VOLUME 1
J.M.J.
In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Out of pure obedience, I begin to write.
You know, oh! Lord, the sacrifice it costs me, such that I 0 submit myself to a thousand deaths rather than write one single line of the things that have passed between me and You. Oh! my God, my nature trembles, it feels crushed and almost undone at the mere thought of it. O please! give me strength, oh! Life of my life, that I may do the holy obedience! You who have given inspiration to the confessor, give me the grace to be able to execute what is commanded of me.
Oh! Jesus, oh! Spouse, oh! my strength – to You I rise, to You I come, into your arms I introduce myself, I abandon myself, I rest. O please! relieve me in my affliction and do not leave me alone and abandoned! Without your help, I am sure I will not have the strength to do this obedience that costs me so much – I will let myself be defeated by the enemy, and I fear of being crushed by You, justly, because of my disobedience.
O please! look at me, again and again, oh! Holy Spouse, in these arms of yours – see by how much darkness I am surrounded; it is so thick as to allow not even one atom of light to enter into my soul. Oh! my mystical Sun, Jesus – let this light shine within my mind, that it may dispel the darkness and I may freely remember those graces that You had given to my soul. Oh! Eternal Sun, unleash another ray of light into my inmost heart, and purify it of the mud in which it lies – ignite it, consume it with your love, so that my heart, which, more than anything, has experienced the sweetness of your love, may manifest them clearly to the one to whom it is obliged to do so. Oh! my Sun Jesus, one more ray of light upon my lips, that I may say the pure truth, with the sole purpose of knowing whether it is really You, or rather, an illusion from the enemy. But, oh! Jesus, how poor in light I still see myself in these arms of yours. O please! content me – You who love me so much, continue to send me light. Oh! my Sun, my beautiful One, I want to enter right into the center, that I may remain completely sunken within this most pure light. Oh! Divine Sun, let this light precede me in front of me, follow me behind me, surround me everywhere, and penetrate into every intimate hiding place of my interior, that my terrestrial being may be consumed, and You may transform it completely into your Divine Being.
Most Holy Virgin, lovable Mother, come to my aid, obtain for me from your sweet Jesus and mine, grace and strength in order to do this obedience. Saint Joseph, my dear protector, assist me in this circumstance of mine. Archangel Saint Michael, defend me from the infernal enemy, who puts so many obstacles in my mind to make me fail this obedience. Archangel Saint Rafael, and you, my guardian Angel, come to assist me and to accompany me, to direct my hand, that I may write the truth alone.
May everything be for the honor and glory of God – and to me, all the confusion. Oh! Holy Spouse, come to my help. In considering the many graces You have given to my soul, I feel all horrified and frightened, all full of confusion and shame at seeing myself still so bad and unrequiting of your graces. But, my lovable and sweet Jesus, forgive me, do not withdraw from me, but continue to pour your grace into me, that You may make of me a triumph of your mercy.

I begin. A novena of Holy Christmas. At the age of about seventeen, I prepared myself for the Feast of Holy Christmas, by practicing various acts of virtue and mortification, and, especially, by honoring the nine months which Jesus spent in the maternal womb with nine hours of meditation each day, always concerning the mystery of the Incarnation.
As for example, in one hour, with my thought, I brought myself to Paradise, and I imagined the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, sending the Son upon earth; the Son, promptly obeying the Will of the Father; the Holy Spirit, consenting. My mind was confounded in contemplating a mystery so great, a love so reciprocal, so equal, so strong among Themselves and toward men; and then, the ingratitude of men, and especially my own. I would have remained there, not for one hour, but for the whole day; but an interior voice told me: “Enough – come and see other greater excesses of my love.”
Then, my mind brought itself into the maternal womb, and remained stupefied in considering a God so great in Heaven, now so annihilated, restricted, constrained, as to be unable to move, and almost even to breathe. The interior voice told me: “Do you see how much I have loved you?” O please! make Me a little space in your heart; remove everything which is not mine, so you will give Me more freedom to move and to breathe.” My heart was consumed; I asked for His forgiveness, I promised to be completely His own, I poured myself out in crying; but – I say this to my confusion – I would go back to my usual defects. Oh! Jesus, how good You have been with this miserable creature.
In this way I would spend the second hour of the day, and then, so forth with the rest – I would be annoying if I told them all. And I would do this sometimes kneeling, and when I was impeded by my family, also while working. In fact, the interior voice gave me no respite and no peace if I did not do what it wanted; therefore, work was not an impediment for me to doing what I had to do. In this way I spent the days of the novena, and when the eve came, I felt more than ever ignited with unusual fervor. I was alone in the room, and here comes Little Baby Jesus in front of me – all beautiful, yes, but shivering, in the act of wanting to hug me. I stood up and ran to hug Him, but in the act of squeezing Him He disappeared from me – and this occurred as many as three times. I remained so moved and ignited that I cannot explain it. But then, after some time, I did not take it much into account. I did not tell anyone, and from time to time I would fall into my usual defects. However, the interior voice never left me again; in everything it reprimanded me, it corrected me, it encouraged me – in a word, the Lord acted with me like a good father, whose child tries to deviate from the right path, and he uses all the attentions and cares to hold him back, so as to make of him his honor, his glory, his crown. But, oh! Lord, too ungrateful have I been with You.
So, from the beginning, the Divine Master began to strip my heart of all creatures, and through an interior voice, He would tell me: “I am all that is beautiful and that deserves to be loved. See, if you do not remove this little world that surrounds you – that is, thoughts of creatures, imagination – I cannot enter freely into your heart. This murmuring in your mind is a hindrance to letting you hear my voice more clearly, to pouring my graces, to truly enamoring you of Me. Promise Me that you will be all mine, and I Myself will put my hand in the work. You are right that you can do nothing. Do not fear, I will do everything; give Me your will – this is enough for Me.”
This would happen mostly during Communion. So I would promise Him to be all His own; I would ask His forgiveness, for up to that point, I had not been so; I would say to Him that I truly wanted to love Him, and I prayed Him never to leave me alone again without Him. And the voice would continue: “No, no – I will be together with you, observing all of your actions, your movements, your desires.”
So, I would feel Him upon me for the whole day; He reprimanded me in everything. For example, if I let myself be carried away in conversing a little too much with my family, even of indifferent things which were not necessary, the interior voice would tell me: “These discourses fill your mind with things that do not belong to Me; they surround your heart with dust, such as to make you feel my grace as weak, no longer alive. O please! imitate Me when I was in the house of Nazareth – my mind was occupied with nothing but the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls; my mouth uttered nothing but holy discourses. With my words I tried to repair for the offenses against the Father, to dart through hearts and draw them to my love – and primarily my Mother and St. Joseph. In a word, everything called upon God, everything was done for God, and everything referred to Him. Why could you not do the same?”
I remained mute – all confused. I tried to be alone as much as I could; I confessed to Him my weakness, and I asked for His help and grace to be able to do what He wanted, because, by myself, I could do nothing but evil. If during the day my mind was occupied with thinking about people I loved, immediately He would reprimand me, telling me: “Is this the love you have for Me? Who has ever loved you like Me? Look, if you do not stop it, I will leave you.” At times I felt myself being given such and so many bitter reproaches, that I would do nothing but cry.
One morning in particular, after Communion, He gave me a light so clear about the great love He had for me, and about the fickleness and inconstancy of creatures, that my heart was so convinced as to be incapable, from that time on, of loving anyone. He taught me the way how to love people without detaching myself from Him – that is, by looking at creatures as images of God, in such a way that, if I received good from creatures, I was to think that God alone was the prime author of that good and that He had used the creature in order to send it to me; so my heart would be bound more to God. If then I received mortifications, I was to look at them also as instruments in the hands of God for my sanctification; so my heart would not remain huffy with my neighbor. In this way, it happened that I would look at all creatures in God. Whatever fault I might see in them, I would never lose esteem for them. If they mocked me, I felt obliged, thinking that they were allowing me to make more gains for my soul; if they praised me, I received these praises with contempt, saying: ‘Today this, tomorrow they may hate me’, considering their inconstancy. In sum, my heart acquired such freedom, that I myself cannot explain it.
When the Divine Master freed me from the external world, then He put His hand into purifying my interior, and through an interior voice He told me: “Now we are alone – there is no one left who may disturb us. Aren’t you happier now than before, when you had to content many upon many? You see, it is easier to content one alone. You must consider as if you and I were alone in the world; promise Me to be faithful, and I will pour such and so many graces into you, that you yourself will be amazed.»
Then He continued, telling me: “I have made great designs upon you, as long as you correspond to Me – I want to make of you a perfect image of Me, beginning from the moment I was born up to my death. I Myself will teach you, little at a time, the way you will do it.”
And it happened in this way: every morning, after Communion, He would tell me what I was supposed to do during the day. I will say everything briefly, because after so much time it is impossible to say everything. I don’t remember for sure, but it seems to me that He told me that the first thing which was necessary in order to purify the interior of my heart, was the annihilation of myself – that is, humility. And He continued, telling me: “See, so that I may pour my graces in your heart, I really want to make you understand that by yourself you can do nothing. I am very much wary of those souls who attribute what they do to themselves, wanting to make of my graces as many thefts. On the other hand, with those who know themselves, I am generous in pouring my graces in torrents. Knowing very well that they can attribute nothing to themselves, they are grateful to Me, they hold it in that esteem which befits it, and they live with the continuous fear that, if they do not correspond to Me, I may take away from them that which I gave, knowing that it is not something of their own. All the opposite in the hearts which reek of pride. I cannot even enter into their hearts because they are so swollen with themselves that there is no space in which to put Myself. The miserable ones take my graces into no account, and they go from fall to fall, up to their ruin. Therefore, on this day I want you to make continuous acts of humility; I want you to be like a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, who can move neither a foot to take a step, nor a hand to work, but expects everything from his mother. In the same way, you will stay close to Me like a baby, always praying Me to assist you, to help you; always confessing to Me your nothingness – in sum, expecting everything from Me.”
I tried to do as much as I could to content Him – I would make myself smaller, I would annihilate myself, and sometimes I reached the point of feeling my being as almost undone, in such a way that I could not work, nor take one step, or even one breath if He did not sustain me. Also, I saw myself as so bad, that I was ashamed of being seen by people, knowing myself as the ugliest – as, in reality, I am still. So, as much as I could shun people, I shunned them, saying to myself: ‘Oh! if they knew how bad I am, and if they could see the graces that the Lord is giving me (for I wouldn’t tell anything to anyone), and that I am always the same – oh! how horrified they would be with me.’
Then, in the morning, when I would go again to Communion, it seemed that in coming into me He made feast for the contentment He felt in seeing me so annihilated. He would tell me other things about the annihilation of myself, but in ways which were always different from the previous time. I believe that He spoke to me not once, but hundreds of times; and if He had spoken to me thousands of times, He would have always new ways to speak about the same virtue. Oh! my Divine Master, how wise You are – had I at least corresponded to You.
I remember that, one morning, while He spoke to me about the same virtue, He told me that because of lack of humility I had committed many sins, and that if I had been more humble, I would have kept closer to Him and I would not have done so much evil. He made me understand how ugly sin is – the affront that this miserable little worm had made to Jesus Christ, the horrendous ingratitude, the enormous wickedness, the harm that had come to my soul. I was so dismayed, that I did not know what to do in order to repair. I did some mortifications, I asked for more from the confessor, but few were given to me, so they all seemed shadows to me, and I did nothing but think about my sins, though clinging more and more to Him. I had such fear of moving away and of doing worse than before, that I myself cannot express it. When I was with Him, I did nothing but tell Him of the pain I felt for having offended Him. I kept asking for His forgiveness, I thanked Him for having been so good to me, and I said to Him from the heart: ‘See, Oh Lord, the time I have lost, while I could love You.’ So, I was unable to say anything but the grave evil I had done.
Finally, one day, reprimanding me, He told me: “I do not want you to think about it. When a soul has humbled herself, convinced of having done wrong, and has cleansed her soul in the Sacrament of Confession, and is ready to die rather than offend Me – it is an affront to my mercy, it is a hindrance to drawing her close to my love, because her mind is always trying to roll in the past mud. She also prevents Me from letting her take flights toward Heaven, because she is always with those ideas wrapped within herself, if she tries to think about it. And then, see, I no longer remember anything; I have perfectly forgotten about it. Do you see any rancor or shadow on my part?”
And I said to Him: ‘No Lord, You are so good.’ But I felt my heart split with tenderness.
“Well then, are you the one who wants to carry these things on?”
And I: ‘No, no, I don’t want to.’
And He: “Let us think about loving and contenting each other.”
From that time on, I did not think about it so much; I did as much as I could in order to content Him, and I prayed that He Himself would teach me what I should do in order to repair for the time past. And He said to me: “I am ready to do what you want. See, the first thing that I told you I wanted from you was the imitation of my life; so, let us see what you lack.”
‘Lord’, I said to Him, ‘I lack everything – I have nothing.’ “Well then”, He said to me, “do not fear, little by little we will do everything. I Myself know how weak you are, but it is from Me that you must draw strength.” (I don’t remember it in sequence, but I will say what I can) And He added: “I want you to be always upright in your operating – with one eye look at Me, and with the other eye look at what you are doing. I want creatures to disappear from you completely. If you receive a command, do not look at the people, no – but you must think that I Myself want you to do what you are being commanded. So, with your eye fixed in Me, you will not judge anyone, you will not look at whether the thing is painful or enjoyable – whether you can do it or not. Closing your eyes to all this, you will open them to look at Me alone; you will take Me together with you, thinking that my gaze is fixed on you, and you will say to Me: ‘Lord, for You alone I do this; for You alone I want to work – no longer a slave of the creatures.’ So, if you walk, if you work, if you speak – in anything you do, your only aim must be that of pleasing Me alone. Oh! how many defects you will avoid, if you do this.”
Other times, He would say to me: “I also want that, if people mortify you, insult you, contradict you, you keep your gaze fixed in Me, thinking that from my own lips I am saying to you: ‘Daughter, it is I Myself that want you to suffer this – not the creatures. Remove your gaze from them; but you and I, always – all others you must destroy. See, I want to render you beautiful by means of these sufferings; I want to enrich you with merits, work your soul, render you similar to Me. You will give it to Me as a gift, you will thank Me affectionately, and will be grateful to those people who give you the occasion to suffer, repaying them with some benefit. By doing this, you will walk as upright before Me; nothing will ever again give you restlessness, and you will enjoy perfect peace.”
After I tried to exercise myself in these things for some time – now doing it and now falling (although I see clearly that I still lack this spirit of uprightness, and I am ever more confounded, thinking of such great ingratitude of mine) – He spoke to me about, and made me understand, the necessity of the spirit of mortification. (Although I remember that, in all these things that He told me, He always added that everything should be done for love of Him, and that the most beautiful virtues, the greatest sacrifices, would render themselves insipid if they did not take origin from love. “Charity”, He said to me, “is a virtue that gives life and splendor to all others, in such a way that, without it, they are all dead. My eye receives no attraction, and they have no power over my Heart. Be attentive, then, and let your works, even the least ones, be invested by charity – that is, in Me, with Me and for Me”).
So, let’s go back to mortification. “I want”, He said to Me, “that all your things, even the necessary ones, be done in a spirit of sacrifice. See, your works cannot be recognized by Me as mine, if they do not have the imprint of mortification. Just as a coin is not recognized by the peoples if it does not carry on itself the image of their king – even more, it is despised and neglected – the same with your works: if they do not have the graft with my cross, they cannot have any value. See, now it is not about destroying the creatures, but yourself – making you die in order to live only in Me and of my own life. It is true that it will cost you more than what you have done; but pluck up courage, do not fear – it is not you who will do it, but I Myself will operate in you.”
So I received more lights about the annihilation of myself. He said to me: “You are nothing but a shadow – as you try to grab it, it escapes you. You are nothing.”
I felt so annihilated, that I would have wanted to hide in the deepest abysses, but I saw myself incapable of doing it. I felt such blushing that I remained mute. While I was in this undoing of my nothingness, He said to Me: “Draw near Me, cling to my arm – I will sustain you with my hands and you will receive strength. You are blind, but my light will serve you as guide. See, I will place Myself in front of you, and you will do nothing but look at Me in order to imitate Me.”
Then He said to me: “The first thing I want you to mortify is your will. That ‘self’ must be destroyed in you; I want you to keep it sacrificed as victim before Me, so that your will and Mine may become one. Aren’t you happy?”
‘Yes, Lord, but give me the grace, for I see that by myself I can do nothing.’ And He continued, telling me: “Yes, I Myself will contradict you in everything, and occasionally by means of creatures.”
And so it happened. For example, if in the morning I woke up and did not get up immediately, the interior voice would tell me: “You rest, while I had no other bed but the cross. Hurry up, hurry up – not so much satisfaction.” If I walked and my sight would run a little farther, immediately He would reprimand me: “I do not want this. Do not let your sight move away from you but the length of one step, so that you won’t trip.” If I was in the countryside and I saw flowers and trees, He would say to me: “I have created everything for love of you, and you, deprive your sight of this delight for love of Me.” Even in the most innocent and holy things, as for example the cloths for the altars, the processions, He would say to me: “You must take no other pleasure but in Me alone.” If I was sitting while working, He would say to me: “You are too comfortable; don’t you remember that my life was a continuous suffering – and you? And you?” In order to content Him, I would immediately shift to half of the chair, leaving the other half empty; and sometimes, jokingly, I said to Him: ‘See oh Lord, half the chair is empty – come and sit near me.’ Sometimes it seemed He would content me, and I felt such delight that I myself cannot express it. Sometimes, then, while I was working a little slowly and listlessly, He would say to Me: “Hurry up, help yourself, for in the time you gain by helping yourself you will come and be with Me in prayer.” Sometimes, He Himself would assign to me how much work I was supposed to do. Then I would pray Him to come and help me. “Yes, yes”, He would answer me, “we will do it together, so that when you have finished, we will be more free.” And it would happen that in one hour or two I did what I was supposed to do during the whole day. Then I would go to pray, and He gave me much light and told me many things, such that it would be too long if I wanted to say them all.
I remember that while I was alone, working, I noticed that the thread was not enough to finish that work, and that I would need to go to my family in order to get some. So I turned to Him and I said: ‘What is the purpose of having helped me, my beloved? As I see that I need to go to my family, I may find people who may prevent me from coming back here, and this time our conversation will come to nothing.’ “What, what?”, He said to me, “Don’t you have faith?” ‘Yes.’ “Well then, do not fear, for I will make you complete everything.” And so it happened; and then I would start to pray.
If then, at lunch time, I ate something tasty, immediately He would reprimand me interiorly, saying: “Have you perhaps forgotten that I had no other taste but suffering for love of you? And that you must have no other taste but mortifying yourself for love of Me? Leave it aside, and eat that which you like the least.” And immediately I would take it and bring it to the maid, or I would say that I didn’t want it any more; and many times I remained almost on an empty stomach. However, when I would go to pray, I would receive so much strength and feel so satiated, that I would feel nausea for everything. Other times, then, in order to contradict me, if I did not feel like eating, He would say to me: “I want you to eat for love of Me, and as the food unites with the body, pray to Me that my love may unite with your soul; and everything will be sanctified.”
In a word, without going any further, even in the smallest things, He tried to make my will die, so that it might live only for Him. He allowed that I be contradicted also by the confessor. As for example: I would feel a great need to receive Communion; for the whole day and night I would do nothing but prepare myself. My eyes could not close to sleep because of the continuous throbbing of my heart. I would say to Him: ‘Lord, hurry, for I cannot be without You. Accelerate the hours, let the sun rise quickly, for I cannot endure anymore, my heart is fainting.’ He Himself would make me such loving invitations that I would feel my heart crack. He would say to me: “See, I am alone, do not be troubled because you cannot sleep – this is about keeping company with your God, with your Spouse, with your All, who is continuously offended. O please! do not deny Me this relief, because, then, in your afflictions I do not leave you.” But while I was with these dispositions, in the morning I would go to the confessor, and without knowing why, the first thing he would say to me was: “I do not want you to receive Communion.” I tell the truth, this was so bitter for me, that sometimes I would do nothing but cry. I would not dare to say anything to the confessor, because He Himself wanted him to do so, otherwise He would reproach me. But I would go to Him and tell Him of my pain: ‘Ah! my Good, is this the vigil we have kept last night – that after so much waiting and yearning I was to remain without You? I know well that I must obey, but tell me something – can I be without You? Who will give me strength? And then, who will have the courage to depart from this church without bringing You along? I don’t know what to do, but You can remedy everything.’ While pouring myself out in this way, I would feel a fire come near me, and a flame enter into my heart. I would feel Him inside of me, and immediately He would say to me: “Calm yourself, calm yourself. Here you are – I am already in your heart. What do you fear now? Do not afflict yourself any more, I Myself want to dry your tears. You are right, you could not be without Me, could you?”
I would then remain so very annihilated within myself, and I would say to Him that if I were good, He would not have disposed it that way; and I prayed Him never to leave me again, for I did not want to be without Him.
After these things, one day, after Communion, I felt Him within me, all love – loving me so much that I myself was very much amazed, for I saw myself as so bad and unrequiting. And I said within myself: ‘If only I were good and requiting. I fear that He might leave me (I have always had this fear that He might leave me, and I still do; and sometimes the pain I feel is so great, that I believe that the pain of death would be lesser, and if He Himself does not come to calm me, I can give myself no peace) – while He wants to draw more intimately close to me.’ While I felt Him inside of me in this way, through an interior voice, He said to me: “My beloved, the things past have been nothing but a preparation. Now I want to come to facts, and in order to dispose your heart to do what I want from you – that is, the imitation of my life – I want you to sink into the immense sea of my Passion; and when you have understood well the bitterness of my pains, the love with which I suffered them, Who I am who suffered so much, and who you are, a most wretched creature – ah! your heart will not dare to oppose the blows, the cross, which, only for your good, I have prepared. On the contrary, by just thinking that I, your Master, have suffered so much, your pains will seem shadows to you compared to mine. Suffering will be sweet for you, and you will reach the point of not being able to be without sufferings.”
My nature trembled at the mere thought of sufferings; I prayed that He Himself would give me the strength, because without Him I would use His very gifts to offend the giver. So, I gave all of myself to meditating the Passion, and this did so much good to my soul, that I believe that all the good has come to me from that source. I pictured the Passion of Jesus Christ like an immense sea of light, which wounded me all over with His innumerable rays – rays of patience, of humility, of obedience, and of many other virtues. I saw myself as all surrounded by this light, and I remained annihilated at seeing myself so different from Him. Those rays that inundated me were as many reproaches for me. I heard them say: “A God so patient – and you? A God humble and submitted even to His very enemies – and you? A God who suffers so much for love of you – and where are your sufferings for love of Him?”
Sometimes He Himself would make me the narration of the pains suffered by Him, and I was so moved that I would cry bitterly. One day, while working, I was considering the most bitter pains that my good Jesus suffered; I felt my heart so oppressed by the pain, that I was out of breath. Fearing something, I wanted to distract myself by going out to the balcony. I go about looking in the middle of the street – but what do I see? I see the street all filled with people, and, in the middle, my loving Jesus with the Cross upon His shoulders. Some pulled Him to one side, some to another. All panting, with His face dripping with blood, He raised His eyes toward me in act of asking for my help. Who can tell the sorrow I felt, the impression that a sight so pitiful made on my soul. I immediately went inside, I myself did not know where I was; I felt my heart split with pain. I shouted; crying, I said to Him: ‘My Jesus, if only I could help You! If only I could free You from those wolves so rabid! Ah! I wish at least to suffer those pains in your place, to give a relief to my sorrow. O please! my Good, give me suffering, for it is not fair that You suffer so much, while I, a sinner, remain without suffering.’
From that time on, I remember that such a great yearning for suffering ignited within me, that it has not dampened yet. I also remember that after Communion I would ardently pray Him to concede me suffering; and sometimes, to content me, He seemed to take the thorns from His crown and prick my heart. Other times, I felt Him take my heart in His hands and squeeze it so tightly, that I felt faint for the pain. When I realized that people might notice something, and He was disposed to give me these pains, I would immediately say to Him: ‘Lord, what are You doing? I beg You to give me suffering, but that it be hidden to everyone.’ Up to a certain time, He made me content, but my sins have rendered me unworthy to suffer hiddenly, without anyone noticing it.
I remember that many times, after Communion, He said to me: “You will not be able to truly resemble Me other than by means of sufferings. Up until now I have been together with you; now I want to leave you alone a little bit, without letting Myself be felt. See, up to now I have led you by the hand, instructing you and correcting you in everything, and you have done nothing but follow Me. Now I want you to do it by yourself. However, be more attentive than before, thinking that my gaze is fixed on you, though I do not let Myself be heard; and that when I return to make Myself heard, I will come either to reward you, if you have been faithful to Me, or to chastise you, if you have been ungrateful to Me.”
I would be so frightened and terrified. Upon such intimation, I would say to Him: ‘Lord, my All and my Life, how can I survive without You – who will give me the strength? How can this be? After You have made me leave everything, so much so that I feel as if no one existed for me – You want to leave me alone and abandoned. Have You perhaps forgotten how bad I am, and that without You I can do nothing?’ And because of this objection, assuming a more serious look, He would add: “The reason is that I want you to understand well who you are. See, I do this for your good; do not be saddened – I want to prepare your heart to receive the graces which I have designed for you. Up until now I have assisted you sensibly; now, less sensibly – I will make you touch your nothingness with your own hand; I will fuse you thoroughly in profound humility, in order to be able to build most high walls upon you. So, instead of afflicting yourself, you should rejoice and thank Me, because the more quickly I make you cross the stormy sea, the sooner you will reach the port of safety; the harder the trials to which I will submit you, the greater the graces I will give you. Courage, then, courage, and I will come back soon.” And in saying this, He seemed to bless me, and then He would leave.
Who can say the pain I felt – the void He left in my interior, the bitter tears I shed? But I would resign myself to His Holy Will. It seemed that from afar I would kiss His hand which had blessed me, saying to Him: ‘Good-bye, oh Holy Spouse, good-bye.’ I felt as if everything was over for me, because I had only Him, and since He was missing, no other consolation was left to me, but everything would convert into most bitter pains. Even more, creatures themselves would provoke my pain, in such a way that all the things I would look at, seemed to say to me: “See, we are works of your Beloved – and He, where is He?” If I looked at the water, at the fire, at flowers, and even at stones, immediately my thought would say: ‘Ah! these are works of your Spouse. Ah! they have the good of seeing Him, and you do not see Him. O please! works of my Lord, give me news – tell me, where is He? He told me He would come soon, but who knows when.’
At times, I would reach such bitter desolation that I would feel breathless, ice cold all over, and a shiver throughout my whole person. Sometimes my family would notice it; they attributed it to a corporal malady and wanted to put me under treatment, and call doctors. Sometimes they insisted so much that they succeeded, but I would do as much as I could to remain alone; so, they noticed it only a few times. I remembered still, all the graces, the words, the corrections, the reproaches, and I could see with a clear eye how all the work done until then, everything – everything, had been the work of His grace, and that there was nothing left of me but mere nothing and inclination to evil. I could touch with my own hand how, without Him, I could no longer feel love so sensibly, and those lights so clear during meditation, such that I would remain there for two or three hours. However, I did as much as I could in order to do whatever I used to do when I felt Him within me, because I felt those words being repeated to me: “If you are faithful, I will come to reward you; if ungrateful, to chastise you.”
In this way I would spend sometimes two days, sometimes four, more or less, as He pleased. My only comfort was to receive Him in the Sacrament. Ah! yes, certainly I found Him there – I could not doubt; and I remember that only a few times He would not let Himself be heard, because I prayed Him and prayed Him and importuned Him so much, that He would content me. However, not loving and lovable, but severe.
After I would spend those days in that state described above, especially if I had been faithful to Him, I would feel Him come back within me. He spoke to me more clearly, and since during the previous days I had not been able to conceive one word or feel anything within me, I came to know, then, that it was not my fantasy, as I would say many times before; so much so that, of what has been said up to here, I would not say anything, either to the confessor or to any other living soul. But I did as much as I could to correspond to Him, otherwise He would wage such a war against me, that I would have no peace. Ah Lord! You have been so good to me; and I, still so bad.
Continuing what I had started, I would feel Him within me, I would hug Him, I would clasp Him to myself, and say to Him: ‘Beloved Good, see how bitter our separation has been for me.’ And He would say to me: ‘What you have gone through is nothing yet – prepare yourself for harder trials. This is why I have come – to dispose your heart and to fortify it. Now you will tell me everything you have gone through – your doubts and fears, all of your difficulties, that I may teach you how to conduct yourself during my absence.”
So I would make Him the narration of my pains, telling Him: ‘Lord, You see, without You I was unable to do anything good. The meditation – I did it all distracted, ugly; so much so that I would not have the courage to offer it to You at Communion. I was unable to stay there for hours, as when I could feel You; I saw myself alone, I had no one with whom to converse, I felt completely empty. The pain of your absence made me experience mortal agonies; my nature wanted to hurry up so as to escape that pain; more so, since it seemed to me that I would do nothing but waste time, with the fear that, in coming back, You might chastise me because I had not been faithful. So I didn’t know what to do. And then, the pain that You are continuously offended, and of not knowing when to do, as You taught me before, those acts of reparation, those visits to the Most Holy Sacrament for the different offenses You receive. Tell me a little bit, then, what should I have done?’ And He, benignly, instructing me, would say:
1 – “You were wrong in being so disturbed. Don’t you know that I am Spirit of Peace, and the first thing I recommend is that you do not perturb the peace of the heart? When in prayer you are not able to recollect yourself, I do not want you to think of this or that – of how it is and how it is not – because by doing so, you yourself call the distraction. Instead, when you find yourself in that state, the first thing is to humble yourself, confessing yourself as deserving of those pains, placing yourself in the arms of the executioner, like a humble little lamb that, while he kills it, licks his hand. So you – while seeing yourself beaten, disheartened, alone, you will resign yourself to my holy dispositions, you will thank Me wholeheartedly, you will kiss that hand of mine that strikes you, recognizing yourself unworthy of those pains. Then, you will offer to Me those bitternesses, anguishes, tediums, praying Me to accept them as a sacrifice of praise, of satisfaction for your sins, of reparation for the offenses that they give Me. By doing so, your prayer will ascend before my throne as most fragrant incense; it will wound my Heart, and you will draw new graces and new charisms upon yourself. In seeing you humble and resigned, all sunken into your nothingness, the devil will not have the strength to get close. And here is how, where you thought you were losing, you will make great gains.”
2 – With regard to Communion, I do not want you to afflict yourself because you are not able to stay there; know that this is a shadow of the pains I suffered in Gethsemani. What will happen when I make you share in the scourges, the thorns and the nails? The thought of greater pains will make you suffer the minor pains with more courage. So, when during Communion you find yourself alone, agonizing, think that I want you a little bit as company in my agony in the garden. Therefore, place yourself near Me, and make a comparison between your pains and mine: see, you – alone and without Me; and I too – alone, abandoned by my most faithful friends who are there sleeping; left alone even by my Divine Father; and then, in the midst of most bitter pains, surrounded by snakes, by vipers, by rabid dogs, which were the sins of men – and yours were there too, doing their part – such that they seemed to want to devour Me alive. My Heart was taken by such grips, that I felt It as if It were under a press; so much so, that I sweat living blood. Tell Me, when have you arrived at suffering so much? Therefore, when you find yourself without Me, afflicted, empty of any consolation, filled with sadnesses, with worries, with pains, come close to Me, wipe that blood from Me, offer those pains to Me as relief for my most bitter agony. By doing so, you will find the way to be able to spend time with Me after Communion. It is not that you will not suffer, because the most bitter pain I can give to the souls dear to Me is to deprive them of Me; but by thinking that with that suffering of yours you give relief to Me, you will also be content.
3 – As for the visits and acts of reparation, you must know that everything I did in the course of thirty-three years, from when I was born, up to when I died, I am continuing in the Sacrament of the altar. Therefore I want you to visit Me thirty-three times a day, honoring my years and also uniting with Me in the Sacrament, with my own intentions – that is, reparation, adoration…. This you will do at all times: with the first thought of the morning, fly immediately before the tabernacle in which I am present for love of you, and visit Me; with the last thought of the evening, while you sleep at night, before and after your meal, at the beginning of each one of your actions, while walking, working….”
While He was saying this to me, I saw myself all confused. Not knowing whether I could manage to do them, I said to him: ‘Lord, I pray You to be with me until I acquire the habit of doing them, for I know that with You I can do everything – but without You, what can I, miserable, do?’ And He, benignly, added: “Yes, yes, I will content you – when have I ever failed you? I want your goodwill, for whatever help you want, I will give to you.” And so He did.
After I had spent some time, now with Him, and now without, one day, after Communion, I felt more intimately united to Him. He asked me various questions, as for example: if I loved Him, if I was ready to do what He wanted, even the sacrifice of my life for love of Him. He also said to me: “And you – tell me what you want; if you are ready to do what I want, I too will do what you want.” I saw myself all confused; I could not understand that way of operating of His. But with time I understood that that way of acting is when He wants to dispose the soul to new and heavy crosses; and He knows how to draw her so close to Himself with those stratagems, that the soul does not dare to oppose what He wants. So I said to Him: ‘Yes, I love You; but You tell me, Yourself – can I find anything more beautiful, more holy, more lovable than You? And then, why ask me if I am ready to do what You want, when it has been so long since I delivered my will to You, and I prayed You not to spare me even tearing me to pieces, as long as I may give You pleasure? I abandon myself in You, Oh Holy Spouse – operate freely, do with me whatever You want; give me your grace, for by myself I am nothing and can do nothing.’
And He repeated to me: “Are you truly ready for anything I want?” I saw myself more confused, annihilated, and I said: ‘Yes, I am ready’ – but almost trembling. And He, compassionating me, continued to tell me: “Do not fear, I will be your strength – it is not you that will suffer, but I Myself will suffer and fight within you. See, I want to purify your soul from every slightest spot which might hinder my love in you; I want to test your faithfulness. But how can I see if this is true, other than by placing you in the midst of the battle? Know then, that I want to put you in the midst of demons. I will give them freedom to torment you and to tempt you, so that after you have fought the virtues with the opposite vices, you may already find yourself in possession of those very virtues which you think you are losing. And then, your soul, purged, embellished, enriched, will be like a king returning victorious from a most fierce war, who, while he thought he would lose what he possessed, comes back more glorious and filled with immense riches. Then will I come; I will form in you my dwelling, and we will be always together. It is true that your state will be painful; the demons will give you no more peace, either at daytime or at night – they will always be in act of waging a most fierce war against you. But you, always keep your aim at what I want to make of you – that is, making you similar to Me – and at the fact that you will not be able to arrive at this, other than by means of many and great tribulations. In this way, you will have more courage to bear the pains.”
Who can tell how frightened I was at such announcement? I felt my blood freeze, my hair curl, my imagination filled by black ghosts that seemed to want to devour me alive. It seemed to me that, before putting me in that painful state, the Lord gave freedom to everything I was to suffer, and I saw myself surrounded by all this. So I turned to Him, and said to Him: “Lord, have pity on me! O please! do not leave me alone and abandoned. I see that the rage of the demons is such that they will leave not even the dust of myself – how shall I be able to resist them? My misery, and how bad I am, is well known to You; therefore, give me new grace that I may not offend you. My Lord, the pain that most torments my soul is to see that You too must leave me. Ah! to whom shall I say a word any more? Who will teach me? However, may your Will be always done – I bless your Holy Will.
And He, benignly, continued to say: “Do not afflict yourself so much; know that I will never allow them to tempt you beyond your strengths. If I allow this, it is for your good. I never put souls in battles so that they may perish; first I measure their strengths, I give them my grace, and then I put them in. And if some souls fall, it is because they do not remain united to Me by means of prayer; no longer feeling the sensitivity of my love, they go begging for love from creatures, while I alone can satiate the human heart. They do not let themselves be guided by the sure path of obedience, believing more in their own judgment, than in those who guide them in my place. So, what is the wonder if they fall? Therefore, what I recommend to you is prayer. Even if you should suffer pains of death, you must never neglect that which you are used to doing; even more, the more you see yourself in the abyss, the more you will invoke the help of the One who can free you. Still more, I want you to place yourself, blindly, in the hands of the confessor, without examining what is being said to you. You will be surrounded by darkness, and will be like one who has no eyes, and who needs a hand to guide her. The eye for you will be the voice of the confessor, which, like light, will clear the darkness from you; the hand will be obedience, which will be your guide and support to make you reach a safe harbor. The last thing I recommend to you is courage. I want you to enter the battle with intrepidity. The thing that an adversary army fears the most is to see courage, strength, the way in which one confronts the most dangerous fights, without fearing anything. So the demons are; there is nothing they fear more than a courageous soul who, all cleaving to Me, with a strong spirit, goes into their midst – not to be wounded, but with the firm resolve to wound them and to exterminate them. The demons are left frightened, terrified, and would rather flee; but they cannot, because they are bound by my Will, and they are forced to stay, to their greater torment. Therefore, do not fear them, for they can do nothing to you without my Will. And then, when I see that you can no longer resist and are about to fail, if you are faithful to me, I will come immediately, I will put everyone to flight, and I will give you grace and strength. Courage, then, courage.”
Now, who can tell the change that occurred in my interior? Everything was horror for me. That love which I felt in me before, I saw now changed into atrocious hate. What pain, not being able to love Him. The thought that that Lord who had been so good to me, I was now forced to abhor and curse as if He were the most cruel enemy – tortured my soul. I could not look at Him, even through His images, because in looking at them, in holding rosaries in my hands, in kissing them, I had such rushes of hate and such strength, that doing that and reducing everything to pieces was the same. And sometimes I put up such resistance that my nature trembled from head to foot. Oh God, what a most bitter pain! I believe that if in hell there were no other pains, just the pain of not being able to love God would form the most horrible hell. Many times the devil would place before me the graces that the Lord had given me, now as a crafting of my imagination so that I would make a life more free, more comfortable; and now as true, and they reproached me by saying: “Is this the love He had for you? Is this the recompense – leaving you in our hands? You belong to us, you belong to us, everything is over for you, there is nothing left to hope for.” And I felt such rushes of indignation against the Lord, and of desperation being cast into my interior, that many times, if I found myself with some images in my hands, the power of the indignation was such that I would tear them apart. But while doing this, I would cry and kiss it – but I don’t know how I was forced to do it.
Now, who can tell the torment of my soul? The demons made feast and laughed – some would make noise from one point, some from another; some would yell and shout, some would deafen me with screams, saying: “See how you belong to us – there is nothing left but taking you to hell, body and soul, and then you will see what we will do to you.” Sometimes I felt myself being pulled – now from my clothes, now from the chair on which I was kneeling; they would move it and yell so much that I could not pray. And sometimes the fear was such that, thinking I could free myself, I would go and lay down in bed (since these dins occurred mostly at night); but even there, they would follow me, pulling the pillow and the blankets. Now, who can tell the fright, the fear I felt? I myself did not know where I was, whether on earth or in hell. The fear that they would really take me away was such that I could no longer close my eyes to sleep. I was like one who has a cruel enemy who has sworn to take his life away at any cost; and I believed that this would happen to me as soon as I would close my eyes. Therefore I felt as if someone put something inside of them, in such a way that I was forced to keep them wide open to see when they were going to take me away – who knows whether I might pluck up the strength to oppose what they wanted to do. I felt my hair stand on end, one by one over my head, and a cold sweat throughout my whole person, which penetrated deep into my bones; and I felt my nerves and bones being dislocated, one by one, wriggling about out of fear.
Other times, I felt incited to such temptations of desperation and of suicide, that sometimes, finding myself close to the well or to a knife, I felt drawn to throw myself into it, or to take the knife and kill myself. The effort I had to make in order to run away was so great, that I felt pains of death; and while running away, I felt them come after me, suggesting to me that it was useless for me to live after I had committed so many sins, and that God had abandoned me because I had not been faithful. Even more, I felt as if I had done many wicked things which my soul had never in the world committed; therefore for me there was no more mercy to hope for. In the depth of my soul I felt repeat: ‘How can you live as an enemy of God? Do you know Who that God is, whom you have offended, cursed, hated? Ah! that immense God who surrounded you everywhere, and whom you have dared to offend under His very eyes. Ah! now that you have lost the God of your soul, who will ever again give you peace? Who will free you from so many enemies?’ The pain was such that I did nothing but cry. Sometimes I would start to pray, and I would feel the demons come over me to increase my torment, and some would beat me, some would prick me, some would suffocate my throat. I remember that once, while I was praying, I felt my feet being pulled from underneath the earth, and the earth open, and flames come out; and I was sinking into it. The fright and the pain were such that I remained half dead; so much so, that in order to make me recover from that state, Jesus Christ came and consoled me. He made me understand that it was not true that I had placed my will to offend Him, and that from the most bitter pain I felt, I myself could know that the devil was a liar and that I should not pay attention to him; that for now I had to have patience in suffering those bothers, and that then, peace would come. This would happen from time to time, when I would really come to the extremes, and sometimes in order to put me into more bitter torments. In the act of that comfort the soul would be convinced, because before that light it is impossible for the soul not to learn the truth; but then, when I was in the fight, I would find myself in the same state as before.
He also tempted me not to receive Communion, persuading me that after I had committed so many sins, it was a boldness to go there, and that if I dared to, not Jesus Christ, but the devil would come, and would give me so many torments as to make me die. However, obedience would win. It is true that sometimes I suffered mortal pains, such that I could hardly recover after Communion, but when the confessor absolutely wanted me to receive It, I could not do otherwise. So, I remember that quite a few times I did not receive It.
I also remember that sometimes, while I was praying in the evening, they would turn off the lamp; sometimes they would let out such roars as to strike fear; other times, feeble voices as if they were dying. But who can tell all that they would do? It is impossible.
So, this hard trial, though I don’t remember too well, lasted for three years; however, there were days or weeks of interval. It is not that they would cease completely, but they began to mitigate.
I remember that after one Communion, the Lord taught me what to do in order to put them to flight – that is, despising them and not bothering about them at all, considering as if they were as many ants. I felt so much strength being infused in me, that I no longer felt that fear of before. So I would act in this way: when they made clamors and noise, I would say to them: ‘It shows that you have nothing to do, and that in order to spend time you are doing so many silly things. Go ahead, do them, for when you get tired, you will stop it.’ Sometimes they would stop; other times they would get so angry as to make greater noise. I felt them near me, making themselves stronger and doing violence to themselves in order to take me away; I felt the horrible stench, and the heat of the fire. It is true that I felt a certain shiver in my interior, but I would pluck up courage, and say to them: ‘Liars that you are – if this were true, you would have done it from the first day; but since it is false, and you have no power over me but that which comes to you from above – go ahead, keep singing; and then, when you are tired, you will croak.’ If then they emitted laments and shouts, I would say to them: ‘What is this – you could not add to the accounts today?’, that is: ‘Have some souls been taken away from you, that you lament so much? Poor ones, they don’t feel well; but I too want to make you lament a little bit.’ And I would begin to pray for sinners, or to do acts of reparation. Sometimes I would laugh when they started to do the usual things; and I would say to them: ‘How can I fear you, cowardly species? If you were serious beings, you would not have done so many silly things. Don’t you yourselves feel ashamed? Don’t you make fun of yourselves?’ If then they tempted me with blasphemies or hatred against God, I would offer Him that most bitter pain, that violence I made to myself in seeing that, while the Lord deserved all the love, all the praises, I was forced to do the opposite – in reparation for many who blaspheme against Him freely, and who do not even remember that a God exists, whom they are obliged to love in return. If they incited me to desperation, in my interior I would say: ‘I don’t care either about hell or about paradise; what I care about is to love my God. This is not the time to think about anything else; rather, it is the time to love my good God as much as I can. Paradise and hell I place in His hands – He, who is so good, will give me what is best for me, and will give me a place in which I can glorify Him more.’
Jesus Christ taught me that the most effective means for the soul to be freed of every vain apprehension, of every doubt, of every fear, was to protest before Heaven, earth and the very demons, that she does not want to offend God, even at the cost of her life, and that she does not want to consent to any temptation of the devil. And this, as soon as the soul feels the coming of the temptation, in the act of the battle, if she can, and as she begins to feel free – and also during the course of the day. By doing this, the soul will not waste time in thinking about whether she has consented or not, because the mere memory of her promise will already give her peace; and if the devil tries to disturb her, she will be able to answer that if she had the intention of offending God, she would not have protested the opposite. In this way, she will remain free of any concern.
Now, who can tell the rage of the devil because, by acting in this way, all of his tricks resolved into confusion for himself, and where he thought he would gain, he would lose, and his very temptations and tricks were used by the soul in order to make acts of reparation and love for her God.
The other way He taught me to cast away temptations, was the following: if they tempted me to suicide, I was to answer: ‘You have no permission from God; on the contrary, to your annoyance, I want to live so as to be able to love my God more.’ If then they beat me and hit me, I was to humiliate myself, kneel and thank my God, because this was happening as a penance for my sins; not only this, but to offer everything as acts of reparation for all the offenses against God, which were made in the world.
Lastly, an ugly temptation that lasted for a short time was that, after being in contact with demons so ugly for about one and a half years, I would become pregnant and deliver a little demon with horns. My imagination would breed itself in such a way, that I saw myself in a horrible confusion in the face of what people would say about me, because of such an awful event.
Finally, after about one and a half years of this fight, the cruelties of the demons ceased, and a whole new life began, although the demons did not stop bothering me from time to time. However, it was not so frequent, the battle was not so fierce, and I became used to despising them.
The new life that began was at the Farm called “Torre Disperata”. One day while, more than ever, I was tormented by the devil, to the point that I felt I was losing my strengths and fainting, around evening, while I was in this state, I felt I was having a deadly fit and I lost consciousness. In that state, I saw Jesus Christ surrounded by many enemies – some were beating Him, some were slapping Him, some were driving thorns into His head, some were breaking His legs, some His arms. After they reduced Him almost to pieces, they put Him in the arms of the Madonna; and this happened not too far from me. After the Most Holy Virgin took Him in Her arms, She drew near me, and crying, She said to me: “Daughter, see how my Son is treated by men – the horrible offenses they commit, which never give Him respite. Look at Him, how He suffers.” And I tried to look at Him, and I saw Him all blood, all wounds, and almost cut up, reduced to a mortal state. I felt such pains that I would have wanted to die a thousand times rather than see my Lord suffer so much. I felt ashamed of my little sufferings. The Most Holy Virgin added, but always crying: “Come closer to kiss the wounds of my Son. He chooses you as victim, and if many offend Him, by offering yourself to suffer what He suffers, you will give Him a relief in so much suffering. Won’t you accept?” I felt so annihilated; I saw myself so bad (and I am still so) and unworthy, that I did not dare to say “yes”. My nature trembled; I felt so weak from the past pains, that it barely left me a thread of life. Then, I don’t know how, I saw demons yelling and shouting from afar, and I saw that everything I had seen the Lord suffer, they were going to do to me, if I accepted. I felt such pains, sufferings, pulling of nerves within me, that I thought I was going to leave life.
Finally, I drew near and I kissed His wounds. It seemed that, after I did that, those limbs so lacerated would heal, and the Lord, who before seemed to be almost dead, would begin to revive to new life. Interiorly, I received great lights about the offenses that are given, and attractions to accept being a victim though I should suffer a thousand deaths, for the Lord deserved everything, and I could not oppose what He wanted. This happened while we were in mute silence. But those gazes that we exchanged were so many invitations, so many burning darts that pierced my heart through. The Most Holy Virgin, especially, spurred me on to accept; but who can tell all that I went through? Finally, looking at me benignly, the Lord told me: “You have seen how much they offend Me, and how many walk along the paths of evil, and without realizing it, fall into the abyss. Come to offer yourself before Divine justice as victim of reparation for the offenses that are given, and for the conversion of sinners who, with eyes closed, drink at the poisoned fount of sin. A large field of sufferings opens before you, yes – but also of graces; I will never leave you again, I will come within you to suffer all that men do to Me, making you share in my pains. For help and comfort, I give you my Mother.” And He seemed to deliver me to Her – and She accepted me. I too offered all of myself to Him and to the Virgin – ready to do what He wanted. This is how it ended the first time.
After I came round from that state, I felt such pains, such annihilation of myself, that I saw myself as a miserable little worm that was able to do nothing but crawl on the earth. And I said to the Lord: ‘Help – your omnipotence knocks me down; I see that if You do not lift me, my nothing will undo and be dissolved. Give me suffering, but I beg You to give me strength, for I feel I am dying.’ And so an alternation began, of visits from Our Lord and of torments on the part of demons. The more I resigned myself, the more they increased their rage.
A few days after what is said above, I felt like I was losing consciousness again (I remember that, at the beginning, every time I felt such a state come to me, I thought I was going to leave life). As I lost consciousness, Our Lord made Himself seen once again with the crown of thorns on His head, all dripping with blood; and turning to me, He said: “Daughter, take a look at what men do to Me. In these sad times their pride is so great that they have poisoned all the air; and the stench that spreads everywhere is such that it has reached even before my throne in Heaven. They act in such a way as to close Heaven by themselves. The miserable ones do not have eyes to know the truth, because they are obfuscated by the sin of pride, followed by the other vices which they bring with themselves. O please! give Me a relief from so many bitter spasms, and a reparation for so many wrongdoings against Me.” And in saying this, He removed the crown from Himself, which did not look like a crown, but all one piece, such that not even a little portion of the head remained free – it was all pierced through by those thorns. As He removed the crown, He drew near me and asked me if I accepted it. I felt so annihilated; I felt such pains because of the offenses that are given, that I felt my heart split. I said to Him: ‘Lord, do with me what You want.’ And so He took it, He drove into my head, and He disappeared.
Now, who can tell the spasms I felt when I came back into myself? At each movement of my head I thought I would breathe my last, so many were the pains and the prickings I felt in my head, in my eyes, in my ears, behind my neck. I felt those thorns penetrate even into my mouth, and it clenched in such a way that I could not open it to take food, so I would remain sometimes two days, sometimes three, without being able to take anything. When they somehow mitigated, I would feel, sensibly, a hand which pressed my head and renewed the pains; and sometimes the spasms were such that I would lose consciousness because of the pain. At the beginning, this would happen on certain days, while on others it wouldn’t. When they were repeated, it would be three or four times a day, and they would last sometimes a quarter of an hour, sometimes half an hour, sometimes one hour, and then I would remain free, though feeling very weak and in suffering. I would remain in suffering, more or less, depending on how much those pains were communicated to me during that state of dozing.
I also remember that, since sometimes I could not open my mouth in order to take food, as I said above, because of the sufferings in my head, and since my family knew that I didn’t really want to be in company, when they saw that I was not eating, they would attribute it to a fuss of mine, and naturally, they would become irritated, they would get upset, and they would mock me. My nature wanted to resent this, because I saw that what they were saying was not true, but the Lord did not want this resentment – and this is what happened:
One evening, while we were at the table, and I was in this state of not being able to open my mouth, my family began to get upset. I was so affected that I started to cry, and in order not to be seen, I got up and I went somewhere else, still crying; and I prayed Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Virgin to give me help and strength in order to bear this trial. But as I was doing this, I felt I was beginning to lose consciousness. Oh God! what pain was the mere thought that my family was going to see me, for until then, they had not noticed it. At that moment, I said: ‘Lord, do not allow them to see me.’ I was so ashamed of being seen, that I myself cannot explain why, and I tried as much as I could to hide myself in those places where I could not be seen. When then I was caught by surprise, in such a way that I would not have the time to hide or at least kneel – for whatever position I was in, I would remain in it, and they might say I was praying – then I would be found out. As I lost consciousness, Our Lord made Himself seen in the midst of many enemies who gave Him all sorts of insults; especially, they grabbed Him and trampled Him underfoot, they blasphemed against Him, they pulled His hair. It seemed to me that my good Jesus wanted to escape from under those fetid soles, and He kept looking – who knows, He might find a friendly hand who would free Him; but He found no one. While seeing this, I did nothing but cry over the pains of my Lord. I would have wanted to go into the midst of those enemies – who knows, maybe I could free Him; but I did not dare to. I said to Him: ‘Lord, let me share in your pains. O please! if only I could relieve You and free You.’ As I was saying this, those enemies, as if they had understood, came against me – but so enraged. And they began to beat me, to pull my hair, to trample me. I had so much fear; I suffered, yes, but within me I was content, because I could see that the Lord was given a little respite. Afterwards, those enemies disappeared, and I remained alone with my Jesus. I tried to compassionate Him, but I did not dare to say anything. And He, breaking the silence, said to me: “All that you have seen is nothing compared to the offenses that they give Me continuously. Their blindness, their flooding themselves with the things of the earth is such that they reach the point of becoming not only my cruel enemies, but also enemies of themselves; and since their eyes are fixed on mud, they reach the point of despising the Eternal. Who will put a mend to so much ingratitude? Who will have compassion for so many people, who cost Me blood, and who live almost buried in the stench of earthly things? O please! come with Me, and pray and cry together with Me for so many blind who are all eyes for all that gives of earth, and then despise and trample my graces under their filthy feet, as if they were mud. O please! lift yourself above all that is earth – abhor and despise all that does not belong to Me. Do not be affected any more by the insults you receive from your family, after you have seen Me suffer so much; rather, take to heart only my honor, the offenses that they give Me continuously, the loss of so many souls. O please! do not leave Me alone in the midst of so many pains that torture my Heart. All that you are suffering now is little compared to the pains you will suffer. Have I not always told you that what I want from you is the imitation of my life? Take a look at how dissimilar you are from Me. Therefore, pluck up courage and do not fear.”
After this, I returned into myself, and then I realized that I was surrounded by my family. They were crying and were all troubled; and they were so concerned that that state might occur again and, especially, that I might die, that they brought me back to Corato as quickly as they could, so that I might be observed by doctors. I don’t know why, but I felt such pain at the thought that I was to be visited by doctors, that many times I cried and lamented to the Lord, saying to Him: ‘How many times, oh Lord, I begged You to let me suffer hiddenly. This was my only and sole contentment, and now I am deprived also of this. O please! tell me, how shall I endure this? You alone can help me and relieve me from my affliction. Don’t You see how many things they say? One thinks in one way, one in another; one wants to apply one remedy on me, one, another – they are all eyes over me, in such a way that they give me no more peace. O please! help me in so many pains, for I feel life failing me.’
And the Lord, benignly, added: “Do not want to afflict yourself because of this. What I want from you is that you abandon yourself in my arms as if you were dead. Until you keep your eyes opened to look at what I am doing, and at what the creatures do and say, I cannot operate freely upon you. Don’t you want to trust Me? Don’t you know how much I love you, and that everything I allow, either through creatures, or from demons, or directly from Me, is truly for your good and serves for nothing but to lead the soul to that state for which I have chosen her? Therefore I want you to remain in my arms with your eyes closed, without looking at and investigating this or that, trusting Me completely, and letting Me operate freely. If then you want to do the opposite, you will lose much time, and you will come to oppose what I want to do with you. As for creatures, use profound silence, be benign and submissive with everyone; let your life, your breathing, your thoughts and affections be continuous acts of reparations to placate my justice, offering Me, along with them, the bothers from creatures, which will not be few.”
After this, I did as much as I could to resign myself to the Will of God, although many times I was put in such constraints by the creatures, that at times I would do nothing but cry. The time also came to have me visited by a doctor, and he judged that it was nothing other than a nervous phenomenon; so he prescribed medicines, distractions, strolls, cold baths. He recommended to my family that they watch well over me when I was surprised by that state, “because”, he said, “if you move her, you may break her, but not fix her”, since when I was surprised by that state, I would remain petrified.
So, a war arose on the part of my family. They prevented me from going to church; they no longer gave me that freedom to be by myself; I was watched everywhere, and so they noticed it more often. Many times, I lamented to the Lord, saying to Him: ‘My good Jesus, how my pains have increased – I am deprived also of the things dearest to me, which are the Sacraments. I had never thought I would reach this point. But who knows where I will end up! O please! give me help and strength, for my nature is failing me.’ Many times He would deign to tell me a few words. He would say to me: “I am your help, what do you fear? Don’t you remember that I too suffered from all kinds of people – some had one opinion about Me, some another. The most holy things I did were judged by them as faulty, wicked, to the point of telling Me that I was possessed; so much so, that they would look at Me with surly eyes. They would keep Me in their midst, but unwillingly, and would plot among themselves about how they could take my life away as soon as possible, for my presence had become intolerable for them. So, don’t you want Me to make you similar to Me, by making you suffer from creatures?”
And so I spent several years suffering from creatures, from demons, and directly from God. At times I reached such bitterness from creatures and from the way they thought, that I was ashamed of being seen by anyone; so much so, that my greatest sacrifice was to appear in the midst of people – the blushing and the confusion were such, that I felt dazed. There were more visits from other doctors, but they came up with nothing. Sometimes, shedding bitter tears, I would say to Him with all my heart: ‘Lord, how public my sufferings have become – not only to my family, but also to people from outside. I see myself all covered with confusion; it seems to me that everyone is pointing his finger at me, as if these sufferings were the most wicked actions. I myself am unable to tell what has happened to me. O please! You alone can free me from such publicity, and let me suffer hiddenly. I beg You, I implore you – answer me.’ Sometimes the Lord too showed He would not listen to me, and my pains would increase. Then other times, He would compassionate me, telling me: “Poor daughter, come to Me for I want to console you. You are right that you suffer, but don’t you remember that I too – oh! how much more I suffered. Up to a certain point, my pains remained hidden, but when the Will of the Father came for Me to suffer in public, promptly I went out to meet confusions, opprobrium, scorns, to the point of being stripped naked in the midst of a most numerous people. Could you imagine a confusion greater than this? My nature felt these kinds of sufferings greatly, but I had my gaze fixed on the Will of the Father, and I offered those pains in reparation for many who commit the most wicked actions publicly, with open eyes, boasting about them without the slightest blush – saying to Him: ‘Father, accept my confusions and opprobrium in reparation for many who have the insolence to offend You so freely, without the slightest sorrow. Forgive them, give them lights, that they may see the ugliness of sin and convert.’ I want that you too share in these kinds of sufferings. Don’t you know that the most beautiful presents I can give to the souls I love are crosses and pains? You are still a little girl in the way of the cross, therefore you feel too weak. Once you have grown up and have known how precious suffering is, then you will feel stronger. Therefore, lean on Me – rest, for in this way you will acquire strength.”
After I spent some time in this state mentioned above – about six or seven months – the sufferings increased even more, to the point that I was forced to stay in bed. Often that state of losing consciousness multiplied, to the point that I would almost not have one hour free. I reduced myself to a state of extreme weakness; my mouth clenched in such a way that I could not open it at all, and in the few free moments I would have, I was able to take just a few drops of some drink, if I managed at all. And then I was forced to bring it up, because of the continuous vomiting which I have always had. After I remained about eighteen days in this continuous state, they called the confessor, so that I could confess. When the confessor came, he found me in that state of dozing. When I came round, he asked me what was wrong with me. Keeping silent about all the rest, and since at that time the troubles of the demons and the visits of Our Lord continued, I just said to him: ‘Father, it’s the devil.’ He said to me: “Do not be afraid, for it is not the devil; and if it is he, father will free you.” So, giving me the obedience and marking me with the sign of the cross, and helping me to loosen my arms, for I felt my whole body petrified as if it had become one single piece, he managed to restore the motion of my arms, and to make me open my mouth, which before had been unmovable to everything. I attributed this to the sanctity of my confessor, who was really a holy priest. I considered this almost a miracle; so much so, that I would say to myself: ‘See, I was ready to die’ – because I really felt ill, and if that state had continued, I think I would have left life. However, I remember that I was resigned, and that when I saw myself free, I felt a certain regret for not having died.
Then, after the confessor went away and I was free, I went back to the state of before. And so it happened that I spent sometimes a week, sometimes fifteen days, and even months, being surprised by that state every now and then during the day, and I was able to free myself by myself. But when I was discovered, very often as I said before, my family would call the confessor; more so, since they had seen that the first time I had been freed, while everyone believed that I would never again recover from that state. But then I went down to church and I returned to that state again, and so they would call the confessor, and then I would be freed. However, I could never have imagined that it would take the priest to free me from such a state, or that my trouble was an extraordinary thing. It is true that when I would lose consciousness I could see Jesus Christ, but I attributed this to the goodness of Our Lord, saying to myself: ‘See how good the Lord is with me, that He comes to give me strength in this state of sufferings; otherwise, how could I sustain it – who would give me the strength?’ It is also true that when such a state was going to occur, in the morning, during Communion He would tell me, and during that very state, sufferings would come to me from Him Himself. But I would pay attention to none of this; at the mere thought, sometimes, of telling this to the confessor, I felt I was the proudest soul that existed in the world if I dared to open my mouth to speak of these things…of seeing Jesus Christ. And I would feel such blushing, that it was impossible to say anything to that confessor, as good and holy as he was.
It was so true that I did not think that it would take the priest to free me, and that this was happening because of the sanctity of my confessor, that when the time came that he went away to the countryside, one morning, after Communion, the Lord made me understand that I was going to be surprised by that state, inviting me to keep Him company by participating in His pains – and I immediately said to Him: ‘Lord, how shall I do it – the confessor is not here; who is going to free me? Maybe You want to make me die now?’ And the Lord just told me: “Your trust must be only in Me. Be resigned, because resignation renders the soul radiant, and it keeps all other passions in their place, in such a way that, attracted by those rays of light, I go into that soul and I transform her completely within Me, and I make her live from my own Life.”
I resigned myself to His Holy Will; I offered that Communion as the last one of my life, and I gave the last good-bye to Jesus in the Sacrament. But though resigned, I felt my nature so much, that for the whole day I did nothing but cry and pray the Lord to give me strength. In truth, that situation turned out to be so very bitter to me, and without thinking or knowing anything, I found myself with a new and heavy cross, such that I believe it has been the heaviest I have had in my life. While I was in that state of sufferings, I would think of nothing but dying and doing the Will of God. As for my family, which also suffered in seeing me in that state, they tried to call some priests, but for one reason or another, they did not want to come. After ten days came the confessor who used to confess me when I was little, and it happened that he too was able to make me come round from that state. Then I realized the net in which the Lord had wrapped me.
From here, a war arose against me on the part of priests – some would say that it was a pretense, some that beating was needed, some that I wanted to make myself believed a saint; some would add that I was possessed, and many other things, such that, if I wanted to tell them all, the story would be too long. So, with these ideas in their minds, when sufferings would occur and my family would call one of them, they would have such strange reactions, that my poor family suffered very much, especially my poor mama – how many tears she shed for me. Oh! Lord, reward her – You Yourself. Oh! my good Lord, how much I suffered on this side – You alone know everything.
So, who can tell how bitter this situation was for me – that the priest was needed in order to free me from that state of sufferings. How many times I prayed, shedding most bitter tears, that He would free me! How many times I made explicit resistance to the Lord when He wanted me to offer myself as victim and accept the pains. I would say to Him: ‘Lord, promise me that You Yourself will free me, and then I will accept everything; otherwise – no, I don’t want to accept.’ And I would resist the first day, the second, the third… But who can resist God? He would tell me so many things, that in the end I was forced to submit myself to the cross.
Other times, I would say to Him from the heart and with familiarity: ‘Lord, how is it that You have done this? Between You and me, You now want to place a third? And this third one does not want to make himself available. See, we could have been so content, the two of us. When You wanted me to suffer, I would immediately accept, because I would know that You Yourself would free me. There is no need of another hand now. I beg You, free me, and both of us will be more content.’
Sometimes He pretended not to hear me, and He would not tell me anything. Then other times, He would say: “Do not fear, I am the one who gives darkness and light. The time of the light will come. It is my usual way to manifest my works through the priests.”
So I spent three or four years of these contradictions on the part of priests. Many times they would subject me to very hard trials; they would reach the point of letting me remain in that state of sufferings – that is, petrified, incapable of any slightest motion, even of taking a drop of water – for eighteen days, more or less, when they pleased to do so. The Lord alone knows what I was going through in that state; and after they came, I would not even have the good of hearing them say to me: “Have patience, do the Will of God.” Rather, I was reproached as being fussy and disobedient. Oh! God, what pain – how many tears I shed. How many times I thought I was disobedient, saying to myself: ‘How can this be – that virtue which is the most pleasing to the Lord is so far away from me. What good can a disobedient soul ever do or hope for?’ Many times, I would lament to Our Lord, and at times I reached the point of being resentful; and when He wanted me to accept sufferings, I would resist as much as I could. But when He saw that I would begin to resist, the Lord showed He would not pay attention to me and He would not tell me anything else; and then, all of a sudden, He would come to surprise me. As for what the confessor said, that is because sometimes he did not want me to fall into that state; but this was not in my power. Yet It is true that I have been disobedient, and that I have always been good at nothing, but I also remember that the most tormenting pain for me was that of not being able to obey.
I remember that during this period of time there was the cholera; one day I prayed my good Jesus to make this scourge cease. And He said to me: “I will content you, as long as you accept offering yourself to suffer whatever I want.”
I said to Him: ‘Lord, no, I cannot – You know how they think. If this thing could pass only between me and You, I would have been absolutely ready to accept everything.’ And He said to me: “My daughter, if I had thought of what men were thinking and of what they were going to do with Me, I would not have operated the Redemption of mankind. But I had my eyes fixed on their salvation, and the great love that devoured Me made Me act in this way: when I would see people who were thinking ill about Me, and who caused occasion to make Me suffer more, I would offer those very pains that they gave Me for their own salvation. Have you forgotten that what I want from you is the imitation of my Life, and that I will make you share in everything I suffered? Don’t you know that the most beautiful act, the most heroic and most pleasing to Me, which you must offer to Me, is that of offering yourself for the very ones who are against you?”
I remained mute; I did not know what to answer. I accepted everything the Lord wanted, and so in the evening I was surprised by that state of sufferings, and I remained in it for three consecutive days. Then, after I came round, I no longer heard anything about the cholera.
After this, I received another mortification, and this was having to change confessor, because since he was a religious, he was called back to the convent. I was content with him, and most of those dins mentioned above occurred when he was in the countryside, especially during the last year he was my confessor; because of the cholera spreading in town, he spent only six months here. My confessor did not give many reproaches; he would let me remain in that state of sufferings for one day, and then he would come. So, it was less than a month since he had withdrawn to the countryside, and it became known that he was leaving. This was painful for me – not because I was attached, but because of the necessity I had of him. So I went to the Lord and I told Him of my pain, and He said to me: “I do not want you to afflict yourself because of this. I am the master of hearts, and I can turn them and turn them again as I please. If he did some good to you, he has been nothing but a vessel which received from Me, and gave to you. So I will do with the others; what do you fear then? My dear, as long as you keep turning your eye now to the right, now to the left, and you let it set now on something, now on something else, and you do not have your eye fixed on Me, you will not be able to walk speedily along the way of Heaven. On the contrary, you will always be limping and will not be able to follow the influence of grace. Therefore I want you to look at all the things that surround you with holy indifference, remaining all intent on Me alone.”
After these words, my heart acquired so much strength that I suffered little or nothing from such a great loss – of one who had done so much good to my soul.
So it happened that I changed confessor, and I returned to the confessor who used to confess me when I was little. But may the Lord be always blessed who uses those very paths which appear to be contrary to us, almost as if they were to bring harm to our soul, for our greater good and for His glory. So it happened that I began to open my soul, since up to that point I had not said anything to anyone. As much effort as I would make over myself, I could not manage; even more, I would see myself more impotent to tell of the things of my interior. The blushing I felt at the mere thought of telling these things was such that I felt it would have been easier for me to tell the ugliest sins. Where this came from – I don’t know. From the confessor – I don’t think so, because he was so good, trustful, sweet, patient in listening. He would take a most exact care of the soul; he would have his eye on everything, so that I might walk straight. From me – I don’t think so either, because I felt a block over my soul, and I had all the will to free myself and to hear at least what the confessor thought about it; but I felt it was impossible for me to do it. To me, I think that there was an intervention of the Lord.
So, finding myself with the new confessor, I began to open my interior, little by little. Many times the Lord commanded me to manifest to the confessor what He had told me; and when I would not do it, the Lord would scold me, He would reproach me severely, and at times He reached the point of telling me that if I did not do it, He would come no more – which is the most bitter pain for me, such that all the other pains compared to this seem to be nothing but blades of straw. Therefore, the fear that He would really not come was so great, that I did as much as I could in order to manifest my interior. It is true that many times this cost me very much, but the fear of losing my dear Jesus would make me overcome everything. I was also pushed by the confessor to say where such a state was coming from, what happened to me when I was in that doziness, what was the cause of it. He would now command me to manifest it, now force me through the precepts of obedience, and now place before me the fear that I might be living in illusion and deceit, living within myself, while if I manifested it to the priest, I could be more certain and tranquil, because the Lord never permits that the priest be mistaken when the soul is obedient. So, Jesus Christ pushed me from one side, the confessor from the other. It seemed to me that sometimes they were banding together, the two of them – the confessor and Jesus Christ. And so I managed to manifest my soul. The past confessor would not do that – he would not ask me a question; he would not try to know what was happening to me in that state of doziness, and so I myself did not know how to come out and talk about these things. The concern he had was that I be resigned, conformed to the Will of God, bearing the cross that the Lord had given me; so much so, that if sometimes he saw me a little bothered, he would suffer great sorrow.
So it happened that I spent about another year with this confessor, in the same state described above. And since the confessor knew where that state of sufferings was coming from, he told me that when Jesus Christ wanted me to have sufferings, I should go to him to ask for the obedience. I remember that one morning, after Communion, the Lord told me: “Daughter, the iniquities that are committed are so many that the scale of my justice is about to overflow. Know that I will pour heavy scourges upon men, especially a most fierce war in which I will make a slaughter of the human flesh. Ah! yes.” He continued, almost crying: “I gave bodies to men that they might be as many sanctuaries where I would go to delight in them; but they have turned them into sewers of rot, which emanate such stench as to force Me to stay far away from them. See what a recompense I receive for so much love and for the so many pains I have suffered for them. Who has ever been treated like Me? Ah! no one. But what is the cause? It is the excessive love I have for them. Therefore, I will try with the chastisements.”
I felt my heart split with pain; it seemed to me that the offenses they were giving Him were so many, that in order to escape, He wanted to hide within me, almost to find a refuge. I also felt such pains because men were to be chastised, that it seems that I myself was to suffer – not them. Even more, it seemed to me that, if I could, it would have been more bearable for me to suffer all of those chastisements myself, rather than to see others suffer.
I tried to compassionate Him as much as I could, and with all my heart I said to Him: ‘Oh! Holy Spouse, hold back the scourges which your justice has prepared. If the multiplicity of the iniquities of men is great, there is the immense sea of your Blood in which You can bury them. In this way your justice will be satisfied. If You have no where to go to delight Yourself, come into me – I give You all my heart, that You may somehow rest and delight with it. It is true that I too am a bilge of vices, but You can purify me and make of me what You want. But, O please!, placate Yourself. If the sacrifice of my life is necessary – oh! how gladly I would make it for You, as long as I may see your own images spared.’ And the Lord, interrupting my speaking, continued: “Here is exactly where I wanted you – if you offer yourself to suffer, no longer every now and then as up until now, but continuously, every day, for a certain given time, I will spare men. See how I will do it: I will put you between my justice and the iniquities of the creatures, and when my justice sees itself full of iniquities to the point of not being able to contain them, and is forced to send the thunderbolts of the scourges in order to chastise the creatures, in finding you in the middle, instead of striking them, it will strike you. Only in this way will I be able to content you in sparing men – not otherwise.”
I remained all confused; I didn’t know what to say. My nature would do its part, being frightened and trembling, but I saw that my good Jesus was waiting for an answer – whether I accepted or not. So, seeing myself almost forced to speak, I said to Him: ‘Oh! my Most Divine Spouse, on one hand I would be ready to accept, but how is it going to work with the confessor: if he does not want to come every once in a while, how can it be possible that he will come every day? Free me from this cross – that the confessor be needed in order to free me – and then everything will be arranged between me and You.’ Then the Lord said to me: “Go to the confessor and ask him for the obedience. If he wants, you will tell him everything I told you, and you will follow whatever he says. See, it will not be only for the good of creatures that I want these continuous sufferings, but also for your good. In this state of sufferings I will purify your soul thoroughly, in such a way as to dispose you to form a mystical marriage with Me; and after this, I will make the last transformation, in such a way that both of us will become like two candles placed on the fire – one is transformed into the other, and they become one. In this way I will transform Myself in you, and you will remain crucified with Me. Ah! would you not be happy if you could say: ‘The Bridegroom is crucified, but the bride also is crucified’? ‘Ah! yes, there is nothing that renders me dissimilar from Him.’
So, when I was able to speak with the confessor, I told him everything that the Lord had said to me; and since the Lord had said to me those words, “for a certain given time”, without notifying me of the exact time during which I was to suffer continuously, I took it as about forty days, more or less…and now it has been about twelve years that I continue to be in it. But may God be always blessed; may His inscrutable judgments be always adored. I believe that if the blessed Lord had made me understand clearly the length of time I was to be in bed, my nature would have been frightened very much, and would hardly have submitted itself to it. Although I remember that I have always been resigned, at that time I did not know the preciousness of the cross, as the Lord has made me know during the course of these twelve years; nor would the confessor have adapted himself to give me the obedience. So I said to the confessor that the Lord wanted him to give me the obedience to remain in continuous suffering for about forty days, and I told him all the rest. To my surprise – because I thought it was impossible – the confessor told me that if it was really the Will of God he would give me the obedience, because, in reality, it was not that he could not come, but rather… a little bit of human respect. My soul rejoiced very much for I would be able to make the Lord content, and therefore have creatures spared, but my nature was very much afflicted in receiving this obedience; so much so, that for a few days I was very saddened. My soul also was affected very much, thinking that I was to remain for such a long time without being able to receive Jesus in the Sacrament, my only and sole comfort. At times I would feel a war so very fierce within me, that I myself did not know what had happened to me. The devil too would add many things, but my good Jesus put a remedy to everything; and this is how He did it.

By order of the current confessor, I move on to speak about something else. I will obey in manifesting the various ways in which the Lord has spoken to me:
It seems to me that the ways in which the Lord has spoken to me are four; but these four ways of Jesus’ speaking are very different from inspirations.
1 – The first way is when the soul goes out of herself. However, first I want to explain a little bit better about this going out of myself. It happens in two ways: the first is instantaneous, almost in a flash; and it is so sudden, that it seemed to me that the body would lift a little bit from the bed in order to follow the soul, but then it would stay there. And it seemed to me that the body would remain as dead, while the soul would follow Jesus, walking throughout the whole universe – the earth, the air, the seas, the mountains, Purgatory and Heaven, where many times He showed me the place where I will be after I die. The other way, then, for the soul to go out, is more quiet. It seems that the body dozes off insensibly and remains as though petrified at the presence of Jesus Christ; however, the soul remains with the body, and the body no longer feels anything of external things – even if all the universe turned upside down; even if they burned me up and reduced me to pieces.
These two ways, so different, of going out of myself, I have noticed sensibly, because in the first way, having to obey the confessor when he would come to wake me up, I would see him from the place where Jesus would lead me – that is, from the ends of the earth, or of the air, or of the mountains, or of the sea, or of Purgatory, or even of Heaven itself. Even more, it would seem to me that I would not have the time to let the confessor find my soul in the body, and therefore I would not be able to obey. It seemed that, so far away as I was with my soul – I say, it seemed to me – that I would bustle about, and become all anxious and worried that I might not be able to let myself be found there by the confessor in time, and therefore I would not be able to obey. However, I confess that I have always been there in time, and it seemed to me that my soul would enter my body before the confessor would begin to give me the obedience to wake up.
Even more, I tell the truth, many times, from afar, I could see the confessor coming, but in order not to leave Jesus, it seemed that I would not be thinking that the confessor was coming. But then Jesus Himself would hurry me to return with the soul into my body so as to be able to obey the confessor. And then I would feel great reluctance about leaving Jesus, but obedience would win; and upon leaving Jesus, He Himself either kissed me or embraced me, or would do something else to take leave of me. And I, upon leaving my dear Jesus, would say to Him: ‘I go to the confessor, but You, my good Jesus, come back soon, as soon as the confessor goes away.’
These are, then, the two ways in which the soul seemed to go out of the body, and in these two ways in which the soul goes out, God speaks to me. This way of speaking He Himself calls intellectual speaking. I will try to explain it: after the soul has gone out of the body, finding herself before Jesus, she has no need of words in order to understand what the Lord wants to tell her; nor does the soul need to speak in order to make herself understood; but through the intellect – oh! how well we understand each other when we are together. From a light that comes from Jesus into my intellect, I feel everything that my Jesus wants to make me understand being impressed within me. This way is very high and sublime; so much so, that the nature can hardly adapt itself to explain it with words – it can barely give a few ideas. This way of Jesus of making Himself understood is extremely rapid – in one simple instant one learns many sublime things, more than by reading entire books. Oh! what a most ingenious teacher Jesus is – in one simple instant He teaches so many things, while it would take entire years for someone else, if he manages at all, because the terrestrial teacher does not have the power to draw the will of his disciple, or to infuse things in his mind without effort and toil. But not with Jesus: His sweetness, the loveliness of His gesture, the gentleness of His speaking are so great – and then He is so beautiful, that as soon as the soul sees Him, she feels so drawn, that sometimes the speed with which she runs after Jesus is so great, that almost without realizing it, she finds herself transformed into the beloved, in such a way that the soul is no longer capable of distinguishing her terrestrial being, so much is she identified with the Divine Being. Who can tell what the soul feels in this state? It would take Jesus Himself, or a soul perfectly separated from the body, because in finding herself surrounded once again by the wall of this body, and losing that light which before kept her submerged, the soul loses very much and remains obscured. So, if she tries to say something, she can do it only roughly.
To give an idea, I will say that I imagine one born blind, who has never had the good of seeing what is contained in the entire universe, and who, for a few minutes, had the good of opening his eyes to the light and were able to see everything that is contained in the world – the sun, the heavens, the sea, the many cities, the many machines, the varieties of flowers and the many other things that are in the world; and who, after those few minutes of light, returned to the blindness of before. Now, could he describe, distinctly, everything that he has seen? He could give a rough outline, and say a few things confusedly. Now, something similar happens when the soul finds herself separated, and then back into the body. I don’t know whether I am saying nonsense, but just as that poor blind one would remain but with the sorrow of the lost sight, the same for the soul: she lives moaning and almost in a violent state, because the soul feels always violently drawn toward the highest Good. The attraction toward Himself that Jesus leaves in the soul is so great, that the soul would like to remain always attracted within her God. But this cannot be, and therefore she lives as if she lived in Purgatory. I add that the soul has nothing of her own in this state – everything is operation done by the Lord.
2 – Now I will try to explain the second way that Jesus has in speaking: finding herself outside of herself, the soul sees the person of Jesus Christ, for example, as a child, or crucified, or in any other posture; and the soul sees the Lord pronouncing the words from His mouth, and the soul answers from her mouth. Sometimes it happens that the soul begins to converse with Jesus, just as two intimate spouses would do. The speaking of the Lord is very moderate – just four or five words, and sometimes even just one word; very rarely it lengthens a little bit. But in those very few words – ah! how much light He introduces into the soul. I seem to see a little rivulet at first sight, but in looking more closely, instead of a rivulet, one can see an immense sea. Such is one word said by Jesus. The immensity of light it leaves in the soul is such, that by chewing it thoroughly, she discovers so many things, sublime and profitable for her soul, as to remain astonished.
I believe that if all the learned united together, they would all remain confused and mute at one single word of Jesus. Now, this way is more suitable for the human nature, and it can be manifested easily, because upon entering herself, the soul brings with her that which she has heard from the mouth of Our Lord, and she communicates it to the body. It is not so easy when it is through the intellect.
To me, I think that Jesus has this way of speaking in order to adapt Himself to the human nature. It is not that He needs the word in order to make Himself understood, but in this way the soul understands more easily, and she can manifest it to the confessor. In sum, Jesus acts like a most knowledgeable, wise and intelligent teacher, who possesses all sciences to the highest degree, and no one can equal Him. But since He finds Himself in the midst of disciples who have not yet learned the first syllables of the alphabet, keeping all the other studies within Himself, He teaches the a,b,c to the disciples.
Oh! how good is Jesus. He adapts Himself to the learned and speaks to them in a very high manner, in such a way that in order to understand Him, they have to study well what He tells them. And He adapts Himself to the ignorant, pretending to be, He Himself, a little bit ignorant; and He speaks in a low manner, in such a way that no one may remain on an empty stomach from the lesson of this Divine Teacher.
3 – The third way in which Jesus speaks to me is when, in speaking, He communicates its very substance to the soul. It seems to me that just as when the Lord created the world, at one word things were created, in the same way, since His word is creative, in the very act in which He pronounces the word, He creates in the soul that very thing which He is saying. As for example, Jesus says to the soul: “See how beautiful things are, but as much as your eye may flow over the earth and in Heaven, you will never find a beauty similar to Me.” At these words of Jesus, the souls feels a certain something divine enter herself; the soul remains so very drawn toward this beauty, and at the same time she loses attraction for all the other things. As beautiful and precious as they may be, they make no impression on her soul. That which remains fixed within her and almost transmuted into her is the beauty of Jesus: of that beauty she thinks, with that beauty she feels invested, and she remains so enamored that if the Lord did not operate another miracle, her heart would crack, and the soul would breathe her last out of pure love for this beauty of Jesus, so as to fly into Heaven and delight in this beauty of Jesus. I myself don’t know whether I am speaking nonsense.
In order to explain myself better about this substantial speaking of Jesus, I will say something else. Jesus says: “See how pure I am – in you also I want to find purity in everything.” At these words the soul feels a divine purity enter into her. This purity is transmuted into herself, and she arrives at living as if she no longer had a body – and so with the other virtues. Oh! how desirable is this speaking of Jesus. As for myself, I would give away everything that is on earth – if I could possess it – to have one alone of these words of Jesus alone.
4 – The fourth way in which Jesus speaks to me is when I find myself inside myself – that is, in the natural state. This also happens in two ways: the first is when, while being inside myself, recollected within the interior of my heart, without articulation of voice or sound to the ear of the body, Jesus speaks interiorly. The second is just like we do it; and sometimes this happens even when I am distracted or I am speaking with other people. But one of these words alone is enough to make me recollect myself if I am distracted, or to give me peace if I am disturbed, or to console me if I am afflicted.

