Chapter 59: For the Dedication of a Church

§ 1. Of patience under calumnies, of the oblation of our hearts in trouble, and of mutual charity.

ON the Feast of the Dedication of the Church, as they chanted those words at Matins, Regina Saba venit, &c., at the words Cum gemmis virtutum she said to God, with great compunction : "Alas, most kind Lord ! how shall I come to Thee, since I am not adorned with even the smallest garment of virtue 1 " He replied : " Do you not know that you are sometimes annoyed by the calumnies which are said of you ? " " Alas, Lord ! " she answered . " my sins in this matter are often a stumbling-block to my neighbour." He replied : " Make each of these words which annoy you an ornament of virtue, and then come to Me, and I will be moved by My goodness, and receive you lovingly ; the more you are blamed, the more My Heart will incline towards you, since you thus become more like Me ; for I suffered contradictions continually."

At the Response Benedic, our Lord introduced her into His Heart, which He adorned as a house, that she might celebrate the Dedication therein ; but the exceeding delights which she found there so overcame her, that she said to our Lord : " My Lord, if Thou hadst permitted ma to enter even where Thy Feet had once stood, it would have been more than enough for me ; but what return shall I make to Thee for the stupendous favour which Thou hast now bestowed on me ? " He replied : " As you give Me what is most precious to you — namely, your heart — I con sider it only right to give you Mine, to take your delight therein ; for I am a God to you in all things, in virtue, life, and knowledge."

Then she said : " If my heart has pleased Thee in any thing, it has been by Thy grace." He answered : " Those whom I prevent with the sweetness of My benedictions, I reward with beatitude ; and if any one co-operates with My grace, according to the good pleasure of My Heart, I conform Myself also to the good pleasure of his heart."

Our Lord then taught her the importance of mutual support and charity, by a vision of precious stones joined

*iii. Response, i. Nocturn : "Bless, O Lord, this house which I Lave built in Thy name."

together by plates of gold : and she learned that as the jewels were united together by gold, so we should assist and support each other by love and by a pure intention.

§ 2. Of charity towards our enemies, and of the joy of our Lord when a sinner is converted.

On another occasion, on the Vigil of the Dedication, St. Gertrude presented herself before God, who is the King of kings, as another Esther, richly adorned, to plead for her people — that is, for the Church — and she was received by the true Assuerus with such tender charity, that He admitted her into the sanctuary of His most sweet Heart, saying to her : " Behold, I give you all the sweetness of My Divine Heart, that you may pour it forth abundantly on whomsoever you will." Then she poured forth abundant graces on some enemies who had molested the convent * a short time before ; and as soon as she had done this, she perceived that all those on whom even the least drop had fallen, repented of their faults, and were moved to true compunction and desire of penance. Then, as she prayed for another person, and drew forth largely from the Heart of Jesus for him, she perceived that the grace poured on him was immediately converted into gall. As she was much amazed thereat, our Lord gave her this instruction : "When a man gives money to his friends, they are at liberty to purchase what they please with it ; and of those \vlio desire to purchase apples,t some might prefer sour ones to sweet ones, as the former would keep longer. So it is with My elect — when I bestow My grace on them, it operates in them in the way which will benefit them most. For example : it is better for some persons to have troubles in this life than consolations ; so, when I pour out My grace upon them, it increases their trials and afflictions, by which they receive more arid more grace, according to the good pleasure of My Divine Heart ; and the consolation which they will enjoy hereafter is hidden from them now, that they may suffer more purely for My love."

As the Saint heard Matins, at the Response Vidi civitatem our Lord reminded her of certain words which she had often used to induce others to have more con fidence in God ; and He said to her : " Know and be assured that I am always pleased when a soul repents of its faults, and resolves by My grace not to commit them again." When He said this, the Son of God proceeded to the throne of His Father, and chanted the Response Vidi civitatem with a loud and sonorous voice. She understood by this, that the Heart of Jesus is moved by the most ineffable ten derness, when a soul repents for the wanderings, the idle words, or the unprofitable works by which it has withdrawn itself from its God — who, by so many repeated favours, pre vents and follows him — and earnestly begs to avoid a relapse for the future ; and as often as he falls as often does the Son of God chant the same words with ineffable joy. By this she understood, that whoever purposes with sincere com punction to reform his life and to devote himself to good works, will indeed become the tabernacle of God, in which His Divine Majesty, who is blessed for evermore, will abide as a Spouse with His beloved.

God the Father then gave her His benediction, saying, Ecce nova f ado omnia ("Behold, I make all things new;")

*xii. Response, iii. Nocturn.

meaning thereby, that by compunction and the Divine benediction, united to the holy life of the Son of God, the faithful soul was perfectly renewed whereinsoever she had been deficient • and hence there is joy before the angels for every sinner who repents, more than for the ninety and nine who needed no repentance, for the infinite goodness of God delights in seeing a soul truly penitent. Our Lord added: "When I lead a soul forth from this life by a marvellous way to the palaces of heaven, I sing this canticle for her, amongst the other joys with which I console her ' I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, ascending * from the earth ; ' and by these words I renew in her soul all thu joys which I and all the celestial court have had, whenever she was sincerely sorry for her falls."