CHAPTER 3

Of the precious death of Sisters M. and L. Of the exact account taken in Purgatory of their faults, and of the reward of their merits.

TWO LADIES, more illustrious for their virtue than their distinguished birth—sisters in the flesh, but yet more closely united in the spirit by their equality in perfection—were called to the heavenly nuptials by their celestial Spouse, after having lived a most holy life from their very childhood. The first died on the glorious Feast of the Assumption, which was also the day of her profession; the other sister died thirty days after; but their deaths were so edifying and blessed, that we are about to relate some circumstances concerning them.

As Gertrude prayed for the eldest, who died on the Assumption, she appeared to her, surrounded with a glorious light and magnificently adorned, standing before the throne of Jesus Christ; but she seemed ashamed to lift up her eyes to Him, or to gaze upon His majestic countenance. When the Saint perceived this, she was moved to pity, and said to Our Lord: “Alas, most loving Lord! Why dost Thou permit her to stand before Thee as a stranger, without manifesting any tokens of affection for her?” Our Lord then extended His hand to her, as if to draw her to Himself; but she drew back from Him with reverent fear.

As Gertrude marveled much at this, she said to the soul: “Why do you thus fly from the embraces of your Spouse?” She replied: “Because I am not yet perfectly purified from my defects, and am not in a condition to receive His favors. Even if Divine justice did not restrain me, I would deprive myself of these favors, of which I am not worthy.” Gertrude then said: “How can this be, when I now see you standing before God in such glory?” The soul answered: “Although all creatures are present to God, yet souls come near Him in proportion to their perfection in charity; but none are worthy of this blessedness who are not perfectly purified from all the stains which they have contracted during their mortal lives.”

A month after, when the second sister was in her agony, St. Gertrude prayed for her very earnestly. After her death, she appeared to her, surrounded with light, as a young virgin, clothed in a purple robe, that she might be presented to her Spouse. She also saw Jesus Christ, Who stood near her, and Who caused a certain consolation to proceed from His Wounds, to refresh and strengthen her five senses, so that the soul was exceedingly consoled thereby. St. Gertrude then said to Our Lord: “Since Thou art the God of all consolation, why dost Thou permit this soul to appear so sad, as if troubled by some secret grief?” He answered; “I now manifest to her My Humanity, which does not perfectly console her; for thus I reward the special love which she manifested for My Passion in the last moments of her life. But when she is perfectly freed from all her stains, I will manifest the joys of My Divinity to her, and then she will have all she desires.” “But, Lord,” continued the Saint, “how is it that all her faults were not perfectly purified by the charity which she possessed at the last moment of her life, since Scripture teaches that man shall be judged according to the state in which he dies?” The Lord answered: “When a man loses his strength, he has no longer the power to execute his good designs, though he may have the will to do so. When, of My gratuitous goodness, I inspire these desires, and give this will, I do not always efface thereby the stains of past negligences, which would no doubt be accomplished if the person recovered health and strength, and then began to reform his life thoroughly.” She replied: “Alas, Lord, cannot Thy abundant mercy remit the sins of this soul, who has loved Thee so ardently from her very childhood?” He answered: “I will indeed reward her love abundantly; but My justice must first be satisfied by the removal of her stains.” Our Lord then turned lovingly to this soul, and said to her: “My spouse will consent willingly to what My justice requires; and when she is purified, she will enjoy My glory and consolation.” As she consented, Our Lord seemed to ascend into Heaven, and to leave her after Him where she was; but she appeared as if ardently desiring to follow Him. The solitude was to purify her from the stains which she had contracted by conversing too freely with the other sex; and the efforts she made to ascend upwards purified her from some faults of indolence.

On another occasion, as St. Gertrude prayed for the same person at Mass, she said, at the Elevation of the Host: “Holy Father, I offer this Host to Thee for this soul on the part of all in Heaven, on earth and in the deep”; and she beheld this soul in the air, surrounded by a multitude of persons, who held representations of the Host in their hands, which they offered up on bended knees. The soul appeared to receive great assistance and inestimable joy from this devotion. Then the soul said: “I now experience the truth of what is said in Scripture, that no good action, however trifling, will fail to be rewarded, and that no negligence, however trifling, will be unpunished;15 for this offering of the Sacrament of the Altar procures the greatest consolation for me, on account of my former devotion in receiving It; and the ardent charity which I had for others greatly enhances the prayers which are made for me; while for both of these things I shall receive an eternal recompense.”

The soul then appeared as if elevated higher and higher by the prayers of the Church; and when her purification was accomplished, the Saint beheld Our Lord coming for her to crown her as a queen, and to conduct her to eternal joys.