I will continue from where I left, saying, ‘and this is how He did it’:
In the morning, I went to Communion, and as soon as I received Jesus, I immediately said to Him: ‘My Lord, look at what a storm I find myself in. I should thank You for You gave light to the confessor in giving me the obedience to suffer, but instead, my nature is so very affected that I myself remain confused at seeing myself so bad. However, all this is nothing; You who want the sacrifice, will also give me the strength. But the strongest reason in me is that of having to remain so long without being able to receive You in the Sacrament. Who would be able to resist without You? Who will give me the strength? Where shall I find a refreshment in my afflictions?’ And while saying this, I felt such pains in my heart because of this separation from Jesus in the Sacrament, that I cried my heart out. Then, the Lord, compassionating my weakness, told me: “Do not fear, I Myself will sustain your weakness. You do not know what graces I have prepared for you, and this is why you fear so much. Am I not omnipotent? Will I not be able to make up for the privation of being able to receive Me in the Sacrament? Therefore, resign yourself, place yourself as though dead in my arms; offer yourself as voluntary victim to repair for the offenses against Me, for sinners, and to spare men the deserved scourges, and as a pledge I give you my word that I will not leave you even one day without coming to see you. Up until now you have come to Me, from now on I will come to you – aren’t you happy?”
So I resigned myself to the Holy Will of God, and I was surprised by this state of sufferings. Now, who can tell the graces that the Lord began to give me? It is impossible to tell everything distinctly; I can say something confusedly. But as much as I can, and in order to do the holy obedience which wants it so, I will try to say as much as it is possible for me.
I remember that from the very beginning of my being continuously bedridden, my Lover Jesus would make Himself seen very often, which He had not done in the past. From the beginning He told me that He wanted me to take on a new way of life in order to dispose myself to that mystical marriage which He had promised me. He would say to me: “Beloved of my Heart, I have put you in this state so that I might come more freely to converse with you. See, I have freed you of all external occupations, so that, not only your soul, but also your body might be at my disposal, and so that you might remain in continuous holocaust before Me. See, had I not drawn you into this bed, since you would have to carry out your family duties and submit yourself to other sacrifices, I could not come so often and let you share in the offenses, just as I receive them; at most, I would have to wait for when you have fulfilled your duties. But now – no, we are free, there is no one left who may bother us and interrupt our conversation. From now on, my afflictions will be yours, and yours will be mine; my sufferings yours, and yours mine; my consolations yours, and yours mine. We will unite all things together, and you will take interest in my things as if they were your own; and so I will do with yours. Between the two of us there will no longer be ‘this is mine, and this is yours’, but everything will be in common, on both sides.
Do you know how I acted with you? Like a king when he wants to speak with his queen spouse, and she is with other ladies on other affairs. What does the king do? He takes her and brings her inside his room; they close the door, so that no one may go and interrupt their conversation and hear their secrets; and so, once they are alone, they communicate their consolations and their afflictions to each other. Now, if someone, imprudent, went to knock, shouting from behind the door, and did not leave them alone to enjoy their conversation – would the king not take offense? So have I done for you, and in the same way I would be displeased if someone wanted to remove you from that state.”
He continued to tell me: “From you I want perfect conformity to my Will, in such a way that your will may be undone within Mine; and absolute detachment from everything – so much so, that I want all that is earth to be considered by you as dung and rot, which one is horrified by just looking at. And this because, even though one were not attached to earthly things, just by having them around and looking at them they cast shadow on the celestial things and prevent the fulfillment of that mystical marriage which I promised you. Even more, I want that, just as I was poor, you also imitate Me in poverty. You must consider yourself in this bed as a little poor one; the poor are content with anything they have, and they first thank Me, and then their benefactors. The same for you: go along with everything that is given to you without asking for this or that, which might be a hindrance in your mind; but with holy indifference, without thinking of whether it may do good or bad, comply with the will of others.”
This cost me very much at the beginning, especially because of the obediences that the confessor would give me. I don’t know why, he wanted me to take quinine, and I was given the obedience that as many times as I would throw up, so many times was I to take food again. Now, quinine would whet my appetite, and sometimes I would feel quite a bit hungry. I would take food, and immediately after taking it, and at times in the very act of taking it, I would be forced to bring it up because of the continuous retching; and so I would remain with the same hunger as before. The word “poor” which Jesus had spoken to me, would not allow me to dare to ask for anything; and I myself would feel ashamed to ask, thinking to myself: ‘What will the family say: she has just vomited, and now she wants to eat?’ So I would remain content with being able to offer something to my dear Jesus.
However, this did not last for a long time, but only four months. One day the Lord told me: “Repeat to him the request for the obedience not to take quinine and not to take food so many times, for I will give him light.” So the confessor came and I told him. And he said to me: “So as not to show uniqueness, from now on I want you to take food only once a day”; and he suspended the quinine also. In this way, I remained more quiet and hunger went away; but the vomiting did not cease – that one time in which I would take food, I was forced to bring it up. Sometimes the Lord told me to ask for the obedience not to eat, but the confessor has never given me this obedience. He would say to me: “It doesn’t matter if you throw up – it is another mortification.”
But I would say this to Jesus, and He would tell me: “I want you to ask the question, but with holy indifference I want you to go along with whatever the obedience tells you.” And so I continued to do.
When about forty days had passed – which I had taken as such from those words that the Lord had said («for a certain given time”), and which I had related to the confessor in this way – the sufferings continued to surprise me every day, and he was forced to come every day. The confessor began to give me the obedience no longer to be in that state, and he added that if I fell into sufferings, he would come no more.
On my part, I felt absolutely ready to do the obedience. My nature especially wanted to be freed of that being in bed continuously, because as beautiful as it was, it was always bed… having to be subjected to everyone, even in the most repugnant and necessary things of nature, and being forced to tell them to others, is a true sacrifice. So, nature did its office, and felt all consoled in receiving this obedience; while my soul was ready to do the obedience, and ready to remain in bed if the Lord wanted it so, because I had began to experience how good He had been with me, and that true resignation can change the nature of things, turning bitter into sweet.
When he gave me the obedience no longer to stay in bed, I began to resist, and I said to the Lord: “What can I do? I can no longer stay, for obedience does not want it. If You want, give light to the confessor, and then I will be ready to do what You want.’ And I spent one entire night clashing with the Lord. When He would come, I would say to Him: ‘My dear Jesus, have patience, do not come, for obedience does not permit that You make me share in your sufferings.’ Up until the morning, I won – I felt I was inside myself and free of sufferings when, in one instant, the Lord came and drew me so much to Himself that I could not resist Him. I lost consciousness and I found myself together with Him, but so clasped to Him, that as much opposition as I made, I could not detach myself from Jesus. Being with Jesus, I felt all annihilated, and I felt a certain blushing for the many reproaches I had made during the night. I said to Him: ‘Holy Spouse, forgive me – it is the confessor that wants it so.’ And He told me: “Do not fear, when it is because of obedience I do not get offended.” He continued: “Come, come to Me. Today is the New Year, I want to give you a present.” (That morning was precisely the first day of the year). So, He drew His most pure lips to mine and poured a most sweet milk; He kissed me, He took a ring from within His side and said to me: “Today I want to show you the ring I have prepared for you, for when I espouse you.” Then He told me: “Tell the confessor that it is my Will that you continue to stay in bed, and as a sign that it is I, tell him that there is a war between Italy and Africa, and if he gives you the obedience to continue to suffer, I will not do anything on either side – they will reconcile.”
In the very act of these words being spoken, I felt surrounded by sufferings as if by a garment, and I was unable to free myself by myself. I thought to myself: ‘What will the confessor say?’ But it was no longer in my power. That milk which Jesus had poured into me produced in me such love for Him, that I felt languor; and I felt such satiety and sweetness, that after the confessor came and I came round from that state, and the family brought me food, I felt so full that the food would not go down. But in order to do the obedience, which wanted it so, I took a little bit, and I was immediately forced to bring it up – but mixed with that sweet milk that Jesus had given me. And Jesus, almost jokingly, told me: “What I gave you was not enough? You are not content yet?” I blushed all over, but immediately I said to Him: “What can I do? It’s the obedience.’
When the confessor came, he began to get upset, telling me that I was disobedient; or he would say to me: “This is an illness. If it were something from God, He would have made you obey. Therefore, instead of calling the confessor, you should call the doctors.” When he finished speaking, I told him everything that the Lord had said to me, which I mentioned above, and he told me that it was true that there was a war between Africa and Italy. “We’ll see if nothing happens”. And so he was persuaded to letting me continue to suffer.
One day, after about four months, the confessor came and told me that news had arrived about the war between Africa and Italy, and that without causing any damage to each other, they had reconciled. So the confessor was persuaded, and he let me stay there in peace.
My sweet Jesus would do nothing but dispose me to that mystical marriage which He had promised me. When I was in that state, He would make Himself seen sometimes three times a day, sometimes four, as He pleased; and sometimes it was a continuous coming and going. He seemed to be a sweetheart who cannot be without his spouse. This is how Jesus was with me, and sometimes he reached the point of telling me: “You see, I love you so much that I cannot be without coming. I feel almost restless, thinking that you are there suffering for Me, and you are alone; this is why I have come – to see if you need something.” And while saying this, He Himself would lift my head, He would place His arm around my neck and hug me; and while holding me like that, He would kiss me, and if it was summertime and it was hot, He would send a refreshing breath from His mouth, or He would take something in His hand and fan me. And then He would ask me: “How are you feeling? Don’t you feel better?” I would say to Him: ‘Being with You, in whatever way, one always feels well.’
Other times, then, if He saw me very weak because of my continuously being in those sufferings, especially if the confessor was coming at night, my lover Jesus would come, and in seeing me in that state of extreme weakness – to the point that at times I felt I was dying – He would draw near me and from His mouth He would pour milk into mine, or He would place me close to His side, and from there I would suckle torrents of sweetnesses, of delights and of strength. And He would say to me: “I really want to be your everything, and also your nourishment – for the soul and for the body.” Who can tell what I experienced, both in the soul and in the body, from these graces that Jesus would give me? If I wanted to tell them, I would be too long. I remember that, sometimes, when He would not come quickly, I would lament to Him, telling Him: ‘O please! oh! Holy Spouse, how could You make me wait so long – I could not resist any more, I felt I was dying without You.’ And while saying this, the pain I felt was such that I would cry. And He would compassionate all of me; He would dry my tears, He would kiss me, He would hug me, and say: “I do not want you to cry. See, now I am with you – tell me what you want.” I would say to Him: ‘I want nothing but You, and only then will I stop crying, when You promise me You will not make me wait for so long.’ And He would say to me: “Yes, yes, I will make you content.”
One day, while we were in this contrast, and the pain was so great that I could not stop crying, my good Jesus told me: “I want to content you in everything. I feel so drawn toward you that I cannot do without doing what you want. If up until now I have removed the external life from you and I have manifested Myself to you, now I want to draw your soul to Me, so that, wherever I go, you may come along. In this way, you will be able to enjoy Me more, and bind yourself to Me more intimately than you have done in the past.”
One morning – I don’t remember well, but I think that about three months had passed of my continuously staying in bed – while I was in my usual state, my sweet Jesus came, with a look all lovable, as a young man of the age of about eighteen. Oh! how beautiful He was. With His golden hair, all curly, He seemed to chain my thoughts, my affections, my heart. From His forehead, serene and spacious, one could admire the interior of His mind, as from within a crystal, and one could discover His infinite wisdom, His imperturbable peace. Oh! how I felt my mind, my heart brighten up; even more, before Jesus, my very passions are knocked down and do not dare to give me the slightest bother. I don’t know if I’m wrong, but I believe that one cannot see this Jesus, so beautiful, if one is not in the most profound calm; so much so, that the slightest breath of disturbance prevents one from receiving a sight so beautiful. Ah! yes, at just seeing the serenity of His adorable forehead, the infusion of peace that one receives in the interior is so great, that I believe that there is no disaster or war most fierce, which do not appease themselves before Jesus. Oh! my all and beautiful Jesus, if You communicate so much peace in the few moments You manifest Yourself in this life – in such a way that one can suffer the most painful martyrdoms, the most humiliating pains with the most perfect tranquillity (it seems to me a blend of peace and sorrow) – what will it be like in Paradise? Oh! how beautiful are His most pure eyes, sparkling with light. It is not like the light of the sun, that if one wants to look at it, it harms our sight – no; in Jesus, while being light, one can very well fix his gaze on it, and by just looking at the interior of His pupil, of a dark sky-blue – oh! how many things they would tell me. The beauty of His eyes is such that one alone of His gazes is enough to make me go outside of myself, and run after Him through paths and through mountains, through the earth and through the heavens. One single glance is enough to transform me in Him, and make me feel a certain something divine descend into me.
Who can tell, then, the beauty of His adorable face? His white complexion looks like snow colored with a shade of roses, the most beautiful ones. In His rosy cheeks, one discovers the greatness of His person, with a most majestic look, fully divine, which strikes fear and reverence, and at the same time infuses such confidence that, as for myself, I have never found anyone who would give me the least shadow of confidence that my dear Jesus gives – neither my parents, nor the confessors, nor my sisters. Ah! yes, that Holy Face, while being so majestic, is also so lovable, and that loveliness attracts one so much, that the soul does not have the slightest doubt of being welcomed by Jesus, as ugly and sinful as she may see herself. Beautiful also is His nose, which descends to a very fine point, proportioned to His most sacred face. Gracious is His mouth – small, but extremely beautiful, and His finest lips of a scarlet color; while He speaks, He contains so much graciousness that it is impossible to describe it. Sweet is the voice of my Jesus, it is gentle, it is harmonious; while He speaks, there is such fragrance coming out of His mouth, that it seems that there is nothing like it on earth. It is so penetrating as to penetrate everywhere; one feels it descend from the hearing to the heart, and – oh! how many affections it produces. But who can say everything? Then, it is so pleasant, that I believe that no other pleasures can be found, as many as are the ones which one can find in one single word of Jesus. The voice of my Jesus is immensely powerful, it is operative, and at the very moment He speaks, He already operates that which He says. Ah! yes, beautiful is His mouth, but it displays more its beautiful grace in the act of His speaking, while one can see those teeth so clear and so well arranged, and His breath of love comes out, igniting, darting through, consuming the heart. Beautiful are His hands, soft, white, most delicate, with those fingers so perfectly crafted – and He moves them with such mastery as to be an enchantment.
Oh! how beautiful You are – all beautiful, oh my sweet Jesus! What I have said of your beauty is nothing; rather, it seems to me that I have said a lot of nonsense – but what can I do? Forgive me, it is obedience that wants it so. By myself, I would not have dared to say one word, knowing my insufficiency.
Now, while I was seeing Jesus in the appearance already described, He sent me a breath from His mouth, which invested all of my soul. It seemed that, through that breath, Jesus was drawing me toward Himself, and I began to feel my soul going out of my body. I really felt it go out from all parts – from my head, from my hands, and even from my feet. Since it was the first time this was happening to me, within myself I began to say: ‘Now I die, the Lord has come to take me.’ When I saw myself out of the body, the soul had the same feeling of the body – with this difference: the body contains flesh, nerves and bones, while the soul doesn’t; it is a body of light. So I felt a fear within me, but Jesus continued to send me that breath, and told me: “If being deprived of Me gives you so much pain, now come together with Me, for I want to console you.” And so Jesus began His flight, and I began mine, after Him; and we went around throughout the whole vault of the heavens. Oh! how beautiful it was to stroll together with Jesus – now I would lean my head upon His shoulder, with one arm around His shoulders and the other hand in His hand; now Jesus would lean on me, when we reached certain places which were more inundated with iniquity. Oh! how my good Jesus suffered. I could see more clearly the sufferings of His adorable Heart; I could see Him almost faint, and I would say to Him: ‘Lean on me, and let me share in your pains, for my soul cannot bear seeing You suffer alone.’ And Jesus would say to me: “My beloved, help Me, for I cannot take any more.” And while saying this, He would draw His lips close to mine, and He would pour such bitterness that I would feel mortal pains in feeling that liqueur, so very bitter, enter into me. I would feel as if many knives, pricks, arrows were piercing me through. In sum, an atrocious torment would form in all of my limbs, and as the soul would go back into the body, it would make the body participate in these sufferings. Who can tell the pains? Jesus Himself was the witness of it, because the others could not mitigate my pains, since I would be in that state of loss of consciousness, and they would wait for the presence of the confessor, for then they would also mitigate at the call of obedience. So, Jesus alone could help me when He would see that my nature could not take any more and reached the very extremes – when there was nothing left for me but to breathe my last. Oh! how many times death made fun of me; but the day will come when I will make fun of her.
So, Jesus would come, He would take me in His arms, He would draw me close to His Heart, and – oh! how I would feel life come back to me. Then, He would pour a most sweet liqueur from His lips, and in this way the pains would mitigate. Other times, He would take me around together with Him. If there were sins of blasphemy, against charity and others, He would pour those poisonous bitters; if then there were sins of dishonesty, He would pour something of a stinking rottenness, and when I would return into myself, I could feel that stink so well, and the stench would be such, that it would revolt my stomach and I would feel faint. And sometimes, after taking food, when I would bring it up, I could feel that rot come out of my mouth, mixed with the food.
Sometimes, then, He would bring me into churches, and even there my good Jesus was offended. Oh! how awfully those works reached His Heart – holy works, yes, but done roughly; those prayers empty of interior spirit, that piety, false, apparent, which seemed to give more insult than honor to Jesus. Ah! yes, that holy, pure, upright Heart could not receive those works, done so badly. Oh! how many times He lamented, saying: “Daughter, see how many offenses I receive, even from those people who are said to be devout – even in the holiest places. In receiving the very Sacraments, instead of coming out purified, they come out dirtier.” Ah! yes, how much pain it was for Jesus to see people receiving Communion sacrilegiously, priests celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in mortal sin, out of habit, and some – it is a horror to say it – even out of self-interest. Oh! how many times my Jesus made me see these scenes so sorrowful. How many times, while the priest was celebrating the Sacrosanct Mystery, Jesus is forced to go into his hands, because He is called by the priestly authority. One could see those hands dripping with rot, blood, or smeared with mud. Oh! how pitiful then, was the state of Jesus, so holy, so pure, in those hands which were horrifying to the mere sight. It seemed He wanted to escape from between those hands, but He was forced to stay until the species of bread and wine would be consumed.
Sometimes, while remaining there with the priest, He would come hurriedly to me, all lamenting, and before I could say it, He Himself would say to me: “Daughter, let me pour it into you, for I cannot take anymore. Have pity on my state, which is too sorrowful – have patience, let us suffer together.” And while saying this, He would pour from His mouth into mine. But who can tell what He poured? It seemed to be a bitter poison, a fetid rot, mixed with a food so hard, disgusting and nauseating, that sometimes it would not go down. Who can tell, then, the sufferings that this pouring of Jesus produced? If He Himself had not sustained me, I certainly would have died; yet, He would pour in me but the smallest part – what would it be for Jesus, who contained tons upon tons of it? Oh! how awful is sin! Ah! Lord, let everyone know it, so that all may flee from this monster so horrible. But while I would see these scenes so sorrowful, other times, He would also make me see scenes so consoling and beautiful as to be enrapturing; and this was to see good and holy priests celebrating the Sacrosanct Mysteries. Oh God! how high, great, sublime is their ministry. How beautiful it was to see the priest celebrating Mass, and Jesus transformed into him. It seemed that it was not the priest, but Jesus Himself that celebrated the Divine Sacrifice, and sometimes He would make the priest disappear completely, and Jesus alone would celebrate Mass – and I would listen to Him. Oh! how touching it was to see Jesus recite those prayers, do all those ceremonies and movements that the priest does. Who can tell how consoling it was for me to see these Masses together with Jesus? How many graces I received, how much light, how many things I comprehended! But since these are past things, I don’t remember them too clearly, so I keep silent.
But as I am saying this, Jesus has moved in my interior and has called me – He doesn’t want me to do so. Ah! Lord, how much patience it takes with You. Well then, I will content You. Oh! sweet Love, I will say a few little things, but give me your grace to be able to manifest them, because, by myself, I would not dare to utter one word about mysteries so profound and sublime.
Now, while seeing Jesus or the priest celebrating the Divine Sacrifice, Jesus would make me understand that in the Mass there is all the depth of our sacrosanct religion. Ah! yes, the Mass tells us everything and speaks to us about everything. The Mass reminds us of our redemption; It speaks to us, step by step, about the pains that Jesus suffered for us; It also manifests to us His immense love, for He was not content with dying on the Cross, but He wanted to continue His state of victim in the Most Holy Eucharist. The Mass also tells us that our bodies, decayed, reduced to ashes by death, will rise again on the day of the judgment, together with Christ, to immortal and glorious life. Jesus made me comprehend that the most consoling thing for a Christian, and the highest and most sublime mysteries of our holy religion are: Jesus in the Sacrament and the resurrection of our bodies to glory. These are profound mysteries, which we will comprehend only beyond the stars; but Jesus in the Sacrament makes us almost touch them with our own hands, in different ways. First, His Resurrection; second, His state of annihilation under those species, though it is certain that Jesus is there present, alive and real. Then, once those species are consumed, His real presence no longer exists. And as the species are consecrated again, He comes again to assume His sacramental state. So, Jesus in the Sacrament reminds us of the resurrection of our bodies to glory: just as Jesus, when His sacramental state ceases resides in the womb of God, His Father, the same for us – when our lives cease, our souls go and make their dwelling in Heaven, in the womb of God, while are bodies are consumed. So, one can say that they will no longer exist; but then, with a prodigy of the omnipotence of God, our bodies will acquire new life, and uniting with the soul, will go together to enjoy the eternal beatitude. Can there be anything more consoling for a human heart than the fact that not only the soul, but also the body will be beatified in the eternal contentments? It seems to me that on that day it will happen as when the sky is starry and the sun comes out. What happens? With its immense light, the sun absorbs the stars and makes them disappear; yet the stars exist. The sun is God, and all the blessed souls are the stars; with His immense light, God will absorb us all within Himself, in such a way that we will exist in God and will swim in the immense sea of God. Oh! how many things Jesus in the Sacrament tells us; but who can tell them all? I would really be too long. If the Lord allows it, I will reserve saying something else on other occasions.
Now, during these exits that the Lord would make me do, sometimes He would renew the promise of the marriage, which I already mentioned. Who can tell the ardent yearnings that the Lord infused in me for this mystical marriage to take place? Many times I would solicit Him, telling Him: ‘Most sweet Spouse, hurry, no longer delay my intimate union with You. O please! let us bind each other with stronger bonds of love, so that no one may ever again be able to separate us, even for simple instants.’ And Jesus would correct me now about one thing, now about another. I remember that one day He said to me: “Everything that is of the earth, everything – everything you must remove, not only from your heart, but also from your body. You cannot understand how harmful are the slightest earthly shadows, and how much they hinder love.” Immediately I said to Him: ‘If I have something else that must be removed, tell me, for I am ready to do it.’ But as I was saying this, I myself realized that I had a gold ring on my finger, portraying the image of the Crucifix; and immediately I said to Him: ‘Holy Spouse, do you want me to take it off?’ And He told me: “Since I Myself will give you a more precious, more beautiful ring, which will have my living image impressed on it, and every time you will look at it your heart will receive new arrows of love – this one is not necessary.” And I promptly removed it.
The longed for day finally arrived, after not a little suffering. I remember that it was almost one year that I had been continuously in bed – it was the day of the purity of Mary Most Holy. On the night before that day, my lover Jesus made Himself seen all festive. He drew near me, took my heart in His hands, and He looked at it over and over again; He dusted it, and then He gave it back to me. Then He took a garment of immense beauty, whose background seemed to be a surface of gold streaked with various colors, and He clothed me with that garment. Then He took two gems, as if they were earrings, and He bejewelled my ears. Then He adorned my neck and my arms, and surrounded my forehead with a crown of immense value, all enriched with precious stones and gems, all refulgent with light; and it seemed to me that those lights were as many voices which resounded among themselves, speaking in clear notes of the beauty, the power, the fortitude, and of all the other virtues of my spouse Jesus. Who can tell what I comprehended, and in what sea of consolation my soul was swimming? It is impossible to say it.
Now, while He was crowning my forehead, Jesus told me: “Most sweet spouse, I place this crown upon you so that nothing may be missing in order to make you worthy of being my spouse; but then, after our wedding is finished, I will take it with Me to Heaven, to keep it for you at the moment of your death.” Finally, He took a veil and covered me completely with it, from head to foot; and He left me in that way. Ah! it seemed to me that there was a great meaning in that veil, because the demons, in seeing me all covered with that veil, were so frightened and had such fear of me, that they fled, terrified. The very Angels were around me with such veneration, that I myself was confused and all full of blushing.
On the morning of the aforementioned day, Jesus made Himself seen again all affable, sweet and majestic, together with His Most Holy Mother and Saint Catherine. First, the Angels sang a hymn, while Saint Catherine assisted me, Mama took my hand, and Jesus put the ring on my finger. Then, we embraced and He kissed me, and so did Mama also. Then we had a conversation, all of love – Jesus told me of the great love He had for me, and I also told Him of the love I had for Him. The Most Holy Virgin made me comprehend the great grace I had received, and the correspondence with which I was to correspond to the love of Jesus.
My Spouse Jesus gave me new rules in order to live more perfectly, but since it has been a long time, I don’t remember them so well; therefore I will skip them. And so it ended, for that day.
Who can tell the finesses of love that Jesus made to my soul? They were such and so many that it is impossible to describe them, but I will try to say the little I remember.
Sometimes, carrying me with Him, He would take me to Paradise, and there I could listen to the canticles of the blessed, and I could see the Divinity, the different choirs of Angels, the orders of the Saints, all immersed in the Divinity of God – absorbed, identified with It. It seemed to me that there were many lights around the throne, which were more brilliant than the sun; and these lights displayed in clear notes all the virtues and the attributes of God. By reflecting themselves in one of these lights, the blessed would remain enraptured, in such a way that they could not arrive at penetrating the whole immensity of that light, therefore they would move to a second light, without understanding all the depth of the first one. So, the blessed in Heaven cannot comprehend God perfectly, because the immensity, the greatness, the sanctity of God is such, that a created mind cannot comprehend an uncreated Being. Now, it seemed to me that by reflecting themselves in these lights, the blessed would come to participate in the virtues of these lights. Therefore, in Heaven, the soul resembles God – with this difference: that God is that immense sun, while the soul is a little sun. But who can say all that can be understood in that blessed dwelling? It is impossible to do it while the soul is in this prison of the body; while one can feel something in the mind, the lips do not find the terms to express it. It seems to me that it is like a child who begins to babble: he would like to say many upon many things, but in the end he remains without being able to say even one clear word. Therefore I stop here, without going any further. I will just say that sometimes, while finding myself in that blessed Fatherland, I would be strolling together with Jesus in the midst of the choirs of Angels and the Saints; and since I was newly-espoused, all the blessed would unite together to participate in the joys of our marriage. It seemed to me that they would forget their own contentments to occupy themselves with ours; and sometimes Jesus would show me to the saints, saying to them: “See this soul – she is a triumph of my Love; my Love has surpassed everything in her.”
Other times, then, He would make me stay at the place which was going to be mine, and He would say to me: “Here is your place – no one can take it away from you.” And at times I would reach the point of believing that I was no longer going to come back to earth; but in one simple instant I would find myself locked up in the wall of this body.
Who can tell how so very bitter this returning would be for me? It seemed to me that in going from the things of Heaven to the things of this earth, everything was rotten, insipid, bothering. The things which delighted others so much, were bitter for me. The people most dear, most distinguished, such that others would do, who knows what, in order to be with them, were indifferent to me, and also bothering; only by looking at them as images of God, did I seem to be able to bear them. But my soul had lost any satisfaction; nothing would bring to it the slightest contentment, and the pain I felt was such, that I would do nothing but cry and lament to my beloved Jesus. Ah!, my heart lived restless, amid continuous yearnings and desires; I felt it more in Heaven than on earth. I felt in my interior something that consumed me continuously, so bitter and painful it was for me having to continue to live. But the obedience almost put a brake on these pains of mine, commanding me in an absolute way not to desire to die, since, when the confessor would give me the obedience, only then was I to die. So, in order to do the holy obedience, I would do as much as I could so as not to think about it, because in my interior there was a continuous ejaculation of desires of wanting to go. So, for the most part, my heart calmed down, but not completely. I confess the truth, I was very deficient in this – but what could I do? I could not restrain myself – it was a true martyrdom for me. My benign Jesus would say to me: “Calm yourself, what is it that makes you desire Heaven so much?” I would say to Him: ‘It is that I want to be always united with You. My soul can no longer bear being separated from You – not just for one day, but not even for a moment. Therefore I want to come at any cost.’ “Well then”, He would say to me, “If it is because of Me, I want to make you content – I will come and stay with you.” Then I would say to Him: ‘But then You leave me, and I lose sight of You, while in Heaven it is not so – there, I could never lose sight of You.’
Sometimes, Jesus also wanted to play jokes, and this is how: while I would be amid these yearnings, He would come, all hurriedly, and would say to me: “Do you want to come?” And I would say to Him: ‘Where?’ And He: “To Heaven.” And I: ‘You really mean that?’ And He: “But hurry, come, do not delay.” And I: ‘Well then, let’s go – but I fear You want to make fun of me.’ And Jesus: “No, no, I really want to take you with me.” And while He would say this, I would feel my soul go out of the body, and together with Jesus, I would set off for Heaven. Oh! how happy I would be then, thinking of getting to leave the earth – life seemed to be a sleep to me, and suffering seemed very little. As we would reach a high point of Heaven, I would hear the singing of the Blessed. I would solicit Jesus to introduce me quickly into that blessed dwelling, but Jesus would begin to slow down. In my interior I would start to suspect that it wasn’t true – ‘who knows’, I would say, ‘if this is not a joke that He has played on me?’ Every now and then, I would say to Him: ‘My Jesus, dear, hurry up.’ And He would say to me: “Wait a little longer – let us go down on earth again. See, out there there is a sinner who is about to be lost. Let us go – who knows whether he might convert. Let us pray together to the Eternal Father, that He may use mercy on him. Don’t you want him to be saved? Are you not ready to suffer any pain for the salvation of one soul alone?” And I: ‘Yes, anything You want me to suffer, I am ready, as long as You save him.’ So we would go to that sinner; we would try to convince him, we would place the most powerful reasons before his mind to make him surrender – but in vain. Then, all afflicted, Jesus would say to me: “My spouse, return into your body once again, take upon yourself the pains destined to him; in this way, being appeased, the Divine Justice will use mercy on him. You have seen it – words have not shaken him, and not even reasons; there is nothing left but pains, which are the most powerful means in order to satisfy justice and to make the sinner surrender.” So He would bring me once again into my body. Who can tell the sufferings I would receive? Only the Lord knows, who has been the witness of it. After a few days, then, He would make me see that soul, converted and saved. Oh, how happy was Jesus – and I as well.
Who can tell how many times Jesus played these jokes? When we would reach the point of entering, and sometimes even after entering, He would say that He had not let me have the obedience from the confessor, and therefore I should go back to earth. And I would say to Him: ‘As long as I was with the confessor, I was obliged to obey him, but now that I am with You, I am supposed to obey You, because You are the first among all.’ And Jesus would say to me: “No, no; I want you to obey the confessor.” Then, not to make it too long, now with one pretext, now with another, He would make me go back on earth.
Those jokes were very painful for me. It is enough to say that I became impertinent, so much so, that in order to chastise my impertinences, the Lord no longer allowed these jokes so often.
I had spent about three years in this state already described, continuing to remain in bed, when one morning Jesus made me understand that He wanted to renew the marriage – not on earth, as the first time, but in Heaven, in the presence of the whole Celestial Court, and that I should remain prepared for a grace so great. I did as much as I could in order to dispose myself, but since I am so miserable and insufficient in doing any shadow of good, the hand of the Divine Maker was needed in order to dispose me, because, by myself, I would never have managed to purify my soul.
One morning – it was the eve of the nativity of Mary Most Holy – my always benign Jesus Himself came to dispose me. He did nothing but come and go continuously. He would speak to me now about Faith, and then He would leave me, and I would feel a life of faith being infused in my soul. As rough as I felt it before, at the speaking of Jesus, I would feel my soul become very light, in such a way as to penetrate into God; and I would contemplate now His Power, now His Sanctity, now His Goodness, and so on. My soul would remain stupefied, and in a sea of stupefaction, I would say: ‘Powerful God, what power is not undone before You? Immense Sanctity of God, what other sanctity, as sublime as it might be, would dare to appear before You?’ Then I would feel myself descend into myself, and I could see my nothingness, the nonentity of earthly things, how everything is nothing before God. I would see myself as a little worm, all full of dust, climbing up in order to take a few steps; it would take nothing to destroy me but someone who would trample me under foot, and I would be undone. So, seeing myself so ugly, I almost would not dare to go to God, but His Goodness would make itself present before my mind, and I would feel drawn as though by a magnet, to go to Him. And I would say to myself: ‘If He is holy, He is also merciful; if He is powerful, He also contains full and highest Goodness within Himself.’ It seemed to me that Goodness surrounded Him on the outside and inundated Him from within. So I would contemplate the Goodness of God. It seemed to me that it would surpass all the other attributes, but then, looking at the others, I would see them all equal among themselves – immense, immeasurable and incomprehensible to the human nature. While my soul would be in this state, Jesus would come back and speak about Hope.
I remember something confusedly, because after so much time it is impossible to remember clearly; but in order to do the obedience that wants it so, I will say what I can.
So, going back to Faith, Jesus would say: “In order to obtain, one must believe. Just as for the head without the sight of the eyes, everything is darkness, everything is confusion, so much so, that if one wanted to walk, he would stumble now at one point, now at another, and would end up falling completely, the same for the soul without Faith – she does nothing but go from precipice to precipice. But Faith serves as the sight of the soul, and as the light which guides her to eternal life. Now, what is this light of Faith nourished by? By Hope. Now, what is the substance of this light of Faith, and of this nourishment of Hope? It is Charity. All of these three virtues are grafted to one another, in such a way that one cannot be without the other.
In fact, what good comes to man from believing in the immense riches of Faith, if he does not hope for them, for himself? He will look at them, yes, but with indifferent eye, because he knows that they do not belong to him. But Hope provides the light of Faith with wings, and by hoping in the merits of Jesus Christ, he looks at them as his own, and he comes to love them.”
“Hope”, Jesus said, “provides the soul with a garment of fortitude, almost of iron, in such a way that, with all their arrows, the enemies cannot wound her; not only this, but they cannot cause even the slightest disturbance. Everything is tranquillity in her, everything is peace. Oh! it is beautiful to see this soul invested with beautiful Hope, all cleaving to her beloved, all distrustful of herself, and all trustful in God. She challenges the fiercest enemies, she is queen of her passions; she regulates all of her interior, her inclinations, desires, heartbeats, thoughts, with such mastery that Jesus Himself remains enamored, because He sees that this soul operates with such courage and strength. But she draws it from Him, and places all her hope in Him, so much so, that in seeing this firm hope, Jesus cannot deny anything to this soul.
Now, while Jesus would speak about Hope, He would withdraw for a little, leaving a light in my intellect. Who can tell what I comprehended about Hope? If all the other virtues serve to embellish the soul, but can make us stagger and render us inconstant – Hope, instead, renders the soul firm and stable, like those high mountains which cannot be moved a tiny bit. It seems to me that it happens to the soul invested with Hope as to certain very high mountains: all the intemperances of the air cannot do any harm to these mountains; neither snow, nor winds, nor heat can penetrate into them; whatever thing might be placed at their top, one can be sure of finding there where it was put, even if a hundred years should pass. Just so is the soul clothed with Hope: nothing can do harm to her, neither tribulation, nor poverty; nor do all the various accidents of life dismay her for one instant. She says to herself: “I can do everything, I can bear everything, suffer everything – hoping in Jesus, who forms the object of all my hopes.”
Hope renders the soul almost omnipotent, invincible, and it administers to her the final perseverance, so much so, that only then does she cease to hope and to persevere, when she has taken possession of the Kingdom of Heaven. Then, she lays down Hope and plunges all of herself into the immense ocean of Divine Love.
While my soul would dissolve in the immense sea of Hope, my beloved Jesus would come back and speak to me about Charity, telling me: “Faith and Hope give way to Charity, and Charity connects all the rest of the other two together, in such a way as to make them one, while they are three. And here It is, oh my spouse, veiled in the three theological virtues, the Trinity of the Divine Persons.”
Then He continued: “If Faith makes one believe, and Hope makes one hope, Charity makes one love. If Faith is light and serves as the sight of the soul, and Hope, which is the nourishment of Faith, provides the souls with courage, peace, perseverance and all the rest – Charity, which is the substance of this light and of this nourishment, is like that most sweet and fragrant ointment which, penetrating everywhere, relieves and soothes the pains of life. Charity makes suffering sweet, and makes one reach the point even of desiring it. The soul who possesses Charity diffuses fragrance everywhere; her works, all done out of love, give off a most pleasing odor. And what is this odor? It is the odor of God Himself. The other virtues render the soul solitary and almost unrefined with creatures; Charity, on the other hand, being substance that unites, unites the hearts. But where? In God. Being a most fragrant ointment, Charity spreads everywhere and with everyone. Charity makes one suffer the most ruthless torments with joy, and one reaches the point of not being able to be without suffering. And when she sees herself deprived of it, she says to her spouse Jesus: “Sustain me with the fruits, which is suffering, because I am languishing with love; and where else can I show You my love other than in suffering for You?” Charity burns, consumes all other things, even the virtues themselves, and turns them all into itself. In sum, it is like a queen who wants to reign everywhere, and does not want to surrender to anyone.”
Who can tell what remained after this speaking of Jesus? I will just say that such yearning for suffering ignited within me – and not just yearning, but I feel as though an infusion in me, like something natural, such that I believe that the greatest disgrace is not to suffer.
After this, on that morning, in order to dispose my heart more, Jesus spoke about the annihilation of myself. He also spoke of the immense desire which I was to excite within me in order to dispose myself to receive that grace. He told me that desire makes up for the lacks and imperfections that may be in the soul; it is like a mantle that covers everything. But this was not a simple speaking – it was an infusion in me of that which He was saying.
While my soul was exciting itself with ardent yearnings for receiving the grace that Jesus Himself wanted to give me, Jesus came back and transported me outside of myself, up to Paradise. And there, in the presence of the Most Holy Trinity and of all the Celestial Court, He renewed the marriage. Jesus put out the ring adorned with three precious stones, white, red and green, and He gave it to the Father, who blessed it and gave it back to the Son again. The Holy Spirit took my right hand and Jesus placed the ring on my ring finger. Then I was admitted to the kiss of all the Three Divine Persons, and each of Them blessed me.
Who can tell my confusion when I found myself before the Most Holy Trinity? I will just say that as soon as I found myself in Their presence, I fell flat to the ground, and I would have remained there if it wasn’t for Jesus, who encouraged me to go into Their presence, so much was the light, the sanctity of God. I am only saying this; the other things I will leave out, because I remember them confusedly.
After this, I remember that a few days passed and I received Communion. I lost consciousness, and I saw, present before me, the Most Holy Trinity whom I had seen in Heaven. I immediately prostrated myself at Their presence, I adored Them, I confessed my nothingness. I remember that I felt so plunged within myself that I did not dare to utter a single word, when a voice came from Their midst and said: “Do not fear, pluck up courage, We have come to confirm you as Our own, and to take possession of your heart.” While this voice was saying this, I saw that the Most Holy Trinity descended into my heart and took possession of it – and there They formed Their dwelling. Who can tell the change that occurred in me? I felt divinized; it was no longer I who lived, but They were living in me. It seemed to me that my body was like a residence, and that the living God was residing in it, because I could feel, sensibly, Their real presence in my interior. I could hear Their voice clearly, coming from within my interior and resounding at the ears of my body. It happened precisely as when there are people speaking inside a room, and their voices can be heard, clearly and distinctly, also outside.
From that moment on, I no longer had the need to go in search of Him somewhere else in order to find Him, but I could find Him there – inside my heart. And when sometimes He would hide and I would go in search of Jesus, wandering around heaven and earth, searching for my highest and only Good, while I would be in the heat of my tears, in the intensity of my yearnings, amid unutterable pains for having lost Him, Jesus would come out from within my interior and say to me: “I am here with you, do not look for me elsewhere.” Between the surprise and the contentment at having found Him, I would say to Him: ‘My Jesus, how is it, for the entire morning You made me go around and around in order to find You, and You are here? You could at least tell me, so I would not have become so worked up. My sweet good, my dear life, take a look at how tired I am, I feel I have no more strengths, I feel faint – O please! sustain me in your arms for I feel I am dying.’ And so Jesus would take me in His arms and would make me rest; and while resting, I would feel my strengths being restored.
Other times, in this hiding of Jesus and my going around in search for Him, when He would make Himself felt inside of me and then come out from within me, I would find not Jesus alone, but all Three Divine Persons – now in the form of three children, gracious and immensely beautiful, now with one single body and three distinct heads, but resembling each other, all three of them attractive.
Who can tell my contentment? Especially when I would see the three children, whom I would hold, all three of them, in my arms. I would kiss now one, now another, and receive their kisses; now one would lean on my shoulder, another on the other shoulder, and another would remain in front of me. And while delighting in them, I would go about looking at them and, to my amazement, from three I would find one.
Another amazement for me when I would be with these three children, was that each one would weigh as much as the three of them together. I would feel as much love for one of these children, as for all three of them together; each one of them attracted me in the same way.
In order to speak about these marriages, I had to skip over a few things, for I was following the thread; and now I will tell them.
Going back to the beginning, when Jesus would deign to come, He would speak to me very often about His Passion, and would take care in disposing my soul to the imitation of His Life and of His pains, telling that, in addition to the marriage which is mentioned above, we had one more left to do – and this was the marriage of the cross.
I remember that He would say: “My Spouse, virtues become weak if they are not strengthened and fortified by the grafting of the cross. Before my coming upon earth, pains, confusions, disgraces, calumnies, sufferings, poverty, illnesses, and especially the cross, were considered dishonors; but from the moment they were borne by Me, they were all sanctified and divinized by my contact. They all changed their appearance, becoming sweet, pleasant, and the soul who has the good of having some of them, receives honor – and this, because she has received the vestment of Me, Son of God. Only those who look and stop at the cortex of the cross experience the contrary; finding it bitter, they are disgusted by it, they complain, as if someone had done wrong to them. But those who penetrate into it, finding it enjoyable, form their happiness in it. My beloved daughter, I yearn for nothing else but to crucify you, body and soul.”
And while He would say this, I would feel such infusion of yearnings for being crucified with Jesus Christ, that I would often repeat: ‘My Jesus, my Love, hurry – crucify me with You.’ And when He would come back, the first things I would ask of Him, which seemed to be the most important to me, were these: sorrow for my sins, and the grace to be crucified with Him. It seemed to me that if I obtained this, I would obtain everything.
Then, one morning, my most beloved Jesus made Himself present before me in the form of a Crucifix, and told me that He wanted to crucify me with Him. As He was saying this, I saw that rays of light were coming out from His most holy wounds, and within those rays, nails, which were coming toward me. At that moment, I don’t know why, though I desired so much to be crucified by Him as to feel consumed, I was caught by a great fear that made me tremble from head to foot. I felt such annihilation of myself, I saw myself so unworthy to receive that grace, that I did not dare to say: ‘Lord, crucify me with You.’ Jesus seemed to be suspended, waiting for my will. Who can tell how ardently I desired Him within the intimate part of my soul, though, at the same time, I saw myself unworthy? My nature was frightened, and trembled.
But while I was in this state, my beloved Jesus, through the intellect, solicited me to accept. Then, with all my heart I said to Him: ‘Holy Spouse, crucified for me, I pray You to concede me the grace to be crucified and, at the same time, not to allow any external sign to appear on the outside. Yes, give me suffering, give me wounds, but let everything be hidden between me and You.’
And so those rays of light, together with the nails, pierced my hands and feet through, and my heart was pierced by a ray of light together with a lance. Who can tell the pain and the contentment? As much as my soul had been caught by fear before, so much did my soul swim in the sea of peace, of contentment and of pain afterwards. The pain I felt in my hands, in my feet and in my heart was so great, that I felt I was dying; I felt the bones of my hands and feet being shattered into most tiny pieces. I felt as if there were nails inside, but at the same time, they caused me such contentment that I cannot express it, and gave me such strength, that while I would feel I was dying because of the pain, those very pains would sustain me so that I would not die. However, nothing appeared on the external parts of the body, though I felt corporal pains. This is so true, that when the confessor would come to call me to the obedience and would loosen my hands, which were contracted, every time he would touch me at that point of my hands which had been pierced through by that ray of light together with the nail, I would feel mortal pains. However, when the confessor would command, by obedience, that those pains cease, they would mitigate very much. In fact, those pains were so strong that they made me lose consciousness, and if they had not mitigated at the call of obedience, I would hardly have been able to obey. Oh! prodigy of holy obedience – you have been everything for me. How many times I found myself clashing with death, so great was the intensity of the pains – and obedience has almost restored my life. May the Lord be always blessed; may everything be for His glory.
Now, while being inside myself, I could not see anything; but when I would lose consciousness, I could see the points marked by the wounds of Jesus. It seemed to me that the very wounds of Jesus had been transmuted in my hands, and in the rest; and this was the first time that Jesus crucified me. Indeed, there have been so many of these crucifixions that it is impossible to count them all. I will just say the main things about this.
Now, as Jesus would come back, I would say to Him: ‘Dear, my beloved, give me sorrow for my sins, so that, consumed by sorrow and by regret for having offended You, my sins may be erased from my soul, and also from your memory. Yes, give me as much sorrow, for as much as I have dared to offend You. Even more, let sorrow surpass this, so that I may draw more intimately close to You.’
I remember that once, while I was saying this, my always benign Jesus told me: “Since you are so sorry for having offended Me, I Myself want to dispose you to feel sorrow for your sins, so that you may see how awful sin is, and what bitter pain my Heart suffered. Therefore, say together with Me: ‘If I cross the sea, You are in the sea, though I do not see You; I tread the earth, and You are under my feet. I sinned’.” And then, in a low voice, almost crying, Jesus added: “Yet I loved you, and at that very moment, I preserved you.” While Jesus was saying this, and I together with Him, I was caught by such sorrow for the offenses given, that I fell flat to the ground; and Jesus disappeared.
Few are those words, but I understood so many things, that it is impossible to say all that I comprehended. In the first words I comprehended the immensity, the greatness, the presence of God in each existing thing, such that not even a shadow of our thought can escape Him. I also understood my nothingness compared to a Majesty so great and holy. In the word “I sinned”, I understood the ugliness of sin, the malice, the daring I had had in offending Him. Now, while my soul was considering this, in hearing Jesus Christ say “Yet I loved you, and at that very moment, I preserved you”, my heart was taken by such sorrow, that I felt I was dying, because I could understand the immense love that the Lord had for me in the very act in which I tried to offend Him, and even to kill Him. Ah Lord, how good You have been with me, and I – always ungrateful, and still so bad!
I remember that it was an alternation; every time He would deign to come, I would ask Him now for sorrow of my sins, and now for the crucifixion – and also for other things. As for example, one morning, while I was in my usual sufferings, my dear Jesus transported me outside of myself and showed me a man who had been killed by shots from a revolver, and who was then breathing his last and going to hell. Oh! how much pain it was for Jesus the loss of this soul. If the whole world knew how much Jesus suffers for the loss of souls, they would use all possible means so as not to become lost eternally – I am not saying for themselves, but at least to spare our Lord that pain. Now, while I was in the midst of the bullets together with Jesus, Jesus drew His lips close to my ears, and told me: “My daughter, do you want to offer yourself as victim for the salvation of this soul, and take upon yourself the pains which he deserves because of his very grave sins?” And I answered: ‘Lord, I am ready, as long as You save him and restore his life.’ Who can tell the sufferings that came to me? They were such and so many, that I myself I don’t know how life did not leave me.
Now, while I was in that state of sufferings, my confessor had come more than one hour earlier to call me to obedience; and because I was in great suffering, I could hardly obey. So he asked me the reason for such a state, and I told him the fact, as I have described it above, telling him the place in town where it seemed to me that it had happened. The confessor told me that it was true, but that they thought he was dead. However, then it became known that he was very ill, but little by little he recovered, and he is still alive. May the Lord be always blessed.
I remember that, as I continued to ask for the crucifixion and Jesus would transport me outside of myself, He would take me to the holy sites of Jerusalem where our Lord suffered His sorrowful Passion, and there we encountered many crosses. My beloved Jesus would say to me: “If you knew what good the cross contains within itself, how precious it renders the soul, and what a gem of inestimable value one acquires, who has the good of possessing sufferings… It is enough to tell you only that, in coming upon earth, I did not choose riches or pleasures, but I cherished as dear and intimate sisters, the cross, poverty, sufferings and ignominies” While saying this, He would show such taste, such joy for suffering, that those words pierced my heart through like many burning arrows, to the point that I would feel my life leaving me if the Lord would not concede me suffering. And with as much voice and strength as I had, I would do nothing but say: ‘Holy Spouse, give me suffering, give me crosses. From this alone will I know whether You love me – if You content me with crosses and with sufferings.’ And so I would take one of the largest crosses I saw, I would lay myself upon it, and I would pray Jesus to come and crucify me. And He would be so good as to take my hand and begin to pierce it with the nail. From time to time, blessed Jesus would ask me: “Does it hurt very much? Do you want me to stop?” And I: ‘No, no, my beloved, continue. It hurts, yes, but I am happy.’ And I had such fear that He might not complete the crucifixion, that I would do nothing but tell Him: ‘Hurry, oh Jesus! Hurry, don’t make it so long.’ However, when the time would come to nail the other hand, the arms of the cross would be too short, while before they seemed to be long enough to make it. Who can tell how mortified I would remain?
This happened many times, and sometimes if the arms were fine, the length of the cross was not enough to be able to extend my feet. In a word, something had to be missing so that the crucifixion would not be accomplished. Who can tell the bitterness of my soul and the laments I made to our Lord, who was not conceding me true suffering? I would say to Him: ‘My Beloved, everything ends in a joke. You used to tell me that You were going to take me to Heaven, and then You would make me come back to earth. Now You tell me that You must crucify me, and we never get to the complete crucifixion.’ And Jesus, again, would promise me He would crucify me.

September 14, 1899

One morning – it was the day of the Exaltation of the Cross – my sweet Jesus transported me to the holy sites; and first, He told me many things about the virtue of the cross. I don’t remember all, but just a few things: “My beloved, do you want to be beautiful? The cross will give you the most beautiful features that can possibly be found, both in Heaven and on earth; so much so, as to enamor God, who contains all beauties within Himself.”
Jesus continued: “Do you want to be filled with immense riches – not for a short time, but for all eternity? Well then, the cross will administer to you all kinds of riches – from the tiniest cents, which are the little crosses, up to the greatest amounts, which are the heavier crosses. Yet, men are so greedy to earn a temporal penny, which they soon will have to leave, but do not give a thought to earning one eternal cent. And when I, having compassion for them, in seeing their carelessness for all that regards eternity, kindly offer them the opportunity – instead of cherishing it, they get angry and offend Me. What human madness – it seems that they understand it upside down. My beloved, in the cross are all the triumphs, all the victories, and the greatest gains. You must have no aim other than the cross, and it will be enough for you, in everything. Today I want to make you content; that cross which until now has not been enough to lay you on and crucify you completely, is the cross that you have carried up to now. But since I have to crucify you completely, you need new crosses which I will let descend upon you. So, the cross you have had until now, I will bring to Heaven, to show it to the whole celestial court as pledge of your love, and I will make another one descend from Heaven – a larger one, to be able to satisfy the ardent desires I have upon you.”
While Jesus was saying this, that cross which I had seen the other times made itself present before me. I took it and I laid myself on it. As I was in this way, the Heavens opened and Saint John the Evangelist came down, carrying the cross that Jesus had indicated to me. The Queen Mother and many Angels, when they arrived near me, lifted me from that cross and placed me over the one which they had brought me, which was much larger. Then, an Angel took the cross I had before and took it to Heaven with him. After this, with His own hand, Jesus began to nail me to that cross; Queen Mama assisted me, while the Angels and Saint John were handing the nails. My sweet Jesus showed such contentment, such joy in crucifying me, that just to be able to give that contentment to Jesus, I would have suffered not only the cross, but yet more pains. Ah! it seemed to me that Heaven was making new feast for me, in seeing the contentment of Jesus. Many souls were freed from Purgatory and took flight toward Heaven, and quite a few sinners were converted, because my Divine Spouse let everyone participate in the good of my sufferings. Who can tell, then, the intense pains I felt while being stretched so well over the cross, and pierced through by the nails in my hands and feet? But especially the feet – the atrocity of the pains was such that they cannot be described. When they finished crucifying me and I felt I was swimming in the sea of pains and sufferings, Queen Mama said to Jesus: “My Son, today is a day of grace – I want You to let her share in all of your pains. There is nothing left but to pierce her heart through with the lance, and to renew for her the crown of thorns.” So, Jesus Himself took the lance and pierced my heart through; the Angels took a crown of thorns, well thickened, and handed it to the Most Holy Virgin – and She Herself drove it into my head.
What a memorable day that was for me – of sufferings, yes, but of contentments; of unspeakable pains, but also of joy. It is enough to say that the intensity of the pains was such, that for that entire day Jesus did not move from my side, but remained close to me in order to sustain my nature, which was failing at the liveliness of the pains. Those souls from Purgatory who had flown up to Heaven, descended together with the Angels and surrounded my bed, cheering me with their canticles, and thanking me affectionately because through my sufferings I had freed them from those pains.
It happened, then, that after five or six days of those intense pains, to my great regret, they began to diminish, and so I would solicit my beloved Jesus to renew the crucifixion. And He, sometimes quickly, and sometimes with some delay, would be pleased to transport me to the holy sites and to let me share in the pains of His Sorrowful Passion… now the crown of thorns, now the scourging, now the carrying of the cross to Calvary, now the crucifixion – sometimes one mystery per day, and sometimes everything in one day, as He pleased. This would be of highest pain and contentment for my soul. But it would become very bitter for me when the scene would change, and instead of I being the one who suffered, I would be the spectator, watching most loving Jesus suffer the pains of His Sorrowful Passion. Ah! how many times I found myself in the midst of the Jews together with Queen Mama, seeing my beloved Jesus suffer. Ah! yes, it is indeed true that it is easier for one to suffer himself, than to see the beloved suffer.
Other times, I remember that, in renewing these crucifixions, my sweet Jesus would say to me: “My beloved, the cross allows one to distinguish the reprobates from the predestined. Just as on the Day of Judgment, the good will rejoice upon seeing the cross, so even now it can be seen whether one will be saved or lost. If, as the cross presents itself to the soul, she embraces it, carries it with resignation and patience, kissing and thanking that hand which is sending it – here is the sign that she is saved. If, on the contrary, as the cross is presented to her, she gets irritated, despises it, and even reaches the point of offending Me – you can say that that’s a sign that the soul is heading on the way to hell. So will the reprobates do on the Day of Judgment: upon seeing the cross, they will grieve and curse. The cross tells everything; the cross is a book that, without deception and in clear notes, tells you and allows you to distinguish the saint from the sinner, the perfect from the imperfect, the fervent from the lukewarm. The cross communicates such light to the soul that, even now, it allows one to distinguish not only the good from the evil, but also those who are to be more or less glorious in Heaven – those who are to occupy a higher or a lower place. All other virtues remain humble and reverent before the virtue of the cross, and grafting themselves to it, they receive greater glory and splendor.”
Who can tell what flames of ardent desires this speaking of Jesus would cast into my heart? I felt devoured by hunger for suffering, and in order to satisfy my yearnings – or rather, to say it better, in order to satisfy that which He Himself infused in me – He would renew the crucifixion.
I remember that sometimes, after renewing these crucifixions, He would say to me: “Beloved of my Heart, I ardently desire not only to crucify your soul and to communicate the pains of the cross to your body, but also to mark your body with the mark of my wounds; and I want to teach you the prayer in order to obtain this grace. This is the prayer: ‘I present myself before the supreme throne of God, bathed in the Blood of Jesus Christ, praying Him, by the merit of His most luminous virtues and of His Divinity, to concede to me the grace of being crucified’.”
However, I have always had an aversion for anything that might appear externally – and I still do – but in the act in which Jesus was saying that, I would feel such yearnings being infused in me to satisfy the desire that He Himself was expressing, that I would yet dare to ask Jesus to crucify me in the soul and in the body. And sometimes I would say to Him: “Holy Spouse, I would rather not have external things; and if sometimes I dare to ask for that, it is because You Yourself tell me to, and also to give a sign to the confessor that it is You who operates in me. But for the rest, I would like nothing but those pains which You make me suffer when You renew the crucifixion. If only they were permanent – I would rather not have that diminution after some time. This alone is enough for me. As for the outward appearance, the more You can keep me hidden, the more You will make me content.’
I remember confusedly that, when I would be with Our Lord, I would often ask for sorrow for my sins and for the grace to be forgiven of all the evil I had done; and at times I reached the point of saying that only then would I be content, when I would hear Him say, from His own lips: “I forgive all your sins.” And blessed Jesus, who can deny nothing when it is for our good, one morning made Himself seen and told me: “This time I Myself want to do the office of Confessor. You will confess all your sins to Me, and in the act in which you do this, I will make you comprehend, one by one, the sorrows you have given to my Heart in offending Me, so that, by comprehending what sin is, as much as it is possible for a creature, you may be resolved to die rather than to offend Me. You, in the meantime, enter into your nothingness, and recite the Confiteor.”
On entering myself, I could see all of my misery and my wicked deeds, and I trembled like a leaf before His presence. I lacked the strength to pronounce the words of the Confiteor, and if the Lord had not infused new strength in me, by telling me: “Do no fear. If I am a Judge, I am also your Father. Courage, let us proceed”, I would have remained there, without uttering one word.
So I said the Confiteor, all full of confusion and humiliation, and since I saw myself all covered with my sins, at one glance, I saw that the greatest one, which had given affront to Our Lord, was pride. So I said: ‘Lord, before your presence, I accuse myself of the sin of pride.’ And He: “Draw near my Heart, and place your ear upon It – you will hear the cruel torment that you have caused my Heart with this sin.” All trembling, I placed my ear upon His adorable Heart – but who can tell what I heard and comprehended in that instant? Especially now, after so much time – I will say something confusedly. I remember that His Heart was beating so strongly, that it seemed that His breast was going to crack. Then it seemed to me that It was torn to shreds, and was almost destroyed by the pain. Ah! if I could have, I would have reached the point of destroying the Divine Being with pride.
I will give you a simile in order to make myself understood, otherwise I have no words to express myself. Imagine a king, and at the feet of this king, a worm, which, rising and swelling up, begins to believe it is something, and reaches such audacity as to rise little by little, reaching the head of this king, wanting to remove the crown from him and put it on its own head. Then, it strips him of his royal vestments; then, it throws him off his throne, and finally, it tries to kill him. But what’s more about this worm, is that it itself does not know its own being; it very much deceives itself, while, to get rid if it, it would take the king nothing but to put it under his feet and crush it – and so it would end its days. In reality, if this could be, it would make arise indignation and pity, as well as ridicule, toward the pride of this worm. So did I see myself before God, and this filled me with such confusion and sorrow, that I felt the torment that blessed Jesus suffered being renewed in my heart.
After this, He left me, and I felt such pain, comprehending how ugly the sin of pride is, that it is impossible to describe it. After I chewed all this thoroughly within myself, my good Jesus came back and told me to continue the confession of my sins. And I, all trembling, continued to make the accusation of my thoughts, words, works, causes and omissions; and when He would see that I was unable to continue the confession because of the pain I felt at having offended Him so much… in fact, I had such a vivid clarity, being in front of that Divine Sun; especially, I could see my littleness, the nonentity of my being, and I was stunned at how daring I had been, wondering from where had I taken that courage to offend a God so good, who, in the very act in which I was offending Him, assisted me, preserved me, nourished me. And if He had any rancor with me, it was for the sin I committed, which He greatly hated, while He loved me immensely, He excused me before divine justice, and was all occupied with removing that wall of division between the soul and God, which sin had produced. Oh! if all could see who God is, and who the soul is in the act of sinning, they would all die of sorrow, and I believe that sin would be exiled from the earth …So, when blessed Jesus would see that I could not take any more because of the pain, He would withdraw and leave me, to allow me to comprehend well the evil I had done. And then He would come back again, and I would continue the accusation of my sins.
But who can tell all that I understood, and explain, one by one, the different affronts and the special sorrows which I had caused Our Lord with my sins? I feel it is almost impossible for me to explain myself – also because I don’t remember it too well.
Then, when I finished the accusation, which lasted about seven hours, lovable Jesus took the aspect of a most loving father. And since I was exhausted in my strengths because of the sorrow – more so since I saw that that sorrow was not enough to be sorry as it befitted my sins – to encourage me, He told me: “I Myself want to make up for you, and I apply to your soul the merit of the pain I had in the Garden of Gethsemani. This alone can satisfy the divine justice.” After He applied His pain to my soul, then I seemed to be disposed to receive the absolution.
All humbled and confused as I was, prostrated at the feet of the good Father Jesus, through the rays He was sending into my mind, I tried to excite myself more to sorrow by saying – though I don’t remember everything: ‘Great, immense, has been the evil I have done against You. These powers of mine and these senses of my body were meant to be as many tongues with which to praise You. Ah! instead, they have been like many poisonous vipers which were biting You and were even trying to kill You. But, holy Father, forgive me – do not want to cast me away because of the great wrong I have done to You by sinning.’
And Jesus: “And you – do you promise to sin no more, and to banish from your heart any shadow of evil that might offend your Creator?”
And I: ‘Ah! yes, with all my heart I promise You. I would die a thousand times rather than sin again. Never again, never again.’
And Jesus: “And I forgive you, and I apply to your soul the merits of my Passion, and I want to wash it in my Blood.”
And as He was saying this, He raised His blessed right hand and pronounced the words of the absolution – exactly like the words that the priest says, when he gives absolution. And in the act of doing this, a river of blood poured down from His hand, and my soul was completely inundated by it.
After this, He said to me: “Come, oh daughter, come to make penance for your sins by kissing my wounds.”
All trembling, I stood up and I kissed His most sacred wounds; and then He said to me: “My daughter, be more vigilant and attentive, because today I give you the grace not to fall, ever again, into voluntary venial sin.”
Then He gave me other exhortations, which I don’t remember too well; and He disappeared.
Who can tell the effects of this confession made to Our Lord? I felt all soaked with grace, and it made such an impression on me, that I cannot forget it. And every time I remember it, I feel a shiver run through my bones, and also taken by horror in thinking of what my correspondence is to so many graces received from Our Lord.
The Lord deigned other times to give me the absolution, Himself. Sometimes He would take the form of the priest, and I would confess as if He were the priest, although I would feel different effects, and then, once it was finished, He would reveal Himself as Jesus; or He would come unveiled, making Himself recognized as Jesus from the beginning. Sometimes He would also take the form of the confessor, so much so, that I believed I was speaking with him, telling him all my fears, my doubts, but from the answer I would receive, from the gentleness of that voice, alternating between that of the confessor and that of Jesus, from His lovable gesture and from the interior effects, I would discover that it was Him. Ah! if I wanted to say everything about these things, I would be too long, so I finish, and I stop here…
I remember that there was another war between Africa and Italy, and one day, about nine months earlier, blessed Jesus transported me outside of myself and showed me a very long road, filled with human flesh immersed in blood, which inundated that road like rivers. It was horrifying to see those cadavers exposed to the open air, without anyone to bury them.
All frightened, I said to Our Lord: ‘What is this?’
And He: “Next year there will be a war. They use the flesh to offend Me, and I want to make my just vengeances over their own flesh.” He said other things but the long time passed does not allow me to remember.
Now, it happened that after that period of time, news began to spread about a war between Africa and Italy. I prayed good Jesus to spare many victims, and to have pity on many souls who were going to hell.
One morning, according to the usual way, He transported me outside of myself, and I saw that almost all the people were convinced that Italy was going to win. I seemed to find myself in Rome, and I could see the deputies in council among themselves on how they should carry on the war to be sure that Italy would win. They were so swollen with themselves as to arouse pity. But what impressed me the most was to see that almost all these people were sectarians – souls sold to the devil. What sad times! It really seemed that the satanic reign was reigning, and instead of placing their trust in God, they were placing it in the devil. Now, while they were in council, my blessed Jesus told me: “Let us go to hear what they say.” It seemed I was entering their circle together with Him. Jesus was strolling through their midst, shedding tears over their miserable state. When they finished their council about the way to proceed, boasting of being sure about the victory, Jesus turned to them and, threatening them, said: “You rely on yourselves, and therefore I will humiliate you. This time Italy will lose…”





Now, in order to obey, I will continue what I left on page 6 of this 1st volume – that is, the Novena of Holy Christmas.
As I moved on from the second to the third meditation, an interior voice told me: “My daughter, place your head upon the womb of my Mama, and look deep into it at my little Humanity. My love devoured Me; the fires, the oceans, the immense seas of love of my Divinity inundated Me, burned Me to ashes, and sent their flames so high as to rise and reach everywhere – all generations, from the first to the last man. My little Humanity was devoured in the midst of such flames; but do you know what my eternal love wants Me to devour? Ah! Souls! And only then was I content, when I devoured them all, to remain conceived with Me. I was God, and I was to operate as God – I had to take them all. My love would have given Me no peace, had I excluded any of them. Ah! my daughter, look well into the womb of my Mama; fix well your eyes on my conceived Humanity, and you will find your soul conceived with Me, and the flames of my love that devoured you. Oh! how much I loved you, and I do love you!”
I felt dissolved in the midst of so much love, nor was I able to go out of it; but a voice called me loudly, saying: “My daughter, this is nothing yet; cling more tightly to Me, and give your hands to my dear Mama, that She may hold you to her maternal womb. And you, take another look at my little conceived Humanity, and watch the fourth excess of my love.”
4 – “My daughter, from the devouring love, move on to look at my operative love. Each conceived soul brought Me the burden of her sins, of her weaknesses and passions, and my love commanded Me to take the burden of each one of them. And it conceived not only the souls, but the pains of each one, as well as the satisfaction which each one of them was to give to my Celestial Father. So my Passion was conceived together with Me. Look well at Me in the womb of my Celestial Mama. Oh! how tortured was my little Humanity. Look well at my little head, surrounded by a crown of thorns, which, pressed tightly around my temples, made rivers of tears pour out from my eyes; nor was I able to make a move to dry them. O please! be moved to compassion for Me, dry my eyes from so much crying – you, who have free arms to be able to do it. These thorns are the crown of the so many evil thoughts which crowd the human minds. Oh! how they prick Me, more than thorns which sprout from the earth. But, look again – what a long crucifixion of nine months: I could not move a finger or a hand or a foot. I was always immobile; there was no room to be able to move even a tiny bit. What a long and hard crucifixion, with the addition that all evil works, assuming the form of nails, continuously pierced my hands and feet.” So He continued to narrate to me pains upon pains – all the martyrdoms of His little Humanity, such that, if I wanted to tell them all, I would be too long.
I abandoned myself to crying, and I heard in my interior: “My daughter, I would like to hug you, but I am unable to do so – there is no room, I am immobile, I cannot do it. I would like to come to you, but I am unable to walk. For now, you hug Me and you come to Me; then, when I come out of the maternal womb, I will come to you.” But as I hugged Him and squeezed Him tightly to my heart with my imagination, an interior voice told me: “Enough for now, my daughter; move on to consider the fifth excess of my love.”
5 – And the interior voice continued: “My daughter, do not move away from Me, do not leave Me alone; my love wants your company. This is another excess of my love, which does not want to be alone. But do you know whose company it wants? That of the creature. See, in the womb of my Mama, all creatures are together with Me – conceived together with Me. I am with them, all love. I want to tell them how much I love them; I want to speak with them to tell them of my joys and sorrows – that I have come into their midst to make them happy and to console them; that I will remain in their midst as a little brother, giving my goods, my Kingdom, to each one of them at the cost of my life. I want to give them my kisses and my caresses; I want to amuse Myself with them, but – ah, how many sorrows they give Me! Some run away from Me, some play deaf and force Me into silence; some despise my goods and do not care about my Kingdom, returning my kisses and caresses with indifference and obliviousness of Me, so they convert my amusement into bitter crying. Oh! how lonely I am, though in the midst of many. Oh! how loneliness weighs upon Me. I have no one to whom to say a word, with whom to pour Myself out – not even in love. I am always sad and taciturn, because if I speak, I am not listened to. Ah! my daughter, I beg you, I implore you, do not leave Me alone in so much loneliness; give Me the good of letting Me speak by listening to Me; lend your ear to my teachings. I am the master of masters. How many things do I want to teach you! If you listen to Me, you will stop my crying and I will amuse Myself with you. Don’t you want to amuse yourself with Me?”
And as I abandoned myself in Him, giving Him my compassion in His loneliness, the interior voice continued: “Enough, enough; move on to consider the sixth excess of my love.”
6 – “My daughter, come, pray my dear Mama to set aside a little space for you within her maternal womb, that you yourself may see the painful state in which I find Myself.” So, in my thoughts, it seemed that our Queen Mama made me a little room to make Jesus content, and placed me in it. But the darkness was such that I could not see Him; I could only hear His breathing, while He continued to say in my interior: “My daughter, look at another excess of my love. I am the eternal light; the sun is a shadow of my light. But do you see where my love led Me – in what a dark prison I am? There is not a glimmer of light; it is always night for Me – but a night without stars, without rest. I am always awake…what pain! The narrowness of this prison – without being able to make the slightest movement; the thick darkness…; even my breathing, as I breathe through the breathing of my Mama – oh, how labored it is! To this, add the darkness of the sins of creatures. Each sin was a night for Me, and combined together they formed an abyss of darkness, with no boundaries. What pain! Oh, excess of my love – making Me pass from an immensity of light and space into an abyss of thick darkness, so narrow as to lose the freedom to breathe; and all this, for love of creatures.”
As He was saying this, He moaned – moans almost suffocated because of the lack of space; and He cried. I was consumed with crying. I thanked Him, I compassionated Him; I wanted to make Him a little light with my love, as He told me to. But who can say all? Then, the same interior voice added: “Enough for now; move on to the seventh excess of my love.”
7 – The interior voice continued: “My daughter, do not leave Me alone in so much loneliness and in so much darkness. Do not leave the womb of my Mama, so you may see the seventh excess of my love. Listen to Me: in the womb of my Celestial Father I was fully happy; there was no good which I did not possess; joy, happiness – everything was at my disposal. The Angels adored Me reverently, hanging upon my every wish. Ah, excess of my love! I could say that it made Me change my destiny; it restrained Me within this gloomy prison; it stripped Me of all my joys, happinesses and goods, to clothe Me with all the unhappinesses of creatures – and all this in order to make an exchange, to give them my destiny, my joys and my eternal happiness. But this would have been nothing had I not found in them highest ingratitude and obstinate perfidy. Oh, how my eternal love was surprised in the face of so much ingratitude, and how it cried over the stubbornness and perfidy of man. Ingratitude was the sharpest thorn that pierced my heart, from my conception up to the last moment of my life. Look at my little heart – it is wounded, and pours out blood. What pain! What torture I feel! My daughter, do not be ungrateful to Me. Ingratitude is the hardest pain for your Jesus; it is to close the door in my face, leaving Me numb with cold. But my love did not stop at so much ingratitude; it took the attitude of supplicating, imploring, moaning and begging love. This is the eighth excess of my love.”
8 – “My daughter, do not leave Me alone; place your head upon the womb of my dear Mama, and even from the outside you will hear my moans and my supplications. In seeing that neither my moans nor my supplications move the creature to compassion for my love, I assume the attitude of the poorest of beggars; and stretching out my little hand, I ask – for pity’s sake, and at least as alms – for their souls, for their affections and for their hearts. My love wanted to conquer the heart of man at any cost; and in seeing that after seven excesses of my love, he was still reluctant, he played deaf, he did not care about Me and did not want to give himself to Me, my love wanted to push itself further. It should have stopped; but no, it wanted to overflow even more from within its boundaries; and from the womb of my Mama, it made my voice reach every heart with the most insinuating manners, with the most fervent pleas, with the most penetrating words. And do you know what I said to them? ‘My child, give me your heart; I will give you everything you want, provided that you give Me your heart in exchange. I have descended from Heaven to make a prey of it. O please, do not deny it to Me! Do not delude my hopes!’ And in seeing him reluctant – even more, many turned their backs to Me – I passed on to moaning; I joined my little hands and, crying, with a voice suffocated by sobs, I added: ‘Ohh! Ohh! I am the little beggar; you don’t want to give Me your heart – not even as alms? Is this not a greater excess of my love; that the Creator, in order to approach the creature, takes the form of a little baby so as not to strike fear in him; that He asks for the heart of the creature, at least as alms, and in seeing that he does not want to give it, He supplicates, moans and cries?”
Then I heard Him say: “And you, don’t you want to give Me your heart? Or maybe you too want Me to moan, beg and cry in order to give Me your heart? Do you want to deny Me the alms I ask of you?” And as He was saying this I heard Him as though sobbing, and I: ‘My Jesus, do not cry, I give You my heart and all of myself.’ Then, the interior voice continued: “Move further; pass on to the ninth excess of my love.”
9 – “My daughter, my state is ever more painful. If you love Me, keep your gaze fixed on Me, to see if you can offer some relief to your Jesus; a little word of love, a caress, a kiss, will give respite to my crying and to my afflictions. Listen my daughter, after I gave eight excesses of my love, and man requited them so badly, my love did not give up and wanted to add the ninth excess to the eighth. And this was yearnings, sighs of fire, flames of desire, for I wanted to go out of the maternal womb to embrace man. This reduced my little Humanity, not yet born, to such an agony as to reach the point of breathing my last. But as I was about to breathe my last, my Divinity, which was inseparable from Me, gave Me sips of life, and so I regained life to continue my agony, and return again to the point of death. This was the ninth excess of my love: to agonize and to die of love continuously for the creature. Oh! what a long agony of nine months! Oh! how love suffocated Me and made Me die. Had I not had the Divinity with Me, which gave Me life again every time I was about to finish, love would have consumed Me before coming out to the light of day.”
Then He added: “Look at Me, listen to Me, how I agonize, how my heart beats, pants, burns. Look at Me – now I die.” And He remained in deep silence. I felt I was dying. My blood froze in my veins, and trembling, I said to Him: ‘My Love, my Life, do not die, do not leave me alone. You want love, and I will love You; I will not leave You ever again. Give me your flames to be able to love You more, and be consumed completely for You.’

VOLUME 2

J.M.J.

February 28, 1899

By order of the confessor I begin to write what passes between me and Our Lord, day by day. Year 1899, month of February, day 28.

I confess the truth, I feel great repugnance; the effort I have to make in order to conquer myself is so great, that only the Lord can know the torture of my soul. But, oh holy obedience, what a powerful bond you are! You alone could conquer me, and overcoming all my repugnances, almost impassable mountains, you bind me to the Will of God and of the confessor. But, please! Oh! Holy Spouse, as great as my sacrifice is, so much help do I need; I want nothing but for You to hold me in your arms and sustain me. In this way, assisted by You, I will be able to say only the truth, only for your glory, and to my confusion.

This morning, as the confessor celebrated Mass, I also received Communion. My mind was in a sea of confusion because of these obediences that are given to me by the confessor, to write everything that passes in my interior. As soon as I received Jesus, I began to tell Him of my pains, especially my insufficiency, and many other things. But Jesus seemed not to care about this thing of mine, and did not answer to anything. A light came to my mind, and I said: ‘Who knows whether I myself am the cause for which Jesus is not showing Himself according to His usual way.’ So, with all my heart, I said to Him: ‘O please! my Good and my All, don’t show Yourself so indifferent with me – You make my heart split with pain. If it is because of the writing – let it be, let it be, even if it cost me the sacrifice of my life, I promise I will do it!’ Then Jesus changed appearance and, all benign, He told me: “What do you fear? Have I not assisted you the other times? My light will surround you everywhere, and so you will be able to manifest it.”

Purity of intention.

While He was saying this, I don’t know how, I saw the confessor near Jesus; and the Lord told him: “See, everything you do passes into Heaven. Therefore, see with what purity you must operate, thinking that all your steps, words and works come before my presence, and if they are pure – that is, if they are done for Me – I take greatest delight in them and I feel them around Me like many messengers that remind Me continuously of you. But if they are done for low and earthly purposes, I feel bothered by them.” And as He was saying this, He seemed to take his hands, and lifting them up to Heaven, He said to him: “Your eye always on high; you belong to Heaven – operate for Heaven.”

While I was seeing the confessor, and Jesus saying this to him, in my mind it seemed to me that if one operated in that way, it would happen as when a person has to move out of one house to go to another. What does he do? First he sends all his things and everything he possesses, and then he goes himself. In the same way, we first send our works to take a place for us in Heaven, and then, when our time comes, we go ourselves. Oh! what a beautiful cortege they will make for us!

Faith.

Now, while seeing the confessor, I remembered he had told me that I was to write about Faith in the way in which the Lord had spoken to me about this virtue. While I was thinking of this, in one instant the Lord drew me so much to Himself, that I felt myself outside of myself, in the vault of the heavens together with Jesus; and He told me these exact words: “Faith is God.”

But these two words contained an immense light, such that it is impossible to explain them – but I will say what I can. In the word “Faith”, I comprehended that Faith is God Himself. Just as material food gives life to the body so that it may not die, so does Faith give life to the soul – without Faith, the soul is dead. Faith vivifies, Faith sanctifies, Faith spiritualizes man, and makes him keep his eye fixed on a Supreme Being, in such a way that he learns nothing of the things of down here; and if he learns them, he learns them in God. Oh! the happiness of a soul who lives of Faith – her flight is always toward Heaven. In everything that happens to her, she always looks at herself in God; and so, just as in tribulation, Faith raises her in God and she does not afflict herself, nor does she lament, knowing that she is not to form her contentment here, but in Heaven; in the same way, if joy, riches, pleasures, surround her, Faith raises her in God, and she says to herself: “Oh! how much more content and rich will I be in Heaven!” So, these earthly things are a bother to her, she despises them, and tramples them underfoot. It seems to me that to a soul who lives of Faith, it happens as to a person who possessed millions upon millions of coins, and even entire kingdoms, and someone else wanted to offer him a penny. What would he say? Would he not disdain it? Would he not throw it in his face? I add: and what if that penny were all muddy, just as earthly things are? Even more: what if that penny were only lent to him? Now, this person would say: “I enjoy and possess immense riches, and you dared to offer me this miserable penny, so muddy, and only for a short time?” I believe he would immediately remove his gaze from it, and would not accept the gift. So does the soul who lives of Faith with regard to earthy things.

Now let us go back again to the idea of food: by taking food, the body is not only sustained, but shares in the substance of the food, which is transformed with the body itself. The same for the soul who lives of Faith: since Faith is God Himself, the soul comes to live of God Himself; and by feeding herself with God Himself, she comes to share in the substance of God; and by sharing in Him, she comes to resemble Him and to be transformed with God Himself. Therefore, it happens to the soul who lives of Faith, that, just as God is holy, the soul is holy; powerful God – powerful the soul; wise, strong and just God – wise, strong and just the soul; and so with all the other attributes of God. In sum, the soul becomes a little god. Oh! the blessedness of this soul on earth, to then be more blessed in Heaven.

I also comprehended that those words which the Lord says to His beloved souls – “I will espouse you in the Faith” – mean nothing less but that the Lord, in this mystical marriage, comes to endow the souls with His own virtues. It seems to me that it happens as to two spouses: as they join their properties together, the belongings of one can no longer be distinguished from those of the other, but both of them become the owners. However, in our case, the soul is poor – all the good comes from the Lord, who lets her share in His possessions.

The life of the soul is God, Faith is God, and the soul, by possessing Faith, comes to graft all the other virtues into herself, in such a way that Faith is like a king in her heart, and the other virtues remain around It, as the subjects that serve Faith. So, without Faith, the virtues themselves are virtues that have no life.

It seems to me that God communicates Faith to man in two ways: the first is in holy Baptism; the second is when blessed God, by unleashing a particle of His substance into the soul, communicates to her the virtue of making miracles, like raising the dead, healing the sick, stopping the sun, and the like. Oh! if the world had Faith, it would change into a terrestrial paradise.

Oh! how high and sublime is the flight of the soul who exercises herself in Faith. It seems to me that by exercising herself in Faith, the soul acts like those timid little birds which, for fear of being caught by hunters, or of some other snare, establish their dwelling at the top of the trees, or in high places. Then, when they are forced to take food, they descend, take the food, and immediately fly back into their dwelling. And some of them, more cautious, take the food and don’t even eat it on the ground, but in order to be safer, they carry it up to the top of the trees, and there they swallow it.

In the same way, the soul who lives of Faith is so timid with earthly things, that for fear of being snared, she doesn’t so much as glance at them. Her dwelling is up high – that is, above all the things of the earth, and especially in the wounds of Jesus Christ; and from within those blessed rooms she moans, cries, prays and suffers together with her Spouse Jesus over the condition and the misery in which mankind lies. While she lives inside those holes of the wounds of Jesus, the Lord gives her a particle of His virtues, and the soul feels those virtues within herself as if they were her own. However, she realizes that, even though she sees them as her own, her possessing them is given to her, for they were communicated by the Lord.

It happens to her as to a person who has received a gift that he did not possess. Now, what does he do? He takes it and makes himself the owner of it; however, every time he looks at it, he says to himself: “This is mine, but it was given to me by so and so.” So also does the soul whom the Lord transmutes into Himself, by unleashing from Himself a particle of His Divine Being. Now, this soul, just as she abhors sin, also feels compassion for others, and prays for those whom she sees walking on the path of the precipice. She unites herself with Jesus Christ, and offers herself as victim in order to placate Divine Justice, and to spare creatures the deserved chastisements. And if the sacrifice of her life were necessary – oh! how gladly she would make it for the salvation of one soul alone.

How she sees the Divinity of Jesus.

Since the confessor told me to explain to him how I see, sometimes, the Divinity of Our Lord, I answered him that it was impossible for me to be able to tell him anything. But, at night, blessed Jesus appeared to me and almost reproached me because of this refusal of mine, and then He made two most luminous rays flash through me. With the first one I comprehended in my intellect that Faith is God and God is Faith. I tried to say a few things about Faith; now I will try to say how I see God – and this was the second ray.

While I am outside of myself, and I find myself in the height of the heavens, I seem to see God within a light; and He Himself seems to be light, and in this light there is beauty, strength, wisdom, immensity, height, depth – without end or boundaries. Even in the air that we breathe there is God Himself being breathed; so, each one can make Him one’s own life, as indeed He is. Nothing escapes Him, and nothing can escape Him. This light seems to be all voice – and without speaking; all operating – while it always rests. It is present everywhere – without occupying anything; and while it is present everywhere, it also has its own center. Oh! God, how incomprehensible You are. I see You, I feel You, You are my life, You restrict Yourself within me, while You remain always immense and lose nothing of Yourself. Yet, I feel I am stammering, and it seems to me that I am unable to say anything.

In order to explain myself better, according to our human language, I will say that I see a shadow of God in all Creation, because in all Creation – somewhere He has cast the shadow of His beauty, somewhere His fragrances, somewhere His light, as in the sun, in which I see a special shadow of God. I see Him as though veiled in this sphere, as the king of all other spheres. What is the sun? It is nothing other than a globe of fire. One is the globe, but many are the rays; from this we can easily comprehend: the globe – God; the rays – the immense attributes of God.

Second. The sun is fire, but it is also light and heat – here is the Most Holy Trinity veiled in the sun: the fire is the Father, the light is the Son, the heat is the Holy Spirit. However, the sun is one, and just as one cannot separate the fire from the light and from the heat, so one is the power of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, who cannot really be separated from one another. And just as fire, in the same instant, produces light and heat, in such a way that fire cannot be conceived without also conceiving the light and the heat; in the same way, the Father cannot be conceived before the Son and the Holy Spirit, and vice versa, but all Three of the Them have the same eternal beginning.

I add that the light of the sun diffuses everywhere; in the same way, God, with His immensity, penetrates everywhere. However, let us remember that this is but a shadow, because the sun cannot reach where it cannot penetrate with its light, while God penetrates everywhere. God is most pure Spirit, and we can represent Him with the sun that makes its rays penetrate everywhere, without anyone being able to grab them with his hands. Moreover, God looks at everything – the iniquities, the evils of men – and He remains always as He is, pure, holy, immaculate. A shadow of God is the sun, which sends its light over rubbish, and remains immaculate; it spreads its light in the fire, and is not burned; in the sea, in the rivers, and is not drowned. It gives light to all, it fecundates everything, it gives life to everything with its heat, and is not impoverished of light, nor does it lose any of its heat. Even more, while it does so much good to all, it has need of no one, and remains always as it is – majestic, resplendent, ever immutable. Oh! how well can one recognize the divine qualities in the sun. With His immensity, God is present in the fire, and is not burned; in the sea, and is not drowned; under our steps, and is not trampled. He gives to all, and is not impoverished, and has need of no one; He looks at everything – even more, He is all eyes, and there is nothing He does not hear. He is aware of each fiber of our hearts, of each thought of our minds, and, being most pure Spirit, He has neither ears nor eyes, and regardless of any happening, He never changes. The sun, investing the world with its light, does not tire; in the same way, God, giving life to all, helping and ruling the world, does not tire.

A man can hide, he can place shades in order not to enjoy the light of the sun and its beneficial influences, but he does nothing to the sun – the sun remains as it is, while all the evil will fall upon man. In the same way, by sin, the sinner can move away from God and no longer enjoy His beneficial influences, but he does nothing to God – the evil is all his own.

The roundness of the sun also symbolizes to me the eternity of God, which has no beginning and no end. The very light of the sun, penetrating, is such that no one can restrict it within one’s eye; and if one wanted to fix on it in its full midday, he would remain dazzled; and if the sun wanted to draw closer to man, man would be reduced to ashes. The same for the Divine Sun: no created mind can restrict It within its little mind in order to comprehend It in all that It is; and if it wanted to try, it would remain dazzled and confused; and if this Divine Sun wanted to display all Its love, allowing man to feel It while he is in his mortal flesh, he would be reduced to ashes.

So, God has cast a shadow of Himself and of His perfections over all Creation; it seems that we see Him and touch Him, and we are touched by Him continuously.

In addition to this, after the Lord said those words – “Faith is God” – I said to Him: ‘Jesus, do You love me?’ And He added: “And you, do you love Me?” Immediately I said: ‘Yes Lord, and You know that without You I feel life missing in me.’

“Well then”, Jesus continued, “you love Me, I too love you – so, let us love each other, and remain always together.” This is how He ended for this morning. Now, who can say how much my mind has comprehended of this Divine Sun? I seem to see It and touch It everywhere. Even more, I feel invested by It, inside and out, but my capacity is so very small – while it seems it comprehends something about God, the moment I see Him, it seems I have comprehended nothing; even more, it seems that I have spoken nonsense. I hope that Jesus will forgive my nonsense.

March 10, 1899
The Lord shows her many chastisements.

As I was in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus made Himself seen all embittered and afflicted; and He told me: “My daughter, my Justice has grown too heavy, and the offenses I receive from men are so many that I can no longer bear them. Therefore, the scythe of death is about to harvest much – and suddenly, and by means of diseases. The chastisements I will pour upon the world are so many, that they will be a sort of judgment.” Who can say the so many chastisements He showed me, and how terrified and frightened I was left? The pain that my soul feels is so great, that I believe it is better to keep silent.

But I continue, because obedience wants it so. I seemed to see streets filled with human flesh, and blood inundating the ground, and cities besieged by enemies who spared not even children. They seemed to be like many furies come out of hell – they will respect neither churches nor priests. The Lord seemed to send a chastisement from Heaven – what it is I don’t know; it just seemed to me that we will all receive a mortal blow, and some will be victims of death, others will recover. I also seemed to see plants withered, and many other troubles that are to come over the crops. Oh! God, what pain to see these things and be forced to manifest them. Ah! Lord, placate Yourself. I hope that your Blood and your wounds will be our remedy. Or rather, pour the chastisements upon this sinner, for I deserve them; or otherwise take me, for then You will be free to do whatever You want. But as long as I live, I will do everything I can to oppose it.

March 13, 1899
Charity is nothing other than an outpouring of the Divine Being. All Creation speaks of the love of God for man, and teaches the way in which he must love Him.

This morning, beloved Jesus did not make Himself seen in the usual way, all affability and sweetness – but severe. I felt my mind in a sea of confusion, and my soul so afflicted and annihilated, especially because of the chastisements seen in these past days. In seeing Him in that appearance I did not dare to tell Him anything; we looked at each other, but in silence. Oh! God, what pain. Then, in one instant, I also saw the confessor, and Jesus, sending forth a ray of intellectual light, spoke these words: “Charity. Charity is nothing other than an outpouring of the Divine Being, and this outpouring I have diffused over all Creation, in such a way that all Creation speaks of the love I have for man, and all Creation teaches the way in which he must love Me – from the largest being to the most tiny little flower of the field.

“See”, it says to man, “with my sweet fragrance and by always facing the sky, I try to send an homage to my Creator. You too, let all your actions be fragrant, holy, pure; do not offend my Creator with the bad odor of your actions. O please! Oh man”, the little flower repeats to us, “don’t be so senseless as to keep your eyes fixed on the earth; but raise them up to Heaven. See, up there is your destiny, your Fatherland – up there is my Creator and yours who awaits you.”

The water that flows continuously before our eyes also says to us: “See, I have come out of darkness, and I must flow and run so much until I get to bury myself in the place from which I came out. You too, Oh man, run – but run into the bosom of God, from which you came out. O please! I beg you, do not run along the wrong paths, the paths that lead to the precipice; otherwise – woe to you!”

Even the wildest animals repeat to us: “See, Oh man, how wild you must be for all that is not God. See, when we see that someone gets close to us, with our roars we strike so much fear, that no one dares to come close to us any more, to disturb our solitude. You too, when the stench of earthly things – that is, your violent passions – are about to make you muddy and make you fall into the abyss of sins, with the roars of your prayers and by withdrawing from the occasions in which you find yourself, you will be safe from any danger.” And so with all other beings, such that it would take too long to tell them all; with one voice they resound among themselves, and repeat to us: “See, Oh man, our Creator has created us for love of you, and we remain all at your service. And you, don’t be so ungrateful – love, we beg you; love, we repeat to you; love our Creator.”

After this, my lovable Jesus told me: “This is all I want: love God and your neighbor for love of Me. See how much I have loved man – and he is so ungrateful. How can you want Me not to chastise them?” At that very moment, I seemed to see a terrible hail, and an earthquake that is to cause considerable damage, to the point of destroying plants and men. Then, with all the bitterness of my soul, I said to Him: ‘My always lovable Jesus, why so indignant? If man is ungrateful, it is not so much because of malice, but because of weakness. Oh! if they knew You a little bit – oh! how humble and palpitating they would be. Therefore, placate Yourself. I recommend to you at least Corato and those who belong to me.’ As I was saying this, it seemed to me that, even if something should happen, it would be nothing compared to what will happen in other towns.

March 14, 1899
The evil of man forces God to chastise him.

This morning, my most sweet Jesus, carrying me together with Him, made me see the multiplicity of the sins that are committed; and they were such and so many, that it is impossible to describe them. I also saw a star in the air, of enormous magnitude, and within its roundness it contained black fire and blood. It struck so much fear and fright in looking at it, that it seemed that death would be a lesser evil than to live in times so sad. In other places, one could see volcanoes which, opening more mouths, are to inundate also the neighbouring country. One could also see sectarian people, who will go on causing fires. While I was seeing this, my lovable but afflicted Jesus told me: “Did you see how much they offend Me, and what I keep prepared? I am withdrawing from man.” And as He was saying this, we both withdrew into my bed, and I saw that because of this withdrawal of Jesus, men would give themselves over to more awful actions, more murders; in a word, I seemed to see people against people. Once we had withdrawn, Jesus seemed to place Himself in my heart, and He began to cry and sob, saying: “Oh! man, how much I have loved you. If you knew how I grieve in having to chastise you! But my Justice forces Me to this. Oh! man, Oh! man, how I cry and grieve over your lot.” Then He would burst into tears and, again, He would repeat those words.

Who can say the pity, the fear, the torment that arose in my soul, especially in seeing Jesus so afflicted and crying! I did as much as I could to hide my sorrow, and in order to console Him I said to Him: ‘Oh! Lord, may it never be that You chastise man. Holy Spouse, do not cry; just as You have done other times, You will do now: You will pour it into me, You will make me suffer, and so your Justice will not force You to chastise the people.’ Jesus would continue crying, and I would repeat: ‘But, listen to me a little bit – did You not put me in this bed so that I would be victim for others? Have I perhaps not been ready to suffer the other times, so that creatures would be spared? Why do You not want to listen to me now?’ But with all my poor speaking, Jesus would not calm Himself from crying. So, no longer able to hold it, I too broke the dike of my crying, saying to Him: ‘Lord, if your intention is to chastise men, I too do not have the heart to see creatures suffer so much. Therefore, if You really want to send the scourges, and my sins no longer make me worthy to suffer in place of others, I want to come – I don’t want to be on this earth any more.’ Then the confessor came, and since I was called to obedience, Jesus withdrew, and so it ended.

The following morning, I kept seeing Jesus withdrawn in my heart, and I saw that people would come even inside my heart, and walk all over Him and trample Him underfoot. I did as much as I could in order to free Him; and Jesus, turning to me, told me: “Do you see where the ingratitude of men reaches? They themselves force Me to chastise them, as I cannot do otherwise. And you, my dear one, after you have seen Me suffer so much – may you hold crosses more dearly, and pains as delights.”

March 18, 1899
Charity is simple.

This morning, my beloved Jesus continued making Himself seen from inside my heart; and in seeing Him a little bit more cheered, I plucked up courage, and I began to pray that He would not send so many chastisements. And Jesus told me: “What moves you, oh my daughter, to pray Me not to chastise creatures?”

Immediately I answered: ‘Because they are your images, and if creatures should suffer, You Yourself would suffer.’ And Jesus, heaving a sigh, told me: “Charity is so dear to me, that you cannot comprehend it. Charity is simple, just like my Being which, though immense, is yet most simple; so much so that there is no place which It does not penetrate. So Charity is; being simple, it diffuses everywhere, it has regard for no one – whether a friend or an enemy, whether a citizen or a stranger, it loves everybody.”

March 19, 1899
The devil can speak about virtue, but he cannot infuse it in the soul.

This morning, while Jesus made Himself seen, I was afraid it might not be really Jesus, but the devil wanting to deceive me. After I made the usual protests[1], Jesus told me: “Daughter, do not fear for I am not the devil. And besides, if he speaks about virtue, it is a colored virtue, not true virtue, nor does he have the virtue of infusing it in the soul, but only of speaking about it. And if sometimes he shows he wants to make the soul practice a little bit of good, she is not persevering, and in the very act in which the soul does that little bit of good, she is listless and agitated. I alone have the power to infuse Myself in the heart, to make one practice virtues, and suffer with courage and tranquillity, and with perseverance. And besides, when has the devil ever gone in search of virtues? His hunt is for vices. Therefore, do not fear, and be tranquil.”

March 20, 1899
The world has reduced itself to such a sad state because it has lost subordination to the leaders, God being the first.

This morning, Jesus transported me outside of myself and showed me many people, all in discord. Oh! how much this grieved Jesus. In seeing Him suffer very much I prayed Him to pour it into me. But since He still continues wanting to chastise the world, Jesus did not want to pour it into me. However, after I prayed Him and prayed Him, to make me content He poured a little bit. Then, relieved a little bit, He told me: “The reason why the world has reduced itself to this sad state is that it has lost subordination to the leaders; and since the first leader is God, against whom they have rebelled, it happened as a consequence that they have lost any subjection to and dependence on the Church, the laws and all the others ones who are said to be leaders. Ah! my daughter, what will happen to so many members infected by this bad example given by those very ones who are said to be leaders – that is, by superiors, by parents, and many others? Ah! they will reach such a point that neither parents, nor brothers, nor kings, nor princes will be recognized any more. These members will be like many vipers that will poison one another. Therefore, see how necessary chastisements are in these times, and for death to almost destroy this sort of people, so that the few who will be left may learn at the expense of others to be humble and obedient. So, let Me do; do not want to oppose my chastising the people.”

March 31, 1899
The preciousness of sufferings.

This morning, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen crucified, and after He communicated His pains to me, He told me: “Many are the wounds that made Me suffer during my Passion, but one was the Cross. This means that many are the roads by which I draw souls to perfection, but one is the Heaven in which these souls must unite. So, if one misses that Heaven, there is no other that can render them blessed forever.”

Then He added: “Take a look: one is the Cross, but this Cross was formed with various pieces of wood. This means that one is Heaven, but this Heaven contains various places, more or less glorious; and these places will be distributed according to the sufferings suffered down here, more or less heavy. Oh! if all knew the preciousness of suffering, they would compete with one another to suffer more. But this science is not recognized by the world, and so they abhor everything that can render them richer for eternity.”

April 3, 1899
Humility without confidence is false virtue.

After having gone through several days of privation and of tears, I found myself all confused and annihilated within myself. In my interior I kept saying continuously: ‘Tell Me, Oh my Good, why have You moved away from me? Where have I offended You, that You no longer make Yourself seen – and if You show Yourself, it is almost concealed, and in silence? O please! do not make me wait and wait any longer, for my heart cannot take any more.’

Finally, Jesus showed Himself a little more clearly, and in seeing me so annihilated, He told me: “If you knew how much I like humility…. Humility is the littlest plant that can be found, but its branches are so high as to reach Heaven, wind their way around my throne, and penetrate even into my Heart. This little plant is humility, and the branches that this plant produces are confidence; so, there cannot be true humility without confidence. Humility without confidence is false virtue.” From the words of my Jesus it shows that my heart was not only annihilated, but also a little discouraged.

April 5, 1899
How Jesus keeps her overshadowed in His love.

My soul continued in its annihilation, and with the fear of losing sweet Jesus, when, in one instant, all of a sudden He made Himself seen and told me: “I keep you in the shadow of my charity. So, since the shadow penetrates everywhere, my love keeps you overshadowed everywhere and in everything. What do you fear then? How can I leave you while I keep you so sunken in my love?” While Jesus was saying this, I wanted to ask Him why He was not making Himself seen according to His usual way, but Jesus disappeared from me immediately, and did not give me the time to tell Him even one word. Oh! God, what pain.

April 7, 1899
Luisa refreshes Jesus. He says to her: “I want to make of you an object of my satisfactions”.

It continues in the same state, but this morning, especially, it was most bitter for me; I had almost lost the hope that Jesus would come. Oh! how many tears I had to shed! It was the very last hour, and Jesus was still not coming. Oh! God, what to do? My heart was in such a strong pain, and in continuous throbbing – but so strongly, that I felt a mortal agony. In my interior I said to Him: ‘My good Jesus, don’t You Yourself see that I feel life missing in me? Tell me at least: how can one be without You? How can one live? Though I am ungrateful at so many graces, yet I love You, since I offer You this most bitter pain of your absence to repair for my ingratitude. But come – have patience, Jesus. You are so good, don’t make me wait any longer – come. Ah! don’t You Yourself know what a cruel tyrant love is, that You don’t have compassion for me?’

While I was in this state, so painful, Jesus came and, all compassion, told me: “I have come now, do not cry any more – come to Me.” In one instant I found myself outside of myself together with Him, and I looked at Him, but with such fear that I might lose Him again, that tears would pour in large streams from my eyes. Jesus continued, telling me: “No, do not cry any more. Take a look at how I am suffering; look at my head – the thorns have penetrated so deep inside, that they no longer appear outside. Do you see how many gashes and blood cover my body? Come close to Me, give me a refreshment.”

By occupying myself with the pains of Jesus, I forgot a little bit about my own, and so I started from His head. Oh! how harrowing it was to see those thorns so sunken into His flesh that one could hardly pull them out. While I was doing this, Jesus would lament, so great was the pain He suffered. After I pulled that crown of thorns off, all broken, I put it together again, and knowing that the greatest pleasure one can give Jesus is to suffer for Him, I took it and I drove it onto my head. Then, He had me kiss His wounds, one by one, and in some of the wounds He wanted me to suckle the blood. I was trying to do everything He wanted, but in mute silence, when the Most Holy Virgin came and told me: “Ask Jesus what He wants to make of you.”

I would not dare, but Mama encouraged me to do it. To make Her content, I drew my lips close to the ear of Jesus, and in a whisper I said to Him: “What do You want to make of me?’ And He answered: “I want to make of you an object of my satisfactions”; and in the very act of saying these words, He disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.

April 9, 1899
Jesus refreshes her from the pains of His privation, keeping her with Him in the Tabernacle.

This morning, Jesus made Himself seen and carried me inside a church. There I listened to Holy Mass and I received Communion from the hands of Jesus. After this, I clung to His feet, but so strongly that I could not detach myself. The thought of the pains of the past days – that is, the privation of Jesus – made me fear so much that I might lose Him again, that while at His feet, I cried and said to Him: ‘This time, oh! Jesus, I will not leave You any more, because when You go away from me You make me suffer and wait so much.’

Jesus told me: “Come into my arms for I want to refresh you from the pains of these past days.” I almost did not dare to do it, but Jesus stretched out His hands and took me from His feet; and He embraced me and said: “Do not fear, for I do not leave you. This morning I want to make you content – come and stay with me in the Tabernacle.” And so we both withdrew into the Tabernacle. Who can say what we did? Now He would kiss me, and I Him; now I would rest in Him, and Jesus in me; now I would see the offenses He received and would make acts of reparation for the different offenses. Who can say the patience of Jesus in the Sacrament? It is such and so great that it is frightening just to think about it.

But while I was doing this, Jesus made me see the confessor who was coming to call me into myself. Jesus told me: “Enough now – go, for obedience is calling you.” And it seemed that my soul would return to my body, and indeed the confessor was calling me to obedience.

April 12, 1899
Jesus says to her: “Being in the Sacrament is for Me the same as being in your heart”. Hypocrisy, bitter pain for Jesus.

Today, without making me wait too long, Jesus came quickly and told me: “You are my tabernacle. Being in the Sacrament is for Me the same as being in your heart; or rather, in you I find something more: I am able to share my pains with you and to have you together with Me, a living victim before Divine Justice, which I do not find in the Sacrament.” And while saying these words, He enclosed Himself inside of me.

While being inside of me, Jesus would make me feel, now the pricks of the thorns, now the pains of the cross, the labors and the sufferings of His Heart. Around His Heart I could see a braid of iron spikes, which made Jesus suffer very much. Ah! how much pity I felt in seeing Him suffer so much. I would have wanted to suffer everything myself, rather than let my sweet Jesus suffer; and from the heart I prayed Him to give to me the pains, to me the suffering.

Jesus told me: “Daughter, the offenses which most pierce my Heart are the Masses said sacrilegiously, and the hypocrisies.” Who can say what I comprehended in these two words? It seemed to me that externally one shows that he loves and praises the Lord, but internally he has poison ready to kill Him; externally, one shows that he wants the glory and the honor of God, while internally he seeks his own honor and esteem. All the works done with hypocrisy, even the holiest ones, are works completely poisoned, which embitter the Heart of Jesus.

April 16, 1899
Preparation for Communion. Offenses given to Jesus by His own.

While I was in my usual state, Jesus invited me to go around, to see what creatures were doing. I said to Him: ‘My adorable Jesus, this morning I don’t feel like going around and seeing the offenses that they give You. Let us stay here, the two of us together.’

But Jesus insisted that He wanted to go around, and so, to make Him content, I said to Him: ‘If You want to go out, let us rather go inside some churches, because the offenses they give You are fewer there.’ And so we went inside a church, but there also He was offended – more than in other places; not because more sins are committed in the churches than in the world, but because those are offenses given by His dearest ones, by the very ones who should lay down body and soul to defend the honor and the glory of God. This is why they reach His adorable Heart more painfully. I could see devout souls who, because of bagatelles of no importance, did not prepare well for Communion. Instead of thinking of Jesus, their minds were thinking about their little disturbances, about many trifles, and this was their occupation. How Jesus pitied them, and how much pity they themselves aroused, as they paid attention to so many straws, to so many specks; but then, they didn’t so much as glance at Jesus.

Jesus said to me: “My daughter, how these souls prevent my grace from pouring into them. I do not look at the trifles, but at the love with which they come to Me; yet, they make an exchange: they pay more attention to straws than to love. But while love destroys the straws, with many straws love cannot increase even a tiny bit; on the contrary, it is decreased. But what is worse about these souls is that they get so disturbed, and they waste much time. They would like to spend entire hours with their confessors to tell all these trifles, but they never get down to work with a good and courageous resolution, in order to root those straws out. What to tell you then, oh my daughter, about certain priests of these times? It can be said that they operate almost satanically, reaching the point of making themselves idols of souls. Ah! yes – it is by my sons that my Heart is pierced the most, because if others offend Me more, they offend the members of my body; but my own offend Me in my most sensitive and tender parts, deep into my inmost Heart.” Who can say the torment of Jesus? In speaking these words He was crying bitterly. I did as much as I could to compassionate Him and repair Him, but while I was doing this, Jesus and I, together, withdrew into my bed.”

April 21, 1899
Jesus, the poorest of the poor.

This morning, while I was in my usual state, in one instant I found myself inside myself, but without being able to move. I realized that someone was entering into my little room; then he closed the door again, and I felt he was drawing near my bed. In my mind I thought that someone had entered furtively, without anyone of my family seeing him, and had penetrated even into my little room. ‘Who knows what he will to do me?’ My fear was so great that I felt my blood freeze in my veins, and I trembled all over. Oh! God, what to do? I said to myself: ‘My family did not see him; I feel all numb and cannot defend myself, nor can I ask for help. Jesus, Mary, my Mama – help me! Saint Joseph, defend me from this danger!’

When I realized that he was coming up on my bed, and he curled up near me, my fear was such that I opened my eyes and I said to him: ‘Tell me, who are you?’ He answered: “I am the poorest of the poor, I don’t have a place to stay. I have come to you, if you want to keep me with you in your little room. See, I am so poor that I don’t even have clothes; but you will take care of everything.” I looked well at him; he was a five or six year old boy, without clothes, without shoes, but so very beautiful and cute. Immediately I answered him: ‘As for me, I would gladly keep you, but what will my dad say? I am not a free person who can do whatever she wants; I have my parents who prevent me. As for clothing you, I can do it with my poor toils, I will make any sacrifice – but as for keeping you, it is impossible. Besides, don’t you have a father, don’t you have a mother, that you don’t you have a place to stay?’

But the boy, desolately, answered: “I have no one. O please! don’t make me wander any more – let me stay with you!” I myself did not know what to do – how to keep him. A thought flashed through my mind: ‘Who knows whether it is Jesus? Or it might be some demon, to disturb me.’ So, again I said to him: ‘But, tell me the truth at least – who are you?’ And he repeated: “I am the poorest of the poor.” I replied: ‘Have you learned how to make the sign of the cross?’ “Yes”, he answered. ‘Well then, make it, I want to see how you make it.’ So he signed himself with the cross. I added: ‘And the Hail Mary – do you know how to say it?’ “Yes, but if you want me to say it, let us say it together.”

I began the Hail Mary and he was saying it together with me, when a most pure light was unleashed from His adorable forehead, and I recognized that the poorest of the poor was Jesus. In one instant, through that light that Jesus sent me, He made me lose consciousness again, and drew me outside of myself. I saw myself all confused before Jesus, especially because of my many rebuffs, and immediately I said to Him: ‘My lovely one, forgive me. Had I recognized You, I would not have forbidden You to enter. And besides, why did You not tell me that it was really You? I have many things to tell You; I would have told them to You – I would not have wasted time in so many useless things and fears. Then, in order to keep You I don’t need my family – I can keep You freely, because You don’t let Yourself be seen by anyone.’ But while I was saying this, Jesus disappeared; and so it ended, leaving me a pain for not having told Him anything of what I wanted to tell Him.

April 23, 1899
The praises and scorns of others.

Today I did my meditation on the harm that can come to our souls from the praises that creatures give us. While I was doing the application to myself, to see whether there was in me complacency for human praises, Jesus came close to me and told me: “When a heart is full of the knowledge of self, the praises of men are like those sea waves that rise and overflow, but never go out of their shore. In the same way, the human praises yell and shout, they clamor, they get close even to the heart, but in finding it full and well surrounded by the strong walls of the knowledge of self, unable to find a place for themselves, they draw back, causing no harm to one’s soul. So, this is what you must pay attention to; and the praises and scorns of creatures – take them into no account.”

April 26, 1899
The souls who are detached.

Today, while my loving Jesus was making Himself seen, it seemed to me that He was sending me many flashes of light, which penetrated through the whole of me, when, in one instant, I found myself outside of myself together with Him, and the confessor also was there. Immediately I prayed my beloved Jesus to give a kiss to the confessor, and to go into his arms for a little while (Jesus was a child). To make me content, immediately He kissed the confessor on his face, but without wanting to detach from me. I remained all afflicted, and I said to Him: ‘My little treasure, my intention was for You to kiss, not his face, but his mouth, so that, touched by your most pure lips, it might be sanctified and fortified from that weakness. In this way, it will be able to announce your holy word more freely, and to sanctify others. O please! I pray You to make me content.’ So, Jesus gave him another kiss on his mouth, and then He said: “I am so very pleased with the souls who are detached from everything, not only in the affect, but also in the effect, that insofar as they keep stripping themselves, so does my light keep investing them, and they become just like crystals, which are such that the light of the sun finds no impediment to penetrate inside, as it finds with buildings and other material things.”

“Ah!”, He then said, “They think that they strip themselves, but instead, they come to be clothed not only with spiritual things, but also with the corporal, because my providence has a care all particular and special for these detached souls. My providence overshadows them everywhere; it happens that they have nothing, but they possess everything.”

After this, we withdrew from the confessor, and we found many religious people who seemed all to have their goals set on working for a purpose of interest. Passing through their midst, Jesus said: “Woe – woe to one who works for the purpose of gaining money! You have already received your recompense in life.”

May 2, 1899
How the whole of Heaven is veiled in the Church.

This morning, Jesus aroused much compassion; He was so afflicted and in suffering that I would not dare to ask Him a single question. We would look at each other in silence; every now and then He would give me a kiss, and I to Him; and He continued to make Himself seen in this way several times. On the last time He made me see the Church, telling me these exact words: “The whole of Heaven is veiled in my Church. Just as in Heaven one is the head, which is God, and many are the saints, of different conditions, orders and merits, so in my Church, in which all Heaven is veiled, one is the head, which is the Pope, and even in the triple tiara that covers his head is the Sacrosanct Trinity veiled; and many are the members that depend upon this head – that is, different dignities, various orders, superior and inferior. From the littlest to the greatest, they all serve to embellish my Church; and each one, according to its degree, has the office entrusted to it; and by the exact fulfillment of the virtues, it comes to give of itself a splendor so very fragrant in my Church, that the earth and Heaven are perfumed and illumined, and the people are so drawn by this light and by this fragrance, that it is almost impossible for them not to surrender to the truth. I leave it to you, then, to consider those infected members which, instead of shedding light, cast darkness. How much torment they cause in my Church.”

While Jesus was saying this, I saw the confessor near Him. Jesus looked intently at him with His penetrating gaze; then, turning to me, He told me: “I want you to have full trust with the confessor, even in the smallest things, to the point that there must be no difference for you between Me and him, and according to your trust and the faith you place in his words, so will I concur.” In the act in which Jesus was saying these words, I remembered about certain temptations of the devil, which had produced in me a little bit of distrust. But Jesus, with His vigilant eye, immediately corrected me, and in that very act I felt that distrust being removed from within my interior. May the Lord be always blessed, who takes so much care of this soul, so miserable and sinful.

May 6, 1899
Luisa looks for Jesus amidst the Angels.

This morning, Jesus hardly made Himself seen; I felt my mind so confused, that I almost could not comprehend the loss of Jesus, when I felt surrounded by many spirits – maybe they were Angels, I cannot tell for sure. While I was in their midst, every now and then I would investigate – who knows, I might feel at least the breath of my beloved; but as much as I did, I perceived nothing that would reveal the presence of my loving Good. Then, I felt a sweet breath coming from behind my shoulders, and immediately I cried out: ‘Jesus, my Lord!’

He answered: “Luisa, what do you want?”

‘Jesus, my beautiful One, come, do not remain behind my shoulders for I cannot see You. I have been waiting for You and investigating for the whole morning – who knows, I might see You amidst these angelic spirits that surrounded my bed. But I could not, therefore I feel very tired, because without You I cannot find rest. Come, for we will rest together.’ So Jesus placed Himself near me, and sustained my head.

Those spirits said: “Lord, how quickly she recognized You. Not even at your voice, but at your mere breath, immediately she called You.” Jesus answered them: “She knows Me, and I know her. She is so very dear to Me, like the pupil of my eyes.” And while He was saying this, I found myself in the eyes of Jesus. Who can say what I experienced, being in those most pure eyes? It is impossible to manifest it with words. The very Angels remained stunned.

May 7, 1899
Purity of intention in operating.

While I was doing my meditation during the day, Jesus kept making Himself seen near me, and He told me: “My Person is surrounded by all the works that souls do, as by a garment; and the more purity of intention and intensity of love they have, the more splendor they give Me, and I will give them more glory; so much so, that on the Day of Judgment I will show them to the whole world, to let the whole world know how my children have honored Me, and how I honor them.”

Assuming a more afflicted air, He added: “My daughter, what will happen to so many works, even good, done without an upright intention, out of habit and self-interest? What shame will not fall upon them on the Day of Judgment, in seeing so many works, good in themselves, but made rotten by their intention, such that, their very actions, instead of rendering honor to them, as to many others, will give them shame? In fact, I do not look at the greatness of the works, but at the intention with which they are done. Here is all my attention.”

Jesus kept silent for a little while, and I kept thinking about the words He had spoken while I was meditating within my mind, especially on the purity of intention, and on the fact that, when one does good to creatures, those same creatures must disappear, making the creature one with the Lord Himself, as if creatures did not exist.

Then Jesus continued, saying to me: “Yet, it is so. See, my Heart is so very large, but the door is extremely narrow. No one can fill the void of this Heart but souls who are detached, naked and simple. In fact, as you see, since the door is small, any hindrance, even the slightest – that is, a shadow of attachment, an intention which is not upright, a work done without the purpose of pleasing Me – prevents them from entering to delight in my Heart. Much love of neighbor enters my Heart, but it must be so united to mine as to form one single love, in such a way that one cannot be distinguished from the other. But as for the other love of neighbor which is not transformed into my love – I do not look at it as something that belongs to Me.”

May 9, 1899
Threat of chastisements. Jesus gives her His bitter breath.

This morning I was in a sea of affliction because of the loss of Jesus. After much hardship, Jesus came and drew so close to me, that I could not even see Him; He arrived at placing His forehead upon mine – His face was leaning just on mine; and so with all the other members.

Now, while Jesus was in this position, I said to Him: ‘My adorable Jesus, You don’t love me any more.’ And He: “If I did not love you, I would not be so close to you.’ And I continued: ‘How can You say that You love me if You no longer let me suffer as before? I am afraid I am not wanted in this state any more – at least free me from the bother of the confessor.’

