3 hours ago
Sixth Vision and Consolation, Wherein She Beheld God Inasmuch as He Is Love, Whereby She Was Transformed in the Divine Love
Methought one time in Lent that I was exceeding parched and lacking in devotion, wherefore I prayed God that He would give me something of Himself, because all goodness was dried up within me. Then were the eyes of my soul opened and I beheld love advancing gently toward me, and I beheld the beginning but not the end. Unto me there seemed only a continuation and eternity thereof, so that I can describe neither likeness nor colour, but immediately that this love reached me, I did behold all these things more clearly with the eyes of the soul than I could do with the eyes of the body.
This love came towards me after the manner of a sickle. Not that there was any actual and measurable likeness, but when first it appeared unto me it did not give itself unto me in such abundance as I expected, but part of it was withdrawn. Therefore do I say, after the manner of a sickle. Then was I filled with love and inestimable satiety; but although it did well satisfy me, it did generate within me so great an hunger that all my members were loosened and my soul fainted with longing to attain unto the remainder.
Then did I refuse either to see or to hearken unto any creature; I spake not, but my soul spake within me, crying out and beseeching that love would not make it thus to faint for love's sake, because it held life to be but death.
Then did I first invoke the Blessed Virgin, and afterwards the holy apostles, that they would go with my soul and beseech and implore the Most High that He would no longer cause it to suffer this death, but that He would permit it to attain unto that which it desired, namely, unto the remainder of righteous love. Likewise in this faintness I did pray unto the blessed Francis and the holy Evangelists and did make earnest supplication and cry unto them, inasmuch as I was drawn nigh unto them through the love which I felt. And believing myself to be all love, I said, "Many are there who think they do dwell in love and they dwell in hatred, and many on the contrary think they dwell in hatred and they do verily dwell in love." But my soul sought to know this of a certainty, and God permitted me to feel it so clearly that I was wholly content. For I was so filled with this love that after this happened I do not believe I could ever have been without it, nor could I believe any creature who said otherwise; even had it been an angel I would not have believed it, but would have answered, "Thou art he who is fallen from heaven."
And methought that I beheld in myself two sides, as though a road had been made through me; upon the one side I saw this love and all goodness (the which was of God and not of me), and upon the other side I saw myself all dried up, where there was nothing good. Wherefore I considered that the thing I loved proceeded not from me, albeit I was in love, but that it came from God alone, in whom all love was joined together.
Then gave He unto me greater and more ardent love than before, and I desired to go unto this love. Thus were there two loves, that of which I have already spoken and which was so great that I knew not that any could be greater, until there came upon me a mortal love, and betwixt this love and that other mortal love a great heat. There is a certain middle-place of the which I can say nothing, so deep was it, so full of joy and unspeakable delight.
Then do I wish to hear nothing of the Passion, neither would I that God should be named before me, because when I hear Him named it exciteth in me so much devotion that I faint and am distressed for love of Him, and all lesser things do trouble me. In comparison with this I do esteem as nothing all that is related in the Gospel of the Life of Christ, or in other places, for in God do I behold greater and yet more incomparable things.
Since He hath left me I am remained as contented as an angel; for I love toads and serpents, and even fools and demons, and nothing that I see them do, even sins committed against others, can displease me, inasmuch as I believe that God doth justly permit it and desire that it should be done. And when I am in this state I should take no heed if dogs were to bite me, neither should I seem to suffer any pain.
In this state, therefore, there can be no thought or grievous remembrance of the Passion of Christ, or any tears, albeit there was at one time added unto this love the remembrance of the inestimable worth of the precious Blood through which the world was redeemed. Wherefore do I marvel how they can exist together. Nevertheless, there was none of the suffering of the Passion, for the Passion showeth us the way we have to go and teacheth us what we have to do. And this state is greater than that of standing ever at the foot of Christ's Cross, in continual remembrance, as did the Blessed Francis, albeit the soul frequenteth both the one and the other state.
Methought one time in Lent that I was exceeding parched and lacking in devotion, wherefore I prayed God that He would give me something of Himself, because all goodness was dried up within me. Then were the eyes of my soul opened and I beheld love advancing gently toward me, and I beheld the beginning but not the end. Unto me there seemed only a continuation and eternity thereof, so that I can describe neither likeness nor colour, but immediately that this love reached me, I did behold all these things more clearly with the eyes of the soul than I could do with the eyes of the body.
This love came towards me after the manner of a sickle. Not that there was any actual and measurable likeness, but when first it appeared unto me it did not give itself unto me in such abundance as I expected, but part of it was withdrawn. Therefore do I say, after the manner of a sickle. Then was I filled with love and inestimable satiety; but although it did well satisfy me, it did generate within me so great an hunger that all my members were loosened and my soul fainted with longing to attain unto the remainder.
Then did I refuse either to see or to hearken unto any creature; I spake not, but my soul spake within me, crying out and beseeching that love would not make it thus to faint for love's sake, because it held life to be but death.
Then did I first invoke the Blessed Virgin, and afterwards the holy apostles, that they would go with my soul and beseech and implore the Most High that He would no longer cause it to suffer this death, but that He would permit it to attain unto that which it desired, namely, unto the remainder of righteous love. Likewise in this faintness I did pray unto the blessed Francis and the holy Evangelists and did make earnest supplication and cry unto them, inasmuch as I was drawn nigh unto them through the love which I felt. And believing myself to be all love, I said, "Many are there who think they do dwell in love and they dwell in hatred, and many on the contrary think they dwell in hatred and they do verily dwell in love." But my soul sought to know this of a certainty, and God permitted me to feel it so clearly that I was wholly content. For I was so filled with this love that after this happened I do not believe I could ever have been without it, nor could I believe any creature who said otherwise; even had it been an angel I would not have believed it, but would have answered, "Thou art he who is fallen from heaven."
And methought that I beheld in myself two sides, as though a road had been made through me; upon the one side I saw this love and all goodness (the which was of God and not of me), and upon the other side I saw myself all dried up, where there was nothing good. Wherefore I considered that the thing I loved proceeded not from me, albeit I was in love, but that it came from God alone, in whom all love was joined together.
Then gave He unto me greater and more ardent love than before, and I desired to go unto this love. Thus were there two loves, that of which I have already spoken and which was so great that I knew not that any could be greater, until there came upon me a mortal love, and betwixt this love and that other mortal love a great heat. There is a certain middle-place of the which I can say nothing, so deep was it, so full of joy and unspeakable delight.
Then do I wish to hear nothing of the Passion, neither would I that God should be named before me, because when I hear Him named it exciteth in me so much devotion that I faint and am distressed for love of Him, and all lesser things do trouble me. In comparison with this I do esteem as nothing all that is related in the Gospel of the Life of Christ, or in other places, for in God do I behold greater and yet more incomparable things.
Since He hath left me I am remained as contented as an angel; for I love toads and serpents, and even fools and demons, and nothing that I see them do, even sins committed against others, can displease me, inasmuch as I believe that God doth justly permit it and desire that it should be done. And when I am in this state I should take no heed if dogs were to bite me, neither should I seem to suffer any pain.
In this state, therefore, there can be no thought or grievous remembrance of the Passion of Christ, or any tears, albeit there was at one time added unto this love the remembrance of the inestimable worth of the precious Blood through which the world was redeemed. Wherefore do I marvel how they can exist together. Nevertheless, there was none of the suffering of the Passion, for the Passion showeth us the way we have to go and teacheth us what we have to do. And this state is greater than that of standing ever at the foot of Christ's Cross, in continual remembrance, as did the Blessed Francis, albeit the soul frequenteth both the one and the other state.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre