Chapter 11: How Brother John was rewarded for his labours and punished for his faults

As it is but just that souls should be purified from their stains before they receive the reward of their good works, yet it sometimes appears that Mercy triumphs over Justice, as in the case of Brother John, the Procurator, who worked so faithfully and laboriously for the good of the convent. His good works appeared in the form of steps, by which his soul ascended, after its separation from the body, satis.

fying for its imperfections by the pain which this exertion cost him ; but the higher he ascended, the less difficulty he experienced. However, as it is difficult to avoid all imper fections in this life, and as the justice of God punishes even the least negligence, when he came to certain steps he was seized with a sudden fear, which stupefied him, as if he expected that the next step would give way beneath him.

From this Gertrude understood that some of his good works had been tainted by some infidelity, from which he was purified by this fear. When other members of the congregation prayed for him either mentally or vocally, she perceived that he was assisted in his ascent, as if they bad extended their hands to help him upwards, and thus afforded him great consolation.

It was also revealed to her, that those who had served her community, when they expiated their faults after their death, were relieved in consideration of the services which they had rendered to them, and that this privilege would be continued as long as the religious continued in the same state of fervour.