While I was saying this, it seemed that Jesus would not pay attention to my words, but rather, He made me see a multitude of people, who were committing every kind of evil. Indignant with them, Jesus would make different kinds of contagious diseases swoop down into their midst, and many would die black like charcoal. It seemed that Jesus would exterminate that multitude of people from the face of the earth. While seeing this, I prayed Jesus to pour His bitternesses into me, so that He might spare the people, but He would not pay attention to me in this either; and replying to the words I had said before, He added: “The greatest chastisement I can give to you, to the priest, and to the people, would be to free you from this state of sufferings. My Justice would pour out in all Its fury, because It would find no opposition. This is so true, that the worse evil for someone is to be given an office and then to be removed from it. It would be better for him had he not been entrusted with that office, since, by abusing it and not profiting from it, he has rendered himself unworthy of it.”

Then, Jesus continued to come quite a few times today, but so afflicted as to move to pity and to tears – maybe even the stones. I tried to console Him as much as I could; now I would embrace Him, now I would sustain His head which was in great pain; now I would say to Him: ‘Heart of my heart, Jesus, it has never been your usual way to appear so afflicted to me. If other times You made Yourself seen afflicted, by pouring it into Me, immediately You have changed appearance; but now I am being denied giving You this relief. Who would have thought, after You have consented to pour and to share your sufferings with me for so long, and You Yourself did so much to dispose me, that now I would have to remain without it? Suffering for love of You was my only relief; it was suffering that made me endure my exile from Heaven. But now, being deprived of it, I feel I have no place on which to lean any more, and life becomes tedious to me. O please! Oh Holy Spouse, beloved Good, my dear Life, O please! – let the pains come back to me, give me suffering. Do not look at my unworthiness and my grave sins, but at your mercy, which has not exhausted itself.’

While I was pouring myself out with Jesus about this, He drew closer to me and told me: “My daughter, it is my Justice that wants to pour Itself out over the creatures. The number of sins in men is almost complete, and Justice wants to come out, to make pomp of Its fury, and to find reparation for the injustices of men. Here – to show you how embittered I am and to content you a little bit, I want to pour only my breath into you.” And so, drawing His lips close to mine, He sent me His breath, which was so bitter that I felt my mouth, my heart and my whole person being intoxicated. If His mere breath was so bitter, what must be the rest of Jesus? He left me with such pain, that I felt my heart being pierced through.

May 12, 1899
Jesus makes her content, pouring sweetnesses and bitternesses from His Side. She spends the day with Jesus.

This morning, my adorable Jesus, continuing to make Himself seen afflicted, transported me outside of myself, and showed me the various offenses He was receiving; and I began to pray again that He would pour His bitternesses into me. At the beginning, Jesus did not pay attention to me, and He just told me: “My daughter, only then is Charity perfect when it is done for the sole purpose of pleasing Me; and only then is it of the true kind and is it recognized by Me, when it is stripped of everything.”

Taking the occasion from His very words, I said to Him: ‘Jesus, my dear, it is precisely for this that I want You to pour your bitternesses into me – to be able to relieve You from so many pains; and if I pray You also to spare the creatures, it is because I remember well that on other occasions, after You had chastised the creatures, in seeing them suffer so much from poverty and other things, You too suffered very much. On the other hand, when I have been attentive and I have prayed You and importuned You to the point of tiring You, so much so that You were well pleased to pour it into me, sparing them, afterwards You have been very content about it. Don’t You remember? And besides, are they not your images?’

Seeing Himself persuaded, Jesus told me: “Because of you it is necessary to make you content – draw near Me and drink from my Side.” So I did; I drew near to drink from His Side, but instead of bitterness, I suckled a most sweet blood, which inebriated all of me with love and with sweetness. Yes, I was content, but this was not my intention; so, turning to Him, I said: ‘My dear Good, what are You doing? What comes out is not bitter, but sweet. O please! I pray You, pour your own bitternesses into me.’ And Jesus, looking at me benignly, told me: “Keep drinking, for the bitter will come after it.”

So, I attached myself to His Side again, and after the sweet kept coming for a while, the bitter also came. But who can say the intensity of the bitterness? After I was satiated from drinking, I rose, and looking at His head, which had the crown of thorns, I removed it and I drove it onto my head. Jesus seemed to be all compliant, while other times He had not permitted this. How beautiful it was to see Jesus after He had poured His bitternesses! He seemed almost disarmed, without strength, but all meek, like a humble little lamb – all compliant. I realized that it was very late, but since the confessor had come early in the morning to call me to obedience, it wasn’t that I knew that I was to be called by obedience, for at the obedience Jesus leaves me free. So, turning to Him, I said: ‘Most sweet Jesus, do not allow that I be of trouble to my family and of bother to the confessor by having him come again; O please! I beg You, You Yourself, let me return into myself.’ Jesus told me: “My daughter, today I do not want to leave you.” And I: ‘I too do not have the heart to leave You, but, just for a little while, the time to let my family see that I am inside myself, and then we will return to be together.” So, after a long differing, saying good-bye to each other, He left me for a little while. It was exactly lunchtime, and my family was just coming to call me. But even though I felt myself inside myself, I felt all full of suffering, my head would not hold up. The bitter and the sweet that I drank from the Side of Jesus gave me such satiety and suffering together, that it was impossible for me to take anything else. The word I had given to Jesus kept me on tenterhooks; so, with the pretext that my head was aching, I said to my family: ‘Let me be alone, for I don’t want anything.’

So I was left free again, and immediately I began to call my sweet Jesus; and He, always benign, came back. But who can say what happened to me today; how many graces Jesus gave to my soul; how many things He made me understand? It is impossible to express it with words. Then, after staying for a long time, in order to calm my sufferings, Jesus poured a sweet milk from His mouth, and then, around evening, He left me, giving me His word that He would come back soon. And so I found myself inside myself again, but a little bit more free of sufferings.

May 16, 1899
The virtue of the cross. Stripping oneself of one’s own will.

Jesus continued for a few more days to manifest Himself in the same way – not wanting to detach from me. It seemed that that little bit of sufferings He had poured into me attracted Him so much, that He could not be without me. This morning He poured a little bit more of bitterness from His mouth into mine, and then He told me: “The cross disposes the soul to patience. The cross opens Heaven, and unites Heaven and earth together – that is, God and the soul. The virtue of the cross is powerful, and when it enters into a soul, it has the virtue of removing the rust of all earthly things. Not only this, but it causes her boredom, bother and contempt for the things of the earth, giving her, instead, the flavor, the enjoyment, of celestial things. However, few are those who recognize the virtue of the cross; therefore they despise it.”

Who can say how many things I comprehended about the cross while Jesus was speaking? The speaking of Jesus is not like ours, in which one understands only as much as is said. But rather, one single word leaves an immense light, such that, in ruminating well on it, one could remain occupied the whole day in most profound meditation. Therefore, if I wanted to tell everything I would be too long, and I would also lack the time to do it.

After a little while, Jesus came back again, but a little more afflicted. I immediately asked the reason for it, and Jesus showed me many devout souls, and told me: “My daughter, what I look at in the soul is when she strips herself of her will. Only then does my Will invest her, divinize her, and make her all mine. Take a look at these souls who call themselves devout – as long as things go their way. Then, one little thing – if their confessions are not long enough, if the confessor does not satisfy them – is enough for them to lose peace; and some reach the point of not wanting to do anything any more. This says that it is not my Will that predominates in them, but their own. Be certain, oh my daughter, that they have taken the wrong way, because when I see that they really want to love Me, I have many ways to give my grace.” How pitiful it was to see Jesus suffer for this kind of people. I tried to compassionate Him as much as I could; and so it ended.

May 19, 1899
Humility is the safeguard of the celestial favors.

This morning I felt a fear in me that it might not be Jesus, but the devil, who wanted to deceive me. Jesus came, and seeing me with this fear, He said to me: “Humility is the safeguard of the celestial favors. Humility clothes the soul with such safety that the tricks of the devil cannot penetrate inside of her. Humility places all celestial graces in safety, so much so, that when I see humility, I let flow, abundantly, any kind of celestial favors. Therefore, do not want to disturb yourself for this, but rather, with simple eye, look always into your interior, to see whether you are invested with beautiful humility; and all the rest – do not bother about anything.”

Then He showed me many religious people and, among these, priests – even of holy life. But as good as they were, there wasn’t in them that spirit of simplicity in believing in the many graces and the many ways that the Lord uses with souls. And Jesus said to me: “I communicate Myself both to the humble and to the simple, because they immediately believe in my graces and take them into great consideration, though they may be ignorant and poor. But with these others that you see, I am very reluctant, because the first step which draws the soul near Me is belief; and it happens that these ones, with all their science and doctrine, and even holiness, never experience a ray of celestial light – that is, they walk along the natural way, and they never arrive at touching, even slightly, that which is supernatural. This is also the reason for which in the course of my mortal life there was not one learned, one priest, one man of power, among my followers, but all ignorant and of low condition – because these were more humble and simple, and also more disposed to make great sacrifices for Me.”

May 23, 1899
The virtue of sweetness. Detachment from all things and from oneself.

This time my adorable Jesus wanted to play a little bit. He would come, He would show He wanted to listen to me, but as I would begin to speak, He would disappear from me like a flash. Oh! God, what pain. While my heart was swimming in this most bitter pain of Jesus’ distance, and it was still almost a little restless, Jesus came back again, telling me: “What’s wrong? What’s wrong? More peaceful, more calm. Speak, speak, what do you want?” But the moment I spoke, He disappeared.

I did as much as I could to calm myself, but – no, after a while my heart returned to being unable to give itself peace, without its only and sole comfort; and maybe more than before. Coming back again, Jesus told me: “My daughter, sweetness has the virtue of making things change their nature; it knows well how to convert bitter into sweet. Therefore, more sweet, more sweet.” But He gave me no time to say a word. This is how I spent this morning.

After this, I felt I was outside of myself, together with Jesus. There were many people; some aspired to riches, some to honor, some to glory, and some even to sanctity, and many other things – but not for God, but rather, to be held in great esteem by creatures. Turning to them, shaking His head, Jesus said to them: “Foolish you are – you are working your own net to entangle yourselves.”

Then, turning to me, He told me: “My daughter, this is why the first thing I so much recommend is detachment from all things, and also from oneself. When the soul has detached herself from everything, she does not need to pluck up her strength in order to stay away from all the things of the earth which, of their own, come around her; but seeing themselves ignored – even more, despised – saying good-bye to her, they take leave of her to bother her no more.”

May 26, 1899
Contempt of oneself must be united to Faith.

This morning, I was in such a state of annihilation of myself, to the point of feeling obnoxious and irritated. It seemed to me that I was the most abominable being that could be found. I saw myself like a little worm that tossed and turned, but remained always there – in the mud, unable to take one step. Oh! God, what human misery. Yet, after so many graces given to me, I am still so bad!

My good Jesus, always benign with this miserable sinner, came and told me: “Contempt of yourself is praiseworthy when it is well invested by the spirit of Faith; but when it is not invested by the spirit of Faith, instead of doing you good, it can harm you. In fact, in seeing yourself as you are, unable to do anything good, you will be discouraged, disheartened, without daring to take one step on the path of good. But by leaning on Me – that is, by investing yourself with the spirit of Faith – you will come to know and despise yourself, and at the same time, to know Me, confident of being able to do anything with my help. And here is how, by acting in this way, you will walk according to the truth.”

How much good these words of Jesus did to my soul! I comprehended that I must enter into my nothingness and know who I am, but I must not stop there. Rather, immediately after I have known myself, I must fly into the immense sea of God, and stay there, to draw all the graces that my soul needs; otherwise, my nature remains weakened and the devil will look for means in order to cast it into discouragement. May the Lord be always blessed, and may everything be for His glory.

May 31, 1899
Oppositions serve so that the truth may shine more in its own time.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came, and at that very moment I saw the confessor. Jesus appeared a little disappointed with him, because it seemed that the confessor wanted everyone to approve that my case was the work of God, and almost wanted to convince by manifesting something of my interior to other priests.

Jesus turned to the confessor and said to him: “This is impossible. Even I received oppositions, and from people among the most distinguished, and also from priests and other dignities. They found fault with my holy works, to the point of stigmatizing Me as possessed by the devil. But I permit these oppositions, even from religious people, so that the truth may shine more in its own time. If you want to consult with two or three priests among the most good and holy, and also learned, in order to receive enlightenment and also to do what I want in the things to be done – such as advice from the good and prayer – this, I permit. But the rest – no, no. It would be like wanting to spoil my works and expose them to mockery – which displeases Me very much.”

Then He said to me: “What I want from you is an upright and simple operating. Do not bother about the pros and cons of the creatures; let them think what they want, without being the least troubled, since wanting that all be favorable is like wanting to deviate from the imitation of my Life.”

June 2, 1899
The greatest favor for a soul is to make her know herself.

This morning, my most sweet Jesus wanted to make me touch my nothingness with my own hands. In the act in which He made Himself seen, the first words He directed to me were: “Who am I, and who are you?” In these two words I saw two immense lights: in one I comprehended God, in the other I saw my misery, my nothingness. I saw myself as nothing but a shadow, like the shadow that the sun forms in irradiating the earth: it is dependent on the sun, and as the sun moves from it to other places, the shadow ceases to exist outside of its splendor. The same for my shadow – that is, my being: it is dependent on the mystical Sun, God, who can undo this shadow in one simple instant. What to say, then, about how I have deformed this shadow that the Lord has given me, which is not even my own? The mere thought of it is horrifying: stinking, putrid, all verminous. Yet, in such a horrid state I was forced to stand before a God so holy. Oh! how content I would be if I could hide myself in the darkest abysses.

After this, Jesus told me: “The greatest favor I can do to a soul is to make her know herself. The knowledge of self and the knowledge of God go together; the more you know yourself, the more you know God. The soul who has known herself, seeing that she can do nothing good by herself, transforms this shadow of her being in God, and it happens that in God she does all her operations. It happens that the soul is in God and walks beside Him, without looking, without investigating, without speaking – in a word, as if she were dead. In fact, knowing the depth of her nothingness, she does not dare to do anything by herself, but she blindly follows the trajectory of the operations of the Word.”

It seems to me that to a soul who knows herself it happens as to those people who travel in a steamer: in moving from one point to another, without taking a step of their own, they make long journeys, but everything by virtue of the steamer that transports them. In the same way, the soul, by placing herself in God, just like the people in the steamer, makes sublime flights on the way of perfection, fully knowing, however, that it is not because of her, but by virtue of that blessed God who carries her within Himself. Oh! how the Lord favors, enriches, concedes the greatest graces, knowing that she attributes everything, not to herself, but to Him. Oh! soul who know yourself – how fortunate you are!

June 3, 1899
Jesus pours His bitternesses.

This morning, I was in a sea of affliction, for Jesus had not yet come; I felt such pain that I felt my heart being ripped out. When the confessor came to call me to obedience, as he had to celebrate Holy Mass, Jesus did not let even a shadow of Himself be seen, as He usually does. In fact, when He does not come, He lets His hand or His arm be seen; and especially on a day in which I receive Communion, as this morning, He Himself comes, He purifies me, and prepares me to receive Him sacramentally.

I said to myself: ‘Holy Spouse, lovable Jesus, how is this? Aren’t You coming to prepare me Yourself? How can I receive You?’ But, meanwhile, the time came, the confessor arrived, but Jesus did not come at all. What a harrowing pain – how many bitter tears!

The confessor told me: “You will see Him at Communion, and out of obedience you will ask Him why He does not come and what He wants from you.”

So, after Communion I saw my good Jesus, always benign with this miserable sinner. He transported me outside of myself, and I was holding Him in my arms; He was a child, all afflicted. Immediately I began to say: ‘My little Child, my sole and only Good, how is it that You do not come? In what have I offended You? What do You want from me that You make me cry so much?’ And in the act of saying this, the pain was so great, that even though I was holding Him in my arms, I kept crying. But even before I finished speaking the last word, drawing His mouth close to mine, Jesus poured His bitternesses, without answering a word. When He would stop pouring, I would start speaking again, but Jesus would not pay attention to me, and would begin to pour again. After this, without answering anything of what I wanted, He told me: “Let Me pour into you, otherwise, just as I have destroyed other places with the hail, so will I destroy your area. Therefore, let Me pour, and do not think about anything else.” And so it ended, without telling me anything else.

June 5, 1899
The operating of Jesus is not hasty, but all in its time. The health of the confessor.

My state of annihilation still continues – but such that I did not dare to say a word to my beloved Jesus. However, this morning, having compassion for my miserable state, He Himself wanted to cheer me; and here is how: as He made Himself seen, and I felt all annihilated and ashamed before Him, Jesus drew near me, but so close, that it seemed to me that He was in me and I in Him; and He told me: “My beloved daughter, what’s wrong that you are so afflicted? Tell Me everything, for I will content You, and will remedy everything.”

Since I continued to see myself the way I described above the other day, in seeing myself so bad, I did not even dare to tell Him anything. But Jesus repeated: “Come, come, tell Me what you want – do not hesitate.” Seeing myself almost forced, bursting into flooding tears, I said to Him: “Holy Jesus, how do You want me not to be afflicted – after so many graces, I should no longer be so bad. Sometimes, even in the good works that I try to do, in the very prayers, I mix so many defects and imperfections, that I myself feel horror. What must it be before You, who are so perfect and holy? And then, the suffering, so very scarce compared to before, your long delays in coming – everything tells me in clear notes that my sins, my awful ingratitudes, are the cause of it, and that You, indignant with Me, deny me also that daily bread which You generally concede to everyone, which is the cross. So, You will end up abandoning me completely. Can there perhaps be a greater affliction than this?’ Jesus, all compassion for me, pressed me to His Heart and told me: “Do not fear, this morning we will do things together; in this way I will make up for your things.”

So, first it seemed that Jesus contained a fount of water and another of blood within His breast, and in those two fountains He plunged my soul – first in the water, and then in the blood. Who can say how purified and embellished my soul became? Then we began to pray together, reciting three Glory Be’s, and He told me that He was doing this to make up for my prayers and adorations to the Majesty of God. Oh! how beautiful and touching it was to pray together with Jesus. After this, Jesus told me: “Don’t let yourself be afflicted by the lack of suffering. Do you want to anticipate the hour established by Me? My operating is not hasty, but all in its time. We will accomplish everything, but at the appropriate time.”

Then, afterwards, because of a fully providential circumstance, unexpectedly, since the Viaticum had come out of the church for other sick people, I too received Communion. Who can say, afterwards, everything that passed between me and Jesus – the kisses, the caresses that Jesus gave me? It is impossible to say everything. After Communion, I seemed to see the Sacred Host, and in the Host I could see, now the mouth of Jesus, now His eyes, now one hand, and then He showed all of Himself. He transported me outside of myself, and I found myself, now in the vault of the heavens, now on earth in the midst of men, but always together with Jesus. Every now and then He would repeat: “Oh! how beautiful you are, my beloved. If you knew how much I love you…. And you, how much do you love Me?”

On hearing these words being spoken to me, I experienced such confusion that I felt myself dying; but in spite of this, I had the courage to say to Him: ‘Jesus, my beautiful One, yes, I love You very much. And You, if You really love me much, tell me also: do You forgive me for all the evil I have done? But concede also suffering to me.’ And Jesus: “Yes, I forgive you, and I want to content you by pouring in abundance my bitternesses into you.” And so Jesus poured His bitternesses. It seemed to me that He had a fount of bitternesses in His Heart, received by the offenses of men, and most of it He poured out into me. Then Jesus told me: “Tell Me, what else do you want?”

And I: ‘Holy Jesus, I recommend to You my confessor – make him holy, and grant him also health of the body. And besides, is it fully your Will for this father to come?’ And Jesus: “Yes.” And I: ‘If it were your Will, You would let him be well.’ And He: “Be quiet, do not want to investigate my judgments too much.” At that very moment, He showed me the improvement in the health of the body and the sanctity of the soul of the confessor, and He added: “You want to be hasty, but I do everything at the right time.”

Then, I recommended to Him the people that belonged to me, and I prayed for sinners, saying to Jesus: ‘Oh! how I wish that my body would split into tiny little pieces, if only sinners would convert.’ And so I kissed the forehead, the eyes, the face, the mouth of Jesus, doing various adorations and reparations for the offenses that sinners gave Him. Oh! how content Jesus was – and so was I. Then, having Jesus promise to me that He would not leave me any more, I came back into myself; and so it ended.

June 8, 1899
Few are those who have the good will to be saved. Bitternesses and sweetnesses.

My adorable Jesus still continues to make Himself seen all benignity and sweetness. This morning, while I was together with Him, He repeated again: “Tell me, what do you want?” Immediately I said: ‘Jesus, my dear, what I would really want is that the whole world would convert.’ (What a request out of the blue). But, still, my loving Jesus told me: “I would content you if only everyone had the good will to be saved. Yet, to show you that I would gladly grant everything you have said, let us go together into the midst of the world, and all those whom we will find with the good will to be saved, as evil as they might be, I will give to you.”

So we went out into the midst of the people, to see who had the good will to be saved, but to our greatest disappointment, we found a number so very scarce, that it is pitiful even just to think about it. In this number, so very scarce, there was my confessor, the majority of priests and part of the faithful, but not everyone from Corato. Then He showed me the various offenses He was receiving; I prayed Him to let me share in His sufferings, and Jesus poured His bitternesses from His mouth into mine. After this, He told me: “My daughter, I feel my mouth too embittered. O please! I beg you to sweeten it.’

I said to Him: “I would gladly give You anything, but I have nothing. You Yourself, tell me, what can I give You?’ And He told me: “Let Me suckle milk from your breasts, for in this way you will be able to sweeten Me.” And in the very act of saying this, He lay down in my arms and began to suckle. While He was doing this, a fear came to me that it might not be Baby Jesus, but the devil; therefore I placed my hand on His forehead and I signed Him with the cross: ‘Per signum Crucis.’ Jesus looked at me all festive, and while still suckling, He smiled, and with His lively eyes He seemed to tell me: “I am not a demon, I am not a demon.”

After He seemed to be satiated, He got up, standing on my lap, and kissed me all over. Now, since I too felt my mouth bitter from the bitternesses He had poured into me, I felt the desire to suckle from the breasts of Jesus, but I did not dare to. But Jesus invited me to do it, and so I plucked up courage and I began to suckle. Oh! what sweetness of paradise came from that holy breast. But who can express it? Then I found myself inside myself, all inundated with sweetnesses and contentments.

Now I will explain that, when it happens that Jesus suckles from my breasts, the body does not participate in this at all; rather, it happens when I am outside of myself. It seems that this thing happens only between the soul and Jesus, and when He wants to do this, He is always a baby. It is so certain that it is only the soul and not the body, that, when this happens, I always find myself either in the vault of the heavens, or wandering through other points of the earth. Sometimes, then, I have said that as I returned to myself, I felt a pain at that place from which Baby Jesus had suckled, because in suckling, sometimes He would do it a little strongly, so much so, that it seemed that through that suckling He wanted to pull out my heart from inside my breast. Therefore I felt a sensible pain, and as I would return to myself, the soul would communicate it to the body.

Moreover, this happens also in other things, as for example when the Lord transports me outside of myself and lets me share in the crucifixion. Jesus Himself lays me on the cross, and pierces my hands and feet through with the nails. I feel such pain that I feel myself dying. Then, when I find myself inside myself, I feel it well in my body, so much so, as to be unable to move my fingers or my arm; and so with the other sufferings that the Lord shares with me – to say everything, I would be too long.

I also remember that when Jesus would suckle from my breasts, He would place His mouth there, but it is from my heart that I would feel Him draw whatever He suckled; so much so, that while He would do this, at times I have felt my heart being torn from my breast, and sometimes, feeling a most vivid pain, I said to Him: ‘My pretty little One, really, You are too impertinent! Do it more gently, for it hurts very much.” And He would laugh to Himself.

In the same way, when I am the one suckling from Jesus, it is from His Heart that I draw that milk, or blood; so much so that, for me, suckling from the breast of Jesus is the same as drinking from His side. I will add also another thing: since the Lord every now and then is pleased with pouring a most sweet milk from His mouth, or with letting me drink His most precious Blood from His side, then, when He does this, of wanting to suckle from me, He suckles nothing else but what He Himself has given me, because I have nothing with which to sweeten Him, but much with which to embitter Him. This is so true that, sometimes, in the very act in which He suckled from me, I suckled from Jesus, and I perceived clearly that what He was drawing from me was nothing other than what He Himself was giving me. It seems that I have explained myself enough, as much as I could.

June 9, 1899
Offences and dishonesties of men. Union of sufferings and of prayers.

I spent this morning very anguished because of the many offenses which I saw Him receive from men, especially because of certain horrendous dishonesties. How much the loss of souls grieved Jesus! More so, since it was a newborn baby that they were going to kill, without administering holy baptism to him. It seems to me that this sin weighs so much on the scale of Divine Justice, that it is the one that most cries out for revenge before God. Yet, these sorrowful scenes are renewed so very often. My most sweet Jesus was so afflicted as to arouse pity. Seeing Him in such a state, I did not dare to tell Him anything; and Jesus only said to me: “My daughter, unite your sufferings to mine, your prayers to mine, so that they may be more acceptable before the Majesty of God, and may appear not as your things, but as my own works.” Then He continued to make Himself seen other times, but always in silence. May the Lord be always blessed.

June 11, 1899
Light in order to comprehend Luisa.

My sweet Jesus continues to make Himself seen only very few times, and almost always in silence. I felt my mind all confused and full of fear that I might lose my sole and only Good, and about many other things, which it is not necessary to say here. Oh! God, what pain. While I was in this state, He made Himself seen for just a little; He seemed to carry a light, and from that light many other little globes of light were coming out. Jesus told me: “Remove every fear from your heart. See, I have brought you this globe of light to place it between you and Me, and among those who approach you. For those who approach you with an upright heart and to do good to you, these little globes of light that come out, will penetrate into their minds, will descend into their hearts, will fill them with joy and with celestial graces, and they will comprehend with clarity that which I operate in you. Those, then, who will come with other intentions, will experience the opposite, and will remain dazzled and confused by these little globes of light.” So I remained more tranquil. May everything be for the glory of God.

June 12, 1899
Jesus Himself prepares her for Communion.

This morning, having to receive Communion, I was praying good Jesus to come to prepare me Himself, before the confessor would come to celebrate Holy Mass. ‘Otherwise, how can I receive You, being so bad and not disposed?’ While I was doing this, my Jesus was pleased to come, and in the very act of seeing Him, it seemed to me that He did nothing but dart through me with His gazes, most pure and sparkling with light. Who can say what those penetrating gazes operated in me, letting not even the shadow of a tiny speck escape? It is impossible to be able to say it; rather, I would have wanted to let all this pass in silence, because the internal operations of grace can hardly be expressed with one’s mouth just as they are; rather, it seems that one would counterfeit them. But lady obedience does not want it, and when it is for her, one must close one’s eyes and surrender without saying anything else, otherwise – troubles everywhere. In fact, being a lady, of her own she makes herself be respected.

Therefore I continue telling: in the first gaze, I prayed Jesus to purify me, and so it seemed to me that everything that shadowed my soul was shaken off of it. In the second gaze, I prayed Him to illumine me, because, what good comes to a precious stone from being pure, if it is not sparkling so as to capture the gaze of those who look at it? They will look at it, yes, but with an indifferent eye. Much more was I in need of that light, which would not only render my soul resplendent, but would make me understand the great action I was about to do, since I was not only to be looked at, but identified with my sweet Jesus. Therefore, it was not enough for me to be purged, but also illumined. So, in that gaze Jesus seemed to penetrate through me, just as the light of the sun penetrates through crystal. After this, seeing that Jesus continued to look at me, I said to Him: ‘Most loving Jesus, since You were pleased to purge me first, and then to illumine me, be so kind now as to sanctify me; more so since, having to receive You, who are the Holy of Holies, it is not right that I be so different from You.’

So, always benign toward this miserable one, Jesus leaned toward me, took my soul in His arms, and seemed to retouch it all over with His own hands. Who can say what those touches of those creative hands operated in me? How my passions, at those touches, put themselves in their place! My desires, inclinations, affections, heartbeats and my other senses, sanctified by those divine touches, changed into something wholly other, and, united among themselves, no longer clashing as before, formed a sweet harmony for the hearing of my dear Jesus. It seemed to me that they were like many rays of light, which wounded His adorable Heart. Oh! how Jesus amused Himself, and what happy moments those have been for me. Ah! I experienced the peace of the saints. It was for me a paradise of contentments and of delights.

After this, Jesus seemed to clothe my soul with the garment of Faith, of Hope and of Charity, and in the very act of clothing me, Jesus whispered to me the way I was to exercise myself in these three virtues. Now, while I was doing this, unleashing another ray of light, Jesus made me understand my nothingness. Ah! I seemed to be like a grain of sand in the middle of a most extensive sea, which is God; and this little grain went to disperse itself inside that immense sea – but it was lost in God. Then He transported me outside of myself, carrying me in His arms, and kept whispering to me various acts of contrition for my sins. I only remember that I have been an abyss of iniquities. Lord, oh, how many awful ingratitudes I have had toward You!

While I was doing this, I looked at Jesus; He had the crown of thorns on His head. I stretched out my hand, and I removed it from Him, telling Him: ‘Give the thorns to me, oh! Jesus, for I am a sinner. The thorns befit me, not You, who are the Just One, the Holy One.’ So, Jesus Himself drove it onto my head.

Then, I don’t know how, I saw the confessor from afar. Immediately I prayed Jesus to go to prepare the confessor to be able to receive Him at Communion. And Jesus seemed to go to father. After a little while He came back and told me: “I want the way you deal with Me and with the confessor to be one; and I want the same from him – he must look at you and deal with you as if you were another Me, because, since you are victim as I was, I want no difference at all; and this, so that everything may be purged, and my love alone may shine in everything.”

I said to Him: ‘Lord, this seems impossible – that I may be able to deal with the confessor as one does with You, especially in seeing the instability.’ And Jesus: “Yet, it is so; true virtue, true love, makes everything disappear, destroys everything, and with an enchanting mastery makes God alone shine in all its operating, and it looks at everything in God.”

After this, the confessor came to call me to obedience and then celebrate Holy Mass; and so it ended. Then I listened to Holy Mass and I received Communion. Now, who can say the intimacy that passed between me and Jesus? It is impossible to be able to manifest it; I have no words to make myself understood, therefore I let it pass in silence.

June 14, 1899
Jesus wants to chastise the world.

This morning, most loving Jesus was not coming; in my interior I kept thinking: ‘How is it that He is not coming? What’s new? Yesterday He came so often, and today, the hour is getting late, and He has not even showed Himself yet. What heartbreak – what patience it takes with Jesus! It seemed to me that my whole interior was becoming all alarmed, for it wanted Jesus, and it waged such a war against me as to give me pains of death. My will, as though superior to everything, tried to bring peace by persuading my senses, inclinations, desires, affections and all the rest, to calm down, for Jesus would come. So, after long suffering, Jesus came, carrying a cup in His hand, full of blood, coagulated, putrefied and stinking; and He told me: “Do you see this cup of blood? I will pour it over the world.”

While He was saying this, Mama came, the Most Holy Virgin, and my confessor together with Her. They prayed Jesus not to pour it over the world, but to have me drink it. The confessor said to Him: “Lord, why keep her as victim if You do not want to pour it over her? I absolutely want You to let her suffer and to spare the people.”

Mama was crying, and insisted with Jesus, and with the confessor, that he should not give up praying until Jesus would be content with accepting the exchange. Jesus insisted that He wanted to pour it over the whole world, and at first He almost seemed to frown. I saw myself all confused; I was unable to say anything, because the sight of that cup full of blood, so ugly, was so horrifying, as to cause my whole nature to tremble. What would it be to drink it? However, I was resigned – if the Lord would give it to me, I would accept it. Who can say, then, the chastisements contained in that blood, if the Lord would pour it over the world? It seems that from this very day He keeps the hail prepared which will cause great damage, and it seems that it must continue in the following days.

Then, later on, Jesus seemed a little bit more calm, so much so, that He seemed to embrace the confessor because he had prayed Him in that way; however, without coming to any determination on whether He would pour it over the people or not. So it ended, leaving me an indescribable pain because of what may happen.

June 16, 1899
Chastisements are necessary in order to humiliate the creatures.

He still continues to make Himself seen with the intention to chastise; I prayed Him to pour His bitternesses into me, and to spare the whole world, and if this were not possible, to spare at least those who belong to me, and my town. The intention of the confessor also seemed to unite to this intention. So, it seemed that, conquered by the prayers, Jesus poured a little bit from His mouth – but not that cup mentioned above. This little bit that He poured, He seemed to pour in order to somehow spare my town, though not completely, and those who belong to me.

However, this morning, I myself have been a cause of affliction for Jesus. Since after He had poured some I saw Him more calm, without thinking I said to Him: “My lovable Jesus, I pray You to free me from the bother I cause to the confessor, of having Him come every day. What would it cost You to free me Yourself, releasing me from that state of sufferings Yourself, just as You Yourself put me in it? Indeed it would cost You nothing, and if You want, You can do anything.’ But while I was saying this, Jesus’ face turned so afflicted, that I felt that affliction penetrate deep into my inmost heart; and without telling me a word, He disappeared. How mortified I was left – only the Lord knows – thinking, especially, that He might not come any more. However, a little later He came back, but with greater affliction, with His face all swollen and full of blood from offenses He had just received. All sad, Jesus said: “Look at what they have done to Me – how can you say that you don’t want Me to chastise the creatures? Chastisements are necessary in order to humiliate them, and not to let them grow bolder.”

June 17, 1899
She does not want to take part in the chastisements.

It continues always in the same way, but this morning especially, I have done nothing but argue with my dear Jesus: He wanted to keep sending hail, as He did in these past days, and I did not want it. Then, all of a sudden, it seemed that a thunderstorm was getting ready, and He gave command to the demons to destroy several places with the scourge of hail. At that very moment, I saw the confessor calling me from afar, giving me the obedience to go to put the demons to flight, so that they might not do anything. As I went out to go there, Jesus came to meet me, making me turn back. I said to Him: ‘Blessed Lord, I can’t – it is obedience that called me, and You know that You and I must surrender to this virtue, without being able to oppose it.’

And Jesus: “Well then, I will do it for you.” And so He commanded the demons to go to places farther away, and not to touch, for now, the lands belonging to our town. Then He said to me: “Let’s go.” So we came back – I into my bed, and Jesus beside me. As we arrived, Jesus wanted to rest, saying that He was very tired. I stopped Him, saying to Him: “Who knows what is this sleep that You want to have now…. And then, a beautiful obedience You had me do! – You want to sleep. Is this the love You have for me, and the way You want to content me in everything? Do You want to sleep? Sleep then, as long as You give me your word that You won’t do anything.’ Then, being sorry for my discontent, He told me: “My daughter, yet, I would like to content you. Let us do it this way: let us go out together again into the midst of the people, and let us see who are those who need to be punished, and you want them to be, because of their wicked actions – who knows, under the scourge at least, they might surrender. And then, those who need less to be punished, and you don’t want them to be punished, I will spare.”

And I: ‘Lord, I give You thanks for your highest goodness in wanting to content me, but in spite of this I cannot do what You are telling me; I do not feel the strength to put my will in chastising any of your creatures. And then, what would the torment of my poor heart be, when I hear that this person or that other one was chastised, and I have put my will into it! May this never be – may this never be, Oh Lord.’ Then, the confessor came to call me into myself, and so it ended.

June 19, 1899
Instability in doing good.

Yesterday, having gone through a day of purgatory because of the almost total privation of my highest Good, and because of the many temptations that the devil put in me, it seemed to me I committed a lot of sins. Oh! God, what pain, to offend God.

This morning, as soon as I saw Jesus, immediately I said to Him: ‘Good Jesus, forgive me for the many sins I committed yesterday’; and I wanted to tell Him all the evil I felt I had done. Interrupting my speaking, He said to me: “If you make yourself disappear, you will never commit sins.”

I wanted to continue to speak, but Jesus, making me see many devout souls, and showing He did not want to hear what I wanted to tell Him, continued saying: “What most displeases Me about these souls is their instability in doing good. One little thing, one disappointment, even one defect, is enough; and while that is the time when it is most necessary for them to cling more to Me, they, instead, become irritated, they get disturbed, and they neglect the good which they had started. How many times I have prepared graces to give to them, but in seeing them so unstable, I have been forced to hold them back.”

Then, knowing that He did not want to hear anything of what I wanted to tell Him, and seeing that my confessor was not well in the body, I prayed at length for him, and I asked Jesus various questions, which it is not necessary to say here. And Jesus, benignly, answered everything; and so it ended.

June 20, 1899
The love with which Saint Aloysius operated.

It continues always in the same way. This morning, it seems that Jesus wanted to cheer me a little bit. After I had gone in search of Him for some time, I saw a child from afar, like lightning that falls down from heaven; so I ran up to him, and as I arrived, I took him in my arms. A doubt came to me that it might not be Jesus, so I said to him: ‘My dear little treasure, tell me a little bit – who are you?’ And He: “I am your dear and beloved Jesus.” And I to Him: ‘My beautiful little Baby, I pray You to take my heart and bring it with You to Paradise, for after the heart, the soul too will come.’ Jesus seemed to take my heart, and He united it so much to His own that they became one.

Afterwards, Heaven opened; it seemed that a very great feast was being prepared. At that very moment a young man of lovely appearance came down from Heaven, all dazzling with fire and flames. Jesus told me: “Tomorrow is the feast of my dear Aloysius – I must go attend.” And I: ‘And then You leave me alone – what shall I do?’ And He: “You too will come. Look at how beautiful Aloysius is; but what was greatest in him, which distinguished him on earth, was the love with which he operated. Everything was love in him – love occupied his interior, love surrounded him externally; so, one can say that even his breath was love. This is why it is said of him that he never suffered distraction – because love inundated him everywhere, and with this love he will be inundated eternally, as you see.”

And in fact it seemed that the love of Saint Aloysius was so very great, as to be able to burn the whole world to ashes. Then Jesus added: “I stroll upon the highest mountains, and there I form my delight.” Since I did not understand the meaning of it, He continued, saying: “The highest mountains are the Saints who have loved Me the most, and in them I form my delight, both when they are on earth, and when they pass into Heaven. So, everything is in love.”

After this, I prayed Jesus to bless me and those whom I was seeing at that moment; and He, giving His blessing, disappeared.

June 21, 1899
Jesus says: “For love of you I will not leave Corato”. Jesus jokes with Luisa.

Since He was not coming, I kept thinking to myself: ‘Who knows whether Jesus will not come any more, leaving me in abandonment.’ And I would say nothing but, ‘Come my beloved, come…’. All of a sudden He came and told me: “I will not leave you, never will I abandon you. You too – come, come to Me.” Immediately I ran to place myself in His arms, and while I was like this, Jesus continued, saying: “Not only will I not leave you, but for love of you I will not leave Corato.”

Then, almost without my realizing it, in one instant He disappeared. I remained with a yearning for Him, more than before, and I kept saying: ‘What have You done to me? How is it – so quickly have You gone away from me, without even saying good-bye?’ While I was pouring out my pain, the image of Baby Jesus which I have near me, seemed to become alive, and every now and then He would put out His head from inside the glass bell to see what I was doing; and when He would see that I noticed it, immediately He would go back inside. I said to Him: ‘It shows that You are too impertinent, and that You want to act like a child. I feel I’m going mad with pain because You are not coming, and You are there playing. Well then, go ahead, play and joke, for I will have patience.’

June 22, 1899
Luisa does not let Jesus sleep.

This morning my sweet Jesus wanted to continue to play His little games with me, and to joke. He would come, He would place His hands on my face in act of wanting to caress me, but as He was about to do it, He would disappear. Then, again, He would come, He would stretch out His arms around my neck in act of wanting to embrace me, but as I stretched out my arms to embrace Him, He would escape me like a flash, and I could not find Him. Who can say the pains of my heart? While my heart was swimming in this sea of immense sorrow, to the point of feeling life failing me, Queen Mama came, carrying Him in Her arms as a child; and so we embraced, the three of us together – the Mama, the Son, and I. So, I could have the time to say to Him: ‘My Lord Jesus, it seems to me that You have withdrawn your grace from me.’ And He: “Silly – silly little one that you are! How can you say that I have withdrawn my grace when I am within you? And what is my grace if not Myself?” I remained more confounded than before, seeing that I didn’t know how to speak, and that in those two words I had uttered, I had spoken nothing but nonsense. Afterwards, the Queen Mother disappeared, and Jesus seemed to enclose Himself inside my interior, and there He remained.

Today, then, during the meditation, He made Himself seen sleeping inside of me. I was looking at Him, delighting in His beautiful face, but without waking Him up, content with at least seeing Him, when, in one instant, the beautiful Queen Mama came again; She took Him from within my heart, stirring Him all over, hurriedly, so as to wake Him up. After He woke up, She placed Him in my arms again, telling me: “My daughter, don’t let Him sleep, for if He does, you will see what happens.” A thunderstorm was preparing. Half asleep, the Baby stretched out His little hands around my neck, and squeezing me, He said to me: “My mama, my mama, let me sleep.” And I: ‘No no, no no my beautiful One, I am not the one who does not want to let You sleep; it is our Lady Mama that does not want it, and I pray You to content Her. It is certain that nothing can be denied to a mama – and then, to that Mother!’ After I kept Him in vigil for a little while, He disappeared; and so it ended.

June 23, 1899
Luisa sees the confessor together with Jesus, and prays for him.

After I listened to Holy Mass and received Communion, my loving Jesus made Himself seen from inside my heart; then I felt myself going outside of myself, but without Jesus. I saw my confessor, and since he had told me, “Our Lord will come after Communion, and you will pray to Him for me”, so, as I saw my confessor, I said to him: ‘Father, you told me that Jesus was going to come, but He has not come.’ He said to me: “It is because you don’t know how to look for Him – this is why you say that He has not come. Look well, for He is there in your interior.”

I went about looking inside of me, and I saw the feet of Jesus, which had come out from within my interior. Immediately I seized them with my hand, and I pulled Jesus out. I embraced the whole of Him, and seeing Him with the crown of thorns on His head, I removed it from Him and I placed it in the hand of the confessor, telling him to drive it onto my head; and so he did. But – no, as hard as he tried, he could not manage to make a single thorn penetrate. I said to him: ‘Do it harder – don’t be afraid that I might suffer much, because, as you see, there is Jesus here that gives me strength.’

But as much as he tried, it all turned out impossible. So he said to me: “It is not my strength to do this; and also because it is into bones that these thorns must penetrate – it is not my strength to be able to do it.” So I turned to my sweet Jesus, saying: ‘You see how father does not know how to put it on – do it Yourself a little bit.’ And so Jesus stretched out His hands, and in one instant He made all those thorns penetrate into my head, to my unspeakable pain and contentment.

After this, the confessor and I, together, prayed Jesus to pour His bitternesses[2], so as to spare people the so many scourges that He is pouring upon them, as He seemed to do today, since hail was ready to come down not too far from us; and the Lord, to condescend to our prayers, did pour a little bit.

In addition to this, since I continued to see the confessor, I began to pray Jesus for him, saying to Him: ‘My good and dear Jesus, I pray You to grant grace to my confessor, to make him all yours, according to your Heart, and to give him also corporal health. You have seen how he cooperated both in relieving your head from the thorns, and in having You pour. If he could not manage to drive the thorns into my head, it wasn’t for the purpose of not relieving You, nor was it his will, but because it was not his strength; therefore, also because of this You must answer him. So, tell me, oh my sole and only Good, will You let him be well, both in the soul and in the body?’ Jesus heard me, but would not answer me. I would pray Him with greater solicitude, saying: ‘This morning I will not leave You, nor will I stop praying, if You do not give me your word that You will grant what I ask of You for him’; but Jesus would not say a word.

Then, all of a sudden, we found ourselves surrounded by people; they seemed to be sitting around a table, eating, and there was also my portion. Jesus told me: “My daughter, I am hungry.” And I: ‘I give You my portion, aren’t You happy?’ And Jesus: “Yes, but I do not want to be seen, that I am here.” And I: ‘Well then, I will pretend that I take it for myself, and without letting myself be noticed, I will give it to You.’ And so we did.

After a little while, standing up and drawing His lips close to my face, Jesus began to play something like the sound of a trumpet from His mouth. All those people turned pale and trembled, saying among themselves: “What is this? What is this? Now we die!” I said to Him: ‘Lord, my Jesus, what are You doing? How is this? Up until now You did not want to be seen, and now You start playing. Be quiet, be quiet – don’t make people scared; don’t You see how they are all frightened?’ And Jesus: “This is nothing yet – what will happen when, all of a sudden, I will play even louder? They will be caught by such fear, that many upon many will lose their lives.” And I: ‘My adorable Jesus, what are You saying? You always go there: that You want to do justice; but – no! Mercy! Mercy, I pray, on your people.’

Then, as Jesus assumed His sweet and benign appearance, and I continued to see the confessor, I began to importune Him again; and Jesus told me: “I will make your confessor like a grafted tree, such that the old tree can no longer be recognized – both in the soul and in the body; and as pledge of this, I have placed you in his hands as victim, that he may take advantage of it.”

June 25, 1899
Three spiritual joys of Faith.

This morning, Jesus continued to make Himself seen every now and then, sharing a little bit of His sufferings with me, and sometimes the confessor also appeared with Him. Since he had told me to pray for certain needs of his, in seeing him together with Our Lord I began pray Jesus to grant him what he wanted.

While I was praying Him, all goodness, Jesus turned to the confessor and said to him: “I want Faith to inundate you everywhere, like those boats that are inundated by the waters of the sea. And since I Myself am Faith, as you are inundated by Me, who possess everything, can do everything and give freely to those who trust in Me, without your thinking of what will come, of when it will, and of how you will do it, I Myself will be there to assist you according to your needs.”

Then He added: “If you exercise yourself in this Faith, almost swimming in It, as recompense I will infuse three spiritual joys in your heart: first, you will penetrate the things of God with clarity, and in doing holy things you will feel inundated by a joy, by such gladness, as to feel as though soaked with it; and this is the unction of my grace. The second is boredom for earthly things, and you will feel in your heart joy for celestial things. The third is total detachment from everything, and there where you felt inclination in the past, you will feel bother; this I have been infusing in your heart for some time, and you are already experiencing it. And because of this, your heart will be inundated by the joy which the naked souls enjoy, who have their hearts so inundated with my love, that they receive no impression from the things that surround them externally.”

July 4, 1899
Jesus speaks about disturbance.

This morning, as Jesus renewed in me the pains of the crucifixion, our Queen Mama also was present, and Jesus, speaking of Her, said: “My own Kingdom was in the Heart of my Mother; and this, because Her Heart was never disturbed even slightly; so much so, that in the immense sea of the Passion, She suffered immense pains, Her Heart was pierced through by the sword of sorrow, but She did not receive the slightest breath of disturbance. Therefore, since my Kingdom is Kingdom of peace, I was able to extend my Kingdom within Her, and to reign freely without any obstacle.”

As Jesus kept coming other times, seeing myself all full of sins, I said to Him: ‘My Lord Jesus, I feel I am all covered with wounds and grave sins. O please! I beg You – have pity on this miserable one!’ And Jesus: “Do not fear, for there are no grave sins; and besides, one must have horror for sin, but not become disturbed, because agitation, wherever it comes from, never does good to the soul.” Then He added: “My daughter, you are victim, as I am; let all your works shine with the same intentions as mine, pure and holy, so that, finding my own image in you, I may freely pour the influence of my graces, and I may offer you, adorned in this way, as fragrant victim before Divine Justice.”

July 9, 1899
Jesus shares His pains in order to continue His Passion.

This morning, Jesus wanted to renew the pains of the crucifixion. First He transported me outside of myself, up on a mountain, and He asked me whether I wanted to be crucified. And I: ‘Yes, my Jesus, I yearn for nothing but the cross.’

As I was saying this, a huge cross appeared; He laid me upon it, and nailed me to it with His own hands. What atrocious pains I suffered in feeling my hands and feet being pierced through by those nails; and what’s more, they were blunt, and it was very difficult and painful to make them penetrate; but with Jesus everything was tolerable. After He finished crucifying me, He told me: “My daughter, I make use of you in order to continue my Passion. Since my glorified body can no longer be capable of suffering, by coming into you, I make use of your body just as I used mine during the course of my mortal life, to be able to continue to suffer my Passion, and therefore to be able to offer you as living victim of reparation and propitiation before Divine Justice.”

After this, it seemed that Heaven opened and a multitude of Saints came down, all armed with swords. A voice like thunder came out from within that multitude, saying: “We come to defend the Justice of God, and to take revenge on men, who have so much abused His Mercy!” Who can say what was happening on earth at this descent of the Saints? I can only say that some were fighting at one point, some at another; some were fleeing, and some were hiding. It seemed that all were in dismay.

July 14, 1899
Jesus cannot leave one who loves Him.

These days, my adorable Jesus continues to make Himself seen very few times; His visit is like a flash – while one would want to keep looking, it is already gone; and if sometimes He stays for a little while, it is almost always in silence. Other times, He says something, but the moment He goes away, it seems to me that He withdraws that word, together with the light that comes to me from His word; so much so, that afterwards I no longer remember anything of what He said – my mind remains in the same confusion as before. What miserable state! My dear Jesus, have pity on this miserable one – continue to make use of your mercy!

So, in order not to be too long, saying what happened to me day by day, I will now say, all at once, a few words that He told me in these past days.

I remember that, after I had shed most bitter tears, Jesus made Himself seen, and since I lamented to Him that He had left me, Jesus called to Himself many Angels and Saints, and turning to them, He said: «Listen to what she says – that I have left her. Tell her a little bit – can I leave those who love Me? She has loved Me – how can I leave her?” The Saints were in agreement with the Lord, and I remained more humiliated and confounded than before.

Another time, after I said to Him: ‘In the end You will end up leaving me completely’, Jesus said to me: “Daughter, I cannot leave you, and as a pledge of this I have placed my sufferings in you.” Then, while I was occupied with this thought: ‘How is it, Lord, that You have permitted the coming of the confessor? Everything could have passed between me and You’ – in one instant, I found myself outside of myself, lying on a cross, but there was no one who could nail me to it. I began to pray the Lord to come to crucify me Himself, and Jesus came and told me: “See how necessary it is for the priest to be in the middle of my works – and this is still help to complete the crucifixion. Indeed, without anyone else, you cannot crucify yourself by yourself; it always takes the help of others.”

July 18, 1899
How Sacramental Jesus and the soul draw and bind each other.

It continues almost always in the same way. This time it seemed to me that in my heart there was Sacramental Jesus, and from the Holy Host He spread many rays in my interior; and many threads came out of my heart, which intertwined with all those rays of light. It seemed to me that Jesus, with His love, would draw the whole of my heart to Himself; and my heart, with those threads, would draw and bind the whole of Jesus to stay with me.

July 22, 1899
How the cross renders the soul transparent. How to avoid the precipice.

This morning my adorable Jesus made Himself seen with a golden cross, all resplendent, hanging from His neck, and in looking at it, He was immensely pleased. In one instant the confessor was there present, and Jesus said to him: “The sufferings of these past days have increased the splendor of the cross; so much so, that in looking at it, I take great delight.”

Then He turned to me and told me: “The cross communicates such splendor to the soul as to render her transparent; and just as, when an object is transparent, one can give it all the colors he wants, in the same way, with its light, the cross gives all features and the most beautiful shapes that can possibly be imagined, not only by others, but by the very soul who experiences them. Furthermore, on a transparent object one immediately detects the dust, the little stains, and even a shadow. Such is the cross: since it renders the soul transparent, it immediately reveals to the soul the little defects, the slightest imperfections, so much so, that there is no masterly hand more capable than the cross in keeping the soul prepared, to render her a worthy dwelling of the God of Heaven.” Who can say what I comprehended about the cross, and how enviable is the soul who possesses it?

After this, He transported me outside of myself, and I found myself at the top of a staircase, extremely high, which had a precipice under it, and, what’s more, the steps of this staircase were movable and so narrow that one could barely put the tips of his toes on it. What terrified the most was the precipice, and the fact that one could find no support whatsoever, and if one tried to cling to the steps, they would come off. The sight of other people, almost all of them falling, put a shiver in the bones. Yet, there was no other way than going through that staircase. So I tried; but after going up only two or three steps, seeing the great danger for me of falling into the abyss, I began to call Jesus to come to my aid. Not knowing how, I found Jesus near me, and He told me: “My daughter, what you have seen is the path which all men go through on this earth. The movable steps, on which they cannot even lean to find support, are the human supports, earthly things, which are such that, if one tries to lean on them, instead of giving him help, they give him a push to fall more quickly into hell. The safest means is to climb almost flying, without touching the ground, by force of one’s arms, with eyes all fixed on oneself – without looking at others, and also by keeping them all intent on Me, in order to receive help and strength. In this way one can easily avoid the precipice.”

July 28, 1899
The cross is the noblest mark in the soul.

This morning, my adorable Jesus came with an appearance all admirable and mysterious. He was wearing a chain around His neck, hanging over His whole breast. At one end of the chain, one could see something like a bow; at the other end, something like a quiver full of precious stones and gems, which formed an ornament of the most beautiful sort on the breast of my sweet Jesus. He also had a lance in His hand. While in this appearance, He told me: “The human life is a game; some play pleasure, some play money; some, their own lives, and many other games that they play. I too delight in playing with souls; but what are these jokes that I make? They are the crosses which I send. If they receive them with resignation and they thank Me for them, I amuse Myself and I play with them, delighting immensely, receiving great honor and glory, and letting them make the greatest gains.”

As He was saying this, He began to touch me with the lance; from the bow and the quiver came out all those precious stones that were contained in it, and they turned into many crosses and arrows that wounded the creatures. Some of them, but extremely few, rejoiced, kissed them, and thanked Him, engaging in a game with Jesus; others then, would take them and throw them in His face. Oh! how afflicted was Jesus left, and what a great loss for those souls! Then Jesus added: “This is the thirst which I cried out on the Cross, such that, unable to quench it entirely at that time, I delight in continuing to quench it in the souls of my dear ones who suffer. So, when you suffer, you come to give a refreshment to my thirst.”

As He came other times, and I prayed Him to free the confessor, who was suffering, He told me: “My daughter, don’t you know that the noblest mark I can impress in my dear children is the cross?”

July 30, 1899
Do not judge your neighbor.

It continues almost always in the same way. This morning, as Jesus transported me outside of myself according to His usual way, we passed through the midst of many people, and the majority of them were intent on judging other people’s actions, without looking at their own. My beloved Jesus told me: “The surest means to be upright with one’s neighbor is to not look at all at what they are doing, because looking, thinking and judging is all the same. Besides, by looking at his neighbor, one comes to defraud his own soul; therefore it happens that he is not upright either with himself, or with his neighbor, or with God.”

After this, I said to Him: ‘My only Good, it has been a while since You gave me even just a kiss.’ And so we kissed each other. Then, almost wanting to correct me, He added: “My daughter, what I recommend to you is to preserve and cherish my words, because my word is eternal and holy as I am Myself, and by preserving it in your heart and profiting from it, you will have your sanctification and will receive an eternal splendor as recompense, produced by my word. By doing otherwise, your soul would receive a void, and you would remain my debtor.”

July 31, 1899
Intellectual communication. The mouth remains mute.

Jesus came also this morning, though always in silence. But I was most content, as long as I had my treasure, Jesus, because by having Him, I had all my contentments. In seeing Him, I comprehended many things about His beauty, about His goodness and other things, but since it was all through the intelligence and by means of intellectual communication, the mouth is incapable of expressing anything; so I let it pass in silence.

August 1, 1899
On purity.

This morning my most gentle Jesus, carrying me outside of myself, made me see the corruption into which mankind has decayed. It is horrifying to think about it! While I was in the midst of these people, almost crying, Jesus was saying: “Oh! man, how you have disfigured, deformed, disennobled yourself! Oh! man, I made you so that you would be my living temple; and you, instead, have made of yourself the dwelling of the devil. Look, even the plants, by being covered with leaves, and with flowers and fruits, teach you honesty and the modesty you must have with your body; and you, having lost any modesty and even the natural reserve you should have, have rendered yourself worse than the beasts, so much so, that I have nothing else to which to liken you. You were my image, but now I no longer recognize you; even more, I am so horrified at your impurities, that the mere sight of you gives Me nausea, and you yourself force Me to flee from you.”

While Jesus was saying this, I felt tortured by the pain of seeing my beloved Jesus so embittered, so I said to Him: ‘Lord, You are right that You find nothing good in man any more, and that he has reached such blindness that he cannot even keep to the laws of nature any more. So, if You want to look at man, You will do nothing but send chastisements; therefore I pray You to keep your gaze on your mercy, and so everything will be remedied.’ As I was saying this, Jesus told me: “Daughter, give Me a refreshment for my pains.” In the act of saying this, He removed the crown of thorns, which seemed to be sunken into His adorable head, and He drove it into mine. I felt most bitter pains, but I was content that Jesus was being refreshed. After this, He told me: “Daughter, I greatly love pure souls, and just as I am forced to flee from the impure, I am drawn by the pure, as by a magnet, to dwell with them. To pure souls I gladly lend my mouth to let them speak with my own tongue, therefore they have to make no effort to convert souls. With these souls, I delight not only in continuing my passion within them, and therefore still continuing Redemption, but, what’s more, I greatly delight in glorifying my own virtues in them.”

August 2, 1899
Correspondence to Jesus.

This morning my adorable Jesus made Himself seen all afflicted and almost indignant with men, threatening to send the usual chastisements and to make people die suddenly under lightnings, hail and fire. I prayed Him very much to placate Himself, and Jesus told me: “The iniquities that rise from the earth up to Heaven are so many, that if prayer, and souls who are victims before Me, were missing for a quarter of an hour, I would make fire come out of the earth and inundate the people.”

Then He added: “See how many graces I was to pour upon the creatures, but since I find no correspondence, I am forced to retain them within Myself; even more, they make Me change them into chastisement. Be careful, you, oh my daughter, to correspond to Me in the so many graces I am pouring into you, because correspondence is the open door to let Me enter into the heart and form in it my dwelling. Correspondence is like that good welcome, that esteem, which is used with people when they come to visit us, in such a way that, drawn by that respect, by those affable manners used with them, they are forced to come again, and reach the point of not being able to detach themselves. Everything is in corresponding to Me, and according to how souls correspond to Me and treat Me on earth, so will I behave with them in Heaven. Making them find the doors open, I will invite the whole Celestial Court to welcome them, and I will place them on the most sublime throne; but it will be all the opposite for those who do not correspond to Me.”

August 7, 1899
About our nothingness.

This morning my lovable Jesus was not coming. After much waiting and waiting, finally He came; my confusion and annihilation was such that I was unable to tell Him anything. Jesus said to me: “The more you annihilate yourself and come to know your nothingness, the more my Humanity, unleashing rays of light, will communicate to you my virtues.”

I said to Him: ‘Lord, I am so bad and ugly as to be horrifying to myself. What must I be before You?’ And Jesus: “If you are ugly, I am the One who can make you beautiful.” And in the act of saying this, He sent a light from Himself to my soul, and it seemed that He would communicate His beauty to it. Then, embracing me, He began to say: “How beautiful you are – but beautiful of my own beauty; this is why I am drawn to love you.” Who can say how confounded I remained, more than ever! But, may everything be for His glory.

August 8, 1899
A resigned soul is rest for Jesus.

He continues to make Himself seen, for just a little and almost indignant with men. As much as I prayed Him to pour His bitternesses into me, it was impossible; and without paying attention to what I was saying to Him, He told me: “Resignation absorbs all that can be painful and disgusting to one’s nature and renders it sweet. And since my Being is peaceful, tranquil, in such a way that, no matter what may happen in Heaven and on earth, It cannot receive the slightest breath of disturbance, resignation has the virtue of grafting these very virtues of mine into the soul. A resigned soul is always at rest; and not only herself, but she also makes Me rest peacefully within her.”

August 10, 1899
On justice, and the fruits of justice: truth and simplicity. How Jesus remains wounded by simplicity.

This morning, as my sweet Jesus came, He transported me outside of myself, and He disappeared. As He left me alone, I saw as though two candelabra of fire descending from heaven, which then, dividing into many pieces, formed many lightnings and much hail that came down upon the earth, causing very great torment over plants and men. The horror and the vehemence of the thunderstorm was such, that one could not even pray, and people could not manage to withdraw into their homes. Who can say how frightened I was left? So I began to pray in order to placate the Lord; and as He came back, I saw that He was carrying an iron rod in His hand, which had a ball of fire at the top. He told me: “My Justice has been withheld for a long time, and with reason It wants to take revenge on the creatures, who have dared to destroy every justice within themselves. Ah! yes, I find nothing just in man. He has counterfeited himself completely in his words, in his works and steps; everything is deception, everything is fraud, everything is injustice, which have penetrated into his heart, in such a way that, inside and out, he is but a bilge of vices. Poor man, how you have reduced yourself!”

While saying this, He was swinging the rod He had in His hand, in act of wounding man. I said to Him: ‘Lord, what are You doing?’ And He: “Do not fear. See, this ball of fire will cause fire, but will only strike the evil – the good will receive no harm.” And I added: ‘Ah, Lord! Who is good? We are all evil. I beg You not to look at us, but at your infinite mercy; in this way You will be placated for all.’

After this, He added: “The daughter of justice is truth. Just as I am the Eternal Truth, as I do not deceive, nor can I be deceived, in the same way, the soul who possesses justice makes truth shine in all her actions. Therefore, since she knows by experience the true light of truth, if someone wants to deceive her, since that light which she feels within herself is missing, she immediately recognizes the deceit. And so it happens that with this light of truth she does not deceive either herself, or her neighbor, nor can she be deceived. The fruit produced by this justice and by this truth is simplicity. Another quality of my Being is to be simple, so much so, that I penetrate everywhere; there is nothing that can prevent Me from penetrating inside; I penetrate into Heaven and into the abysses, into good and into evil. However, my Being, most simple, by penetrating even into evil, does not get dirty; even more, it does not receive the slightest shadow. In the same way, through justice and truth, gathering into herself this beautiful fruit of simplicity, the soul penetrates into Heaven, she enters into the hearts to lead them to Me, she penetrates into everything that is good; and if she finds herself with sinners, in seeing the evil that they do, she does not get dirty because, being simple, she immediately brushes it off, without receiving any harm. Simplicity is so beautiful, that my Heart remains wounded at one gaze alone of a simple soul. She is the admiration of Angels and of men.”

August 12, 1899
Jesus transforms her completely into Himself, and teaches her Charity.

This morning, after He made me wait for some time, my adorable Jesus came, telling me: “My daughter, this morning I want to conform you completely to Myself. I want you to think with my own mind, look with my own eyes, listen with my own ears, speak with my own tongue, operate with my own hands, walk with my own feet, and love with my own Heart.”

After this, Jesus united His senses, mentioned above, to mine, and I saw that He was giving me His own shape; not only this, but He gave me the grace to make use of them as He Himself did. Then He continued, saying: “Great graces am I pouring into you – make sure you keep them well.” And I: ‘I fear very much, Oh my beloved Jesus, in knowing myself as all full of miseries, that instead of doing well, I may make bad use of your graces. But what makes me fear the most is the tongue, which oftentimes makes me slip in charity toward my neighbor.’ And Jesus: “Do not fear, I Myself will teach you the way you must keep in speaking with your neighbor. First thing: when you are told something that regards your neighbor, cast a gaze upon yourself and observe whether you are guilty of that same defect, for in that case wanting to correct is wanting to make Me indignant and to scandalize your neighbor. Second: if you see yourself free of that defect, rise then, and try to speak as I would have; in this way you will speak with my own tongue. By doing so, you will never fail in charity with your neighbor; on the contrary, with your discourses, you will do good to yourself and to your neighbor – and to Me you will give honor and glory.”

August 13, 1899
Jesus assumes the image of Luisa.

He continued to make Himself seen this morning, for just a little, always threatening to send chastisements; and as I would go about praying Him to placate Himself, He would escape me like a flash. The last time He came, He made Himself seen crucified. I placed myself near Him to kiss His most holy wounds, doing various adorations; but while I was doing this, instead of Jesus Christ I saw my own image. I remained surprised, and I said: ‘Lord, what am I doing? To myself am I doing the adorations? This cannot be done.’

At that very instant He changed into the person of Jesus Christ, and He told me: “Do not be surprised that I have assumed your own image. If I suffer in you continuously, what is the wonder that I have assumed your own shape? Besides, is it not to make of you an image of Me that I make you suffer?” I remained all confused, and Jesus disappeared. May everything be for His glory, and may His holy name be always blessed.

August 15, 1899
Charity orders all virtues. The Virgin Mary assumed into Heaven. The ‘Hail Mary’ together with Jesus.

This morning my most sweet Jesus came all festive, carrying a bundle of lovely flowers in His hands; and placing Himself in my heart, now He would surround His head with those flowers, now He would hold them in His hands, amusing and delighting all of Himself. While He was celebrating with these flowers, as it seemed He had made a great gain, He turned to me and told me: “My beloved, this morning I have come to place all virtues in order in your heart. The other virtues can remain separate from one another, but Charity binds and orders everything. Here is what I want to do in you – to order Charity.”

I said to Him: ‘My sole and only Good, how can you do this since I am so bad and full of defects and imperfections? If Charity is order, aren’t these defects and sins a disorder that keeps my soul all messy and upside-down?’ And Jesus: “I will purify everything, and Charity will put everything in order. And besides, when I let a soul participate in the pains of my Passion, there cannot be grave sins; at most, some involuntary venial defects, but my love, being fire, will consume everything that is imperfect in your soul.” So it seemed that Jesus purified me and ordered me completely; then He poured as though a rivulet of honey from His Heart into mine, and with that honey He watered my whole interior, in such a way that everything that was in me remained ordered, united, and with the imprint of Charity.

After this, I felt myself going out of myself into the vault of the heavens, together with my loving Jesus. It seemed that everything was in feast – Heaven, earth and Purgatory. All were inundated with a new joy and jubilation. Many souls were going out of Purgatory and, like bolts of lightning, reached Heaven in order to be present at the feast of our Queen Mama. I too pushed myself through that immense crowd of people – that is, Angels, Saints and souls from Purgatory, which already occupied that new Heaven. It was so immense, that the heavens that we see, compared to that one, seemed a little hole to me; more so, since I had the obedience from the confessor. But as I went about looking, I could see nothing but a most luminous Sun spreading Its rays, which penetrated through the whole of me, in such a way as to make me become like crystal; so much so, that my little spots appeared very clearly, as well as the infinite distance that exists between Creator and creature. More so, since each one of those rays had its imprint: some delineated the sanctity of God, some the purity, some the power, some the wisdom, and all the other virtues and attributes of God. So, the soul, in seeing her nothingness, her miseries and her poverty, would feel annihilated, and instead of looking, she would fall prostrate, her face to the ground, in front of that Eternal Sun before which no one can stand.

But, what’s more, in order to see the feast of our Queen Mama, one had to look inside that Sun, so much did the Most Holy Virgin appear immersed in God; in fact, in looking from other points, one could see nothing. Now, while I was in this state of annihilation before that Divine Sun, Baby Jesus, being held in the arms of the Queen Mama, told me: “Our Mama is in Heaven; to you I give the office of acting as my mama on earth. And since my life is continuously subject to scorns, to poverty, to pains, to the abandonment of men, and my Mama, while being on earth, was my faithful companion in all these pains – not only this, but She tried to relieve Me in everything, as much as Her strengths were capable of – you too, acting as my mother, will keep Me faithful company in all my pains, suffering in my place as much as you can; and where you cannot reach, you will try to give Me at least a refreshment. Know, however, that I want you all intent on Me. I will be jealous even of your breath, if you do not do it for Me; and when I see that you are not all intent on contenting Me, I will give you no peace and no rest.”

After this, I began to act as his mama, but – oh, how much attention was needed to make Him content! To see Him content, one could not even take a glance at any place else. Now He wanted to sleep, now He wanted to drink, now He wanted to be cheered with caresses; and I had to be ready for everything He wanted. Now He would say: ‘My Mama, my head is hurting – O please! relieve Me!’; and immediately I would check His head and, finding some thorns, I would remove them, and placing my arm beneath His head, I would make Him rest. While I would do so that He might rest, all of a sudden He would get up and say: “I feel a weight and a suffering at my Heart, to the point that I feel Myself dying. Take a look at what is in there.” And observing the interior of His Heart, I found all the instruments of the Passion; I removed them one by one, and I placed them in my heart. Then, seeing Him relieved, I began to caress Him and kiss Him, and I said to Him: ‘My sole and only treasure, You didn’t even let me watch the feast of our Queen Mother, or listen to the first canticles that the Angels and the Saints sang upon Her entrance into Paradise.’

And Jesus: “The first canticle that they sang to my Mama was the ‘Hail Mary’, because in the ‘Hail Mary’ there are the most beautiful praises, the greatest honors; and the joy which She felt in being made Mother of God is renewed. Therefore, let us recite it together to honor Her, and when you yourself come to Paradise, I will let you find it as if you had recited it together with the Angels for the first time in Heaven.”

So, we recited the first part of the ‘Hail Mary’, Jesus and I together. Oh! how tender and touching it was to hail our Most Holy Mama together with Her beloved Son! Each word He said carried an immense light, in which one could comprehend many things about the Most Holy Virgin. But who can say them all? – especially because of my incapacity. Therefore I let them pass in silence.

August 16, 1899
She continues to act as a mama for Jesus.

Jesus continues to want me to act as His mother. He made Himself seen as a most gracious little baby, crying; and to calm His crying, holding Him in my arms, I began to sing. It so happened that when I would be singing, He would stop crying; when I wouldn’t, He would start crying again. I would rather have kept silent on what I was singing – first, because I don’t remember everything, since I was outside of myself, and one can hardly remember all the things that happen; and also because I believe it is nonsense. But lady obedience, who is too impertinent, does not want to give up, and it is enough that one does as she wants, for her to be content even with nonsense. I don’t know, they say that this lady obedience is blind, but to me it seems, rather, that she is all eyes, because she looks at the tiniest things, and when one does not do as she says, she becomes so impertinent as to give you no peace. And so now, to have peace from this beautiful lady obedience – because, then, she is so good when one does as she says, that whatever ones wants, through her, everything is obtained – I will say what I remember of my singing:

“Little Baby, You are little and strong,
from You I expect every comfort;
little Baby, gracious and beautiful,
You enamor even the stars;
little Baby, steal my heart
so as to fill it with your love;
little Baby, tender little one,
make me a little baby too;
little Baby, You are a Paradise,
O please! Let me come
to delight in your eternal smile.”

August 17, 1899
The power and office of ‘lady obedience’.

This morning, after receiving Communion, I was saying to my lovable Jesus: ‘How is it that this virtue of obedience is so impertinent, and sometimes so strong as to reach the point of becoming capricious?’

And He: “Do you know why this noble lady obedience is as you say? Because she gives death to all vices and, naturally, one who has to inflict death upon someone else must be strong and courageous; and if he does not succeed with this, he will use impertinences and caprices. If this is necessary in order to kill the body, which is so fragile, much more so in order to give death to vices and to one’s own passions; in fact, it is so hard that sometimes, while they seem to be dead, they begin to live again. And so this diligent lady is always in motion, and spying continuously. If she sees that the soul raises the slightest difficulty at what is commanded of her, fearing that some vice may begin to live again in her heart, she wages such a war against her, and gives her no peace until the soul prostrates herself at her feet and does, in mute silence, whatever she wants. This is why she is so impertinent and almost capricious, as you say.

Ah, yes, there is no true peace without obedience; and if it seems that one may enjoy peace, it is a false peace, because it gets along with one’s own passions, but never with virtues; and one ends up in ruin, because by moving away from obedience, one moves away from Me, who was the King of this noble virtue.

Moreover, obedience kills one’s own will and pours the Divine in torrents; so much so, that one can say that the obedient soul no longer lives of her will, but of the Divine. Can there ever be a life more beautiful, more holy, than to live of the Will of God Himself? With the other virtues, even the most sublime, there can be love of self, but with obedience – never.”

August 18, 1899
Truth places the soul in order.

This morning, as most loving Jesus came, I said to Him: ‘My beloved Jesus, I believe that everything I write is a lot of nonsense.’ And Jesus: “My word is not only truth, but also light, and when a light enters a dark room – what does it do? It dispels the darkness, and makes one distinguish the objects that are in it, whether they are ugly or beautiful, whether there is order or disorder; and from the way the room is found, one judges the person that occupies it. Now, the human life is the dark room, and when the light of truth enters a soul, it dispels the darkness – that is, it makes her distinguish what is true from what is false, the temporal from the eternal, in such a way that she casts vices away from herself and places the order of virtues within her. In fact, since my light is holy – which is my very Divinity – it cannot communicate anything other than sanctity and order, therefore the soul feels light of patience, of humility, of charity and the like, come out of herself. If my word produces these signs in you, why fear?”

After this, Jesus let me hear how He was praying to the Father for me, saying: “Holy Father, I pray You for this soul – let it be so that she may fulfill Our Most Holy Will perfectly in everything. Let it be, O adorable Father, that her actions be so conformed to mine, that one might not be distinguished from the other, so that I may accomplish what I have designed upon her.” But who can say the strength I felt being infused in me by this prayer of Jesus? I felt my soul being clothed with such strength, that in order to fulfill the Most Holy Will of God I would not have cared suffering a thousand martyrdoms, if this were what pleased Him. May the Lord be always thanked, who uses so much mercy with this poor sinner.

August 21, 1899
Effects of pleasing Jesus alone.

After having spent two days of sufferings, my benign Jesus showed Himself all affability and sweetness. In my interior I kept saying: ‘How good the Lord is with me; yet, I find nothing in me that might please Him.’ And Jesus, answering me, told me: “My beloved, just as you find no other pleasure and contentment than being with Me, conversing with Me, and pleasing Me alone, in such a way that all other things that are not mine are disgusting for you, in the same way, my pleasure and my consolation is to come and be with you, and speak with you. You cannot comprehend the power that a soul who has the sole purpose of pleasing Me alone has over my Heart, in drawing me to herself. I feel so bound to her, that I am forced to do what she wants.”

While Jesus was saying this, I understood that He was speaking in that way because during the past days, while suffering most bitter pains, I kept saying in my interior: ‘My Jesus, everything for love of You. May these pains be as many acts of praise, of honor, of homage that I offer You. May these pains be as many voices that glorify You, and as many attestations that tell you that I love You.’

August 22, 1899
Jesus communicates to her His virtues.

My dear Jesus continues to come, all lovable and majestic. While in this appearance, He told me: “The purity of my gazes shines in all your operations, in such a way that, rising again into my eyes, it produces a splendor for Me, and it cheers Me from the filthy things that creatures do.”

I remained all confused at these words, so much so, that I did not dare to tell Him anything; but Jesus, encouraging me, began to say: “Tell Me, what do you want?” And I: ‘When I have You, is there anything more I could possibly desire?’ But Jesus, more than once, asked me again to tell Him what I wanted. And I, gazing upon Him, saw the beauty of His virtues and said to Him: ‘My most sweet Jesus, give me your virtues.’

And He, opening His Heart, made many distinct rays come out of His virtues, which entered into my heart, and I felt all of myself being strengthened in the virtues. Then He added: “What else do you want?” And I, remembering that during the past days, because of a pain that I was suffering, my senses were prevented from losing themselves in God, said to Him: ‘My benign Jesus, let it be that the pain may not prevent me from losing myself in You.’ And Jesus, touching with His hand the part of me that was in suffering, mitigated the bitterness of the spasm, in such a way that I can recollect and lose myself in Him.

August 27, 1899
The effect when Jesus goes to a soul.

This morning, while seeing my sweet Jesus, I felt a fear in me that it might not be Him, but the devil, to deceive me. And Jesus, answering my fear, told me: “When I am the One who goes to the soul, all of her interior powers are annihilated and recognize their nothingness; and I, seeing the soul humiliated, make my love overabound like many streams, in such a way as to inundate her and strengthen her in good. All the opposite happens when it is the devil.”

August 30, 1899
Man has lost religion. Threat of chastisements.

This morning my beloved Jesus transported me outside of myself, and made me see the decadence of religion in men and a preparation for war. I said to Him: ‘Oh Lord, in what a heart-rending state the world finds itself in these times, in things of religion. It seems that the world no longer recognizes she[3] who ennobles man and makes him aspire to an eternal purpose. But that which makes one cry the most is that religion is ignored by some of the very ones who call themselves religious, who should lay down their lives to defend her and revive her.’

And Jesus, assuming a most afflicted appearance, told me: “My daughter, this is why man lives like a beast – because he has lost religion. But times yet more sad will come for man, because of the blindness in which he, of his own, has immersed himself, so much so that my Heart aches in seeing him. But the blood which I will cause to be shed by every kind of people – secular and religious – will revive this holy religion, and will water the rest of the people, grown wild, that will be left; and civilizing them again, it will restore their nobility. Here is the necessity for blood to be shed and for churches themselves to be almost destroyed – so that they may be restored anew and exist with their original prestige and splendor.” But who can say the cruel havoc they will wreak on them in the times to come? I let it pass in silence because I don’t remember very well, and I don’t see it very clearly. If the Lord wants me to talk about it, He will give me more clarity, and then I will pick up the pen again on this topic. So, for now I stop here.

August 31, 1899
The confessor gives her the obedience to reject Jesus and not speak with Him.

After the confessor gave me the obedience that, when Jesus would come, I was to say, ‘I cannot speak, move away’, I took it as a joke, not as a formal obedience. So, when Jesus came, almost neglecting the order received, I dared to say to Him: ‘My good Jesus, look a bit at what father wants to do.’

And He said to me: “Daughter, abnegation”.

And I: ‘But, Lord, the thing is serious. This is about having to not want You – how can I do this?’

And He, for the second time: “Abnegation”.

And I: ‘But, Lord, what are You saying? Do You perhaps know that I can be without You?’

And He, for the third time: “But, my daughter, abnegation”. And He disappeared.

Who can say how I was left in seeing that Jesus wanted me to dispose myself to the obedience?

September 1, 1899
The obedience continues.

When the confessor came, he asked me if I had done the obedience; and after I told him how things had gone, he renewed the obedience – that I absolutely should not converse with Jesus, my sole and only comfort, and that I should drive Him away if He came. And so, having understood that what was given to me was true obedience, in my interior I said the ‘Fiat Voluntas Tua’, also in this. But – oh! how much it costs me – and what a cruel martyrdom! I feel like I have a nail stuck inside my heart, which pierces it through; and since the heart is used to asking and longing for Jesus continuously – so much so, that just as the breathing and the heartbeat are continuous, so does it seem to me that my desiring and wanting my only Good is continuous – so, wanting to prevent this would be like wanting to prevent someone else from breathing, or his heart from palpitating. How could one live? Yet, one must let obedience prevail. Oh! God, what pain, what atrocious torture! How to prevent the heart from asking for its very life? How to stop it? The will applied itself with all its strength in order to hold it back, but since great and continuous vigilance was needed, from time to time it would get tired and discouraged, and the heart would make its escape, asking for Jesus. In noticing this, the will would apply itself with greater strength in order to stop it, but – no, it would lose very often. Therefore it seemed to me that I was doing continuous acts of disobedience. Oh! what contrasts, what a bloody war, what mortal agonies my poor heart suffered! I found myself in such constraints and in such sufferings, that I thought that my life was going away. Yet, had I been able to die, it would have been a comfort for me. But – no; and what’s more, I felt pains of death, without being able to die.

So, after shedding most bitter tears for the whole day, at nighttime, as I found myself in my usual state, my always benign Jesus came; and I, forced by obedience, said to Him: ‘Lord, do not come, for obedience does not want it!’

And He, compassionating me and wanting to strengthen me in the sufferings in which I found myself, with His creative hand marked my person with a large sign of the cross, and then He left me.

But who can describe the purgatory I was in? And, what’s more, I was not allowed to fling myself toward my highest and only Good. Ah! yes, I was forbidden to ask and long for Jesus! Ah! those blessed souls of Purgatory are permitted to ask – to fling themselves, to pour themselves out, toward the Highest Good; they are only prohibited from taking possession of Him. But I… no, I was deprived also of this comfort. So, all night long I did nothing but cry.

When my weak nature could not take any more, lovable Jesus came back, in act of wanting to speak with me; and I, remembering the obedience which wants to reign over all, immediately said to Him: ‘Dear Life of mine, I cannot speak. Please do not come, for obedience does not want it. If You want to make your Will understood, go to them.’

While I was saying this, I saw the confessor; and Jesus, drawing near him, said to him: “This is impossible for my souls. I keep them so immersed in Me as to form one single substance; so much so, that it is no longer possible to distinguish one from the other; and just as when two substances are mixed together, one is transfused into the other, and afterwards, if anyone wanted to separate them, it would be useless even just to think about it – in the same way, it is impossible for my souls to be separated from Me.” Having said this, He left, and I remained in my affliction – greater than before. My heart was beating so strongly that I felt my chest crack.

After this, I cannot explain how, I found myself outside of myself, and forgetting – I don’t know how – about the obedience received, I wandered throughout the vault of the heavens, crying, shouting, and searching for my sweet Jesus. All of a sudden I saw Him coming toward me, throwing Himself into my arms, all burning and languishing. But soon I remembered the command received, and I said to Him: ‘Lord, do not want to tempt me this morning. Don’t You know that obedience does not want this?’

And He: “The confessor sent Me; this is why I came.”

And I: ‘It is not true. Are you perhaps some demon that wants to deceive me and make me fail the obedience?’

And Jesus: “I am not a demon”.

And I: ‘If you are not a demon, let us make the sign of the cross to each other.’

So we both signed each other with the cross. Then, I continued, saying to Him: ‘If it is true that the confessor sent You, let us go to him, so that he himself may see whether you are Jesus Christ or a demon. Then will I be sure.’

So we went to the confessor, and since Jesus was a child, I placed Him in his arms, telling him: ‘Father, look, yourself: is he my sweet Jesus or not?’

Now, while blessed Jesus was with father, I said to Him: ‘If you really are Jesus, kiss the hand of the confessor.’ And in my mind I thought that if He was the Lord, He would accept the humiliation of kissing his hand; while if he was a demon, he wouldn’t. And Jesus kissed it, though not to the man, but to the priestly authority – in this way He kissed it. After this, it seemed that the confessor was exorcising him, to see whether he was a demon; and not finding him as such, he gave Him back to me. But in spite of this, my poor heart was unable to enjoy the embraces of my beloved Jesus, because the obedience kept it as though bound – hampered; more so, since there was not yet a contrary order, so it did not dare to pour itself out, not even to say a word of love….

Oh, holy obedience! how strong and powerful you are! I see you before me, in these days of martyrdom, like a most powerful warrior, armed from head to foot with swords, darts and arrows; filled with all those instruments that are apt to wound. And when you see that my poor heart, tired and down, wants to be cheered, searching for its refreshment, its life, the center to which it feels drawn as by a magnet – looking at me with a thousand eyes, you wound me from all sides with mortal wounds. O please! have pity on me, and don’t be so cruel with me!

But as I am saying this, the voice of my adorable Jesus is making itself heard to my ear, saying: “Obedience was everything for Me, and I want obedience to be everything for you. Obedience made Me be born, obedience made Me die. The wounds I have on my body are all wounds and marks that obedience did to Me. With reason you said that she is like a most powerful warrior, armed with all kinds of weapons, apt to wound. In fact, in Me, she left not even a drop of blood; she tore my flesh to pieces; she dislocated my bones, while my poor Heart, exhausted and bleeding, kept looking for a relief from one who would have compassion for Me. Acting with Me as more than a cruel tyrant, only then was obedience content, when she sacrificed Me on the Cross and saw Me breathe my last, as victim for love of her. And why this? Because the office of this most powerful warrior is to sacrifice souls; therefore, she does nothing but wage a fierce war against those who do not sacrifice themselves completely for her. So, she does not care whether the soul suffers or enjoys, whether she lives or dies; her eyes are intent on looking at whether she wins, for in the other things she does bother meddling. So, the name of this warrior is “victory”, because she concedes all victories to the obedient soul; and when it seems that this soul dies, then does true life begin. What greater thing did obedience not concede to Me? Through her I conquered death, I defeated hell, I released man from his chains, I opened Heaven; and like a victorious King, I took possession of my Kingdom – not only for Myself, but for all my children who would profit from my Redemption. Ah! yes, it is true that she cost Me my life, but the name ‘obedience’ resounds sweetly to my hearing, and this is why I have so much love for those souls who are obedient.”

I continue from where I left.

After a little while, the confessor came, and when I told him what is said above, he renewed the obedience – that I should continue in the same way. And I said to him: ‘Father, at least permit me to give my heart the freedom to ask for Jesus, for then, when He comes, the obedience to say: ‘Do not come, I cannot converse’ – I will do it. And he: “Do the best you can to stop Him; and when you cannot, then give Him freedom.”

September 2, 1899
Still the same obedience, but a little milder.

So, with this obedience, a little milder, it seemed that my poor heart, from dead, began to live again a little bit. But in spite of this, it did not cease to be tortured in a thousand manners; in fact, when obedience would see that the heart would stop a little longer in search of its Maker, almost wanting to rest in Him because its strengths were exhausted, she would swoop down on me and wound me all over with her claws. And then, having to repeat that refrain when blessed Jesus would make Himself seen: ‘Do not come, I cannot converse, for obedience does not want it’ – was this not the most atrocious and cruel martyrdom for me?

Then, as I was in my usual state, my sweet Jesus came and I manifested to Him the command received; and He went away. Only once, while I was saying to Him, ‘do not come, for obedience does not want it’, He told me: “My daughter, keep the light of my Passion ever before your mind, for in seeing my most bitter pains, yours will seem small to you; and in considering the cause for which I suffered so many immense pains, which was sin, your smallest defects will seem grave to you. On the other hand, if you do not reflect yourself in Me, the littlest pains will seem heavy to you, and you will hold grave defects as nothing.” And He disappeared.

After a little while, the confessor came, and when I asked him whether I was still to continue this obedience, he said to me: “No, you can tell Him whatever you want, and keep Him as much as you want.”

It seems that I have been set free now, and that I don’t have to deal so much with this warrior so powerful; otherwise, this time he would have become so strong as to give me death. However, he would have let me make a great gain, because I would have united myself to the Highest Good – forever, not at intervals; and I would have thanked him. Not only this, but I would have sung to him the canticle of obedience – that is, the canticle of victories; and then I would have laughed at all his strength…

But as I am saying this, a radiant and beautiful eye has appeared before me, with a voice saying: “And I would have united myself with you, and would have delighted in laughing, because that would have been my victory.”

And I: ‘Oh dear obedience… and after laughing together, I would have left you at the door of Paradise to say to you, “good-bye” – no longer “see you again”, to have nothing to do with you any more; and I would have been very careful not to let you in.’

September 5, 1899
How Jesus operates perfection little by little.

This morning I found myself in such disheartenment and I saw myself so bad, that I myself rendered myself unbearable. When Jesus came, I told Him of my pains and the miserable state I was in, and He said to me: “My daughter, do not want to lose heart. It is my usual way to operate perfection little by little, and not everything in one instant, so that the soul, in seeing that she is always lacking something, may push herself and make all efforts in order to reach what she lacks, with the purpose of pleasing Me more and of sanctifying herself more. And I, drawn by those acts, feel compelled to give her new graces and celestial favors, and in this way a commerce, fully divine, forms between the soul and God. Otherwise, if the soul possessed within herself the fullness of perfection and therefore of all virtues, she would not find ways by which to strive, to please Me more, and so the tinder with which to start the fire between creature and Creator would be missing.”

May the Lord be always blessed!

September 9, 1899
Faith, Hope and Charity. The soul, royal palace of God.

Jesus continues to come, but with an appearance all new. It seemed that the trunk of a tree was coming out of His blessed Heart, which contained three distinct roots. This trunk was leaning out of His Heart into mine, and coming out of my heart, it formed many beautiful branches, loaded with flowers, with fruits, with pearls and precious stones, shining like most refulgent stars. Now, seeing Himself in the shade of this tree, my loving Jesus was all amused; more so, since many pearls were falling from the tree, forming a beautiful ornament for His Most Holy Humanity. While He was in this position, He told me: “Dearest daughter of mine, the three roots that you see, which this tree contains, are Faith, Hope and Charity. The fact that you see this trunk coming out of Me and entering into your heart means that there is no good that souls possess which does not come from Me. So, after Faith, Hope and Charity, the first development that this trunk does is to make known that everything good comes from God, that creatures have nothing of their own but their nothingness, and that this nothingness does nothing other than give Me the freedom to enter into them and do what I want. But there are other ‘nothings’ – that is, other souls – who make opposition with their own free will; so, because this knowledge is lacking, the trunk produces neither branches, nor fruits, nor anything else that is good. The branches that this tree contains, with all the apparatus of flowers, fruits, pearls and precious stones, are all the different virtues that a soul can possess. Now, who has given life to such a beautiful tree? Certainly the roots. This means that Faith, Hope and Charity embrace everything and contain all virtues; so much so, that they are placed there as the basis and foundation of the tree, and without them no other virtue can be produced.”

I also understood that the flowers signify the virtues; the fruits, sufferings; the precious stones and pearls, suffering only out of pure love for God. This is why those pearls which were falling formed that beautiful ornament for Our Lord.

Now, while sitting in the shade of this tree, Jesus looked at me with tenderness, all paternal, and taken by a surge of love, such that it seemed He could not contain it within Himself, He embraced me tightly and began to say: “How beautiful you are! You are my simple dove, my beloved dwelling, my living temple, in which I am pleased to delight united with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Your continuous languishing for Me relieves Me and refreshes Me from the continuous offenses that creatures give Me. Know that the love I have for you is so great that I am forced to hide it in part, so that you may not go mad, but may live. In fact, if I showed it to you, you would not only go mad, but would not be able to continue to live; your weak nature would be consumed by the flames of my love.” While He was saying this, I felt all confused and annihilated, and I felt myself sinking into the abyss of my nothingness, because I saw myself all imperfect; especially, I noted my ingratitude and coldness at the so many graces that the Lord gives me. But I hope that everything will be for His glory and honor, hoping, with firm confidence, that in an effort of His love He may want to conquer my hardness.

September 16, 1899
Effects and value of suffering only for God.

This morning my adorable Jesus came, and since I feared it might be the devil, I said to Him: ‘Permit me to sign your forehead with the cross’; and in the very act of saying this I signed him, and so I remained more reassured and tranquil.

Now, blessed Jesus seemed tired, and wanted to rest in me; and since I too felt tired from the sufferings of the past days, especially because of His very few visits, I felt the necessity to rest in Him. So, after we contended together for a little bit, He told me: “The life of the heart is love. I am like an infirm person who is burning with fever, and keeps looking for refreshment, for a relief, in the fire that devours him. My fever is love; but from where do I extract the refreshments and the reliefs which are most suitable for the fire that consumes Me? From the pains and toils suffered by souls beloved to Me, only for love of Me. Many times I wait and wait for that moment in which the soul turns to Me to tell Me: ‘Lord, only for love of You do I want to suffer this pain.’ Ah, yes, these are the reliefs and refreshments most suitable for Me, which cheer Me and dampen the fire that consumes Me.”

After this, He threw Himself into my arms, languishing, in order to rest. While Jesus was resting, I comprehended many things about the words spoken by Jesus, especially about suffering for love of Him. Oh! what a coin of inestimable value! If we all knew it, we would compete with one another to suffer more. But I believe we are all shortsighted in knowing this coin so precious, and this is why one does not come to having knowledge of it.

September 19, 1899
The fruits of Faith, of Hope and of Charity.

This morning I was a little disturbed, especially because of the fear that it is not Jesus that comes, but the devil, and that my state might not be Will of God. While I was in this agitation, my adorable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, I do not want you to waste time; by thinking about this, you distract yourself from Me, and you cause the food with which to nourish Me to be lacking. What I want is that you think only of loving Me and of remaining all abandoned in Me, for in this way you will prepare for Me a food very pleasing to Me – and not just every now and then, as you would if you continued like this, but continuously. Would this not be a most great contentment for you – that your will, by remaining abandoned in Me and by loving Me, be food for Me, your God?”

After this, He showed me His Heart, which contained three distinct globes of light, which then formed a single one. And Jesus, resuming His speech, told me: “The globes of light that you see in my Heart are the Faith, the Hope and the Charity which I brought upon earth to make suffering man happy by offering them to him as gift. Now, to you also I want to give a more special gift.” And while He was saying this, many threads of light came out of those globes of light, which inundated my soul like a sort of net, and I remained inside of it. And Jesus: “Here is where I want you to occupy your soul. First, fly upon the wings of Faith, and in that light, by plunging yourself into it, you will know and acquire news ever new about Me, your God; but by knowing Me more, your nothingness will feel almost dispersed, and you will have no place to lean on. You, however, rise more, and dive into the immense sea of Hope, which is made of all my merits that I acquired in the course of my mortal life, and of all the pains of my Passion, which I also gave to man as gift. Only through these can you hope for the immense goods of Faith, because there is no other way to obtain them. So, as you avail yourself of these, my merits, as if they were your own, your ‘nothing’ will no longer feel dispersed and sinking into the abyss of nothingness, but acquiring new life, it will be embellished and enriched, in such a way as to draw the very divine gazes upon itself. Then will the soul no longer be timid, but Hope will administer to her courage and strength, in such a way as to render her stable like a pillar exposed to all the intemperances of the air, which are the various tribulations of life, and which do not move her a tiny bit. And Hope will cause the soul not only to immerse herself without fear into the immense riches of Faith, but to make herself the owner of them; and through Hope she will reach such a point as to make God Himself her own. Ah! yes, Hope makes the soul reach wherever she wants; Hope is the door of Heaven – only by means of It can it be opened, because one who hopes for everything, obtains everything. Then, once the soul has reached the point of making God Himself her own, immediately, without any obstacle, she will find herself in the immense ocean of Charity, and carrying Faith and Hope with her, she will immerse herself in it and will form one single thing with Me, her God.”

Most loving Jesus continued, saying: “If Faith is the king, Charity is queen, and Hope is like the peacemaking mother who pacifies everything. In fact, with Faith and Charity there might be disturbance, but Hope, being bond of peace, converts everything into peace. Hope is support, Hope is refreshment; and when the soul, rising by means of Faith, sees the beauty, the sanctity, the love with which she is loved by God, she feels drawn to love Him; but in seeing her insufficiency, how little she does for God, and how she should love Him but does not, she feels discomforted, disturbed and almost does not dare to draw near God. Then, immediately, this peacemaking mother Hope comes out, and placing herself between Faith and Charity, she begins to perform her office of peacemaker. She makes the soul peaceful again, she pushes her, lifts her up, gives her new strengths; and carrying her before king Faith and queen Charity, she excuses the soul, she places a new effusion of her merits before the soul, and she prays them to receive her. And Faith and Charity, with their gazes fixed only on this peacemaking mother, so tender and compassionate, receive the soul, and God forms the delight of the soul, and the soul the delight of God.”

Oh! holy Hope, how admirable you are! I imagine seeing the soul who is possessed by this beautiful Hope, like a noble wayfarer, who walks in order to go and take possession of a land that will form all his fortune. But since he is unknown and he journeys through lands which are not his, some deride him, some insult him, some strip him of his clothes, and some reach the point of beating him and of threatening to strip him even of his flesh. And the noble wayfarer – what does he do in all these trials? Will he get disturbed? Ah! no – never. On the contrary, he will deride those who do all this to him, and knowing with certainty that the more he suffers, the more he will be honored and glorified when he comes to take possession of his land, he himself teases the people into tormenting him more. But he is always tranquil, he enjoys the most perfect peace; and what’s more, while he is in the midst of these insults, he remains so calm, that while others are all alert around him, he is there sleeping in the bosom of his longed-for God. Who administers so much peace and so much firmness to this wayfarer in continuing the journey he has undertaken? Certainly Hope in the eternal goods that will be his; and since they are his, he will overcome everything in order to take possession of them. Now, by thinking that they are his own, he comes to love them – and here is how Hope gives birth to Charity.

Who can say, then, what the light of blessed Jesus makes me see? I would rather have let it pass in silence, but I see that lady obedience, laying down her friendly guises of friendship, assumes the aspect of a warrior and is arming his weapons to wage war against me and to wound me. O please! do not arm yourself so quickly – lay down your claws, stay calm, for I will do as you say, as much as I can, and so we will always remain friends.

Now, when the soul carries herself into the most extensive sea of Charity, she experiences ineffable delights, and enjoys joys which are unspeakable to mortal soul. Everything is love; her sighs, her heartbeats, her thoughts, are as many sonorous voices that she makes resound around her most loving God – voices all of love, calling Him to themselves, in such a way that blessed God, drawn and wounded by these loving voices, gives His requital, and it happens that His sighs, His heartbeats, and all of the Divine Being continuously call the soul to God.

Who can say, then, how wounded the soul remains by these voices; how she begins to rave as though taken by a most burning fever; how she runs, almost made insane, and goes to plunge herself into the loving Heart of her Beloved to find refreshment, and she suckles, in torrents, the divine delights? She becomes inebriated with love, and in her inebriation, she makes canticles, all of love, for her most sweet Spouse. But who can say everything that passes between the soul and God? Who can speak about this Charity, which is God Himself?

At this instant, I see an immense light, and my mind remains stupefied; it applies itself now on one point, now on another, and I try to write it on paper, but I feel I stammer in expressing it. So, not knowing what to do, for now I keep silent, and I believe that lady obedience will forgive me this time, because if she wants to get huffy with me, this time she is not so right. The wrong is all hers, for not giving me a more fluent tongue to be able to express it. Have you understood, most reverend obedience? We remain at peace, don’t we?

September 21, 1899
Differences with ‘lady obedience’. The purpose of Luisa’s state.

Yet, who would have said it? In spite of the fact that the wrong is hers, for she does not give me the capacity to be able to manifest it, Miss obedience took offense and began to act like a cruel tyrant – and she reached such cruelty as to take away from me the sight of my loving Good, my sole and only comfort. It really shows that sometimes she behaves also like a little girl: when she has a whim for something, if she does not get it with good manners, she deafens the house with screams and with crying, to the point that one is forced to content her. There are no reasons, there is no middle course to persuade her. So lady obedience does. Bravo! – I would not have thought you were like this. Since she wants to get her own way, she wants me, even stammering, to write about Charity. Oh! Holy God – You Yourself, make her a little bit more reasonable, for it really shows that one cannot go on in this way. And you, oh obedience, give me back my sweet Jesus – don’t cut me to the quick any more. I pray you not to take the sight of my highest Good away from me any more, and I promise you that, even stammering, I will write as you want. I only ask of you the good grace to let me recover for a few days, because my mind, too little, can no longer take being immersed in that vast ocean of divine Charity, especially because in it I can see my miseries and my ugliness more, and in seeing the love that God has for me, I feel I am almost going mad; and so my weak nature feels faint and can take no more. But in the meantime I will occupy myself with writing about other things, to then continue with Charity.

I resume my poor speaking. While my mind was occupied with the things already said, I kept thinking to myself: ‘What would be the purpose of writing this, if I myself did not practice what I write? This writing would certainly be my condemnation.’ While I was thinking of this, blessed Jesus came and told me: “This writing will serve to make known who the One is that speaks to you and occupies your person. And then, if it does not serve you, my light will serve others, who will read what I make you write.”

