shone so gloriously ; so that she appeared to all in heaven and earth as the most beautiful and accom plished Virgin in virtue and grace — as a Mother who pro vides for our wants, and who will increase our glory and crown our joy and beatitude hereafter.

The choirs of angels then marched processionally, sing ing with a clear and melodious voice, Fac nos Icetari ; and the saints chanted the Gloria Patri in thanksgiving for all the graces which the Blessed Virgin had obtained for them ; both choirs then united together, singing all the Antiphons and Psalms to the honour of God and the praise of the Blessed Virgin. Meanwhile St. Gertrude was favoured with a marvellous intelligence of all that was chanted.

tion : " I have seen thee, beautiful as a dove, ascending above the rivers of waters ; the odour of thy garments was ineffable, and thou wert encompassed with roses and lilies. Who is this that cometh up from the desert like a cloud. fSrfumed with myrrh and incense ? "

At the fifth Kesponse, the Blessed Virgin rose, and sang the words, Bf.atam me dicent omnes generations, while her soul appeared as when it had been released from the body, reposing upon her Son, and immersed in an ocean of beati tude, being for ever united closely to the Ever-Blessed Trinity. The Super salutem was then chanted, the whole heavenly court rejoicing in her union with the King of kings. From this we may learn how God bestows favours on one person for the advantage of many ; and if we for our sins are hindered from entering this garden of delights, at least let us not fail to cull a few flowers from it.

§ 5. Devotion for the Feast of the Assumption.

On another occasion, as St. Gertrude assisted devoutly at Matins, she made three different meditations at each Nocturn. At the first, she reminded the Blessed Virgin of the ineffable consolations which she had received from her Divine Son and from the saints when expecting her death ; so that every word which she uttered appeared to encircle her like roses and lilies. At the second Nocturn, she reminded her of the ineffable delights which she had experienced when received into the arms of her Beloved at this happy moment. At the third Nocturn, she re minded her of the inconceivable glory with which she had been honoured at her entrance into heaven ; and at each word that she recited, she received a light and glory which could only be compared to the emission of the sweetest perfumes.

At Mass she said the Lavdate Dominum (Ps. cxvi.) three times — first, beseeching the saints to offer their meriti to our Lord, that she might make a worthy Communion ; secondly, saying it for the same intention in honour of tha Blessed Virgin ; and thirdly, offering it to our Divine Lord,

The Blessed Virgin then rose at the prayer of the saints, and stood before the throne of the adorable Trinity, offer ing her merits and the favours which she had received on the day of her Assumption for St. Gertrude, whom she called to her, caressing her tenderly, and saying to her : " Come, elect one, and stand in my place, with all the per fection in virtue which caused the Blessed Trinity lo incline towards me, that you may please the Blessed Trinity as far as possible in like manner." At this she was amazed, and replied : " Alas, O Queen of Glory ! how can I merit so great a favour 1 " The Blessed Virgin replied : " Pre pare yourself for it by three things : first, pray to be purified from every stain by the exceeding purity with which I prepared an abode within my virginal womb for my Divine Son ; secondly, ask pardon for all your negligences by the profound humility by which I merited to be elevated above all the saints and the angels ; thirdly, implore an abundant increase of merits through the incomprehensible love which united me to God in such a manner, that I can never be separated from Him."

St. Gertrude, having faithfully accomplished what the Blessed Virgin had directed, was rapt in ecstasy to the high degree of glory which the Queen of Heaven had merited ; and being clothed in her merits, she pleased our Lord so surpassingly, that all the saints and angels came to honour her.

As the religious approached the Holy Communion, their glorious Queen stood on their right, covering them with her mantle, saying : "My dearest Son, look favourably upon all who have honoured rny memory ; " to this prayer He condescended very lovingly, treating them with the greatest tenderness. When the Saint communicated, she offered the Most Holy Sacrament to our Lord for His eternal praise, and for the increase of the joy and glory of His Blessed Mother, as a compensation for the merits with which she had supplied her poverty. Our Lord then addressed Him self lovingly to His Mother, saying : " Behold, My Mother, I return what you gave doubled, and I take nothing from her of what you desired to bestow on her for My sake." After the procession the community returned to the choir, singing the Antiphon Ave domina mundi Maria, and it appeared to St. Gertrude that heaven itself was full of joy find triumph, the Blessed Virgin standing before the altar at the right of her Son, and looking upon the religious.

As they sang Ave ccelorum regina, all the Saints pro strated before her, reverencing her as the Mother of their Lord ; at the words Ave virgo virginum, she extended her hand, and presented each with a white lily, engaging them to follow the innocence and purity of her life. When they sang Per te venit redemptio nostra, her maternal feelings were so deeply moved, that she appeared unable to bear the joy with which her heart was filled, and supported her self lovingly upon her Divine Son • at the words Pro nobis rogamus, rogita, the Blessed Virgin embraced her Son, re spectfully offering each sister to Him, and praying for each. When they commenced the Antiphon Hodie beata Virgo,1* St. Gertrude beheld her surrounded with glory, and elevated in the arms of her Son to the highest heavens, attended by all the heavenly host with the greatest honour. In this exalted position she blessed the community with the right hand of her Divine Son ; and after this benediction, a golden cross appeared upon each religious, fastened by a green cord ; by which the Saint understood that a firm faith would render all who possessed it sharers in the same benediction of this Mother of Mercy.