|
"Paul, then, had seen and tasted this good, when I
drew him up into the third heaven, that is into the
height of the Trinity, where he tasted and knew My
Truth, receiving fully the Holy Spirit, and learning
the doctrine of My Truth, the Word Incarnate. The
soul of Paul was clothed, through feeling and union,
in Me, Eternal Father, like the blessed ones in
Eternal Life, except that his soul was not separated
from his body, except through this feeling and union.
"But it being pleasing to My Goodness to make of
him a vessel of election in the abyss of Me, Eternal
Trinity, I dispossessed him of Myself, because on Me
can no pain fall, and I wished him to suffer for My
name; therefore I placed before him, as an object for
the eyes of his intellect, Christ crucified, clothing
him with the garment of His doctrine, binding and
fettering him with the clemency of the Holy Spirit
and inflaming him with the fire of charity. He became
a vessel, disposed and reformed by My Goodness, and,
on being struck, made no resistance, but said: 'My
Lord, what do You wish me to do? Show me that which
it is Your pleasure for me to do, and I will do it.'
"Which I answered when I placed before him Christ
crucified, clothing him with the doctrine of My
charity. I illuminated him perfectly with the light
of true contrition, by which he extirpated his
defects, and founded him in My charity."
|
| |
"And when I depart
from the soul in the aforesaid way that the body may return a little to its
corporal sentiment, the soul, on account of the union which she had made with
Me, is impatient in her life, being deprived of union with Me, and the
conversation of the Immortals, who render glory to Me, and finding herself, amid
the conversation of mortals, and seeing them so miserably offending Me.
"This
vision of My offense is the torture which such souls always have, and which,
with the desire to see Me, renders their life
insupportable to them. Nevertheless, as their will is
not their own, but becomes one with Mine, they cannot
desire other than what I desire, and though they
desire to come and be with Me, they are contented to
remain, if I desire them to remain, with their pain,
for the greater praise and glory of My Name and the
salvation of souls. So that in nothing are they in
discord with My Will; but they run their course with
ecstatic desire, clothed in Christ crucified, and
keeping by the Bridge of His doctrine, glorying in
His shame and pains.
"Inasmuch as they appear to be suffering they are
rejoicing, because the enduring of many tribulations
is to them a relief in the desire which they have for
death, for oftentimes the desire and the will to
suffer pain mitigates the pain caused them by their
desire to quit the body. These not only endure with
patience, as I told you they did, who are in the
third state, but they glory, through My Name, in
bearing much tribulation. In bearing tribulation they
find pleasure, and not having it they suffer pain,
fearing that I reward not their well-doing or that
the sacrifice of their desires is not pleasing to Me;
but when I permit to them many tribulations they
rejoice, seeing themselves clothed with the suffering
and shame of Christ crucified.
"Wherefore were it possible for them to have
virtue without toil they would not want it. They
would rather delight in the Cross, with Christ,
acquiring it with pain, than in any other way obtain
Eternal Life. Why? Because they are inflamed and
steeped in the Blood, where they find the blaze of My
charity, which charity is a fire proceeding from Me,
ravishing their heart and mind and making their
sacrifices acceptable. Wherefore, the eye of the
intellect is lifted up and gazes into My Deity, when
the affection behind the intellect is nourished and
united with Me. This is a sight which I grant to the
soul, infused with grace, who, in truth, loves and
serves Me." |