Who can say how mortified I was left in thinking that others will take advantage of the graces He gives me, if they read these writings, and I who receive them, do not? Will they not condemn me? And then, at the mere thought that they will end up in the hands of others, my heart aches with pain and with blushing for myself. Now, remaining in greatest affliction, I kept repeating: ‘What is the purpose of my state, if it will serve as condemnation?’ And my most loving Jesus, coming back, told me: “My life was necessary for the salvation of the peoples; and since I could not continue it on earth, I choose whomever I please in order to continue it within them, so as to carry on salvation in the peoples. Here is the purpose of your state.”

September 22, 1899
Repugnance in writing.

I felt a nail stuck in my heart because of the words spoken yesterday by sweet Jesus; and He, always benign with this miserable sinner, to relieve my pains, came and, all compassion for me, told me: “My daughter, do not want to afflict yourself any longer. Know that everything I make you write, either about virtues or in the form of similes, is nothing other than having you portray yourself, and the perfection which I made your soul reach.”

Oh! God, what a great repugnance I feel in writing these words – because what He says does not seem true to me. I feel I still don’t understand what virtue and perfection is, but obedience wants it so, and it is better to croak than having to deal with her. More so, since she has two faces: if one does as she says, she assumes the appearance of a lady, and caresses you like a most faithful friend – even more, she promises you all the goods that are in Heaven and on earth; but then, as soon as she detects a shadow of difficulty against her, immediately, without letting herself be noticed, one goes about looking at her and finds her a warrior in act of arming his weapons to wound you and destroy you. Oh! my Jesus, what kind of a virtue is this obedience, that makes one tremble at the mere thought of her?

So, while Jesus was saying those words to me, I told Him: ‘My good Jesus, what good is it for my soul to have so many graces, if then they embitter the whole of my life, especially because of the hours of your privation? In fact, comprehending Who You are, and of Whom I am being deprived, is a continuous martyrdom for me. So, they serve me for nothing other than to make me live continuously embittered.’

And He added: “When a person has tasted the sweetness of a food and then is forced to take the bitter, in order to remove that bitterness he doubles his desire to taste the sweet; and this does much good to that person, because if he always tasted the sweet, without ever tasting bitterness, he would not hold the sweet in great consideration. But if he always tasted bitterness, without knowing the sweet, not knowing it, he would not even desire it; therefore, both one and the other do good. So it is good for you also.” And I: ‘My Jesus, most patient in tolerating a soul so miserable and ungrateful – forgive me. It seems to me that this time I want to investigate too much.’ And Jesus: “Do not trouble yourself; it is I Myself who raise these difficulties in your interior, to have the occasion to converse with you, and also to instruct you in everything.”

September 25, 1899
Luisa, defender of Jesus and of creatures.

In my mind I was thinking: ‘If these writings ended up in someone’s hands, that person might say: “She must be a good Christian if the Lord gives her so many graces”, not knowing that in spite of all this I am still so bad. Here is how people can deceive themselves, both in good and in evil. Ah! Lord, You alone know the truth, and the depth of the hearts.’ While I was thinking of this, blessed Jesus came and told me: “My beloved, and what if people knew that you are my defender and theirs!”

And I: ‘My Jesus, what are You saying?’ And He: “What? Is it not true that you defend Me from the pains that they give Me by placing yourself between Me and them, and that you take upon yourself the blow that I am about to receive, as well as that which I should pour down upon them? And if sometimes you do not receive it upon yourself, it is because I do not permit it; and this, to your great sorrow, to the point of lamenting to Me. Can you perhaps deny it?”

‘No Lord, I cannot deny it, but I see that it is something that You Yourself have infused in me – this is why I say that it is not because I am good, and I feel all confused in hearing You speak these words to me’

September 26, 1899
Oppositions to writing. How the Most Holy Virgin is a portent of grace. Abstractive sight and intuitive sight.

This morning, as my adorable Jesus came, He carried me outside of myself, but to my greatest sorrow I saw Him from behind, and as much as I prayed Him to let me see His most holy Face, it was impossible. In my interior I kept saying: ‘Who knows whether it is because of my oppositions against obedience when I write, that He does not deign to show His adorable Face.’ And while saying this, I cried. After He let me cry, He turned around and told me: “I take your oppositions into no account, because your will is so identified with Mine, that you cannot will but what I Myself want. So, though it is repugnant for you, at the same time you feel drawn to do it as by a magnet; therefore, your repugnances serve for nothing other than to render the virtue of obedience more embellished and bright. This is why I don’t pay attention to them.”

Afterwards, I looked at His most beautiful Face, and in my interior I felt an indescribable contentment; and turning to Him, I said: ‘My most sweet Love, if it is just me, and I take so much delight in looking at You, what must it have been for our Queen Mama, when You enclosed Yourself in Her most pure womb? What contentments, how many graces did You not give Her?’ And He: “My daughter, the delights and the graces that I poured into Her were such and so many, that it is enough to tell you that what I am by nature, our Mother became by grace; more so since, She having no sin, my grace was able to lord freely within Her. So, there is nothing of my Being which I did not give to Her.”

At that instant, I seemed to see our Queen Mother as if She were another God, with this difference alone: that in God it is His own nature, while in Mary Most Holy it is acquired grace. Who can say how stupefied I was left; how my mind was lost in seeing a portent of grace so prodigious? So, turning to Him, I said: ‘My dear Good, our Mother had so much good because You let Yourself be seen intuitively. I would like to know: and to me – how do You show Yourself? By abstractive or by intuitive sight? Who knows whether it is even abstractive at all.’ And He: “I want to make you understand the difference that passes between one and the other. In the abstractive, the soul contemplates God, while in the intuitive she enters into Him and obtains the graces – that is, she receives into herself the participation in the Divine Being. How many times have you not participated in my Being? That suffering, which seems almost natural in you; that purity, such that you reach the point of feeling as if you did not have a body; and many other things – have I not communicated this to you when I have drawn you to Myself intuitively?”

Ah Lord, it is so true! And I – what thanks have I rendered to You for all this? What has been my correspondence? I feel blushing at the mere thought of it. But, O please! forgive me, and let it be known of me, in Heaven and on earth, that I am an object of your infinite mercies.

September 30, 1899
How patience in suffering temptations is like a nourishing food.

Earlier I spent more than one hour of hell. In passing, I went about looking at the image of Baby Jesus and a thought, like lightning, said to the Baby: ‘How ugly you are!’ I tried not to pay attention to it and not to become disturbed, so as to avoid some game with the devil. Yet, in spite of this, that diabolical lightning penetrated into my heart, and I felt that my poor heart was hating Jesus. Ah! yes, I felt I was in hell, keeping company with the damned – I felt love changed into hate! Oh! God, what pain, being unable to love You!

I said: ‘Lord, it is true that I am not worthy to love You, but at least accept this pain – that I would want to love You, but cannot.’

So, after spending more than one hour in hell, it seemed I got out of it, thank God. But who can say how afflicted and weakened my poor heart was left, because of the war fought between hate and love? I felt such prostration of strengths that I seemed to have no more life. Then I was caught by my usual state, but – oh, how worn-out! My heart and all of my interior powers which, with unspeakable yearning, desire and go in search of their highest and only Good, and when they find Him, only then do they stop and enjoy Him to their greatest contentment, this time did not dare to move. They were so annihilated, confused and sunken in their nothingness, that they would not let themselves be heard. Oh! God, what a cruel blow my heart had to suffer!

In spite of this, my always benign Jesus came, and His consoling sight made me forget immediately that I had been in hell, so much so, that I did not even ask Jesus forgiveness. The interior powers, humiliated and tired as they were, seemed to rest in Him. Everything was silence; on both sides there was nothing but a few loving gazes that wounded each other’s heart.

After remaining in this profound silence for some time, Jesus told me: “My daughter, I am hungry, give Me something.” And I: ‘I have nothing to give You.’ But at that very instant I saw a loaf of bread and I gave it to Him, and He seemed to eat it with all pleasure. Now, in my interior I kept saying: ‘He hasn’t told me anything for a few days.’ And Jesus answered my thought: “Sometimes the groom is pleased to deal with his bride, and to entrust his most intimate secrets to her; other times, then, he delights with greater pleasure in resting, as they contemplate each other’s beauty. Speaking impedes resting, and the mere thinking of what one has to say and of what one has to deal with, diverts one’s attention from looking at the beauty of the groom or of the bride. However, this is needed; in fact, after they have rested and comprehended each other’s beauty more, they come to love each other more, and with greater strength they enter the field again to work, to deal with and defend their interests. This is what I am doing with you. Aren’t you happy?”

After this, a thought flashed through my mind about the hour spent in hell, and immediately I said: ‘Lord, forgive me – how many offenses I gave You.’ And He: “Do not want to afflict or disturb yourself; it is I who leads the soul deep into the abyss, to then be able to lead her more swiftly to Heaven.” Then He made me comprehend that that loaf of bread that I found was nothing other than the patience with which I had borne that hour of bloody battle. Therefore, patience, humiliation, and offering to God what one suffers in time of temptation, is a nourishing bread that one gives to Our Lord, which He accepts with great pleasure.

October 1, 1899
Jesus speaks with bitterness about the abuses of the Sacraments.

This morning lovable Jesus continued to make Himself seen in silence, but with a most afflicted appearance; He had a thick crown of thorns driven onto His head. I felt my interior powers silent – they did not dare to say a single word; but in seeing that He suffered very much in His head, I stretched out my hands and, very carefully, removed the crown of thorns. But, what a bitter spasm He suffered! How His wounds opened more and His blood poured out in torrents! In truth, it was something that tortured the soul. After I removed it, I put it onto my head, and He Himself helped so that it might penetrate inside; however, everything was silence on both sides.

But, what was my surprise when, after a little while, I went about looking at Him again, and I saw that, with the offenses that were given, they were putting another one on the head of Jesus! Oh, human perfidy! Oh, incomparable patience of Jesus, how great you are! And Jesus kept silent, and almost would not look at them so as not to know who His offenders were. Again, I removed it, and as all my interior powers woke up with tender compassion, I said to Him: ‘My dear Good, my sweet Life, tell me a little bit – why do You no longer tell me anything? It has never been your usual way to hide your secrets from me. O please! let us speak together a little, for in this way we will pour out a little bit the sorrow and the love that oppress us.’

And He: “My daughter, you are the relief in my pains. However, know that I do not tell you anything because you always force Me not to chastise the people. You want to oppose my Justice, and if I do not do as you want, you remain disappointed, and I feel more pain for not keeping you content. Therefore, in order to avoid disappointments on both sides, I keep silent.” And I: ‘My good Jesus, have You perhaps forgotten that You Yourself suffer after You have made use of your Justice? It is seeing You suffer in the very creatures that makes me more than ever alert in forcing You not to chastise the people. And then, seeing the creatures themselves turn against You like many poisonous vipers, such that they would almost take your life if it were in their power, because they see themselves under your scourges, and they irritate your Justice even more…. I don’t have the heart to say the Fiat Voluntas Tua.’

And He: “My Justice can take no more. I feel wounded by everyone – by priests, by devout people, by the secular, especially because of the abuse of the Sacraments. Some do not care about them at all, adding scorns; others, who attend them, turn them into a conversation of pleasure; and others, not satisfied in their whims, because of this reach the point of offending Me. Oh! how tortured my Heart is in seeing the Sacraments reduced to painted pictures, or like those statues of stone which seem to be alive and operating from afar, but in drawing near them, one begins to discover the deceit. Then, one goes about touching them, and what does he find? Paper, stone, wood – inanimate objects; and here is how they are disenchanted completely. This is how the Sacraments have been reduced for the most part – there is nothing but mere appearance. What to say, then, about those who remain more filthy than clean? And then, the spirit of interest that reigns among the religious – it is something to be wept over! Don’t you see how that they are all eyes where there is a most wretched penny, to the point of degrading their dignity? But where there is no interest they have neither hands nor feet to move a tiny bit. This spirit of interest fills their interior so much that it overflows outside, to the point that the secular themselves feel the stench of it, and scandalized by it, make this the cause for not giving credence to their words. Ah! yes, no one spares Me. There are some who offend Me directly, and some who, though they could prevent so much evil, do not bother doing it; so, I do not know to whom to turn. But I will chastise them in such a way as to render them incapable, and some I will destroy completely. They will reach such a point that the churches will remain deserted, with no one to administer the Sacraments.”

Interrupting His speaking, all frightened, I said: ‘Lord, what are You saying?! If there are some who abuse the Sacraments, there are also many good daughters who receive them with the due dispositions, and who would suffer very much if they could not attend them.’ And He: “Too scarce is their number; and then, their pain for not being able to receive them will work as reparation for Me, and to make them victims for those who abuse them.” Who can say how tormented I was left by this speaking of blessed Jesus? But I hope He will placate Himself out of His infinite Mercy.

October 3, 1899
Luisa deals with ‘lady obedience’. Exaltation of obedience. Priests must be apart from any earthly or family interest.

This morning Jesus continued to make Himself seen afflicted. I did not have the courage to say even one word to my most patient Jesus for fear that He might resume His plaintive speech about the state of the religious. This, because obedience wants me to write everything, and also that which regards charity towards one’s neighbor, and this is so painful for me, that I had to fight by the force of my arms with lady obedience; more so, since she changed her appearance into that of a most powerful warrior, armed with his weapons to give me death. In truth, I found myself in such constraints, that I myself did not know what to do. To write about charity towards one’s neighbor according to the light that Jesus made me see, seemed impossible to me. I felt my heart being wounded by a thousand prickings; I felt my mouth being struck dumb, and my courage failing me; and I said to her: ‘Dear obedience, you know how much I love you, and that for love of you I would gladly give my life, but I see that I cannot do this, and you yourself see the torture of my soul. O please! do not make yourself an enemy, don’t be so ruthless with me – be more indulgent with one who loves you so much. O please! you yourself, come to me, and let us discuss together about what is most appropriate for us to say.’

So, it seemed that she laid down her fury, and she herself dictated what was most necessary, enclosing in a few words the whole sense of the different things that regarded Charity. At times, however, she wanted to be more detailed and I would say to her: ‘It is enough that they understand the meaning with a little bit of reflection. Isn’t it better to enclose all the meaning in one word, instead of many words?’ At times obedience would surrender, others times, I would; and so it seems that we got along.

How much patience it takes with this blessed lady obedience – truly a lady, for it is enough to give her the right to lord, that changing her appearance into that of a most meek lamb, she herself makes the sacrifice of toiling, and allows the soul to rest with her Lord, placing herself around her with vigilant eye so that no one may dare to molest her and to interrupt her sleep. And while the soul sleeps, what does this noble lady do? She is there dripping sweat from her forehead, hastening the toil that belonged to the soul – something that truly causes every human mind, the most intelligent, to be stunned, and stirs every heart to love her.

Now, while I am saying this, in my interior I keep saying: ‘But, what is this obedience? What is it formed of? What is the nourishment that sustains it?’ And Jesus makes His harmonious voice heard to my hearing, saying: “Do you want to know what obedience is? Obedience is the quintessence of love; obedience is the finest, the purest, the most perfect love, extracted from the most painful sacrifice – that is, to destroy one’s own self in order to live again of God. Being most noble and divine, obedience does not allow in the soul anything that is human and that does not belong to it. Therefore, all its attention is on destroying in the soul everything that does not belong to its divine nobility – that is, love of self. And once it has done this, it cares little if it alone struggles and toils for what belongs to the soul, while allowing the soul to rest peacefully. Finally, I Myself am obedience.”

Who can say how amazed and ecstatic I remained in hearing these words of blessed Jesus? Oh! holy obedience, how incomprehensible you are! I prostrate myself at your feet and I adore you. I pray you to be my guide, teacher and light, along the disastrous path of life, so that, guided, instructed and escorted by your most pure light, with certainty, I may take possession of the eternal harbor.

I stop here, almost forcing myself to go out of this virtue of obedience, otherwise I would never stop speaking. So much is the light that I see of this virtue, that I could endlessly continue writing about it. But other things call me; therefore I keep silent and I go back to where I left.

So, I saw my sweet Jesus afflicted, and remembering that obedience had told me to pray for a certain person, with all my heart I commended him to Him, and Jesus told me: “My daughter, may he make all of his works shine with virtue alone; but especially, I recommend that he not meddle in the things of family interest. If he has something, let him give it away; if he does not, I don’t want him to get involved with anything else. He should let things be done by those who are supposed to, while he should remain disentangled, free, without muddying himself in earthly things; otherwise he would encounter the misfortune of the others who, since they wanted, from the beginning, to meddle in some things of their families, all the weight then fell upon their shoulders. And I, only because of my mercy, had to permit that they would not prosper, but rather, be impoverished, so as to let them touch with their own hands how unseemly it is for a minister of mine to muddy himself in earthly things. On the other hand – and this is word come out of my mouth – the ministers of my sanctuary, as long as they do not touch earthly things at all, would never lack their daily bread. Now, with these ones, if I had allowed them only to prosper, they would have muddied their hearts and would have cared neither about God nor about the things pertaining to their ministry. Now, bothered and tired of their state, they would want to shake it off, but they cannot, and this is the penalty for what they should not do.”

Afterwards, I commended a sick person to Him, and Jesus showed His wounds, given to Him by that sick person. And I tried to pray Him, to placate Him, to repair Him, and it seemed that those wounds would heal. And Jesus, all benignity, told me: “My daughter, today you have performed for Me the office of a most skillful doctor, for you have tried not only to medicate and to bandage my wounds which that sick person gave Me, but also to heal them. Because of this I feel very much soothed and placated.” So I comprehended that by praying for the sick, one comes to perform the office of doctor for Our Lord, who suffers in His own images.

October 7, 1899
How she sees Jesus indignant with the people. The state of victim holds back the chastisements.

This morning blessed Jesus was not coming, and I had to have much patience in waiting for Him. In my interior I kept saying: ‘My dear Jesus, come, don’t make me wait so much! I haven’t seen You since last night, and now, it is getting late and You are still not coming? See how much patience I have had in waiting for You. O please! do not let me I reach the point of losing patience because of your long delay in coming, because then You would be the cause of it, with your delays. Therefore come, for I can take no more.’

Now, while I was saying this and other nonsense, my only Good came, but to my highest sorrow I saw Him almost indignant with the people. Immediately I said to Him: ‘My good Jesus, I pray You to make peace with the world.’ And He: “Daughter, I cannot. I am like a king who wants to enter into a house, but that house is full of filthy things, of rot and of many other dirty things. The king, as king, has the power to enter into it, there is no one who could prevent him, and he could even clean that house with his own hands, but he does not want to do it, because it is not decent for his royal person to descend to such lowness; and until that house is cleaned by others, in spite of the fact that he has the power, the will, and a great desire, to the point of suffering for it, he will never deign to set foot in it. So I am. I am the King who can and wants, but I want their will – I want them to remove the rot of sins before I enter and make peace with them. No, it is not decent for my royalty to enter and make peace with them; on the contrary, I will do nothing but send chastisements. The fire of tribulation will inundate them everywhere, to the point of knocking them down, so that they may remember that a God exists – the only One who can help them and free them.”

And I, interrupting His speaking, said to Him: ‘Lord, if You want to lay hands to chastisements, I want to come – I don’t want to be on this earth any more. How will my heart be able to endure in seeing your creatures suffer?’ And Jesus, assuming a benign appearance, told me: “If you come, where shall I go to dwell on this earth? For now let us think about being together down here, for we will have much time to be in Heaven – the whole of eternity. And then, too soon have you forgotten your office of acting as my mother on earth. So, while I chastise the people, I will come to take refuge and to dwell with you.”

And I: ‘Ah! Lord, what is the purpose of my state of victim for so many years? What good has come to the peoples? You used to tell me that You wanted me victim in order to spare the people, and now You show how these chastisements, instead of happening many years ago, are happening later – nothing more and nothing less than this.’ And He: “My daughter, don’t say this, I have been forbearing for love of you, and the good that came from this has been that while terrible chastisements were to rage for a very long time, because of this they will be shorter. Is this not a good – that instead of being under the weight of a chastisement for many years, one remains under it only for a few? Moreover, during the course of these past years, with wars and sudden deaths, they should not have had the time to convert, but they did, and were saved – is this not a great good? My beloved, for now it is not necessary to make you understand the purpose of your state for yourself and for the peoples, but I will show it to you when you come to Heaven, and on the Day of Judgment I will show it to all nations. Therefore, do not speak like this any more.”

October 14, 1899
Hope, peacemaking Mother.

This morning I felt a little disturbed and all annihilated within myself. I saw myself as if the Lord wanted to cast me away from Him. Oh God! what a harrowing pain is this! While I was in such a state, blessed Jesus came with a little rope in His hand, and pounding on my heart three times, He told me: “Peace, peace, peace – don’t you know that the kingdom of Hope is kingdom of peace, and the right of this Hope is justice? You, when you see that my Justice arms Itself against the people – enter into the kingdom of Hope, and investing yourself with the most powerful qualities that she[4] possesses, rise up to my throne and do as much as you can to disarm the armed arm. And you will do this with the most eloquent, the most tender, the most compassionate voices, with the most compelling reasons, with the warmest prayers, which Hope herself will dictate to you. But when you see that Hope herself is about to support certain rights of Justice that are absolutely necessary, and wanting to give them up would be wanting to give affront to her own self, which cannot be – then conform to Me and surrender to Justice.”

And I, terrified more than ever for having to surrender to Justice, said to Him: ‘Ah, Lord, how can I do this? Ah! it seems impossible to me. The mere thought that You have to chastise the people I cannot tolerate, because they are your images. Were they at least creatures that do not belong to You…. Yet, this is nothing; but what tortures me the most is having to see You – I would almost say – being struck by Yourself, slapped, scourged and grieved by Yourself, because the chastisements will pour upon your own members – not upon others, and therefore You Yourself will suffer. Tell me, my sole and only Good, how will my heart be able to bear seeing You suffer, struck by Your very Self? If creatures make You suffer, they are always creatures and it is more tolerable; but this is so hard that I cannot swallow it. Therefore, I cannot conform to You, nor can I surrender.’

And He, moved to pity and all touched by my words, assuming an afflicted and benign appearance, told me: “My daughter, you are right that I will be struck in my own members, so much so, that in hearing you speak, I feel my whole interior moved to compassion and mercy, and I feel my Heart split with tenderness. But, believe Me, the chastisements are necessary, and if you don’t want to see Me struck a little bit now, you will see Me struck more terribly later, because they will offend Me more. Would this not grieve you more? Therefore, conform to Me, otherwise you will force Me not to tell you anything any more so as not to see you grieved. And with this, you would deny Me the relief I receive in conversing with you. Ah! yes, you would reduce Me to silence, with no one with whom to pour my pains out.”

Who can say how embittered I was left at these words of His? And Jesus, almost wanting to distract me from my affliction, resumed His speech about Hope, telling me: “My daughter, do not be disturbed – Hope is peace. And just as I, in the very act in which I make justice, remain in the most perfect peace, you too, by immersing yourself in Hope, must remain at peace. The soul who dwells in Hope, by wanting to afflict herself, become disturbed or lose trust, would run into the misfortune of one who, though possessing millions upon millions of coins, and even being queen of various kingdoms, goes on fantasizing and lamenting, saying: ‘What shall I live on? How shall I clothe myself? Ah! I am dying of starvation! I am so unhappy! I will be reduced to the most absolute misery and I will end up dying.’ And while she says this, she cries, sighs and spends her days in sadness and squalor, immersed in the greatest melancholy. But this is not all; what is worse about her is that if she sees her treasures, if she walks within her properties, instead of rejoicing, she afflicts herself more, thinking of her nearing end; and if she sees food, she does not want to touch it to sustain herself. And if anyone tries to persuade her by letting her touch her riches with her own hands, showing her that it cannot be that she will be reduced to the most absolute misery, she is not convinced, she remains dazed, and cries even more over her sad lot. Now, what would people say about her? That she is crazy, that it shows that she has no reason, that she has lost her brain. The reason is clear, it cannot be otherwise.

Yet, it can happen that she may run into the misfortune over which she keeps fantasizing. But in what way? By going out of her kingdoms, abandoning all of her riches, and going into foreign lands in the midst of barbarian people, where no one will deign to give her a crumb of bread. Here is how the fantasy has become reality – what was false, is now true. But who has been the cause of it? Who should be blamed for so sad a change of state? Her perfidious and obstinate will. Such is precisely the soul who is in possession of Hope: wanting to become disturbed or discouraged is already the greatest madness.”

And I: ‘Ah! Lord, how can a soul be always at peace, living in Hope? And if the soul commits a sin – how can she be at peace?’ And Jesus: “In the act of sinning, the soul already goes out of the kingdom of Hope, because sin and Hope cannot be together. Every common sense holds that each one is obliged to respect, preserve and cultivate what belongs to him. Who is that man who goes into his properties and burns what he possesses? Who does not keep his own things jealously? I believe no one. Now, the soul who lives in Hope, by sinning, already offends Hope, and if it were in her power, she would burn up all the goods that Hope possesses. Then she would find herself in the misfortune of that lady who, abandoning her goods, goes to live in foreign lands. In the same way, by sin, going out of this peacemaking mother Hope, so tender and compassionate, who reaches the point of nourishing her with her own flesh, which is Jesus in the Sacrament, the primary object of our hope, the soul goes to live in the midst of barbarian people, which are the demons who, denying her the slightest refreshment, nourish her with nothing but poison, which is sin. Yet, what does this compassionate mother do? Does she perhaps remain indifferent while the soul moves away from her? Ah! no – she cries, she prays, she calls her with the most tender and most moving voices; she goes after her, and when she leads her back into her kingdom, only then is she content.”

My sweet Jesus continues, telling me: “The nature of Hope is peace, and what she is by nature, the soul who lives in the bosom of this peacemaking mother acquires by grace.” And in the very act of speaking these words, by means of an intellectual light, blessed Jesus makes me see, through the simile of a mother, what this Hope has done for man. Oh! what a moving and most tender scene! If all could see it, even the hardest hearts would cry with compunction, and all would grow so fond of her, that it would become impossible for them to detach even for one moment from her maternal knees.

I will now try to say what I comprehend and what I can: man lived in chains, slave of the devil, condemned to eternal death, without the hope of being able to live again to eternal life. Everything was lost, and his destiny had gone to ruin. This Mother lived in Heaven, united with the Father and the Holy Spirit, blissful and happy with Them; but it seemed that she was not content – she wanted her children, her dear images, the most beautiful work that came out of her hands, to be around her. Now, while she was in Heaven, her eyes were intent on man, who goes wandering on earth. She is all occupied with how to save these beloved children of hers, and in seeing that these children can in no way satisfy the Divinity, even at the cost of any sacrifice, because they are greatly inferior to It – what does this compassionate Mother do? She sees that there is no other means to save these children than to give her own life to save theirs, taking their pains and miseries upon herself, and doing everything that they were supposed to do for themselves. So, what does she think of doing? This loving Mother presents herself before Divine Justice with tears in her eyes, with the most tender voices, with the most compelling reasons which her magnanimous heart dictates to her, and says: “Grace do I ask of You for my lost children, I don’t have the heart to see them separated from Me. I want to save them at any cost, and even though I see that there is no other way but to lay down my life, I want to do it, as long as they may reacquire their own. What do you want from them? Reparation? I repair for them. Glory, honor? I glorify You and honor You for them. Thanksgiving? I thank You for them. Anything You want from them, I Myself give to You, provided that I may have them reigning together with Me.”

The Divinity is moved in seeing the tears and the love of this compassionate Mother, and persuaded by her compelling reasons, It feels inclined to love these children. They[5] cry together over their misfortune, and conclude in accord that They accept the sacrifice of the life of this Mother, remaining fully satisfied, in order to reacquire these children. As soon as the decree is signed, immediately she descends from Heaven and comes upon earth, and laying down her royal garments which she had in Heaven, she clothes herself with human miseries, as if she were the most miserable slave, and she lives in the most extreme poverty, in the most unheard-of sufferings, amid the scorns most unbearable to the human nature. She does nothing but cry and intercede for her beloved children. But that which is most stupefying, both about this Mother and about these children, is that while she loves these children so much, instead of receiving with open arms this Mother who is coming to save them, they do the opposite. No one wants to receive her or recognize her; on the contrary, they let her go wandering, they despise her, and begin to plot how to kill this Mother so tender and so passionately in love with them. What will such a tender Mother do in seeing herself requited so badly by her ungrateful children? Will she stop? Ah, no! On the contrary, she becomes more ignited with love for them, and she runs from one point to another to reunite them and place them on her lap. Oh! how she toils, how she struggles, to the point of dripping sweat – not only of water, but also of blood! She gives herself not a moment of respite, she is always in act to operate their salvation, she provides for all their needs, she remedies all their evils, past, present and future; in sum, there is nothing she does not order and dispose for their good.

But what do these children do? Have they perhaps repented of their ingratitude in receiving her? Have they changed their thoughts in favor of this Mother? Ah, no! They scowl at her, they dishonor her with the most awful calumnies, they procure her opprobrium, scorns and confusions, they beat her with every kind of scourges, reducing all of her to a wound; and they finish by making her die the most infamous death that can be found, in the midst of cruel spasms and pains. But what does this Mother do in the midst of so many pains? Will she perhaps hate these children, so unruly and arrogant? Ah, no – never! It is then that she loves them more passionately than ever, offering her pains for their own salvation, and breathing her last with a word of peace and of forgiveness. Oh! my beautiful Mother! Oh dear Hope, how admirable you are – I love you! O please! keep me always on your lap, and I will be the happiest in the world.

While I am determined to stop speaking about Hope, a voice resounds everywhere around me, saying: “Hope contains all good, both present and future, and one who lives on her lap and is raised on her knees, whatever he wants, obtains. What does the soul want? Glory, honor? Hope will give her the greatest honor and glory on earth among all people, and in Heaven she will glorify her eternally. Maybe she wants riches? Oh! This Mother Hope is extremely rich, and what is more, by giving her goods to her children, her riches are not the least diminished. Moreover, these riches are not fleeting and passing – but eternal. Does she want pleasures, contentments? Ah, yes! This Hope contains within herself all possible pleasures and tastes that can be found in Heaven and on earth, so much so, that no one will ever be able to equal her; and one who nourishes herself at her breast enjoys them to her fill, and – oh! how happy and content she is! Does she want to be learned, wise? This Mother Hope contains the most sublime sciences within herself – even more, she is the master of all masters, and one who lets herself be taught by her learns the science of true sanctity.”

In sum, Hope provides us with everything, in such a way that if one is weak, she gives him strength; if another is stained, Hope instituted the Sacraments and in them she prepared the bath for his sins. If one is hungry or thirsty, this compassionate Mother gives us the most beautiful, the most delicious food, which is her most delicate flesh, and, as drink, her most precious blood. What else can this peacemaking Mother Hope do? And who else is similar to her? Ah! she alone has reconciled Heaven and earth. Hope has united Faith and Charity with herself and has formed that indissoluble link between the human nature and the Divine. But, who is this Mother? Who is this Hope? It is Jesus Christ, who operated our Redemption and formed the Hope of man astray.

October 16, 1899
Waiting for Jesus. Jesus speaks about chastisements.

This morning my sweet Jesus was not coming. I had not seen Him since last night, when He showed Himself with an appearance that moved one to pity and struck fear at the same time. He wanted to hide so as not to see the chastisements which He Himself was sending over the people and the way in which He was to destroy them. Oh! God, what a harrowing sight, never before seen. While waiting and waiting, in my interior I kept saying: ‘How is it that He is not coming? Who knows whether He does not come because I do not conform to His Justice? But how can I do this? It seems almost impossible for me to say “Fiat Voluntas Tua”.’ Then, again, I kept saying: ‘He is not coming because the confessor is not sending Him to me.’ Now, while I was thinking of this, I just barely saw Him, almost a shadow, and He told me: “Do not fear, the authority of priests is limited. Insofar as they are willing to pray Me to come to you, and to offer you as victim, to have you suffer so that I may spare the people, so will I heal them and spare them in the act in which I send the chastisements. If then they don’t give it a thought, neither will I have any regard for them.” Having said this, He disappeared, leaving me in a sea of affliction and of tears.

October 21, 1899
Earthly goods must serve for the sanctification of man, not as his idols. The cause of chastisements.

After going through most bitter days of privation, I was feeling tired and exhausted in my strengths, though I kept offering those very pains, saying: ‘Lord, You know how much it costs me to be without You; but I resign myself to your Most Holy Will, offering this most bitter pain as a means to attest my love and to placate You. These bothers, annoyances, wearinesses, coldnesses that I feel, I intend to send to You as messengers of praises and of reparations for myself and for all creatures. This I have, and this I offer You. Surely You accept the sacrifice of the good will, when one offers You what he can with no reserve – but, come, for I can take no more.’

Many times I had the temptation to conform to Justice, thinking that I myself was the cause of His not coming. In fact, in these past days, Jesus had told me that if I did not conform, I would force Him not to come and not to tell me anything any more so as not to grieve me. But I did not have the heart to do it, more so, since obedience did not consent to it either. While I was amid these bitternesses, first a light came, with a voice saying: “Insofar as man meddles in earthly things, so does he move away and lose esteem for eternal goods. I gave riches that they might use them for their sanctification, but they have used them to offend Me and to form an idol for their hearts; and I will destroy them, and their riches together with them.”

After this, I saw my dearest Jesus, but so in suffering, offended and indignant with the people as to strike terror. Immediately I began to say to Him: ‘Lord, I offer You your wounds, your Blood, the most holy use You made of your senses during the course of your mortal life, to repair for the offenses and for the bad use that creatures make of their senses.’

And Jesus, assuming a serious look, almost thundering, said: “Do you know how the senses of creatures have become? Like the screams of fierce animals which, with their roars, drive men away, rather than letting them get close. The rot and the multiplicity of sins that spurts out from their senses is such, that they force Me to flee.” And I: ‘Ah! Lord, how indignant I see You. If You want to continue sending chastisements, I want to come; otherwise, I want to get out of this state. Why remain in it, since I can no longer offer myself as victim to spare the people?’ And He, addressing me with seriousness, so much so that I felt terrified, told me: “You want to touch the two extremes – either you want Me to do nothing, or you want to come. Are you not content that people are spared in part? Do you think that Corato is the best, and the least in offending Me? And my having spared it, compared to other towns – is this something trivial? So, content yourself and calm yourself, and while I occupy Myself with chastising the people, you – accompany Me with your sighs and with your sufferings, praying Me so that the very chastisements may turn out for the conversion of the peoples.”

October 22, 1899
The cross, a way strewn with stars.

Jesus continues to make Himself seen afflicted. The moment He came, He threw Himself into my arms, His strengths completely exhausted, almost wanting refreshment. He shared with me a little bit of His sufferings, and then He told me: “My daughter, the way of the cross is a way strewn with stars, and as one walks through it, those stars change into most luminous suns. What will be the happiness of the soul for all eternity in being surrounded with these suns? Furthermore, the great reward I give to the cross is such that there is no measure, either of width or of length – it is almost incomprehensible to the human minds; and this, because in bearing crosses, there can be nothing human – all is divine.”

October 24, 1899
The cause of chastisements: the love of God for creatures.

This morning my adorable Jesus came and transported me outside of myself, into the midst of the people. Jesus seemed to look at creatures with eyes of compassion, and the very chastisements appeared as infinite mercies of His, come out from the most intimate place of His most loving Heart. Then, turning to me, He told me: “My daughter, man is a product of the Divine Being, and since Our food is love, always reciprocal, alike and constant among the Three Divine Persons, since he came out of Our hands and from pure, disinterested love, he is like a particle of Our food. Now, this particle has become bitter for Us; not only this, but the majority of them, by moving away from Us, have made themselves pasture for the infernal flames and food for the implacable hatred of demons, Our capital enemies as well as theirs. This is the main cause of Our sorrow for the loss of souls: because they are Our own – they are something that belongs to Us. Likewise, the cause that pushes Me to chastise them is the great love I have for them, to be able to place their souls in safety.”

And I: ‘Ah! Lord, it seems that this time You have no other words to say but of chastisements. Your power has other means to save these souls. And then, if I were certain that all the pain would fall upon them and You would remain free, without suffering in them, I would resign myself; but I see that You are already suffering very much from those chastisements You have sent. What will happen if you continue sending more chastisements?’

And Jesus: “Even though I suffer, love pushes Me to send heavier scourges, and this, because in order to make man enter himself and recognize what his being is, there is no means more powerful than making him see his own self undone. It seems that other means make him grow bolder; therefore, conform to my Justice. I see well that the love you have for Me pushes you very much not to conform to Me, and you don’t have the heart to see Me suffer, but my Mother also loved Me more than all creatures – no one can equal Her; yet, in order to save these souls She conformed to Justice and She resigned Herself to see Me suffer so much. If my Mother did this, could you not do it yourself?” And as Jesus was speaking, I felt my will being drawn so much to His, that I almost could no longer resist conforming to His Justice. I did not know what to say, so convinced I felt; however, I have not yet manifested my will. Jesus disappeared, and I remained in this doubt – whether I have to conform or not.

October 25, 1899
The echo of the love of God, and the echo of the ingratitude of creatures.

My most sweet Jesus continues to manifest Himself almost always in the same way. This morning He added: “My daughter, my love toward creatures is so great that it resounds like an echo in the celestial regions, it fills the atmosphere and diffuses over the whole earth. But what is the correspondence that creatures give to this loving echo? Ah! they requite Me with an echo of ingratitude – poisonous, filled with every kind of bitternesses and sins; with an echo almost deadly, fit only for wounding Me. But I will depopulate the face of the earth, so that this echo resounding with poison may no longer deafen my ears.”

And I: ‘Ah! Lord, what are You saying?’ And Jesus: “I act just like a pitying doctor, who has the extreme remedies for his children, and these children are full of wounds. What does this father and doctor do, who loves his children more than his own life? Will he let these wounds become gangrenous? Will he let them perish for fear that by applying fire and knife they may suffer? No – never! Though he will feel as if those instruments were applied on himself, in spite of this he takes hold of the knife, rips and cuts the flesh open, and applies to it the poison, the fire, to prevent corruption from advancing further. Even though many times it happens that in these operations the poor children die, yet this was not the will of the father doctor – his will was to see them healed. So I am. I wound in order to heal them, I destroy them in order to resurrect them. If many perish, this is not my Will, it is only the effect of their wicked and obstinate will – it is the effect of this poisonous echo that they want to keep sending Me unto seeing themselves destroyed.”

And I: ‘Tell me, my only Good, how can I sweeten for You this poisonous echo that afflicts You so much?’ And He: “The only means is that you always do all your actions with the sole purpose of pleasing Me, and that you employ all your senses and powers for the purpose of loving Me and of glorifying Me. Let your every thought, word, and everything else, want nothing but the love you have for Me; in this way your echo will rise pleasant to my throne and will sweeten my hearing.”

October 28, 1899
Who am I, and who are you?

This morning my lovable Jesus came in the middle of a light, and looking at me, as though penetrating me everywhere, so much so, that I felt annihilated, He told me: ‘Who am I, and who are you?”

These words penetrated me deep into the marrow of my bones, and I could see the infinite distance that passes between the Infinite and the finite, between the All and the nothing. Not only this, but I could also see the malice of this nothing, and how it had covered itself with mud. It seemed to me as like a fish that swims in the water; so was my soul swimming in rot, amid worms and many other things, which are fit only for striking horror to the sight. Oh! God, what an abominable sight! My soul would have wanted to flee before the sight of God trice Holy, but with two more words He binds me; and these are: “What is my Love for you? And what is your requital for Me?”

Now, while at the first words I would have wanted to flee, frightened, from His presence, at these second words – “what is my Love for you?” – I found myself sunken, bound by His Love from all sides; so, my existence was a product of His Love – if this Love ceased, I would no longer exist. It seemed to me that the beats of my heart, my intelligence, and even my breath, were a product of His Love. I was swimming in Him, and even if I wanted to flee, it seemed impossible for me to do it, because His Love surrounded me everywhere. My love, then, seemed like a little drop of water thrown into the sea, which disappears and can no longer be distinguished. How many things I comprehended – but if I wanted to tell them I would be too long.

Then Jesus disappeared, and I was left all confused. I saw myself all sin, and in my interior I implored forgiveness and mercy. After a little while my only Good came back; I felt all soaked with bitterness and sorrow for my sins, and He told me: “My daughter, when a soul is convinced that she has done evil in offending Me, she already performs the office of Magdalene, who bathed my feet with her tears, anointed them with balm, and dried them with her hair. When the soul begins to look into herself at the evil she has done, she prepares a bath for my wounds. In seeing her evil, she receives bitterness and feels sorrow for it, and by this she comes to anoint my wounds with a most exquisite balm. From this knowledge, the soul would want to make a reparation, and in seeing her past ingratitude, she feels love arise within her toward a God so good, and she would want to lay down her life to attest her love; and this is the hair which, like many gold chains, binds her to my Love.”

October 29, 1899
The formation of the interior dwelling for Jesus.

My adorable Jesus continues to come, but this morning, as soon as He came, He took me in His arms and carried me outside of myself. Being in those arms, I comprehended many things, and especially that in order to be in the arms of Our Lord freely, and also to enter into His Heart with all ease and to go out of It as the soul best pleases, and not to be a weight or a bother for blessed Jesus, it was absolutely necessary to strip oneself of everything. Therefore, with all my heart, I said to Him: ‘My dear and only Good, what I ask of You for me is that You strip me of everything, because I see well that in order to be clothed again by You and live in You, and for You to live again in me, it is necessary for me to have not even a shadow of what does not belong to You.’ And He, all benignity, told me: “My daughter, the main thing so that I may enter into a soul and form my dwelling is total detachment from everything. Without this, not only can I not dwell in her, but not even any of the virtues can form its abode in the soul.

After this, once the soul has made everything go out of herself, then do I enter, and united with the will of the soul, we build a house. The foundations of it are based on humility, and the deeper they are, the higher and stronger the walls will be. These walls will be built with the stones of mortification, cemented with the purest gold of charity. After the walls have been built, I, like a most excelling painter, plaster it and form the most excelling paintings – not with lime and water, but with the merits of my Passion, represented by the lime, and with the colors of my Blood, represented by the water. This serves to protect it well from rains, from snows, and from any shock. Then come the doors, and in order for them to be solid like wood and not subject to woodworms, silence is necessary, which forms the death of the exterior senses. In order to keep this house, a guardian is necessary to watch over it everywhere, inside and out. And this is the holy fear of God that guards it against any inconvenience, wind or anything else that might threaten it. This fear will be the safeguard of this house, which will make one operate, not out of fear of penalty, but out of fear of offending the master of this house. This holy fear must do nothing other than do everything in order to please God, with no other intention.

Then, this house must be adorned and filled with treasures. These treasures must be nothing other than holy desires, and tears. These were the treasures of the Old Testament, and in them they found their salvation; in the fulfillment of their vows, their consolation; in sufferings, strength. In sum, they placed all their fortune in their desire for the future Redeemer, and in this desire they operated as athletes. A soul without desire operates almost as if dead; everything is boredom, bother, rancor – even the virtues themselves; there is nothing that she likes, and she walks almost crawling on the path of good. All the opposite for the soul who desires: nothing is a weight for her, everything is joy; she flies, and even in the pains she finds her tastes. This, because there was an anticipated desire, and the things which are first desired, then are loved; and as one loves them, one finds the most pleasant delights. Therefore, this desire must be accompanied before this house is built.

The ornaments of this house will be the most precious stones, the most expensive pearls and gems of this, my Life, always founded upon suffering – and pure suffering. And since the One who dwells in it is the giver of every good, He places in it the endowment of all virtues, He perfumes it with the most gentle odors, He makes the loveliest flowers exude their fragrance, He makes a celestial melody resound, of the most pleasant. He makes one breathe an air of Paradise.”

I forgot to say that one must see whether there is domestic peace; and this must be nothing other than the recollection and silence of the interior senses.

After this, I continued to be in the arms of Our Lord, and I was all stripped. In the meantime, I saw the confessor there present, and Jesus told me (but it seemed to me that He wanted to joke with me to see what I would say): “My daughter, you have stripped yourself of everything, and you know that when one is stripped, someone else is needed who would take care of clothing him, of nourishing him, and who would give him a place where he can stay. Where do you want to stay – in the arms of the confessor, or in mine?” And as He was saying this, He did the act of placing me in the arms of the confessor. I began to insist that I did not want to go, and He insisted that He wanted it. After a little bit of arguing, He told me: “Do not fear, I keep you in my arms.” And so we remained at peace.

October 30, 1899
Threat of chastisements for Rome.

This morning my benign Jesus came all afflicted, and the first words He spoke to me were: “Poor Rome, how you will be destroyed! In looking at you, I cry over you!” And He was saying this with such tenderness as to arouse compassion. But I could not understand whether it was only about the people, or also the buildings.

Since I had the obedience not to conform to Justice, but to pray, I said to Him: ‘My beloved Jesus, when it is about chastisements, one must no longer argue, but only pray.’ And so I began to pray, to kiss His wounds, and to make acts of reparation. And while I was doing this, every now and then He would say to me: “My daughter, do not use violence on Me. By doing this, you want to use violence on Me by force. So, calm yourself.”

And I: ‘Lord, it is obedience that wants it so – I am not the one who does this.’ He added: “The river of iniquities is so great as to reach the point of preventing the redemption of souls, and prayer alone, and these wounds of mine, can prevent this raging river from absorbing them all into itself.”

[1] Protest is to be intended here as an interior affirmation of the soul, an oath, of her intention not to consent to any temptation of the enemy. In Volume 1, Luisa writes: “Jesus Christ taught me that the most effective means so that the soul would remain free of any vain apprehension, of any doubt, of any fear, was to protest before Heaven, the earth and the very demons, that she does not want to offend God, even at the cost of her life, and that she does not want to consent to any temptation of the devil. And this, as soon as the soul feels the coming of the temptation, in the act of the battle, if she can, and as she begins to feel free – and also during the course of the day. By doing this, the soul will not waste time in thinking about whether she has consented or not, because the mere memory of the protest will already give her calm; and if the devil tries to disturb her, she will be able to answer that if she had the intention to offend God, she would not have protested the opposite. In this way, she will remain free of any fear….” These are “the usual protests”.

[2] Read: “…pour His bitterness into me”.

[3] religion

[4] Hope, peacemaking Mother

[5] the Divine Persons

VOLUME 3

J.M.J.

November 1, 1899
Purification of the Church. Her support: the victim souls.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, inside a church, in which there was a priest celebrating the Divine Sacrifice, and while doing this, he was crying bitterly and said: “The pillar of my Church has no place to lean!”

In the act in which He was saying this, I saw a pillar; its top touched the heavens, and at the bottom of this pillar there were priests, bishops, cardinals and all other dignities, sustaining this pillar. But to my surprise, I went about looking and I saw that of these people, some were very weak, some half rotten, some infirm, some full of mud. So very scarce was the number of those who were in a condition to sustain it. So, this poor pillar kept swaying, unable to remain still, so many were the quakes it received from the bottom. At the top of this pillar there was the Holy Father who, with gold chains and with rays emanating from his whole person, did as much as he could to sustain it, and to chain and illuminate the people who dwelled at the bottom, although some of them would flee so as to be more comfortable in becoming rotten and covered with mud; and not only this, but he did as much as he could to bind and to illuminate the whole world.

While I was seeing this, that priest who was celebrating Mass (I am not sure whether he was a priest or Our Lord; it seems to me it was Him, but I cannot tell with certainty) called me close to Himself and told me: “My daughter, see in what a heartrending state my Church is. The very ones who were supposed to sustain Her withdraw, and with their works they knock Her down, they beat Her, and reach the point of denigrating Her. The only remedy is that I cause so much blood to be shed as to form a bath to wash away that rotten mud and to heal their deep wounds, so that, healed, strengthened and embellished in that blood, they may become instruments capable of keeping Her stable and firm.” Then He added: “I have called you to tell you: ‘Do you want to be victim, and therefore be like a prop to sustain this pillar in these times so incorrigible?’”

At first I felt a shiver run through me for fear that I might not have the strength, but then immediately I offered myself and I pronounced the Fiat. At that moment, I found myself surrounded by many Saints, Angels and purging souls, who tormented me with scourges and other instruments. At first I felt a certain fear, but then, the more I suffered, the more I wanted to suffer, and I enjoyed the suffering like a most sweet nectar; more so, since a thought touched me: ‘Who knows whether those pains might be the means to consume my life, so that I might take wing in the last flight toward my highest and only Good?’ But to my highest sorrow, after suffering bitter pains, I saw that those pains would not consume my life. Oh God, what pain! – that this fragile flesh prevents me from uniting myself to my Eternal Good!

After this, I saw the bloody slaughter that was made of the people who were at the bottom of the pillar. What a horrible catastrophe! So very scarce was the number of those who would not be victims; they reached such daringness as to try to kill the Holy Father. But then, it seemed to me that that blood which was shed and those bloody tormented victims were the means to render those who remained strong, so as to sustain the pillar without letting it sway any more. Oh, what happy days! After this, days of triumphs and of peace would arise; the face of the earth seemed to be renewed, and the pillar would acquire its original prestige and splendor. Oh, happy days! – I hail you from afar, days which will give great glory to my Church, and great honor to the God who is Her Head!

November 3, 1899
Amusement of Jesus with Luisa.

This morning my lovable Jesus came and transported me outside of myself, inside a church; then He disappeared and I was left alone. Now, finding myself in the presence of the Most Holy Sacrament, I did my usual adoration, but while I was doing this, I seemed to have become all eyes to see whether I could catch sight of sweet Jesus. At that moment, I saw Him on the altar, as a child, calling me with His gracious little hand. Who can say my contentment? I flew to Him, and without thinking of anything else, I clasped Him in my arms and I kissed Him; but in the act in which I was doing this, He assumed a serious appearance, showing that He did not like my kisses, and He began to reject me. Heedless of this, I continued and I said to Him: ‘My pretty little one, beautiful one, the other day You wanted to pour Yourself out with me, with kisses and with hugs, and I gave You all the freedom. Today I too want to pour myself out with You – O please! Give me the freedom to do it.’ But He continued to reject me, and in seeing that I would not stop, He disappeared. Who can say how mortified and concerned I was left as I found myself inside myself?

However, after a little while He came back, and as I wanted to ask Him for forgiveness for my impertinences, He forgave me by wanting to pour Himself out with me; and while kissing me, He told me: “Beloved of my Heart, my Divinity resides in you habitually, and just as you keep inventing new things to make Me delight with you, so I, to give you tit for tat, use new ways to make you delight with Me.” With this I understood that it had been a joke that Jesus wanted to make.

November 4, 1899
Different effects of the presence of Jesus and of that of the devil.

Since this morning blessed Jesus was not coming, the devil was trying to assume His shape and to make himself seen, but since I did not perceive the usual effects, I began to doubt and I signed myself with cross – first myself, and then him; and the devil, in seeing himself signed, was trembling. Immediately I rejected him without even looking at him. After a little while my dear Jesus came, and fearing that it might be the evil spirit once again, I tried to reject him, invoking the help of Jesus and of the Queen Mama. But to assure me that it was not the devil, He told me: “My daughter, in order to be assured of whether it is I or not, your attention must be on the interior effects, whether they move toward virtue or toward vice; in fact, since my Nature is virtue, I make my children heirs of nothing else but virtue. You can also comprehend this from the human nature, which is made of flesh: if it happens to develop some wounds, the flesh becomes rotten, and one can say that it is no longer flesh; in the same way, if my Nature could retain even the slightest shadow of vice within Itself, It would cease to be the God that It is – which can never happen.”

November 6, 1899
Purity of intention.

This morning, as adorable Jesus came and transported me outside of myself, He showed me streets full of human flesh. What a ruthless slaughter! It is horrifying to think about it! Then He showed me how something was happening in the air, and many would die suddenly; I have also seen this since the month of March. I began to pray Him according to my usual way, that He would placate Himself and spare His very images torments so cruel, wars so bloody; and since He had the crown of thorns, I removed it from His head to place it on mine, and this, in order to placate Him more. But to my highest sorrow I saw that almost all the thorns would remain, broken, inside His most holy head, and so very little was left for me to suffer. Jesus appeared serious, almost without paying attention to me; He transported me again into my bed, and since I had my arms on the cross, suffering the pains of the crucifixion which He Himself had shared with me before, He took my arms and united them together, binding them with a little rope of gold. Not paying attention to what this might mean, in order to break that severe air that He had, I said to Him: ‘My most sweet love, I offer You these movements of my body that You Yourself made me do, as well as all the others which I myself can do, for the sole purpose of pleasing You and glorifying You. Ah, yes! I wish that the movements of my eyelids, of my eyes, of my lips and of all of myself, were also made for the sole purpose of pleasing You alone. Let it be, O good Jesus, that all my bones and my nerves may resound among themselves, and with clear voices, may prove my love to You.’ And He said to me: “Everything that is done for the sole purpose of pleasing Me shines before Me in such a way as to draw my divine gazes, and I like it so much, that to those actions, be they even a batting of eyelashes, I give the value as if they were done by Me. On the other hand, those other actions, good in themselves and even great, but which are not done for Me alone, are like gold that is muddy and full of rust, which does not shine, and I do not so much as look at them.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, how easy it is for our actions to be dirtied with dust!’ And He: “One should not care about dust, because it can be shaken off, but what one must care about is the intention.”

Now, while we were saying this, Jesus was busy binding my arms. I said to Him: ‘O please, Lord, what are You doing?’ And He: “I am doing this because when you are in that position of crucifixion, you come to placate Me; and since I want to chastise the people, I am binding them.” Having said this, He disappeared.

November 10, 1899
Obedience to the confessor.

After going through quite a few days of differences with Jesus – I, wanting to be released, and He, not wanting it; now He would make Himself seen sleeping, now He would impose silence on me – finally, this morning, as I saw Him, I also saw the confessor who commanded me absolutely to have Jesus release me; and this, more than once, but Jesus would not listen. However, forced by obedience, I said to Him: ‘My lovable Jesus, when have You ever opposed obedience? I am not the one who wants to be released – it is the confessor that wants You to make me suffer the crucifixion. Therefore, surrender to this virtue, so favored by You, which bejewels your whole life, and which formed the last link by connecting everything into one – the sacrifice of the Cross.’ And Jesus: “You really want to use violence on Me, touching that link which connected Divinity and humanity, and formed one single link, which is obedience.” And while saying this, He assumed the appearance of the Crucified, and almost forced by the priestly authority, He shared with me the pains of the crucifixion. May the Lord be always blessed, and may everything be for His glory! So it seems I was released.

November 11, 1899
Obedience prevents her from conforming to Justice.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and it seemed I was going around the earth. Oh, how inundated it was with all sorts of iniquities! It is horrifying to think about it! Now, while going around, I arrived some place and I found a priest of holy life, and in another place a virgin of blameless and holy life. We gathered, the three of us together, and we began to converse about the many chastisements that the Lord is sending, and about the many others that He keeps prepared. I said to them: ‘And you, what do you do? Have you perhaps conformed to divine Justice?’ And they: “Seeing the strict necessity of these times, and that man would not surrender even if an apostle came out, or if the Lord sent another St. Vincent Ferrer who might induce him to conversion with miracles and prodigious signs; on the contrary, seeing that man has reached such obstinacy and a sort of insanity that the very power of miracles would render him more incredulous – invested by this most strict necessity, for the good of men, in order to arrest this rotten sea that inundates the face of the earth, and for the glory of our God, so offended, we have conformed to Justice. But we are praying and offering ourselves as victims, so that these chastisements may turn out for the conversion of the peoples. And you, what do you do? Have you not conformed with us?”

And I: ‘Ah, no! I cannot, because obedience does not want it, even though Jesus wants me to conform; but since obedience does not want it, it must prevail over everything, and I am forced to be always in contrast with blessed Jesus, which afflicts me very much.’ And they: “When it is obedience, surely one must not adhere.”

After this, finding myself inside myself, I saw dearest Jesus for just a little, and I wanted to know where that priest and that virgin were from, and He told me that they were from Peru.

November 12, 1899
Jesus allows Luisa to spare a chastisement.

This morning my lovable Jesus came and transported me outside of myself, and I saw as if something was supposed to move from the heavens and touch the earth. I was so frightened that I screamed, and I said to Him: ‘O please, O please, Lord, what are You doing? How much ruin will come if this happens! You tell me that You love me, and then you want me to be frightened. You have seen it, haven’t You? Don’t do it, no, no! You cannot do it for I do not want it.’ And Jesus, all compassion for me, told me: “My daughter, do not fear. And then, when have you ever wanted Me to do anything? I should not let you see anything when I chastise the people, otherwise you bind Me everywhere. Well then, I will fortify your heart with fortitude, and I will make as though a trunk arise from it, so as to hold whatever you see still; and then I will pour so many graces in you as to be able to nourish Myself and my children.»

At that moment, something like a trunk came out of my heart, with two branches at the top in the shape of a fork which, rising up in the air, would catch in between them, anything that was about to move so that it would keep still in one single point; and far away it seemed to touch the earth. Afterwards, I found myself inside myself, and I prayed Him to placate Himself; and it seemed that He would quite surrender, so much so, that He shared with me the pains of the cross. Then He disappeared.

November 13, 1899
Jesus suffers in seeing creatures suffer. Luisa offers herself to console Him.

This morning my adorable Jesus seemed to be restless; He would do nothing but come and go. Now He would spend time with me, and now, almost drawn by His most ardent love for creatures, He would go to see what they were doing, and with His whole self He would suffer with them, from that which they were suffering, as if He Himself, and not they, were taken by those sufferings. Several times I saw the confessor forcing Jesus by means of his priestly authority to make me suffer His pains so as to be able to placate Him; and while it seemed that He did not want to be placated, He would then show Himself grateful, thanking wholeheartedly, the one who was occupying himself with holding back His indignant arm, and so He would share with me now one suffering, now another. Oh, how tender and moving it was to see Him in this state! He would make one’s heart split with compassion. Quite a few times He told me: “Conform to my Justice, for I can take no more. Ah, man is too ungrateful, and he almost forces Me from all sides to chastise him. He himself snatches the chastisements from my hands. If you knew how much I suffer in making use of my Justice…, but it is man himself that uses violence on Me. Ah, had I not done anything other than purchase his freedom at the price of my blood, he would still have to be grateful to Me; but out of greater spite, he keeps inventing new ways to render my payment useless.”

While saying this, He was crying bitterly, and to console Him, I said to Him: ‘My sweet Good, do not afflict Yourself; I see that your affliction is mostly because You feel forced to chastise the people. Ah, no, this will never be! If You are all for me, I want to be all for You; therefore, You will send the chastisements upon me – here is the victim, always ready and at your disposal; You can make me suffer whatever You want, and so your Justice will be somehow placated, and You will be relieved from the affliction You feel in seeing creatures suffer. My intention has always been this – not to conform to Justice, because if man suffers, You would suffer more than he does.’ While I was saying this, our Queen Mama came, and I remembered that as I had asked the confessor for the obedience to conform to Justice, he had told me to ask the Most Holy Virgin, whether She wanted me to conform. So I asked Her, and She said to me: “No, no, but pray, my daughter, and in these days try as much as you can to keep Him with You and to placate Him, because many chastisements have been prepared.”

November 17, 1899
The priestly authority must concur with the victim.

My lovable Jesus continues to make Himself seen afflicted. This morning, our Queen Mama came together with Him, and it seemed to me that She was bringing Him to me so that I would placate Him and pray to Him together with Her that He would make me suffer to spare the people. She told me that if in these past days I had not placed myself in between, and if the confessor had not made use of his priestly authority in concurring with his intentions of making me suffer, many catastrophes would have occurred. In the meantime, I saw the confessor and immediately I prayed for him to Jesus and to the Queen Mother; and Jesus, all benignity, said: “According to the measure in which he will take care of my interests, by praying me and also by committing himself to renewing his intention of making you suffer in order to spare the people, so will I take care of him and will spare him. I would be ready to make this pact with him.»

After this, I went about looking at my sweet and only Good, and I saw that He was holding two lightnings in His hands: in one hand, as though equipped, He had a strong earthquake and a war; in the other, many kinds of sudden deaths and contagious diseases. I began to pray Him to pour those lightnings upon me, and I almost wanted to remove them from His hands, but to prevent me from doing this, He began to move away from me. I tried to follow Him, and so I found myself outside of myself, but Jesus disappeared from me and I remained alone.

Now, finding myself alone, I went round a little, and I found myself in a place where, in this season, they harvest. It seemed that uproars of war were happening there, and I wanted to go to help those poor people, but the demons prevented me from going there where such things were about to happen, and they beat me so that I would not be able to help or to prevent their artifices. They used so much strength as to make me draw back.

November 19, 1899
The evils of pride.

My adorable Jesus continues to come, and since before He came, my mind was thinking about certain things which Jesus had told me in the past years, and which I do not remember so well, almost to remind me He told me: “My daughter, pride corrodes grace. In the hearts of the proud there is nothing but a void all full of smoke, which produces blindness. Pride does nothing but render oneself an idol, and so the proud soul does not have her God with her. By sin, she has tried to destroy Him in her heart, and raising an altar within her heart, she places herself on it, and she adores herself.”

Oh, God, what an abominable monster this vice is! It seems to me that if the soul is attentive not to let it enter into herself, she is free of all other vices; but if, to her misfortune, she lets herself be dominated by it, since it is a monstrous and wicked mother, it will deliver all of its naughty children for her, which are the other sins. Ah, Lord, keep it away from me!

November 21, 1899
Jesus wants to delight in reflecting Himself in Luisa, who is helped by the Most Holy Virgin.

This morning, as soon as He came, my most beloved Jesus told me: “My daughter, all your pleasure must be in reflecting yourself in Me. If you do this always, you will portray all of my qualities, my physiognomy and my very features within yourself; and I, in return, will find all my taste and highest contentment in delighting in reflecting Myself in you.”

Having said this, He disappeared, and I was meditating in my mind on the words He had just spoken to me. All of a sudden He came back, placing His holy hand on my head; and turning my face toward Him, He added: “Today I want to delight a little bit by reflecting Myself in you.”

A shiver ran about my whole waist – such a fright as to feel I was dying, because I saw that He was staring at me, wanting to delight in my thoughts, gazes, words, and in all the rest, by reflecting Himself in me. I kept repeating in my interior: ‘Oh! God, am I an object fit for letting You take delight, or for embittering You?’ In the meantime, our dear Queen Mama came to my help, carrying a pure white garment in Her hands, and all loving, She told me: “Daughter, do not fear; I Myself want to make up for you by clothing you with my innocence, so that, in reflecting Himself in you, my Son may find the greatest delight that can be found in a human creature.”

So She clothed me with that garment and She offered me to my dear Good, Jesus, telling Him: “Accept her out of regard for me, O dear Son, and delight in her.” So every fear went away from me, and Jesus delighted in me, and I in Him.

November 24, 1899
Luisa wants to receive the bitternesses of Jesus.

This morning my sweet Jesus came and transported me outside of myself. Now, since I saw Him all full of bitterness, I prayed Him and prayed Him again to pour it into me; but as much as I prayed, I could not manage to obtain that He would pour His bitternesses into me, although, as I would draw close to His mouth to receive his bitternesses, a bitter breath would come out. While I was doing this, I saw a priest who was dying, but I could not recognize well who he was, because I had another intention to pray for a sick priest, but not recognizing him as that one, I got confused whether it was him or someone else. So I said to Jesus: ‘Lord, what are You doing? Don’t You see how much scarceness of priests there is in Corato that You want to take more away from us?’ And Jesus, not paying attention to me and threatening with His arm, said: “I will destroy them more.”

November 26, 1899
Delight of the Holy Trinity because of the sufferings of Luisa.

As I was very much in suffering, my lovable Jesus came and placed His arm behind my neck in the act of sustaining me. Now, being close to Him, I began to do my usual adorations to all of His holy members, beginning with His most sacred head. In the act in which I was doing this, He said to me: “My beloved, I thirst, let me quench my thirst in your love, for I cannot contain Myself any more.” And assuming the appearance of a baby, He threw Himself into my arms and began to suckle. He seemed to take immense pleasure, He was all refreshed, and His thirst quenched. After this, almost wanting to joke with me, with a lance He held in His hand He pierced my heart through, side to side. I felt a most bitter pain, but – oh! how happy I was to suffer, especially because it was the very hands of my sole and only Good that gave me suffering; and I incited Him to give me greater torment, so great was the pleasure and the sweetness I felt. And blessed Jesus, to make me more content, tore my heart out, taking it in His hands, and with that same lance He opened it into two halves and found a cross, shining and pure white. He took it in His hands with great delight, and He told me: “This cross was produced by the love and the purity with which you suffer; I am so delighted with the way you suffer, that I am not alone, but I call the Father and the Holy Spirit to delight with Me.”

In one instant, I went about looking and I saw Three Persons who, surrounding me, delighted in looking at this cross. However, lamenting to Them, I said: ‘Great God, too little is my suffering, I am not content with the cross alone, but I also want the thorns and the nails; and if I do not deserve this, because I am unworthy and a sinner, certainly You can give me the dispositions in order to deserve it.’ And Jesus, sending me a ray of intellectual light, made me understand that He wanted me to make the confession of my sins. I felt almost floored before the Three Divine Persons, but the Humanity of Our Lord inspired me with confidence; so, turning to Him I recited the Confiteor, and then I began to make the confession of my sins. Now, while I was all immersed in my misery, a voice came out from Their midst, saying: “We forgive you, and you – sin no more.” I was expecting to receive the absolution from Our Lord, but all of a sudden He disappeared. After a little while He came back crucified, and shared with me the pains of the cross.

November 27, 1899
Grace renders the soul happy.

This morning my dear Jesus was not coming. After many hardships, I saw Him for just a little, and lamenting to Him because of His delay, I said to Him: ‘Blessed Lord, how come, so late? Have You perhaps forgotten that I cannot be without You, or have I perhaps lost your grace that You do not come?’ And He, interrupting my plaintive speaking, told me: “My daughter, do you know what my grace does? My grace renders the souls of the Blessed happy, and it renders the pilgrim souls happy – with this difference alone: that the Blessed take bliss and delight in it, while the pilgrim souls work and make it circulate. So, one who possesses grace holds paradise within herself, because grace is nothing other than to possess Me, and since I alone am the enchanting object that enchants the whole of paradise and forms all the contentments of the Blessed, the soul, by possessing grace, possesses her paradise wherever she is.”

November 28, 1899
Luisa accepts suffering in Purgatory in order to free some souls.

My beloved Jesus came all affability; He seemed to be like an intimate friend who makes many endearments to the other friend in order to prove his love to him. The first words He spoke to me were: “My beloved, if you knew how much I love you… . I feel so very much drawn to loving you; my very delays in coming force Me, and are new causes for my coming, to fill you with new graces and celestial charisms. If only you could comprehend how much I love you, you would just barely catch sight of your love compared to Mine.” And I: ‘My sweet Jesus, what You tell me is true, but I too feel that I love You very much, and if You say that my love compared to Yours can just barely be seen, it is because your power is without limits, while mine is limited, and therefore I can do according to how much You Yourself give me. This is so true, that when the will comes to me to suffer more in order to prove my love to You more, if You do not concede the pains to me, suffering is not in my power, and I am forced to resign myself also in this, and be that useless being which, by myself, I have always been. On the other hand, You have even suffering in your power, and in whatever way You want to manifest your love for me, You can do it. My beloved, give the power to me, and then I will show You what I can do for love of You, because whatever the measure You give to me, that very measure I will give to You.’

He listened with great pleasure to my speaking out of proportion, and almost wanting to test me, He transported me outside of myself, close to a deep place, full of liquid fire, and dark – the mere sight of it struck horror and fright. Jesus said to me: “Here is Purgatory, and many souls are crammed in this fire. You will go to this place to suffer in order to free the souls I choose, and you will do this for love of Me.”

Though trembling a little, immediately I said to Him: ‘Everything for love of You, I am ready, but You must come with me, otherwise, if You leave me, You do not let Yourself be found any more, and then You make me cry quite a bit.’ And He: “If I come with you, what would be your Purgatory? With my presence, those pains would change into joys and contentments for you.” And I: ‘I do not want to go alone, but as we go into that fire, You will remain behind my shoulders, so I will not see You, and I will accept this suffering.’

So I went into that place filled with thick darkness, and He followed me from behind. For fear that He might leave me, I grabbed His hands, holding them tightly upon my shoulders. As I arrived down there… who can describe the pains that those souls suffered? They are certainly unutterable for people clothed with human flesh. But as I entered that fire, it would be destroyed, and the darkness would be dispelled, and many souls would come out, and others would be relieved. After being there for about a quarter of an hour, we came out, and Jesus was all mournful. Immediately I said: ‘Tell me, my Good, why are You mourning? My dear life, have I perhaps been the cause of it because I did not want to go into that place of pains by myself? Tell me, tell me, did You suffer very much in seeing those souls suffer? How are You feeling?’ And Jesus: “My beloved, I feel all full of bitternesses, so much so, that unable to contain them any longer, I am about to pour them out over the earth.” And I: ‘No, no, my sweet love, You will pour them upon me, won’t You?” And drawing near my mouth, He poured a most bitter liqueur, in such abundance that I could not contain it, and I prayed that He Himself would give me the strength to bear it, otherwise that which I had not allowed Our Lord to do, I would do myself, pouring it over the earth, which would be very sorrowful for me to do. However, it seems He gave me strength, though the sufferings were so great that I felt faint; but Jesus, taking me in His arms, sustained me, telling me: “With you one must surrender by force; you render yourself so importunate, that I almost feel the necessity to content you.”

November 30, 1899
Sick members and healthy members in the mystical body of Christ.

My adorable Jesus continues to come, and this time I saw Him in the act in which He was at the pillar. Untying Himself, Jesus threw Himself into my arms to be compassionated by me; I clasped Him to myself, and began to arrange His hair, all clotted with blood, and to dry His eyes and face, and I also kissed Him and did several acts of reparation. When I reached the hands and removed the chain, to my greatest surprise I saw that the head was that of Our Lord, but the members belonged to many other people, especially religious. Oh, how many infected members, which cast more darkness than light! On the left side there were those who caused greater suffering to Jesus; one could see sick members, full of wormy and deep wounds, and others which were just barely attached to that body by a nerve. Oh, how that divine head suffered and swayed over those members! On the right side, then, one could see those which were the most good – that is, the healthy members, shining, covered with flowers and with celestial dew, perfumed with fragrant odors, and among these members one could see some which gave off an obscure perfume.

This divine head over these members suffered very much. It is true that there were some shining members, which almost resembled the light of the head, and which cheered it and gave it greatest glory, but the number of the infected members was greater. Opening His most sweet mouth, Jesus told me: “My daughter, how many pains these members give Me! This body you see is the mystical body of my Church, of which I glory in being the head; but how much cruel torment these members cause in this body! It seems that they incite one another to see who can give Me greater torment.” Then He said other things about this body, which I cannot remember so well, therefore I stop here.

December 2, 1899
Eloquent praise of the Cross.

As I was very afflicted about certain things, which it is not licit here to say, lovable Jesus, wanting to relieve me from my affliction, came with an appearance all new. He seemed to be dressed in pale blue, all adorned with tiny little bells of gold which, in touching one another, resounded with a sound never before heard. At the appearance of Jesus and at that gracious sound, I felt enchanted and relieved in my affliction, which departed from me like smoke. I would have remained there in silence, so much did I feel the powers of my soul enchanted and stunned, if blessed Jesus had not broken my silence, saying to me: “My beloved daughter, all these little bells are many voices that speak to you of my love, and call you to love Me. Now, let me see how many little bells you have that speak to Me of your love and call Me to love you.”

And I, all full of blushing, said to Him: ‘But, Lord, what are You saying? I have nothing; I have nothing but defects.’ And Jesus, compassionating my misery, continued: “You have nothing, it is true. Well then, I want to adorn you with my own little bells, so that you may have many voices to call Me and to show Me your love.” So it seemed that He surrounded my waist with a belt adorned with these little bells.

After this, I remained in silence, and He added: “Today I take pleasure in spending time with you. Tell Me something.” And I: ‘You know that all my contentment is in being with You, and in having You, I have everything. So, in possessing You, it seems I have nothing else to desire, or to say.’ And Jesus: “Let Me hear your voice that cheers my hearing. Let us converse together a little; I have spoken to you many times about the Cross; today, let Me hear you speak of the Cross.”

I felt all confused; I did not know what to say. But as He sent me a ray of intellectual light, to make Him content I began to say: ‘My Beloved, who can say to You what the Cross is? Your mouth alone can speak worthily of the sublimity of the Cross; but since You want me to speak, I will do it.

The Cross, suffered by You, freed me from the slavery of the devil, and espoused me to the Divinity with an indissoluble bond. The Cross is fecund and gives birth to Grace in me. The Cross is Light, It disillusions me of what is temporal, and reveals to me what is eternal. The Cross is fire, and reduces to ashes all that is not of God, to the point of emptying my heart of the tiniest blade of grass that might be in it. The Cross is coin of inestimable value, and if I have, O Holy Spouse, the fortune of possessing it, I will be enriched with eternal coins, to the point of becoming the richest in Paradise, because the currency that circulates in Heaven is the Cross suffered on earth. The Cross, then, makes me know myself; not only this, but It gives me the knowledge of God. The Cross grafts all virtues into me. The Cross is the noble pulpit of the uncreated Wisdom, that teaches me the highest, the finest and most sublime doctrines. So, only the Cross will reveal to me the most hidden mysteries, the most secret things, the most perfect perfection, hidden to the most erudite and learned of the world. The Cross is like beneficent water that purifies me; not only this, but It administers to me the nourishment for the virtues, It makes them grow, and only then does It leave me, when It brings me back to Eternal Life. The Cross is like celestial dew, which preserves and embellishes for me the beautiful lily of purity. The Cross is the nourishment of Hope. The Cross is the beacon of operating Faith. The Cross is like hard wood, which preserves the fire of Charity, keeping it always lit. The Cross is like dry wood, which dispels and puts to flight all the smokes of pride and of vainglory, producing the humble violet of humility in the soul. The Cross is the most powerful weapon that offends the demons, and defends me from all of their claws. Therefore, the soul who possesses the Cross is the envy and admiration of the very Angels and Saints, and the rage and indignation of the demons. The Cross is my Paradise on earth, in such a way that if the Paradise of the Blessed up there, is of delights, the Paradise down here is of sufferings. The Cross is the chain of most pure gold that connects me to You, my Highest Good, and forms the most intimate union which can possibly be given, to the point of making my being disappear. And It transforms me in You, my Beloved, to the point that I feel lost within You, and I live from your very Life.’

After I said this (I don’t know whether it is nonsense), my lovable Jesus was all delighted in listening to me, and taken by enthusiasm of love, kissed me all over, and said to me: “Brava, brava, my beloved – you spoke well! My Love is fire, but not like the terrestrial fire which, wherever it penetrates, renders things sterile and reduces everything to ashes. My fire is fecund, and it renders sterile only that which is not virtue. To all the rest it gives life, it makes beautiful flowers bloom, it makes the most delicious fruits mature, and forms the most delightful celestial garden. The Cross is so powerful, and I communicated so much grace to It, as to render It more effective than the very Sacraments; and this, because in receiving the Sacrament of my Body, the dispositions and free concourse of the soul are needed in order to receive my graces, and many times these may be lacking; while the Cross has the virtue of disposing the soul to grace.”

December 21, 1899
Luisa speaks about virginity and purity.

After a long silence, this morning my lovable Jesus interrupted it, saying to me: “I am the receptacle of pure souls.” And in these words of His I received intellectual light which made me comprehend many things about purity, but I can repeat little or nothing with words, of that which I feel in my intellect. However, most honorable lady obedience wants me to write something, even nonsense, and to make her content I will speak my nonsense about purity.

It seemed to me that purity is the noblest gem that the soul can possess. The soul who possesses purity is invested with candid light, in such a way that blessed God, in looking at her, finds His very image; He feels drawn to love her, so much so, that He reaches the point of becoming enamored with her, and He is taken by so much love that He gives her His most pure Heart as dwelling, because only that which is pure and most clean enters into God; nothing stained can enter that most pure bosom. The soul who possesses purity maintains within herself her original splendor which God gave her in creating her; nothing is disfigured or disennobled in her; rather, like a queen aspiring to her wedding with the celestial King, she preserves her nobility until this noble flower is transplanted into the celestial gardens. Oh, how this virginal flower is fragrant of a distinct odor! It always rises above all other flowers, and even above the very Angels. How it stands out with varied beauty! So, all are taken by esteem and love, and give it free step, to let it reach its Divine Spouse, in such a way that the first place around Our Lord belongs to these noble flowers. And Our Lord greatly delights in strolling in the midst of these lilies which perfume the earth and Heaven; and He delights even more in being surrounded by these lilies because, He being the first noble lily and the model, He is the specimen of all the others.

Oh, how beautiful it is to see a virgin soul! Her heart gives off no other breath but that of purity and of candor; it is not even shaded by any other love which is not God, and even her body gives off fragrance of purity. Everything is pure in her: pure in her steps, pure in operating, in speaking, in looking, and also in moving. So, at the mere sight of her one feels the fragrance and recognizes a soul who is truly pure. What charisms, what graces, what mutual love and loving stratagems between this soul and her Spouse Jesus! Only one who experiences them can say something. One cannot even narrate everything, and I don’t feel it is my duty to speak about this, therefore I keep silent and I move on.

December 22, 1899
How God draws us to love Him in three ways, and how He manifests Himself to the soul in three ways.

This morning my adorable Jesus was not coming. After much waiting and waiting He made Himself just barely seen several times, like a lightning that flashes by. But I seemed to see a light rather than Jesus, and in this light, a voice which, the first time it came, said: “I draw you to love Me in three ways: by dint of benefits, by dint of sympathies, and by dint of persuasions.”

Who can say how many things I comprehended in these three words? It seemed to me that in order to attract my love and also that of the other creatures, blessed Jesus makes benefits rain down for our good, and in seeing that this rain of benefits does not reach the point of gaining our love, He reaches the point of rendering Himself sympathetic. And what is this sympathy? It is His pains suffered for love of us, to the point of dying, deluging blood upon a cross, where He rendered Himself so sympathetic as to enamor of Himself His very executioners and His fiercest enemies. Even more, in order to attract us more and render our love stronger and more stable, He left us the light of His most holy examples, united to His celestial doctrine, which, like light, dispel for us the darkness of this life and lead us to eternal salvation.

The second time it came, it said to me: “I manifest Myself to the soul in three different ways: by power, by news and by love. The power is the Father, the news is the Word, the love is the Holy Spirit.” Oh, how many more things I comprehended! But too little is that which I am able to manifest. It seemed to me that God manifests Himself to the soul, by power, in the whole of creation; from the first to the last being is the omnipotence of God manifested. The heavens, the stars and all the other beings speak to us, though in a mute language, of a Supreme Being, of an Uncreated Being, of His omnipotence. In fact, the most learned man, with all of his science, cannot arrive at creating the most wretched mosquito, and this says that there must be a most powerful uncreated Being who created everything, and gives life and preservation to all beings. Oh, how the whole universe, in clear notes and with indelible characters, speaks to us of God and of His omnipotence! Therefore, one who does not see Him is voluntarily blind! By news: it seemed to me that blessed Jesus, in descending from Heaven, came upon earth in person to give us news of what is invisible to us; and in how many ways did He not manifest Himself? I believe that everyone can comprehend the rest by himself, therefore I will not go on speaking.

December 25, 1899
Jesus wants a continuous attitude of sacrifice in the soul.

After spending several days of almost total privation of my highest and only Good, days accompanied by hardness of heart, without even being able to cry over my great loss, though I offered to God even that loss, saying to Him: ‘Lord, accept it as a sacrifice; You alone can soften this heart of mine, so hard’ – finally, after long suffering, my dear Queen Mama came, carrying the celestial Baby on Her lap, wrapped in a little cloth, all shivering. She placed Him in my arms, telling me: “My daughter, warm Him with your affections, because my Son was born in extreme poverty, in the complete abandonment of men, and in highest mortification.”

Oh, how pretty He was, with that celestial beauty of His! I took Him in my arms and I clasped Him to myself to warm Him, because He was almost numb with cold, since He had nothing else to cover Him but one little cloth. After I warmed Him as much as I could, my tender little Baby, moving His purple lips, told me: “Do you promise Me always to be victim for love of Me, just as I am for love of you?” And I: ‘Yes, my little Treasure, I promise You.’ And He: “I am not content with the word – I want an oath, and also an underwriting with your blood.” And I: ‘If obedience wants it, I will do it.’

He seemed to be all content, and added: “From the moment I was born, I always kept my Heart offered in sacrifice, to glorify the Father, for the conversion of sinners, and for the people who surrounded Me, and who were my most faithful companions in my pains. In the same way, I want your heart to be in this continuous attitude, offered in spirit of sacrifice for these three purposes.”

While He was saying this, the Queen Mama wanted the Baby in order to nourish Him with Her most sweet milk. I gave Him back to Her, and She uncovered Her breast to place it in the mouth of Her Divine Baby; and I, clever, wanting to make a joke, placed my mouth to suckle. I drew a few drops, and in the act in which I was doing this, they disappeared from me, leaving me content and discontent. May everything be for the glory of God, and to the confusion of this miserable sinner.

December 27, 1899
Charity must be like a mantle that covers one’s actions.

He continued to make Himself seen like shadow and flash. While I was in a sea of bitterness because of His absence, in one instant He made Himself seen, telling me: “Charity must be like a mantle which must cover all of your actions, in such a way that everything must shine with perfect charity. What is the meaning of your being displeased when you do not suffer? That your charity is not perfect, because suffering for love of Me and not suffering for love of Me, without your will, is all the same.” And He disappeared leaving me more embittered than before, wanting to touch a key too delicate for me, which He Himself has infused in me.

Then, after I shed bitter tears for my miserable state and over the absence of my adorable Jesus, He came back and told me: “With just souls I act with justice, or rather, I give them double recompense for their justice by favoring them with greater graces, and by speaking to them of just words and of sanctity.” However, I found myself so confused and bad, that I did not dare to utter a single word; rather, I continued to shed tears over my misery. And Jesus, wanting to infuse trust in me, placed His hand under my head in order to lift it, because it could not hold itself up, and He added: “Do not fear, I am the shield of the tribulated.” And He disappeared.

December 30, 1899
Effects of humiliation and of mortification.

This morning I saw my adorable Jesus for just a little, and since obedience had told me to pray for a certain person, when Jesus came I commended her to Him, and He said to Me: “Humiliation must not only be accepted, but also loved; so much so, as to chew it like food. And just as when a food is bitter, the more one chews it, the more he feels the bitterness, in the same way, humiliation, when it is well chewed, gives rise to mortification. And these – that is, humiliation and mortification – are two most powerful means in order to get out of certain hitches and obtain those graces which are needed. While it seems to be noxious to the human nature, just like the bitter food which seems to do harm rather than good – so with humility and mortification. But it is not so. The more the piece of iron is beaten on the anvil, the more it sparkles with fire and is purged. The same for the soul: the more she is humiliated and beaten on the anvil of mortification, the more she sparkles with celestial fire and is purged – if she really wants to walk along the path of good. If then she is false, it happens all the opposite.”

January 1, 1900
The Circumcision of Jesus. The more the soul humiliates herself and knows herself, the closer she draws to the truth.

Being very afflicted because of the privation of my highest and only Good, after much waiting and waiting, finally I saw Him come out from within my heart, crying, and making me understand with His eyes that He was hurting from the wound received in the Circumcision. So He cried and expected me to dry the blood that was pouring from that wound, and to sweeten the pain of the cut. I felt all compassion and confusion together, so much so that I did not dare to do it; however, drawn by love, I don’t know how I found a little cloth in my hand, and I tried as much as I could to dry the blood of Baby Jesus. While doing this, I felt I was all full of sin, and I thought that I was the cause of that pain of Jesus. Oh, how sorry I felt for Him! I felt absorbed in that bitterness; and the blessed little Baby, compassionating my miserable state, told me: “The more the soul humiliates herself and knows herself, the closer she draws to the truth; and being in the truth, she tries to push herself along the path of virtues, from which she sees herself very far away. And if she sees herself on the path of virtues, immediately she realizes how much there is left for her to do, because virtues have no end – they are infinite, as I am. So, being in the truth, the soul always tries to perfect herself, but she will never arrive at seeing herself perfect. And this serves her, and it will make her work continuously, striving to perfect herself more, without wasting time in idleness. And I, pleased with this work, keep retouching her little by little, in order to portray my likeness in her.

This is why I wanted to be circumcised – to give an example of highest humility, which rendered the very Angels of Heaven stunned.”

January 3, 1900
Peace, in any circumstance.

I continued to see myself all full of miseries; not only so, but also restless. It seems to me that all of my interior had become alarmed about the loss of Jesus. I kept thinking to myself that my great sins had made me deserve that my adorable Jesus had left me, and therefore I was not going to see Him any more. Oh, what a cruel death this thought is for me! Or rather, more ruthless than any death! ‘No longer to see Jesus…! No longer to hear the gentleness of His voice…! To lose the One on whom my life depends, and from whom every good comes to me…! How can I live without Him? Ah, everything is over for me if I lose Jesus!…’ With these thoughts I felt an agony of death; all of my interior was upset for it wanted Jesus; and He, in a flash of light, manifested Himself to my soul, telling me: “Peace, peace, do not want to disturb yourself. Just as a most fragrant flower perfumes the place in which it is put, so does my peace fill with God the soul who possesses it.” And He escaped like a flash.

Ah, Lord, how good You are with this sinner! And I also tell You in confidence: “How impertinent You are, for I must lose You no less, and You do not even want me to become disturbed or restless; and if I do it, You make me understand that I myself move away from You, because with peace I fill myself with God, while by becoming disturbed I fill myself with diabolical temptations.’ Oh, my sweet Jesus! How much patience it takes with You! – because whatever happens to me, I cannot even become upset or disturbed, but You want me to remain in perfect calm and peace.

January 5, 1900
Effects of sin and of Confession.

As I was in my usual state, I felt I was going outside of myself, and I found my adorable Jesus; but – oh, how full of sins I saw myself before His presence! In my interior I felt a strong desire to make my confession to Our Lord, and so, turning to Him, I began to tell my sins, and Jesus was listening to me. When I finished speaking, turning to me with a face full of sadness, He told me: “My daughter, sin is a poisonous and deadly embrace to the soul, if it is grave; and not only to her, but also to all the virtues present in the soul. If then it is venial, it is a wounding embrace, which renders the soul very weak and infirm, and together with her the virtues which she had acquired also become infirm. What a deadly weapon sin is! Sin alone can wound and give death to the soul! Nothing else can harm her, nothing else but sin alone renders her opprobrious and odious before Me.”

While He was saying this, I comprehended the ugliness of sin and I felt such pain that I cannot even express it. And Jesus, seeing me all contrite, raised His blessed right hand and pronounced the words of the absolution. Then He added: “Just as sin wounds and gives death to the soul, so does the Sacrament of Confession give life, heal the wounds, and give back vigor to virtues; and this, more or less, according to the dispositions of the soul – so does the virtue of the Sacrament operate.” It seemed to me that my soul had received new life; I no longer felt the bother of before, after Jesus gave me the absolution. May the Lord be always thanked and glorified!

January 6, 1900
Confidence, the staircase to ascend to the Divinity.

This morning I received Communion, and as I found myself together with Jesus, the Queen Mama was also there, and – oh, marvel! – I looked at the Mother and I could see Her Heart transmuted into Baby Jesus; I looked at the Son and I could see the Mother in the Heart of the Baby. In the meantime, I remembered that today is the Epiphany, and in the example of the Holy Magi, I was to offer something to Baby Jesus, but I saw myself as having nothing to give Him. So, in seeing my misery, the thought came to me of offering my body as myrrh, with all the sufferings of the twelve years in which I had been in bed, ready to suffer and to remain there as much longer as He pleased; as gold, the pain I feel when He deprives me of His presence, which is the most painful and sorrowful thing for me; as incense, my poor prayers, united to those of the Queen Mama, so that they might be more pleasing to Baby Jesus. So I made the offering with full confidence that the Baby would accept everything.

Jesus seemed to accept my poor offerings with great pleasure, but that which He enjoyed the most was the confidence with which I had offered them. Then He said to me: “Confidence has two arms: with one it embraces my Humanity, and it uses my Humanity as a staircase in order to ascend to my Divinity; with the other it embraces the Divinity and draws celestial graces in torrents, in such a way that the soul remains all inundated within the Divine Being. When the soul is confident, she is certain to obtain what she asks. I let my arms be bound, I let her do whatever she wants, I let her penetrate even into my Heart, and I let her take, by herself, that which she has asked from Me. If I did not do so, I would feel Myself in a state of violence.” While He was saying this, many rivulets of a liqueur (I call it ‘liqueur’, but I can’t really tell what it was) came out from the breast of the Baby and of the Mother, which inundated my soul completely. Then the Queen Mother disappeared.

After this, together with the Baby I went out into the vault of the heavens. I saw that His gracious face was sad, and I said to myself: ‘Maybe He wants milk, this is why He is sad.’ So I said to Him: ‘Do You want to suckle from me since the Queen Mama is not here?’ But before doing this, I became concerned that it might be the devil; so, in order to be reassured, I signed him several times with the cross and I said to him: ‘Are you really Jesus the Nazarene, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, Son of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God?’ And the Baby assured that He was. Therefore, being assured, I placed Him to suckle from myself. The Baby seemed to revive, assuming a merry appearance, and I saw that He was suckling part of those rivulets with which He Himself had inundated me. And while He was doing this, I felt my heart being pulled, as it seemed that that milk which Jesus was drawing from me was coming out from it. Who can say what passed between me and Baby Jesus? I have no tongue to be able to manifest it, no words to be able to describe it.

January 8, 1900
The ‘errors’ contained in these writings, which will do good. Firmness and stability in operating.

I was thinking to myself: ‘Who knows how much nonsense, how many errors are contained in these things I write!’ At that moment, I felt I was losing consciousness, and blessed Jesus came and said to me: “My daughter, errors too will do good; and this, in order to make known that there is no artifice on your part, and that you are not some doctor, because if you were so, you yourself would realize where you were mistaken. This will also make shine more that it is I who speak to you, by looking at it in a simple way. However, I assure you that they will find not a shadow of vice or anything which is not virtue, because while you write, I Myself guide your hand. At the most, they may find a few errors at first sight, but if they look at them thoroughly, they will find the truth.”

Having said this, He disappeared, but after a few hours He came back. I was feeling all hesitant and concerned about the words He had spoken to me, and He added: “My heritage is firmness and stability; I am not subject to any change, and the more the soul draws near Me and advances on the path of virtues, the firmer and more stable she feels in operating good. And the farther she remains from Me, the more she will be subject to changing and oscillating – now toward good, now toward evil.

January 12, 1900
Difference between knowledge of self and humility. Jesus alone can glory in possessing true humility.

Finding myself in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came in a pitiful state. He had His hands bound tightly, His face covered with spit, and many people were slapping Him horribly. And He remained quiet, placid, without making one movement or emitting one lament; not even a batting of eyelashes, in order to show that He Himself wanted to suffer these outrages; and this, not only externally, but also internally. What a moving scene, such as to break the hardest hearts! How many things that Face said, with that spit hanging, dirtied with mud! I felt horrified, I trembled, I saw myself all pride before Jesus.

While He was in that appearance, He said to me: “My daughter, only the little ones let themselves be handled as one wants; not those who are little of human reason, but those who are little yet filled with divine reason. I alone can say that I am humble, because in man, that which is said to be humility should rather be called knowledge of self; and one who does not know himself already walks in falsehood.”

Jesus remained silent for a few minutes, and I stayed there, contemplating Him. While I was doing this, I saw a hand carrying a light, which, searching in my interior, in the most intimate hiding places, wanted to see whether the knowledge of myself and love of humiliations, confusions and opprobriums, were present in me. That light found a void in my interior – and I too saw it – which had to be filled with humiliations and confusions, in the example of blessed Jesus. Oh, how many things that light and that holy Face which was before me, made me understand! I said to myself: ‘A God, humiliated and confused for love of me, and I, a sinner, without these insignia! A God, stable, firm in bearing so many insults, to the point that He does not move, not one bit, to shake that disgusting spit off of Himself. Ah, His interior before God, and His exterior before men are made manifest to me; and yet, if He wanted to free Himself, He could, because it is not the chains that bind Him, but His firm Will, which wants to save mankind at any cost. And I? And I? Where are my humiliations? Where, the firmness, the constancy in doing good for love of my Jesus and for love of my neighbor? Ah, how different we are as victims – myself and Jesus! Ah, we are not similar at all!

While my little brain was wandering in this, my adorable Jesus told me: “Only my Humanity was filled with opprobriums and humiliations, to the point that they overflowed outside. This is why Heaven and earth tremble before my virtues, and the souls who love Me use my Humanity as a staircase in order to ascend and lap up a few little drops of my virtues. Tell me now: before my humility, where is yours? I alone can glory in possessing true humility. My Divinity, united to my Humanity, could operate prodigies at each step, word and work; yet, I voluntarily constrained Myself within the circle of my Humanity, I showed Myself as the poorest, and I reached the point of mingling with sinners themselves. I could have done the Work of Redemption in very little time, and even with one single word; yet, during the course of many years, with many hardships and sufferings, I wanted to make the miseries of man my own; I wanted to exercise Myself in many different actions, so that man might be completely renewed and divinized, even in the lowest works. In fact, once they had been exercised by Me, who was God and Man, they received new splendor, and remained with the mark of divine works. My Divinity, hidden within my Humanity, wanted to lower Itself to such baseness, subjecting Itself to the course of human actions – while with one single act of my Will I could have created infinite worlds – feeling the miseries and the weaknesses of others as if they were Its own, seeing Itself covered with all the sins of men before Divine Justice, having to pay their penalty at the price of unheard-of pains and with the shedding of all Its Blood…. Thus It exercised continuous acts of profound and heroic humility.

Oh daughter, here is the immense difference between my humility and the humility of creatures, even that of all of my Saints, which is only a shadow in the face of mine; because the creature is always a creature and does not know, as I know, how great is the weight of sin. Even though heroic souls, following my example, have offered themselves to suffer the pains of others, their pains are not different from those of the other creatures; they are not new things for them, because they are made of the same clay. Moreover, the mere thought that those pains are the cause of new gains, and that they glorify God, is a great honor for them. Furthermore, the creature is restricted within the circle in which God placed her, and she cannot go out of those limits within which she has been circumscribed by God. Oh, if it were in their power to do or undo things, how many other things they would do – everyone would reach the stars! But my divinized Humanity had no limits, yet It voluntarily constrained Itself within Itself; and this was the braiding of all my works with heroic humility.

This had been the cause of all evils which inundate the earth – lack of humility; and by exercising this virtue, I was to draw all goods from Divine Justice. Ah, yes, no concessions of graces come from my throne, if not by means of humility, nor can any ticket be received by Me, if it does not carry the signature of humility. No prayer is listened to by my ears, and moves my Heart to compassion, if it is not perfumed by the fragrance of humility. If the creature does not arrive at destroying that seed of honor, of esteem – and this can be destroyed by arriving at loving to be despised, humiliated, confused – she will feel a braiding of thorns around her heart; she will feel a void in her heart which will always bother her, and will render her very dissimilar from my Most Holy Humanity. If she does not arrive at loving humiliations, at the most she will be able to know herself a little bit, but will not shine before Me, clothed with the garment of humility, beautiful and worthy of sympathy.”

Who can say how many things I understood about this virtue, and the difference between knowledge of self and humility? I seemed to touch with my own hand the distinction between these two virtues, but I have no words to explain myself.

In order to say something, I will use an image. For example, a poor man says he is poor, and he frankly manifests his poverty, also to people who do not know him and who may believe that he possesses something. One can say that he knows himself and tells the truth; and because of this, he is loved more, he moves others to compassion for his miserable state, and everyone helps him. So it is to know oneself. If then, feeling ashamed of manifesting his poverty, that poor man boasted of being rich, while everyone knows that he does not even have clothes to cover himself and that he is dying of starvation – what happens? Everyone despises him, nobody helps him, and he becomes an object of mockery and ridicule to anyone who knows him; and the miserable one, going from bad to worse, ends up dying. So is pride before God and also before other men. And here is how one who does not know himself already leaves the truth and slumps into the path of falsehood.

Now, here is the difference with humility, though it seems to me that knowledge of self and humility are sisters born of the same womb, and one can never be humble if he does not know himself. For example, there is a rich man who, out of love for humiliations, stripping himself of his noble garments, covers himself with miserable rags. He lives unknown, manifesting to no one who he is; he mingles with the poorest, he lives with the poor as if he were one of them, and makes scorns and confusions his delights. Here is the beautiful sister of the knowledge of self, which is humility.

Ah, yes, humility draws grace; humility breaks the strongest chains, which are sin. Humility surmounts any wall of division between the soul and God, and brings her back to Him. Humility is a little plant, but always green and flowery, not subject to being gnawed by worms; nor will winds, hail or heat be able to do harm to it, or make it wither, even slightly. Though being the littlest plant, humility produces very high branches, which penetrate even into Heaven, braiding around the Heart of Our Lord; and only the branches which come from this plant have free access into that adorable Heart. Humility is the anchor of peace during the storms of the sea waves of this life. Humility is the salt which spices all virtues and preserves the soul from the corruption of sin. Humility is the little grass which sprouts along the way treaded by wayfarers; while being treaded, it disappears, but soon one can see it sprout again, more beautiful than before. Humility is like a gentle graft, which renders the wild plant gentle. Humility is the sunset of guilt. Humility is the coin of grace. Humility is like the moon, which guides us in the darkness of the night of this life. Humility is like that shrewd merchant who knows well how to trade his riches, and wastes not even one cent of the grace that is given to him. Humility is the key of the door of Heaven, such that no one can enter into It if he does not keep this key in good custody. Finally – otherwise I would never end and I would be too long – humility is the smile of God and of all Heaven, and it is the crying of all hell.

January 17, 1900
Evilness and shrewdness of man.

This morning my adorable Jesus was coming and going, but always in silence. Then I felt I was going outside of myself, and I felt Jesus behind me saying: “Man says: ‘There is no more rectitude, and as long as things are this way, we will not be able to obtain any success in our intents. So, let us fake virtue, let us pretend we are upright, let us show ourselves as true friends on the outside, for in this way it will be easier to weave our nets and deceive others. And when we come out to plunder them and harm them, since everyone believes that we are friends, we will easily have them in our hands without resistance.’ Look at where the shrewdness of man reaches!”

After this, wanting a special act of reparation, blessed Jesus seemed to cut my life off, offering me to divine Justice. In the act in which He was doing this, I thought that Jesus would make me pass away from this life, so I said to Him: ‘Lord, I do not want to come to Heaven without your insignia – first crucify me and then take me.’ So He pierced my hands and feet through with the nails, but while doing this, to my highest sorrow He disappeared and I found myself inside myself. I said to myself: ‘I am still here! Ah, how many times You have done this to me, my dear Jesus! – indeed You have a special art for being able to do it, for You make me believe that I must die, so I laugh at the world, at the pains, and I even laugh at You, because the time of our being separated is ended, and there will be no more intervals of separation. But as soon as the laughing begins, as I find myself bound once again with the shackles of the wall of this fragile body, forgetting that I had just begun to laugh, I continue with the crying, the moans and the sighs of my separation from You. Ah, Lord, hurry, for I feel compelled to come!’

January 22, 1900
Correspondence to Grace.

After going through most bitter days of privation, my poor heart was struggling between the fear of having lost Him and the hope that, who knows, I might see Him again. Oh God, what a bloody war this poor heart of mine had to bear! The pain was so great that now it would become ice-cold, now it would be squeezed as though under a press, and would drip blood. While I was in this state, I felt my sweet Jesus near me; He removed a veil from me which prevented me from seeing Him, so finally I was able to see Him. Immediately I said to Him: ‘Ah, Lord! You don’t love me any more!’

And He: “Yes, yes… What I recommend to you is correspondence to my grace, and in order to be faithful, you must be like the echo that resounds in an empty space: as soon as a voice is emitted, immediately, without the slightest hesitation, one can hear the echo booming after it. In the same way, as soon as you begin to receive my grace, without even waiting for Me to finish giving it, begin immediately the echo of your correspondence.”

January 27, 1900
The order of the virtues in the soul.

I continue to be almost without my sweet Jesus; my life is leaving me because of the pain; I feel such tedium, boredom, tiredness of life… I kept saying in my interior: ‘Oh, how my exile has been prolonged! Oh, what happiness would be mine if I could loosen the bonds of this body so that my soul might take wing, freely, toward my highest Good!’ A thought said to me: ‘And what if you go to hell?’ And I, so as not to call the devil to fight me, immediately snapped out of it by saying: ‘Well then, even from hell I will send my sighs to my sweet Jesus – even from there do I want to love Him.’ While I was amid these and other thoughts – the story would be too long if I wanted to repeat them all – lovable Jesus made Himself seen for just a little, but with a serious aspect, and He told me: “Your time has not yet come.”

Then, with an intellectual light He made me comprehend that everything must be orderly in the soul. The soul possesses many little apartments in which each virtue takes its place, even though it can be said that one single virtue contains all others within itself, and that the soul, by possessing only one of them, comes to be endowed with all the other virtues. However, in spite of this, they are all distinct among themselves, so much so, that each of them has its own place in the soul. And here is how all virtues have their origin in the mystery of the Sacrosanct Trinity: while It is One, there are Three distinct Persons, and while They are Three, They are One. I also understood that these apartments in the soul are either full of virtue or of the vice opposite to that virtue; and if there is neither virtue nor vice, they remain empty. It seemed to me that they are like a house which contains many rooms, all empty; or some rooms are full of snakes, some of mud; some are full of pieces of furniture full of dust, and some are dark. Ah, Lord, You alone can put my poor soul in order!

January 28, 1900
What mortification does.

It still continues in the same way. This morning He transported me outside of myself; after a long time, I seemed to see Jesus with clarity, but I saw myself as so bad, that I did not dare to utter a single word. We looked at each other, but in silence. Through those mutual gazes I understood that my good Jesus was filled with bitternesses, but I did not dare to say: ‘Pour them into me.’ He Himself drew near me and began to pour them; but unable to contain them, as I received them I threw them to the ground.

He said to me: “What are you doing? You do not want to share in my bitternesses any more? You no longer want to give Me relief in my pains?” And I: ‘Lord, this is not my will; I myself don’t know what has happened to me. I feel so full that I do not know where to contain them. Only a prodigy of Yours can enlarge my interior so that I may receive your bitternesses.’

Then Jesus marked me with a large sign of the cross, and He poured them again. So it seemed I was able to contain them; and then He added: “My daughter, mortification is like fire which dries up all humors. In the same way, mortification dries up all the bad humors which are present in the soul, and it inundates her with a sanctifying humor, in such a way as to make the most beautiful virtues sprout.”

January 31, 1900
Grace, and correspondence to It.

After He came quite a few times, but always in silence, I felt a void and a pain for I could not hear the most sweet voice of my sweet Jesus; and He, coming back, almost to content me, told me: “Grace is the life of the soul. Just as the soul gives life to the body, so does grace give life to the soul. However, in order to have life it is not enough for the body to have the soul; it also needs food with which to nourish itself and grow to the proper stature. In the same way, it is not enough for the soul to have grace in order to have life, but food is needed to nourish her and raise her to the proper stature. And what is this food? It is her correspondence. So grace, and correspondence to it, form the links of the chain which lead her to Heaven, and according to the measure in which the soul corresponds to grace, she keeps forming the links of this chain.”

Then He added: “What is the passport to enter into the kingdom of grace? It is humility. Through humility, by always looking at her nothingness and seeing that she is nothing but dust or wind, the soul will place all her trust in grace, so much so, as to make of it her master. And grace, taking dominion over all of the soul, leads her along the path of all virtues, and makes her reach the summit of perfection.”

What would a soul without grace be like? It seemed to me that she would be like the body without the soul, which becomes stinking and spews worms and rot from all parts, so much so, as to become an object of horror to the human sight itself. In the same way, without grace, the soul becomes so abominable as to be horrifying to the sight – not of men, but of God Trice Holy. Ah, Lord, free me from such misfortune, and from the abominable monster of sin!

February 4, 1900
Discouragement.

As I was in a state full of discouragement, especially because of the privation of my highest Good, this morning, making Himself seen for just a little, He told me: “Discouragement is an infectious humor, which infects the most beautiful flowers and the most pleasant fruits, and penetrates down to the bottom of the root, in such a way that, by invading the whole tree, that infectious humor renders it withered and squalid. And if one does not remedy it by watering it with a contrary humor, since the bad humor has infiltrated deep into the root, it will make the root wither and the tree fall to the ground. So it happens to the soul who becomes soaked with this infectious humor of discouragement.”

In spite of all this, I still felt discouraged, all huddled within myself, and I saw myself as so bad that I did not dare to fling myself toward my sweet Jesus. My mind was occupied with the thought that it was useless for me to hope for His continuous visits as before, for His graces, for His charisms – everything was over for me. And He, almost scolding me, added: “What are you doing? What are you doing? Don’t you know that lack of confidence renders the soul moribund? Thinking that she has to die, she no longer thinks of anything – neither of gaining anything, nor of making it circulate, nor of embellishing herself more, nor of remedying her sicknesses – she thinks of nothing else but that everything is over for her.”

Ah, Lord, I imagine seeing this specter of the lack of confidence – squalid, emaciated, fearful and all trembling; and all of his mastery, with no other ingenuity but fear alone, leads souls to the tomb. But what is more, this specter does not show himself as an enemy so that the soul may sneer at his fear, but he shows himself as a friend, and infiltrates so sweetly into the soul, that if the soul is not attentive, seeing him as a faithful friend who agonizes with her and even dies together with her, she will hardly be able to free herself from his artificious mastery.

February 5, 1900
The circle of truth of the knowledge of self.

Continuing in the same state, with a little bit more courage, though I was not perfectly free, my dearest Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, sometimes the soul feels an encounter in some virtue, and plucking up her strength, the soul overcomes that encounter; and then, that virtue becomes more resplendent and rooted in the soul. However, the soul must be very attentive in order to avoid that she herself might provide the little rope to let herself be bound by lack of confidence; and she will do this by always restricting herself within the circle of truth, without ever leaving it, which is the knowledge of her nothingness.”

February 12, 1900
Voluntary defects form clouds.

As I was in a state of abandonment on the part of my adorable Jesus, I felt my poor heart crushed by the pain, as though under a press. Oh God, what an unutterable pain! While I was in this state, I saw my dear Good almost like a shadow, but not clearly; I only saw one hand clearly, which seemed to carry a lamp which was lit. He dipped His finger in the lamp and anointed the area of my heart, embittered to the summit by the pain of His privation. At that moment I heard a voice saying; “The truth is light, which the Word brought upon earth. Just as the sun illuminates, vivifies and fecundates the earth, so does the light of truth give life and light, and it renders souls fecund with virtues. Even though many clouds obfuscate this light of truth, which are the iniquities of men, in spite of this, it does not cease to send forth glimmers of vivifying light from behind the clouds, so as to warm souls. And if these clouds are clouds of imperfection and of involuntary defects, this light, piercing them with its heat, makes them vanish and it penetrates freely into the soul.”

I understood that the soul must be attentive not to fall even into a shade of voluntary defects, which are those dangerous clouds that prevent the entrance of divine light.

February 13, 1900
Mortification is like lime.

This morning, after receiving Communion, I saw my adorable Jesus, but completely changed in His appearance. He seemed to be serious, all distant, in the act of reproaching me. What a tormenting change! Instead of being relieved, I felt my poor heart more oppressed, more pierced, before such an unusual presence of Jesus. Yet, I felt all the need for a relief from the pains of His privations suffered in the past days, which were such that I seemed to be alive, but agonizing and in a continuous state of violence. But blessed Jesus, wanting to reproach me because I was looking for relief in His presence, while I was to look for nothing but suffering, told me: “Just as lime has the virtue of cooking the objects which are thrown into it, so does mortification have the virtue of cooking all the imperfections and defects which are present in the soul. And it reaches the point of spiritualizing also the body, surrounding it like a circle, and sealing all virtues within it. Until mortification has cooked you well – both the soul and the body, to the point of undoing it – I will not be able to seal in you, perfectly, the mark of my crucifixion.”

After this, someone – I can’t really tell who he was, but he seemed to be an Angel – pierced my hands and feet through, and Jesus, with a lance which came out from His Heart, pierced mine, to my extreme pain. Then He disappeared, leaving me more afflicted than before. Oh, how well I understood the necessity of mortification, my inseparable friend, and how there was not even a shadow of friendship in me with mortification! Ah, Lord, bind me Yourself, with indissoluble friendship, to this good friend, because on my own I can only show myself all coarseness. And she, not seeing herself being welcomed nicely, uses all regards with me, and keeps sparing me, fearing that I may come to the point of turning my back on her completely. So, she never accomplishes with me her beautiful and majestic crafting, because as long as we remain a little distant, her prodigious hands cannot reach me, in order to be able to work me and present me to You as a work worthy of her most holy hands.

February 16, 1900
Mortification must be the breath of the soul.

It continues almost always in the same way. This morning, after renewing in me the pains of the crucifixion, He told me: “Mortification must be the breath of the soul. Just as breathing is necessary to the body, and depending on the air it breathes, whether good or bad, it becomes infected or purified – and also, from the breathing it can be known whether the interior of man is healthy or ill, and whether all the vital parts are in harmony – the same for the soul: if she breathes the air of mortification, everything in her will be purified, all of her senses will sound with the same concordant sound; her interior will emit a balsamic, salutary, fortifying breath. If then she does not breathe the air of mortification, everything will be discordant in the soul; she will emit a stinking, disgusting breath; while she is about to tame one passion, another will unbridle… In sum, her life will be nothing but a child’s game.”

I seemed to see mortification as a musical instrument: if the strings are all good and strong, it produces a harmonious and pleasant sound; but if the strings are not good, one must now fix one, now tune another. Therefore, all the time is spent fixing, but never playing; at the most, it will produce a discordant and unpleasant sound. So, nothing good will ever be accomplished.

February 19, 1900
The century of pride. Jesus wants the hearts of souls all for Himself.

This morning my adorable Jesus came and transported me outside of myself, and I could see many people, all in motion. I cannot tell with certainty, but there seemed to be a war, or a revolution, and they did nothing but braid crowns of thorns for Our Lord; so much so, that while I was all intent on removing one, they would drive a more painful one onto His head. Ah, yes, it really seemed that this century of ours will be renowned for its pride. The greatest misfortune is to lose one’s head, because once the head with the brain is lost, all the other members become disabled, or they become one’s own enemies and the enemies of others. So it happens that the person gives vent to all other vices. My patient Jesus tolerated all those crowns of thorns, and I hardly had the time to remove them. Then He turned to them and said: “You will die – some in war, some in jail, and some from earthquakes; only few of you will be left. Pride has formed the course of the actions of your lives, and pride will give you death.”

After this, blessed Jesus pulled me away from those people, and as He became a baby, I carried Him in my arms to let Him rest. Asking me for a refreshment, He wanted to suckle from me; fearing that it might be the devil, I signed Him with the cross several times, and then I said to Him: ‘If You really are Jesus, let us recite the Hail Mary to our Queen Mama together.’ And Jesus recited the first part, and I the Holy Mary. Then, He Himself wanted to recite the Our Father. Oh, how touching His praying was! It was so moving that my heart seemed to liquefy. Then He added: “Daughter, unlike others, I had my life from the Heart, and this is one reason why I am all Heart for souls and I am inclined to want the heart, and I tolerate not even a shadow of what is not mine. So, between you and Me I want everything distinctly for Myself; and that which you will concede to creatures, will be nothing but the overflow of our love.”

February 20, 1900
Jesus is the Lamp of all in Heaven.

My benign Jesus continues to come. After I received Communion, He renewed in me the pains of the crucifixion, and I was left so numb that I felt the need for a relief, but I did not dare to ask for it. After a little while He came back as a baby and He kissed me all over; milk flowed from His lips, and I drank in large gulps that most sweet milk from His most pure lips. Now, while I was doing this, He told me: “I am the flower of the Celestial Eden, and the fragrance I spread is such that at my perfume the whole of Heaven remains captivated. And since I am the Lamp that sends light to all, so much so, as to keep them immersed in it, all of my Saints draw their little lamps from Me. So, there is no light in Heaven which has not been drawn from this Lamp.” Ah, yes! There is not even the smell of virtue without Jesus; and even if one went up to the highest heavens, there is no light without Jesus!

February 21, 1900
Purity is obtained through mortification, and mortification renders the soul worthy of sympathy.

This morning my lovable Jesus began to make His usual delays. May He be always blessed, for He always starts from the beginning! Indeed it takes the patience of a saint to bear Him; and one would have to deal with Jesus to see how much patience it takes! One who has not experienced it, cannot believe it, and it is almost impossible not to have a few huffs with Him.

Then, after being patient in waiting and waiting for Him, finally He came and told me: “My daughter, the gift of purity is not a natural gift, but an attained grace; and it is obtained by rendering oneself worthy of sympathy. The soul becomes so through mortifications and through sufferings. Oh, how worthy of sympathy becomes the mortified and suffering soul! Oh, how striking she is! And I feel such sympathy as to go mad for her, and whatever she wants, I give to her. When you are deprived of Me, suffer my privation for love of Me, which is the most painful suffering for you, and I will feel more sympathy than before, and will grant you new gifts.”

February 23, 1900
The sign to know whether a state is Will of God.

This morning, after I had almost lost the hope that blessed Jesus would come, all of a sudden He came and renewed in me the pains of the crucifixion; and He told me: “The time has come, the end is approaching, but the hour is uncertain.” And I, without paying attention to the meaning of the words He spoke, remained in doubt about whether I should apply them to my complete crucifixion or to the chastisements. So I said to Him: ‘Lord, how I fear that my state may not be Will of God!’ And He: “The surest sign in order to know whether a state is my Will is when one feels the strength to sustain that state.” And I: ‘If it were your Will, this change – that You do not come as before – would not happen.’

And He: “When a person becomes intimate with a family, one no longer uses those formalities, those regards which were used before, when he was a stranger. So I do. But nevertheless, this is not a sign that it is not the will of that family to have that person with them, or that they no longer love him as before. Therefore, be at peace, let Me do – do not want to rack your brains or trouble the peace of your heart. At the appropriate time you will know my working.”

February 24, 1900
Luisa resists obedience.

This morning I was all fear; I believed that everything was fantasy – that is, the devil wanting to deceive me. So, whatever I would see, I would despise and I would be displeased. I saw the confessor placing the intention that Jesus would renew in me the pains of the crucifixion, and I tried to resist. At first blessed Jesus tolerated me, but since the confessor kept repeating the intention, Jesus told me: “My daughter, this time we are really going to fail the obedience. Don’t you know that obedience must seal the soul, and that obedience must render the soul like soft wax, in such a way that the confessor may give to it the shape he wants?” So, heedless of my resistances, He shared with me the pains of the crucifixion; and I, no longer able to resist all this, which I did not want for fear that it might not be Jesus, was forced to succumb under the weight of the pains. May He be always blessed, and may everything be for His glory, in everything and always.

February 26, 1900
The Divine Will is the beatitude of all.

After going through several days of privation – at most, He would come sometimes like a shadow, and would run away – I felt such pain that I consumed myself with tears. Having compassion for my sorrow, blessed Jesus came, and He looked and looked at me again; then He said to me: “My daughter, do not fear for I do not leave you. However, when you are without my presence I do not want you to lose heart, but rather, from today on, when you are deprived of Me, I want you to take my Will and to delight in It, loving Me and glorifying Me in my Will, and holding my Will as if It were my very Person. By doing so, you will keep Me in your very hands. What forms the beatitude of Paradise? Certainly my Divinity. Now, what would form the beatitude of my dear ones on earth? With certainty, my Will. My Will can never escape you; you will always have It in your possession, and if you remain in the circle of my Will, there you will experience the joys most ineffable and the pleasures most pure. By never going out of the circle of my Will, the soul becomes noble, divinized, and all of her operations reverberate in the center of the divine Sun, just as the sun’s rays reverberate on the surface of the earth – not one of them goes out of their center, which is God. The soul who does my Will is alone the noble queen who nourishes herself from my breath, because she takes her food and her drinks from no place but my Will, and by nourishing herself from my Will all Holy, a most pure blood will flow in her veins, and her breath will spread a fragrant perfume, which will cheer the whole of Me, because it is produced by my very breath. Therefore, I want nothing else from you but that you form your beatitude in the circle of my Will, without ever going out of It, not even for a brief instant.”

While He was saying this, I felt an alarm and a fear in my interior, that the speaking of Jesus might indicate that He was not going to come, and that I was to find peace in His Will. Oh God, what a mortal pain! What grips in my heart! But Jesus, always benign, added: “How can I leave you since you are victim? When you cease to be victim, only then will I not come; but as long as you are victim I will always feel drawn to come.”

So it seems I have remained at peace, but I feel as though surrounded by the adorable Will of God, in such a way that I find no opening through which to go out. I hope He will always keep me in this circle that connects me completely in God.

February 27, 1900
The Divine Will binds Jesus to the soul. The great evil of murmuring.

Having abandoned all of myself in the lovable Will of Our Lord, I saw myself surrounded completely by my sweet Jesus, inside and out. By having abandoned myself in Him, I saw myself as if my being had become transparent, and wherever I turned, I could see my highest Good. But that which amazed me was that while I saw myself surrounded by Jesus inside and out, so was I, my poor being, my will, surrounding Jesus as though within a circle, in such a way that He would not be able to find an opening to go out, because my will, united to His, kept Him chained, without any possibility that He might escape me. Oh admirable secret of the Will of my Lord – indescribable is Your happiness!

Now, while I was in this state, blessed Jesus told me; “My daughter, in the soul who is completely transformed in my Volition I find sweet rest. Her soul becomes for Me like those soft objects which cause no bother to someone who wants to rest; on the contrary, be they even tired and suffering people, the softness and the pleasure they receive in resting over those objects is such that, when they wake up, they find themselves strong and healthy. Such is for Me the soul who is conformed to my Will; and I, as recompense, let Myself be bound by her will and I make the Divine Sun shine in her as in the full midday.” Having said this, He disappeared.

Then, later, after I received Communion He came back and transported me outside of myself. I could see many people, and Jesus told me: “Tell them, tell them that great is the evil they do by murmuring about one another. They draw my indignation, and with justice, because I see that while they are subject to the same miseries and weaknesses, they do nothing but raise tribunals against one another. If they do this among themselves, what should I, who am pure and holy, do with them? According to the charity which they exercise toward one another, so do I feel drawn to use mercy with them.” Jesus was saying this to me, and I repeated it to those people; and then we withdrew.

March 2, 1900
The union of wills is that which most binds the soul to Jesus.

This morning, after I received Holy Communion, my sweet Jesus made Himself seen crucified, and I felt drawn interiorly to reflect myself in Him, to be able to become like Him, and Jesus reflected Himself in me, to draw me to His likeness. While doing this, I felt the pains of my crucified Lord being infused in me, and with all goodness He told me: “I want suffering to be your nourishment, not only as suffering, but as the fruit of my Will. The most sincere kiss which binds our friendship more tightly is the union of our wills, and the indissoluble bond that will clasp us in continuous embraces will be the continuous suffering.”

While He was saying this, blessed Jesus unnailed Himself, took His cross and laid it in the interior of my body, and I too was so stretched as to feel my bones being dislocated. Moreover, a hand, but I cannot tell with certainty whose it was, pierced my hands and feet through. Jesus, who was seated on the cross which lay in my interior, was all pleased with my suffering and with the one who was piercing my hands, and He added: “Now I can rest in tranquillity, I do not even have to take the trouble to crucify you, because obedience wants to do everything herself, and I leave you freely in the hands of obedience.” And moving quickly from upon the cross, He placed Himself upon my heart to rest. Who can say in how much suffering I remained, being in that position? After I remained like this for a long time, Jesus would not bother relieving me as the other times, so as to let me return to my natural state. I could no longer see that hand which had put me on the cross; I said this to Jesus, and He replied: “Who put you on the cross? Did I perhaps do it? It was obedience, and obedience must remove you from it.” It seems that this time He wanted to joke, and by His highest grace I obtained that blessed Jesus would free me.

March 7, 1900
The soul who is conformed to the Divine Will binds God.

This morning, finding myself outside of myself, I had to go round and round to find my blessed Jesus. Fortunately I entered into a church and I found Him on an altar where the Divine Sacrifice was being celebrated. Immediately I ran to Him and I embraced Him, telling Him: ‘Finally I have found You! You made me go round so much to the point of tiring myself, and You were here.’

And He, looking me at me with seriousness, not with the usual benignity, told me: “This morning I feel very embittered, and I feel the full necessity to lay hand to chastisements to free Myself of this load.” And I, immediately: ‘My dear, it is nothing, we will remedy it quickly; You will pour your bitternesses into me and so You will be relieved of this load, isn’t it true?’ And He, condescending to my words, poured His bitternesses into me. Then, afterwards, clasping all of me to Himself, as if He had freed Himself of a heavy weight, He added: “The soul who is conformed to my Will knows how to infiltrate herself so much into my power as to reach the point of binding Me completely, and to her liking she disarms Me as she wants. Ah, you, you – how many times you bind Me!” And while saying this, He assumed His usual sweet and benign appearance.

March 9, 1900
Grace is like the sun.

As I was a little disturbed because of something which it is not necessary to say here, my mind wanted to go wandering about, so as to be assured about my disturbance and so remain at peace. But blessed Jesus, wanting to contradict my will, prevented me from seeing what I wanted; and since I insisted in wanting to see, He told me: “Why do you want to go wandering about? Don’t you know that one who goes out of my Will goes out of the light and confines himself into darkness?” And almost wanting to distract me from what I wanted, He transported me outside of myself, and changing the subject He added: “Take a look at how ungrateful men are to Me. The light of the sun fills the whole earth, from one end to another, in such a way that there is no land which does not enjoy the benefit of its light, and there is no one who can complain about being without its beneficial influence. In fact, investing the whole universe, the sun takes it as though in hand to be able to give light to all. Only one who, escaping from its hand, goes to hide in dark places can complain of not enjoying its light; and yet, continuing its charitable office, the sun does not cease to send him a few glimmers of light through its fingers. So is my Grace, an image of the sun, which inundates the people everywhere: poor and rich, ignorant and learned, Christians and unbelievers – no one, no one can say he is without it, because the light of truth and the influence of my Grace fill the earth, more than the sun in its full midday.

But what pain is mine in seeing people who, passing through this light with their eyes closed and confronting my Grace with the pestilent torrent of their iniquities, deviate from this light and live voluntarily in dark places, in the midst of cruel enemies? They are exposed to a thousand dangers, because, not having light, they cannot know clearly whether they are in the midst of friends or enemies, and therefore shun the dangers that surround them.

Ah, if the sun had reason and men were able to give this affront to its light, and some of them, to irritate its light and not to see it, reached such ingratitude as to pluck their eyes out so as to be more sure of living in darkness – ah!, instead of sending light, the sun would send laments and cries of sorrow, such as to turn all nature upside down! Yet, that which one would have horror in doing to natural light, men reach such excess as to do to my Grace, treating it in this way. But my Grace, always benign with them, in the midst of darkness itself and of the madness of their blindness, always sends glimmers of light, because my Grace never leaves anyone. It is man who voluntarily goes out of it, and Grace, not having him within itself, tries to follow him with glimmers of its light.”

While saying this, sweet Jesus was extremely afflicted, and I did as much as I could to console Him, praying Him to pour His bitternesses into me. And He added: “Bear with Me if I am a cause of affliction for you, because once in a while I feel all the necessity, with my beloved souls, to pour out my pain in words for the ingratitude of men, so as to move their hearts to repair for such an excess, and to compassion for men themselves.” And I: ‘Lord, what I would like is that You do not spare me the sharing in your pains.’ And as I tried to say some more, He disappeared from me and I returned into myself.

March 10, 1900
Effects of suffering and of obedience.

This morning, having received Holy Communion, I saw my dear Jesus as a Child with a lance in His hand, in the act of wanting to pierce my heart through; and since I had said something to the confessor, wanting to reproach me, Jesus told me: “You want to shun suffering, and I want you to begin a new life of sufferings and of obedience.” And while saying this, He pierced my heart through with the lance, and then He added: “Just as the fire burns according to the wood that is placed in it, thus being more active in burning and consuming the objects that are thrown into it, and the greater the fire, the greater the heat and the light it contains – the same with suffering and obedience: the greater they are, the more the soul becomes capable of destroying what is material, and obedience gives her the shape it wants, like soft wax.”

March 11, 1900
Encounter with a soul in Purgatory.

It continues almost always in the same way. This morning I saw good Jesus more afflicted than usual, threatening a great mortality of people, and I saw that in certain towns many were dying. Then I passed by Purgatory, and as I recognized a late friend of mine, I questioned her about various things regarding my state, especially whether my state is Will of God, and whether it is true that it is Jesus who comes, or the devil. So I said to her: “Since you are present before the Truth and you know things with clarity, with no possibility of deceiving yourself, you can tell me the truth about my things.’

And she said to me: “Do not fear, your state is Will of God, and Jesus loves you very much – this is why He is pleased to manifest Himself to you.” And I, proposing some of my doubts to her, prayed her to be so kind as to see before the light of truth whether they were true or false, and to do me the charity to come and let me know; and if she did that, as recompense I would have a Mass celebrated in her suffrage. And she added: “If the Lord wants it, because we are so immersed in God that we cannot even flutter our eyelashes if we do not have His concourse. We dwell in God just like a person who dwelled in another body, who can think, speak, look, work, walk, insofar as it is allowed to him by that body which surrounds him on the outside. In fact, for us it is not like for you, who exercise your free volition, your own will; for us every will has ceased, our will is only the Will of God – from It we live, in It we find all our contentment, and It forms all our good and our glory.” And as she was showing an unspeakable contentment for this Will of God, we separated.

March 14, 1900
How to draw souls to Catholicism.

Since the confessor had given me the obedience to pray to the Lord that He would manifest to me what should be done in order to draw souls to Catholicism and to remove so much unbelief, I prayed for several days, and the Lord would not deign to manifest Himself on this point. Finally, this morning I found myself outside of myself, transported into a garden which seemed to be the garden of the Church, and in it there were many priests and other dignities, who were discussing this topic. While they were discussing, a dog of enormous size and strength came out, and the majority of them were so scared and exhausted as to let themselves be bitten by that beast, and then they would withdraw like cowards from the enterprise. That fierce dog had no strength to bite only those who had Jesus in their hearts as their center, who would thus form the center of all of their actions, thoughts and desires. Ah, yes, Jesus formed a seal for these people, and that beast would become so weak as to have not even the strength to breathe.

Now, while they were discussing, I heard Jesus behind my shoulders saying: “All other societies know who belongs to their party, only my Church does not know who Her children are. The first step is to know who those are who belong to Her, and these you can know by establishing a reunion one day, to which you will invite them, so that who is Catholic should convene to the appointed place for this reunion; and there, with the help of the lay Catholics, they should decide what it is advisable to do. The second step is to oblige to confession those Catholics who convene, which is the most important thing that renews man and forms the true Catholics. And this, not only for those who are present, but they should oblige the leaders to oblige their subjects to confession; and if they do not succeed with gentle manners, they should dismiss them from their service. Once each priest has formed the body of his Catholics, then will they be able to advance to superior steps. In fact, recognizing the opportunity of the moment, the way to penetrate into other parties, and the prudence in exposing themselves, is like the pruning of trees, which makes them produce large and mature fruits. But if the tree is not pruned, it does make, yes, a beautiful display of leaves and of flowers, but as soon as a frost comes, or a wind blows, since the tree does not have enough sap and strength to sustain so many flowers in order to change them into fruits, the flowers fall off, and the tree remains stripped. The same happens in the things of religion: first you must form a suitable body of Catholics, so as to be able to confront the other parties, and then you can come to penetrating into the other parties to form one single party.”

After He said this, I did not hear Him any more, and without even seeing Him, I found myself inside myself. Who can say my pain at not having seen blessed Jesus for the whole day, and the tears I had to shed?

March 15, 1900
Jesus feels disarmed by the victim souls.

Since He continued not to come, I was consumed with sorrow and I felt such a fever as to become delirious. Now, since the confessor came to celebrate the Divine Sacrifice, I received Communion, but I could not see my dear Jesus as usual, so I began to speak my nonsense: “Tell me, my Good, why do You not make Yourself seen? This time it seems to me that I have given You no occasion to withdraw! How can You just leave me like this? Ah, not even the friends of this earth act in this way! When they have to be apart, at least they say good bye to each other – and You? You say not even good bye to me? How can it be? Is this the way to behave? Forgive me if I speak in this way, it is the fever that makes me delirious, and makes me reach folly.’ Who can say all the nonsense I spoke to Him? It would be like wanting to waste time.

Now, while I was raving and crying, Jesus showed now one hand, now one arm. Then I saw the confessor giving me the obedience to suffer the crucifixion, and Jesus, as though forced by obedience, made Himself seen, and immediately I said to Him: ‘Why were You not letting Yourself be seen?’ And He, showing a serious appearance, said: “It is nothing, it is nothing… It is that I want to chastise the earth, and if I am in good relations even with one creature, I feel disarmed and I have no strength to lay hand to the chastisements, because when I make Myself seen, if you see that I have to send chastisements, you begin to say: ‘Pour them into me – make me suffer’; and I feel conquered by you, so I never lay hand to the chastisements, and men do nothing but grow bolder.”

Now, as the confessor continued to repeat the obedience of making me suffer the crucifixion, Jesus showed Himself slow in letting me do this obedience, not like the other times in which He immediately wanted me to submit myself. He said to me: “And you, what do you want to do?” And I: ‘Lord, whatever You want.’ So, turning to the confessor with a serious aspect, He said to him: “You too want to bind Me by giving her this obedience to suffer?” And while saying this, He began to share the pains of the cross with me. Then, showing Himself appeased, He poured His bitternesses, and then He added: “Where is the confessor?” And I: ‘Lord, I don’t know where he went; indeed I don’t see him with us any more.’ And He: “I want Him, because just as he refreshed Me, I want to refresh him.”

March 17, 1900
Sorrow of the Pope. Humility.

This morning blessed Jesus made me see the Holy Father with open wings, going in search of his children in order to gather them under his wings; and I could hear his laments, saying: “My children, my children, how many times have I tried to gather you under my wings – and you escape me! O please! Listen to my moans, and have compassion for my sorrow!” And while saying this, he cried bitterly. It seemed that it was not only the secular that were moving away from the Pope, but also priests, and these gave greater sorrow to the Holy Father. How pitiful it was to see the Pope in this position! After this, I saw Jesus who echoed the laments of the Holy Father, and added: “Few are those who have remained faithful, and these few live like foxes withdrawn inside their dens. They are afraid to expose themselves in order to pull their children away from the mouths of the wolves. They speak, they propose, but those are all words thrown to the wind – they never come to deeds.” Having said this, He disappeared.

After a little while He came back. I felt all annihilated within myself in the presence of Jesus, and He, seeing me annihilated, told me: “My daughter, the more you lower yourself within yourself, the more I feel drawn to lower Myself toward you, and to fill you with my grace. Here is how humility is bearer of light.”

March 20, 1900
Jesus is forced to chastise, and the victim soul tries to placate Him.

Having received Communion, I saw my sweet Jesus inviting me to go out with Him, on the condition, however, that if I was to go with Him, wherever I would see that Jesus was forced to send chastisements because of sins, I should not oppose Him so that He would not send them. With this condition we went out, going round the earth. At first I began to see areas, not too far from us, which were all withered, especially at certain points; so, turning to Him I said: ‘Lord, how can these poor people go on if they lack the food to nourish themselves? O please! You can do anything – just as You made it wither, make it become green again.’ And since He had the crown of thorns, I stretched out my hand, telling Him: ‘My Good, what have these people done to You? Did they perhaps put this crown of thorns on You? Well then, give it to me, so You will be placated, and will give them food so as not to let them perish.” And removing it from Him, I pressed it onto my head.

While I was doing this, Jesus told me: “It shows that I cannot take you with me, because taking you and being unable to do anything is the same.” And I: ‘Lord, I have not done anything; forgive me if You know that I have done evil, but, O please! take me with You!’ And He: “Your way of acting binds Me everywhere.” And I: ‘I am not the one who does this, it is You Yourself who make me operate in this way, because in being with You, I see that all things are Yours, and if I did not care about your things, it seems to me that I would not care about You Yourself. Therefore, You must forgive me if I act in this way, because I do it for love of You, and You must not drive me away because of this.’

So we continued to go around. I did as much as I could not to tell Him anything at certain points so that He would not chastise, in order not to give Him any occasion to make me withdraw and lose His lovable presence. But where I could not, I would begin to oppose Him. We arrived at some place in Italy where they were making a plot which was to cause a great disorder, but I did not understand what it was, because as I began to say, ‘Lord, do not allow this – poor people! How shall they go on?’ – seeing that I insisted and wanted to prevent Him, Jesus told me with authority: “Withdraw! Withdraw!” And removing a belt of nails and pins which He wore, sunken inside His flesh, and which made Him suffer very much, He added: “Withdraw and take this belt with you, for you will give Me great relief.” And I: ‘Yes, I will put it on myself in your place, but let me be with You.’ And He: “No – withdraw!” And He said this with such authority that, unable to resist, in one instant I found myself inside myself, and I was unable to understand what that plot was about.

March 25, 1900
The Incarnate Word is like Sun for souls.

This morning my adorable Jesus, in the act of coming, told me: “Just as the sun is the light of the world, so did the Word of God, in incarnating Himself, become the light of souls. And just as the material sun gives light in general and to each one in particular, so much so, that each one can enjoy it as if it were his own, in the same way, the Word, while giving light in general, is Sun for each one in particular; so much so, that each one can have this Divine Sun as if It were for himself alone.”

Who can say what I understood about this light and the beneficial effects that abound in souls who keep this Sun as if It were their own? It seemed to me that, by possessing this light, the soul dispels darkness, just as the material sun, by rising over our horizon, dispels the darkness of the night. If the soul is cold, this Divine Light warms her; if she is naked of virtues, It fecundates her; if she is inundated by the pestilent disease of lukewarmness, with Its heat It absorbs that bad humor. In a word, so as not to be too long, this Divine Sun, introducing her into the center of Its sphere, covers the soul with all Its rays and reaches the point of transforming the soul into Its very light.

After this, since I was feeling all weary, wanting to refresh me, Jesus told me: “This morning I want to delight in you.” And He began to make His usual loving stratagems.

April 1, 1900
Passions changed into virtues.

After waiting and waiting, my sweet Jesus made Himself seen within my heart. I seemed to see a sun spreading its rays, and in looking into the center of this sun, I could see the face of Our Lord. But that which amazed me was seeing many maidens clothed in white within my heart, with crowns on their heads, surrounding this divine Sun and nourishing themselves with the rays which this Sun was spreading. Oh, how beautiful they were! – modest, humble, all intent on Jesus, and delighting in Him!

Not knowing the meaning of this, with a little bit of concern I asked Jesus to let me know who those maidens were; and Jesus told me: “These maidens were your passions, which now, by my grace, I have changed into as many virtues, which form my noble cortege, remaining all at my disposal. And I, as recompense, keep nourishing them with my continuous grace.” Ah, Lord, yet, I feel I am so bad that I am ashamed of myself!

April 2, 1900
Jesus judges according to the will with which one operates.

This morning I had to suffer very much because of the absence of my dear Jesus; however, He repaid my pains by granting a desire of mine, of wanting to know something which I had been yearning for, for a long time. Then, I went round and round in search of Jesus; now I would call Him with prayer, now with tears, now with singing – who knows whether He might be wounded by my voice and so let Himself be found; but it was all in vain. I repeated my moans; I asked about Him to whomever I found. Finally, when my heart felt it was dying and could take no more, I found Him. But I could see Him from the back, and remembering about a resistance I made to Him, which I will write in the book of the confessor, I asked for His forgiveness; so it seems we placed ourselves in accord; so much so, that He Himself asked me what I wanted. And I said to Him: ‘Be pleased to let me know your Will about my state, especially what I must do when I find myself with little sufferings and You do not come; and if You do come, it is almost like a shadow. So, not seeing You, I feel my senses present within me, and finding myself in this state, I feel as if I were adding something of my own and as if it were not necessary to wait for the coming of the confessor in order to go out of that state.’

And Jesus: “Whether you suffer or not, whether I come or not, your state is always of victim; more so, since this is my Will and yours, and I judge not according to the works that one does, but according to the will with which one operates.” And I: ‘My Lord, it is fine as You say, but it seems to me that I am useless and that much time is wasted, and I feel a bother, a fear… And then, having the confessor come torments my soul, for it may not be your Will.’ And He: “Do you think it is a sin to have the confessor come?” And I: ‘No, but I fear it is not your Will.’ And He: “It is sin that you must shun – even the shadow of it, but about the rest you must have no concern.” And I: ‘If it were not your Will, why remain there?’ And He: “Ah, it seems that my daughter wants to escape the state of victim, doesn’t she?” And I, all blushing, said: ‘No, Lord, I am saying this for those times in which You do not let me suffer and do not come; after all, let me suffer, and I will have no concerns.’

And Jesus: “To Me it seems that you want to escape. Besides, do you know when I intend to come and communicate my pains to you, whether at the first, the second, the third or even the last hour? So, by distracting yourself from Me and trying to go out, you occupy yourself with something else, and when I come I will not find you prepared, and will turn around and go somewhere else.” And I, all frightened: ‘May this never be, oh Lord! I want to know nothing but your Most Holy Will.’ And He: “Remain calm and wait for the confessor.” Having said this, He disappeared.

It seems I feel relieved of a heavy weight by this speaking of Jesus, but in spite of this, the sorrowful pain of when Jesus deprives me of Himself has not decreased in me.

April 9, 1900
Abandonment in God.

This morning, having received Communion, I was in a sea of bitternesses for I did not see my highest Good, Jesus. I felt all of my interior alarmed when, in one instant, He made Himself seen and told me, almost reproaching me: “Don’t you know that not abandoning oneself in Me is wanting to usurp the rights of my Divinity, giving Me a great affront? Therefore, abandon yourself, calm all your interior in Me, and you will find peace; and in finding peace, you will find Me.” Having said this, He disappeared like a flash, without letting Himself be seen any more. Ah! Lord, keep me, Yourself, all abandoned and well clasped in your arms, so that I may never escape; otherwise I will always make my little escapes!

April 10,1900
The desire to see Jesus draws Him to the soul.

Blessed Jesus continues not to come. Oh God, what an unspeakable pain His privation is! I tried as much as I could to remain at peace and all abandoned in Him, but – no!… my poor heart could take no more. I did as much as I could to calm it, saying: ‘My heart, let us wait a little longer; who knows – He might come. Let us use some stratagems to draw Him to come.’ So, turning to Him, I said: “Lord, come, it is getting late and You have not come yet? This morning I am trying to remain calm as much as I can; yet, You do not let Yourself be found? Lord, I offer You the martyrdom of your privation as a proof of love, and as a gift to induce You to come. It is true that I am not worthy, but it is not because I am worthy that I look for You; rather, I do it out of love, and because without You I feel life missing in me.’ And since He was not coming, I said to Him: ‘Lord, either You come, or I will tire You with my speaking; and when You are tired… even then You are not going to come?’ But who can say all my nonsense? I told Him so many things that I would be too long if I wanted to say everything.

After this, I just barely saw my sweet Jesus moving in my interior, as if He were waking up from a sleep. Then He showed Himself more clearly, and transporting me outside of myself, He told me: “Just as the bird flaps its wings when it must fly, so does the soul flap the wings of humility at the flights of her desires, and in that flapping she sends a magnet that attracts Me, in such a way that while she takes wing to come to Me, I take wing to go to her.” Ah, Lord, it shows that I lack the magnet of humility! If I could spread the magnet of humility everywhere on my path, I would not have to struggle so much in waiting and waiting for your coming!

April 16, 1900
The three signatures on the passport to enter beatitude on earth. Plot against the Church.

After I went through bitter days of privation and of reproaches of blessed Jesus because of my ingratitude and resistance to His Will and to His graces, this morning, upon coming, He told me: “My daughter, the passport to enter beatitude, which the soul can possess on this earth, must be signed with three signatures, and these are resignation, humility and obedience.

Perfect resignation to my Will is wax which melts our wills and forms a single one; it is sugar and honey. However, at a small resistance to my Will, the wax separates, the sugar becomes bitter, and the honey turns into poison.

Now, it is not sufficient to be resigned, but the soul must be convinced that the greatest good for herself and the best way to glorify Me is to always do my Will. Here is the necessity of the signature of humility, because humility produces this knowledge.

But who ennobles these two virtues? Who fortifies them; who renders them persevering; who chains them together in such a way that they cannot separate; who crowns them? Obedience. Ah, yes, completely destroying one’s will and everything which is material, obedience spiritualizes everything, and like a crown, places itself around them. So, resignation and humility without obedience are subject to instability, but with obedience they will be fixed and stable. Here is the strict necessity of the signature of obedience: so that this passport may circulate in order to pass into the reign of spiritual beatitude, which the soul can enjoy down here. Without these three signatures, the passport will have no value, and the soul will be rejected by the reign of beatitude, and will be forced to remain in the reign of restlessness, of fears and of dangers; and to her misfortune, she will have her own self as god, and this self will have the cortege of pride and of rebellion.”

After this, He carried me outside of myself, into a garden, which seemed to be the garden of the Church. There I saw five or six people, priests and secular, who were going astray, and uniting with the enemies of the Church, started a revolution. How pitiful it was to see blessed Jesus crying over the sad state of these people! Then I looked in the air and I saw a cloud of water, full of large pieces of ice falling upon the earth. What a disaster they caused upon harvests and upon humanity! But I hope that He will calm down. Then, more afflicted than before, I came back into myself.

April 20, 1900
The Cross gives us the features and the likeness of Jesus.

My adorable Jesus continues to come, for just a little and like a shadow, and even when He comes He does not say anything. This morning, after He renewed in me the pains of the cross as many as two times, looking at me with tenderness while I was suffering the spasm of the piercings of the nails, He told me: “The cross is a mirror in which the soul admires the Divinity, and by reflecting herself in it, she acquires the features and the likeness which most resembles God. The cross must not only be loved and desired, but one must consider it an honor and a glory. This is to operate as God and to become like God by participation, because I alone gloried in the cross and considered suffering an honor, and I loved it so much that in my whole life I did not want to be one moment without the cross.”

Who can say what I understood about the cross from this speaking of blessed Jesus? But I feel mute in expressing it with words. Ah, Lord, I pray You to keep me always nailed to the cross, so that, having this divine mirror ever before me, I may clean all my stains and embellish myself ever more in your likeness.

April 21, 1900
More than Sacrament, the Cross seals God in the soul.

As I was in my usual state, or rather, with a little bit of concern about something which it is not necessary to say here, my sweet Jesus, on coming, told me: “…And they are sacred vessels, and every once in a while it is necessary to dust them off. Your bodies are as many sacred vessels, in which I make my dwelling, therefore it is necessary that I do some little dusting every now and then – that is, that I visit them with some tribulation, so that I may remain in them with more decorum. Therefore, be calm.”

Later, after I received Communion, having renewed in me the pains of the crucifixion, He added: “My daughter, how precious is the cross! See now: in giving Itself to the soul, the Sacrament of my Body unites her with Me, It transforms her, to the point that she becomes one with Me. But as the species are consumed, the union, truly established, ceases. Not with the cross. The cross takes God and unites Him with the soul forever, and It places Itself more surely as a seal. Therefore, the cross seals God in the soul, in such a way that there is never separation between God and the crucified soul.”

April 23, 1900
Resignation is oil that salves.

This morning, finding myself outside of myself, I saw my sweet Jesus suffering very much, and I prayed Him to share His pains with me; and He said to me: “You too suffer. Rather, I will take your place and You will do for me the office of a nurse.” So it seemed that Jesus placed Himself in my bed, and I, beside Him, began to check His head, removing the thorns which were driven into it one by one. Then I moved on to His body and I visited all His wounds; I dried up the blood, I kissed them, but I had nothing with which to salve them so as to mitigate the spasm, when I saw that oil was coming out from me. I took it and I salved the wounds of Jesus, but with some concern, as I did not understand what the meaning was of that oil coming out from me.

But blessed Jesus made me understand that resignation to the Divine Will is oil which, while salving and mitigating our pains, salves and mitigates the spasm of the wounds of Jesus at the same time. Then, after performing this office for my dear Jesus for quite some time, He disappeared and I came back into myself.

April 24, 1900
The Eucharist and suffering.

This morning, having received Communion, it seemed to me that the confessor was placing the intention of making me suffer the crucifixion, and at that very instant I saw my guardian Angel who laid me on the cross to make me suffer. After this, I saw my sweet Jesus who compassionated me and told me: “I am your refreshment, and my refreshment is your suffering.” And He showed an unspeakable contentment for my suffering, and for the confessor who, by means of the obedience to suffer which he had given me, had procured this relief for Him. Then He added: “Since the Sacrament of the Eucharist is the fruit of the cross, I feel more disposed to concede suffering to you when you receive my Body. In fact, in seeing you suffer, it seems to Me that I continue my passion for the good of souls – not mystically, but really; and this is a great relief for Me, because I collect the true fruit of my Cross and of the Eucharist.”

After this, He said: “Up until now it was obedience that made you suffer; do you want me to amuse Myself a little by renewing again in you the crucifixion with my own hands?” And I, though I felt great suffering and, still fresh, the pains of the cross which had been renewed in me, said: ‘Lord, I am in your hands, do with me whatever You want.’ So, all content, Jesus again began to drive the nails into my hands and feet. I felt such intensity of pain that I myself do not know how I remained alive, but I was content because I was making Jesus content. Then, after He bent the nails, placing Himself near me, He began to say: “How beautiful you are! But how much more does your beauty grow in your suffering! Oh, how dear you are to Me! My eyes are wounded in looking at you, because they see my very image in you.” And He said many other things, which it would be useless to repeat – first, because I am bad; second, because not seeing myself as the Lord tells me, I feel confusion and blushing in saying these things. But I hope that the Lord will make me truly good and beautiful; and then, as my blushing would fade, I will be able to describe them. So I stop here.

April 25, 1900
Purity in operating is light.

As I was in my usual state and not finding my sweet Jesus, I had to go around very much to go in search of Him. Finally I found Him in the arms of the Queen Mama, suckling milk from Her breasts. As much as I said and did, He did not seem to pay attention to me; or rather, He did not even look at me. Who can say the pain of my poor heart, in seeing that Jesus was not paying attention to me? Then, after I gave vent to my tears, having compassion for me, He came into my arms and poured from His mouth a little bit of that milk which He had suckled from the Queen Mama.

After this, I looked into His breast, and He had a little pearl, so refulgent as to invest the most holy Humanity of Our Lord with light. Wanting to know the meaning of it, I asked Jesus what that pearl was, which, while appearing so small, spread so much light. And Jesus: “It is the purity of your suffering which, though small, is the cause of so much light, because you suffer only for love of Me and would be ready to suffer more if I conceded it to you. My daughter, purity in operating is so great, that one who operates with the sole purpose of pleasing Me alone, does nothing other than spread light from all of his operating. One who does not operate in an upright way, even in good, does nothing other than spread darkness.” Then I looked into the breast of Our Lord, and He had a most clear mirror, and it seemed that those who walked in an upright way remained completely absorbed in that mirror, while those who did not, remained outside, without being able to receive any imprint of the image of blessed Jesus. Ah, Lord, keep me all absorbed in this divine mirror, that I may have no other shade of intention in my operating.

May 1, 1900
The Eucharist and the Cross. Suffering is not to be feared.

After I received Communion, my sweet Jesus made Himself seen all affability; and as it seemed that the confessor was placing the intention of the crucifixion, my nature felt almost a repugnance to submit itself. My sweet Jesus, to cheer me, told me: “My daughter, if the Eucharist is the deposit of the future glory, the cross is the disbursement with which to purchase it. If the Eucharist is the seed which prevents corruption – like those aromatic herbs that prevent decomposition when applied to cadavers – and gives immortality to soul and body, the cross embellishes and is so powerful that if debts have been contracted, it becomes their guarantor, and it more surely obtains the restitution of the debt’s deed. And after it has satisfied every debt, it forms for the soul the most refulgent throne in the future glory. Ah, yes, the cross and the Eucharist alternate, and one operates more powerfully than the other.”

Then He added: “The cross is my flowery bed, not because I did not suffer harrowing spasms, but because by means of the cross I delivered many souls to grace, and I could see many beautiful flowers bloom, which would produce many celestial fruits. So, in seeing so much good, I held that bed of suffering as my delight, and I delighted in the cross and in suffering. You too, my daughter – take pains as delights, and delight in being crucified on my cross. No, no, I do not want you to fear suffering, almost wanting to act as a sluggard. Up, courage! Be brave and, on your own, expose yourself to suffering.”

As He was saying this, I saw my good guardian Angel ready to crucify me; I stretched out my arms on my own, and the Angel crucified me. Oh, how good Jesus delighted in my suffering! And how content I was, that such a miserable soul could give pleasure to Jesus! It seemed a great honor for me to suffer for love of Him.

May 3, 1900
The Feast of the Cross in Heaven.

This morning I found myself outside of myself, and I saw all of Heaven studded with crosses – some small, some large, some medium; some which were larger, emanated more splendor. It was a most sweet enchantment to see so many crosses adorning the firmament, more refulgent than suns. Then, it seemed that Heaven opened, and one could see and hear the feast that the Blessed were making for the cross. Those who had suffered more were celebrated more on this day. One could distinguish in a special way the martyrs and those who had suffered in a hidden way. Oh, how esteemed were the cross and those who had suffered more, in that blessed dwelling!

As I was seeing this, a voice resounded throughout the whole of Heaven, saying: “If the Lord did not send the crosses upon the earth, He would be like a father who has no love for his own children – who wants to see them poor and dishonored, instead of honored and rich.”

The rest that I saw during this feast I have no words to describe. I can feel it within me, but I am unable to express it; so I remain silent.

May 9, 1900
Luisa sees the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity in the form of three Suns.

After I had gone through days not only of privation, but also of disturbance, this morning, as I was yet more disturbed about my miserable state, adorable Jesus, on coming, told me: “By being restless, you have disturbed my sweet rest. Ah, yes, you do not let Me rest any more!” Who can say how mortified I was left in hearing that I had deprived Jesus Christ of rest? In spite of this, I calmed down for a few hours, but then I found myself more restless than before, to the point that I myself do not where I will end up this time.

After those few words spoken by Jesus, I found myself outside of myself, and in looking into the vault of the heavens, I saw three Suns: one seemed to set in the east, another in the west, and the third in the south. The splendor of the rays that they sent forth was so great that they united with one another, in such a way as to become one. I seemed to see the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, and man, formed with the three powers in Its image. I also understood that for one who stayed in that light, his will would be transformed in the Father, his intellect in the Son, his memory in the Holy Spirit. How many things I understood! But I am unable to manifest them.

May 13, 1900
The weight of the privation of Jesus.

I continue in the same state, and maybe even worse, though I do as much as I can to remain peaceful, without getting disturbed, because so obedience wants. But in spite of this I do not cease to feel the weight of the abandonment that presses upon me and reaches the point of crushing me. Oh, God, what state is this? Tell me at least: where have I offended You? What is the cause of it? Ah, Lord, if You want to continue this way, I think I will not be able to endure any more!

Then, He made Himself seen for just a little, and placing a hand under my chin in the act of compassionating me, told me: “Poor daughter, how you have reduced yourself!” And sharing His pains with me, He disappeared like lightning, leaving me more afflicted than before, as if He had not come. Or rather, I feel as if He had not come for a long time, and I feel such affliction, that though I live, my living is a continuous agonizing. Ah, Lord, lend me help, and do not leave me in abandonment, though I deserve it.

May 17, 1900
Power of the victim souls.

I continue in the same state of privation and of abandonment. As I was outside of myself, I saw a flood of water mixed with hail, such that it seemed that several cities were flooded with considerable damage. While seeing this, I was in great consternation because I wanted to prevent that flood, but since I was alone – more so, since I did not have Jesus with me – I felt my poor arms too weak to be able to do it. Then, to my surprise, I saw a virgin coming (it seemed to me that she was from America) and, she from one point, I from another, managed to prevent in great part the scourge that threatened us. After this, as we reunited, I saw that virgin with the insignia of the passion, and crowned with the crown of thorns, just as I was, and a person who seemed to be an Angel, saying: “Oh, power of the victim souls! That which is not given to us Angels to do, they can do with their sufferings. Oh, if men knew the good that comes from them – because they are there for the public and the individual good – they would do nothing but implore God to multiply these souls upon earth.” After this, having said to each other that each of us should commend the other to the Lord, we separated.

May 18, 1900
Filling one’s interior with God.

As I was still without my adorable Jesus, at the most, a few shadows – oh! how much bitterness it costs me, how many tears I have to shed! – this morning, after much waiting and searching, I found Him in my very bed, all afflicted, with the crown of thorns piercing His head. I removed it very gently from His head and I placed it on mine. Oh, how bad I saw myself before His presence! I did not have the strength to utter a single word. Having compassion for me, Jesus told me: “Be cheered, do not fear, try to fill your interior with Me, and to fatten it with all virtues, to the point of overflowing outside; and when you come to make this overflow, then will I take you to Heaven and all your privations will end.”

After this, assuming an afflicted air, He added: “My daughter, pray, because three distinct days have been prepared, each far from the other, with storms, hail, lightnings and floods, which will cause great damage to men and to plants.” Having said this, He disappeared, leaving me a little more relieved in the state in which I find myself, but with a thought: ‘Who knows when I get to make this overflow? And if I never do it, will I perhaps have to be always far away from Him?’

May 20, 1900
All things have their origin from nothing. Necessity of rest and of interior silence.

Finding myself outside of myself, it seemed to me it was nighttime and I could see the whole universe, the whole order of nature, the starry heaven, the silence of the night.… In sum, it seemed to me that everything had a meaning. While seeing this, I seemed to see Our Lord who, beginning to speak about what I was seeing, said: “All nature invites one to rest; but what is true rest? It is the interior rest and the silence of all that is not God. Look at the stars, twinkling with tempered light, not dazzling like the sun; the sleep and the silence of all nature, of men and also of animals – they all look for a place, a den, in which to be in silence and rest from the tiredness of life. If this is necessary for the body, much more is it necessary for the soul to rest in her own center, which is God. But in order to be able to rest in God, interior silence is necessary, just as exterior silence is necessary to the body in order to peacefully fall asleep. But what is this interior silence? It is to silence one’s own passions by keeping them in their place; it is to impose silence on desires, on inclinations, on affections – in sum, on all that does not call upon God. Now, what is the means to reach this? The only means, and absolutely necessary, is for the soul to undo her own being and reduce herself to nothing, just as she was before being created; and once she has reduced her being to nothing, she must take it again in God.

My daughter, all things have their origin from nothing. If this very machine of the universe which you are admiring with its great order had been full of other things before I created it, I could not have put my creative hand to make it with such great mastery and to render it so splendid and adorned. At the most, I could have undone everything that might have been there, to then redo it according to my liking. But we always come to this: all of my works have their origin from nothing, and when there is a mixing with other things, it is not decorous for my majesty to descend and operate in the soul. But when the soul reduces herself to nothing and rises to Me, and takes her being within Mine, then I operate as the God that I am, and the soul finds true rest. And here is how all virtues, from humility to the annihilation of oneself, begin.”

Who can say how much I understood about what blessed Jesus told me? Oh, how happy my soul would be if I could reach the point of undoing my poor being to be able to receive from my God His Divine Being! Oh, how I would ennoble myself, how sanctified I would be! But what foolishness is mine, where is my brain, if still I do not do it? What a human misery – instead of looking for its true good and taking wing on high, it contents itself with scrabbling on the ground and with living amidst mud and rot!

After this, my beloved Jesus transported me inside a garden in which there were many people preparing themselves to attend a feast, but only those who received a uniform were able to attend, and few were those who received this uniform. A great yearning arose in me to receive one, and I did so much that I obtained the intent. So, as I reached the place in which one would receive it, a venerable matronly woman clothed me in white first, and then placed on me a pale blue shoulder band on which a medal was hanging with the imprint of the face of Jesus. While being a face, it was also a mirror, and in looking at it, one would detect the slightest stains, which the soul, with the help of a light coming from within that face, could easily remove. It seemed to me that that medal contained a mysterious meaning. Then she took a mantle of finest gold and covered me all over. It seemed to me that dressed in this way I could compete with the virgins in Heaven. While this was happening, Jesus told me: “My daughter, let us go back to see what men are doing; it is enough for you to be dressed – when the feast begins, I will take you there to attend.” So, after we went round for a little while, He transported me inside my bed.

May 21, 1900
The most sublime state is to undo one’s own will in the Will of God, and to live of His Will.

This morning my adorable Jesus was not coming. Then, after much waiting He came, and caressing me, told me: “My daughter, do you know what my design is upon you, and the state I want from you?” And pausing a little, He added: “The design I have upon you is not of prodigious things, and of many things which I could operate upon you to show my work; rather, my design is to absorb you in my Will, making you one with It, and to make of you a perfect example of uniformity of your will with Mine. But this is the most sublime state, it is the greatest prodigy, it is the miracle of miracles that I intend to make of you.

My daughter, in order to arrive at making her will perfectly one with Ours, the soul must render herself invisible. She must imitate Me who, while I fill the world by keeping it absorbed within Myself and by not being absorbed in it, render Myself invisible, for I do not let Myself be seen by anyone. This means that there is no matter in Me, but that everything is most pure Spirit; and if in my assumed Humanity I took on matter, it was to render Myself similar to man in everything and to give him a most perfect example of how to spiritualize this very matter. So, the soul must spiritualize everything and arrive at becoming invisible in order to be able to easily make her will one with my Will, because that which is invisible can be absorbed by another object. If one wants to make one object out of two objects, it is necessary that one of these lose its shape, otherwise one could never arrive at forming one single being.

What fortune yours would be if, by destroying yourself to the point of becoming invisible, you could receive a shape fully divine! Even more, by being absorbed in Me, and I in you, forming one single being, you would come to retain the divine source within yourself; and since my Will contains every good that can ever be, you would come to retain all goods, all gifts, all graces, and would not have to look for them anywhere else but within yourself. And if virtues have no boundaries, when the creature is in my Will insofar as she can reach, she will find their limit, because my Will makes one acquire the most heroic and sublime virtues which the creature cannot surpass.

The height of the perfection of a soul undone in my Will is such that she reaches the point of operating like God. And this is no wonder, because, since it is no longer her will that lives in her but the Will of God Himself, every amazement ceases if, by living with this Will, she possesses the power, the wisdom, the sanctity and all the other virtues that God Himself contains. It is enough to tell you, so that you may become enamored and cooperate as much as you can on your part to reach such a point, that the soul who arrives at living of my Will alone is queen of all queens, and her throne is so high as to reach the throne of the Eternal One; she enters the secrets of the Most August Trinity, and participates in the reciprocal love of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Oh, how all the Angels and Saints honor her, men admire her, and the demons fear her, seeing the Divine Being in her!”

‘Ah, Lord, when will You make me arrive at this, since by myself I can do nothing!’

Now, who can say all that the Lord infused in me through intellectual light about this uniformity of wills? The height of those concepts is so great that my tongue, not well refined, has no words to express them. I could only say this little, though speaking nonsense, of that which the Lord made me comprehend through most vivid light.

May 24, 1900
The will of Luisa is one with that of Jesus.

I was very afflicted because of the privation of my adorable Jesus; at the most, He comes like shadow and flashes. I really feel I cannot go on any more if He wants to continue further! So, as I was at the summit of my affliction, He made Himself seen for a little while, all tired, as if He needed a refreshment; and throwing His arms around my neck, He told me: “My beloved, bring Me some flowers and surround Me completely, for I feel I am languishing with love. My daughter, the fragrant perfume of your flowers will be of refreshment for Me and will remedy my troubles, for I am languishing and fainting.” Immediately, I added: ‘And You, my beloved Jesus, give me some fruits, because idleness and scarce suffering increase my languishing so much that I faint, to the point of feeling I am dying. So I will be able to give You not only flowers, but also fruits to relieve your languishing more.’ And Jesus resumed His speech, saying to me: “Oh, how well we combine together, don’t we? It seems that your will is one with Mine.” For a moment it seemed I was relieved, as if the state in which I was wanted to cease; but after a little while I found myself immersed in the same lethargy as before, without my highest Good, abandoned and alone.

May 27, 1900
The Love of God and Grace penetrate into the most intimate parts of man.

This morning, as I was feeling afflicted more than ever because of the privation of my highest Good, He just barely made Himself seen and told me: “Just as a mighty wind invests the people and penetrates even into their bowels, in such a way as to shake the whole person, in the same way, my love and my grace, rearing up on the wings of the winds, invest and penetrate the heart, the mind and the most intimate parts of man. But in spite of this, ungrateful, man rejects my grace and offends Me. What is not my bitter sorrow!”

However, I was all confused and annihilated within myself, and did not dare to utter a word. I just thought: ‘How is it that He does not come? And even when He comes, I do not see Him clearly; it seems that I have lost clarity. Who knows whether I will see His beautiful Face unveiled as before?’ While I was thinking of this, my benign Jesus added: “My daughter, why do you fear when your state is par excellence for the union of our wills?” And wanting to cheer me and compassionate my sorrowful state, He told me: “You are my new Job. Do not oppress yourself excessively if you do not see Me with clarity; I have told you since the other day that I am not coming according to my usual way, that I want to chastise the people, and if you saw Me with clarity, you would come to understand what I am doing; and since your heart has received the grafting of Mine, I know what you would suffer, just as my Heart is suffering because I see Myself forced to chastise my creatures. So, in order to spare you these pains, I do not let Myself be seen with clarity.”

Who can say the piercings that this left in my poor heart! Ah, Lord, give me the strength to endure the pain!

May 29, 1900
Threat of chastisements. Jesus is abandoned and left alone.

Continuing in the same state, I felt all oppressed and I had all the need of a support to be able to bear the privation of my highest Good. Having compassion for me, blessed Jesus showed His Face from within my heart for a few minutes, but not with clarity; and letting me hear His most gentle voice, He told me: “Courage, my daughter, just a little longer; let Me finish chastising, for afterwards I will come as before.” While He was saying this, in my mind I said: ‘What are the chastisements that You have begun to send?’ And He added: “The continuous rain that is pouring is more than hail, and it will cause sad consequences for the people.”

Having said this, He disappeared, and I found myself outside of myself, inside a garden. From there one could see crops withered in the vineyards, and within myself I kept saying: “Poor people, poor people, how shall they go on?’ While I was saying this, a little boy appeared in that garden, crying and screaming so loud as to deafen Heaven and earth, but no one had compassion for him; even though everyone could hear him crying so much, they would not bother with him and they would leave him abandoned and alone. A thought flashed within me: ‘Who knows whether He is Jesus!’ But I was not sure about it. So, drawing near Him, I said: ‘What is it, that You are crying, dear child? Do You want to come with me, since they all left You prey to tears and to sorrow, which oppresses You so much as to make You scream so loud?’ But – nothing! Who could calm Him down? He just barely answered with His sobs that, yes, He wanted to come. So I took Him by the hand to bring Him with me, and in the very act I was doing this I found myself inside myself.

June 3, 1900
Luisa, chosen among a thousand. Lack of esteem for others is lack of true humility.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, I saw my adorable Jesus for a little while, present inside my heart, sleeping, and His sleep drew my soul to fall asleep together with Him; so much so, that I felt all my interior powers asleep, without acting any more. At times I tried to get out of that sleep, but I could not. Then blessed Jesus woke up for a little while and sent His breath into me three times, and it seemed to me that He became all absorbed in me. Afterwards, it seemed to me that Jesus was drawing those three breaths He had sent me back into Himself again, and I found myself all transformed in Him. Who can say what was happening in me because of these divine breaths? I have no words to express that inseparable union between Jesus and me!

After this, it seems I was able to wake up, and Jesus, breaking the silence, told me: “My daughter, I looked and looked again, I searched and searched again, going throughout the whole earth, but upon you I fixed my gazes and I found my satisfactions, and I chose you among a thousand.”

Then, turning to certain people I could see, He reprimanded them, saying to them: “Lack of esteem for others is lack of true Christian humility and of sweetness, because a humble and sweet spirit knows how to respect everyone and interprets the things of others always for the good.” Having said this, He disappeared, without my saying to Him even a word. May He be always blessed for He wants it this way, and may everything be for His glory.

June 6, 1900
Luisa, crucified, spares Corato some chastisements.

Since my adorable Jesus continued not to let Himself be seen with clarity, this morning, after I received Communion, the confessor placed the intention of the crucifixion. While I was amid those sufferings, almost drawn by my pains, blessed Jesus showed Himself with clarity. Oh God! Who can say the pains that Jesus was suffering and the violent state He was in – that while He was forced to send chastisements, He did such violence to Himself, for He did not want to send them! It aroused such compassion to see Him in this state, that if men could see Him, even if their hearts were hard as diamonds, they would break with tenderness like fragile glass. So I began to pray Him to placate Himself and to be content with making me suffer, sparing the people. Then I added: ‘Lord, if You do not want to listen to my prayers, I know I deserve that. If You do not want to have compassion for the peoples, You are right, because great are our iniquities. But I ask You, for pity’s sake, to have compassion for Yourself – have pity on the violence You do to Yourself in punishing your images. Ah, yes! I ask You, for love of Yourself, not to send chastisements to the point of taking bread away from your children and letting them perish. Ah, no! It is not in the nature of your Heart to operate in this way; and this is the reason for the violence You feel, which would give You death if it had the power to.’

And He, all afflicted, told me: “My daughter, it is Justice that makes violence on Me, and the love I have for men uses even greater violence on Me, such as to put my Heart into anguishes of death in punishing the creatures.” And I: ‘Therefore, Lord, unload Justice upon me, and your love will no longer feel violence from Justice, and will not be in this contrast of chastising the people, who, truly…- how will they go on if You act as You let me understand, withering all that serves as nourishment of man? O please! I beg You, let me suffer and spare them, if not completely, at least in part.’

And Jesus, as though seeing Himself forced by my prayers, drew near my mouth and poured a little bit of bitterness from His – dense and disgusting, such that, as soon as I swallowed it, it caused me such and so many kinds of pains that I felt I was dying. Then blessed Jesus, sustaining me in those pains otherwise I would have been dead (yet, He had poured nothing but a little bit; what must it be for His adorable Heart that contained so much of it?), heaved a sigh as if He had relieved Himself of a weight, and told me: “My daughter, my Justice had decided to destroy everything, but now, unloading Itself a little bit over you, for love of you, concedes one third of what serves as nourishment of man.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, it is too little – at least half!’ And He: “No my daughter, content yourself.” And I: ‘No Lord, if You do not want to content me for everyone, at least content me for Corato and for those who belong to me.’ And Jesus: “Today there is hail ready, which must cause great damage. You – remain with the pains of the cross; go out of yourself and in the form of the crucified go through the air and put to flight the demons from above Corato, since they will not be able to resist the crucified image, and will go somewhere else.”

So I went out of myself, crucified, and I saw hail and lightnings which were about to break out over Corato. Who can say the fright of the demons; how they took to their heels at the sight of my crucified form; how they bit their fingers out of rage, and reached the point of getting angry with the confessor, who this morning had given me the obedience of suffering the crucifixion. In fact, they could not get angry with me; on the contrary, they were forced to flee from me because of the sign of redemption which they saw. Then, after putting them to flight, I went back into myself, finding myself with a good dose of sufferings. May everything be for the glory of God.

June 7, 1900
Jesus delivers to Luisa the keys of Justice and a light to unveil It.

As I was somehow in suffering, it seemed to me that those sufferings were a sweet chain that drew my good Jesus to come almost continuously, and it seemed to me that those pains called Jesus to pour more bitternesses into me. So, on coming, now He would sustain me in His arms to give me strength, now He would pour again. However, every now and then I would say to Him: ‘Lord, now that I feel within me part of your pains, I beg You to content me, as I said to You yesterday, by giving me at least half of what serves as nourishment of man.’ And He: “My daughter, in order to content you, I deliver to you the keys of Justice and the knowledge of how absolutely necessary it is to punish man; and with this you will do whatever you please. Aren’t you content?”

On hearing Him say this to me I was consoled, and I said in my interior: ‘If it is up to me, I will not chastise anyone at all.’ But how I lost my illusion when blessed Jesus gave me a key and placed me in the middle of a light, such that by looking from within that light I could see all the attributes of God, and also that of Justice. Oh, how everything is orderly in God! And if Justice punishes, this is order; and if It did not punish, It would not be in order with the other attributes. So I saw myself as a wretched worm in the middle of that light, for if I wanted to prevent the course of Justice, I would ruin that order and would go against men themselves, because I understood that Justice Itself is most pure love toward them. I found myself all confused and embarrassed, and so, to get rid of it, I said to Our Lord: ‘Through this light with which You have surrounded me I understand things differently, and if You leave it up to me, I would do worse than You do. Therefore I do not accept this knowledge and I renounce the keys of Justice. What I accept and want is that You make me suffer and spare the people; as for the rest, I don’t want to know anything about it.’

And Jesus, smiling at my words, said to me: “How quickly you want to get rid of it, without wanting to know reason; and wanting to use greater violence on Me you come out with two words: make me suffer and spare them!” And I: ‘Lord, it is not that I don’t want to know reason, but it is because this is not my office, but Yours. My office is that of being victim; therefore, You do your office and I do mine; isn’t it true, my dear Jesus?’ And He, as though showing approval, disappeared from me.

June 10, 1900
The office of victim. Chastisements.

It seems to me that my adorable Jesus continues to halve Justice by pouring a little bit upon me, and the rest upon people. This morning especially, when I found myself with Jesus, my soul was tormented in seeing the torture of His most sweet Heart in chastising the creatures. The state of suffering Jesus was in, was such that He did nothing but let out continuous moans. He had a thick crown of thorns on His head, all sunken into His flesh, to the point that His head seemed a block of thorns. So, to relieve Him a little bit I said to Him: ‘Tell me, my Good, what is it – that You are suffering so much? Allow me to remove these thorns that torment You not a little!’ But Jesus did not answer me; even more, He did not even listen to what I was saying. So I began to remove those thorns, one by one, and then I placed them on my head. Now, while I was doing this, I saw that somewhere far away there was to be an earthquake, which would make a slaughter of people. Then Jesus disappeared from me and I returned inside myself, but with greatest affliction, thinking of the suffering state of Jesus and of the tragedies of miserable humanity.

June 12, 1900
Obedience makes her ask Jesus to let her suffer in order to prevent chastisements.

This morning, as my lovable Jesus came, I began to say: ‘Lord, what are You doing? It seems You are going too far with Justice.’ And while I wanted to continue speaking in order to excuse the human miseries, Jesus imposed silence on me, saying: “Be quiet, if you want Me to remain with you; come to kiss Me and greet Me in all my suffering members with your usual adorations.” So I began from His head, and then, little by little, the other members. Oh, how many deep wounds that Sacrosanct Body contained! – It struck horror at the mere sight. Then, as soon as I finished, He disappeared, leaving me with very little suffering and with a fear: who knows how He will pour upon the people, since He did not deign to pour His bitternesses upon me!

After a little while, the confessor came and I told him what I have said above, and he said to me: “Today, out of absolute obedience, when you do your meditation you must pray Him to let you suffer the crucifixion and to cease to send scourges.” So, when I did my meditation, I prayed Him according to the obedience received. He just barely made Himself seen, but without paying attention to me; on the contrary, He made Himself seen, now giving His back to the people, now sleeping so as not to be importuned by me, and even if I felt I was dying, He did not care about letting me do the obedience. So I plucked up courage, and placing all my trust in holy obedience, I took Him by one arm, and shaking Him in order to wake Him up, I said to Him: ‘Lord, what are You doing? Is this the love You have for your so favorite virtue of obedience? Are these the praises You have given it so many times? Are these the honors You have lavished on it, to the point of saying that You feel moved and cannot resist the virtue of obedience and You feel subjugated by the soul who gives herself to this virtue, that now it seems You do not care about letting me obey?’ While I was saying this and other things – I would be too long if I wanted to write them – blessed Jesus stirred Himself, and as though struck by a most acute pain, He burst into tears and, sobbing, said: “I too do not want to send scourges, but it is Justice that compels Me almost by force. But you, with this speaking, want to cut Me to the quick and touch a key too delicate for Me and greatly loved by Me, so much so, that I wanted no other honor or title but that of obedient. So now, to show you that it is not that I do not care about letting you obey, in spite of the fact that my Justice forces Me not to do it, I will share with you, in part, the pains of the cross.” While doing this, He disappeared, leaving me content for He let me obey, and with a sorrow in my soul, as though I had been the cause of the Lord’s crying with my suffering. Ah, Lord, I beg You to forgive me.

June 14, 1900
The effects of the Cross.

As I was a little in suffering, on coming, my adorable Jesus compassionated me and said to me: “My daughter, what is it – that you are suffering so much? Let me relieve you a little.” So (though Jesus was suffering more than I was) He gave me a kiss, and since He was crucified, He drew me outside of myself and placed my hands in His, my feet in His, while my head was leaning on His head, and His on mine. How content I was, being in that position! Though the nails and the thorns of Jesus gave me pains, yet, they were pains that gave me joy, because they were suffered for my beloved Good. Indeed, I would have wanted them to increase more.

Jesus too seemed to be content with me, keeping me in that way, drawn to Himself. It seemed to me that Jesus was refreshing me, and that I was of refreshment for Him. Then, we went out in that position, and having found the confessor, immediately I prayed to Him for his needs, and I asked the Lord to deign to allow the confessor to hear how sweet and gentle His voice is. To make me content, Jesus turned to him and spoke of the cross, saying: “The cross absorbs the Divinity into the soul, renders her similar to my Humanity, and reproduces my own works in her.”

Afterwards, we continued to go around for a little while, and – oh, how many sorrowful sights, such as to pierce the soul through!: the grave iniquities of men, who do not lower themselves even before Justice – on the contrary, they hurl themselves with greater fury, almost wanting to render double wounds for wounds; and the great misery that they are preparing for themselves. Then, to our greatest sorrow, we withdrew. Jesus disappeared, and I withdrew inside myself.

June 17, 1900
To be in God is to be in peace.

Since this morning blessed Jesus was not coming, I felt some shadows of disturbance arise in my interior about why He was not coming. So, when He came, He said to me: “My daughter, to contain oneself in God and not to go out of the boundaries of peace is all the same. So, if you detect a little bit of disturbance it is a sign that you make a little exit from within God, because to contain oneself in Him and not to have perfect peace is impossible; more so, since the boundaries of peace are endless – even more, all that belongs to God is all peace.” Then He added: “Don’t you know that the privations serve the soul as winter does the plants, as they form deeper roots, and winter fortifies them and makes them become green again and bloom in May?”

After this, He transported me outside of myself, and after I commended various needs to Him, He disappeared from me, and I found myself inside myself, with a desire to remain always inside of God, so as to stay within the boundaries of peace.

June 18, 1900
All of Creation points out the love of God; the wounded Body of Jesus points out the love of neighbor.

As He continued not to come, I tried to apply myself to considering the mystery of the scourging. While I was doing this, I just barely saw blessed Jesus, all wounded and dripping Blood, who told me: “My daughter, the heavens along with all Creation point out the love of God; my wounded Body points out the love of neighbor, so much so, that with my Humanity, united to my Divinity, from two natures I formed one and I rendered them inseparable, because I not only satisfied divine Justice, but I operated the salvation of men. And so that everyone assumed this obligation of loving God and one’s neighbor, I not only made them one, but I reached the point of making of it a divine precept. So, my wounds and my Blood are many tongues that teach everyone the way to love one another and the obligation that all have to care for the salvation of others.”

Afterwards, assuming a more afflicted appearance, He added: “What a ruthless tyrant love is for Me, as I not only employed the course of my mortal life in continuous sacrifices, to the point of dying, bled dry on a cross, but I left Myself as perennial victim in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. And not only this, but I keep all of my favorite members as victims living in continuous sufferings, employed for the salvation of men; just as among many I have chosen you, to keep you sacrificed for love of Me and for men. Ah, yes! My Heart finds no respite nor rest if It does not find man. And man…man…how does he requite Me? With most enormous ingratitudes!” Having said this, He disappeared.

June 20, 1900
The most perfect humility produces the most intimate union with God in the soul.

This morning, as I was outside of myself and not finding my highest Good, I had to go round and round in search of Him, and when I tired myself to the point of feeling faint, I felt Him behind my shoulders, sustaining me. So I stretched out my hand and I pulled Him to the front, saying to Him: ‘My beloved, You know that I cannot be without You, and yet, You make me wait so much, to the point of causing me to faint. Tell me at least: what is the cause of this? Where have I offended You that You subject me to torments so cruel, to martyrdoms so painful, which is your privation?’ And Jesus, interrupting my speaking, told me: “My daughter, my daughter, do not add more torment to my Heart which is embittered to the summit, finding Itself in a continuous fight because of the violences that everyone does to me continuously. The iniquities of men do violence to Me, as they draw Justice upon themselves and force Me to chastise them; and Justice, clashing in a continuous fight with the Love I have for men, tortures my Heart in such a painful way as to make Me die continuously! You do violence to Me, because when I come, knowing the chastisements that I am sending, you do not remain quiet – no, but you force Me, you do violence to Me, and do not want Me to chastise; and knowing that you cannot do otherwise in my presence, so as not to expose my Heart to a yet fiercer fight, I abstain from coming. Therefore, do not want to force Me to come for now; let Me give vent to my fury, and do not want to increase my pains with your speaking.

As for the rest, I do not want you to think about it, because the most perfect, the most sublime humility is that of losing every reason and of not discoursing on ‘why’ and ‘how’, but of undoing oneself in one’s own nothingness. And while the soul does this, without realizing it, she finds herself dissolved in God, and this produces in the soul the union most intimate, the love most perfect toward her highest Good. This, however, to the greatest advantage of the soul, because in losing her own reason, she acquires divine reason, and in losing every discoursing about herself – whether she is cold or warm, whether the things that happen to her are favorable or adverse – she will be interested in and will acquire a language fully celestial and divine. In addition to this, humility produces a garment of safety in the soul, in such a way that, wrapped in this garment of safety, the soul remains in the most profound calm, embellishing all of herself in order to be pleasing to her dearest and beloved Jesus.”

Who can say how surprised I was left by this speaking of His? I had not a word to answer Him. Then, after a little while, He disappeared and I found myself inside myself – calm, yes, but afflicted to the summit; first, because of the afflictions and the fights which my dear Jesus was in, and then, out of fear that He might not come. Who would be able to endure? How will I be able to bear myself because of His absence? Ah, Lord, give me the strength to bear this martyrdom so hard, so unbearable for my poor soul! After all, say whatever You want, but I will not neglect any means, I will try all ways, I will use all stratagems to draw You to come.

June 24, 1900
The cross is the nourishment of humility.

After going through a few days of privation – at the most, a few shadows and flashes – I felt all of my powers asleep, in such a way that I myself could not understand what was happening in my interior. In this sleepiness, only one pain was awake in my interior, and it was the fact that it seemed it had happened to me as to one who, while sleeping, loses his sight or is deprived of all his riches. The miserable one can neither grieve, nor defend himself, nor use some means to free himself of his misfortunes. Poor one, in what a pitiful state he finds himself! But what is the cause of it? His sleep. Because if he had been awake, he would certainly have known how to defend himself well from his misfortunes. Such is my miserable state; it is not given to me even to let out a moan, a sigh, or to shed one tear, because I have lost sight of the One who is all my love, all my good, and who forms all my contentment. It seems that in order not to make me grieve from His privation, He made me fall asleep and left me. Ah, Lord, wake me up Yourself, that I may see my miseries, and know at least of what I am being deprived!

Now, while I was in this state, from within my interior I heard blessed Jesus moaning continuously. Those moans wounded my hearing, and waking up a little bit, I said: ‘My sole and only Good, from your moans I perceive the too painful state You are in. This happens because You want to suffer alone and do not want to let me share in your pains; even more, so as not to have me in your company You made me fall asleep and You left me without letting me understand anything any more. I understand where all this comes from: it is so that You may be more free in chastising. But, O please! – have compassion on me, for I am blind without You; and on Yourself, for it is always good in all circumstances to have someone who would keep You company, relieve You, and somehow break your fury. In fact, now You are determined and You send chastisements, but when You see your images perish from misery, You will let out more moans than now, and maybe You will say to me: “Ah, if you had tried harder to placate Me, if you had taken the pains of creatures upon yourself, I would not see my own members so tormented!” Isn’t it true, my most patient Jesus? O please, relieve Yourself a little bit, and let me suffer in your place!’

While I was saying this, He moaned continuously, almost in the act of wanting to be compassionated and relieved; but He wanted this relief to be snatched almost by force. So, after my importunity, He stretched out His nailed hands and feet in my interior and shared a little bit of His pains with me. After this, giving a little respite to His moans, He told me: “My daughter, it is these sad times that force Me to this, because men have grown so bold and proud, that everyone thinks he is the god of himself; and if I do not lay hand to scourges, I would do harm to their souls, because the cross alone is the nourishment of humility. So, if I did not do it, I Myself would cause them to lack the means to be humiliated and to surrender from their strange madness, even though the majority of them offends Me more. But I do this like a father who breaks the bread for all to be nourished – a bread which some of his children do not want to take; even more, they use it to throw it in their father’s face. What has the poor father done wrong? So I am. Therefore, compassionate Me in my afflictions.”

Having said this, He disappeared, leaving me half-awake and half-asleep, not knowing, myself, whether I have to wake up completely, or go back to sleep.

June 27, 1900
The soul must recognize herself in Jesus, not in herself.

I continue to be sleepy. This morning, for a few minutes I found myself awake and I comprehended my miserable state; I felt the bitterness of the privation of my highest and only Good. I was able only to shed a few tears, saying to Him: ‘My always good Jesus, how is it that You are not coming? These are not things to do: to wound a soul and then leave her! And what is more, so as not to let her know what You are doing, You leave her prey to sleep. O please! come, do not make me wait so much!’

While I was saying this and yet more nonsense, in one instant He came and transported me outside of myself; and since I wanted to tell Him about my poor state, imposing silence on me, Jesus told me: “My daughter, what I want from you is that you no longer recognize yourself in yourself, but that you recognize yourself only in Me. So you will no longer remember yourself, nor will you ever again have recognition of yourself, but you will remember Me, and un-recognizing yourself, you will acquire the recognition of Me alone. According to how much you will forget and destroy yourself, so will you advance in the knowledge of Me and will recognize yourself only in Me. Once you have done all this, you will no longer think with your mind, but with mine; you will not look with your eyes, you will no longer speak with your mouth, nor will you palpitate with your heart, work with your hands, or walk with your feet, but will do everything with mine. In fact, in order to recognize herself only in God, the soul needs to go to her origin and to return to her beginning – God, from whom she came – and to conform all of herself to her Creator. And anything which she keeps of herself and which is not conformed to her beginning, she must undo and reduce to nothing. Only in this way, naked, undone, can she return to her origin, recognize herself only in God, and operate according to the purpose for which she was created. This is why in order to conform to Me completely, the soul must render herself indivisible with Me.”

While He was saying this, I could see the terrible chastisement of plants withered, and how it must advance further. I could only say: ‘Ah, Lord, how will the poor people go on?’ And He, so as not to listen to me, escaped me like a flash and disappeared. Who can say the bitterness of my soul in finding myself inside myself, not having been able to speak to Him even one word for myself and for my neighbor; and for my tendency to sleep with which I was again left?

June 28, 1900
The present chastisements are nothing but the predisposition for future chastisements.

This morning, as I was highly afflicted because of the privation of my loving Jesus, I saw Him for just a little, and He said to me: “My daughter, how many masks will be unmasked in these times of chastisements! In fact, these present chastisements are nothing but the predisposition for all the chastisements which I manifested to you during the course of last year.”

As He was saying this, in my interior I said: ‘If the Lord continues to behave the way He is behaving – that since He wants to send chastisements He does not come, He does not share His pains with me and treats me with unusual manners – who would be able to endure? Who will give me the strength to remain in this state?’ And Jesus, answering my thought, added in act of compassion: “And so, do you want Me to suspend your state of victim for a little while, and to resume it later?” As He said this, I felt such confusion and bitterness (for it seemed to me as if, with that proposal, the Lord was driving me away from Himself) that I was unable to say either yes or no – also in order to hear what obedience decides. So, without waiting for my word, He disappeared from me, leaving me as though a nail was stuck into in my heart, thinking that Jesus was rejecting me. The pain was so great that I did nothing but shed bitter tears.

June 29, 1900
Jesus and Luisa refresh each other.

As I continued to be embittered, my adorable Jesus, having compassion for me, came and seemed to sustain me in His arms. Then, as He transported me outside of myself, I saw that a profound silence, a sadness, a mourning, reigned everywhere. The impression my soul received on seeing people that way was such that I felt a grip in my heart.

Then, as though calling me aside, blessed Jesus said to me: “My daughter, let us move what afflicts us away from us for a little while, and let us refresh each other.” While saying this, He began to caress me and kiss me; but my confusion was such that I did not dare to return those kisses and caresses. And He added: “How come? I refresh you with kisses and with caresses, and you do not want to refresh Me by returning to Me your kisses and your caresses?” So I felt the confidence to give Him tit for tat; and while I was doing this, He disappeared.

July 2, 1900
With her sufferings, Luisa holds back a chastisement.

I continue to be embittered and afflicted, as though dazed. This morning He did not come at all. The confessor came and placed the intention of the crucifixion. At first blessed Jesus did not concur, but then, after I prayed Him to deign to let me obey, He just barely made Himself seen and told me: “What do you want? Why do want to do violence to Me by force when it is necessary to chastise the peoples?” And I: ‘Lord, it is not I, it is obedience that wants it so.’ And He: “Well then, since it is obedience I want to share with you my crucifixion, and in the meantime I want to refresh Myself a little bit. While saying this, He shared with me the pains of the cross, and while I was suffering, Jesus placed Himself near me and seemed to refresh Himself quite a bit. Now, while I was in this position together with Him, He showed me a pitch-black cloud approaching from one point in the air, such that it struck terror and fright at the mere sight; and everyone was saying: “This time we die.” While all were terrified, a refulgent cross rose from between Jesus and me, and advancing toward that storm, put it to flight in great part, so much so, that the people seemed to calm down. I cannot tell for sure, but it seems to me that it was a hurricane accompanied by bolts of lightning and by hail so violent as to have the power to sweep factories away; and the cross which dispelled it in great part seemed to be my little suffering, which Jesus has shared with me. May the Lord be blessed, and may everything be for His glory and honor.

July 3, 1900
Chastisements with contagious and mortal diseases.

This morning, having received Communion, as soon as I saw my adorable Jesus I said to Him: ‘My beloved Lord, how is it that You are sending so many chastisements? Why this time do You not want to placate Yourself for any reason? It seems that all means have failed – both praying, and saying: “Lord, pour your bitternesses upon me”. Ah, it has not been your usual way to act like this!” While I was saying this, interrupting my speaking, blessed Jesus answered: “Yet, my daughter, the chastisements I am sending are still nothing compared to those which have been prepared. Therefore, do not want to afflict yourself with these, because they are not a matter of great affliction.”

As He was saying this, in front of me I saw many people affected by contagious diseases, who were dying; so, taken by horror, I said to Him: ‘Ah! Lord, that’s all we need! What are You doing? What are You doing? If You want to do this, take me away from this earth, for my heart cannot bear the sight of scenes so gloomy. Besides, who can endure continuing in this state in which You put me – that You do not come, or You come like a shadow; and not only this, but You leave me dazed, sleepy, not letting me understand anything any more. Yet, You told me that You would leave me like this until You would somehow give vent to your fury; but now You want to add fury to fury, and it seems You will not be done for now. Poor me! Poor me! Who will give me the strength to remain in this state? Who would be able to endure?’

While I poured out my affliction, compassionating me, Jesus said to me: “My daughter, do not be concerned by your state of sleepiness. This says that just as I am with people – as if I were sleeping, as if I did not hear them and look at them – in that same state have I placed you. After all, if you mind it, I told you last time: do you want Me to suspend your state of victim?” And I: ‘Lord, obedience does not want me to accept this suspension.’ And He: “Well then, what do you want from Me? Be quiet and obey!”

Who can say how afflicted I remained? Not only this, but it seems that my interior powers were left so asleep, that I live as if I were not living. Ah, Lord, have pity on me! Do not leave me in abandonment in such a pitiful and sorrowful state!

July 9, 1900
To live not only for God, but in God.

I continue in the same state, and maybe even worse; and if sometimes He makes Himself seen, it is like shadow and flashes, and almost always in silence. This morning, as I was at the summit of my affliction and dazedness because of the continuous sleep, He just barely made Himself seen and told me: “Courage, my daughter, the soul who is truly mine must live not only for God, but in God. You, try to live in Me, for in Me you will find the receptacle of all virtues, and strolling in their midst, you will nourish yourself with their fragrance, so much so, as to become replete. And you yourself will do nothing but give off light and celestial fragrance, because to live in Me is true virtue, and it has the virtue of giving to the soul the same shape as the Divine Person in whom she dwells, and of transforming her into the very divine virtues with which she nourishes herself.”

After this, He disappeared like a flash, and running after that flash, my soul found herself outside of myself. But He had already escaped, and it was not given to me to find Him, while I received the bitterness of seeing a terrible hail which had caused a great devastation; and bolts of lightning, as if they had produced fires; and other things which had been prepared. Having seen this, I found myself inside myself, more afflicted than before.

July 10, 1900
Difference between living for God and living in God.

While I was in the same confusion, He made Himself seen like a flash and made me understand that I had not written everything He had told me the day before – that is, that the soul must not only live for God, but in God. So, blessed Jesus repeated to me the difference that exists between living for God and living in God, saying to me: “In living for God, the soul can be subject to disturbances, to bitternesses, to being inconstant, to feeling the weight of passions, to meddle in earthly things. But the living in God – no, it is completely different, because the most important thing so that one person may enter to dwell inside another person is to lay down all that belongs to him – that is, to strip himself of everything, to leave his own passions; in a word, to leave everything in order to find everything in God.

Now, when the soul has not only stripped herself, but has slimmed down well, then will she be able to enter through the narrow door of my Heart to live in Me, according to my way and from my own Life. In fact, even though my Heart is immense, so much so, that there is no end to Its boundaries, Its door, however, is extremely narrow, and only one who is stripped of everything can enter into It. This, with reason, because since I am Most Holy, I would never admit anything to live in Me which is extraneous to my sanctity. Therefore, my daughter, try to live in Me and you will possess Paradise in advance.”

Who can say how much I understood of this living in God? But then He disappeared and I was left in my same state.

July 11, 1900
The sufferings of Luisa will render chastisements less rigorous.

This morning, having received Communion and continuing in the same state of confusion, I was all huddled within myself, when I saw my adorable Jesus coming toward me all in a hurry, saying: “My daughter, break my fury a little bit, otherwise…!” And I, all frightened, said: ‘What do You want me to do to break your fury?’ And He: “By calling my sufferings into yourself you will come to placate my fury.”

At that moment, I saw as if He were calling the confessor by sending a ray of light, and immediately he placed the intention of having me suffer the crucifixion. The blessed Lord promptly concurred and I found myself in so many sufferings, that because of the intensity of the pains I felt my soul go out of my body. When I thought I was about to breathe my last, and I was content that Jesus would receive my soul, I saw the confessor who, by saying “enough, enough”, was calling me back into myself. Then Jesus said to me: “Obedience is calling you.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, I want to come!’ And Jesus: “What can I do? Obedience keeps calling you.” And so it seems that this new obedience did not allow the sufferings to go further; but indeed, a cruel obedience for me, because while I seemed to seize the harbor, I was flung outside to navigate the way.

Then, afterwards, even though I was left in suffering, I no longer felt that thing of being about to die, and my benign Lord continued: “My daughter, if today you had not broken my fury, I had reached such a limit, that I would have destroyed not only plants, but also men. And if the confessor himself had not intervened by calling my suffering into you, I would have had no regard even for him. It is true that chastisements are necessary, but every now and then, when my fury advances, it is necessary that you break it; otherwise, my daughter, how many more scourges I would send!” And while He was saying this, I seemed to see Him, all tired, saying, while moaning: “My daughter…”; or: “My children, poor children of mine, how reduced I see you!” And to my surprise He made me understand that after He had calmed down a little bit, He was to resume His fury to continue the chastisements, and that this had only served not to make Him rage too much against the people. Ah, Lord, placate Yourself and have mercy on those whom You Yourself call “my children”!

July 14, 1900
The decree of chastisements is signed…

It seems I have spent a few days without being immersed in the lethargy of sleep, and together with blessed Jesus a little bit, giving a little refreshment to each other. But how I fear that He may plunge me again into that sleep so profound.

Then, this morning, after He refreshed me with milk that flowed from His mouth by pouring it into me, and I refreshed Him by removing the crown of thorns from His head to drive it onto mine, all afflicted He told me: “My daughter, the decree of chastisements is signed; there is nothing left but to decide the time of the execution.”

July 16, 1900
Chastisements serve the good of creatures.

This morning my adorable Jesus was not coming. After much waiting He came and told me: “My daughter, the best thing for you is to commend yourself to Me and to my Will, so that, by commending yourself to Me, since I am peace, even if you saw Me send chastisements you would remain at peace, without feeling any disturbance.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, You always get there – to chastisements. Placate Yourself once and for all, and no more scourges. Besides, I cannot commend myself to your Will in this regard.’ And He added: “I cannot placate Myself. What would you say if you saw someone naked who, instead of covering his nakedness, paid attention to adorning himself with trinkets, leaving the parts most necessary exposed to nakedness?” And I: ‘I would be horrified at seeing him, and I would certainly blame him.’ And He: “Well then, such are souls. Completely naked, they have no more virtues to cover them, therefore it is necessary that I beat them, scourge them, deprive them, so as to make them come back to their senses and realize the nakedness of their souls, for this is more necessary than the body. And if I did not do this, I would be paying attention to trinkets, like the person you blamed, which are the things that refer to the body, and I would not be paying attention to the most essential thing – the soul, which they have reduced to being so monstrous as to no longer be recognizable.”

After this, it seemed He had a little rope in His hand, and passing it behind my neck He bound me, and then bound His neck to that same rope. He did the same to the heart and the hands, and by this, He seemed to bind me completely to His Will. Having done this, He disappeared.

July 17, 1900
Luisa gives a relief to Jesus. He makes her consider the chastisements He holds back.

Having received Communion, I did not see blessed Jesus as I usually do. Then, after waiting for a long time, I felt I was going outside of myself and I found Him. As I saw Him, He said to me: “Daughter, I was waiting for you to be able to rest a little bit in you, for I cannot take any more. O please, give Me a relief!”

Immediately I took Him in my arms to content Him, and I saw that He had a deep wound on His shoulder, which aroused compassion and repugnance at the sight. So He rested for a few minutes, and then, after that brief rest, I looked and I saw that that wound was almost healed. So, amid amazement and stupefaction, and seeing Him more relieved, I plucked up courage and I said to Him: ‘Blessed Lord, my poor heart is tormented by a fear – that You do not love me any more. I fear I have incurred your indignation and this is why You no longer come as before, You do not pour your bitternesses into me, and you no longer give me my good, which is suffering; and by denying this to me, You come to deny me Yourself. O please! Give peace to a poor heart! Tell me, assure me, swear to me – do You love me? Do You continue loving me?’ And He: “Yes, yes, yes, I love you.” And I: ‘How can I be sure of this, since when one really loves somebody, whatever he wants one gives him? But I say to You: “Do not chastise the people”, and You chastise them. “Pour your bitternesses [into me]”, and You do not pour them; on the contrary, it seems that this time You are going too far. So, how can I rely on your loving me?’ And He: “My daughter, you take into account the chastisements I send, but those which I hold back you take into no account. How many more chastisements I would have sent, how many more slaughters, and how much more blood I would have caused to be shed, if I had no regard for those few who love Me, and whom I love with a special love?”

Then, after this, it seemed that Jesus set on His way to go there where slaughters of human flesh were occurring. I wanted to follow Him, but it was not given to me to do it, and to my highest sorrow I found myself inside myself.

July 18, 1900
The sins of the people fall upon them and cause their ruin.

As I was in my usual state, I saw my adorable Jesus for just a little, all afflicted inside my heart, and I also saw many people committing many sins. These sins were setting out toward me to come to wound my beloved Lord even inside my heart, but Jesus would push them away from Himself, and they would come to fall upon the people themselves, and in falling upon them they would form their own ruin, changing into many kinds of scourges over the peoples, such as to horrify the hardest hearts. Then, all grieved, Jesus told me: “My daughter, to what extent reaches the blindness of men – while they try to wound Me, they wound themselves with their own hands.”

July 19, 1900
Luisa offers herself to suffer, so that people might be spared.

This morning, after spending the whole night and great part of the morning waiting for my adorable Jesus, He was not deigning to come. So, tired of waiting for Him, I tried to go out of my usual state, thinking that it might no longer be Will of God. Almost impatient, while I was trying to go out of it, my benign Jesus moved within my heart, just barely making Himself seen and looking at me in silence. Impatient as I was, I said to Him: ‘My good Jesus, how can You be so cruel! Can there be greater cruelty than this – abandoning a soul prey to the ruthless tyrant of love that makes her live in continuous agony? Oh, how You have changed – from loving into cruel!’

While I was saying this, I saw many mutilated members of people before me, so I added: ‘Ah, Lord, how much mutilated human flesh! How many bitternesses and pains! Ah, would it not have been a lesser cruelty if You had satisfied Yourself in this body of mine, by tearing it into as many pieces for as many divisions as You have caused in these members? Would it not have been a lesser evil to see only one suffer, rather than many poor peoples?’ While I was saying this, Jesus continued to fix on me, as if He were struck – I cannot tell whether He was grieved too – and He said to me: “Yet, this is the beginning of the game; this is still nothing compared to what will come.” Having said this, He flew away from my sight, without letting me see Him any more, leaving me in a sea of bitternesses.

July 21, 1900
Necessity of purification.

After spending one day being dozy and so sleepy that I could not understand myself, having received Communion, I felt I was going outside of myself, but I could not find my highest and only Good, so I began to go round and round in a delirium. While doing this, I felt there was someone in my arms, completely veiled, in such a way that I could not see who he was. So, unable to refrain any longer, I tore that veil and I saw my longed-for All. On seeing Him, I felt I wanted to burst into complaints and nonsense, but in order to break my impatience and my delirium, Jesus gave me a kiss. That kiss infused in me life, calm, and broke my impatience, so much so, that I was unable to say anything any more. Then, forgetting all my miseries – and I have many – I remembered the poor people, and I said to Jesus: ‘Placate Yourself, spare so many peoples torments so cruel. Let us go together where such things are happening, that we may comfort and console those poor Christians who are in such a sad state.’ And He: “My daughter, I do not want to take you, for your heart would not bear seeing such a harrowing slaughter.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, how is it that You have permitted this?’ And He: “It is necessary, absolutely, for the sake of purgation in every place, because in the field sowed by Me weeds and thorns have grown so much as to become trees. And these thorny trees do nothing but inundate my field with poisonous and pestilent waters, to the point that if some ear of grain remains intact, it receives nothing but punctures and stench, so much so, that it is impossible for more ears to germinate – first, because they lack the ground, which is occupied by so many noxious plants; second, because of the continuous punctures they receive, which give them no peace. So, behold the necessity of the slaughter – to root out so many bad plants; and of shedding of blood – to purge my field of those poisonous and pestilent waters. Therefore, do not want to grow sad at this beginning, because not only there where I have sent chastisements, but in all other places is purgation needed.”

Who can say the consternation of my heart in hearing this speaking of Jesus? So, again, I insisted that I wanted to go see, but Jesus, not listening to me, disappeared. Left alone, I took my way to go there, but I found now an Angel, who would make me go back, and now purging souls, to the point that I was forced to return into myself.

July 25, 1900
There is no cruelty at all in Jesus; everything is love.

This morning my adorable Jesus came and made me see a machine in which it seemed that many human members were being crushed, as well as something like two signs of chastisements in the air – chastisements that struck terror. Who can say the consternation of my heart in seeing all this? But blessed Jesus, seeing me so embittered, told me: “My daughter, let us move what so much afflicts us away from us for a little while, and let us cheer each other by playing together a little bit.”

Who can say what passed between Jesus and me in this game – the finesses of love, the stratagems, the kisses and the caresses that we gave each other? However, my beloved Jesus surpassed me because, being very weak, I would faint; so much so, that unable to contain within myself what He was giving me, I said: ‘My beloved, enough, enough, for I can take no more – I faint; my poor heart is not so large as to be capable of receiving so much; so enough for now.’ Then, wanting to scold me because of my speaking of the other day, sweetly He said to me: “Let me hear your complaints. Tell Me, tell Me: am I cruel? Has my love changed into cruelty for you?” And I, all blushing, said: ‘No, Lord, You are not cruel when You come, but when You do not come, then I will say that You are cruel.’ Smiling at my words, He added: “You still keep saying that I am cruel when I do not come? No, no, there can be no cruelty at all in Me – everything is love; and know that if it is as you say, my very being cruel is greater love.”

July 27, 1900
Visions of attacks against the Church and of persecutions in China.

I was all worried about my miserable state, especially that it might no longer be Will of God, and I considered my scarce suffering and His continuous privation a sure sign of this. Now, while I was wearing out my little brain over this and I struggled to snap out of it, my always good Jesus made Himself seen like a flash, saying to me: “My daughter, what do you want Me to do? Tell Me – I will do what you want.” At such an unexpected proposal, I did not know what to say; I felt such confusion over the fact that blessed Jesus would have to do what I wanted – while it is I who must do what He wants – that I remained mute. So, seeing that I was not saying anything, He escaped like a flash, and I, running after that light, found myself outside of myself. But I did not find Him, so I wandered around the earth, the heavens, the stars, calling Him now with my voice, now with my singing, thinking to myself that on hearing my voice and my singing blessed Jesus would be wounded and I would find Him with certainty.

Now, while wandering around, I saw the cruel torment that continues in the war of China – churches knocked down, images of Our Lord thrown to the ground… And this is nothing yet. That which frightened me the most was to see that if now this is done by barbarians, by secular, later it will be done by false religious who, removing their masks and letting themselves be known for who they are, uniting with the open enemies of the Church, will launch such an attack as to be incredible to the human mind. Oh, how many more cruel torments! It seems that they have sworn among themselves to end it with the Church. But the Lord will take revenge over them by destroying them; so, blood on one side, and blood on the other.

Then I found myself inside a garden which seemed to be the Church, and inside of it there was a crowd of people in the appearance of dragons, of vipers and of other raging beasts, which devastated that garden, and then went outside, forming the ruin of the peoples. Now, while I was seeing this, I found my beloved Lord in my arms, and I said: ‘Finally You have let Yourself be found. Are You really my dear Jesus?’ And He: “Yes, yes, I am your Jesus.” And I wanted to tell Him to spare so many people, but He, not paying attention to me in this, all afflicted, added: “My daughter, I am quite tired; let us go into your bed to rest if you want Me to remain with you.” And I, fearing that He might leave, kept silent, allowing Him to fall asleep. Then, after a little while, He reentered into my interior, leaving me reassured, yes, but highly afflicted.

July 30, 1900
Luisa stops the sword of Justice.

I spent one night and one day being restless. From the very beginning I felt I was going outside of myself, without being able to find my adorable Jesus; I could see nothing but things that struck terror and fright in me. I could see that a fire was flaring up in Italy, and another one had flared up in China, and little by little, uniting together, they were blending into one. In this fire I could see the king of Italy who had suddenly died by a trick, and this was the means to ignite and expand the fire. In sum, I could see a revolt, a tumult, a killing of people. After having seen these things, I felt I was inside myself and I felt my soul being tortured, to the point of feeling I was dying; more so, since I could not see my adorable Jesus. Then, after much waiting, He made Himself seen with a sword in His hand, in the act of throwing it over the people. All frightened, and made a little daring, I took the sword in my hand, telling Him: ‘Lord, what are You doing? Don’t You see how many disasters will occur if You throw this sword? What grieves me the most is that I see that You are putting Italy in the middle. Ah, Lord, placate Yourself, have pity on your images! And if You say that You love me, spare me this bitter sorrow.’ And while saying this, I held on to that sword as tightly as I could.

Heaving a sigh, all afflicted, Jesus said to me: “My daughter, let it go – let it fall upon the people, for I can take no more.” And I, holding it more tightly: ‘I cannot let it go, I do not have the heart to do it.’ And He: “Have I not told you many times that I am forced not to let you see anything, otherwise I am not free to do what I want?” And while saying this, He lowered His arm with the sword, and placed Himself in the act of calming His fury.

After a little while He disappeared from me, and I was left with the fear that, who knows, without letting me see it, He might pull the sword away from me and throw it over the people. Oh, God! What a heartbreak, the mere remembering!

August 1, 1900
The Humanity of Jesus is the mirror of the Divinity. Chastisements.

My adorable Jesus continues to come only very few times, and for a short time. This morning I felt all annihilated and I almost did not dare to go in search of my highest Good; but, always benign, He came, and wanting to infuse trust in me, told me: “My daughter, there is no one who can stand before my Majesty and purity; rather, all are forced to be terrified and struck by the thunderbolt of my sanctity. Man would almost want to flee from Me, because his misery is such and so great, that he does not have the courage to stand before the Divine Being. And here is why, giving the field to my mercy, I took on my Humanity which, tempering the rays of the Divinity, is the means to infuse in man trust and courage to come to Me. Placing himself before my Humanity, which spreads temperate rays of the Divinity, man has the good of being able to purify, sanctity and even divinize himself in my very deified Humanity.

Therefore, you – remain always before my Humanity, keeping it as a mirror through which you will clean all of your stains; not only this, but as a mirror through which, by reflecting yourself in it, you will acquire beauty, and little by little you will keep adorning yourself in my own likeness. In fact, it is a property of a mirror to make an image appear within it, similar to that of the one who is reflecting himself in it. If such is the material mirror, much more so the divine, because my Humanity serves man as mirror in order to reflect my Divinity. And here is how all goods come to man from my Humanity.”

While He was saying this, I felt such trust being infused in me, that the thought came to me of wanting to talk to Him about the chastisements – who knows, He might grant me audience, and I might reach the intent of placating Him completely. But while I was about to do it, He disappeared like a flash, and running after Him, my soul found herself outside of myself. But I was unable to find Him any more, and to my highest sorrow I saw many people entering prisons; others, sectarians, going out to make attempts on the lives of other kings and of other leaders. I saw that they were consumed with rage because they still lack the means to come out into the midst of the peoples and make a slaughter. Yet, their time will come. Then, afterwards, I found myself inside myself, all oppressed and afflicted.

August 3, 1900
God operates where there is nothing.

As I was in my usual state, I was longing and searching for my loving Jesus. Then, after I waited for Him for a long time, He came and told me: “My daughter, why do you look for Me outside of yourself, while you could find Me more easily within yourself? When you want to find Me, enter into yourself, go deep into your ‘nothing’, and there, without yourself, in the most tiny circle of your ‘nothing’, you will see the foundations that the Divine Being laid within you, as well as the factories It raised in you. Look and see.”

I looked again and I saw solid foundations and very high walls that reached up to the heavens; but that which stupefied me was to see that the Lord had done this beautiful work upon my nothing, and the walls were all walled up, with no openings. One could see only one opening in the vault, which corresponded only to Heaven, and in this opening dwelled Our Lord, upon a stable column that rose out of the foundations, formed over nothing. Now, while I was looking, all stupefied, blessed Jesus added: “The foundations formed over nothing mean that the Divine Hand operates there where there is nothing, and It never mixes Its works with material works. The walls without openings around mean that the soul must have no correspondence with earthly things, in such a way that there may be no danger that even a little bit of dust may enter, because everything is walled up well. The only correspondence that these walls allow is with Heaven – that is, from nothing to Heaven, from Heaven to nothing; and this is the meaning of the opening made in the vault. The stability of the column means that the soul is so stable in good that there is no contrary wind that can move her. And my dwelling upon it is the sure sign that the work done is fully divine.”

Who can say what I understood about this? But my mind gets lost and is unable to say anything. May the Lord be always blessed, and may everything be for His glory and honor.

August 9, 1900
Everything that one wants, one must want because God wants it.

This morning my adorable Jesus was not coming, so I waited for a long time. Then He made Himself seen for just a little and told me: “Just as a musical instrument resounds pleasant to the hearing of one who listens to it, so do your desires, your waiting, your sighs, your tears resound to my hearing like a melody of the most pleasant. But so that it may descend more sweet and delightful, I want to teach you another way – that is, to desire Me not as your desire, but as my desire, because I greatly love to manifest Myself to you. In sum, everything you want and desire, you must want and desire because I want it – that is, taking it from within Me and making it your own. In this way your melody will be more delightful to my hearing, because it is a melody that has come out of Myself.”

Then He added: “Everything that comes from Me enters into Me. This is why men complain that they do not obtain easily what they ask for – because those are not things that come from Me; and not being things that come from Me, they cannot easily enter into Me and then come out to give themselves to them. In fact, what comes from Me and enters into Me is all that is holy, pure and celestial. Now, what is the wonder if audience is precluded to them since what they ask for is not so? Therefore, you – keep well in mind that all that comes from God enters into God.”

Who can say what I understood about these few words? But I have no words to be able to explain myself. Ah, Lord, give me the grace to ask for all that is holy, and that it be your desire and Will, so that You may communicate Yourself to me more abundantly.

August 19, 1900
Sterile love and operative love.

This morning, after I received Communion, my beloved Jesus made Himself seen in the act of wanting to instruct me. Making as though an example, He told me: “My daughter, if a young man got married, and taken by love for him, his wife wanted to be always with him, without detaching herself for one moment, without caring about the other duties of a wife to make this young man happy, what would he say? He would appreciate her love, but he would certainly not be content with her conduct, because this way of loving would be nothing but a sterile, infertile love, which would bring harm rather than fruit to that poor young man. And little by little this strange love would cause him bother rather than delight, because all the satisfaction of this love is of the young lady. And since a sterile love has no wood with which to nourish the fire, very soon it reduces itself to ashes, because only an operative love is lasting, while other loves fly into the wind like smoke, and then one reaches the point of becoming annoyed, and of not caring about, and maybe even despising, that which one loved so much.

Such is the conduct of those souls who care only about themselves – that is, about their satisfaction, about fervors, and anything that pleases them – saying that this is love for Me, while it is all their satisfaction. In fact, one can see from their deeds that they do not care about my interests and the things that belong to Me; and if what satisfies them is missing, they no longer care about Me, and they even reach the point of offending Me. Ah, daughter, only an operative love is that which distinguishes the true from the false lovers – everything else is smoke!”

While He was saying this, I saw some people, and it was as if I wanted to pay attention to them, but Jesus distracted me from this by saying to me: “Do not want to meddle in other people’s business; let us leave them alone, because everything has its time. When the time of judgment comes, then will be the time to discern all things, which will be sifted well, so that one will come to recognize the grain, the straws and the sterile and noxious seeds. Oh, how many things that appear to be grain will be found straws and sterile seeds on that day, worthy only of being thrown into the fire!”

August 20, 1900
Jesus looks at the world from within Luisa.

This morning my adorable Jesus was not coming. Then, after much waiting, when my poor heart could take no more, He made Himself seen within my interior, and told me: “My daughter, do not want to afflict yourself because you do not see Me, for I am inside of you; and from here, through you, I am looking at the world.” Then He continued making Himself seen every now and then, without telling me anything else.

August 24, 1900
Everything turns into good for one who truly loves Jesus.

Having spent one day being restless, I felt all full of temptations and sins. Oh God, what a harrowing pain it is to offend You! I did as much as I could to remain in God, to resign myself to His Holy Will, to offer Him that very restless state for love of Him, to not pay attention to the enemy, showing highest indifference, so that I would not incite him myself to tempt me more. But in spite of all this, I could not help hearing the murmuring that the enemy provoked around me. So, finding myself in my usual state, I did not dare to desire my beloved Jesus, so ugly and miserable did I see myself. But, always benign with this sinner, without my asking He came, and as though compassionating me, told me: “My daughter, courage, do not fear. Don’t you know that certain cold and mighty waters are more powerful in purging one of the slightest spot than fire itself? And then, everything turns into good for one who really loves Me.” Having said this, He disappeared, leaving me reassured, yes, but weak, as if I had suffered a fever.

August 30, 1900
Luisa goes to Purgatory to relieve the king of Italy.

Having gone through several days of privation and of bitterness – at the most, I saw Him a few times like shadow and flash – this morning I was at the summit of bitterness; and not only this, but it was as if I had lost the hope of seeing Him again. Then, after I received Communion, it seemed to me that the confessor was placing the intention of the crucifixion, and blessed Jesus, to let me obey, made Himself seen and shared His pains with me. In the meantime I saw the Queen Mama who, taking me, offered me to Him so that He would placate Himself. And Jesus, having regard for His Mama, accepted the offer and seemed to placate Himself a little.

After this, the Queen Mama said to me: “Do you want to come to Purgatory to relieve the king of the horrible pains he is in?” And I: ‘My Mama, as He wants.’ In an instant She took me, and flying She transported me into a place of atrocious torments, all mortal; and that miserable one was there, going from one torment to another. It seemed that for as many souls as had been lost because of him, so many deaths was he supposed to suffer. Then, after I went through several of those torments myself, he was relieved a little bit. Again, the Queen Mama took me away from that place of pains, and I found myself inside myself.

August 31, 1900
In the interior souls there cannot be disturbance.

As I was in my usual state and since my adorable Jesus was not coming, I was all afflicted and a little concerned about why He was not coming. Then, after much waiting and waiting, He came, and seeing that Blood was pouring from His hands, I prayed that from His left hand He would pour Blood over the world, for sinners who were about to die and were at risk of being lost; and from His right hand He would pour His Blood over Purgatory. Listening to me benignly, He stirred Himself and poured Blood over both places.

After this, He said to me: “My daughter, in the interior souls there cannot be disturbance, and if it enters into them, it is because the soul goes outside of herself. To do this is to act as her own executioner, because by going outside of herself she clings to many things which do not regard nor belong to God; and sometimes, things which do not regard even the true good of the soul. So, returning into herself and bringing things that are extraneous to her, she herself torments herself, and with this, she comes to make herself infirm, and also grace. Therefore, remain always within yourself and you will always be calm.»

Who can say with what clarity I understood this, and how I found truth in these words of Jesus? Ah, Lord, if You please to instruct me, give me the grace to profit from your holy instructions, otherwise everything will be for my condemnation.

September 1, 1900
Obedience puts peace between God and the soul.

Since He was still not coming, I kept saying: ‘My good Jesus, do not make me wait so long. This morning I don’t feel like getting upset and looking for You so much, to the point of tiring myself. Come once and for all, quickly quickly – as simple as that.’ And in seeing that He was not coming, I kept saying: ‘It shows that You want me to get tired and even reach the point of getting upset; otherwise You do not come.’

While I was saying this and other nonsense, He came and told me: “Would you be able to tell Me what it is that maintains the correspondence between the soul and God?” And I, but always through a light that came from Him, said: ‘Prayer’. And Jesus, approving of my answer, added: “But what is it that draws God to intimate conversation with the soul?” I did not know what to answer, but immediately the light moved in my intellect, and I said: ‘If vocal prayer serves to maintain the correspondence, certainly interior meditation must serve as nourishment in order to maintain the conversation between God and the soul.’

Content with that, He continued: “Now, would you be able to tell Me what it is that breaks the sweet contrasts, and removes the loving discontents which may arise between God and the soul?” Since I did not answer, He Himself said: “My daughter, only obedience has this office, because she alone decides about the things pertaining to Me and the soul. And when some contrasts arise, or when some discontent comes to mortify the soul, as obedience arises, she breaks the contrasts, removes the discontents, and puts peace between God and the soul.”

And I: ‘Ah, Lord, many times it seems that obedience herself does not want to meddle in it, remaining indifferent; and the poor soul is forced to remain in that state of contrasts and of huffiness.’ And Jesus: “She does so for a certain time, because she too wants to delight in being present at those loving contrasts; but then she assumes her office and pacifies everything. Therefore, obedience gives peace to the soul and to God.”

Having said this, He disappeared.

September 4, 1900
Impurities and good works done badly are a disgusting and insipid food for Jesus.

After I received Communion, my adorable Jesus transported me outside of myself, making Himself seen highly afflicted and embittered. I prayed Him to pour His bitternesses into me, but Jesus would not pay attention to me; however, as I insisted, after a long time He pleased to pour. After He had poured a little bit of bitterness, I asked: ‘Lord, don’t You feel better now?’ And He: “Yes, but it was not what I poured that gave Me so much pain; rather, it was a disgusting and insipid food that does not let Me rest.” And I: ‘Pour a little into me, so You will be relieved a little.’ And He: “If I cannot digest it and bear it, how could you?” And I: ‘I know that my weakness is great, but You will give me grace and strength, and so I will be able to contain it within myself.’ I understood, however, that the disgusting food was the impurities, and the insipid food was the good works done badly, all scrambled, which are rather of bother and of weight for Our Lord. He almost despises receiving them, and unable to bear them, He wants to pour them out of His mouth. Who knows how many of mine there are too!

So, almost forced by me, He also poured a little bit of that food. How right Jesus was! – the bitter was more tolerable than that disgusting and insipid food! If it were not for love of Him, I would not have accepted it at any cost.

After this, blessed Jesus placed His arm behind my neck, and leaning His head on my shoulder, He placed Himself in the act of wanting to take rest. While He was resting, I felt I was in a place in which there were many movable tiles, and underneath them, the abyss. Fearing I might fall, I woke Him up, invoking His help, and He said to me: “Do not fear, this is the path that all cover. It takes nothing but all of one’s attention; and since the majority walk carelessly, this is why many fall into the abyss and few are those who reach the harbor of salvation.” After this, He disappeared and I found myself inside myself.

VOLUME 4

J.M.J.

Year 1900

September 5, 1900
Hope, the nourishment of Love.

Since in the past days my adorable Jesus had not made Himself seen so much, I was feeling diffident about the hope of reacquiring Him again; even more, I believed that everything was over for me: visits of Our Lord and state of victim. However, this morning blessed Jesus came, wearing a horrible crown of thorns, and placed Himself near me, moaning, in the act of wanting a refreshment. So I removed it very gently, and to give Him more pleasure I put it on my head. Then He said to me: “My daughter, true Love is when It is sustained by Hope, and persevering Hope, because if today I hope and tomorrow I do not, Love becomes infirm. In fact, since Love is nourished by Hope, the more nourishment It administers to It, the stronger, more robust and more lively Love becomes. And if this is missing, poor Love becomes infirm first, and remaining alone, without support, It ends up dying completely. Therefore, as great as your difficulties may be, you must never, even for one instant, move away from Hope with the fear of losing Me. On the contrary, you must act in such a way that, overcoming everything, Hope may make you be found always united with Me, and then Love will have perennial life.” After this, He continued coming without telling Me anything else.

September 6, 1900
The state of victim.

My most sweet Jesus continues to come. This morning, as soon as He came, He wanted to pour a little bit of His bitternesses into me, and then He told me: “My daughter, I want to sleep a little, and you – do my office of suffering, praying and placating Justice.” So He fell asleep, and I began to pray near Jesus. Later, as He woke up, we went round a little in the midst of people, and He showed me several conspiracies that they are making in order to provoke a revolution. Especially, I noticed a sudden assault they were plotting so as to better achieve their intent, and so that no one might be able to defend and guard himself against the enemy. How many gloomy scenes! However, it seems that the Lord is not yet giving them the freedom to do this; and not knowing the reason, they are consumed with rage, because in spite of their perverse will, they see themselves powerless to do it. It takes nothing else but the Lord to concede this freedom to them, for everything is ready.

After this, we came back, and Jesus showed Himself all wounded, and said to me: “See how many wounds they have opened in Me, and the necessity of the continuous state of victim, of your sufferings, because there is not a moment in which they spare Me offenses. And since the offenses are continuous, continuous must be the sufferings and the prayers so that I may be spared; and if you see that your suffering is suspended, tremble and fear, because not seeing Myself relieved in my pains, may it not be that I concede to the enemies that freedom so yearned for by them.” On hearing this, I began to pray that He would let me suffer, and in the meantime I saw the confessor who, with his intentions, pressed Jesus to make me suffer. Then blessed Jesus shared with me such and so many pains, that I myself do not know how I remained alive. However, the Lord did not leave me alone in my pains; on the contrary, it seemed He did not have the heart to leave me, and so I spent several days together with Jesus, and He communicated many graces to me, and made me comprehend many things. However, partly because of the suffering state, partly because I am unable to express myself, I move on and keep silent.

September 9, 1900
Jesus prepares the soul of Luisa for Communion. The necessity of shedding of blood.

He continues to come; however, I spent most of the night without Jesus. Then, on coming, He told me: “My daughter, what do you want, that you are so anxiously waiting for Me? Do you perhaps need anything?” And since I knew I was to receive Communion, I said: ‘Lord, I waited for You the whole night; more so, because having to receive Communion, I fear that my heart may not be well disposed to be able to receive You. Therefore I need that my soul be reviewed by You, so that it may be disposed to unite me with You sacramentally.’ And Jesus, benignly, reviewed my soul to prepare me to receive Him. Then He transported me outside of myself, and together with Him I found our Queen Mama, who was saying to Jesus: “My Son, this soul will always be ready to do and to suffer whatever We want, and this is like a bond that binds Our Justice. Therefore, spare so many slaughters and so much blood which is to be shed by the people.” And Jesus said: “My Mother, the shedding of blood is necessary because I want this line of kings deposed from its throne, and this cannot be without blood; and this is also to purge my Church, which is very much infected. At the most, I can concede to spare them in part, out of regard for the sufferings.” In the meantime I saw the majority of the deputies plotting how to make the king fall, and they were thinking of putting on the throne one of those deputies who were assembled. After this, I found myself inside myself. How many human miseries! Ah, Lord, have compassion on the blindness in which poor humanity is immersed!

Then, continuing to see the Lord and the Queen Mother, I saw the confessor with them, and the Most Holy Virgin said: “See, my Son, We have a third party, the confessor, who wants to unite with Us and offer his work by committing himself to concur in order to make her suffer, to satisfy divine Justice. This too, is like rendering the rope stronger, which binds You in order to placate You. Besides, when have You ever resisted the strength of the unions of one who suffers and prays, and one who concurs with You for the sole purpose of glorifying You and for the good of the peoples.” Jesus was listening to His Mother; He had regard for the confessor, but He did not pronounce a sentence completely favorable; rather, He limited Himself to spare in part.

September 10, 1900
Threats against the perverted world.

This morning I found myself outside of myself and I saw the many evils and most enormous sins which are being committed – also against the Church and the Holy Father. Then, as I returned inside myself, my adorable Jesus came and told me: “What do you say about the world?” Not knowing what this question was driving at, impressed as I was by the things I had seen, I said: ‘Blessed Lord, who can tell You the perversity, the hardness, the ugliness of the world? I have no words to tell You how bad it is!’ And He, taking the occasion from my very words, added: “Have you seen how perverted it is? You yourself said it. There is no way to make it surrender; after I have almost taken bread away from it, it remains in the same stubbornness – and even worse; and for now it goes on procuring it by thefts and robberies, doing harm to one’s neighbor. Therefore it is necessary that I touch its flesh, otherwise it will become even more perverted.”

Who can say how speechless I remained at this speaking of Jesus; it seems to me that I myself have been the occasion of making Him become indignant against the world – instead of excusing it, I painted it black. I did as much as I could to excuse it afterwards, but He did not pay attention to me – the evil was already done. Ah, Lord, forgive me for this lack of charity, and use mercy!

September 12, 1900
The ‘sin’ of Luisa. Plots of revolution against the Church.

It continues almost in the same way. This morning, on coming, He poured His bitternesses, and I was left in so much suffering that I began to pray the Lord to give me strength and to relieve me a little bit, for I could not endure. In the meantime, a light came into my mind that I was committing sin in doing this. Besides, what would blessed Jesus say? While on other occasions I prayed Him to pour, this time when He had poured without waiting to be asked, I was looking for relief. It seems to me I am becoming more bad, and my badness reaches such a point that even before Him I do not abstain from committing defects and sins.

So, not knowing what to do in order to repair, I resolved in my interior that for this time, to make a greater sacrifice and give myself a penance so that my nature would not dare to ask for relief again, I should renounce the coming of Our Lord; and if He came I should tell Him: “Do not come, Love – have compassion for me, and [do not] relieve me.’ So I did, and I spent several hours in intense suffering and without Jesus. How bitter it was for me! But Jesus, having compassion for me, without my asking for Him, came, and immediately I said to Him: “Have patience, do not come, for I do not want relief.’ And He: “My daughter, I am content with your sacrifice, but you need a refreshment, otherwise you faint.” And I: ‘No, Lord, I do not want relief.’ But drawing near my mouth, almost by force He poured a few drops of a sweet milk from His mouth, which mitigated my suffering. Who can say the confusion, the blushing I felt before Him! I expected a reproach, but Jesus showed Himself more affable, more sweet, as if He had not perceived my fault. On seeing this, I said: ‘My adorable Jesus, once You have poured [your bitternesses] into me and I suffer, don’t You have to spare the world – don’t You?’ And He: “My daughter, do you think I have poured everything into you? Besides, how could you face all the chastisement I will pour over the world? You yourself have seen that you could not endure the little I poured, and had I not come to help you, you would have ended. Now, what would happen if I poured everything into you? My dear, I gave you my word – I will content you in part.”

After this, He transported me outside of myself, into the midst of the people, and I continued to see the so many evils, especially the plots of revolution against the Church and within society, to kill the Holy Father and priests. I felt my soul being tortured at the sight of these things, and I thought to myself: ‘If – may it never be – they came to carry out these machinations, what will happen? How many evils will come?’ All afflicted, I looked at Jesus, and He told me: “And what about that revolt that happened here – what do you say about it?” And I: ‘Which revolt? Nothing has happened in my town.’ And He: “Don’t you remember the revolt of Andria?”

‘Yes, Lord.’

“Well then, it seems nothing, but it is not so. That was the whole occasion and an incitement for other towns to revolt and shed blood, giving affront to sacred people and to my temples; and since everyone wants to show how much better he is in provoking evil, they will compete to see who can do more.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord! Give peace to the Church and do not allow so many troubles!’ And as I wanted to say more, He disappeared from me, leaving me all afflicted and concerned.

September 14, 1900
Jesus pours His bitternesses in order to placate His Justice. The heroism of true virtue.

This morning my adorable Jesus was not coming. Then, after much waiting, He made Himself seen within my interior, using my heart as support, and surrounding it with His arms while leaning His most sacred head upon it – all afflicted, serious, in such a way as to impose silence, and giving His back to the world. After remaining a little while in mute silence, because the appearance with which He showed Himself would not let one dare to say a word, He stirred Himself from that position and said to me: “I had resolved not to pour, but things have reached such a point that, if I did not pour, such uproars would break out as to start a revolution and cause bloody slaughters.” And I: ‘Yes, Lord, pour; this is my only desire – that You give vent to your wrath upon me and spare the creatures.’ So He poured a little bit.

Then, afterwards, as if He had relieved Himself, He added: “My daughter, I allowed Myself to be brought to the slaughter like a lamb, and I remained mute before those who sacrificed Me. The same will be for those few good of these times; however, this is the heroism of true virtue.” Again, He added: “I poured – but even though I did, do you want Me to pour a little more, so I relieve Myself more?” And I: ‘My Lord, don’t even ask me, I am at your disposal – You can do with me whatever You want.’ So He poured again and disappeared, leaving me in suffering and content, thinking that I had relieved the pains of my beloved Jesus.

September 16, 1900
Turmoils in Andria.

Continuing to come, my lovable Jesus shared with me various pains of His Passion, and then He transported me outside of myself, showing me the neighboring towns. In particular, it seemed to me it was Andria, and if the Lord does not make use of His omnipotence for their chastisement, the turmoils will get serious; more so, since it seemed that there was the incitement of some priests to these turmoils, which embittered Our Lord more. Then, after I visited various churches together with blessed Jesus, doing acts of reparation and adoration for the many profanations committed in the churches, Jesus told me: “My daughter, let Me pour a little bit, for the bitternesses are such and so many that I cannot swallow them alone, and my Heart cannot bear them.” So He poured and He disappeared, returning other times without telling me anything else.

September 18, 1900
Charity toward one’s neighbor. Luisa prays Jesus to take her to Heaven.

This morning my adorable Jesus transported me outside of myself, and showed me the many evils committed against charity toward one’s neighbor. How much sorrow they caused to most patient Jesus! – it seemed that He Himself was receiving them. Then, all afflicted, He told me: “My daughter, one who harms his neighbor harms himself, and by killing his neighbor he kills his soul; and since charity predisposes the soul for all virtues, because charity is missing, the soul is predisposed to commit all sorts of vices.”

After this, we withdrew, and since for several days I had been suffering from an intense pain at my ribs, I felt exhausted in my strengths. Compassionating me, blessed Jesus told me: “My beloved, you would like to come, wouldn’t you?” And I: ‘Heavens willing, my Lord, that this pain be the cause of my coming to You. How grateful I would be to it, how dearly I would hold it – as one of my most faithful friends. But I think You want to tempt me like the other times, and by exciting me with your invitations, since I would then remain disillusioned, You would come to make my martyrdom more cruel and harrowing. But, O please! – have compassion for me, and do not leave me on earth any longer; absorb this miserable worm into Yourself, for I have the right to this, since it is from You that I came.’ All moved in hearing me, lovable Jesus told me: “Poor daughter, do not fear, for your day in which you will be absorbed in Me will surely come. Know, however, that your continuous violences to come to Me, especially after my invitations, do great good to you and make you live in the atmosphere of the air, without a shadow of any human weight; so much so, that you are like those flowers which have not even their roots from the earth. By living in this way, suspended in the air, you come to amuse Heaven and earth, and in looking at Heaven, you are amused by It alone and you nourish yourself with all that is celestial; in looking at the earth, you feel compassion for it, and help it as much as you can on your part. However, at the comparison with the fragrance of Heaven, you immediately perceive the stench that emanates from the earth, and you abhor it. Could I perhaps place you in a position more dear to Me and to Heaven, and more beneficial for you and for the world?” And I: ‘Yet, O my Lord, You should have compassion for me by not prolonging my residence down here, for the so many reasons I have; especially then, for the sad times that are preparing. Who would have the heart to see such a bloody slaughter? And also, for your continuous privations that cost me more than death.’

As I was saying this, I saw a multitude of Angels around Our Lord, saying: “Our Lord and God, do not let Yourself be importuned any longer – make her content; we are anxiously waiting for her. Wounded by her voice, we have come here to listen to her, and we are impatient to take her with us. And you, O chosen one, come to cheer us in our celestial dwelling!” Blessed Jesus, moved, seemed to want to condescend, and He disappeared. As I found myself inside myself, I felt my pain increased; so much so, that I was in a continuous spasm – but I could not understand myself for the contentment.

September 19, 1900
The obedience to ask Jesus for relief in her pains.

As the spasm of pain doubled more and more, I would have wanted to hide it so that no one would notice it, and I would have wanted to keep it secret, without opening up with the confessor about the things I have said above. But the spasm was so strong that it was impossible for me to do it, and the confessor, making use if his usual weapon of obedience, commanded me to manifest everything to him. Then, after I manifested everything to him, he told me that out of obedience I was to pray the Lord to free me, otherwise I would be committing sin. What a kind of obedience! – she is always the one who comes across my designs. So, unwillingly, I accepted this new obedience, but in spite of this I did not have the heart to pray the Lord to free me of a friend so dear, which is suffering; more so, since I was hoping to go out of the exile of this life.

Blessed Jesus tolerated me, and on coming, He said to me: “You suffer very much, do you want Me to free you?” And I, forgetting for a moment about the obedience, said: ‘No Lord, no, do not free me – I want to come. Besides, You know that I don’t know how to love You, I am cold, I don’t do great things for You – at least I offer You this suffering to satisfy for what I am unable to do for love of You.’ And He: ‘And I, my daughter, will infuse so much love and so much grace in you, that no one may be able to love Me and desire Me as you do. Aren’t you happy?”

‘Yes, but I want to come.’ Jesus disappeared, and as I returned inside myself I remembered about the obedience received, and I had to accuse myself before the confessor, who commanded that he absolutely did not want me to go, and that the Lord should free me. What pain I felt in receiving this obedience! It really seems that she wants to touch the extremes of my patience.

September 20, 1900
Signs of the cross to heal her.

I continued to suffer; even more, I felt a resentment in my interior more than ever, for I was being forbidden to die. So, on coming, my adorable Jesus reproached me for my delay in obeying, while up to that moment He had seemed to tolerate me. In the meantime I saw the confessor, and turning to him, He took his hand and said: “When you come, sign her at the place of the pain, for I will make her obey.” And He disappeared.

As I remained alone, I felt the pain more intensely. Then the confessor came, and finding me in suffering, he too reproached me for I was not obeying, and as I told him what I had seen, and what Our Lord had said to the confessor, on hearing me, he signed the place where I was suffering, and in two minutes I was able to breathe and move, while before I could not do it without feeling atrocious spasms. It seems to me that obedience and those signs of the cross have bound my pain in such a way that I can no longer suffer – and here is how I have remained disillusioned in my designs. In fact, this lady obedience has taken so much power over me that she lets me do nothing of what I want; even in the suffering itself she wants to lord, and I have to remain entirely and completely under her empire.

September 21, 1900
The power of obedience. Obedience must be everything for her.

Who can tell my affliction in being deprived of my dearest friend, suffering? I admired, yes, the prodigious empire of holy obedience, as well as the virtue which the Lord had communicated to the confessor who, by obedience and by signing me, had freed me of a malady which I considered grave, and which was enough to undo my body. But in spite of this, I could not help feeling the pain of being deprived of a suffering so good, which moved blessed Jesus to pity and compassion, in such a way that I could make Him come almost continuously.

So, when Our Lord came I lamented to Him, saying: ‘My beloved Good, what have You done to me? You had me freed by the confessor, and so I have lost the hope of leaving the earth for now. Besides, why make so many stratagems, putting Father in the middle, when You could have freed me Yourself? Ah, maybe You did not want to grieve me directly, did You?’ And He: “Ah, my daughter, how quickly you have forgotten that obedience was everything to Me, and I want obedience to be everything for you. Besides, I put father in the middle, so that you would have regard for him as for my very person.” Having said this, He disappeared, leaving me all embittered.

How many things can lady obedience come up with! One has to know her and have to deal with her for a long time, not a short one, to truly be able to tell who she is. Brava, brava, lady obedience! The more one goes on, the more you make yourself known. As for myself, to tell the truth, I admire you, and I am even forced to love you; but I cannot help feeling huffy with you, especially when you come up with one of your big ones. Therefore I beg you, O dear obedience, to be more indulgent – more indulgent in letting me suffer.

September 22, 1900
As many times as she disposes herself to make the sacrifice of death, so many times does Jesus give her the merit as if she were truly dying.

As I was all oppressed and afflicted, upon coming, my adorable Jesus told me: “My daughter, why do you remain all immersed in your affliction?” And I: ‘Ah, my beloved, how can I not be afflicted since You do not want to take me with You yet, and You leave me on this earth still?’ And He: “Ah, no, I do not want you to breathe this sad air of yours, because everything I have placed inside and outside of you is all holy; so much so, that if something or someone draws near you who is not upright and holy, you feel bother, immediately detecting the opposite stench of that which is not holy. Now, why would you want to shade what I have placed inside of you with this air of sadness? Know, however, that as many times as you dispose yourself to make the sacrifice of death, so many times do I give you the merit as if you were truly dying. This must be of great consolation for you; more so, since you conform to Me more, as my life was a continuous dying.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, it does not seem to me that death is a sacrifice; on the contrary, it seems to me that life is sacrifice.’ And as I wanted to say more, He disappeared.

September 29, 1900
The victim souls are supports and props for Jesus.

I went through several days of silence between Jesus and me, and with scarce suffering; at the most, it seems He wanted to continue tempting me, to make me exercise a little bit more patience – and here is how:

On coming, He would say: “My beloved, I long for you from Heaven… In Heaven, in Heaven I wait for you.” And He would escape like a flash. Then, coming back, He would repeat: “Cease your ardent sighs now, for you make Me languish continuously, to the point of fainting.” Other times: “Your ardent love, your yearnings, are refreshment for my sad Heart.” But who can say them all? It seemed to me that He was feeling like composing verses, and sometimes He would express these verses by singing them. However, without giving me the time to say a word, He would escape immediately. Then, this morning, as the confessor placed the intention of having me suffer the crucifixion, I saw the Queen Mama crying and almost contending with Jesus in order to spare the world so many scourges. But He showed Himself reluctant, and only to content Mama, He concurred in making me suffer. Then, afterwards, as if He had placated Himself a little, He said: “My daughter, it is true that I want to chastise the world – I have the lashes in my hands with which to beat it; but it is also true that if both you and the confessor interest yourself with praying Me and with suffering, that is always a support, and you would come to place as many props in order to spare the world, in part at least. Otherwise, not finding any support or props, I will pour Myself out with a free hand over the people.” Having said this, He disappeared.

September 30, 1900
Jesus asks her to console His afflicted Mama.

This morning my most sweet Jesus was not coming, and I had to have much patience in waiting for Him; I even reached the point of trying to go out of my usual state, for I felt no more strength to continue it. He was not coming, suffering seemed to have fled from me, I felt my senses within myself – there was nothing left but to add an effort to go out. But while I was doing this, blessed Jesus came, and forming a circle with His arms, He took my head in the middle. At that touch, I no longer felt myself within myself, and I saw Our Lord very indignant with the world. As I wanted to placate Him, He said to me: “Do not want to occupy yourself with Me for now, but I pray you to occupy yourself with my Mama. Console Her, for She is very afflicted because of the heavier chastisements I am about to pour upon the earth.” Who can say how afflicted I remained?

October 2, 1900
State of victim for Italy and for Corato.

Fearing that my state was no longer Will of God, as blessed Jesus came, I said: ‘How I fear that my state is no longer your Will; because I see that I lack the two main things that kept me bound: suffering and your presence.’ And He: “My daughter, it is not that I no longer want to keep you in this state, but since I want to chastise the world, this is why I am not coming and I make you lack suffering.” And I: ‘Why remain in this state then?’

And He: “Your position of victim and your continuous waiting for Me already break my arms. In fact, you do not see Me, but I see you very well, and I count all your sighs, your pains, your desires for Me; and your being all intent on Me is always an act of reparation for many who do not bother about Me, nor desire Me, but despise Me and are all intent on earthly things – covered with mud, amid the stench of vices. So, being the complete opposite of theirs, your state always comes to break Justice; so much so, that keeping you in this state and beginning the bloody wars in Italy is almost impossible for me.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, to remain in this state without suffering is almost impossible for me; I feel my strengths fail me, because the strength to remain in this state comes to me from the sufferings. So, since these are lacking, some day, when You are not coming, I will try to go out. I am telling You this before, so You won’t be displeased.’ And He: “Ah, yes, yes, you will go out of this state when I begin the slaughter in Italy; then I will suspend it completely.”

While saying this, He showed the fiercest wars which are to happen, both among the secular and against the Church. The blood inundated the towns like when there is a pouring rain. My poor heart writhed for the pain in seeing this, and remembering about my own town, I said: ‘Ah, Lord, in saying that You will suspend me completely, You make me understand that not even for poor Corato will You have compassion – not even Corato will You spare? And He: “If sins reach a certain number, such that they will not deserve to have victim souls, and those who keep you as victim do not interest themselves, I will have no regard for her – that is, for Corato.” Having said this, He disappeared, and I remained all oppressed and afflicted.

October 4, 1900
Jesus suffers in chastising men, because they are His images.

After going through a day of privation and of scarce suffering, I felt convinced that the Lord no longer wanted to keep me in this state. However, obedience does not want to yield to me, in this either, and she wants me to continue to stay, should I even croak and snuff out. May the Lord be always blessed, and may His holy and lovable Will be done in everything.

Then, this morning, on coming, blessed Jesus made Himself seen in a pitiful state; He seemed to be suffering within His members, and His body was being torn into so many pieces that it was impossible to count them. With plaintive voice, He was saying: “My daughter, what I feel! What I feel! These are unspeakable pains and incomprehensible to the human nature. It is the flesh of my children being lacerated, and the pain I feel is such that I feel my own flesh being lacerated.” And while saying this, He moaned and grieved.

I felt moved in seeing Him in this state, and I did as much as I could to compassionate Him and pray Him to share His pains with me. He contented me in part, and I could just say to Him: ‘Ah, Lord, did I not tell You: “Do not lay hand to chastisements, for what grieves me the most is that You Yourself will be struck in your own members!” Ah, this time there has been no way nor prayers to placate You.’ But Jesus did not pay attention to my words; He seemed to have something serious in His Heart which pulled Him somewhere else, and in one instant He transported me outside of myself, taking me to the places where bloody slaughters were happening. Oh, how many sorrowful scenes could be seen in the world! How much human flesh tormented, torn to pieces, trampled upon as one tramples the earth, and left unburied. How many tragedies, how many miseries! And what is more, more terrible ones are to happen! Blessed Jesus looked and, all moved, began to cry bitterly. Unable to refrain, I cried with Him over the sad condition of the world; so much so, that my tears mixed with those of Jesus.

After crying for quite a while, I admired another trait of the goodness of Our Lord. In order to make me stop crying, He turned His face away from me, He dried His tears hiddenly, and then, turning back again, with a cheerful face said to me: “My beloved, do not cry – enough, enough; what you see serves to Iustificare Iustitiam Meam [Justify My Justice].” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, then I am right to say that my state is no longer your Will! Why my state of victim, if it is not given to me to spare your so very dear members, and to exempt the world from so many chastisements?’ And He: “It is not as you say. I too was victim, but even though I was victim, it was not given to Me to spare the world all chastisements. I opened Heaven for it, I released it from sin, yes; I carried its pains upon Myself, but it is Justice that man receive upon himself part of those chastisements which he himself draws upon himself by sinning. And if it were not for the victims, he would deserve not only the simple chastisement – that is, the destruction of his body – but also the loss of his soul. So, here is the necessity of the victims: whoever wants to avail himself of them – because man is always free in his will – can find the sparing of his pain and the port of his salvation.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, how I would like to come before these chastisements advance more!’ And He: “If the world reaches such wickedness as to deserve no victim, surely I will take you.”

On hearing this, I said: ‘Lord, do not permit that I remain here, present at such sorrowful scenes.’ And Jesus, almost reproaching me, added: “Instead of praying Me to spare, you say you want to come. If I were to take with Me all of my own of the poor world, what would happen? Indeed I would have nothing to do with it any more, and I would no longer have any regard.” After this, I prayed for various people; He disappeared from me, and I returned inside myself.

October 10, 1900
These writings manifest in clear notes how Jesus loves souls. The soul can only go out of the body either by force of pain or by force of love.

While writing, I was thinking to myself: ‘Who knows how much nonsense in these writings – they deserve to be thrown into the fire. If obedience conceded it to me, I would do it, because I feel something like a hitch in my soul, especially if they reached the sight of some people. At certain points they show as if I loved and did something for God, while I do nothing and do not love Him, and I am the coldest soul that can be found in the world. So here is how they would consider me different from what I am, and this is a pain for me. But since it is obedience that wants me to write, and this is one of the greatest sacrifices for me, I commend myself completely to her, with the sure hope that she will make my excuses and will justify my cause before God and before men. But as I am saying this, blessed Jesus has moved in my interior and is reproaching me; He wants me to deny what I have said, or to stop writing if I do not do it. He is telling me that by saying this I moved away from the truth, while the most essential thing for a soul is never to go out of the circle of truth: “What is this – you do not love Me? With what courage are you saying it? Don’t you want to suffer for Me?” And I, all blushing: ‘Yes, Lord.’ And He: “Well then, how can you think of going out of the truth?” Having said this, He withdrew in my interior, without letting Himself be heard any more, and I was left as if I had received a heavy blow. How many devices lady obedience comes up with! If it wasn’t for her, I would not find myself in these vicissitudes with my beloved Jesus. How much patience it takes with this blessed obedience!

Now I resume what I was going to say, since the Lord distracted me a little bit from what I started. So, on coming, blessed Jesus answered my thought, telling me: “Surely these writings deserve to be burned up – but do you want to know in what fire? In the fire of my love, because there is not one page that does not manifest in clear notes how I love souls, both in the things which regard you, and in those which regard the world. And in these writings of yours, my love finds an outpouring for my concerned and loving languors.”

After this, He transported me outside of myself, and finding myself alone without body, I said: ‘My beloved and only Good, what a chastisement it is for me, having to return so many times into my body. Because certainly now I do not have one – it is my soul alone that is together with You; but then, I don’t know how, I find myself imprisoned in my miserable body as though inside a dark prison, and there I lose that freedom which is given to me when I go out. Is this not a chastisement for me – the hardest that can be given?’ And Jesus: “My daughter, what you say is not a chastisement, nor does this happen to you because of your fault. Rather, you must know that for two reasons alone can the soul go out of the body: by force of pain, which happens at natural death, or by force of the reciprocal love between the soul and Me. In fact, when this love is so strong, that neither could the soul last, nor could I endure for too long without enjoying her, I keep drawing her to Myself, and then I put her in her natural state again; and the soul, drawn more than by an electric wire, comes and goes as I please. And here is how what you think is a chastisement, is finest love.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, if my love were enough, and strong, I believe I would have the strength to remain before You, and would not be subject to returning into my body. But since it is very weak, I am subject to these circumstances.’ And He: “On the contrary, I tell you that this is greater love, extracted from the love of sacrifice, that for love of Me and for love of your brothers you deprive yourself and return to the miseries of life.”

After this, blessed Jesus carried me to a city in which the sins committed were so many, that something like a fog was coming out, most dense and stinking, rising toward heaven; and another thick fog was coming down from heaven, with so many chastisements condensed within it, as to seem to be enough to exterminate this city. So I said: ‘Lord, where are we? What places are these?’ And He: “This is Rome, where the evils committed are so many, not only by secular but also by religious, that they deserve this fog to finish blinding them, deserving their own extermination.”

In one instant I saw the disaster that was happening, and it seemed that the Vatican would receive part of the shakings. Not even priests were being spared; therefore, all consternated, I said: ‘My Lord, spare your beloved city, so many ministers of Yours, the Pope… Oh, how gladly I offer You myself to suffer their torments, as long as You spare them.’ And Jesus, moved, told me: “Come with Me and I will show you to what extent the human malice reaches.” He transported me inside a palace, and in a secret room there were five or six deputies, saying among themselves: “Only then will we surrender when we have destroyed all Christians.” And it seemed that they wanted to force the king to write in his own hand the decree of death against Christians, and the promise of taking possession of their goods, saying that ‘as long as he would permit this to them, it did not matter if they would not do it for now, for they would do it at the right time and circumstance’.

After this, He transported me somewhere else, and showed me how one of those who are said to be leaders was going to die, and this one seemed so united with the devil, that not even at that point would he detach himself from him. All of his strength he took from the demons, who courted him like a faithful friend of theirs. On seeing me, the demons were shaken, and some wanted to beat me, some wanted to do one thing to me, some another; however, paying no attention to their bothers – because the salvation of that soul cost me more – I tried hard and I arrived near that man. Oh God, what a frightening sight – more than the demons themselves! In what a heart-rending state he lay! He aroused more than pity. He was not at all moved by our presence; on the contrary, he seemed to make fun of it. Jesus immediately pulled me away from that place, and I began to plead before Him for the salvation of that soul.

October 12, 1900
The most powerful enemies of man are the love of pleasures, of riches and of honors.

My adorable Jesus continues to come. This morning He was wearing a thick crown of thorns; I removed it very gently, I put it on my head, and said: ‘Lord, help me to drive it in.’ And He: “This time I want you to drive it in yourself; I want to see what you can do and how you want to suffer for love of Me.” I drove it well in; more so, since it was about showing Him how far my love of suffering for Jesus reached; so much so, that He Himself, all moved, clasping me, told me: “Enough, enough, for my Heart cannot bear seeing you suffer more.” And as I remained very much in suffering, my beloved Jesus would do nothing but come and go.

After this, He assumed the appearance of the Crucified, He shared His pains with me, and said to me: “My daughter, the most powerful enemies of man are: the love of pleasures, of riches and of honors. These enemies render man unhappy, because they penetrate even into his heart and consume him continuously; they embitter him, they bring him down so much, as to make him lose all happiness. And I, on Calvary, defeated these three enemies, and obtained for man the grace to conquer them too, giving back to him the lost happiness. But man, always ungrateful and heedless, rejects my grace and loves these enemies fiercely, which put the human heart in a continuous torture.” Having said this, He disappeared, and I comprehended with such clarity the truthfulness of these words, that I felt abhorrence and hate for these enemies. May the Lord be always blessed, and may everything be for His glory.

October 14, 1900
The dangerous scourge of the middle-class. Only innocence snatches God’s mercy and mitigates His just indignation.

This morning I felt so dazed that I could not understand myself, nor was I able to go in search of my highest Good as I usually do. Every now and then He would move within my interior and would make Himself seen; and completely embracing me, and compassionating me, He would say to me: “Poor daughter, you are right that you cannot be without Me; how could you live without your beloved?” And I, stirred by His words, said: ‘Ah, my beloved, what a hard martyrdom life is, because of the intervals in which I am forced to be without You. You Yourself are saying that I am right, but then You leave me!’ He hid furtively, as if He did not want me to hear what He was saying to me, and I was left in my dazedness again, unable to say anything else. When He saw me dazed again, He came out and said: ‘You are all my contentment, in your heart I find true rest, and resting in it I experience the dearest delights.” And I, stirring myself again, said: ‘For me also, You are all my contentment, so much so that all other things are nothing but bitternesses for me….’ And since He withdrew again, I remained half way through my words, more dazed than before; and this is how the morning went on – it seemed He felt like joking a little bit.

After this, I felt myself outside of myself, and I saw unknown persons approaching, dressed as middle-class folk. On seeing them, the people were all horrified and screamed with fright and distress – especially the children; and they said: ‘If these set upon us, it is over for us.” And they added: “Let the young girls hide! Poor youths, if they are caught in the hands of these!” So, turning to the Lord, I said: ‘Pity – mercy! Move this scourge away, so dangerous for miserable humanity! Let the tears of innocence move You to compassion!’ And He: “Ah, my daughter! Only because of innocence do I have regard for others; it alone snatches my mercy and mitigates my just indignation.”

October 15, 1900
Fight between the confessor and Jesus for the crucifixion of Luisa.

This morning, after I received Communion, blessed Jesus let me hear His voice saying: “My daughter, this morning I feel all the necessity to be refreshed. O please! Take my pains upon yourself a little bit, and let Me take some rest in your heart.” And I: ‘Yes, my Good, let me feel your pains, and while I suffer in your place, You will have all the ease to be able to refresh Yourself and take some sweet rest. I only ask of You to wait a little longer until I remain alone, so that no one may see me suffer, because it seems to me that the confessor is still here.’ And He: “What does it matter if father is present; wouldn’t it be better if, instead of one, I had two refreshing Me? – that is, you, suffering, and he, concurring with Me with my same intention?”

At that moment, I saw the confessor placing the intention of the crucifixion, and immediately, without the slightest hesitation, the Lord shared with me the pains of the cross. Then, after I was in those sufferings for a little while, the confessor called me to obedience, Jesus withdrew, and I tried to submit to the one who commanded me; when, in one instant, my sweet Jesus came back again, wanting to subject me to the pains of the crucifixion for a second time, but father did not want it. When I would conform to Jesus – that is, to suffering – Jesus would come; when the confessor would see that I would begin to suffer, he would stop the suffering with the obedience, and Jesus would withdraw. I would suffer a great pain indeed on seeing Him withdraw, but I would do as much as I could to obey; and at times, seeing the confessor present, I would let Them deal with it, waiting to see who would win – whether obedience or Our Lord. Ah, I seemed to see obedience and Jesus fighting – both powerful and capable of facing a fight. After they fought well, as I tried to see who was winning, the Queen Mama came who, drawing near father, said: “My son, this morning in which He Himself wants her to suffer, let Him do, otherwise none will be spared the chastisements, not even in part.” At that moment, it was as if father was distracted in going on with the fight, and Jesus, the winner, subjected me to the pains again, but with such vehemence and bitter spasms, that I myself do not know how I remained alive. When I thought I was dying, obedience called me again, and I just barely found myself inside myself. Blessed Jesus, being refreshed but not yet content, upon coming back, wanted to repeat it for the third time; however, arming herself with strength, this time obedience won, and my beloved Jesus was defeated.

In spite of this, every now and then He would try – who knows, He might win again; so much so, that He gave me no respite, and I had to say: ‘But, my Lord, keep still a little bit and leave me alone – don’t You see that obedience has armed herself and does not want to yield to You? So, have patience, and if You want to repeat it the third time, promise me that You will let me die.’ And Jesus: “Yes, come.” I told this to father and, also in this obedience was inexorable, even though my sweet Good was calling me, saying: “Luisa, come.” I said He was calling me, but the answer was a curt “no”. What a nice obedience this is; since she wants to act in everything and over everything like a Signora [Lady], she wants to meddle in things which do not belong to her, like dying. Besides, how nice – exposing a poor unhappy one to the dangers of dying, letting her touch the harbor of eternal happiness with her own hand; and then, to show that she can act like a Signora in everything, by dint of the strength she possesses she holds her back and makes her lie in the miserable prison of her body. And if one asks: “Why all this?” – first, she does not answer; and then, in her mute language she tells you: “Why? Because I am a Signora and I have empire over everything.” It seems that if one wants to be at peace with this blessed obedience, it takes the patience of a saint – not only that, but the patience of Our Lord Himself; otherwise one would be in continuous frictions with her, because this is about her wanting to touch the extremes.

So, seeing that He could win nothing, the blessed Lord calmed down at the obedience and left me alone. He mitigated the pains I was suffering, and said to me: “My beloved, in the pains you have suffered I wanted to have you experience the fury of my Justice by pouring it upon you a little bit. If you could see with clarity what point men have made It reach, and how the fury of my Justice has armed itself against them, you would tremble like a leaf, and would do nothing but pray Me to pour the pains upon yourself.” Then He seemed to sustain me in my sufferings, and to cheer me, He said: “I feel better, and you?” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, who can tell You what I feel! It seems to me as if I had been crushed inside a machine. I feel such exhaustion of strengths, that if You do not infuse vigor in me, I cannot come round.’ And He: “My beloved, it is necessary that you feel the pains with intensity, at least once in a while – first, for yourself, because as good as a piece of iron may be, if it is left for a long time without putting it in the fire, it always comes to contract a little bit of rust; second, for Me, because if I did not unload Myself upon you for too long, my fury would become so ignited that I would have no regard for the world, nor would I spare it in the least. And if you did not take my pains upon yourself, how could I maintain my word of sparing the world the chastisements in part?” After this, the confessor came to call me to obedience, and so I returned inside myself.

October 17, 1900
A suffering soul and a most humble prayer make Jesus lose all His strength, and render Him so weak as to let Himself be bound by that soul. The appearance of Justice.

As my adorable Jesus continued to come, I seemed to see Him in such great suffering as to arouse compassion. Throwing Himself into my arms, He said to me: “My daughter, break the fury of my Justice, otherwise….” At that moment, I seemed to see divine Justice, armed with swords, with darts of fire, such as to strike terror; and also the fortitude with which She can act. All frightened, I said: ‘How can I break your fury if I see You so strong as to be able to annihilate heaven and earth in one simple instant?’ And He: “Yet, a suffering soul and a most humble prayer make Me lose all my strength, and render Me so weak as to let Myself be bound by that soul as she pleases.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, in what an ugly appearance is Justice showing Herself!’ And Jesus added: “She is not ugly; if you see Her armed like this, it is because of men, but in Herself She is good and holy, like my other attributes, because there can not be even a shadow of evil in Me. It is true that Her appearance seems harsh, piercing, bitter, but Her fruits are sweet and delicious.” Having said this, He disappeared.

October 20, 1900
Just as Justice wants satisfaction for what is unjust, so does Love want the outpouring of Its loving and being loved.

This morning, on coming, my adorable Jesus made me see His attributes, and He said to me: “My daughter, all of my attributes are in continuous attitude for men, and all of them demand their tribute.” Then He added: “Just as Justice wants satisfaction for what is unjust, so does my Love want the outpouring of Its loving and being loved. You, place yourself inside Justice, and pray – repair; and when you receive some blow, have the patience to bear it. Then move into my Love, and give Me the outpouring of Love, otherwise I would remain defrauded in Love. As for example, this time I feel all the necessity to pour out my constrained Love, and if I were not allowed to do it, I would languish and faint.” As He was saying this, He began to kiss me, caress me and make me so many tendernesses of Love, that I have no words to manifest them; and He wanted me to requite Him, saying: “Just as I feel the need to pour Myself out with you in Love, so do you have the need to pour yourself out in Love for Me. Isn’t it true?” After we poured ourselves out in love with each other, He disappeared.

October 22, 1900
Doubts of Luisa about the things that happen to her; she wants to know whether they are from God or from the devil. Obedience does not have human reason; her reason is Divine.

This morning I was all oppressed and with a fear that it might not be blessed Jesus who operates in me, but the devil; but in spite of this I could not refrain from looking for Him and desiring Him. However, as soon as He deigned to come, He told me: “What is it that gives one the assurance that the sun is rising, if not the light which puts to flight the darkness of the night, and the heat which spreads within that light? If anyone said that the sun is risen, but in spite of this the darkness of the night appeared even thicker and no heat could be felt – what would you say? That it was not a true sun that rose, but a false one, because the effects of the sun cannot be seen. Now, if the sight of Me dispels darkness from you, and shows you the light of the truth, making you feel the heat of my grace, why do you want to rack your brains that I am not the One who operates in you?”

I add – because so obedience wants – that the other day I was thinking: ‘If the many chastisements about which I wrote in these books should really occur, who would have the heart to be spectator of them?’ And the blessed Lord made me understand with clarity that some of them will occur while I am still on this earth, some after my death, and some will be spared in part. So I was a little relieved thinking that I will not have to see them all.

So, here is Lady Obedience made satisfied now, after she had begun to frown at me, and to send out laments and reprimands. It seems that this blessed young lady in no way wants to adapt herself to the human reason. She does not want to get involved in any circumstance; on the contrary, it seems that she has no reason at all, and it is quite a pain in the neck having to deal with someone who does not have reason. In order to get along a little, it is necessary to lose one’s own reason, because the young lady keeps boasting: “I have no human reason, therefore I do not know how to adapt myself to the human way. My reason is Divine, and for one who wants to live in peace with Me, it is absolutely necessary that she lose hers in order to acquire mine.” This is how well this young lady reasons. What can one say? It is better to keep silent, because, in one way or another, she always wants to be right, and she glories in giving you all the wrong.

October 23, 1900
True love never remains alone.

This morning, after I received Communion, my adorable Jesus made me see the confessor who was placing the intention of having me suffer the crucifixion. I felt my poor nature as reluctant, not because I did not want to suffer, but for other reasons which it is not necessary to describe here. But Jesus, as though lamenting about me, said to father: “She does not want to submit herself.” I was moved at His lament, father renewed the command, and I submitted myself. After I suffered a little, since I saw father present, the Lord said: “My beloved, here is the symbol of the Sacrosanct Trinity: Myself, father, and you. From eternity my love has never been alone, but always united in perfect and reciprocal union with the Divine Persons, because true love never remains alone, but produces other loves, and delights in being loved back by the loves which it itself has produced. And if it is alone, either it is not of the nature of divine love, or it is only apparent. If you knew how much I delight in, and enjoy, being able to continue that love in the creatures which reigned from eternity, and reigns still now, in the Most Holy Trinity. This is also why I say to you that I want the consensus of the intention of the confessor united with Me – to be able to continue this love more perfectly, symbolic of the Sacrosanct Trinity.”

October 29, 1900
The most essential and necessary thing in a soul is charity.

After going through a few days of privation and of silence, this morning, as blessed Jesus came, I said: ‘It shows that my state is no longer your Will.’ And He: “Yes, yes… rise and come into my arms.” At these words, I forgot about the painful state of the past days and I ran into His arms, and since I could see His Side open, I said: ‘My beloved, You have not admitted me to suckle from your Side for some time. I pray You to admit me today.’ And Jesus: “My beloved, please drink as much as you like, and satiate yourself.” Who can say my contentment, and with what avidity I placed my mouth to drink at that divine fount? After I drank to my fill, to the point of having no more room to contain even just one more drop, I detached myself, and Jesus told me: “Have you satiated yourself? If you haven’t, feel free to keep drinking.” And I: ‘Satiated, no, because the more one drinks at this fount, the more one’s thirst increases; but since I am very limited, I am incapable of containing more.’

After this, I saw other people with Jesus, and He said: “The most essential and necessary thing in a soul is charity. If there is no charity, it happens as to those families or kingdoms which have no rulers: everything is upset, the most beautiful things remain obscured, one can see no harmony – some want to do one thing, some another. The same happens in the soul in which charity does not reign: everything is in disorder, the most beautiful virtues do not harmonize among themselves. This is why charity is called queen – because she has regime and order, and she disposes everything.”

October 31, 1900
The Celestial Mother helps Luisa to disarm Justice. The most salutary and efficacious medicine in the saddest encounters of life is resignation.

As I was in my usual state, I felt myself outside of myself and I found the Queen Mama. As She saw me, She began to speak about Justice, and how It is about to clash with all Its fury against the people. She said many things about this, but I don’t have the words to express them. In the meantime I could see the whole of heaven filled with points of swords against the world. Then She added: “My daughter, you have disarmed divine Justice many times, contenting yourself with receiving Its blows upon yourself. Now that you see It at the summit of Its fury, do not lose heart, but be courageous; with heart full of holy fortitude, enter into this Justice and disarm It. Do not be afraid of the swords, of the fire, or of anything you may encounter; in order to obtain the intent, if you see yourself wounded, beaten, burned, rejected, do not draw back, but rather, let this be a spur for you to move on. See, so that you may do this, I Myself have come to your help by bringing you a garment; as your soul wears it, you will acquire courage and fortitude so as to fear nothing.” Having said this, from within Her mantle She pulled out a garment woven with gold, streaked with various colors, and She clothed my soul. Then She gave me Her Son, telling me: “And now, as a pledge of my love, I place my dearest Son in your custody, that you may keep Him, love Him and content Him in everything. Try to act in my stead, so that, as He finds all His contentment in you, the discontent that all the others give Him may not cause Him too much pain.”

Who can say how happy and strengthened I was, clothed with that garment and with the loving pledge in my arms? Greater happiness I could certainly not desire. Then the Queen Mama disappeared, and I remained with my sweet Jesus. We went round the earth a little bit, and among the many encounters, we met a soul who was prey to despair. Having compassion for her, we drew near her, and Jesus wanted me to speak to her, to make her comprehend the evil she was doing. Through a light which Jesus Himself infused in me, I said to her: ‘The most salutary and efficacious medicine in the saddest encounters of life is resignation. By despairing, instead of taking the medicine, you are taking the poison with which to kill your soul. Don’t you know that the most appropriate remedy for all evils, the main thing that renders us noble, divinizes us, makes us similar to Our Lord, and has the virtue of converting the very bitternesses into sweetness, is resignation? What was the life of Jesus upon earth if not continuing the Will of the Father? And while He was on earth, He was united with the Father in Heaven. The same for a resigned soul: while living on earth, her heart and will are united with God in Heaven. Can there be anything more dear and desirable than this?’ As though stirred, that soul began to calm herself, and Jesus and I, together, withdrew. May everything be for the glory of God, and may He be always blessed.

November 2, 1900
One who dwells in Jesus swims in the sea of all contentments.

This morning I felt all oppressed and afflicted, with the addition that blessed Jesus was not making Himself seen. Then, after much waiting, He came out from within my interior, and opening His Heart to me, He placed me inside of It, telling me: “Remain inside of Me – only there will you find true peace and stable contentment, because nothing penetrates into Me which does not belong to peace and contentment. One who dwells in Me does nothing but swim in the sea of all contentments; while, by going outside of Me, even if the soul did not bother about anything, at the mere sight of the offenses they give Me and of how they grieve Me, she already comes to participate in those afflictions and remains troubled. Therefore, every once in a while, forget everything, enter into Me, and come to enjoy my peace and happiness. Then go out, and do for Me the office of my repairer.” Having said this, He disappeared.

November 8, 1900
Obedience gives back to the soul her original state.

Continuing with His usual delays in coming, I was feeling all the weight of His privation, when, all of a sudden, He came and, I don’t know why, He posed me this interrogative: “Would you be able to tell Me why obedience is so glorified, and receives such honor as to imprint the divine Image in the soul?” All confused, I did not know what to answer, but through an intellectual light which He sent to me, blessed Jesus answered Himself; but since it was through light, not words, I don’t have the terms to express it. However, obedience wants me to try if I can manage to write it. I believe I will say big nonsense, and will write things which do not go together, but I place all my faith in obedience, especially since these are things that regard her directly, and I begin to try:

It seemed He was saying to me: “Obedience is so glorified because she has the virtue of unveiling the human passions from their very roots. She destroys in the soul everything which is earthly and material, and to her great honor she gives back to the soul her original state – that is, the way she was created by God in her original justice, before being cast out of the terrestrial Eden. And in this sublime state, the soul feels strongly drawn to everything that is good; she feels all that is good, holy and perfect as inborn within herself, and greatest horror at even the shadow of evil. With this happy nature, received from the most experienced hand of obedience, the soul no longer finds difficulty in executing the commands received; more so, since the one who commands must always command what is good. And here is how obedience knows how to imprint well the divine Image; not only this, but she changes the human nature into divine, because just as God is good, holy and most perfect, and tends to all that is good and greatly hates evil, so does obedience have the virtue of divinizing the human nature, and of making it acquire the divine qualities. And the more the soul lets herself be handled by this most experienced hand, the more of the divine she acquires, destroying her own being. This is why she is so glorified and honored; so much so, that I Myself submitted to her and was honored and glorified by this; and through her I gave back honor and glory to all my children, which they had lost because of disobedience.”

This is more or less what I have been able to manifest; the rest I feel within my mind, but I lack the words, because the height of the concept of this virtue is such, that my poor human language is unable to adapt itself with words…

November 10, 1900
The most perfect love is in true trust in the beloved.

As He continued not to come, I felt immersed in the greatest bitterness; my soul was tortured in a thousand ways. Then I felt as though a shadow near me, and I heard the voice of my adorable Jesus, though I could not see Him, saying to me: “The most perfect love is in the true trust that one must have in the loved object, and even if it should appear that the object one loves is lost – then more than ever is the time to prove this living trust. This is the easiest means to take possession of that which one ardently loves.” Having said this, both shadow and voice disappeared. Who can say the pain I feel for not having seen my beloved Good?

November 11, 1900
By going out of the Divine Will, one loses the knowledge of God and of self.

It seems that the blessed Lord wants to exercise me in patience; He has no compassion, either for my tears or for my most sorrowful state. Without Him, I see myself immersed in the greatest miseries; I believe that there is no soul more wicked than mine. Even though when I am with Jesus I see myself bad more than ever, however, since I am with Him who possesses all goods, my soul finds the remedy for all evils. But when I do not have Him, everything is over for me – there is no more remedy for my great miseries; and what is more, I am oppressed by the thought that my state is no longer His Will, and not being in His Will, I seem to be outside of the center, and many times I think of how to go out of It.

Now, being with these dispositions, I felt Him behind my shoulders, saying to me: “You are tired, aren’t you?” And I: ‘Yes Lord, I feel quite tired.’ And He continued: “Ah, my daughter, do not go out of my Will, because by going out of my Will, you come to lose the knowledge of Me, and not knowing Me, you come to lose the knowledge of yourself. In fact, only in the reflections of the light can one distinguish with clarity whether there is gold or mud; if everything is darkness objects can easily be confused. Now, the light is my Will, which gives you the knowledge of Me, and in the reflections of this light you come to know who you are; and in seeing your weakness, your pure nothingness, you cling to my arms and, united with my Will, you live with Me in Heaven. But if you want to go out of my Will, first you would come to lose true humility, and then you would come to live on the earth and would be forced to feel the earthly weight, to moan and sigh like all the other unfortunate who live outside of my Will.” Having said this, He withdrew without even letting Himself be seen. Who can say the torment of my soul?

November 13, 1900
She sees the many human miseries, the degradation and stripping of the Church, and the very degrading of priests.

After going through several days of most bitter privation, having received Holy Communion, I saw three Children within my interior. Their beauty and equality was such that all three of Them seemed to be born of the same labor. My soul was surprised and stupefied in seeing so much beauty enclosed in the circle of my so miserable interior; and my stupefaction increased even more as I saw that these three Children seemed to have many ropes of gold in their hands, and with these They bound themselves completely to me, and my heart completely to Them. Then, afterwards, as if each one was taking His place, They began to discuss among Themselves; but I could not understand, and I cannot find the words to repeat their most high language. I can only say that in a twinkling of an eye I saw the many human miseries, the degradation and stripping of the Church, and the very degrading of priests who, instead of being light for the peoples, are darkness. All embittered by this sight, I said: ‘Most Holy God, give peace to the Church, let Her be given back what they have taken away from Her; do not allow the evil to laugh behind the back of the good.’ And as I was saying this, They said: “These are incomprehensible mysteries of God.” Having said this, They disappeared, and I returned inside myself.

November 14, 1900
The Queen Mama refreshes Jesus. Jesus takes Luisa to Purgatory.

This morning, on coming, my adorable Jesus transported me outside of myself and asked me for a refreshment for His pains. Having nothing, I said: “My most sweet love, if the Queen Mama was here, She could refresh You with Her milk, but as for myself I have nothing but miseries.’ At that moment the Most Holy Queen came, and immediately I said to Her: ‘Jesus feels the necessity of a refreshment, give Him your most sweet milk for He will be refreshed.’ So our dearest Mama gave Him Her milk, and my beloved Jesus was all refreshed. Then, turning to me, He said: “I feel cheered. You too, draw close to my lips and drink part of that milk which I received from my Mother, so that we both may be refreshed.”

So I did. But who can tell the virtue of that milk that came out, boiling hot, from Jesus? And He contained so much of it that it seemed an immense fount, such that even if all men should drink of it, it would not decrease a bit. After this, we went round the earth a little, and at some place there seemed to be people sitting at a little table, saying: “There will be a war in Europe, and what is more sorrowful, it will be caused by relatives.” Jesus was listening, but He did not say anything on that regard, therefore I do not know for sure whether there will be or not, since human judgments are mutable, and what they say today, they deny tomorrow. Then He transported me inside a garden in which rose an immense building, like a monastery, populated by so many people that it was difficult to count them. At the sight of those people, my adorable Jesus turned His back to them, He clung against me with all of Himself, leaning His head on my shoulder, close to my neck, and He said to me: “My beloved, do not let Me see them, otherwise I would suffer greatly.”

I too clasped Him, and drawing near one of those souls, I said: ‘Tell me at least: who are you?’ And she answered: “We are all purging souls, and our liberation is bound to the satisfaction of those pious legacies which we have left to our successors; and since they are not satisfied, we are forced to stay here, away from our God. What pain this is for us, because God becomes for us a necessary Being, whom we cannot do without. We experience a continuous death, which martyrs us in the most ruthless way; and if we do not die it is because our soul is not subject to this. So, sorrowful as we are, being without an object that forms our whole life, we implore God to make mortals experience a minimum part of our pains by depriving them of what is necessary for the preservation of corporal life, that they may learn at their own expense how painful it is to be without what is absolutely necessary.”

After this, the Lord carried me somewhere else, and I, feeling compassion for those souls, said: ‘How come, O my good Jesus, You turned your face away from those blessed souls who so much longed for You, while it would have been enough that You just let Yourself be seen for those souls to be freed of the pains and beatified?’ And He: “Oh! my daughter, had I shown Myself to them, since they are not completely purged, they could not have stood in my presence, and instead of flinging themselves into my arms, confused, they would have drawn back, and I would have done nothing but increase their martyrdom and mine. This is why I did so.” Having said this, He disappeared.

November 16, 1900
Jesus removes her heart and gives her His love as heart.

This morning, after I received Communion, my adorable Jesus made me see my interior all strewn with flowers, in the shape of a hut, and He was inside of it, amusing and delighting Himself completely. Seeing Him in that attitude, I said: ‘My most sweet Jesus, when will it be that You take this heart of mine to conform it completely to Yours, in such a way that I may live from the life of your Heart?’ While I was saying this, my highest and only Good took a lance and opened me at the place corresponding to my heart; then He pulled it out with His hands, and He looked at it thoroughly to see whether it was stripped and possessed those qualities to be able to be inside His Most Holy Heart. I too looked at it, and to my surprise I saw, impressed on one side of it, the cross, the sponge and the crown of thorns. But as I wanted to see the other side and the inside, for it seemed swollen as if it could be opened, my beloved Jesus prevented me, saying to me: “I want to mortify you by not letting you see all that I have poured into this heart. Ah, yes! Here inside this heart there are all the treasures of my graces that human nature can arrive at containing.” At that moment He enclosed it inside His Most Holy Heart, adding: “Your heart has taken possession within my Heart, and I will give you my love as heart, which will give you life.” And drawing near that part, He sent three breaths containing light which took the place of my heart. Then He closed the wound, telling me: “Now more than ever is it appropriate for you to fix yourself in the center of my Will, having my love alone as heart. You must not go out of It even for one instant, for my love will find its true nourishment in you only if it finds my Will in you, entirely and completely. In It will my love find its contentment and true and faithful correspondence.”

Then, drawing near my mouth, He sent me three more breaths, and He also poured a most sweet liqueur which inebriated me completely. Then, as though taken by enthusiasm, He said: “See, your heart is in Mine, therefore it is no longer yours.” And He kissed me over and over again, and made many finesses of love to me. But who can say them all? It is impossible for me to manifest them. Who can say what I felt when I found myself inside myself? I can only say that I felt as if I were no longer myself: with no passion, with no inclination, with no desire – completely immersed in God. At the place of my heart I could feel a sensible icy cold compared to the other parts.

November 18, 1900
The union of one’s heart with that of Jesus makes one pass on to the state of perfect consummation.

He continues to keep my heart inside His Heart, and every now and then He deigns to let me see it, making feast as if He had made a great gain. In these days, when I find myself outside of myself, at the place that corresponds to the heart, instead of the heart I see the light that blessed Jesus sent me in those three breaths. Then, this morning, on coming, showing me His Heart, He told me: “My beloved, which one would you like: my Heart or yours? If you want Mine, you will have to suffer more. Know, however, that I have done this to make you pass on to another state, because when one reaches union, one passes to another state, which is that of consummation, and in order to pass to this state of perfect consummation, the soul needs either my Heart in order to live, or her own completely transformed into Mine. Otherwise, she cannot pass on to this state of consummation.” And I, all fearful, answered: ‘My sweet love, my will is no longer mine, but Yours – do whatever You want, and I will be more than happy.’

After this, I remembered about some difficulties of the confessor, and Jesus, seeing my thought, showed me as if I were inside a crystal, and this prevented others from seeing what the Lord was operating in me. Then He added: “Only in the reflections of light can one know the crystal and what it contains. The same with you: one who carries the light of faith will touch what I operate in you with his own hand; if then he does not, he will see things in a natural way.”

November 20, 1900
Since Luisa must live from the Heart of Jesus, He gives her rules in order to undertake a more perfect way of living.

While I am outside of myself, my adorable Jesus continues to show me my heart inside of His – but so transformed, that I can no longer recognize which one is mine and which one is Jesus’s. He has conformed it perfectly to His own; He has impressed on it all the insignia of the Passion, making me understand that, from the moment of His conception His Heart was conceived with these insignia of the Passion; so much so, that what He suffered at the end of His life was an outpouring of that which His Heart had suffered continuously. I seemed to see one just like the other. I seemed to see my beloved Jesus occupied with preparing the place in which He was to put the heart, perfuming it and bejeweling it with many different flowers. And while He was doing this, He told me: “My beloved, since you must live from my Heart, it is appropriate for you to undertake a more perfect way of living. Therefore, from you I want:

1. Perfect conformity to my Will, because you will only be able to love Me perfectly if you love Me with my own Will. Even more, I tell you that by loving Me with my own Will, you will arrive at loving Me, and your neighbor, with my same way of loving.
2. Profound humility, placing yourself, in front of Me and of creatures, as the last among all.
3. Purity in everything, because any slightest fault against purity, both in loving and in operating, is reflected all in the heart, and it remains stained. Therefore I want purity to be like dew upon the flowers at the rising of the sun, which, its rays reflecting upon them, transmutes those little drops into as many precious pearls, such as to enchant the people. In the same way, if all your works, thoughts and words, heartbeats and affections, desires and inclinations, are adorned with the celestial dew of purity, you will weave a sweet enchantment, not only for the human eye, but for the whole of Heaven.
4. Obedience, which must be connected with my Will, because if this virtue regards the superiors I have given you on earth, my Will is obedience which regards Me directly; so much so, that it can be said that both one and the other are virtues of obedience – with this difference alone: one regards God, and the other regards men. However, both of them have the same value, and one cannot be without the other; therefore you must love both one and the other in the same way.”

Then He added: “Know that from now on you will live with my Heart, and you must see things the way my Heart does, that I may find my satisfactions in you. Therefore be careful, for this is no longer your heart, but Mine.”

November 22, 1900
Jesus puts Himself in the place of the heart, and tells her what food He wants from her.

My adorable Jesus continues to make Himself seen. This morning, having received Communion, I saw Him in my interior, as well as our two hearts so identified with each other as to seem to be one. My most sweet Jesus told me: “Today I have decided to give you back, not your heart, but Myself in its place.” At that moment I saw Jesus placing Himself in that point where the heart is, and from within Jesus I received respiration and I felt the beating of His Heart. How happy I felt, living in this position!

After this, He added: “Since I Myself have taken the place of the heart, it is appropriate for you to have food always ready to nourish Me. This food will be my Will, and everything through which you will mortify yourself and of which you will deprive yourself for love of Me.” But who can say all that passed between Jesus and me in my interior? I believe it is better to keep silent, otherwise I feel as if I would ruin it, since my tongue is not well refined to be able to speak of graces so great which the Lord has given to my soul. There is nothing left for me but to thank the Lord who has looked upon a soul so miserable and sinful.

November 23, 1900
How all souls are in Jesus.

As I was in my usual state, my loving Jesus transported me outside of myself, and coming out from within my interior, He showed Himself so big as to absorb the whole earth within Himself, and He spread His magnitude so much that my soul could not find the end of it. I felt dissolved in God – and not only myself, but all creatures were dissolved in Him. Oh, how unseemly it appeared, what an affront is given to Our Lord, when we, little worms, though living in Him, dare to offend Him! Oh, if all could see how we are in God! Oh, how careful they would be not to cause Him even a shadow of displeasure! Then He became so tall as to absorb the whole of Heaven in Himself; so, in God Himself I could see everyone – Angels and Saints; I could hear their singing, I could understand many things about eternal happiness.

After this, I saw many rivulets of milk flowing from Jesus; I drank at those rivulets, but since I was very limited and Jesus was so big and tall as to have no end, either in magnitude or in height, I could not manage to absorb them all in me. Many of them would flow outside, though remaining in God Himself. I felt displeasure, and I would have wanted everyone to run and drink at these rivulets, but so very scarce was the number of the pilgrim souls who would drink. Our Lord too was displeased by this, and He said to me: “What you see is constrained Mercy, and this irritates Justice more. How can I not make Justice, when they themselves constrain my Mercy within Me?” And I, taking His hands, clasped them together, saying: ‘No, Lord, You cannot make Justice – I do not want it, and since I do not want it, neither do You want it, because my will is no longer mine, but Yours; and since it is Yours, whatever I do not want, You do not want either. Have You not told me Yourself that I must live of your Will, entirely and completely?’ My sweet Jesus was disarmed by my words, He became small again, and enclosed Himself in my interior; and I found myself inside myself.

November 25, 1900
The nature of true love is to transmute pains into joys, and bitternesses into sweetnesses.

Since my most sweet Jesus delayed in coming, I was almost afraid He would not come; but then, to my surprise, all of a sudden He came and told me: “My beloved, do you want to know when it is that a work is done for one’s beloved? When, encountering sacrifices, bitternesses and pains, it has the virtue of changing them into sweetnesses and delights. In fact, this is the nature of true love: to transmute pains into joys, and bitternesses into sweetnesses. If one experiences the opposite, it is a sign that it is not true love that is acting. Oh, in how many works they say: ‘I do this for God’; but then, at some encounters, they draw back. With this they show that it was not for God, but for their own interest and for the pleasure they felt.”

Then He added: “Generally it is said that one’s own will ruins everything and infects the holiest works. Yet, if it is connected with the Will of God, there is no other virtue that can surpass this one’s own will, because where there is a will there is life in operating good, but where there is no will, there is death in operating, or one operates with difficulty, as though agonizing.”

December 3, 1900
The nature of the Most Holy Trinity is formed of most pure, most simple, communicative Love.

This morning, as I was outside of myself, I found myself with Baby Jesus in my arms; and while I delighted in looking at Him, I don’t know how, from the same Baby a second came out, and after a few instants, a third Baby, both of Them similar to the first, though distinct among Themselves. Stupefied in looking at this, I said: “Oh, how one can touch with hand the sacrosanct mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, that while You are One, You are also Three.’ It seemed to me that all Three of Them spoke to me, but as the word came out, it became one single voice: “Our nature is formed of most pure, most simple, communicative Love, and the nature of true Love has this of its own: it produces from itself images fully similar to itself in power, in goodness, in beauty and in everything it contains; and only to give more sublime prominence to Our Omnipotence it places the mark of distinction, in such a way that, melting in love, this nature of Ours – which is simple, with no matter at all which might prevent Our union – forms Three [Persons]; and returning to melt, it forms One. It is so true that the nature of true Love has this prerogative of producing images fully similar to itself, or of assuming the image of the beloved, that the Second Person, in redeeming mankind, assumed the nature and the image of man, and communicated the Divinity to man.”

While They were saying this, I could distinguish my beloved Jesus very well, recognizing the image of the human nature in Him, and only because of Him I had the confidence to remain in Their presence; otherwise, who would have dared? Ah, yes! It seemed to me that the humanity assumed by Jesus had opened commerce for the creature, so as to let her ascend up to the throne of the Divinity to be admitted to converse with Them, and to obtain deeds of graces. Oh, what happy moments I enjoyed! How many things I understood; but in order to describe something, I would have to describe it when my soul is with my dear Jesus, as she seems to be set free from the body. But as I find myself imprisoned again, the darkness of the imprisonment, the distance of my mystical Sun, the pain of not seeing Him, render me incapable of describing it, and make me live dying. Yet, I am forced to live, fastened, imprisoned in this miserable body. Ah, Lord, have compassion for a miserable sinner who lives infirm and imprisoned! Break soon the wall of this prison, that I may fly to You and come back no more.

December 23, 1900
Before the Sanctity of the Divine Will, passions do not dare to come forward, and lose life by themselves.

After going through long days of silence between blessed Jesus and me, I felt a void in my interior. This morning, on coming, He told me: “My beloved, what do you want to tell Me that you so much yearn to speak with Me?” And I, feeling all ashamed, said; ‘My sweet Jesus, I want to tell You that I ardently yearn for You and for your Holy Volition, and if You concede this to me You will make me fully content and happy.’ And He added: “In one word you have grasped everything by asking Me for what is greatest in Heaven and on earth; and I, in this Holy Volition[1], yearn and want to conform you more to It. And so that my Volition may be more sweet and enjoyable for you, place yourself in the circle of my Will, and admire Its different qualities, by pausing now in the sanctity of my Volition, now in the goodness, now in the humility, now in the beauty, and now in the peaceful dwelling that my Volition produces. In these pausings you will make, you will acquire ever more new and unheard-of news about my Holy Volition, and you will become so bound to and enamored of It, that you will never go out again. This will bring you a highest advantage, because being in my Will, you will have no need to fight against your passions and to be always at arms with them, for while they seem to be dying, they are born again more strong and alive. But rather, without fighting, without clamor, smoothly they die, because before the Sanctity of my Will, passions do not dare to come forward, and lose life by themselves. And if the soul feels the movement of her passions, it is a sign that she does not make a continuous dwelling in the boundaries of my Volition; she makes some exits, some little escapes into her own volition, and is forced to smell the stench of a corrupted nature. On the other hand, if you remain fixed in my Will, you will be completely trouble free, and your only occupation will be loving and being loved by Me in return.”

After this, as I looked at blessed Jesus, I saw He had the crown of thorns; I removed it very gently, and I placed it upon my head. He drove it onto me and disappeared, and I found myself inside myself with an ardent desire to remain in His Most Holy Will.

December 25, 1900
The birth of Jesus.

As I was in my usual state, I felt I was outside of myself; after wandering around, I found myself inside a cave, and I saw the Queen Mama in the act of giving birth to Little Baby Jesus. What a wonderful prodigy! It seemed that both Mother and Son were transmuted into most pure light. But in that light one could see very well the human nature of Jesus containing the Divinity within Itself, and serving as a veil to cover the Divinity; in such a way that, in tearing the veil of human nature, He was God, while covered by that veil, He was Man. Here is the prodigy of prodigies: God and Man, Man and God! Without leaving the Father and the Holy Spirit – because true love never separates – He comes to dwell in our midst, taking on human flesh. Now, it seemed to me that Mother and Son, in that most happy instant, remained as though spiritualized, and without the slightest difficulty Jesus came out of the Maternal womb, while both of them overflowed with excess of Love. In other words, those Most Pure Bodies were transformed into Light, and without the slightest impediment, Light Jesus came out of the Light of the Mother, while both One and the Other remained whole and intact, returning, then, to their natural state.

Who can tell the beauty of the Little Baby who, at the moment of His birth, transfused, also externally, the rays of the Divinity? Who can tell the beauty of the Mother, who remained all absorbed in those Divine rays? And Saint Joseph? It seemed to me that he was not present at the act of the birth, but remained in another corner of the cave, all engrossed in that profound Mystery. And if he did not see with the eyes of the body, he saw very well with the eyes of the soul, because he remained enraptured in sublime ecstasy.

Now, in the act in which the Little Baby came out to the light, I would have wanted to fly and take Him in my arms, but the Angels prevented me, saying that the honor of holding Him first belonged to the Mother. Then, the Most Holy Virgin, as though stirred, returned into Herself and from the hands of an Angel received Her Son in Her arms. In Her ardor of love, She squeezed Him so tightly that it seemed that She wanted to draw Him into Her womb again. Then, wanting to let Her ardent love pour out, She placed Him at Her breast to suckle. In the meantime, I was completely annihilated, waiting to be called so as not to be scolded again by the Angels. Then the Queen said to me: “Come, come and take your Beloved, and you too, enjoy Him – pour out your love with Him.” As She was saying this, I drew near Mama, and She gave Him to me, into my arms. Who can say my contentment, the kisses, the squeezes, the tendernesses? After I poured myself out a little, I said to Him: ‘My beloved, You have suckled the milk of our Mama, share it with me.’ And He, all condescending, poured part of that milk from His mouth into mine, and then He told me: “My beloved, I was conceived united to suffering, I was born to suffering, and I died in suffering. And with the three nails with which they crucified Me, I nailed the three powers – intellect, memory and will – of those souls who yearn to love Me, keeping them all drawn to Myself, because sin had rendered them infirm and dispersed from their Creator – without any restraint.” As He was saying this, He gazed at the world and began to cry over its miseries. On seeing Him cry, I said: ‘Lovable Baby, do not sadden with your tears a night so happy for one who loves you. Instead of pouring ourselves out in crying, let us pour ourselves out in singing’; and as I said this, I began to sing. Jesus was amused at hearing me sing, and He stopped crying; and completing my verse, He sang His own, with a voice so powerful and harmonious that all other voices disappeared at the sound of His most sweet voice. After this, I prayed to Baby Jesus for my confessor, for those who belong to me, and lastly, for everyone, and He seemed all condescending. At that moment He disappeared from me, and I returned into myself.

December 26, 1900
She is still in the grotto.

As I continued to see the Holy Baby, I saw the Queen Mother on one side and Saint Joseph on the other, adoring the Divine Infant profoundly. Being all intent on Him, it seemed to me that the continuous presence of the Little Baby kept them engrossed in continuous ecstasy; and if they could work, it was a prodigy that the Lord operated in them; otherwise they would have remained motionless, unable to attend to their external duties. I too did my adoration, and then I found myself inside myself.

December 27, 1900
God is not subject to changing, while the devil and the human nature change very often.

This morning I was with a fear about my state, that it was not the Lord who operated in me; with the addition that He was not deigning to come. Then, after much waiting, I saw Him for just a little; I expressed my fear to Him, and He said to me: “My daughter, first of all, in order to put you in this state there is a concurring of my power; and then, who would have given you the strength and the patience to remain in this state, in a bed, for such a long time? Perseverance alone is a sign that the work is mine, because God alone is not subject to changing, while the devil and the human nature change very often – what they love today, they abhor tomorrow, and what they abhor today, they love tomorrow and find their satisfaction in it.”

January 4, 1901
The unhappy state of a soul without God.

After going through most bitter days of privation and of disturbance, I felt a mystical hell within me. Without Jesus, all my passions came out to the light and, each one casting its own darkness, obscured me in such a way that I no longer knew where I was. How unhappy is the state of a soul without God! It is enough to say that, without God, the soul, while still living, feels hell within her. Such was my state; I felt my soul tortured by infernal pains. Who can say what I went through? So as not to make it too long, I move on.

Then, this morning, having received Communion, as I was at the summit of my affliction, I felt Our Lord move within me. In seeing His image, I wanted to look to see whether it was of wood or alive in flesh. I looked, and I saw it was the Crucified alive in flesh, who, looking at me, told me: “If my image within you were made of wood, the love would be only apparent, because only true and sincere love, united to mortification, makes Me be reborn alive, crucified in the heart of one who loves Me.” On seeing the Lord, I would have wanted to withdraw from His presence, so bad did I see myself, but He continued, saying: “Where do you want to go? I am light, and wherever you go, my light invests you everywhere.” At the presence of Jesus, at His light, at His voice, my passions disappeared – I myself don’t know where they went. I remained like a little girl, and I returned inside myself, completely changed. May everything be for the glory of God and for the good of my soul.

January 5, 1901
The Humanity of Jesus was made on purpose to obey, and to destroy disobedience. Luisa refreshes Jesus.

As I was outside of myself, I saw the confessor placing the intention of the crucifixion. I was afraid to submit myself, but Jesus told me: “What can I do? I cannot help obeying, because my Humanity was made on purpose to obey, and to destroy disobedience. This virtue is so grafted within Me, that it can be said that obedience is nature in Me, and the distinction dearest and most glorious to Me; so much so, that if my Humanity did not have this of Its own, I would abhor It, and would never have united Myself to It. You, then, want to disobey? You can do it, but you will do it yourself – I won’t.” All confused in seeing a God so obedient, I said: ‘I too want to obey’; and I submitted myself, and Jesus shared with me the pains of the cross.

After this, He transported me outside of myself, and blessed Jesus gave me a kiss. As He was doing this, a bitter breath came out, and He was in the act of wanting to pour His bitternesses; but He did not do it, because He wanted to be told by me to do it. Immediately I said: ‘Do You want some reparation? Let us do it together; in this way my reparations, united to Yours, will have the effects of Yours, for if I do them on my own I believe they will disgust You more.’ So I took His hand, dripping with blood, and kissing it, I recited the Laudate Dominum [Praise the Lord] with the Gloria Patri [Glory Be] – Jesus one part, I the other – to repair for the many evil works that are committed, placing the intention of praising Him as many times for as many offenses as He receives because of evil works. How moving it was to see Jesus praying! Then I continued to do the same to the other hand, placing the intention of praising Him as many times for as many offenses as He receives because of sins of causes. Then, His feet, with the intention of praising Him as many times for as many evil steps and as many wrong paths which are covered, even under the appearance of piety and sanctity. Lastly, His Heart, with the intention of praising Him for as many times as the human heart does not palpitate, does not love, and does not desire God. My beloved Jesus seemed all refreshed by these reparations done together with Him, but He was not yet content. It seemed He wanted to pour; so I said to Him: ‘Lord, if You want to pour, I pray You to do it.’ So He poured His bitternesses, and then He added: “My daughter, how much men offend Me – but the time will come when I will chastise them in such a way that many little worms will come out, which will produce clouds of mosquitoes that will render them greatly oppressed. Then, afterwards, the Pope will come out.” And I: ‘And why will the Pope come out?’ And He: “He will come out to console the peoples, because, oppressed, tired, crushed, betrayed by so many lies, they themselves will look for the harbor of truth, and all humiliated, they will ask the Holy Father to come into their midst to free them from so many evils and place them in the harbor of safety.” And I: ‘Lord, will this perhaps happen after the wars You have spoken about the other times?’ And He: “Yes.” And I: ‘How I wish I could come before these things happen.’ And He: “And where would I go to stay then?”

‘Ah, Lord, there are so many good souls in whom You can stay, such that in comparing myself to them – oh, how bad I see myself!’ But not paying attention to me, Jesus disappeared, and I returned inside myself.

January 6, 1901
Jesus communicates Himself to the three Magi through love, through beauty and through power.

As I was outside of myself, I seemed to see the moment when the holy Magi arrived at the grotto of Bethlehem. As they arrived in the presence of the Baby, He pleased to let the rays of His Divinity shine externally, communicating Himself to the Magi in three ways – through love, through beauty and through power – in such a way that they remained enraptured and engrossed in the presence of Little Baby Jesus; so much so, that if the Lord had not withdrawn the rays of His Divinity internally again, they would have remained there forever, unable to move any more. Then, as the Baby withdrew His Divinity, the holy Magi returned into themselves; they stirred themselves, stupefied, in seeing an excess of love so great, because through that light the Lord had let them understand the mystery of the Incarnation. Then they stood up and offered their gifts to the Queen Mother, and She spoke at length with them, but I am unable to say everything She said. I can only remember that She inculcated into them, strongly, not only their own salvation, but also taking to heart the salvation of their peoples, having no fear even to lay down their lives to obtain the intent.

After this, I withdrew inside myself and I found myself together with Jesus. He wanted me to tell Him something, but I saw myself so bad and confused that I would not dare to tell Him anything. Seeing that I was not saying anything, He Himself continued to speak about the holy Magi, telling me: “By having communicated Myself to the Magi in three ways, I obtained three effects for them, because I never communicate Myself to souls uselessly; rather, they always receive some profit for themselves. So, as I communicated Myself through love, they obtained detachment from themselves; through beauty, they obtained contempt for earthly things; and through power, their hearts remained all bound to Me, and they obtained the bravery to lay down their blood and lives for Me.”

Then He added: “And you, what do you want? Tell Me – do you love Me? How would you want to love Me?” Not knowing what to say, as my confusion increased, I said: ‘Lord, I would want nothing but You, and if You say to me, ‘do you love Me?’, I have no words to be able to manifest it. I can only say that I feel this passion that no one may be able to prevail over me in loving You, and that I should be the first in loving You, above everyone, and no one may be able to surpass me. But this does not content me yet; in order to be content, I would want to love You with your own love, so that I may be able to love You as You love Yourself. Ah, yes! Only then would my concerns about loving You cease.’ Content, one could say, with my nonsense, Jesus clasped me so tightly to Himself, that I could see myself transmuted in Him, inside and out, and He communicated part of His love to me. After this, I returned inside myself, and it seemed to me that for as much love as I am given, so much do I possess my Good; and if I love Him little, I possess Him little.

January 9, 1901
Jesus wants her united with Him, like a sun’s ray which receives from it life, heat and splendor.

This morning I felt all oppressed and crushed, so much so, that I went in search of relief. My only Good made me wait a long time for His coming. Then, on coming, He told me: “My daughter, did I not take your passions, miseries and weaknesses upon Myself for love of you? Would you not want to take those of others upon yourself for love of Me?”

Then He added: “What I want is that you be always united with Me, like a sun’s ray which remains always fixed in the center of the sun, and which receives from it life, heat and splendor. Suppose that a ray could depart from the center of the sun – what would become of it? Immediately after leaving, it would lose life, light and heat, and would return to darkness, reducing itself to nothing. Such is the soul: as long as she remains united with Me, in my center, it can be said that she is like a sun’s ray which lives, receives life from the sun, and goes wherever the sun wants. In sum, it remains at the complete disposal and at the will of the sun; if then she distracts herself and disunites from Me, there she is – all darkness, cold, and without feeling within herself that supernal spur of divine life.” Having said this, He disappeared.

January 15, 1901
Jesus tells her that she forms His greatest martyrdom.

Since in the past days my beloved Jesus made Himself seen as somehow indignant with the world, this morning, not seeing Him come, I kept thinking to myself: ‘Who knows whether He is not coming because He wants to send some chastisement? And what have I done wrong? Because He wants to send chastisements, He does not deign to come to Me. How nice – that while He wants to punish others, He has me get the greatest of chastisements, which is the privation of Him.’ Now, while I was saying this and other nonsense, my lovable Jesus made Himself seen for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, you form the greatest martyrdom for Me, because when I have to send some chastisement I cannot show Myself to you, since you bind Me everywhere and do not want Me to do anything. And as I do not come, you deafen Me with your complaints, with your laments and expectations; so much so, that while I am occupied with chastising, I am forced to think about you, to hear you, and my Heart is lacerated in seeing you in your painful state of my privation. In fact, the most painful martyrdom is the martyrdom of love, and the more two persons love each other, the more painful those pains become, which arise, not from others, but from between themselves. Therefore be quiet, be calm, and do not want to increase my pains through your pains.” He disappeared, and I was left all mortified, thinking that I form the martyrdom of my dear Jesus, and that in order not to make Him suffer too much, when He does not come I must remain quiet. But who can make this sacrifice? It seems impossible to me, and I will be forced to continue martyring each other.

January 16, 1901
Jesus Christ explains to her the order of charity.

As I continued to see Him a little indignant with the world, I wanted to occupy myself with placating Him, but He distracted me by saying to me: “The charity most acceptable to Me is toward those who are closest to Me, and those who are closest to Me are the purging souls, because they are confirmed in my grace and there is no opposition between my Will and theirs. They live continuously in Me, they ardently love Me, and I am forced to see them suffer within Myself, impotent to give themselves the slightest relief on their own. Oh, how tortured my Heart is by the position of these souls, because they are not far away, but close to Me – not only close, but inside of Me! And how pleasing to my Heart one who interests himself with them. Suppose you had a mother or a sister who lived with you in a state of sorrow, incapable of helping themselves on their own, and then someone else, foreign, who lived outside of your house, also in a state of sorrows, but capable of helping himself by himself. Would you not be more pleased if someone occupied himself with relieving your mother or your sister, rather than the foreign one who can help himself on his own?” And I: ‘Certainly, O Lord!’

Then He added: “The second charity most acceptable to my Heart is for those who, though living on this earth, are almost like the purging souls – that is, they love Me, they always do my Will, they interest themselves with my things as if they were their own. Now, if these are oppressed, in need, in a state of sufferings, and someone occupies himself with relieving them and helping them, this is more pleasing to my Heart than if it were done to others.”

Then Jesus disappeared, and as I found myself inside myself, it seemed to me that those things did not go according to the truth. So, on coming back, my adorable Jesus made me understand that what He had told me was according to the truth. There was only something left to say about the members separated from Him, which are the sinners – that if one occupied himself with reuniting these members, this would be very acceptable to His Heart. The difference that exists is this: that if a sinner were oppressed, in the midst of a misfortune, and one occupied himself, not to convert him, but to relieve him and help him materially, the Lord would be more pleased if this were done for those who are in the order of grace. In fact, if these suffer, it is always a product, either of the love of God for them, or of their love for God; while if sinners suffer, the Lord sees in them the mark of guilt and of their obstinate will. This is how I seemed to understand; after all, I leave the judgment to those who have the right to judge me, whether this goes according to the truth or not.

January 24, 1901
Luisa asks Jesus the reason for His privation. Jesus explains it.

Having spent the past days in silence and sometimes also without my adorable Jesus, this morning, as He came, I lamented to Him saying: ‘Lord, how is it that You do not come! How things have changed! It shows that it is either for the chastisement of my sins that You deprive me of your lovable presence, or because You no longer want me in this state of victim. O please! I beg You – let me know your Will. If I could not be opposed when You wanted the sacrifice from me, much less can I do it now that, finding me no longer worthy of being victim, You want to take me out of it.’

Interrupting my speaking, Jesus told me: “My daughter, by having made Myself victim for mankind, taking upon Myself all weaknesses, miseries and everything that man deserved before the Divinity, I represent the head of all; and since I am the head before the Divinity, the human nature finds in Me a most powerful shield that defends it, protects it, excuses it and intercedes for it. Now, since you are in the state of victim, you come to represent for Me the head of the present generation. Therefore, having to send some chastisement for the good of the peoples and to call them back to Me, if I came to you as usual, by just showing Myself to you, I already feel relieved, my pains are mitigated, and it happens to Me as to someone who feels a strong pain and screams because of the spasm: if his pain ceased, he would no longer feel like screaming and sending out laments. The same happens to Me: as my pains are mitigated, naturally I no longer feel like sending that chastisement. You then, also naturally, in seeing Me, try to spare Me and to take the pains of others upon yourself; you cannot help doing your office of victim before my presence, and if you did not do so, which can never be, I would be displeased with you. Here is the cause of my privation. It is not because I want to punish your sins – I have other ways to purge you. However, I will repay you; on the days I come, I will double my visits – aren’t you happy?” And I: ‘No Lord, I want You always; whatever the cause might be, I do not give way to remaining a single day without You.’ While I was saying this, Jesus disappeared, and I returned inside myself.

January 27, 1901
The establishment of Faith is in the establishment of Charity.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen for a little while and, I don’t know why, He said to me: “My daughter, the whole establishment of the Catholic Faith is in the establishment of Charity, which unites the hearts and makes them live in Me.” Then, throwing Himself into my arms, He wanted me to refresh Him. After I did as much as I could, He gave me tit for tat, and He disappeared.

January 30, 1901
The poison of interest. The virtues and the merits of Jesus are as many towers of fortitude on which everyone can lean along the journey on the way to Eternity.

This morning, on coming, blessed Jesus transported me outside of myself, in the midst of many people of different conditions – priests, nuns, secular; and beginning His sorrowful lament, Jesus said: “My daughter, the poison of interest has entered into all hearts, and they have become soaked with this poison like sponges. This pestilent poison has penetrated into monasteries, into priests, into secular. My daughter, that which does not surrender to the light of truth and to the power of virtue, surrenders before a most wretched interest; and before this poison, the most sublime and excelling virtues fall shattered like fragile glass.” And while saying this, He cried bitterly. Who can say the torment of my soul in seeing my most loving Jesus cry! Not knowing what to do to make Him stop crying, I spoke some nonsense: ‘My dear, O please! – do not cry. If the others do not love You, offend You and have their eyes dazzled by the poison of interest, in such a way as to remain all soaked with it, there is I who love you, praise You, look at all that is earthly as rubbish, and aspire to nothing, but in You. Therefore You should be content in my love and stop crying; and if You feel embittered, pour it upon me, for I am more content with it than seeing You cry.’

On hearing me, He stopped crying and poured a little bit. Then He shared with me the pains of the cross, and then He added: “My virtues and the merits I acquired for man in my Passion, are as many towers of fortitude on which everyone can lean along the journey on the way to Eternity. But man, ungrateful, running away from these towers of fortitude, leans on mud and conducts himself along the way of perdition.” Then Jesus disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.

January 31, 1901
Jesus explains the greatness of the virtue of patience.

As I was in my usual state, my sweet Jesus was not coming. Then, after much waiting, I saw Him for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, patience is superior to purity, because without patience the soul easily unbridles, and it is difficult for her to remain pure; and when a virtue needs another virtue in order to have life, the second one is called superior to the first. Even more, it can be said that patience is custody of purity; not only this, but it is staircase to ascend to the mountain of fortitude, in such a way that if one went up without the staircase of patience, he would immediately fall from the highest point to the lowest. In addition to this, patience is seed of perseverance, and this seed produces branches called firmness. Oh, how firm and stable in the good she has started is the patient soul! She pays no attention either to rain, or to frost, or to ice, or to fire, but all her attention is on bringing to completion the good she has started. In fact, there is no greater foolishness than that of one who today does some good because he likes it, and tomorrow he neglects it because he finds no more pleasure in it. What would one say of an eye which at one hour possesses sight, and at another is blind? Or of a tongue which now speaks, and now is mute? Ah! yes, my daughter, patience alone is the secret key to open the treasure of virtues; without the secret of this key, the other virtues do not come out to give life to the soul and to ennoble her.”

February 5, 1901
She encounters two maidens who serve Justice: tolerance and dissimulation.

This morning blessed Jesus transported me outside of myself, but He made Himself seen in a state that moved even the stones to pity. Oh, how He suffered! It seemed that, unable to endure any more, He wanted to unload Himself a little, almost asking for help. I felt my poor heart split with tenderness, and immediately I pulled the crown of thorns from Him, putting it on myself so as to give Him relief. Then I said to Him: ‘My sweet Good, You have not renewed in me the pains of the cross for some time; I pray You to renew them today, so You will be more relieved.’ And He: “My beloved, it is necessary to ask Justice in order to do this, because things have reached such a point that It can no longer permit that you suffer.”

I did not know what to do in order to ask Justice, when two maidens came up to me, who seemed to be serving Justice; one had the name of ‘tolerance’, the other ‘dissimulation’. As I asked them to crucify me, tolerance took one of my hands and nailed it, but without wanting to finish; so I said: ‘Oh holy dissimulation, complete my crucifixion – don’t you see that tolerance has left me? Show yourself, how much better you are in dissimulating.’ So she completed my crucifixion, but with such spasm, that if the Lord had not sustained me in His arms, I would certainly have died for the pain. After this, blessed Jesus added: “Daughter, it is necessary that you suffer these pains at least sometimes; and if it were not so, woe to the world! – what would become of it?” Then I prayed to Him for various people, and I found myself inside myself.

February 6, 1901
The perfect satisfaction of Jesus is finding Himself in the soul.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, when my grace is in possession of more people, it celebrates more. It happens as to queens: the more maidens that hang upon their wishes and surround them like a crown, the more they enjoy and make feast. You, fix yourself in Me, look at Me, and you will be so taken by Me that everything material will drop dead for you. You must fix yourself in Me so much as to draw Me completely into yourself, in such a way that, finding Myself in you, I may find in you my perfect satisfaction. So, as I find in you all possible pleasures I could find in a human creature, what the others do to Me cannot grieve Me so much.” And while saying this, He closed Himself up inside of Me, and was all pleased. How fortunate I would consider myself if I arrived at drawing my beloved Jesus completely into myself.

February 10, 1901
Obedience has an extremely long sight, while love of self is very much shortsighted.

As my adorable Jesus continued to come, He made Himself seen with eyes refulgent with most vivid and most pure light. I was enchanted and surprised before that dazzling light, and Jesus, on seeing me so enchanted and speechless, said to me: “My beloved, obedience has an extremely long sight and surpasses the very light of the sun in beauty and in sharpness. In the same way, love of self is very much shortsighted, so much so, that it cannot take a step without tripping. And do not believe that this extremely long sight is possessed by those souls who go on always disturbed and in scrupulousness. Rather, this is a net that love of self weaves around them, which, being very shortsighted, makes them fall first, and then provokes in them a thousand disturbances and scruples, and what they have detested today with so many scruples and fears, they fall into again tomorrow, to the point that their living is reduced to being always immersed in this artificious net which love of self knows well how to weave around them. This, unlike the extremely long sight of obedience, which is killer of the love of self. Her sight is so very long and clear, that immediately she foresees where she might slip, and with generous heart she abstains from it and enjoys the holy freedom of the children of God. And just as darkness draws more darkness, so does light draw more light, and this light arrives at drawing to itself the light of the Word, and uniting together, they weave the light of all virtues.”

Surprised on hearing this, I said: ‘Lord, what are You saying? To me it seems that that scrupulous way of living is sanctity.’ And He, with a more serious tone, added: “On the contrary, I tell you that this is the true mark of obedience, while that is the true mark of love of self, and that way of living moves Me more to indignation than to love. In fact, when it is the light of truth that allows one to see one’s fault, be it even the slightest, there should be some emendation; but since it is the short sight of the love of self, it does nothing but keep them oppressed, having no development on the path of true sanctity.”

February 17, 1901
Man comes from God and must return to God.

This morning, as I was all oppressed and in suffering, I saw my beloved Jesus for just a little, as well as many people immersed in many miseries. Then, breaking the silence He had kept for many days, He said: “My daughter, man is born in Me first, receiving the imprint of the Divinity; then, as he goes out of Me to be reborn from the maternal womb, I give him the command to walk a little stretch of the way; and at the end of that way, letting Myself be found by him, I receive him again into Myself, making him live eternally with Me. See now, how noble man is, where he comes from and where he goes, and what his destiny is. Now, what should the sanctity of this man be, coming out of a God so Holy? But in covering the way to come to Me again, man destroys that of the divine which he has received; he corrupts himself in such way that at the encounter I have with him to receive him into Myself, I no longer recognize him, I no longer see the divine imprint in him, I find nothing of my own in him; and no longer recognizing him, my Justice condemns him to go wandering on the way of perdition.”

How tender it was to hear Jesus Christ speak about this – how many things He made me comprehend! But my state of sufferings does not permit me to write any further.

March 8, 1901
It was the Cross that made Jesus recognized as God. The cross of pain and the cross of love.

Continuing in my poor state, and with the silence of blessed Jesus, this morning, as I was oppressed more than ever, on coming, He told me: “My daughter, it was not my works, nor my preaching, nor the very power of my miracles that made Me recognized with clarity as the God I am, but when I was put on the Cross and lifted up on It as though on my own throne – then was I recognized as God. So, the Cross alone revealed Me to the world and to the whole of hell for Who I really was. All were shaken and recognized their Creator. Therefore, it is the Cross that reveals God to the soul, and makes known whether the soul is truly of God. It can be said that the Cross uncovers all the intimate parts of the soul and reveals to God and to men who she is.»

Then He added: “Upon two crosses do I consume souls – one is of pain, the other is of love. And just as in Heaven all nine choirs of Angels love Me, though each one has its distinct office – as for example, the special office of the Seraphim is love and their choir is positioned more in the front in order to receive the reverberations of my love; so much so, that my love and theirs, darting through each other, correspond continuously – in the same way, I give to souls on earth their distinct offices: some I render martyrs of pain, and some of love, as both of them are skillful masters in sacrificing souls and in rendering them worthy of my satisfactions.”

March 19, 1901
Jesus explains the easiest and most profitable way to suffer.

This morning, as I was all oppressed and in suffering, much more so, because of the privation of my sweet Jesus, after much waiting, I saw Him for just a little and He told me: “My daughter, the true way of suffering is in not looking at whom the sufferings come from, or at that which one suffers, but at the good that must come from those sufferings. This was my way of suffering. I looked neither at the executioners, nor at the suffering, but at the good I intended to do by means of my suffering, also for the very ones who gave Me suffering. And looking at the good that was to come to men, I disregarded everything else, and with intrepidness I followed the course of my suffering. My daughter, this is the easiest and most profitable way to suffer – not only with patience, but with unconquered and courageous heart.”

March 22, 1901
She sees Rome and great sins. Jesus wants to chastise, but Luisa is opposed.

As I continued in my usual state of privation, and therefore of unspeakable bitternesses, this morning, my adorable Jesus came and transported me outside of myself. It seemed to me that it was Rome. How many spectacles one could see from all classes of people! Even in the Vatican one could see things that were repugnant. What to say, then, about the enemies of the Church? How consumed with rage they are against Her, how many slaughters they are plotting – but they cannot carry them out because Our Lord holds them bound still. But that which frightened me the most was to see my loving Jesus almost in the act of giving them freedom. Who can say how consternated I remained? Then, seeing my consternation, Jesus told me: “Daughter, the chastisements are absolutely necessary. Rot and gangrene have entered all classes, therefore fire and sword are necessary so that not everyone may perish. So, this is the last time I tell you to conform to my Will, and I promise you to spare in part.”

And I: ‘My dear Good, I don’t have the heart to conform to You in chastising people.’ And He: “If you do not conform, since it is of absolute necessity to do this, I will not come as usual, and I will not manifest to you when I send the chastisements; and since you would not know it and I would not find anyone who would somehow break my just indignation, I will give free vent to my fury, and you will not even have the good of sparing the chastisement in part. In addition to this, not coming and not pouring in you those graces which I should pour, is also a bitterness for Me; just like in these past days in which I have not come so much – I have the grace constrained within Me.” And while saying this, He showed that He wanted to unload Himself, and drawing near my mouth, He poured a most sweet milk, and He disappeared.

March 30, 1901
Jesus speaks about the Divine Will and about perseverance.

As my state of privation continued, I felt as though a tedium and a tiredness of my poor situation, and my poor nature wanted to free itself of this state. Having compassion for me, my adorable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, as you withdraw from my Volition[2], you begin to live of yourself; while if you remain fixed in my Will, you will always live of Me, dying completely to yourself.”

Then He added: “My daughter, have patience, resign yourself to my Will in everything, and not for a short time, but always – always, because only perseverance in good is that which reveals whether a soul is truly virtuous; it alone is what unites all virtues together. It can be said that perseverance alone unites perpetually God and the soul, virtues and graces, and places itself around them like a chain; and binding everything together, it forms the most safe knot of salvation. But where there is no perseverance, there is a lot to fear.” Having said this, He disappeared.

March 31, 1901
Inconstancy and volubility.

This morning, feeling all embittered, I saw myself still so bad, that I almost did not dare to go in search of my highest and only Good. But the Lord, looking not at my miseries, still deigned to come, telling me: “My daughter, is it Me that you want? Well then, I have come to cheer you – let us be together, but let us remain in silence.”

After staying for some time, He transported me outside of myself, and I saw that the Church was celebrating the Day of the Palms; and Jesus, breaking the silence, told me: “How much volubility, how much inconstancy! Just as today they cried out ‘Hosanna!’, proclaiming Me as their King, on another day they cried out ‘Crucify Him! Crucify Him!’ My daughter, the thing that displeases Me the most is inconstancy and volubility, because this is the sign that the truth has not taken possession of these souls. Even in things of religion, it may be that they find their satisfaction, their own convenience and interest, or that they just find themselves in that party; but tomorrow these things may be missing, or they may find themselves involved in other parties – and here is how they deviate from religion, and with no regret they give themselves to other sects. Indeed, when the true light of Truth enters a soul and takes possession of a heart, she is not subject to inconstancy. On the contrary, she sacrifices everything for love of It and to let herself be mastered by It alone; and with unconquered heart she despises everything else which does not belong to the Truth.” And while saying this, He cried over the condition of the present generation, worse than in those times, subject to inconstancy according to wherever the winds blow.

April 5, 1901
In compassionating the Mother, one compassionates Jesus. On Calvary, at the crucifixion, Luisa sees all generations in Jesus.

As the state of privation continued, this morning I seemed to see Him for a little while, together with the Queen Mother; and since adorable Jesus had the crown of thorns, I removed it from Him and I compassionated Him thoroughly. While I was doing this, He told me: “Compassionate also my Mother, because since the reason of Her sorrows is my suffering, in compassionating Her, you come to compassionate Me.»

After this, I seemed to find myself on mount Calvary, in the act of the crucifixion of Our Lord, and while He suffered the crucifixion, I could see – I don’t know how – all generations, past, present and future, in Jesus. And since Jesus had everyone within Himself, He felt all the offenses that each of us would give Him, and He suffered for all in general, and for each individual in particular, in such a way that I could see also my sins, and the pains that He suffered for me individually; and I could also see the remedy that He administered to us, with the exception of no one, for our evils and for our eternal salvation. Now, who can say all that I saw in blessed Jesus?: from the first to the last man. As I was outside of myself, I could see things clearly and distinctly; but finding myself inside myself, I see them all confused. So, in order to avoid nonsense, I stop here.

April 7, 1901
She sees the Resurrection of Jesus. Jesus speaks about obedience.

As my adorable Jesus continues to deprive me of His presence, I feel a bitterness, and as though a knife were stuck in my heart, which gives me such pain as to make me cry and scream like a child. Ah, truly, I seem to have become like a child who, when his mother departs from him even for just a little, cries and screams so much as to turn the whole house upside down, and there is no other remedy to make him stop crying than for him to see himself in the arms of his mother again. So I am – a true little girl in virtue, for if it were possible for me I would turn Heaven and earth upside down in order to find my highest and only Good, and only when I find myself in possession of Jesus, then do I calm down. Poor little girl that I am, I still feel the swaddling clothes of infancy that clasp me; I am unable to walk by myself, I am very weak, I do not have the capacity of the adults, who let themselves be guided by reason. So here is the highest necessity I have to be with Jesus; right or wrong, I don’t want to hear anything – what I want to hear is that I want Jesus. I hope that the Lord may want to forgive this poor little girl, who sometimes commits some excesses.

So, finding myself in this position, I saw my adorable Jesus for a little, in the act of His Resurrection, with His face so refulgent as to not be comparable to any other splendor. It seemed to me that the Most Holy Humanity of Our Lord, though It was living flesh, was so bright and transparent that one could see with clarity the Divinity united to the Humanity. Now, while I was seeing Him so glorious, a light that came from Him seemed to tell me: “My Humanity received so much glory by means of perfect obedience which, destroying the ancient nature completely, gave Me back the new nature, glorious and immortal. In the same way, by means of obedience, the soul can form within her the perfect resurrection to virtues. For example: if the soul is afflicted, obedience will make her rise again to joy; if restless, obedience will make her rise again to peace; if tempted, obedience will administer to her the strongest chain with which to bind the enemy, and will make her rise again victorious over the diabolical snares; if she is besieged by passions and vices, by killing them, obedience will make her rise again to virtues. This, to the soul, and in due time, it will also form the resurrection of the body.”

After this, the light withdrew, Jesus disappeared, and I am left with such sorrow, seeing myself without Him again, that I feel as if I had a burning fever that makes me fidget and rave. Ah! Lord, give me the strength to bear with You in these delays, for I feel faint.

April 9, 1901
If fervors and virtues are not well rooted in the Humanity of Jesus, as tribulations or unfavorable circumstances arise, immediately they wither.

As I was in the fullness of delirium, I was speaking nonsense, and I believe I also mixed some defects with it. My poor nature felt all the weight of my state; the bed seemed worse to it than the state of those who are condemned to prison. It would have wanted to free itself of this state, with the addition of my refrain that ‘it is no longer Will of God, and this is why Jesus does not come’. And I kept thinking of what I should do. While I was doing this, my patient Jesus came out from within my interior, but with a grave and serious appearance, such as to strike fear in me; and He said to me: “What do you think I would have done had I been in your position?” In my interior I said: ‘Certainly the Will of God.’ And He, again: “Well then, that is what you are doing.” And He disappeared.

The gravity of Our Lord was such that in those words He spoke to me I felt all the power of His word – not only creative, but also destroying. My interior was so shaken by those words, it was so oppressed, embittered, that I did nothing but cry. I remembered especially the gravity with which Jesus had spoken to me, so much so, that I did not dare to say: ‘Come’. Now, being in this position, in the afternoon I did my meditation without asking for Him, when, all of a sudden, He came, and with a sweet appearance, all changed compared to the morning, He told me: “My daughter, what a disaster, what a disaster is about to happen.” And as He was saying this, I felt all of my interior changed – that He was not coming for no other reason but the chastisements. At that moment I saw four venerable persons who were crying at the words which Jesus had spoken; but blessed Jesus, wanting to cheer Himself, said a few words about virtues, and then He added: “There are certain fervors and certain virtues which seem like those saplings that grow around certain trees: since they are not well rooted in its trunk, as a strong wind comes, or a cold a little more intense, they wither; and even though after some time it may be that they become green again, being subject to the intemperance of the air, and therefore to changing, they never become grown up trees. Such are those fervors and those virtues which are not well rooted in the trunk of the tree of obedience – that is, in the trunk of the tree of my Humanity, which was all obedience: as tribulations or unfavorable circumstances arise, immediately they wither, and they never come to producing fruits for eternal life.”

April 19, 1901
The whole being of Luisa suffers the privation of Jesus. Jesus consoles her and explains to her something about Grace.

As I continue to pass my days without my adorable Jesus – at the most, He comes like shadow and flashes – my poor heart is extremely embittered. I feel His privation so much, that all of my fibers, my nerves, my bones, and even the drops of my blood, writhe continuously, and say to me: “Where is Jesus? How is it – you have lost Him? What have you done that He is no longer coming? How can we be without Him? Who else will console us, since we have lost the fount of all consolation? Who will fortify us in weakness? Who will correct us and uncover our defects, since we have been deprived of that light which, more than electric filament, penetrated into the most intimate hiding places, and with the most ineffable sweetness corrected and healed our wounds? Everything is misery, everything is squalor, everything is gloom without Him! How shall we go on?’ And even though in the depth of my will I feel resigned, and I keep offering His very privation as the greatest sacrifice for love of Him, everything else wages a continuous war against me, and puts me in a torture. Ah, Lord, how much it costs me to have known You, and at how high a price You make me pay for your past visits!

Now, while I was in this state, He made Himself seen for short instants, and He told me: “Since Grace is part of Me, as you possess It, with reason and by strict necessity everything that forms your being cannot be without Me. This is the reason why everything asks you for Me and you are tortured continuously. Since you are soaked with Me and filled with part of Me, only when they possess Me, not only in part, but completely – then do they find peace and remain content.” And as I lamented about my hard position, He added: “I too experienced extreme abandonment in the course of my Passion, even though my Will was always united with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. And I wanted to suffer this in order to divinize the cross completely; so much so, that in looking at Me and in looking at the cross, you will find the same splendor, the same lessons, and the same mirror in which you can reflect yourself continuously, with no difference between the two.”

April 21, 1901
Necessity of the chastisements so as not to let man corrupt himself more.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw my sweet Jesus for just a little, with a cross in His hand, in the act of pouring it upon the people; and He told me: “My daughter, the world is always corrupted, but there are certain times in which it reaches such corruption, that if I did not pour part of my cross upon the people, they would all perish in corruption. So it happened at the time when I came upon earth: my cross alone saved many from the corruption in which they were immersed. The same in these times: corruption has reached such a point, that if I did not pour scourges, thorns, crosses, causing men even to shed blood, they would remain immersed in the waves of corruption.” And while saying this, He seemed to throw that cross over the people, and chastisements would occur.

April 22, 1901
Lessons about the imitation of His life.

While I was all afflicted and confused, and almost without hope of seeing my adorable Jesus again, all of a sudden He came and told me: “Do you know what I want from you? I want you similar to Me in everything, both in operating and in the intention. I want you to be respectful with everyone, because respecting everyone gives peace to oneself and peace to others; and that you consider yourself the least of all; that you meditate constantly on my teachings within your mind, and keep them in your heart, so that, on the occasion, you may find them always ready to be used and put into practice. In sum, I want your life to be an outpouring of Mine.” And while He was saying this, I saw behind the Lord an intense cold and a fire coming down upon earth, which caused damage to crops. I said: ‘Lord, what are You doing? Poor people!’ But not paying attention to me, He disappeared.

June 13, 1901
Crosses and tribulations are the bread of eternal beatitude.

After a long silence on the part of my adorable Jesus – at the most, a few things about the scourges He wants to pour – this morning, as I was oppressed and tired because of my hard position, especially because of the continuous privations to which I am often subjected, I saw Him for short instants, and He told me: “My daughter, crosses and tribulations are the bread of eternal beatitude.” I comprehended that as we suffer more, more abundant and more enjoyable will be the bread that will nourish us in the celestial dwelling; that is, the more we suffer, the greater the deposit we receive of the future glory.

June 18, 1901
Jesus demands His glory from every particle of our beings. From the state of union to that of consummation.

As I was in my usual state, I saw my sweet Jesus for a little, and I began my laments about my poor state of His privations, and about a sort of tiredness, physical and moral, as if I felt my poor nature being crushed and failing me in all its parts. Then, after I said all this to my Jesus, He told me; “My daughter, do not be concerned about your feeling faint in all parts; don’t you know that everything must be sacrificed for Me, not only in the soul but also in the body? And that from the tiniest little particles of your being I demand my glory? And then, don’t you know that from the state of union one passes on to another one, which is that of consummation? It is true that I am not coming as usual so as to chastise the people, but I use this also for your own profit, which is not only that of keeping you united with Me, but of consuming you for love of Me. In fact, as I do not come and you feel faint because of my absence, don’t you come to be consumed for Me? After all, you do not have great reason to afflict yourself – first, because when you see Me, it is always from your interior that you see Me come out, and this is a sure sign that I am with you; and also, because not one day has yet come in which you can say that you have not seen Me perfectly.”

After this, His voice assuming a sweeter and more benign tone, He added: “My daughter, I recommend to you, very, very much, that you let not even the slightest act which is not patience, resignation, sweetness, sameness, tranquillity in everything, come out of yourself. Otherwise you would dishonor Me, and it would happen as to that king who lived in a palace which was well adorned inside, but on the outside it could be seen as full of cracks, stained, and about to collapse. Would people not say: ‘What? A king lives in this palace, and yet, such an ugly configuration can be seen outside as to make one fear even to draw near it? Who knows what a king he must be!’ Would this not be a dishonor for that king? Now think that if anything which is not virtue comes out of you, they would say the same about Me, and I, who live inside of you, would remained dishonored.”

June 30, 1901
Signs to know whether the soul possesses Grace.

As I was in my usual state, my most sweet Jesus made Himself seen for a short time, all transfused in Me; and He told me: “My daughter, do you want to know what the signs are to know whether the soul possesses my Grace?” And I: ‘Lord, as your most holy goodness pleases.’

So He replied: “The first sign to see whether the soul possesses my Grace is that in anything that belongs to God which she may hear or see externally, she feels a sweetness, a gentleness fully divine in her interior, which is not comparable to anything human and terrestrial. It happens as to that mother who recognizes the fruit of her womb in the person of a son even from his breath, from his voice, and she delights with joy. Or as to two intimate female friends who, in conversing together, manifest the same sentiments, inclinations, joys, afflictions to each other; and since each one finds her own things engraved in the other, they feel such pleasure in them, such joy, and take them to heart so much that they cannot detach themselves. In the same way, the interior Grace which resides in the soul, on seeing externally the fruit of Her very womb – that is, on recognizing Herself in those things which form Her very essence – corresponds with them, and makes the soul experience such joy and sweetness that one is unable to express it.

The second sign is that the speaking of the soul who possesses Grace is peaceful and has the virtue of casting peace into others; so much so, that the same things said by one who does not possess grace make no impression and bring no peace, while if they are said by one who possesses Grace, they operate in a marvelous way, and bring peace back to the hearts.

Moreover, my daughter, Grace strips the soul of everything, and makes of her humanity a veil with which to remain covered, in such a way that, as the veil is torn, one finds paradise in the soul who possesses Her. So, it is no wonder that true humility, obedience and the like are found in that soul, because there is nothing left of her but a simple veil, and one can see with clarity how it is all Grace that acts within her, that keeps all virtues in order for her, and makes her remain in continuous attitude toward God.

July 5, 1901
Jesus is the beginning, the means and the end of all desires.

As I was concerned about the state of my soul, all of a sudden my adorable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, do not be concerned, for I alone am the beginning, the means and the end of all your desires.” With these words I calmed myself in Jesus. May everything be for the glory of God, and may His Holy Name be blessed.

July 16, 1901
The beginning of evil in man. Distance between the love of Jesus and the human love. In order to enter into Heaven, the soul must be completely transformed in Jesus.

After various days of privation, this morning He deigned to come, transporting me outside of myself. Now, as I was before blessed Jesus, I could see many people, and the evil of the present generation. My adorable Jesus looked at them with compassion, and turning to me, told me: “My daughter, do you want to know where the evil of man began? The beginning of it is that as soon as he knows himself – that is, as soon as he begins to acquire reason – man says to himself: ‘I am something.’ And believing themselves to be something, they move away from Me, they do not trust Me, who am the All, and they draw all their confidence and strength from themselves. From this it happens that they even lose every good beginning, and by losing the good beginning, what will the end be? Imagine, yourself, my daughter. Moreover, by moving away from Me, who contain every good, what good can man hope for, since he is a sea of evil? Without Me everything is corruption, misery, and without a shadow of true good. This is the present society.”

On hearing this, I felt such affliction that I am unable to express it; but Jesus, wanting to cheer me, transported me somewhere else, and as I found myself alone with my beloved Jesus, I said to Him: ‘Tell me, do You love me?’ And He: “Yes.” And I: ‘I am not content with “yes” alone, but I would like it to be explained better how much You love me.” And He: “My love for you is so great that not only has it no beginning, but it will have no end. In these few words you can comprehend how great, strong, constant, is my love for you.” I considered all this for a little, and I could see an abyss of distance between my love and His. All confused, I said: ‘Lord, what a difference between my love and Yours. Not only does mine have a beginning, but as for the past, I see some voids in my soul of not having loved You.’ And Jesus, all compassion for me, told me: “My beloved, there cannot be conformity between the love of the Creator and that of the creature; however, today I want to tell you something which will be of great consolation for you and which you have never understood: know that each soul, during the whole course of her life, is obliged to love Me constantly, with no interval; and if she does not love Me always, she leaves as many voids in her soul for as many days, hours or minutes in which she has neglected to love Me. But no one will be able to enter Heaven if he has not filled these voids; and one will only be able to fill them by loving Me twice as much for the rest of his life; and if he does not arrive at doing this, he will fill them by dint of fire in Purgatory. Now, when you are deprived of Me, the privation of the beloved makes love double, and by this, you come to fill the voids that there are present in your soul.”

After this, I said to Him: ‘My sweet Good, let me come with You to Heaven, and if You do not want it forever, at least for a little while. O please, I pray You, make me content!’ And He told me: “Don’t you know that in order to enter that blessed dwelling the soul must be completely transformed in Me, in such a way that she must appear as another Christ? Otherwise, what impression would you make in the midst of the other Blessed? You yourself would be ashamed of being with them.” And I: ‘It is true that I am very dissimilar from You, but if You want You can render me similar.’ So, to content me, He enclosed me completely within Himself, in such a way that I could no longer see myself, but Jesus Christ; and in this way we rose toward Heaven. As we reached a certain point, we found ourselves before an indescribable light. Before that light one experienced new life, unusual joy, never before felt. How happy I felt! Even more, it seemed to me that I was in the fullness of all happinesses. Now, as we advanced before that light, I felt such concern; I would have liked to praise Him, to thank Him, but not knowing what to say, I recited three Glory Be’s, and Jesus responded along. But as soon as I finished, like a flash I found myself in the miserable prison of my body. Ah, Lord, how come – so little has my happiness lasted? It seems that the clay of this body of mine is too hard, as it takes so much to be shattered, and it prevents my soul from moving out of this miserable earth. But I hope that some vehement blow may cause it to be not only shattered, but pulverized. Then, since I would no longer have a home to be able to stay here, You will have compassion for me, and will receive me forever in the celestial dwelling.

July 20, 1901
How sweet the voice of the soul is for Jesus.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus was not coming. Then, after struggling and almost losing the hope of seeing Him again, all of a sudden He came and told me: “My daughter, your voice is sweet to Me as the voice of the mother is sweet to the little bird: after she has left him to go in search of food with which to nourish him, as she comes back – what does the little bird do? On hearing her voice, he feels sweetness and makes feast; and after the mother has fed him, he huddles all up and hides under the maternal wing to warm himself, to be freed from the intemperances of the air, and to take safe rest. Oh, how dear and pleasing it is for the little bird – this remaining under the maternal wing! So you are for Me; you are the wing that warms Me, shelters Me, defends Me, and allows Me to take safe rest. Oh, how dear and pleasing it is for Me to remain under this wing!”

Having said this, He disappeared, and I remained all confused and full of shame, knowing myself as so bad; but obedience wanted to increase my confusion, wanting me to write this. May the Most Holy Will of God be always done.

July 23, 1901
Jesus speaks about His Will and about charity.

As I was with many doubts about my state, on coming, my adorable Jesus told me: “Daughter, do not fear, what I recommend to you is that you remain always conformed to my Will, because when the Divine Will is in the soul, neither the diabolical nor the human will have the strength to enter the soul to make fun of her.”

After this, I seemed to see Him crucified, and since the Lord had shared with me, not only His pains, but some sufferings of another person, He added: “This is true charity: to destroy oneself in order to give life to others, to take upon oneself the evils of others, and to give Me one’s own goods.”

July 27, 1901
Doubts of the confessor. The answer of Jesus.

Since the confessor had raised some doubts, as blessed Jesus came, I saw the confessor with Him, and He was saying to him: “My operating is always leaning on the truth, and even though many times it appears obscure, under enigmas, however, one cannot help saying that it is the truth. And even though the creature does not understand my operating with clarity, this does not destroy the truth; on the contrary, it makes one comprehend much better that it is a Divine way of operating. In fact, since the creature is finite, she cannot embrace and comprehend the infinite; at the most, she can comprehend and embrace a few glimmers. As for example, the many things said by Me in Scripture, and my way of operating in the Saints – has this perhaps been understood with all clarity? Oh, how many things are left obscured and amidst enigma! And yet, how many minds of the erudite and learned have tired themselves in interpreting them? And what have they yet understood? One can say absolutely nothing, compared to what is left to be known. But does this perhaps prejudice the truth? Not at all – on the contrary, it makes it shine more. Therefore, your eye must be kept on whether there is true virtue, and whether, in everything, it can be felt that the truth is present, though sometimes obscured; as for the rest, one must remain tranquil and in holy peace.” Having said this, He disappeared, and I returned inside myself.

July 30, 1901
Pride has ruined the world. The virtue of humility.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus transported me outside of myself into the midst of many people. What blindness! Almost all were blind, and a few, of short sight. Only very few appeared like the sun in the midst of the stars, with extremely sharp sight, all intent on the Divine Sun; and this sight was conceded to them because it was fixed in the light of the Word Humanate. All compassion, Jesus told me: “My daughter, how pride has ruined the world – it has reached the point of destroying that small light of reason which all carry with them at birth. Know, however, that the virtue which most exalts God is humility, and the virtue which most exalts the creature before God and men, is humility.» Having said this, He disappeared.

Later He came back all panting and afflicted, and He added: “My daughter, three terrible chastisements are about to happen.” And He disappeared like a flash, without giving me the time to tell Him one word.

August 3, 1901
The soul who possesses Grace has authority over hell, over men and over God Himself.

This morning my adorable Jesus was not coming. Then, after much waiting, the Virgin Mama came, bringing Him almost by force; but Jesus would escape. Then the Most Holy Virgin told me: “My daughter, do not become tired of asking for Him – rather, be importunate, because this escaping of His is a sign that He wants to send some chastisement, and therefore He escapes the sight of His beloved ones. You, however, do not stop, because the soul who possesses Grace has authority over hell, over men and over God Himself. In fact, since Grace is part of God Himself, as the soul possesses It, does she perhaps not have power over that which she possesses?”

Then, after much resistance, forced by the Queen Mama and importuned by me, He came, but with an imposing, serious appearance, such that one would not dare to speak. I did not know what to do to make Him break that appearance so imposing. I thought I would come out speaking nonsense, saying to Him: ‘My sweet Good, let us love each other; if we ourselves do not love each other, who else can love us? And if You are not content with my love, who will ever be able to content You? O please! give me a sure sign that You are content with my love, otherwise I faint – I die.’ But who can say all the nonsense I spoke? I believe it is better to move on. However, it seemed that with this I was able to break that imposing air He had, and He told me: “Only when your love will surpass the river of the iniquities of men – then will I be content with your love. So, think of increasing your love, for I will be more content with you.” Having said this, He disappeared.

August 5, 1901
Mortification is the sight of the soul.

As I was in my usual state, my blessed Jesus was delaying in coming. I felt I was dying for the pain of His privation, when, all of a sudden, He came and told me: “My daughter, just as the eyes are the sight of the body, so mortification is the sight of the soul. Therefore, mortification can be called ‘eyes of the soul’.” And He disappeared.

August 6, 1901
The love of the Blessed is a property of God, while the love of the pilgrim souls is like a property which He is in the act of acquiring.

This morning, after I received Communion, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen all in suffering and offended, such as to arouse compassion. I clasped Him all to myself, and I said to Him: ‘My sweet Good, how lovable and desirable You are! How can men not love You? Even worse, they offend You! By loving You one finds everything, and the loving of You contains all goods, while by not loving You every good escapes from us. Yet, who loves You? But, O please! my dearest treasure, put aside the offenses of men, and let us pour ourselves out in loving each other for a little.’ Then Jesus called the whole Celestial Court to be spectator of our love, and He said: “The love of the whole of Heaven would not render Me satisfied and content if yours were not there united with it; more so, since that love is my property which no one can take away from Me, while the love of the pilgrim souls is like a property which I am in the act of acquiring. And since my Grace is part of Me, and my Being is most active, as It enters into hearts the pilgrim souls can make traffic of love, and this traffic expands the properties of my love, and I feel such taste and pleasure, that if it were missing, I would remain embittered. This is why, without your love, the love of all Heaven would not render Me fully content. And you – know how to traffic well in my love, for by loving Me in everything, you will render Me happy and content.”

Who can say how amazed I was left on hearing this, and how many things I comprehended about this love? But my tongue begins stammering, therefore I stop here.

August 21, 1901
The Celestial Mama teaches the secret of true happiness.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself. After going round and round in search of Jesus, I found the Queen Mama instead, and oppressed and tired as I was, I said to Her: ‘My most sweet Mama, I lost the way to find Jesus; I don’t know where else to go, nor what to do in order to find Him again.’

While saying this, I was crying, and She said to me: “My daughter, follow Me and you will find the way, and Jesus. Even more, I want to teach you the secret of how you can always be with Jesus, and live always content and happy, even on this earth: fix in your interior that there is only Jesus and you in the world, and no one else; and that Him alone must you please, satisfy and love, and from Him alone must you expect to be loved in return and contented in everything. If you are in this way with Jesus, you will no longer be affected, whether you are surrounded by scorns or praises, by relatives or strangers, by friends or enemies. Jesus alone will be all your contentment, and Jesus alone will be enough for you in the place of all. My daughter, until everything that exists down here disappears completely in the soul, one cannot find true and perpetual contentment.”

Now, while She was saying this, Jesus came into our midst as though from within a flash. I took Him and brought Him with me, and I found myself inside myself.

September 2, 1901
Only through the Cross will the Church reacquire Her full vigor. Condition of the present society.

This morning my adorable Jesus made Himself seen united with the Holy Father, and He seemed to say to him: “The things suffered up to now are nothing other than everything I went through from the beginning of my Passion until I was condemned to death. My son, there is nothing left for you but to carry the Cross to Calvary.” As He was saying this, it seemed that blessed Jesus took the Cross and placed it upon the shoulders of the Holy Father, helping him to carry it Himself. While doing this, He added: “My Church seems to be dying, especially with regard to the social conditions, which anxiously wait for the cry of death. But, courage, my son; after you have reached the top of the mountain, as the Cross is lifted up, all will be shaken, and the Church will lay down Her aspect of a dying one, and will reacquire Her full vigor. The Cross alone is the means for it. Just as the Cross alone was the only means to fill the void which sin had made, and to unite the abyss of infinite distance that existed between God and man; in the same way, in these times the Cross alone will make my Church’s forehead rise, with courage and splendor, so as to confuse and put to flight the enemies.” Having said this, He disappeared.

After a little while, my beloved Jesus came back all afflicted, and continued: “My daughter, how much I grieve for the present society! They are my members, and I cannot help loving them. It happens to Me as to one who had one arm or one hand infected and wounded. Does he perhaps hate it? Does he abhor it? Ah, not at all! On the contrary, he lavishes all his care upon it, and who knows how much he spends to see himself healed; and it causes his whole body to ache and be oppressed, until he manages to obtain the intent of seeing himself healed. Such is my condition: I see my members infected and wounded, I feel pain and sorrow, and because of this I feel more drawn to love them. Oh, how very different is my love from that of creatures! I am forced to love them because they are my own, but they do not love Me as their own; and if they love Me at all, they love Me for their own good.” After this He disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.

September 4, 1901
Gratitude is the key to open the treasures of God. Ardors of the Heart of Jesus for the glory of the Divine Majesty and the good of souls. What the soul can do to fill the voids of His glory on the part of creatures.

As my adorable Jesus continued to come, this morning, as I saw Him, I felt such a yearning to ask Him whether He had forgiven my sins; so I said to Him: ‘My sweet Love, how I yearn to hear from your lips whether You have forgiven my many sins.’ Jesus drew close to my ear, and with His gaze He seemed to scrutinize all of my interior; and He told me: “Everything is forgiven, and I remit them. There is nothing left in you but a few defects committed by you in passing, without realizing it – and I remit those as well.”

After this, it seemed that Jesus placed Himself behind my shoulders, and touching my back with His hand, He fortified it thoroughly. Who can say what I felt at that touch? I can only say that I felt a refreshing fire, a purity united to a fortitude. Then, after He touched my back, I prayed Him to do the same to my heart, and Jesus, to content me, condescended. Afterwards, it seemed to me as if blessed Jesus was tired because of me, and I said to Him: ‘My sweet Life, You are tired because of me, aren’t You?’ And He: “Yes, at least be grateful for the graces I am giving you, because gratitude is the key to be able to open as one pleases the treasures that God contains. Know, however, that what I did to you will serve to preserve you from corruption, to strengthen you, and to dispose your soul and body for the eternal glory.”

After this, He seemed to transport me outside of myself, and He made me see the multitude of the peoples, and the good which they can do, but do not, and therefore the glory which God must receive, but does not. All afflicted, Jesus added: “My beloved, my Heart burns for the honor of my glory and the good of souls. For each good they omit, my glory and their souls receive a void. Even if they do no evil, by not doing the good they could do, they are like those empty rooms which, though beautiful, contain nothing to be admired, nothing which strikes one’s gaze, and therefore their owner receives no glory. If then they do one good and neglect another, they are like those rooms all vacated, in which one can see just a few objects, with no order. My beloved, come and take part in these pains, in the ardors which my Heart feels for the glory of the Divine Majesty and the good of souls, and try to fill these voids of my glory. You can do this by letting not a single moment of your life pass without being united to my Life; that is, in all your actions, be they prayer or suffering, rest or work, silence or conversation, sadness or joy, and even in the food you take – in sum, in everything that may happen to you, you will place the intention of giving Me all the glory which others should give Me in that action, and of making up for the good they should do, but do not, intending to repeat this intention for as much glory as I do not receive, and for as much good as they omit. If you do this, you will somehow fill the void of the glory which I must receive from creatures, and my Heart will feel a refreshment in my ardors; and from this refreshment rivulets of grace will flow for the good of mortals, which will infuse in them more fortitude to do good.” After this, I found myself inside myself.

September 5, 1901
True love makes up for everything.

As my beloved Jesus came back, I felt almost a fear of not corresponding to the graces that the Lord gives me, as those words which He has said to me before – “At least be grateful” – had remained impressed in me. Seeing me with this fear, He told me: “My daughter, courage, do not fear; love will make up for everything. Besides, since you have placed your will to truly do what I want, even if sometimes you should fail, I will make up for you – therefore, do not fear. Know, however, that true love is ingenious, and true ingenuity reaches everything; more so, when in the soul there is a love that loves, a love that grieves for the pains of the beloved as if they were its own, and a love that reaches the point of taking upon itself the sufferings which the beloved should suffer – which is the most heroic love, and which resembles my own love, as it is very difficult to find one who lays down his own flesh. So, if in all of yourself there is nothing but love, if you do not satisfy Me in one way you will do it in another. Even more, if you are in possession of these three loves, it will happen to Me as to that person who is insulted, offended with all sorts of outrages by everyone, but among many, there is one who loves him, compassionates him, repays him for all. What does he do? He fixes his eyes on his beloved, and finding his recompense, he forgets all the offenses, and gives favors and graces to the very offenders.”

September 9, 1901
Effectiveness of the intentions.

This morning my adorable Jesus was not coming. Then, while my mind was occupied with considering the mystery of the crowning of thorns, I remembered that, other times, as I was occupied with this mystery, the Lord had pleased to remove the crown of thorns from His head and to drive it onto mine. So I said in my interior: ‘Ah, Lord, I am no longer worthy of suffering your thorns.’ And all of a sudden He came, for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, when you suffer my own thorns, You relieve Me, and in suffering them yourself, I feel completely free of those pains. When you humble yourself and believe yourself unworthy of suffering them, you repair for the sins of pride which are committed in the world.” And I added: ‘Ah, Lord, for as many drops as You shed, for as many thorns as You suffered, for as many wounds, so much glory do I intend to give You for as much glory as all creatures should give You if the sin of pride did not exist; and so many graces do I intend to ask of You for all creatures, so that this sin be destroyed.’

While saying this, I saw that Jesus contained the whole world within Himself, like a machine containing objects in itself. All creatures moved within Him, and Jesus moved toward them, and it seemed that Jesus would receive the glory of my intention and that creatures had returned to Him in order to receive the good impetrated by me for them. I remained stupefied, and He, seeing my stupefaction, said: “All this seems surprising, doesn’t it? What you have done seems a trivial thing, yet, it is not so. How much good could be done by repeating this intention, but is not?” Having said this, He disappeared.

September 10, 1901
To unite our actions with Jesus is to continue His life on earth.

I continue to do what blessed Jesus taught me on the 4^th of this month, even though sometimes I get distracted. But when sometimes I forget, it seems that Jesus places Himself on guard in my interior and does it Himself for me. On seeing this, I blush and immediately I unite myself with Him, and I make the offering of what I am doing at that moment. Be it even a gaze, or a word, I keep saying: ‘Lord, all the glory which creatures should give You with their mouths, but do not, I intend to give You myself with my mouth, and I impetrate for them to make good and holy use of the mouth, by uniting myself always with the very mouth of Jesus.’ Now, while I was doing this in all my things, He came and told me: “This is the continuation of my life, which was the glory of the Father and the good of souls. If you persevere in this, you will form my life, and I yours; you will be my breath, and I yours.”

After this, Jesus placed Himself in order to rest upon my heart, and I upon His Heart, and it seemed that Jesus would draw His breath from me, and I would draw mine through Jesus. What happiness, what joy, what celestial life I experienced in that position! May the Lord be always thanked and blessed, who uses so many mercies with this sinner.

September 14, 1901
The beginning and the end of our actions must be the love of God.

After going through various days of privation, today, as I was about to do my meditation, my mind was distracted in something else, and by means of light I comprehended that in going out of the body, the soul enters into God; but since God is most pure love, only when the soul is a complex of love – then does she enter into God. In fact, God receives no one into Himself if she is not completely similar to Him, and on finding her similar, He receives her and shares all of His qualities with her. So, we shall be in God beyond the Heavens, just as we are inside our rooms here. Now, it seemed to me that this could be done also during the course of our lives, so as to spare the fire of Purgatory the toil, and ourselves the pain, and therefore be introduced immediately, with no interruption, into our highest Good, God. It seemed to me that the nourishment of fire is wood, and the sign to be sure that the wood is reduced to fire is that it no longer produces smoke. Now, the beginning and the end of all our actions must be the fire of the love of God; the wood which must nourish this fire is the crosses, the mortifications; the smoke that rises in the midst of wood and fire is the passions, the inclinations which often peep out. So, the sign that everything is consumed into fire within us is that our passions remain in their place, and we no longer feel inclination toward all that does not regard God. It seems that, with this, we will pass freely, with no obstacle, to dwell inside our God, and we will come to enjoy, even here below, paradise in advance.

September 15, 1901
By shunning the cross one remains in the dark.

This morning my adorable Jesus came all glorious, with His wounds more refulgent than suns, and with a cross in His hand. In the meantime I also saw a wheel with four sections of it leaning out, while it seemed that another section shunned the light and remained in the dark. In this darkening the people remained as though abandoned by God, and bloody wars would happen against the Church and against themselves. Ah, it seemed that the things said by blessed Jesus in the past are approaching at a fast pace! Now, on seeing all this, moved to compassion, Our Lord drew near the dark part, and He cast the cross He had in His hand upon it, saying with sonorous voice: “Glory to the cross!” And it seemed that that cross would call back the light, and the peoples, stirring themselves, would implore help and aid. Jesus repeated: “All the glory and triumph will be of the cross, otherwise the remedies will make the very evils worse. Therefore, the cross, the cross!” Who can say how afflicted I was left, and concerned for what might happen?

October 2, 1901
Jesus takes her to Heaven, and the Angels ask Him to show her to the peoples. She swims in God and tries to comprehend the interior of God.

This morning my adorable Jesus came and transported me outside of myself, in the midst of the peoples. Who can tell the evils – the horrors that could be seen? Then, all afflicted, He told me: “My daughter, what a stench emanates from the earth! It was supposed to be one with Heaven, and since in Heaven they do nothing but love Me, praise Me and thank Me, the echo of Heaven was to absorb the earth and form one only; but the earth has rendered itself unbearable. Therefore come, and unite yourself with Heaven, and in the name of all come to give Me a satisfaction for them.” In one instant I found myself amidst Angels and Saints. I am unable to say how, but I felt an infusion in me of what the Angels and Saints were singing and saying; and I, like them, did my part in the name of the whole earth. After this, all content, my sweet Jesus said, addressing everyone: “Behold an angelic note from the earth! How satisfied I feel!” And while saying this, almost to repay me, He took me in His arms, He kissed me and kissed me over and over again, showing me to the whole Celestial Court as an object of His dearest satisfactions. On seeing this, the Angels said: “Lord, we pray You, show to the peoples what You have operated in this soul with a prodigious sign of your omnipotence, for your glory and for the good of souls. No longer keep the treasures poured in her hidden, so that, as they themselves would see and touch your omnipotence in another creature, this might be cause of emendation for those who are evil, and of greater spur for those who want to be good.”

On hearing this, I felt myself caught by a fear, and annihilating myself completely, to the point that I saw myself like a tiny little fish, I threw myself into the Heart of Jesus, saying: ‘Lord, I want nothing but You and to be hidden in You – this is what I have always asked of You, and this is what I pray You to confirm in me.’ Having said this, I enclosed myself in the interior of Jesus, as though swimming in the most extensive seas of the interior of God. Then Jesus said to all: “Have you heard that? She wants nothing but Me and to be hidden in Me; this is her greatest contentment. And I, on seeing an intention so pure, feel more drawn to her; and seeing her displeasure if I were to show my work to the peoples with a prodigious sign, so as not to sadden her, will not concede what You have asked Me for.” It seemed that the Angels were insisting, but I did not pay attention to anyone any more; I did nothing but swim in God to comprehend the Divine interior. But, no – I seemed to be like a little child who wants to clasp in his little hand an object of immeasurable magnitude, such that, as he grabs it, it escapes from him, and he can barely manage to touch it. So, he is unable to tell either how much it weighs, or how large that object is. Or like another child who, not knowing all the depth of studies, says with yearning that he must learn everything in a short time, but he can barely manage to learn the first letters of the alphabet. In the same way, the creature can say nothing but this: “I have touched It, It is beautiful, It is great, there is no good It does not possess. But, how beautiful is It? How much greatness does It contain? How many goods does It possess? This I am unable to tell.” That is, of God she can tell the first letters of the alphabet, leaving the whole depth of studies behind.

So, even in Heaven, my dearest brothers, Angels and Saints, being creatures, do not have the capacity of comprehending their Creator in everything. They are like many containers filled with God, which, if one wants to fill them more, overflow outside. I believe I am speaking much nonsense, therefore I stop here.

October 3, 1901
Luisa offers herself in a special way. There is no greater obstacle to the union with God than the human will.

Having received Communion, I was thinking of how to offer something more special to Jesus – how to prove my love and give Him more pleasure; so I said to Him: ‘My most beloved Jesus, I offer You my heart for your satisfaction and in eternal praise of You; and I offer You all of myself, even the tiniest particles of my body like as many walls to be placed before You in order to block any offense which might be given to You, accepting them all upon myself if it were possible, and for your pleasure, until the day of judgment. And since I want my offering to be complete and to satisfy You for all, I intend for all the pains which I will bear by receiving upon myself the offenses given to You, to repay You with all the glory which the Saints who are in Heaven were supposed to give You when they were on earth; that which the souls in Purgatory were supposed to give You, and that glory which all men, past, present and future, owe You. I offer them to You for all in general, and for each one in particular.’ As I finished speaking, all moved by this offering, blessed Jesus told me: “My beloved, you yourself cannot understand the great contentment you have given Me by offering yourself in this way. You have soothed all my wounds, and have given Me a satisfaction for all offenses, past, present and future. And I will take it into account for all eternity like a most precious gem which will glorify Me eternally; and every time I will look at it, I will give you new and greater eternal glory. My daughter, there is no greater obstacle which prevents the union between creatures and Myself, and which is opposed to my Grace, than one’s own will. You, by offering me your heart for my satisfaction, have emptied yourself of yourself; and because of your emptying yourself of yourself, I will pour all of Myself into you, and from your heart a praise will come to Me which will carry the same notes as the praise that my Heart gives to my Father continuously, to satisfy for the glory that men do not give Him.”

While He was saying this, I saw that by means of my offering, many rivulets were coming out of every part of me, which poured over blessed Jesus, who then, with impetus and greater abundance, poured them over the whole Celestial Court, over Purgatory and over all peoples. Oh, goodness of my Jesus, in accepting such a meager offering, and requiting it with so much grace! Oh, prodigy of the holy and pious intentions! If in all our works, even trivial, we made use of them, what traffic would we not produce? How many eternal properties would we not acquire? How much more glory would we not give to the Lord?

October 8, 1901
When the soul operates united with Jesus, her acts have the same effects as His operating. Value of the intention.

This morning, I struggled very much in waiting for my adorable Jesus; however, while waiting for Him, I did as much as I could to unite everything I was doing in my interior with the interior of our Lord, intending to give Him all the glory and reparation which His Most Holy Humanity gave Him. Now, while I was doing this, blessed Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, when a soul makes use of my Humanity as the means to operate, be it even a thought, a breath, or just any act, they are like as many gems that come out of my Humanity and present themselves before the Divinity. And since they come out through my Humanity, they have the same effects as my operating when I was on earth.” And I: ‘Ah, Lord, I feel as though a doubt: how can it be that with the simple intention in operating – be it even in the smallest things which, considered in themselves, are trivial, empty – it seems that the mere intention of union with You and of pleasing You alone fills them, and You elevate them in that supreme way, making them appear as a most great thing?’

“Ah, my daughter, the operating of the creature is empty, be it even a great work; rather, it is the union with Me and the simple aim at pleasing Me that fills it. And since my operating, be it even a breath, accesses all the works of creatures together in an infinite way, this is why it renders it so great. Besides, don’t you know that one who makes use of my Humanity as the means to do his actions comes to nourish himself from the fruits of my own Humanity, and to feed himself from my own food? Furthermore, is it perhaps not the good intention that makes a man holy, and the evil intention that makes him perverted? One does not always do different things, but with the same actions one is sanctified and another becomes perverted.”

Now, while He was saying this, I saw a flourishing tree inside Our Lord, filled with beautiful fruits, and I saw that those souls who operated to please God alone and through His Humanity were inside of Him, upon that tree, and His Humanity served as dwelling of these souls. But how so very scarce was their number.

October 11, 1901
Silence of Jesus. The most necessary nourishment is peace.

After various days of privation and of silence, this morning, as He came, He continued to be silent, and even though I kept Him almost always with me, as much as I tried, I could not manage to have Him speak a single word. He seemed to have something in His interior that embittered Him, so much so, as to render Him taciturn; something which He did not want me to know. Now, while Jesus was with me, I seemed to see the Queen Mama; and upon seeing Jesus with me, She told me: “It is you who keeps Him? Thank goodness He is with you, for if He has to pour out His just fury, if He is with you, you hold Him back. My daughter, pray that He would hold back the scourges, for the evil ones are all ready to come out, but they see themselves bound by a supreme power that prevents them; and even if Divine Justice will permit it, since they would not be able to do it when they please to, there will be this good: they will recognize the Divine authority over them, and will say: ‘We did this because we were given the power from above.’ My daughter, what a war is being nourished in the moral world – it is horrifying to see it! Yet, the first nourishment that should be sought in society, in families and by each soul, should be that of peace. All other nourishments become unhealthy without it – be they even virtues themselves, charity, repentance; without peace, they bring neither health nor true sanctity. Yet, this nourishment so necessary and salutary has been discarded by today’s world, and they want nothing but turbulence and wars. My daughter, pray, pray.”

October 14, 1901
Jesus shows Himself like a flash and makes her comprehend something about the divine attributes.

Blessed Jesus comes in passing, almost like a flash, and in that flash He releases from His interior, now a special distinction of one of His attributes, now another. How many things He makes me comprehend in that flash! But once the flash has withdrawn, my mind remains in the dark, and is unable to adapt itself to repeating what it has comprehended in that flash of light; more so, since it is about things that touch on the Divinity, and the human tongue struggles in trying to repeat them, and the more it tries, the more mute it remains. Even more, in these things it is always a newborn little girl. But obedience wants me to try to say the little I can; and here it is:

It seemed to me that God contains all goods within Himself, in such a way that, finding all goods which God contains within Him, one does not need to go anywhere else to see the vastness of His boundaries – no; but He alone is enough to find everything that is His. Now, in one flash He showed a special distinction of His beauty – but who can say how beautiful He is? I can only say that all the angelic and human beauties, the beauties of the variety of flowers and fruits, the splendid azure and starry heavens which seem to enchant us and speak to us of a supreme beauty as we look at them, compared to His beauty, are shadows, or a breath that God has sent forth from His beauty which He contains within Himself. That is, they are little drops of dew compared to the immense waters of the sea. I move on for my mind begins to get lost. In another flash He showed a special distinction of the attribute of charity – but how can I, miserable one, open my mouth about this attribute, Trice Holy, which is the fount from which all other attributes derive? I will only say what I understood with regard to the human nature.

So, I understood that as God creates us, this attribute of charity pours into us and fills us completely of itself, in such a way that if the soul corresponded, being filled with the breath of the charity of God, her very nature should be transmuted into charity toward God. But as the soul keeps diffusing herself in the love of creatures, or of pleasures, or of interests, or of any other thing, that divine breath keeps going out of the soul; and if the soul arrives at diffusing herself in everything, she becomes empty of divine charity. But since the soul cannot enter into Heaven if she is not a complex of most pure charity, fully divine, if the soul is saved, this breath which she received in being created, she will acquire again by dint of fire in the purging flames, and only when she comes to the point of overflowing with it, then will she go out. So, who knows what an extremely long stop she has to make in that expiatory place! Now, if the creature should be so, what must God be? I believe I am speaking much nonsense, but I am not surprised, because I am not at all some learned one – I am always an ignorant one, and if there is anything of truth in these writings, it is not mine, but God’s, while I remain always the little ignorant one that I am.

October 21, 1901
The upright intention. Everything which is not done for God is dispersed like dust by a mighty wind.

This morning, on coming, blessed Jesus seemed to be making a circle with His arms almost to enclose me inside of it; and while clasping me, He told me: “My daughter, when the soul does everything for Me, everything remains enclosed in this circle – nothing goes out, be it even a sigh, a heartbeat, or just any movement. Everything enters into Me, and in Me everything is numbered. And I, as recompense, pour them back into the soul, but all doubled with grace, in such a way that, as the soul pours them once again into Me, and I into her, she comes to acquire a surprising capital of grace. All this is my way of delighting – that is, to give to the creature what she has given Me as if it were her own, always adding from my own. One who, with his ingratitude, prevents Me from giving what I want, prevents my innocent delights. If then one does not operate for Me, everything goes out of my circle, dispersed, like dust by a mighty wind.

October 25, 1901
Privation makes one know where things come from, and the preciousness of the object lost.

I went through various days of fear and doubts about my state, believing that it is all a crafting of my fantasy; and sometimes my mind would become so fixated on this, that I reached the point of lamenting and regretting with Our Lord, saying: ‘What pain, what a disgrace mine has been – to be the victim of my fantasy! I believed I was seeing You, but instead, it was all the hallucination of my fantasy. I believed I was fulfilling your Will by remaining in this bed for such a long time, but who knows whether this also has been a fruit of my fantasy. Lord, the mere thought of this gives pain – it frightens. Your Will used to sweeten everything, but this embitters me down to the marrow of my bones. O please! give me the strength to get out of this imaginary state.’ And I would get so fixated as to be unable to distract myself; so much so, that I reached the point of thinking that this fantasy would prepare for me a place in hell, though I tried to snap out of it by saying: ‘Well then, I will make use of my fantasy to be able to love Him in hell.’

Now, while I was in this fixation, blessed Jesus wanted to increase the pain of my position by moving within my interior, saying: “Do not pay attention to this, otherwise I will leave you, and will show you whether it is I who comes, or it is your fantasy that hallucinates.” In spite of this, I did not then get concerned, saying: ‘Ah, yes, He will not have the courage to do it – He is so good.’ Yet, He actually did it.

It is needless to say what I went through for several days without Jesus – I would be too long; the mere remembering freezes the blood in my veins, therefore I move on. Now, after I said all this to the confessor, it seemed that he became my mediator. As we began to pray together that He would deign to come, I felt I was losing consciousness, and He made Himself seen from very far, almost scowling at me for He did not want to come. I would not dare, but the confessor insisted, uniting the intention that He would share the crucifixion with me. So, to content the confessor, He drew near and shared with me the pains of the cross. Then, as if He had made peace with me, He told me: “It was necessary that I deprive you of Me, otherwise you would not have convinced yourself whether it is I or your fantasy. Privation is beneficial to make one know where things come from, and the preciousness of the object lost; and to hold it in greater esteem when it is reacquired.”

November 22, 1901
The self carries the mark of all ruin, while without the self everything is safety.

After going through most bitter days of tears, of privation and of silence, my poor heart can bear no more. The torment of being outside of my center, God, is so great, that I am continuously battered amid dense waves of a fierce storm in a state of strong violence, such that I suffer death at each moment, and what’s more, I cannot die.

As I was in this position, He made Himself seen for a little while and told me: “My daughter, when the soul does the will of someone else in everything, it is said that she has trust in that person, therefore she lives from someone else’s volition, and not from her own. In the same way, when the soul does my Will in everything, I say that she has faith. So, Divine Will and faith are branches produced by the same trunk; and since faith is simple, faith and Divine Will produce a third branch, that of simplicity. And here is how the soul comes to reacquire the characteristics of a dove in everything. Don’t you want, then, to be my dove?”

On another occasion, another day He told me: “My daughter, pearls, gold, gems, the most precious things, are kept in good custody inside some safe, and with double locks. What do you fear, then, if I keep you in good custody inside the safe of holy obedience – most safe custody, in which, not one, but two keys keep the door well closed so as to preclude the entrance of any thief, and even of a shadow of any defect? Only the self carries the mark of all ruin, but without the self everything is safety.”

December 27, 1901
Jesus, the administer of the Most Holy Trinity to creatures. Division among priests.

It is needless to talk about my poor state – about how I have reduced myself; it would be wanting to embitter and deepen the wounds of my soul. Therefore I let everything pass in silence, making an offering to the Lord.

This morning, while I was crying over the loss of my adorable Jesus, the confessor came and gave me the obedience to pray the Lord to deign to come. It seems He came, and since the confessor had placed the intention of the crucifixion, He shared with me the pains of the cross, and while doing this, He said to the confessor: “I was the administer of the Most Holy Trinity – that is, I administered to people the power, the wisdom and the charity of the Divine Persons. You, being my representative, must do nothing but continue my same work with souls; and if you do not interest yourself, you come to break the work which I started, and I feel defrauded in the execution of my designs, and I am forced to withdraw the power, the wisdom and the charity which I would have administered to you had you carried out the work I entrusted to you.”

After this, it seemed He transported me outside of myself, and a multitude of people could be seen from afar, from whom an unbearable stench came. Jesus said: “My daughter, what a division priests will cause among themselves – this will be the last blow to foment parties and revolution among the peoples.” And He said this so embittered as to arouse compassion. Then, after this, remembering about my state, I said to Him: ‘Tell me, my Lord, do You want me to have the obedience given to me to stop being in this state; more so, since no longer suffering as before, I see myself as useless?’ And He answered me: “That’s right!” But He was so very afflicted, and my heart was restless, as if I had not wanted Him to tell me that. So I replied: ‘But, Lord, it is not that I want to go out of it, but I want to know your Holy Will, because my state was that You would come to me and share your sufferings with me; but since this has ceased, I fear that You don’t even want me to continue to stay in bed.’ And Jesus: “You are right, you are right.”

But, no – I felt my heart crack because of the answers given to me by blessed Jesus, and I added: ‘But, my Lord, tell me at least, what is your greater glory: for me to continue to stay even if I should die, or to have the obedience to stop given to me?’ And Jesus, seeing that I would not quit, changed the subject Himself by saying to me: “My daughter, I feel offended by everyone. See, even devout souls have their eyes on scrutinizing whether something is sin or not; but as for amending themselves, rooting sin out – no; a sign that there is neither sorrow nor love, because sorrow and love are two most efficacious ointments which, applied to the soul, render her perfectly healed, each strengthening and fortifying the other more.” But I was thinking about my poor position, and I wanted to repeat it again in order to know the Will of the Lord with clarity. But Jesus disappeared from me, and I, returning inside myself, saw myself all confused as to what to do. So, in order to be sure, I exposed everything to obedience, which wants me to continue to stay. May the Will of the Lord be always done.

December 29, 1901
Tribulations are necessary for one who lives in the shadow of Jesus.

As I was all oppressed, I saw my adorable Jesus for just a little, and looking at me, He told me: “My daughter, for one who lives in my shadow it is necessary that the winds of tribulations blow, so that the infectious air around her may not be able to penetrate into her, even under my shadow. So, by always agitating this unhealthy air, the continuous winds keep it always far away, and make flow a most pure and salutary air.” Having said this, He disappeared, and I comprehended many things about this, but it is not necessary to explain myself because I believe it is easy to comprehend the meaning.

January 6, 1902
Portentous effects of uniting our lives with that of Jesus. A few words about death.

As I was in my usual state, after much waiting, my most loving Jesus came for a little while, and placing Himself near me, told me: “My daughter, one who tries to conform to my life in everything, does nothing other than add one more and distinct fragrance to everything I did in my life, in such a way as to perfume Heaven and the whole Church; and even the evil themselves feel this celestial fragrance flow. This is so true, that all the Saints are nothing other than many fragrances, and are that which most cheers the Church and Heaven, because they are distinct among themselves. Not only this, but if one tries to continue my life by doing what I did wherever he can – and where he cannot, at least with the desire and the intention – I keep it in my hands as if I were continuing my whole life in that soul, not as something past, but as if I were now living. This is a treasure in my hands, because as I double the treasure of everything I operated, I dispose it for the good of the whole of mankind. So, would you not want to be one of these?”

I saw myself all confused and did not know what to answer, and Jesus disappeared from me. But a little later He came back, and I also saw many people who greatly feared death. On seeing this, I said: ‘My lovable Jesus, it must be a defect in me, this not fearing death. I see that others fear it so much, while to me, instead, thinking only that death will unite me with You forever and will put an end to the martyrdom of my hard separation, the thought of death not only gives no fear, but is of relief; it gives me peace and I make feast, disregarding all the other consequences which death brings with itself.’ And Jesus: “Daughter, in truth, that extravagant fear of dying is foolishness, when one has all my merits, virtues and works as passport in order to enter Heaven, since I made a donation of it to everyone. Those who have added from their own, then, profit even more from this donation of mine; and with all this substance, what fear can one have of death? Rather, with this most safe passport the soul can enter wherever she wants, and out of regard for her passport, everyone respects her and lets her pass. As for you, then, your not fearing death at all comes from your having dealt with Me, and having experienced how sweet and dear is the union with the highest Good. Know, however, that the most pleasing homage that can be offered to Me, is desiring to die in order to be united with Me. This is the most beautiful disposition in order for the soul to be purged and to pass straight on, with no interval, through the way of Heaven.» Having said this, He disappeared.

January 11, 1902
In order to be perfect, love must be triple. The law of divorce.

This morning, having received Holy Communion, I saw my adorable Jesus for a little while, and as soon as I saw Him, I said to Him: ‘My sweet Good, tell me, do You continue to love me?’ And He: “Yes, but I am loving and jealous, jealous and loving. Even more, I tell you that in order to be perfect, love must be triple, and in Me there are these triple conditions of love: first, I love you as Creator, as Redeemer and as Lover. Second, I love you in my omnipotence which I used in creating you, and in creating everything for love of you, in such a way that air, water, fire, and everything else, tell you that I love you and that I made them for love of you; I love you as my image, and I love you out of regard for you individually. Third, I love you ab aeterno [from eternity], I love you in time, and I love you for all eternity. And this is nothing but a breath that came out of my love; imagine, yourself, what must be the love I contain within Myself. Now, you are obliged to return to Me this triple love, loving Me as your God in whom you must fix all of yourself, and let nothing come out of you which is not love for Me; loving me out of regard for yourself and for the good that comes to you; and loving Me for all, and in all.”

After this, He transported me outside of myself, and I found myself in the midst of many people who were saying: “If this law is confirmed, poor woman, everything will turn out bad for her.” All were anxiously waiting to hear the pros and the cons, and in another separate place many people could be seen who were discussing among themselves. One of them took the floor and reduced everyone to silence; then after much struggling, he went out the door and said: “Yes indeed, in favor of the woman.” On hearing this, all those who were outside made feast, and those who were inside remained all confused, so much so, that they did not have the courage even to go out. I believe that this is the law of divorce which they are talking about, and I understood that they did not confirm it.

January 12, 1902
The blindness of men. Jesus speaks about divorce. Contradictions are precious pearls.

It seems that my adorable Jesus continues to come a little bit. This morning, then, transporting me outside of myself, He showed me the great evils of society, and His great bitternesses; and He poured into me, abundantly, part of what embittered Him. Then He said to me: “My daughter, see now where the blindness of men has reached – to the point of wanting to make laws which are iniquitous and go against themselves and their own social welfare. My daughter, this is why I am calling you to sufferings again – so that, as you offer yourself with Me to Divine Justice, those who must fight this law of divorce may obtain light and efficacious grace in order to be victorious. My daughter, I tolerate that they make wars and revolutions, and that the blood of the new martyrs inundate the world – this is an honor for Me and for my Church; but this brutal law is an affront to my Church, and it is abominable and intolerable to Me.”

Now, while He was saying this, I saw a man who was fighting against this law – tired and exhausted in his strengths, in the act of wanting to withdraw from the enterprise. So, together with the Lord, we encouraged Him, and he answered: “I see myself almost fighting alone, and unable to obtain the intent.” And I said to him: ‘Courage, for contradictions are as many pearls which the Lord will use to adorn you in Heaven.’ And he took heart and continued the enterprise. After this, I saw someone else, all weary and concerned, not knowing what to decide, and someone saying to him: “Do you know what you should do? Get out – get out of Rome.” And he: “No, I cannot, this is the word given to my father; I will lay down my life, but as for getting out – never.” Afterwards, we withdrew; Jesus disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.

January 14, 1902
One is not worthy of Jesus if he does not empty himself of everything. What true exaltation consists of.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, only one who has emptied himself of everything and has filled himself completely with Me can be truly worthy of Me, in such a way as to make of himself an object of divine love alone; to the point that my love must come to form his life, and he must love Me, not with his love, but with my own love.” Then He added: “What do these words mean: He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly? That the soul, destroying herself completely, fills all of herself with God, and as she loves God with God Himself, God exalts the soul to an eternal love. This is the true and greatest exaltation, and also true humility.” Then He continued: “The true sign to know whether one possesses this love is that the soul cares about nothing but loving God, making Him known, and making everyone love Him.” Then, as He withdrew in my interior, I heard Him pray, saying: “Ever Holy and indivisible Trinity, I adore You profoundly, I love You intensely, I thank You perpetually, for all and in the hearts of all.” And I went on in this way, hearing Him pray almost continuously inside of me, and I with Him.

January 25, 1902
The fever of love makes the soul take flight toward Heaven. Sweet reproach of Jesus.

This morning, after I went through much hardship, my adorable Jesus came, and as soon as I saw Him, I said to Him: ‘My beloved Good, I can bear no more, take me with You to Heaven once and for all, or remain forever with me on this earth.’ And He: “Let me observe a little bit where the fever of your love has reached. In fact, just as the natural fever, when it reaches a high degree, has the virtue of consuming the body and of making it die, in the same way, the fever of love, if it reaches an extremely high degree, has the virtue of melting the body and of making the soul take flight even unto Heaven.” And while saying this, He took my heart in His hands as though to visit it, and He continued: “My daughter, the intensity of the fever of love has not reached that point; it takes a little more.” Then He made the act of wanting to pour [His bitternesses into Me], but I did not say anything to Him; and He, almost reproaching me, added sweetly: “Don’t you know your duty – that the first thing you should do on seeing Me is to check whether there is something in Me that afflicts Me and embitters Me, and to pray Me to pour it upon you? This is true love – to suffer the pains of the beloved, so as to be able to see the loved one fully content.” Feeling ashamed, I said: ‘Lord, pour.’ And He poured and disappeared.

January 26, 1902
The Queen Mama is enriched with the three prerogatives of the Most Holy Trinity.

This morning, while I was in my usual state, I saw an endless light before me, and I comprehended that in that light dwelled the Most Holy Trinity. I also saw the Queen Mama before that light; She was all absorbed in the Most Holy Trinity, and She absorbed all Three Divine Persons within Herself, in such a way as to be enriched with the three prerogatives of the Sacrosanct Trinity – which are Power, Wisdom and Charity. And just as God loves mankind as part of Himself, and as a particle that came out of Him, and He ardently desires that this part of Himself return into Himself, so does the Queen Mama, by participating in this, love mankind with passionate love.

Now, while comprehending this, I saw the confessor, and I prayed the Most Holy Virgin to intercede with the Most Holy Trinity for him. She bowed, taking my prayer to the Throne of God, and I saw that from the Divine Throne a flow of light came out, which covered the confessor completely, and I found myself inside myself.

February 3, 1902
Luisa offers her life so that the law of divorce may not be confirmed.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself with my adorable Baby Jesus in my arms. First He poured a little bit of what embittered Him, and then He made the act of wanting to go; and I, clasping Him in my arms, said to Him: ‘My pretty little one, life of my life, what are You doing? You want to go? And what shall I do? Don’t You see that when I am without You it is a continuous dying for me? Besides, your Heart, which is goodness itself, will not have the courage to do it, and I will never let You depart.’ And I clasped Him tightly, as if my arms had become chains. Unable to free Himself, He remained with me, taciturn, and I, seeing the evils of society rage more, said to Him: ‘My sweet Good, tell me, what will happen with this divorce that they talk about? Will they come to make this evil law or not?’ And He told me: “My daughter, the interior of man contains a gangrenous tumor, filled with rot, as if it had reached the point of suppuration; and unable to contain it within himself any longer, he wants to cut this tumor – but not to be cured; rather, to let part of this rot out so as to contaminate and infect the whole society. But the Divine Sun, almost swimming in the midst of society, cries out continuously, saying: “Oh, man, don’t you remember from what fount of purity you came? With what aura of light I called you back to your path? How can this be? You have not only contaminated yourself, but you want to reach the point of acting against your nature, almost wanting to give another form to the nature I gave you, and to the way established by Me?”

Then He said many other things, which I am unable to say, and He spoke with such bitterness, that unable to endure seeing Him in that way, I said: ‘Lord, let us withdraw, don’t You see how men embitter You and almost give You no peace?” So we withdrew inside my bed, and wanting to cheer my good Jesus, I said to Him: ‘Since You would be so afflicted if men should do this, I offer You my life to suffer any pain in order to obtain that they do not come to this. And so that my offering may not be rejected in any way, I unite it to your sacrifice in order to obtain the deed of grace with certainty.’ While I was saying this, it seemed that the Lord was using my offering to present it to Divine Justice. He disappeared, and I found myself inside myself. It seems that, at any cost, men want to confirm at least a few articles of this law, since they are unable to confirm it completely as they want and please.

February 8, 1902
Meanings of the Passion of Jesus.

This morning, on coming, my adorable Jesus shared with me part of His Passion. Now, while I was in suffering, in order to cheer me the Lord told me: “My daughter, the first meaning of the Passion contains glory, praise, honor, thanksgiving, reparation for the Divinity. The second is the salvation of souls and all the graces which are needed to obtain this purpose. So, if one participates in the pains of my Passion, her life contains these very meanings within itself. Not only this, but she takes the same form as my Humanity; and since my Humanity is united with the Divinity, the soul who participates in my pains is also in contact with the Divinity and can obtain whatever she wants. Even more, her pains are like keys to open the divine treasures. This, for as long as she lives down here; and then a distinct glory is also reserved for her above the Heavens, which is given to her by my Humanity and Divinity, in such a way as to resemble my very light and glory; as well as a more special glory for the whole celestial Court, which will be given to It through this soul by means of that which I have communicated to her. In fact, the more the souls have become like Me in the pains, the more light and glory will come out from within the Divinity; and here is how the whole Celestial Court participates in this glory.” May the Lord be always blessed, and may everything be for His glory and honor.

February 9, 1902
Jesus places Himself at the soul’s disposal. Luisa asks for the miracle of not allowing divorce to be confirmed.

This morning, on coming, my most sweet Jesus shared His pains with me in abundance; so much so, that I felt as if I were about to die. Now, while I was feeling myself in this state, blessed Jesus, moved and touched in seeing me suffer, placed Himself in my interior, and folding His arms, said to me: “My daughter, just as you have been at my disposal in suffering, so do I place Myself at your disposal to repay you. Tell Me, what do you want Me to do? I am ready to do what you want.’ And I, remembering how grieved He would be if men should confirm the law of divorce, as well as the evils that would come upon society, said to Him: “My sweet Good, since You deign to place Yourself at my disposal, I want You to operate a prodigy with your omnipotence – that the will of creatures be chained so that they may not be able to confirm this law.’ The Lord seemed to accept my proposal, telling me: “Almost all the victims who have been on earth and who are now in Heaven, have some most refulgent stars on their crowns, which allow them to be distinguished well for the place they occupy. These stars are nothing other than some great glory which they have procured for God, as well as a great good for humanity through them. You want Me to operate a prodigy so that this divorce may not be confirmed, otherwise this may not happen. Well then, for love of you, I will make this prodigy, and this will be the most refulgent star that will shine on your crown – that is, having prevented my Justice, through your sufferings, and after the so many wicked deeds they commit, from also permitting this evil in these sad times, which they themselves have wanted. So, greater glory can be given to God, and greater good to men.”

February 17, 1902
Jesus explains what death is.

This morning, after much waiting, finally I found my most sweet Jesus, and lamenting to Him, I said: ‘My beloved Good, how can You make me wait so long? Do You perhaps not know that without You I cannot live, and my soul experiences a continuous dying?’ And He: “My beloved, every time you look for Me, you dispose yourself to dying, because, in truth, what is death if not stable and permanent union with Me? Such was my life – a continuous dying for love of you, and this continuous death was the preparation for the great sacrifice of dying on the cross for you. Know that one who lives in my Humanity and nourishes himself from the works of my Humanity, forms of himself a great tree, filled with abundant flowers and fruits which form the nourishment of God and of the soul. For one who lives outside of my Humanity, then, his works are odious to God and unfruitful for himself.”

After this, the Lord poured abundantly into me – mixed, both bitternesses and sweetnesses; then we went round a little in the midst of people, but I could not remove my gaze from the face of my beloved Jesus. On seeing this, He told me: “My daughter, one who lets himself be enticed by the works of his Creator, leaves the works of creatures suspended.” He disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.

February 19, 1902
The soul is like a canvas which receives the portrait of the Divine Image.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen in my interior, sleeping, spreading many rays of golden light from Himself. I was content to see Him, but also discontent for not being able to hear the sweetness and gentleness of His creative voice. Then, after much waiting, He returned to let Himself be seen, and seeing my discontent, He told me: “My daughter, in my public ministry the use of my voice is necessary so as to make Myself understood, but in my private ministry my presence alone is enough for everything. In fact, seeing Me and understanding the harmony of my virtues in order to copy them within oneself is all the same. So, the attention of the soul must be on seeing Me and on conforming to the interior operations of the Word in everything; because when I draw the soul to Myself, it can be said that at least for the time in which I keep her in my presence, she lives divine life. My light is like the brush with which to paint; my virtues provide the different colors, and the soul is like a canvas, receiving the portrait of the Divine Image within herself. It happens as to those high bridges: the higher they are, the deeper beneath them does a pouring rain fall. In the same way, before my presence, the soul puts herself in the place befitting to her – that is, at the bottom, in her nothingness, so much so, as to feel herself being destroyed; and the Divinity pours grace in torrents upon her, and reaches the point of submerging her within Itself. Therefore, she must be content with everything – content if I speak, content if I do not speak.” While He was saying this, I felt myself as though being submerged in God, and then I found myself inside myself.

February 21, 1902
The speaking of Jesus was simple, so much so, that both the learned and the most ignorant could comprehend it. The preachers of these times mix so many loops and quibbles with it, that the peoples remain starved and bored.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen in my interior almost in the act of resting. But while He seemed to be resting, it seemed as though He received an offense which He could not bear, and as though waking up, He told me: “My daughter, have patience – let Me pour this bitterness into you for it gives Me no rest.” And while saying this, He poured what embittered Him into me, and assumed His sweet aspect so as to be able to rest. Then He continued to remain in my interior, spreading many rays of light, in such a way as to form a net of light that caught all men in it. However, some would receive more of that light, some less. Now, while I was seeing this, Our Lord told me: “My beloved, when I keep silent it is a sign that I want rest – that is, your rest in Me, and mine in you. When I speak it is a sign that I want active life – that is, your help in the work of the salvation of souls, because since they are my images, whatever is done for them, I consider as though being done for Me.” As He was saying this, I saw several priests, and Jesus, as though lamenting to them, added: “My speaking was simple, so much so, that both the learned and the most ignorant could comprehend it, as appears clearly in the Holy Gospel. But the preachers of these times mix so many loops and quibbles with it, that the peoples remain starved and bored. It shows that they do not draw it from the fount of my spring.”

February 24, 1902
The Queen Mother: Star of the Sea on earth, Star of Light in Heaven. More about the law of divorce.

As I was in my usual state, the Queen Mother came and told me: “My daughter, my sorrows, as the prophets say, were a sea of sorrows, and in Heaven they have turned into a sea of glory, and each of my sorrows has borne the fruit of as many treasures of grace. And just as on earth they call Me ‘Star of the Sea’, because I guide them to the harbor with certainty, in Heaven they call Me ‘Star of Light’ for all the Blessed, because they are delighted by this light that my sorrows produced.” In the meantime my adorable Jesus came, saying to me: “My beloved, there is nothing more dear and pleasing to Me than an upright heart which loves Me and, on seeing Me suffer, prays Me to let it suffer what I suffer. This binds Me so much and has so much power over my Heart that, as recompense, I give it all of Myself, and I concede to it the greatest graces and whatever it wants; and if I did not do so, since I gave Myself as gift, I feel that, for as many things as I do not give to it, so many thefts do I make from it – that is, so many debts do I contract with it.”

Afterwards He transported me outside of myself, and Jesus added: “My daughter, there are certain offenses which surpass by far the very offenses I suffered in my Passion. Today I have received several of these, to the point that if I did not pour part of them out, my Justice would force Me to send fierce scourges upon earth; therefore, let Me pour into you.” After He poured them, I don’t know how, hearing Him speak about offenses I said to Him: “Lord, what about this law of divorce that they talk about – is it certain that they will not confirm it?’ And He: “For now it is certain. As for five, ten or twenty years from now, if I suspend your state of victim or call you to Heaven, they may be able to do it; but the prodigy of chaining their will and of confusing them I have done for now. If you knew the rage of the demons and of those who wanted this law, who were certain to obtain it – it is so great, that if they could, they would destroy any authority and would make a slaughter everywhere. So, in order to mitigate this rage and to prevent these slaughters in part, do you want to expose yourself to their fury a little bit?” And I: ‘Yes, as long as You come with me.’ So we went to a place in which there were demons and people who seemed to be furious, enraged, mad. As soon as they saw me, they ran over me like many wolfs, and some would beat me, some would tear my flesh; they would have wanted to destroy me, but did not have the power to do it. As for me, however, though I suffered very much, I did not fear them, because I had Jesus with me. After this, I found myself inside myself, as though filled with various pains. May the Lord be always blessed.

March 2, 1902
The effects of faith.

This morning I felt all concerned, as if the Lord wanted to deprive me again of His presence, and therefore take sufferings away from me; and I also felt a little bit of discouragement. Then, after much waiting, He came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, one who nourishes himself with faith acquires divine life, and by acquiring divine life he destroys the human – that is, he destroys within himself the germs which original sin produced, reacquiring the perfect nature, as it came out of my hands, similar to Me. And by this, he comes to surpass in nobility the very angelic nature.” Having said this, He disappeared.

March 3, 1902
Chastisements are necessary.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus was not coming, and I felt I was dying from His absence. Then, around the last hour, moved to compassion for me, He came, and kissing me, told me: “My daughter, it is necessary that sometimes I do not come, otherwise how would I give vent to my Justice? And men, seeing that I do not chastise them, would do nothing but grow ever bolder. Therefore, wars, slaughters, are necessary. The beginning and the means will be most painful, but the end will be most cheerful. Besides, you know that the first thing is resignation to my Will.”

March 5, 1902
The bad example of the leaders.

This morning I found myself outside of myself, and after going around in search of my adorable Jesus, I found Him; but, to my surprise, I saw that He had many thorns stuck inside His feet, under His soles, which gave Him pain and prevented Him from walking. All afflicted, He threw Himself into my arms, almost wanting to find rest and to have those thorns taken out by me. I clasped Him to myself and said to Him: ‘My sweet Love, had You come in the past days, You would not have so many thorns stuck inside of You; at the most, as some would stick, I would have pulled them out at once. This is what You have done by not coming.’ And while saying this, I kept pulling all those thorns out, while blood gushed from the feet of blessed Jesus, and He agonized for the strong pain. After this, as though cheered, He also wanted to pour, and then He told me: “My daughter, what corruption among the peoples – how crooked the paths they follow! But it is the bad example of the leaders that has influenced this, when for one who possesses any slightest authority, a spirit of disinterest must be his light so as to be distinguished as a leader, and the justice exercised by him must be like a thunderbolt striking the eyes of bystanders, in such a way that they may not be able to move away from him and from his examples.” Having said this, he disappeared.

March 6, 1902
Jesus is stripped of every principality, of every regime, of every sovereignty.

This morning my adorable Jesus, on coming, made Himself seen all naked, as though trying to cover Himself in my interior, telling me: “My daughter, they have stripped Me of every principality, of every regime, of every sovereignty, and in order to reacquire these rights of mine over creatures, it is necessary that I strip them and almost destroy them. Through this they will recognize that where God is not present as principle, as regime and as sovereign, everything leads to their own destruction, and therefore to the fount of all evils.”

March 7, 1902
Before the Divine presence, the soul acquires and copies within herself the ways of divine operating.

As I was in my usual state, I saw my loving Jesus for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, when I draw the soul before my presence, she receives the good of acquiring and copying within herself the ways of divine operating, in such a way that, as she later deals with creatures, they feel within themselves the strength of the divine operating which this soul possesses.”

After this, I felt a fear about whether the things I do in my interior were pleasing to the Lord or not; and He added: “Why do you fear when your life is grafted with Mine? Besides, everything you do in your interior has been infused by Me, and many times I Myself have done it together with you, suggesting to you how to do it, and the way it would be pleasing to Me. Other times I have called the Angels and, united together, they have done what you were doing in your interior. This means that I am pleased with what you do, and that I Myself have taught it to you; therefore, continue and do not fear.” So I was reassured.

March 10, 1902
The pain of love is more terrible than hell.

As I was in my usual state, I felt myself outside of myself, going in search of my adorable Jesus. But I could not find Him; I would repeat my searches, my crying, but it was all in vain. Not knowing what else to do, my poor heart agonized and absorbed a pain so sharp that I am unable to explain it. I can only say that I do not know how I was left alive. While I was in this painful situation, though always searching for Him, unable to abstain for one moment from making new searches, finally I found Him and said to Him: ‘How can You make Yourself so cruel with me, Lord? Look a little bit Yourself, whether these are pains which I can tolerate.’ And completely exhausted I abandoned myself into His arms. All compassion for me, and looking at me, Jesus told me: “My beloved daughter, you are right; calm yourself for I am with you and I will not leave you. Poor daughter, how you suffer. The pain of love is more terrible than hell. What is it that tyrannizes one the most – hell or an opposed love, a hated love? What can tyrannize a soul more than hell? A loved love. If you knew how much I suffer in seeing you tyrannized by this love because of Me… So as not to make Me suffer so much, you should be more calm when I deprive you of my presence. Imagine, yourself – if I suffer so much in seeing one suffer who does not love Me and offends Me, how much more do I suffer in seeing one who loves Me suffer?”

On hearing this, moved, I said: ‘Lord, tell me at least whether you want me to try to go out of this state without waiting for the confessor when You do not come.’ And He added: “No, I do not want you to go out of this state before the confessor comes. Leave every fear; I place Myself in your interior holding your hands in mine, and at the contact of my hands you will know that I am with you.” So, when the yearning for Him comes to me, I feel my hands being clasped by those of Jesus, and in feeling that divine contact I calm down, and I say: ‘It is true, He is with me.’ Other times, as the desire to see Him comes more strongly, I feel my hands being clasped more tightly by His, and He says to me: “Luisa, my daughter, I am here, I am here – do not look for Me elsewhere.” And so it seems that I am more calm.

March 12, 1902
Threats of chastisements.

I continued to see my adorable Jesus in the same way – that is, in my interior – but I would see Him inside of me giving His back to the world, with a scourge in His hand, in the act of casting it over the creatures; and with this, it seemed that chastisements would occur over crops, as well as mortality of people. In the act of sending that scourge He spoke words of threat, among which I can only remember: “I did not want this, but you yourselves have provoked Me to exterminate you. Well then, I will exterminate you.” Having said this, He disappeared.

March 16, 1902
One should not seek his own comfort, or the esteem and the pleasure of someone else, but the sole and only pleasure of God.

Oh, how hard it is to have Him come for a little! It is a continuous heartbreak and fear that He may come no more. Oh, God, what pain! I don’t know how I live, though I live dying.

Then He made Himself seen for a little, in a pitiful state, with one arm severed, and all afflicted He told me: “My daughter, see what creatures do to Me – how can you want Me not to chastise them?” And while saying this, He seemed to take a tall cross, the arms of which were hanging over six or seven cities; and various chastisements would occur. On seeing this, I suffered very much, and He, wanting to distract me from that pain, added: “My daughter, you suffer very much when I deprive you of my presence. This must happen to you by necessity, because since you have been close to the Divinity for a long time, identified with It through Its contact, you have enjoyed as you pleased all the pleasure of divine light; and the more one has enjoyed the light, the more he feels the privation of that light, and the bothers, the annoyances and the pains which darkness brings with itself.” Then He repeated: “However, the most important thing for everyone, is that in each thought, word and work, one should not seek his own comfort, or the esteem and the pleasure of someone else, but the sole and only pleasure of God.”

March 18, 1902
Restlessness makes Jesus suffer.

This morning I felt restless because of the absence of my adorable Jesus; so, having received Communion, as soon as He came into my heart, I began to speak much nonsense: ‘My sweet Good, it is not for me to remain calm when You do not come. In seeing me calm, You take advantage and do not give a thought to coming; so, it is necessary to take some steps, otherwise one cannot not manage.’ On hearing me, He moved in my interior and made Himself seen in the act of smiling, for He heard my nonsense; and He told me: “You, then, want Me to suffer. In fact, knowing that if you are restless I suffer more, and not trying to be calm, is the same as wanting Me to suffer more.” And I, insane as I was, said: ‘It is better that You suffer, because from your very suffering you can have more compassion for my suffering. Besides, the suffering that comes to You from sin – that one is ugly. It is enough that it’s not that one.’ And Jesus: “But if I come, you force Me not to chastise, when chastisements are so very necessary. In that case, then, you would have to conform to Me in wanting what I want.” And I, remembering what I had seen in the past days, said: ‘What chastisements? Do You want to make people die? Let them die; they must come to You and to their fatherland anyway – as long as You save them. What I want is that You free them of contagious diseases.’ The Lord did not pay attention to me, and He disappeared. As He came back, He made Himself seen always with His back to the world, and as much as I tried, I could not manage to have Him look at it; and when I wanted to induce Him by force, He said: “Do not force Me, otherwise you force Me to deprive you of my presence.” So I was left with a remorse, and I feel I have committed many defects.

March 19, 1902
Creatures have corrupted themselves of their own will.

I continued to have remorse, yet the Lord kept coming, and wanting to repair for what I had done the day before, I told Him: ‘Lord, let’s go see what creatures are doing. They are your images –don’t You want to have compassion for them?’ And He: “No, I do not want to go. They have corrupted themselves of their own will, and I will permit that what serves as their nourishment will serve them as infection. Do you want to go to help, to comfort, to do something? Go ahead – I won’t.” So I left my beloved Jesus and I went into the midst of creatures; I helped someone to die well; then I saw where the infected air was coming from and did various penances in order to move it away; and then I came back. Blessed Jesus continued to let Himself be seen, but in silence.

March 23, 1902
The support of true sanctity is in the knowledge of self.

After I struggled very much, my most sweet Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, the support of true sanctity is in the knowledge of self.” And I: ‘Really?’ And He: “Certainly, because with the knowledge of self one undoes himself and leans completely on the knowledge he acquires of God, in such a way that his operating is the very divine operating, since nothing is left of his own being.” Then He added: “When one’s interior imbues and occupies itself with God alone and with all that belongs to Him, God communicates all of Himself to the soul. When her interior, then, occupies itself now with God, now with other things, God communicates Himself to the soul in part.”

March 27, 1902
Teachings of Jesus about Justice.

Finding myself outside of myself, I went in search of my most sweet Jesus, and while going around, I saw Him in the arms of the Queen Mother. Tired as I was, all daring, I almost snatched Him, and I took Him in my arms, telling Him: ‘My Love, is this your promise that You would not leave me, when in the past days You have barely come, if at all?’ And He: “My daughter, I was with you; only, you have not seen Me with clarity. Had your desires been so ardent as to burn the veil that prevented you from seeing Me, you would certainly have seen Me.” Then, as though wanting to give me an exhortation, He added: “You must be not only upright, but just. Into Justice enters loving Me, praising Me, glorifying Me, thanking Me, blessing Me, repairing Me, adoring Me, not only for oneself, but for all other creatures. These are rights of Justice which I demand from each creature, and which are due to Me as Creator, and one who denies to Me even one of these rights, can never be called just. Therefore, think about fulfilling your duty of justice, for in Justice you will find the beginning, the means and the end of sanctity.”

March 30, 1902
The garment of light of the risen Humanity of Jesus.

This morning, finding myself outside of myself, for a little while I saw my adorable Jesus in the act of His Resurrection – all clothed with refulgent light, so much so, that the sun remained obscured before that light. I was enchanted, and I said: ‘Lord, if I am not worthy to touch your glorified Humanity, let me at least touch your garments.’ And He told me: “My beloved, what are You saying? After I rose again I had no more need for material garments; rather, my garments are of sun, of most pure light which covers my Humanity, and which will shine eternally, giving unspeakable joy to all the senses of the Blessed. This has been conceded to my Humanity because there was no part of It which was not covered with opprobrium, with pains, with wounds.” Having said this, He disappeared, and I could find neither His Humanity nor His garments; or rather, as I would take His sacred garments between my hands, they would escape me and I would not be able to find them.

April 4, 1902
By destroying moral goods, physical and temporal goods are also destroyed. The power of reason and of humility.

Continuing in my usual state, my adorable Jesus keeps coming, but almost always in silence; or rather, He says to me something pertaining to the truth, but it happens that as long as the Lord is present I comprehend it and it seems I will be able to repeat it, but as He disappears, I feel that light of truth which had been infused in me being drawn from me, and I am unable to repeat anything. This morning, then, I had to struggle very much in waiting for Him, and as He came, He transported me outside of myself, showing Himself as very indignant. So, in order to placate Him, I made various acts of repentance, but Jesus seemed to like none of them. I would do my utmost in varying the acts of repentance – who knows, He might like one of them. At the end I said to Him: ‘Lord, I repent of the offenses given by me and by all creatures of the earth, and I repent and I am sorry for the sole reason that we have offended You, highest Good, who deserve love, while we have dared to give You offenses.’ With this last one the Lord seemed pleased and appeased.

After this, He transported me into the middle of a road on which there were two men in the shape of beasts, all intent on destroying every kind of moral good. They seemed to be strong like lions and drunken with passion; at the mere sight of them they struck terror and fright. Blessed Jesus told me: “If you want to placate Me a little bit, go and pass through those men, to convince them of the evil they do, facing their fury.” Though a little timid, yet I went. As soon as they saw me, they wanted to swallow me, but I said to them: ‘Let me speak, and then do to me whatever you want. You must know that if you reach your intent of destroying every moral good pertaining to religion, virtue, dependency and social welfare, without realizing your mistake, you would also destroy all corporal and temporal goods. In fact, as much as is taken away from moral goods, so much are physical evils doubled. So, without realizing it, you go against yourselves, destroying all those fleeting and passing goods which you so much love. Not only this, but you are looking for those who will destroy your very lives, and you will cause the survivors among you to shed bitter tears.’ Then I made a most great act of humility, which I am not even able to repeat, and they remained like someone who recovers from a state of madness; and also so weak, that they did not have the strength even to touch me. So I passed through them freely, and I understood that there is no power that can resist the power of reason and of humility.

April 16, 1902
How to deal with passions. Everything is in repressing the first motions.

This morning my adorable Jesus was not coming. So, not seeing Him come, I said: ‘What am I still doing in this state, if the object that held me captured does not come any more? It is better if I finish it once and for all.’ As I was saying this, my sweet Jesus came for a little while, and told me: “My daughter, everything is in repressing the first motions; if the soul is attentive in this, everything will go well; but if she is not, at the first motions which are not repressed, passions will come out and break the divine fortress which surrounds the soul like a hedge in order to keep her well guarded, and to move away from her the enemies which always try to lay traps for her, and to harm the poor soul. However, if as soon as she perceives it, she enters into herself, humiliates herself, repents, and remedies it with courage, the divine fortress closes again around the soul; if on the other hand she does not remedy it, the divine fortress, broken as it is, will let all vices rush in. Therefore, if you want the fortress not to leave you alone even for one instant, be attentive to the first motions, thoughts and words which are not upright and holy, because once the first ones have escaped you, it is no longer the soul that reigns, but rather, passions dominate.”

April 25, 1902
The Cross is Sacrament.

This morning I found myself outside of myself, and after going in search of my sweet Jesus, I found Him – but in such a pitiful state as to break my heart. He had His hands wounded, contracted because of the sharpness of the pain, to the point that they could not be touched. I tried to touch them in order to extend His fingers and heal His wounds, but I could not, because blessed Jesus was crying for the strong pain. Then, not knowing what to do, I squeezed Him to myself and said to Him: ‘My loving Good, it has been a while since You shared with me the pains of your wounds; maybe this is why they are so embittered. I pray You to let me share in your pains, so that, as I suffer myself, your sufferings might be lessened.’

As I was saying this, an Angel came out with a nail in his hand, and he pierced my hands and feet through. As he was driving the nail into my hands, the fingers of my dear Jesus loosened up, and His wounds were healed. And while I was suffering, the Lord told me: “My daughter, the Cross is Sacrament. Each one of the Sacraments contains Its special effects – one removes sin, another confers grace, another unites one with God, another gives strength, and many other effects. But the Cross alone unites all these effects together, producing them in the soul with such effectiveness as to render her, in a very short time, similar to the original from which she came.” After this, as though wanting to take some rest, He withdrew into my interior.

April 29, 1902
One who wants everything from God must give all of himself to God.

This morning my adorable Jesus came for a little, telling me: “My daughter, one who wants everything from God must give all of himself to God.” And He stopped, without telling me anything else for the time being. Seeing Him close to me, I said to Him: ‘Lord, have compassion on me; don’t You see how everything is dry and withered? It seems to me that I have become so dry, as if I had never received a drop of rain.’ And He: “So much the better. Don’t you know that the drier the wood, the more easily the fire devours it and converts it into fire? One spark alone is enough to ignite it. But if it is full of humors and not well dried, it takes a big fire to ignite it, and much time to convert it into fire. The same in the soul: when everything is dry, one spark alone is enough to convert her completely into fire of divine love.” And I: ‘Lord, You are making fun of me. How ugly, then, everything is; and besides, what do You have to burn if everything is dry?’ And He: “I am not making fun of you; you yourself cannot comprehend that when not everything is dry in the soul, complacency is a humor, satisfaction is a humor, one’s own taste is a humor, self-esteem is a humor. On the other hand, when everything is dry and the soul operates, these humors have no place from which to arise, and the Divine Fire, finding only the soul naked, as dry as she was created by It, with no other extraneous humors, since it is something that belongs to It, it is extremely easy for It to convert her into Its very Divine Fire. And after this, I infuse in her a garment of peace, and this peace is preserved by interior obedience, and kept by external obedience. This peace gives birth to the whole of God within the soul – that is, to all the works, the virtues and the ways of the Humanate Word – in such a way that one can see in her His simplicity, His humility, the dependency of His infantile life, the perfection of His adult virtues, the mortification and the crucifixion of His dying. But it always begins from this: one who wants the whole of Christ must give everything to Christ.”

May 16, 1902
Two sublime states.

This morning, after I struggled very much, my most sweet Jesus came, and as soon as I saw Him, I clasped Him tightly to myself, and I said to Him: ‘My dear Good, this time I will clasp You so much as not to let You escape any more.’ At that moment I felt myself completely filled with God as if I were inundated, in such a way that the powers of my soul remained as though chained and inoperative; they just watched. After I remained in this inoperative yet sweet and pleasant position for some time, my adorable Jesus told me: “My daughter, sometimes I fill the soul with Myself so much, that dissolving in Me, the soul remains as though idle. Other times I leave a few parts empty within her, and then the soul, before my presence, traffics in an admirable way, bursting into acts of praise, of thanksgiving, of love, of reparation and the like, in such a way as to fill these voids which I leave in her. However, these two states are both sublime and hold each other’s hand.”

May 22, 1902
The Most Holy Virgin incites Jesus to make Luisa suffer.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus was not coming. Oh, how much I had to suffer, and how much nonsense I spoke! – it is useless to say it. Then, after I tired myself well, I felt someone near me, but I could not see his face; I stretched out my hand to find him, and I found him, faint, with his head leaning on my shoulder. I looked at him and I recognized my sweet Jesus. It seemed to me that He had fainted because of the so much nonsense I had spoken. Then, as soon as I saw Him come round, I don’t know how much more nonsense I wanted to tell Him, but Jesus said to me: “Keep quiet, keep quiet, do not say anything else, otherwise you cause Me to faint. Your silence will make Me gain vigor, and so I will at least be able to kiss you, embrace you and make you content.” So I remained in silence, and we kissed each other many times, and Jesus made me many shows of love; but I am unable to explain it.

After this, I found myself outside of myself, and I kept looking for the beloved of my soul. Not finding Him, I raised my eyes to the heavens – who knows, I might find Him again – and I saw the Queen Mother and Jesus Christ with His back turned to Her, contending with each other. He did not want to listen to His Mother – this is why He was giving His back, all full of fury; and it seemed that the fire of His indignation was coming out of His mouth. I only understood that on that day Our Lord wanted to destroy everything which served as nourishment of man with the fire of His indignation. But the Most Holy Virgin did not want it, and Jesus was saying: “But, on whom can I give vent to this burning fire of my indignation?” And the Mother said: “There is someone on whom You can give vent to it (pointing at me). Don’t You see how she is always ready for our volitions?” On hearing this, Jesus turned to His Mother, as if they had concorded together. They called the Angels, giving to each of them a spark of that fire which was coming out of Jesus Christ, and the Angels brought them to me, placing one in my mouth, and the others on my hands, on my feet and on my heart. I suffered, I felt myself being devoured, embittered, by that fire, but I felt resigned to suffering anything. Blessed Jesus and His Mother were spectators of my sufferings, and Jesus seemed to be somehow pacified. At that moment, I found myself inside myself and the confessor was about to call me to obedience as usual, when, all of a sudden, instead of calling me to obedience, he placed the intention of having me suffer the crucifixion. Jesus concurred by sharing His pains with me. It seemed that the confessor completed the work started by the Queen Mother. May everything be for the glory of God, and may He be always blessed.

June 2, 1902
The Throne of Jesus is composed of virtues. The soul who possesses virtues makes Him reign in her heart.

This morning, after I struggled very much, blessed Jesus moved in my interior, and I saw that He was inside of me as though embraced and sustained by someone else. I was surprised at seeing this, and Jesus told me: “My daughter, the interior of the soul is a filling of passions, and as the soul keeps knocking passions down, so does each virtue take its place, accompanied by degrees of grace; and according to how the virtue keeps being perfected, so does grace administer its degrees to it. And since my Throne is composed of virtues, the soul who possesses virtues provides Me with arms and with the Throne to be able to reign in her heart, keeping Me continuously embraced and courted, until I delight with her. However, the soul can stain herself, while the virtue remains always intact; so, as long as the soul knows how to keep it, the virtue remains with her; but when she does not, the virtue returns to Me – to the place from which it came. Therefore, do not be surprised if you saw Me like this in your interior.”

June 15, 1902
Love is not an attribute of God, but His very Nature. The soul who truly loves Jesus cannot become lost.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus transported me outside of myself, and told me; “My daughter, all virtues can be said to be my qualities and my attributes, but Love cannot be called an attribute of Mine, but rather, my very Nature. So, all virtues form my Throne and my qualities, but Love forms my very Self.” On hearing this, I remembered that the day before I had told a person who feared about the uncertainty of salvation, that one who truly loves Jesus Christ can be sure of being saved. To me, I believe it is impossible that Our Lord would move away from Himself a soul who loves Him with all her heart; therefore, let us think of loving Him, and we will have our salvation in hand. So I asked loving Jesus whether by saying this I had spoken incorrectly, and He added: “My beloved, you said that with reason, because love has this of its own: it forms one object out of two, one will out of two. So, the soul who loves Me forms one single thing with Me, one single will; how can she then be separated from Me? More so, since my Nature is Love, and wherever It finds a few sparks of love in the human nature, immediately It unites them to the eternal Love. Therefore, just as it is impossible to form two souls out of one soul, or two bodies out of one body, so is it impossible for one who truly loves Me to become lost.”

June 17, 1902
Mortification produces glory.

This morning, I saw my beloved Jesus for just a little, and He seemed to be holding a written paper in His hand, on which one could read: “Mortification produces glory. One who wants to find the fount of all pleasures, must move away from all that may displease God.” Having said this, He disappeared.

June 29, 1902
Jesus speaks about France.

This morning, I saw my adorable Jesus for just a little, and, I don’t know why, I heard Him say: “Poor France, poor France, you have raised up and have broken and split the most sacred laws, denying Me as your God. You have made of yourself an example for other nations to draw them toward evil, and your example has so much power, that the other nations are about to be ruined. Know, however, that as chastisement for this, you will be conquered.”

After this, He withdrew into my interior, and I heard Him ask for help, pity, compassion in His many pains. It was something harrowing to hear blessed Jesus ask for help from His creatures.

July 1, 1902
True victims must expose themselves to the pains of Jesus. Machinations against the Church and against the Pope.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, kneeling on an altar together with two more people. In the meantime Jesus Christ appeared over this altar, and He said: “True victims must have communication with my very life; they must avail themselves of my very self, and expose themselves to my very pains.” While saying this, He took a pyx in His hand and gave Communion to all three of us. After this, behind that altar there seemed to be a door which led into a street filled with people and jam-packed with demons, in such a way that one could not walk without being squeezed by them; and since it was full of thorns, extremely sharp, one could not make a movement without feeling one’s flesh being pricked deep inside. At any cost I would have wanted to escape those diabolical furies, and I almost tried to do it, but someone, I don’t know who, prevented me by saying to me: “Everything you see are machinations against the Church and against the Pope. They would want the Pope to get out of Rome by invading the Vatican and seizing it, and if you want to avoid these bothers, men and demons will acquire strength and will make these thorns come out which will prick the Church bitterly. But if you content yourself with suffering them, both the one and the other will be weakened.” On hearing this I stopped, but who can say what I went through and suffered. I thought I would never again get out from the midst of those diabolical spirits; however, after staying there almost one whole night, divine protection freed me.

July 3, 1902
Jesus speaks about His Eucharistic Life.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, inside a Church, and since I could not find my adorable Jesus I went to knock at a Tabernacle to have Him open it for me. Since He would not open, made brave, I myself opened it and I found my sole and only Good. Who can say my contentment? I remained as though ecstatic in looking at an unspeakable beauty. On seeing me, Jesus flung Himself into my arms and told me: “My daughter, each period of my life receives from man distinct and special acts and degrees of imitation, of love, of reparation and other things. But the period of my Eucharistic Life is all life of hiddenness, of transformation and of continuous consummation; so much so, that I can say that after my love reached the excess and was even consumed, in my infinite wisdom I could not find any other external sign to prove my love for man. And just as my Incarnation, Life and Passion on the cross receive love, praise, thanksgiving, imitation – my Sacramental Life receives from man an ecstatic love, a love of dissolving oneself in Me, a love of perfect consummation; and as the soul is consumed in my very Sacramental Life, she can say that she performs, before the Divinity, the same offices that I perform continuously before God for love of men. And this consummation will make the soul overflow into eternal life.”

July 7, 1902
Continuous humiliation with Christ will give rise to everlasting exaltation with Christ.

This morning, since blessed Jesus was not coming, I felt all confused and humiliated. Then, after I struggled very much, He made Himself seen for just a little, telling me: “Luisa, always humiliated with Christ.”

And I, pleased and yearning to be humiliated with Christ, said: ‘Always, Oh Lord!’ And He repeated: “And the always of the humiliation with Christ, will give rise to the always of the exaltation with Christ.”

So I understood that as many humiliations as the soul undergoes with Christ and for love of Christ, if they are continuous, so many times will the Lord exalt her; and He will make this exaltation continuously before the whole Celestial Court, before men, and finally, even before demons themselves.

July 28, 1902
A spirit of continuous prayer.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and I found my adorable Jesus who, not wanting to show me the troubles of the world, told me: “My daughter, withdraw – do not want to see the evils, most grave, which are in the world.” And on saying this, He withdrew me Himself, and while carrying me He repeated: “What I recommend to you is a spirit of continuous prayer. The continuous effort of the soul to converse with Me, whether with her heart, or with her mind, with her mouth, or even with a simple intention – renders her so beautiful in my sight, that the notes of her heart harmonize with the notes of my Heart. I feel so drawn to converse with this soul, that I manifest to her not only the works ad extra [external] of my Humanity, but I keep manifesting to her something of the works ad intra [interior] which the Divinity did in my Humanity. Not only this, but the beauty that a spirit of continuous prayer makes her acquire is so great, that the devil is as though struck by lightning, and remains frustrated in the snares He lays in order to harm this soul.” Having said this, He disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.

July 31, 1902
True charity must be disinterested.

As I was in my usual state, I saw my adorable Jesus several times, but always in silence. I felt all confused and would not dare to ask Him anything, but it seemed that He wanted to tell me something which wounded His Sacred Heart. Finally, the last time He came, He told me: “My daughter, true charity must be disinterested on the part of one who does it, and on the part of one who receives it. If there is interest, that mud produces a smoke which blinds the mind, and prevents one from receiving the influence and the effects of divine charity. This is why in many works that are done, even holy, in many charitable cares that are performed, one feels as though a void, and they do not receive the fruit of the charity they do.”

August 2, 1902
During the whole course of His life, Jesus redid everything, for all in general and for each one individually.

This morning, after letting me struggle very much, all of a sudden my adorable Jesus came, spreading rays of light. I was invested by that light and, I don’t know how, I found myself inside of Jesus Christ. Who can say how many things I comprehended inside that Most Holy Humanity? I can only say that His Divinity directed His Humanity in everything; and since in one single instant the Divinity can do as many acts as each of us can do in the whole period of one’s life, and as many acts as one wants to do, I comprehended with clarity that, because the Divinity operated in the Humanity of Jesus Christ, during the whole course of His life blessed Jesus redid for all in general and for each one individually everything that each one is obliged to do toward God, in such a way that He adored God for each one in particular, He thanked, repaired, glorified for each one, He praised, suffered, prayed for each one. And I comprehended that everything that each one must do has already been done before in the Heart of Jesus Christ.

August 10, 1902
Privations, laments and necessity of chastisements.

As I am greatly afflicted because of the loss of my highest Good, my poor heart is lacerated continuously and suffers a continuous death.

Now, as the confessor came, I was telling him of my poor state, and he began to call Him and to place his intention, but – no, my mind was left suspended; it would see as though a flash for a few instants, which would escape, and I would return inside myself without seeing Him. Oh, God, what pain! But these are pains that one does not even know how to express. Then, after much struggling, finally He came, and as I lamented to Him, He told me: “My daughter, if you did not know the reason for my absence, perhaps you would have some reason to lament about my absence; but since you do know that I am not coming because I want to chastise the world, wrongly do you lament.” And I: ‘What does the world have to do with me?’ And He: “Indeed it has to so with you because, if I come, you tell me: ‘Lord, I myself want to satisfy You on their behalf, I want to suffer for them.’ And since I am most just, I cannot receive the satisfaction of a debt from both one and the other, and if I wanted to take the satisfaction from you, the world would do nothing but grow ever bolder. Rather, in these times of rebellion, chastisements are so very necessary, and if I did not do so, darkness would become so thick that all would remain blinded.” While He was saying this, I found myself outside of myself, and I saw the earth all full of darkness, with just barely a few trails of light. What will happen to the poor world? It causes one to think much about the most sad things that will happen.

September 3, 1902
Everything that Jesus deserved in His life He gave to all creatures, and in a special and superabundant way to one who is victim for love of Him.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, I felt a natural malady come to me, but so strong, that I felt I was dying. I feared I might be about to pass from time to eternity; much more so, since blessed Jesus was hardly coming, or at the most, like a shadow. In fact, if He were coming as usual, I would not be fearing at all. Therefore, so that I might be in a good position, I prayed the Lord to give me the exercise of His holy mind to satisfy for the evils I might have committed with my thoughts; His eyes, His mouth, His hands, feet, Heart and all of His most sacred body, to satisfy for all the evils I might have committed, and for all the good I was supposed to do, but did not. While I was doing this, blessed Jesus came, all in festal clothing, in the act of receiving me into His arms; and He told me: “My daughter, everything I deserved I gave to all creatures, and in a special and superabundant way to one who is victim for love of Me. Behold, anything you want I give you – and not only you, but to whomever you want.” And I, remembering the confessor, said to Him: ‘Lord, if You take me, I pray You to content father.’ And He: “Indeed He has received some recompense for the charity he has done for you; and since he has cooperated, as you come to Me into the sphere of eternity, I will give him yet more recompense.” My malady was getting more and more vigorous, but I felt happy since I was at the harbor of Eternity. In the meantime the confessor came and called me to obedience. I would have wanted to keep everything quiet, but he forced me to say everything, and came out with the usual refrain that, out of obedience, I was not supposed to die; but in spite of this, my malady would not cease.

September 4, 1902
The confessor asks Jesus not to let her die.

As I continued to feel ill, I also felt a certain restlessness because of this strange obedience, as if I could not take flight toward my highest and only Good; with the addition that, having to celebrate Holy Mass, the confessor did not want to give me Communion because of the continuous retching that bothered me. However, since the confessor had told me that out of obedience I should have Jesus Christ touch my stomach, as He came, He touched my stomach and the continuous retching ceased. But the malady would not cease, and Jesus, seeing me so restless, told me: “My daughter, what are you doing? Don’t you know that if death surprises you, finding you restless, you would have to get Purgatory? In fact, if your mind is not united with Mine, if your will is not one with Mine, if your desires are not my same desires, by necessity you need a purge to be transformed completely in Me. Therefore, be attentive, think only of remaining united with Me, and I will think of the rest.” Now, while He was saying this, I saw the Church and the Pope, and part of It was leaning on my shoulders; and I also saw the confessor who pressed Jesus not to take me for now. And the blessed Lord said: “Evils are most grave, and sins are about to reach such a point as no longer to deserve victim souls – that is, the ones who sustain and protect the world before Me. If this point touches Justice, indeed I will take her with Me.” So I understood that things are conditional.

September 5, 1902
Jesus, the Angels and the Saints incite Luisa to go with them; the confessor is opposed.

I continued to feel ill, and the confessor continued to be resolute – even more, to get upset because I was not obeying him with regard to not dying, and to praying the Lord to make my suffering cease. On the other hand, I felt incited by blessed Jesus, by the Saints and by the Angels to go with them, and I would find myself now with Jesus, now with the celestial citizens. In this state I felt tortured, not knowing, myself, what to do; however, I was calm, fearing that if He should take me, I might not be ready to go speedily with Him, so I abandoned myself completely in His hands. Now, while I was in this position, I saw the confessor and others praying that I would not be allowed to die; and Jesus told me: “My daughter, I feel I am under a violence – don’t you see how they do not want Me to take you?” And I: ‘I too feel I am under a violence – truly they would deserve a penalty for putting a poor creature in this torture.’ And Jesus: “What penalty do you want Me to give them?” And I, not knowing what to say before that inexhaustible fount of charity, said: ‘My sweet Lord, since sanctity brings sacrifice with itself, make them saints, so that, if nothing else, they will obtain their intent of keeping me with them, and I will obtain the intent of seeing them saints, as they would have the patience to feel the pain which sanctity brings with itself.’ On hearing me, Jesus was all pleased, and He kissed me telling me: “Brava my beloved, you were able to choose the optimum, for their good and for my glory. So, for now we must surrender, and I reserve for Myself another occasion to take you quickly, giving them no time to do violence to us.” Then Jesus disappeared, and I found myself inside myself, with my suffering mitigated for the most part, and with new vigor, as if I was born again. But God alone knows the pain, the torment of my heart. I hope at least that He may want to accept the hardness of this sacrifice.

September 10, 1902
The prerogatives of love.

I thought that blessed Jesus had come back according to the usual way, but what was not my disillusion when, after deciding that He was not going to take me for now, He began to make me struggle for seeing Him, and most of the times, like shadow and flash. Then, this morning, as I was feeling very tired and exhausted in my strengths for the continuous longing and waiting, it seemed He came, and transporting me outside of myself He told me: “My daughter, if you are tired, come to my Heart – drink, and you will be refreshed.” So I drew near that divine Heart and I drank in large gulps a milk mixed with a most sweet blood. After this, He told me: “The prerogatives of love are three: constant love without end, strong love, and love of God and neighbor bound together. If these prerogatives do not appear in the soul, one can say that hers is not the quality of true love.”

October 22, 1902
Threats against Italy.

This morning my adorable Jesus came for a few instants, all indignant; and He said to me: “When Italy has drunk the most fetid filth to the bottom, to the point of being drowned, so much so, that they will say, ‘She is dead, she is dead!’ – then will she rise again.” Then, becoming more calm, He added: “My daughter, when I want something from my creatures, I infuse in them the natural dispositions in such a way as to change their very nature into wanting what I want. Therefore, remain calm in the state you are in.” Having said this, He disappeared, and I was left concerned about what He told me.

October 30, 1902
Jesus Christ came to join God and man once again.

This morning, as I was in a sea of worries and of tears because of the total abandonment of my highest Good, while feeling consumed by the pain, I felt my mind being estranged, and I saw blessed Jesus sustaining my forehead with His hand; and something like a light which contained many words of truths inside. I can barely remember this – that is: when our humanity untied the bond of obedience which God had placed between Himself and the creature, a bond which, alone, united God and man, it became dispersed; and Jesus Christ, taking on human nature and making Himself our head, came to reunite the dispersed humanity, and with His obedience to the Volition of the Father, He came to join God and man once again. But this indissoluble union is strengthened further according to our obedience to the Divine Volition.” After this, I no longer saw my dear Jesus, and that light withdrew together with Him.

November 1, 1902
True seriousness is found in religion, and true religion consists in looking at one’s neighbor in God, and at God in one’s neighbor.

As I was in my usual state, I felt I was going outside of myself, and I found a child crying, and also several men; and one of them, more serious, took a most bitter drink and gave it to that crying child, who suffered so much in swallowing it, that his throat seemed to choke. Not knowing who he was, out of compassion I took him in my arms, saying to him: ‘Yet, he is a serious man, and did this to you. Poor little one, come to me, for I want to dry your tears.’ And he said to me: “True seriousness is found in religion, and true religion consists in looking at one’s neighbor in God, and at God in one’s neighbor.” Then, drawing close to my ear, so much so, that his lips touched me and his voice resounded in my interior, he added: “The word ‘religion’ is a ridiculous word for the world, and it seems to be worth nothing. Yet, before Me every word that pertains to religion is a virtue of infinite value; so much so, that I made use of the word in order to propagate the faith in the whole universe, and one who exercises himself in this serves Me as mouth to manifest my Will to creatures.” As He was saying this, I understood very well that it was Jesus. On hearing His clear voice which I had not heard for so long I felt myself rise again from death to life. I was waiting for Him to finish speaking to tell Him of my extreme needs, but – no, as soon as I stopped hearing His voice, He disappeared, and I was left disconsolate and afflicted.

November 5, 1902
The Tree of Life, rooted in the Heart of Jesus.

This morning my adorable Jesus made Himself seen in my interior, and He seemed to have a tree planted in His Heart, and so rooted into It, that its roots arose from the center of His Heart. In sum, it seemed to be born together with It, with the same nature. I was amazed at seeing its beauty, strikingness and height, which seemed to touch the heavens; and its branches extended out to the farthest ends of the world. Now, on seeing me so amazed, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, this Tree was conceived together with Me, in the center of my Heart, and from that moment I felt in my inmost Heart all the good and the evil that man would do with this Tree of Redemption, called ‘Tree of Life’. In fact, all those souls who remain united to this Tree will receive the life of grace in time, and when the Tree has raised them well, It will administer to them the life of glory in eternity. Yet, what is not my sorrow? Even though they cannot root out the Tree, nor can they touch the trunk, many try to cut some branches so that souls may not receive life, and to take away from Me all the glory and the pleasure that this Tree of Life would have produced for Me.” While saying this, He disappeared.

November 9, 1902
Difference between the operating of Jesus and the operating of man.

While I was longing for my adorable Jesus, He came in the appearance He had when His enemies were slapping Him, covering His face with spit, and blindfolding Him. With admirable patience He suffered everything; even more, it seemed He would not even look at them, so much was He intent in His interior on looking at the fruit which those sufferings would produce. I admired everything with amazement, and Jesus told me: “My daughter, in my operating and suffering I never looked outside, but always inside; and whatever it might be, in seeing its fruit, I would not just suffer it, but I would suffer everything with yearning and avidity. On the other hand, completely opposite, man, in operating good, does not look inside the work, and not seeing its fruit, he becomes easily bored, everything bothers him, and many times he neglects doing good. If he suffers, he easily loses his patience; and if he does evil, not looking inside that evil, he does it with ease.” Then He added: “Creatures do not want to convince themselves that life must be accompanied by various circumstances, now of sufferings, now of consolation. Yet, even plants and flowers give them an example of this by remaining submitted to winds, snows, hail and heat.”

November 16, 1902
The word of God is joy. The command of Monsignor regarding the coming of the confessor.

I spent last night in great distress; I saw the confessor in the act of giving me prohibitions and commands. Blessed Jesus came for a little, only telling me: “My daughter, the word of God is joy, and one who listens to it but does not let it bear fruit with his works, gives it a black shade and covers it with mud.” Then, feeling much suffering, I tried not to pay attention to what I was seeing, when, all of a sudden, the confessor came, telling me that Monsignor commanded, in an absolute way, that the priest was not supposed to come any more to make me come out of my usual state, but that I should go out of it by myself – something which I had not been able to obtain for as many as eighteen years, in spite of tears and prayers, and the vows and promises I made to the Most High. In fact, I confess before God that all the sufferings I might have gone through have not been true crosses for me, but delights and graces of God; but the sole and true cross for me has been the coming of the priest. So, knowing the impossibility of this outcome from many years of experience, my heart was lacerated by the fear that I might not be able to obey, and I would do nothing but shed most bitter tears, praying to that God who alone sees the depth of my heart, that He would have pity on the position I found myself in. While praying in tears, I saw a flash of light, and a voice saying: “My daughter, to make known that it is I, I will obey him, and after I have given him proofs of obedience, he will obey Me.” And as I said, ‘Lord, I fear very much that I may not be able to obey’, He added: “Obedience releases and chains; and since it is chain, it binds the Divine Volition with the human, and makes them one, in such a way that the soul does not act with the power of her will, but with the power of the Divine Will. Besides, it is not you who will obey, but I will obey in you.” Then, all afflicted, He added: “My daughter, did I not tell you that keeping you in this state of victim and starting the slaughter in Italy is almost impossible for Me?” So I became a little bit more calm, though I did not know how this obedience was to be carried out.

November 17, 1902
Impossibility of losing consciousness. It is a decree of the Will of God to use the work of the priest to make Luisa come round from her state of sufferings.

As the usual hour came for me to be surprised by my usual state, to my great bitterness – but such bitterness, that I had never experienced anything similar in my life – my mind was no longer able to lose consciousness. My life, my treasure, the One who formed all my delight, my all lovable Jesus, was not coming. I tried to recollect myself as much as I could, but I felt my mind so awake that I could neither lose consciousness nor sleep; so I would do nothing but break the brake to my tears. I did as much as I could to follow in my interior what I would do in the state of unconsciousness of my senses, and one by one I would recall His teachings, His words, and the way I was supposed to remain always united with Him. But these were all darts that wounded my heart bitterly, saying to me: “Ah, after you have seen Him every day for fifteen years, sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes three or four times, sometimes once; sometimes He would speak to you, other times He would remain silent…. But, still, you would see Him. And now, you have lost Him? You don’t see Him any more? You no longer hear His sweet and gentle voice? Everything is over for you.” And my poor heart would become so filled with bitternesses and sorrow, that I can say that my bread was sorrow and my drink the tears; and I was so filled with them that not a drop of water could enter into my throat. To this, another thorn added on. Often times I had said to my adorable Jesus: ‘How I fear about my state – that it is just me, that it is all my fantasy, that it is a pretense…’; and He would say to me: “Remove these fears, for you will see, then, that days will come in which, in spite of any effort and sacrifice you would make to lose consciousness, you will not be able to do it.” But in spite of all this, I felt calmness in my interior, for at least I was obeying, though it cost me my life. So I thought that things would have to continue this way, convincing myself that since the Lord no longer wanted me in that state, He had used Monsignor to have him give me that obedience.

Then, after two days had passed, in the evening I was about to make my adoration to the crucifix, when a flash of light came before my mind. I felt my heart being opened, and a voice saying to me: “I will keep you suspended for a few days, and then I will make you fall again.” And I: ‘Lord, will You not make me come round Yourself if You make me fall?’ And the voice: “No, it is a decree of my Will to use the work of the priest to make you come round from that state of sufferings, and if they want to know why, let them come to Me and ask Me. My Wisdom is incomprehensible, and has many unusual ways for the salvation of souls; but even though It is incomprehensible, if they want to find the reason, let them go deep, for they will find it – bright like sun. My Justice is like a cloud pregnant with hail, thunders and lightnings, and in you It found a dam so as not to unload Itself over the peoples. So, let them not want to advance the time of my wrath.” And I: ‘Only for me was this chastisement reserved, with no hope to be freed of it. You have given so many graces to other souls; they have suffered greatly for love of You, yet they had no need of the work of a priest.” And the voice continued: “You will be freed – not now, but when the slaughters begin in Italy.” This was for me another reason for sorrows and most bitter tears; so much so, that my most lovable Jesus, having compassion for me, moved in my interior as though placing a veil before what He had told me, and without letting Himself be seen, He let me hear His voice saying to me: “My daughter, come to Me, do not want to afflict yourself. Let us move Justice away for a little while, and let us give room to Love, otherwise you succumb. Listen to Me – I have many things to teach you. Do you think I have finished speaking to you? No.” And since I was crying and my eyes had become two rivers of tears, He added: “Do not cry, my beloved, but rather, give Me audience; this morning I want to hear Mass together with you, teaching you the way you must hear It.” And so He kept speaking and I would follow Him; but since I could not see Him, my heart was split by the pain continuously. From time to time, to stop my crying He would call me repeatedly, now teaching me something about His Passion, explaining the meaning to me, now teaching me how to do what He did in His interior during the course of His Passion – which I refrain from writing for now, reserving this for another time, if God pleases. This is how I went on for two more days.

November 21, 1902
Jesus uses the nature of Luisa to continue the course of His sufferings within her.

As I still could neither lose consciousness nor sleep, my poor nature could take no more. But then, when I felt convinced more than ever that I would not see Him any more, all of a sudden my dearest Jesus came and made me lose consciousness – I was as though struck by lightning. Who can say my fear? I had no more control over myself; it was no longer in my power to regain consciousness. Jesus told me: “My daughter, do not fear, I have come to strengthen you; don’t you yourself see how you can take no more, and how your nature fails you without Me?” And I said to Him, crying: ‘Ah, my life, without You I am dead, I feel no more vital strengths; You used to form my whole being, and if I do not have You, I lack everything. Indeed if You continue not coming, I will die of sorrow.’ And He: “My beloved daughter, you say that I am your life, and I say to you that you are my living life. Just as I made use of my Humanity to suffer, so am I using your nature to continue the course of my sufferings within you. Therefore, you are all mine – even more, you are my very life.” As He was saying this, I remembered the obedience and I said to Him: ‘My sweet Good, will You let me obey by allowing me to come round by myself?’ And He: “My daughter, I, the Creator, have obeyed the creature by keeping you suspended in these days; it is only right now for the creature to obey his Creator by submitting to my Will, because before my Divine Will the human reason does not count, and the strongest reason before the Supreme Will resolves into smoke.”

Who can say how embittered I was left? But I was resigned, making a vow to the Lord never to withdraw my will from His, not even for the blink of an eye; and since they had told me that if I was surprised by that state and would not come round by myself they would let me die, I was preparing myself for death, considering this a great fortune, and I prayed the Lord to take me in His arms. While I was doing this, the confessor came to make me come round, embittering me more; so much so, that seeing me so embittered, the Lord told me in my interior: “Tell him to concede to Me two more days of suspension, to give him the time to know what to do.” Then the confessor left, leaving me all pierced and as though filled with bitterness, and Jesus, letting me hear His voice again, told me: “Poor daughter, how they embitter her; I feel my Heart being lacerated in seeing you like this. Courage, do not fear, my daughter; and then, remember that it is by the intervention of obedience that you were suspended from this state. If now they do not want it any more, I will also let you obey. Is this not the nail that pierces you the most – not being able to obey?” And I: ‘Yes.’

“Well then, I have promised you I will let you obey, therefore I do not want you to embitter yourself any more. However, tell them: ‘Do they want to play games with Me? Woe to those who want to play games with Me and fight against my Will’.” And I: ‘How can I go on without You? In fact, if I am not surprised by that state, I do not see You.’ And He: “Since it is not your will to go out of this state of sacrifice, I will find other ways to make Myself seen and be with you. Aren’t you happy?” So, the following morning, without my losing consciousness, He made Himself seen sensibly by giving me a few drops of milk to refresh me, since my weakness was extreme.

November 22, 1902
Luisa is about to die, but obedience is opposed.

On November 22, as I kept feeling ill again, blessed Jesus came and told me: “My beloved, do you want to come?” And I: ‘Yes, don’t leave me on this earth any longer.’ And He: “Yes, I want to content you once and for all.” As He was saying this, I felt my stomach and my throat close, in such a way that nothing could enter any more; I could barely pull in a breath, feeling suffocated. Then I saw that blessed Jesus called the Angels, and said to them: “Now that the victim is coming, suspend the fortresses, so that the peoples may do what they want.” And I: ‘Lord, who are they?’ And He: “They are the Angels that keep the cities. As long as the cities are assisted by the fortress of divine protection communicated to the Angels, they can do nothing; but once this protection is removed due to the grave sins they commit, and they are left on their own, they can make revolution and any sort of evil.”

I felt placid, and seeing myself alone with my dear Jesus and abandoned by all creatures, I thanked the Lord from my heart, and I prayed Him to deign not to let anyone come to me to bother me. While I was in this position, my sister came, and seeing me ill, she sent for the confessor who managed, by force of obedience, to have me open my throat a little bit, and then he came out giving me the obedience not to die. Poor is the one who has to deal with creatures! Not knowing the depth of all the pains and torments of a poor soul, they add greater sorrows to her pains, and it is easier to obtain compassion, help and relief from God than from creatures – rather, it seems that they get more incited. But may the Lord be always blessed, who disposes everything for His glory and for the good of souls.

November 30, 1902
Fear that her state might be a work of the devil. Jesus teaches her how to recognize when it is He, and when the devil.

As I was amid fears, doubts, agitations, that everything might be a work of the devil, on coming, my adorable Jesus told me: “My daughter, I am Sun and I fill the world with light, and as I go to a soul another Sun is reproduced in her, in such a way that, by dint of rays of light, they dart through each other continuously. Now, between these two Suns clouds are formed, which are mortifications, humiliations, adversities, sufferings and other things. If they are true Suns, they have so much power that, by darting through each other continuously, they triumph over these clouds and convert them into light. If, though, they are only apparent and false suns, the clouds which form between them have the strength to convert these suns into darkness. This is the surest sign to know whether it is I or the devil; and after a person has received this sign, he can lay down his life to confess the truth, which is light, not darkness.”

I have been ruminating within my mind on whether these signs are present in me, and I see myself so full of defects that I have no words to manifest my badness. However, I do not lose heart; on the contrary, I hope that the mercy of the Lord may want to have compassion on this poor creature.

December 3, 1902
Disturbances with regard to obedience. Jesus reassures her.

This morning, as I was in my usual state and my fears continued, when blessed Jesus came I said to Him: ‘Life of my life, how come You do not let me obey the order of the superiors?’ And He: ‘And you, my daughter, don’t you see where the opposition comes from? It is the human will that does not unite with the Divine so that they may kiss and become one; and when there is opposition between these two wills, since the Divine Will is superior, the human will loses by necessity. Besides, what else do they want? I have told you that, if they want, I make you fall into that state; if they do not want, I let you obey. But as for the obedience that I should make you fall and I should make you come round without their coming, leaving this thing independent of them and all at my disposal – this is up to Me. Whether I want to keep you in this state for one minute or half an hour, whether I have to make you suffer or not – this remains all under my care; and if they want otherwise, it would be wanting to dictate to Me the laws of how and of when. I am the One who must do things, and this would be wanting to meddle too much in my judgments and acting as my master, while the creature is supposed to adore, not to investigate.” I was left incapable of answering. Seeing that I was not answering, He added: “This not wanting to persuade themselves grieves Me very much. You, however, in contrasts and mortifications do not keep your gaze on them, but fix it on Me, who was the target of contradictions; and as you suffer them, you will become more similar to Me. In this way, your nature will not be able to move, and you will remain calm and tranquil. I want that, on your part, you do as much as you can to obey them; as for the rest, leave it to my care, without becoming disturbed.»

December 4, 1902
Jesus manifests the reasons of His operating.

I was thinking in my mind about this obedience, saying: ‘They are right in commanding me this way; besides, it is not such a great thing that the Lord would allow me to obey in the way wanted by them. So they say: either He should let you obey, or He should tell the reason why He wants the confessor to come to make you come round from that state.’ While I was thinking of this, my adorable Jesus moved in my interior, telling me: “My daughter, I wanted them to find the reason of my operating by themselves, because in my life, from the moment I was born up to my death, everything can be found, since the life of the whole Church is enclosed in it. When compared to some step that can be conformed to my life, the most difficult matters are solved, the most tangled situations are unraveled, and in the most obscure and abstruse ones, such that the human mind almost becomes lost in that obscurity, one finds the clearest and brightest light. This means that they do not have my life as the rule of their operating, otherwise they would have found the reason. But since they have not found the reason themselves, it is necessary that I speak and manifest it.”

After this, He stood up and with empire – but so much that I became fearful – He said: “What is the meaning of that ‘ostende te sacerdoti’ [‘show yourself to the priest’[3]]?” Then, becoming sweeter, He added: “My power extended everywhere, and from any place I was I could operate the most sensational miracles; yet, in almost all my miracles I wanted to be personally present. As for example, when I resurrected Lazarus, I went there, I had them remove the sepulchral stone, then I had him released, and then, with the empire of my voice I called him back to life. In resurrecting the young girl, I took her by the hand with my right hand, and I called her back to life; and in many other things which are recorded in the Gospel, and which are known to all, I wanted to be there with my presence. This teaches the way in which the priest must behave in his operating, since the future life of the Church was enclosed in mine. And these are things that pertain to you, though in general; but your specific circumstance they will find on Calvary. I, priest and victim, lifted up on the wood of the cross, wanted a priest to be present, to assist Me in that state of victim – and he was Saint John, who represented the nascent Church. In him I saw everyone – Popes, bishops, priests and all the faithful together; and while assisting Me, He offered Me as victim for the glory of the Father and for the good outgrowth of the nascent Church. The fact that a priest assisted Me in that state of victim did not happen by chance, but everything was a profound mystery predisposed ab æterno [from eternity] in the divine mind, intending that when I choose a soul as victim for the grave needs present in the Church, a priest must offer her to Me, assist her for Me, help her and encourage her to suffer. If these things are understood – fine, they themselves will receive the fruit of the work they offer; just like Saint John: how many goods did he not receive for having assisted Me on Mount Calvary? If then they are not understood, they do nothing but put my work amid continuous contrasts, diverting my most beautiful designs.

In addition to this, my Wisdom is infinite, and when It sends some cross to a soul for her sanctification, It does not take that soul alone, but five, ten… as many as I please, so that not one alone, but all others together may be sanctified. In fact, on Calvary I was not alone; in addition to having a priest, I had a Mother, I had friends and also enemies, and on seeing the prodigy of my patience, many of them believed in Me as the God I was, and were converted. Had I been alone, would they have received these great goods? Certainly not.”

But who can say everything He told me, or explain the most minute meanings? I said this the best I could – the way I was able to say it in my roughness. I hope that the Lord will do the rest, by illuminating them so that they may comprehend what I have not been able to manifest well.

December 5, 1902
Luisa sees a woman crying over the state of the peoples, who asks her not to move from her state of victim.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus shared His pains with me, and as I was suffering I saw a woman crying her heart out, and saying: “The kings have joined together, and the peoples perish; and not seeing themselves being helped, protected, but rather, stripped, they get lost, and kings without peoples cannot exist. But what makes me cry the most is to see that the fortresses of Justice are missing, which are the victims – the only and sole support that holds Justice back in these times most sad. You at least – do you give me your word that you will not move from this state of victim?” I don’t know why, but I felt so resolute that I answered: “This word I cannot give – no. I will stay as long as the Lord wants it; but as soon as He tells me that the time for this penance is ended, I will not stay even for one minute more.’ On hearing my unshakable will, she cried more, almost wanting to move me to say yes with her crying. But, more than ever resolute, I said: ‘No, no.’ And, crying, she said: “So, there will be justice, chastisements, slaughters, with no sparing.” However, as I related this to the confessor, he told me that out of obedience I should withdraw my no.

December 7, 1902
France and Italy no longer recognize Jesus. Jesus suspends her from her state of victim, but she does not accept, and fights so that the law of divorce may not be formed.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself amid most thick darkness. In it there were thousands of people whom that darkness rendered blind, to the point that they themselves could not understand what they were doing. It seemed it was part of Italy and part of France. Oh, how many errors could be seen in France – worse than those of Italy! It seemed that they had lost their human reason, the primary endowment of man, which distinguishes him from the beasts. But he has become worse than the beasts themselves. Near this darkness one could see a lamp; I approached it and I found my loving Jesus, but so afflicted and indignant with those people that I trembled like a leaf, and I only said: ‘Lord, placate Yourself and let me suffer by pouring your indignation upon me.’ And He told me: “How can I placate Myself if they want to exclude Me from them, as if they were not a work created by Me? Don’t you see how France has driven Me away from herself, considering herself honored in no longer recognizing Me? And how Italy wants to follow France, as there are some who would give their souls to the devil in order to win that point of forming the law of divorce – after they tried so many times and were left crushed and confused? Instead of placating Myself and pouring my indignation upon you, I suspend you from the state of victim, because after my Justice has tried several times, using all of Its power so as not to give that chastisement wanted by man himself – and in spite of this, he still wants it – it is necessary for Justice to suspend one who holds It back, and to let the chastisement fall.” And I: ‘Lord, if You wanted to suspend me for other chastisements, I would easily have accepted, because it is right that the creature conform to your Holy Will in everything; but to accept it for this evil most grave… my soul cannot digest this suspension. Rather, invest me with your power and allow me to go into the midst of those people who want this.’ While saying this, I found myself with them; they seemed to be invested with diabolical forces, especially one of them, who seemed enraged. As though wanting to turn everything upside down, I spoke and spoke, but I could barely manage to cast a few glimmers of reason into him, making known to him the error they were committing. After this, I found myself inside myself, with sufferings extremely scarce.

December 8, 1902
The confessor uses the authority of the Church to keep Jesus crucified in Luisa and to crucify her with Him so as to prevent the law of divorce.

This morning my adorable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, today I want to keep you suspended without letting you suffer.” I began to fear and to lament to Him, and He added: “Do not fear, I will be with you. Rather, when you occupy the state of victim you are exposed to Justice, and in addition to the other sufferings, many times you have to suffer my very privation and obscurity – in sum, everything that man deserves because of his sins. But as I suspend your office of victim, everything I will show toward you will be mercy and love.”

I felt released [from my state], even though I could see my beloved Jesus, and I understood very well that it was not His coming that rendered the coming of the confessor necessary to make me come round, but rather, the sufferings that Jesus would send me. So, I am unable to say why, my soul felt a pain, while my nature felt great satisfaction, saying: ‘If nothing else, I will spare the confessor the sacrifice of having to come.’ But while I was thinking of this, I saw a priest clothed in white together with Our Lord; it seemed to me that he was the Pope, and the confessor was with him. They were praying Him to make me suffer so as to prevent the formation of this law of divorce, but Jesus would not pay attention to them. So, the confessor, heedless of the fact that he was not being given audience, with extraordinary impetus, to the point that it seemed it was not him, took Jesus Christ in his arms and, by force, cast Him inside of me, saying: “You will remain crucified within her, crucifying her, but this law of divorce we do not want.” Jesus remained as though bound inside of me, crucified by such command, and I felt, bitterly, the pains of the cross. Then He said: “Daughter, it is the Church that wants it, and her authority, united to the power of prayer, binds Me.”

December 9, 1902
Luisa is crucified with Jesus. The danger of the law of divorce.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself together with Jesus Christ, as though nailed with Him; and since I suffered, I was silent. In the meantime I saw the confessor with my guardian Angel, and the confessor said to him: “This poor one is in great suffering, to the point that she cannot speak. Give her a little bit of respite, for when two lovers pour out together what they have in their interior, they end up conceding what they want to each other.” So I felt my sufferings being mitigated, and first I told Jesus about certain needs of father, praying Him to make him all of God, because when one becomes so, God can find no difficulty in conceding to him what he wants, because he will not be able to seek anything but what pleases God. Then I said: “Lord, what about this law of divorce – will men come to make it in Italy? And He: “My daughter, the danger exists, unless some Chinese thunderbolt comes to prevent their intent.” And I: ‘Lord, what? Is this perhaps someone from China who, maybe, when they are about to do it, will take some thunderbolt and will cast it into their midst to kill them, in such a way that, frightened, they will flee?’ And Jesus: “When you do not understand, it is better if you keep silent.” I was left confused and did not dare to speak any more, without understanding the meaning. However, my guardian Angel was saying to the confessor, in addition to the intention of the cross, united to that of having Him pour: “If you obtain this, you will win this point, and they will not be able to do it.”

December 15, 1902
Luisa remains crucified with Jesus. Man is about to be crushed by the weight of Divine Justice.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and I found my adorable Jesus, cast to the ground, crucified, everyone trampling upon Him. In order to prevent them from doing this, I laid myself upon Him so as to receive upon myself what they were doing to Our Lord; and while I was in that position, I said: ‘Lord, what is it to You to allow those very nails that pierce You to pierce me as well?’ At that moment I found myself nailed with the very nails that pierced blessed Jesus – He underneath, and I on top. In that position we found ourselves in the midst of those men who want divorce, and Jesus was sending them many rays of light produced by the sufferings that He and I were suffering, and they remained dazzled and confused. I also understood that if the Lord will please to let me continue to suffer, when they come to do that, they will be humiliated and will not be able to conclude anything. After this, He disappeared, and I remained alone, suffering. Then He came back again, but He was not crucified; He threw Himself into my arms, but He was so heavy that my poor arms could not hold Him, and I was about to let Him fall to the ground. Seeing that, as much as I did and tried, I could not hold that weight, my pain was such that I felt myself crying my heart out; and He, seeing the certain danger of falling, and also my crying – cried along. What a harrowing scene!

Then, forcing myself up, I kissed Him on His face; He too kissed me, and I said to Him: ‘My life and strength, by myself I am weak and can do nothing, but with You I can do everything. Therefore, strengthen my weakness by infusing your very strength in me, and I will be able to carry the weight of your person – the only way to be able to spare each other this sorrow; for me, of letting You fall, and for You, of suffering the fall.’

On hearing this, Jesus told me: “My daughter, don’t you comprehend the meaning of my heaviness? Know that it is the enormous weight of Justice which I can bear no more, nor can you hold; and man is about to be crushed by the weight of Divine Justice.” On hearing this, I cried, and He, almost to distract me, since before He came I had a strong fear that I might not be able to obey with regard to certain things, He added: “And you, my beloved, why do you so much fear that I may not let you obey? Don’t you know that when I draw, unite and identify a soul with Me, communicating my secrets to her, the first key I place, which produces the most beautiful sound and communicates the sound to all other keys, is the key of obedience? So much so, that if the other keys are not in communication with the first key, they will sound in a discordant way, which can never be pleasant to my hearing. Therefore, do not fear; besides, it will not be you, but I Myself will obey in you, and since it will be up to Me to obey, let Me do it, without being concerned, for I alone know well what must be done and how to make Myself known.” Having said this, He disappeared, and I found myself inside myself. May the Lord be always blessed.

December 17, 1902
In order to be a victim, permanent union with Jesus is necessary.

This morning, when my adorable Jesus came, I was praying Him to placate Himself, saying to Him: ‘Lord, if I cannot sustain the weight of your Justice by myself, there are so many good souls among whom it can be divided, a little bit each, so that it might be easier to bear the weight, and people might be spared.’ And He: “And you, my daughter, don’t know that so that my Justice may unload the weight of someone else’s chastisement upon some soul, she must be in possession of permanent union with Me, in such a way that everything she does, suffers, intercedes for and obtains, is given to her by virtue of the union with Me established within her, as the soul does nothing but lay down her will, unifying it with Mine? Nor could my Justice do this without first giving the soul the necessary graces to be able to suffer for the sake of someone else.” And I: ‘But how can union with You be permanent in me? I see myself so bad!’ And He, interrupting my speaking, added: “Silly one, what are you saying? Don’t you feel Me continuously within yourself? Don’t you perceive the sensible movements I make in your interior, and the continuous prayer that rises within your interior, as you cannot do otherwise? Is this perhaps you, or I who dwell within you? At the most, sometimes you do not see Me, but in no way does this mean that union with Me is not permanent in you.” I remained confused and did not know what to answer.

December 18, 1902
Jesus again takes her to suffer with Him in order to conquer those who want divorce.

As soon as I found myself in my usual state, blessed Jesus came, but in so much suffering as to arouse compassion. Then, all afflicted, He told me: “My daughter, come again to suffer with Me in order to conquer the obstinacy of those who want divorce. Let us try once more. You will always be ready to suffer what I want, won’t you? Do you give Me your consent?” And I: ‘Yes, Lord, do whatever You want.” As soon as I said yes, blessed Jesus laid Himself within me as crucified, and since my nature was smaller than His, He stretched me so much as to make me reach His very person. Then He poured – very little, yes, but so bitter and full of sufferings, that not only did I feel the nails at the places of the crucifixion, but I felt my whole body as pierced by many nails, in such a way that I felt all of myself being crushed. He left me in that position for a little while, and I found myself in the midst of demons who, on seeing me suffer like that, said: “In the end this damn one is going to win again, so that we don’t make the law of divorce. Curse your existence – you try to harm us and to disperse our businesses by ruining our many toils, rendering them vain. But we’ll make you pay for this – we will move bishops, priests and people against you, so that next time we’ll make you drop this whim of accepting sufferings.” And while saying this, they sent me whirls of flames and smoke. I felt myself in so much suffering that I could not understand myself. Blessed Jesus came back; at the sight of Him the demons fled, and, again, He renewed in me the same sufferings – but more intense than before. He repeated this two more times, but even though I was almost constantly with Jesus, I would not say anything to Him because I was as though compressed by strong sufferings. Only He would say to me from time to time: “My daughter, it is necessary that you suffer for now. Have patience – do you not want to take care of my interests as if they were your own?” And He would sustain me in His arms, for my nature could not bear alone the weight of those sufferings.

Then He said to me: “Beloved, do you want to see the evil that occurred during those days in which I kept you suspended from this state?” At that moment, I don’t know how, I saw Justice. I could see It as full of light, of grace, of chastisements and of darkness, and as many days as I had been suspended, so many were the streams of darkness that descended upon earth. Those who want to do evil and speak evil had become even more blind and had acquired strength to carry it out, turning against the Church and against sacred people. I was surprised, and Jesus told me: “You thought it was nothing, so much so, that you would not bother about it – but it was not so. Have you seen how much evil came about, and how much strength the enemies acquired, to the point of managing to do what they had not been able to do during the time in which I had continuously kept you in this state?” After this, He disappeared.

December 24, 1902
Jesus tests her so as to ignite in her more the desire to suffer for love of Him . The value of true knowledge of self.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and I found Our Lord, who had a cross near Him, which was all braided with thorns. He took it and placed it upon my shoulders, commanding me to carry it into the midst of a multitude of people, to give proof of His Mercy and to placate Divine Justice. It was so heavy that I carried it bent over and almost dragging myself. While I was carrying it, Jesus disappeared, and as I reached a certain place, the one who was guiding me told me: “Leave the cross and remove your clothes, for Our Lord is coming back and He must find you ready for the crucifixion.” I removed my clothes but I kept them in my hands because of the embarrassment my nature felt; and I said to myself: ‘I will drop them as soon as He comes.’ At that moment He came back, and finding me with my clothes in my hands, told me: “You have not even let yourself be found completely stripped so that I might crucify you immediately. Well then, we will leave it for another time.” I remained confused and afflicted, unable to articulate a word, and Jesus, to console me, took me by the hand and told me: “Tell Me, what do you want Me to give you?’ And I: ‘Lord, suffering.’ And He: “And what else?” And I: ‘I can ask of You nothing but suffering.’ And Jesus: “And what about love – don’t you want some?’ And I: ‘No, suffering, because in giving me suffering you will give me more love. I know this out of experience – that in order to obtain graces, the strongest love and all of You, these cannot be obtained but through suffering; and in order to earn all your sympathies, delights and satisfactions, the only and sole means is to suffer for love of You.’ And He: “My beloved, I wanted to test you so as to ignite in you more the desire to suffer for love of Me.”

After this, I saw people who believed themselves to be something greater than others; and blessed Jesus said: “My daughter, one who believes himself to be something before Me and before men, is worth nothing. One who believes himself to be nothing is worth everything – first, before Me, because if he does something, he does not think he does it because he can do it, having the strength and the capacity, but rather, because he receives from God the grace, the helps and the lights; therefore it can be said that he does it by virtue of divine power, and one who has divine power with him is already worth everything. Second, before men, because this acting by virtue of divine power makes him operate in a completely different way, and he does nothing but send forth the light of the divine power he contains within himself, in such a way that the most perverted ones, without wanting it, feel the strength of this light and submit to his volition; and here is how he is worth everything also before men. On the contrary, one who believes himself to be something, in addition to being worth nothing, is abominable to my presence, and because of his ostentatious and particular manners – for he believes he is something and makes fun of others – men keep him pointed out as an object of derision and of persecution.”

December 26, 1902
Calumnies, persecutions and contrasts serve to justify man.

As I was in my usual state, I felt all oppressed and with a fear of receiving persecutions, contrasts, calumnies – not only to myself, for I do not care about myself because I am a poor creature who is worth nothing, but to the confessor and other priests. So I felt my heart crushed by this weight, unable to find respite. In the meantime my adorable Jesus came, telling me: “My daughter, why be disturbed and restless, and waste time with this? As for your things, there is nothing there, and besides, everything is divine providence that allows calumnies, persecutions and contrasts in order to justify man and to make him come back to union with his Creator, one on one, without human support, just as he came out when he was created. As good and holy as a man may be, he always keeps something of the human spirit in his interior; and also in his exterior he is not perfectly free, he always keeps something human for which he hopes, on which he relies and leans, and through which he wants to obtain esteem and respect. But, let the wind of calumnies, persecutions and contrasts come about a little bit… Oh, what a devastating hail the human spirit receives! In fact, seeing himself opposed, unpopular, despised by creatures, man no longer finds satisfaction among them. On the contrary, helps, supports, trust and esteem fail him all together, and if before he used to go in search of them, afterwards he himself shuns them, because wherever he turns he finds nothing but bitternesses and thorns. So, reduced to this state, he remains alone. But man cannot be, nor is he made to be alone. What will the poor little one do? He will turn to his center, God, completely and without the slightest hindrance; God will give Himself completely to him, and man will give himself completely to God, applying his intellect to knowing Him, his memory to remembering God and His benefits, his will to loving Him. And so, my daughter, here is man justified, sanctified, and the purpose for which he was created restored within his soul. And even if later on he has to deal with creatures and he sees helps, supports and esteem being offered to him, he receives them with indifference, knowing what they are from his experience; and if he makes use of them, he does it only when he sees the honor and the glory of God – but what remains is always God and himself alone.

December 30, 1902
One act contrary to the Divine Will is sufficient to destroy the work of Jesus in the soul

As I was in my usual state, I seemed to see the Most Holy Trinity, as if They wanted to resolve what They should do with the world, and I was in Their midst. It seemed that They were saying: “If most fierce scourges are not sent to the world, everything is over for it concerning religion, and they will become worse than barbarians themselves.” And while They were saying this, it seemed that wars of every kind, earthquakes destroying entire cities and diseases were coming down upon earth. On seeing this, all trembling, I said: ‘Supreme Majesty, forgive the human ingratitude; now more than ever the heart of man has rebelled, but if man sees himself being mortified he will rebel even more, adding outrages upon outrages against your Majesty.’ And a voice coming from Their midst said: “Man can rebel when he is merely mortified, but when he is destroyed his rebellion ceases. Here We speak not of mortification, but of destruction.”

After this, They disappeared, but who can say how I was left? More so, since I felt as though a disposition for wanting to go out of this state of suffering, and a will not perfectly conformed to the Divine Volition. I could see with clarity that the ugliest offense that the creature can give to the Creator is to oppose His Most Holy Will. I felt pain for this, and I greatly feared I might be doing an act contrary to His Will; but in spite of this I could not quiet myself. Then, after I struggled very much, my adorable Jesus came back and told me: “My daughter, many times I delight in choosing souls, surrounding them with divine fortitude in such a way that no enemy may enter into them. I establish in them my perpetual dwelling, and in this residence of mine I lower Myself, one could say, to the most minute services; I clean her up, I pull out all thorns from her, I destroy all the evil that the human nature has produced in her, and I plant in her all the beautiful and good things that can be found in Me, to the extent of forming the most beautiful garden of my delights, to be used at my pleasure and according to the circumstances of my glory and of the good of others; so much so, that it can be said that she no longer has anything of her own, but serves only as my dwelling. Now, do you know what it takes to destroy all this? One act contrary to my Will; and if you oppose my Will you will do all this.” And I: ‘Lord, I fear that my superiors may give me the obedience of the other time.’ And He: “This is not your business; I Myself will deal with them, but your will is not present here.” In spite of this I could not calm down, and I kept repeating in my interior: “What a dismal change has taken place in me! Who has separated my will from the Will of my God, which seemed to be one?’

December 31, 1902
The victim soul is greatly loved by Jesus, but sometimes is nauseating to Him, because her exterior appears before Divine Justice as covered with the sins of others.

Continuing to be with a fear that I might oppose the Will of my adorable Jesus, I was feeling all oppressed and distressed, and I prayed Him to free me, saying: ‘Lord, have pity on me; don’t You see the danger I am in? How is it possible that I, most wretched little worm, dare so much as to feel myself opposed to your Holy Will? And besides, what good can I possibly find, and into what abyss will I plunge myself if I am separated from your Will?” While I was saying this, blessed Jesus moved in my interior, and through a light that He sent me, He seemed to say to me: “You never understand anything – this state is state of victim. When they offered you as victim for Corato, you accepted. Now, what is the evil present in Corato? Is there perhaps not rebellion of the creature against the Creator, between priests and secular, and among parties? Now, your unwanted state of rebellion, your fear, your pains, are an expiatory state, and this state of expiation I Myself suffered in Gethsemani, as I reached the point of saying: ‘If it is possible, let this chalice pass from Me; yet, not my will but Yours be done’ – while I had so much yearned for it during the whole course of my life, to the point of feeling consumed.”

On hearing this, it seemed I regained tranquillity and strength, and I prayed Him to pour His bitternesses into me. I drew close to His mouth, but as much as I sucked up, nothing would come out; only a most bitter breath that embittered my whole interior. So, seeing that He was not pouring anything, I said: ‘Lord, You don’t love me any more; bitternesses You do not want to pour – pour your sweetnesses at least.’ And He: “Quite the opposite, I love you more; and if you were able to enter into my interior, you would see with clarity, in all of my parts, distinct love toward you. Sometimes I love you so much that I reach the point of loving you as much as I love Myself, although some other times I cannot look at you and you are nauseating to Me.” What a thunderbolt these last words were for my poor heart! To think that I was not always loved by my loving Jesus, and that I reached the point of being an abominable soul… Had He not Himself run to explain to me the meaning of this, I could not have survived. So He added: “Poor daughter, is this very hard for you? You have encountered my same lot. I was always Who I was, one with the Sacrosanct Trinity, and We loved One Another with eternal, indissoluble love. Yet, as victim, covered with all the iniquities of men, my exterior was abominable before the Divinity, so much so, that Divine Justice spared no part of Me, rendering Itself inexorable to the point of abandoning Me. You are always who you are with Me, but since you occupy the state of victim, your exterior appears before Divine Justice as covered with the sins of others. This is why I spoke those words to you. You, however, calm yourself, because I love you always.” Having said this, He disappeared. It seems that this time blessed Jesus wants to make me upset, though He immediately gives me peace. May He be always blessed and thanked.

January 5, 1903
Freedom is necessary in order to recognize the good and the evil.

This morning I felt almost free of sufferings. I myself did not know what to do, when I felt I was outside of myself and I saw people from our country who, in addition to the words and the calumnies they had spoken, were plotting to come to deeds. In the meantime I saw blessed Jesus and I said: ‘Lord, You give too much liberty to these infernal men. Up until now it has been about infernal words, but now they want to reach the point of laying hands on your ministers. Bind them, and have compassion on them, and, at the same time, defend those who belong to You.’ And He: “Daughter, this freedom is necessary in order to recognize the good and the evil. Know, however, that I am tired of man – so tired that I share it with you. In fact, when you feel that tiredness of this state of victim, and almost the will to go out of it, this comes to you from Me; and I warn you to be attentive not to put your will in, for I am looking for the will of the creature to lean on it and chastise the rebels. But, let us try – again I will make you suffer, and they will be left without strength and will not be able to do anything of what they want.” Who can say what I suffered and how many times He renewed my crucifixion! And while doing this, raising His hand toward Heaven, He told me: “My daughter, I did not make man for the earth, but for Heaven; his mind, his heart, and everything that his interior contains were to exist in Heaven. Had he done this, he would have received the influence of the Most Holy Trinity within his three powers, and It would have been copied within himself; but since he occupies himself with earth, he receives mud, rot and the whole bilge of vices that the earth contains.”

January 7, 1903
Jesus reproduces in Luisa the very sufferings He suffered in His Humanity, and with the same power and effects.

Continuing in my usual state, I was thinking: ‘How is it possible, how can it be true, that because of a few sufferings of mine the Lord would suspend chastisements and debilitate the human strengths so that they may not start revolutions and form iniquitous laws? Besides, who am I to earn all this with a few sufferings? While I was thinking of this, blessed Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, neither you nor the one who directs you have comprehended your state. Indeed, in your state of sufferings you disappear completely, and I alone, not mystically, but in living flesh, reproduce the very sufferings which my Humanity suffered. Was it perhaps not my sufferings that debilitated demons, enlightened blinded minds, and, in a word, formed the Redemption of man? And if they could do this at that time in my Humanity, can they perhaps not do it now in yours? If a king went to live in a little hovel, and from there he dispensed graces, help and coins, he would continue his office of king. If anyone would not believe this, one would say that he is foolish. If that is a king, he can do good in the little hovel as much as in the palace; or rather, one admires his goodness more, because, king as he is, he does not disdain to live in little hovels and miserable huts. Such is your case.” I comprehended all this with clarity, and I said: ‘My Lord, everything You say is fine, but the whole difficulty of my state is in the coming of the priest.’ And He: “My daughter, even if a king lived in little hovels, because of circumstances, necessity and his very status of king it is appropriate for his ministers never to leave him alone, but to keep him company, serving him and obeying him in whatever he wants.” I was left so convinced that I did not know what else to say.

January 9, 1903
Everything is written in the hearts of those who believe, hope and love.

This morning I was feeling all oppressed, and since Monsignor had come to visit me, saying that he was not sure that it was Jesus Christ who operated in me, when blessed Jesus came, He told me: “My daughter, in order to comprehend a subject well it takes belief, because without belief everything is dark in the human intellect. On the other hand, the mere believing turns on a light in the mind, and by means of this light one can recognize with clarity truth and falsehood, when it is grace that operates, when it is nature, and when the devil. See, the Gospel is known to all, but who comprehends the meaning of my words, and the truths contained in It? Who keeps them in his heart and makes of them a treasure with which to purchase the eternal kingdom? One who believes. As for all others, not only do they not understand a thing, but they use my words to mock them and to make fun of the holiest things. So, it can be said that everything is written in the hearts of those who believe, hope and love, while nothing is written for everyone else. The same with you: one who has a little bit of belief sees things with clarity and finds the truth; one who does not, sees things as all confused.”

January 10, 1903
The most pleasing and consoling words for the sweet Mama: ‘Dominus Tecum’.

This morning, after I struggled very much, the Queen Mother came with the Baby in Her arms, and She gave Him to me, telling me to keep Him courted with continuous acts of love. I did as much as I could, and while I was doing this, Jesus told me: “My beloved, the most pleasing and most consoling words for my Mother are: ‘Dominus Tecum’ [‘The Lord is with Thee’]. In fact, as soon as they were pronounced by the Archangel, She felt the whole of the Divine Being being communicated to Her, and therefore She felt invested with divine Power, in such a way that, in the face of the divine Power, Her own dissolved; and so my Mother remained with the divine Power in Her hands.”

January 11, 1903
She sees Monsignor fighting for the sake of religion.

As the confessor had told me to pray according to the intention of Monsignor, finding myself outside of myself, I could see that it did not regard Monsignor, but other people. Among them I could see a very good lady, but all consternated and crying; and Monsignor, beneath the arms of a Cross with Christ crucified on It, defending It. He was going to have the occasion to fight for the sake of religion. And I saw blessed Jesus saying: “I will confuse them.”

January 13, 1903
Luisa sees the Most Holy Trinity. The evil of adulations.

As I was in my usual state, I seemed to see the Most Holy Trinity. They were looking at One Another, and in those gazes Their beauty was so great that They would remain ecstatic at the mere gazing upon One Another. In this state They overflowed with love, and were as though stirred by that love, to then become more intensely ecstatic. So, all of Their good and delight was comprised within Themselves, and the whole of Their eternal life, beatitude and exercise, was enclosed in this word alone: ‘Love’. And the whole beatitude of the Saints was formed by this perfect operating of the Most Holy Trinity. While I was seeing this, the Son assumed the form of the Crucified, and coming out from Their midst, He came to me, sharing with me the pains of the crucifixion. And while remaining with Me, He brought Himself once again into Their midst, and offered His sufferings and mine, satisfying for the love that all creatures owed Them. Who can say Their delight, and how satisfied They were by the offering of the Son! It seemed that, since in creating the creatures nothing had come out of Their interior but contained flames of love; so much so, that in order to give vent to this love They began to create many other images of Themselves – only when They receive what They have given, are They then satisfied – that is, love They gave, love They want. So, the most awful affront is to not love Them. Yet, Oh God, three times holy, who is there that loves You?

After this, They disappeared; but who can say what I understood? My mind got lost, and my tongue is unable to articulate a word. Then, after a little while, blessed Jesus came back with His face covered with spit and with mud, and He said to me: “My daughter, praises, adulations, are spit and mud that dirty and smear the soul, and blind her mind, so as to prevent her from knowing who she really is, especially if they do not start from the truth. In fact, if they start from the truth and the person is worthy of praises, knowing the truth she will give the glory to Me; but if they start from falsehood, they drive the soul to such excess that she will confirm herself more in evil.”

January 31, 1903
Effects of the crown of thorns of Jesus.

After much struggling, I saw blessed Jesus in my interior for just a little, wearing a crown of thorns. I began to look at Him and to compassionate Him, and He told me: “My daughter, I wanted to suffer these thorns in my head not only to expiate all the sins of thought, but to unite the divine intelligence to the human. In fact, the divine intelligence was as though dispersed in the human minds, and my thorns called it from Heaven and grafted it once again. Not only this, but for those who were to manifest divine things I obtained help, strength and elucidation so that they might make them known to others.”

February 1, 1903
A Protestant Church is opened in Corato. The Queen Mother reproaches Luisa.

As I was in my usual state, I was feeling very afflicted, especially because my confessor had told me that this morning a Protestant Church would be opened in Corato, and that I should pray the Lord to make something happen that would confuse them, at the cost of any suffering of mine. But, seeing that the Lord was not coming and therefore I did not feel great sufferings – the only means to obtain these kinds of graces – I felt a most great affliction. Then, after I struggled a lot, blessed Jesus came, and I saw the confessor insisting very much, and praying that I might suffer. So it seemed that He shared with me the pains of the cross, and then He told me: “My daughter, I have made you suffer, forced by the priestly authority, and I will permit that those who go there, instead of being convinced by what the Protestants say, will make fun of them. However, since the chastisement swooped down on Corato in those days in which I kept you suspended from the state of victim, it must now have its course; and if you continue to suffer, I will dispose the hearts in such a way that, at the appropriate time, I will make use of some occasion to have them remain completely confused and destroyed.”

Then, afterwards, the Queen Mother came, as if She wanted to use a trait of Justice with me; She reproached me bitterly for any thought or word especially when, seeing myself with very few sufferings, I say that it is no longer Will of God, and therefore I want to go out of this state. Who can say with what rigor She reproached me, telling me: “If the Lord permits that you be suspended for a few days, this can be; but the fact that you yourself dispose yourself to do it, this is intolerable before God, as you almost come to dictate the laws on how He should keep you.” I felt the strength of rigor so much, that I was about to faint, to the point that blessed Jesus, having compassion for me, sustained me in His arms.

February 9, 1903
The goods that the Catholic Church possesses, and what is lacking to the Protestants.

This morning, finding myself in my usual state, I saw the confessor with another holy priest, who was saying: “Banish any thought that your position might not be Will of God.” Then he began to speak about these Protestants of Corato whom they talk about; and he said: “They will do little or nothing, because the Protestants do not have the bait of truth in order to catch the hearts, as does the Catholic Church. They lack the boat of true virtue to be able to place them in safety; they are without sails, oars, anchor, which are the examples and teachings of Jesus Christ. They reach the point of having neither a bread to satisfy their hunger, nor water to quench their thirst and wash themselves, which are the Sacraments; and what’s more, they even lack the sea of grace to be able to go in search of souls to be caught. So, since all this is lacking, what progress can they possibly make?” And he said many other things which I don’t know how to repeat well.

After this, my lovable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, one who loves Me fixes himself before the Divine center, but one who is resigned and does my Divine Will in everything, possesses the center of the Divinity within himself.” And He disappeared like a flash. A little later He came back; I was thanking Him for Creation, for Redemption and for so many other benefits, and He added: “In Creation I formed the material world, and in Redemption I formed the spiritual world.”

February 22, 1903
Sin is poison; sorrow is counterpoison.

As I was in my usual state, I saw my adorable Jesus for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, sin offends God and wounds man, and since it was committed by man, and God was offended, in order for Him to receive full satisfaction, a Man and a God was needed to satisfy for it. The thirty years or so of my mortal life satisfied for the three ages of the world, for the three different states of law: natural, written, and of grace – and for the three different ages of each man: adolescence, youth and old age. I satisfied, earned and impetrated for all, and my Humanity serves as the staircase in order to ascend to Heaven. But if man does not go up this staircase through the exercise of his own virtues, in vain does he try to ascend, and he will render my works useless for himself.”

On hearing sin being mentioned, I said: ‘Lord, tell me a little bit: why are You so pleased when a soul feels sorrow for having offended You?’ And He: “Sin is a poison that poisons the soul completely and renders her so disfigured as to make my image disappear from within her; sorrow destroys this poison and restores my image in her. True sorrow is a counterpoison, and since sorrow destroys the poison, it forms a void in the soul, and this void is filled by my grace. This is why I am pleased – I see the work of my Redemption risen again by means of sorrow.”

February 23, 1903
Men do not want Jesus Christ as their head. The Church will always be Church.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself near a garden which seemed to be the Church. Near it there seemed to be people plotting an attack against the Church and the Pope, and in their midst there was Our Lord, crucified, but without a head. Who can say how painful, how horrifying it was to see His Most Holy Body in that state! I comprehended how men do not want Jesus Christ as their head, and since the Church represents Him on this earth, they try to destroy what stands in His place.

Then I found myself in another place in which I found other people who were asking me: “What do you say about the Church?” And I, feeling a light within my mind, said: ‘The Church will always be Church. At the most, She might be washed in Her own blood, but this bath will render Her more beautiful and glorious.’ On hearing this, they said: “This is false – let us call our god and let us see what he says.” So a man came out who surpassed everyone in height, with a crown on his head, and he said: “The Church will be destroyed, there will be no more public services – at the most, some hidden ones; and the Madonna will no longer be recognized.” On hearing this, I said: ‘And who are you to dare to say this? Aren’t you perhaps that serpent condemned by God to crawl on the earth? And now you are so daring as to make yourself believed a king, deceiving people? I command you to let yourself be known for what you are.’ While I was saying this, from tall he became very, very short; he assumed the shape of a serpent, and making a flash, he plunged himself down deep. Then I found myself inside myself.

March 5, 1903
The crosses of loss of illusion.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself together with blessed Jesus, who was carrying a bundle of crosses and of thorns in His arms, all tired and weary. On seeing Him in that state, I said: ‘Lord, why weary Yourself so much with this bundle in your arms?’ And He: “My daughter, these are the crosses of the loss of illusion, which I keep always ready to disillusion the creatures.” As He was saying this, we found ourselves in the midst of people, and as soon as blessed Jesus would see that someone would become attached to creatures, He would take the cross of persecution from that bundle and would give it to him; and that person, seeing himself persecuted, unpopular, would be disillusioned and would comprehend that those were the creatures, and that God alone deserves to be loved. If someone would become attached to riches, He would take from that bundle the cross of poverty and would give it to him; and that person, seeing that riches had vanished away from him and he was now poor, would comprehend that everything down here is smoke, and that true riches are eternal, and so he would attach his heart to everything that is eternal. If someone else would become bound to his self-esteem, to knowledge, blessed Jesus, with all sweetness, would take the cross of slanders and of confusions and would give it to him; and that person, confused and slandered, would remove as though a mask from himself and comprehend his own nothingness, his being, and would order his whole interior in the order of God, and no longer of himself. And so on with all the other crosses.

After this, my adorable Jesus told me: “Have you seen the reason why I have this bundle of crosses in my arms? It is my love for creatures that forces Me to keep it, remaining in continuous attitude for them. In fact, the cross is the primary disillusion and the first thing that judges the works of creatures, in such a way that if the creature surrenders, the cross will make him avoid the judgment of God, as I am satisfied when one submits to the judgment of the cross during his life. If then he does not surrender, he will find himself in the sphere of the second judgment at his death, and will be judged with much more severe rigor by God; more so, since he has shunned the judgment of the cross, which is a judgment all of love.” After this He disappeared, and I also comprehended that it is true that Jesus loves the cross, but many times it is man himself that incites and provokes Jesus to give him the cross. In fact, if man were ordered, in order with God, with himself and with creatures, not seeing any disorder in him, the Lord would remain at peace and would give him peace.

March 6, 1903
The meaning of the words: ‘Ecce Homo’.

After I had struggled very much, blessed Jesus made Himself seen within my interior, telling me: “Shall we go see whether creatures want Me?” And I: ‘Surely they must want You, because You are the most lovable Being. Who would have the daring of not wanting You?’ And He: “Let us go, and then you will see what they do.” So we went, and as we arrived at a place in which there were many people, His head came out from within my interior and He said those words which Pilate spoke when he showed Him to the people: ‘Ecce Homo’ [‘Here is the Man’]. I understood that the meaning of those words was to ask them whether they wanted the Lord to reign as their King, and to have dominion in their hearts, minds and works. And they answered: “Take Him away, we do not want Him; or rather, crucify Him, so that every memory of Him may be destroyed.” Oh, how many times these scenes are repeated!

So the Lord said to everyone: “Ecce Homo”. As He said it, a murmuring – a confusion arose. Some were saying: “I do not want Him as my King – I want riches”; another, “pleasure”; another, “honor”; some, “dignities”; and some, many other things. I listened to those voices with horror, and the Lord told me: “Have you seen how no one wants Me? Yet, this is nothing; let us turn to the religious class, and let us see whether they want Me.” So I found myself in the midst of priests, bishops, religious women and devout ones, and with sonorous voice, Jesus repeated: “Ecce Homo”. And they said: “We want Him, but we also want our comfort.” Others: “We want Him, but together with our own interest.” Others answered: “We want Him, but together with esteem and honor.” …What does a religious do with esteem? Others replied: “We want Him, but together with some satisfaction from creatures – how can one live alone and without anyone that satisfies us?” Some wanted satisfaction at least in the Sacrament of Confession, but almost no one wanted Him alone, nor was someone lacking who did not care about Jesus Christ at all. So, all afflicted, He told me: “My daughter, let us withdraw; have you seen how no one wants Me? Or at the most, they want Me together with something that pleases them. I am not content with this, because true reigning is when one reigns alone.” As He was saying this, I found myself inside myself.

March 9, 1903
Jesus speaks about humility and about correspondence to grace.

Continuing in my usual state, I could hear blessed Jesus praying in my interior, saying: “Holy Father, glorify your Name; confuse the proud and hide Yourself from them, and manifest Yourself to the humble, because only one who is humble recognizes You as his Creator, and recognizes himself as your creature.” Having said this, He no longer let Himself be heard, though I comprehended the power of humility before God. It seemed to me that God has no restraint in entrusting the most precious treasures to the humble; on the contrary, everything is open for them, nothing is under lock and key. All the opposite for the proud; even more, it seems that He puts a cord around their feet to confuse them at each step.

Then, a little later, He made Himself seen again, and told me: “My daughter, one can know whether a body is alive from its continuous internal heat. It can also be warmed through some external heat, but since this heat does not come from true life, the body quickly cools down again. The same with the soul: it can be known whether she is alive to grace, whether her internal life is alive in operating, in loving Me, if she feels the strength of my very life within hers. If then it is because of some external cause that she warms up, does some good and then cools down again, returning to vices and committing the usual weaknesses, there is great certainty that she is dead to grace, or is at the last extremes of life. In this way one can know whether it is truly I who go to the soul: if she feels my grace in her interior, and all of her good is founded within her interior. If then it is all external and she perceives nothing good in her interior, it can be the work of the devil.” While saying this, He disappeared; but after a little while He came back and added: “My daughter, how terrible it can be for those souls who have been much fecundated by my grace, but have not corresponded to it. The Jewish nation was the favorite one, the most fecundated, and yet, the most sterile; and the whole of my Person could not obtain that fruit which Paul obtained in other nations, less fecundated, but more corresponding. In fact, lack of correspondence to grace blinds the soul, it makes her deceive herself, and disposes her to obstinacy, even in the face of any miracle.”

March 12, 1903
The sacrifice of Jesus continues in His Eucharist Life in which He exercises continuous pressure on the Father for the sake of mankind. A soul who is victim with Him must also put this continuous pressure on Him.

As I was in my usual state, I saw myself as all alone and abandoned. Then, after I struggled very much, He made Himself seen in my interior, and I said to Him: ‘My sweet life, how is it that You have left me alone? When You put me in this state everything was union, we arranged everything together, and with sweet force You drew me completely to Yourself. Oh, how the scene has changed! Not only have You abandoned me, not only do You not put any pressure on me to keep me in this state, but I myself am forced to put continuous pressure on You so as not to go out of this position, and this pressing You is a continuous dying for me.’ And He told me: “My daughter, the same happened when in the consistory of the Sacrosanct Trinity the mystery of the Incarnation was decreed in order to save mankind, and I, united with Their Will, accepted and offered Myself as victim for man: everything was union among Them, and We arranged everything together, but when I set to work, a point came – especially when I found Myself in the sphere of pains, of opprobrium, loaded down with all the wicked deeds of creatures – in which I remained alone and abandoned by all, even by my dear Father. Not only this, but loaded down as I was with all pains, I had to press the Omnipotent One to accept and to let Me continue my sacrifice for the salvation of the whole of mankind, present and future. And I obtained this; and the sacrifice is still lasting, the pressure is continuous, though it is all a pressure of love – do you want to know where and how? In the Sacrament of the Eucharist. In It the sacrifice is continuous; perpetual is the pressure I put on the Father to use mercy upon creatures; and on souls, in order to obtain their love; and I find Myself in a continuous contrast, dying continuously – though all deaths of love. So, aren’t you happy that I let you participate in the periods of my very life?”

March 18, 1903
One who does the Will of God chooses the optimum.

This morning, as the confessor asked me whether I felt the desire to suffer, I answered him: ‘Yes’. But I felt more tranquil and enjoyed more peace and contentment when I wanted nothing but what God wants – therefore I wanted to stop in It. Then, afterwards, when blessed Jesus came, He told me: “My daughter, you have chosen the optimum, because one who is always in my Will binds Me in such a way as to make a continuous virtue come out of Me which keeps her in continuous attitude toward Me; so much so, that she forms my food, and I hers. On the other hand, even if the soul did great, holy and good things, since it is not virtue that came out of Me, it cannot be an enjoyable food for Me, because I do not recognize it as a work of my Will.”

Deo gratias.

[1] Understanding of “Divine Will” and “Divine Volition”:

The word «Will» translates from the Italian «Volontà». We know from the Writings of Luisa that the Will of God is the boundless «container» which contains all the Acts of God, and that the Will of God and the Acts of God possess the same qualities as the Nature of God – they are Infinite, Omnipotent, Eternal, as God is.

The word «Volition» translates from the Italian «Volere». This word indicates the «will in act».

This distinction could be relevant in the case of a human will and of human acts, which are finite and limited (as they possess the same qualities as the human nature), therefore they have a beginning and an end; so we could distinguish between whether they are in act, or not. But when we speak about “Will of God” and “Volition of God”, the distinction does not exist. In fact, the Will of God is, yes, the “boundless container” of all the Acts of God, but we know that the Acts of God are always in act, always present, and therefore there is no distinction between whether these Acts are in act, or not – the Acts of God are simply always and eternally in act.

Therefore, though there may be a semantic difference between the words “will” and “volition”, when referring to God any actual distinction disappears, because in God, «Will» and «Will in act» (Volition) are exactly the same. So, when we find the two words in the Writings of Luisa, we can interpret them in the same way. Just as in Italian, “Divina Volontà” and “Divino Volere” are used interchangeably and mean exactly the same, so do “Divine Will” and “Divine Volition”.

[2] See footnote 1

[3] Ref. Matthew 8,4; Mark 1,44; Luke 5,14.

VOLUME 5

J.M.J.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, come to my help, bind this rebellious will of mine that always wants to be recalcitrant against holy obedience. It puts me into such constraint, that while sometimes it seems to be dead, then more than ever, I feel it alive in me, like a snake, and it consumes me inside. Therefore, bind me with new ropes; or rather, fill me with your holy and adorable Will to the point of overflowing outside, in such a way that my will may be consumed within Yours. Only then will I be able to have the happiness of fighting no more against holy obedience. And you, O holy obedience, forgive me if I always wage war against you, and give me the strength to be able to follow you placidly in everything, for sometimes it seems I have all the reason to fight against you, like in this writing about the confessor… But, enough, let us keep silent, let us hesitate no more, and let us begin to write.

Since my past confessor was very occupied – in fact, during the course of the years in which he directed me, when he could not come, the present confessor would come, though I had never thought I would find myself in the hands of this one; more so, since I was happy with that one, and he had all my trust – …about one and a half years before the present one became my confessor, as I was in my usual state blessed Jesus told me that He was not happy with the fact that the confessor no longer interested himself with my interior, and with the way he cooperated with Our Lord over my state, telling me: “When I place victim souls in the hands of a confessor, the crafting of their interior must be continuous. Therefore, tell him: either he corresponds to Me, or I will put you in the hands of someone else.”

And I: ‘Lord, what are You saying? Who will be so patient as to take upon himself this cross of having to come every day to sacrifice himself like this confessor?’ And Jesus: “I will give light to the present confessor, appointing him, and he will come.” And I: ‘How impossible it is that he will take up this cross!’ And Jesus: “Yes, he will come; and besides, when he does not listen to Me, I will send him my Mother; and he, who loves Her, will not deny Her this favor. Indeed, when one truly loves someone, he does not send him back. However, I want to see what this one does for a little longer; and you, tell him everything I have told you.”

When the confessor came, I related everything to him, but, poor one, a new occupation he had undertaken made it impossible for him to occupy himself with my interior. It really showed that it was not his will, but the impossibility for him to occupy himself with me. When I would tell him, he would devote himself better, but soon he would return to not bothering about it, like before. Blessed Jesus would lament about him, and I would repeat it to the confessor. One day he himself sent me the present father, and I opened my soul to him also, telling him everything I have said, and he accepted to come. I was surprised at how he said yes, and I said to myself: ‘Jesus was right.’ But soon the surprise ceased; I am unable to say how, but it lasted as long as a shadow, which quickly disappears. He came for just two or three days, and then he was no longer seen. He too disappeared like a shadow, and I continued to remain in the hands of the past confessor, adoring the dispositions of God – more so, since I was happy with him, who had made so many sacrifices because of me. After another year or so had passed, I felt a need of conscience and I told the past confessor, who said to me: “I will send you Fr. Gennaro” – that is, the present father, who would be invested with my necessity. I was concerned about a storm that had happened between them, but Jesus repeated: “Do not move things, I Myself have disposed everything, and everything that has been done, has been done well.”

March 19, 1903
True love is that of one who, in suffering for God, wants to suffer more.

This morning I saw the confessor all humiliated, and also blessed Jesus and Saint Joseph, who said to him: “Get down to work, for the Lord is ready to give you the grace you want.”

After this, on seeing my dear Jesus suffering as in the course of His Passion, I said to Him: ‘Lord, did You not feel tiredness in suffering so many different pains?’ And He: “No, on the contrary, one suffering would ignite the heart more to suffer another one. These are the ways of Divine Suffering; not only this, but in suffering and operating, It looks at nothing but the fruit It receives from it. In my wounds and in my blood I saw nations saved and the good that creatures would receive; and my Heart, instead of feeling tiredness, felt joy and ardent desire to suffer more. So, this is the sign that what one suffers is participation in my pains: that there is suffering united with joy to suffer more; that in operating, one operates for Me; that one does not look at what he does, but at the glory he gives to God, and at the fruit he receives.”

March 20, 1903
Jesus and Saint Joseph console father in his difficulties.

As I was outside of myself, I saw father all in difficulty with regard to the grace he wants; and once again, blessed Jesus with Saint Joseph were saying to him: “If you get down to work, all your difficulties will disappear, and will fall off like fish scales.”

March 23, 1903
If a love is holy, it forms the life of sanctification; if it is perverted, the life of damnation.

As I was in my usual state, after much struggling, for just a little I saw my adorable Jesus in my arms, and a light coming out of His forehead. Within this light these words were written: “Love is everything for God and for man; if love ceased, life would cease. However, there are two species of love: one, spiritual and divine, the other, corporal and disordered. There is great difference between these two loves in intensity, multiplicity, diversity. One could say that there is almost the difference which exists between the thinking of the mind and the operating of the hands: in a very short time the mind can think of a hundred things, while the hands can only perform one work.

God is the Creator, and if He creates the creatures, it is love alone that makes Him create; if He keeps all of His attributes in continuous attitude toward creatures, it is love that pushes Him to this, and His very attributes receive life from love. The same for a disordered love, like the love of riches, of pleasures and of many other things: these are not the things that form the life of man, but if he feels love for these things, not only do they come to form his life, but he reaches the point of making of them his own idol. So, if a love is holy, it forms the life of sanctification; if it is perverted, it forms the life of damnation.”

March 24, 1903
Though being nothing, one can be everything while being with Jesus.

This morning, after I had gone through most bitter days, blessed Jesus came and spent time with me intimately, so much so, that I thought I would possess Him forever. But all of a sudden, He disappeared like a flash. Who can say my pain? I felt I was going insane; more so, since I was almost sure that I was not going to lose Him any more. Now, while I was being consumed with pains, He came back like a flash, and with sonorous and serious voice He told me: “Who are you to expect to be always with Me?” And I, insane as I was, all daring, answered: ‘I am everything while being with You; I feel I am nothing but a will come out of the womb of my Creator, and as long as this will is united with You, it feels life, existence, peace, all of its good. Without You I feel it without life, I feel I am being destroyed, I feel dispersed, restless. I can say I experience all evils, and in order to have life, and so that I may not be dispersed, this will that came out from You looks for your womb, your center, and there it wants to remain forever.’ Jesus seemed to be all moved, but then He repeated again: “But who are you?”

And I: ‘Lord, I am nothing but a drop of water, and as long as this drop of water is in your sea, it seems to it that it is the whole sea. If it does not go out of the sea, it remains clean and clear, in such a way as to be able to stand the comparison with other waters. But if it goes out of the sea, it will become muddy, and because of its littleness, it will be dispersed.’ All moved, He bent down toward me, and embracing me, told me: “My daughter, one who wants to be always in my Will keeps my very Person within himself; and even if he can go out of my Will since I created him free in his will, my power operates a prodigy by administering to him, continuously, the participation in divine life. Because of this participation he receives, he feels such strength and attraction of union with my Divine Will, that even if he wanted to go out of It, he could not do it. This is the continuous virtue that comes out of Me toward one who always does my Will about which I spoke to you the other day.”

April 7, 1903
Doubts of Luisa about her state of victim.

After going through most bitter days because of the continuous privations of my adorable Jesus, this morning I felt I had reached the summit of affliction, and, tired and exhausted in my strengths, I was thinking that He really did not want me in this state any more, and I almost decided to go out of it. While I was doing this, my lovable Jesus moved in my interior and made Himself heard praying for me. I could only understand that He was imploring the power, the strength and the providence of the Father for me, adding: “Don’t You see, O Father, how she has greater need for help, as she wants to render herself a sinner by going out of Our Will, after so many graces?” Who can say how I felt my heart split on hearing these words of Jesus! Then He came out from within my interior, and after I made sure that it was blessed Jesus, I said: ‘Lord, is it your Will that I continue to remain in this state of victim? Because, not feeling myself in the same position as before, I see myself as if the coming of the priest was no longer necessary, for if nothing else, I would spare the confessor the sacrifice.’ And He: “For now, it is not my Will that you go out of it; as for the sacrifice of the priest, I will render back to him the charity he does, increased a hundredfold.”

Then, all afflicted, He added: “My daughter, the socialists have plotted among themselves to strike the Church. This they have done publicly in France, and in Italy in a more hidden way; and my Justice is looking for voids so as to lay hand to chastisements.”

April 10, 1903
Since men do not surrender, Jesus will play the trumpet of new and grave scourges.

As I was in my usual state, I saw our Lord with a rod in His hand with which He touched the people. As they were touched, they scattered and rebelled, and the Lord said to them: “I have touched you to reunite you around Me, but instead of reuniting, you rebel and scatter away from Me, therefore it is necessary that I blow the trumpet.” And while saying this, He began to blow the trumpet. I understood that the Lord will send some chastisement, and men, instead of humbling themselves, will take the occasion to offend Him and to move away from Him; and on seeing this, the Lord will make the trumpet of more grave scourges resound.

April 21, 1903
Jesus suspends Luisa from her usual state so as to be able to chastise.

I went through most bitter days of privations and of tears, with the addition of seeing myself about to be suspended by the Lord from the state of victim – as indeed happened. In fact, as much as I tried, I could not manage to lose consciousness; but rather, I was surprised by so many pains in my bowels as to become restless, unable to make head or tail of anything. I only had a dream at night, in which I seemed to see an Angel who brought me inside a garden in which all plants were blackened; but I did not pay attention to this, I could only think of how Jesus had driven me away from Himself. Then, later on, the confessor came, and finding me inside myself He told me that the vineyards had frozen. I remained so very afflicted, thinking of the poor people, and with the fear that He would not allow me to fall into my usual state so as to be able to chastise freely. However, this morning blessed Jesus came, making me fall into my usual state, and as soon as I saw Him, I said to Him: ‘Ah, Lord, what about yesterday – what did You do? You made your bravado, and besides, without even telling me anything, for at least I would have prayed You to hold back the chastisement in part.’ And He: “My daughter, it was necessary for Me to suspend you, otherwise you would have prevented Me, and I would not have been free. Besides, how many times have I not done what you wanted? Ah, my daughter, it is necessary that scourges pour upon the world, otherwise, in order to spare the bodies, souls will be lost.”

Having said this, He disappeared, and I found myself outside of myself without my sweet Jesus. So I went around looking for Him, and in the meantime I saw a Sun in the vault of the heavens, which was different from the sun we see, and, behind it, a multitude of Saints who, in seeing the state of the world, its corruption, and how they make fun of God, all in one voice, cried out: “Revenge of your honor, of your glory! Make use of Justice, for man no longer wants to recognize the rights of his Creator!” But they were speaking in Latin; only, I could comprehend that this was the meaning. On hearing this, I trembled, I felt my blood run cold, and I implored pity and mercy.

May 8, 1903
When man disposes himself to good, he receives good; and if he disposes himself to evil, he receives evil.

I continue in my most bitter state of privation; at the most, He makes Himself seen taciturn and for short instants. This morning, since the confessor committed himself to making Him come, as I lost consciousness He made Himself seen for a little, and almost by force; and turning to the confessor, with a serious and afflicted aspect, He said to Him: “What do you want?” Father seemed to be confused and was unable to say anything, so I said: ‘Lord, maybe it is that thing about Mass that he wants.’ And the Lord said to him: “Dispose yourself and you will have it. Besides, you have the victim; the closer you remain to her with your thought and with your intention, the stronger and freer you will feel to be able to do what you want.’ Then I said: ‘Lord, how is it that You are not coming?’ And He added: “Do you want to hear something? Hear it.” And at that moment many cries of voices from all over the world could be heard saying: “Death to the Pope… destruction of religion… churches torn down… destruction of every dominion… No one must exist above us!” And many other satanic voices, which it seems useless to me to repeat. Then our Lord added: “My daughter, when man disposes himself to good, he receives good; and if he disposes himself to evil, he receives evil. All these voices you hear reach my throne – and not once, but repeated times; and when my Justice sees that man not only wants evil, but he asks for it with repeated petitions, with justice is It forced to concede it, to make them know the evil they wanted. In fact, one can truly know evil only when he finds himself in it. This is the reason why my Justice keeps looking for voids in order to punish man. However, the time of your suspension has not yet come; at the most, a few days for now, so that Justice may press Its hand down on man a little bit, for It can no longer bear the weight of such enormities; and at the same time, so as to make man’s forehead, raised too high, lower down.

May 11, 1903
Peace puts passions in their place. The upright intention sanctifies everything.

As I was in my usual state, I saw my adorable Jesus for just a little, who said to me: “Peace puts all passions in their place, but what triumphs over everything, establishes all the good in the soul and sanctifies everything, is to do everything for God – that is, to operate with the upright intention of pleasing God alone. An upright operating is what directs, dominates and rectifies the virtues themselves, and even obedience. In sum, it is like a conductor who directs the spiritual music of the soul.” Having said this, He disappeared like a flash.

May 20, 1903
Luisa offers her life for the Church and for the triumph of the truth.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself with blessed Jesus in my arms, in the midst of many people who, with irons, swords and knives, were trying, some to beat, some to wound, some to cut off the members of Our Lord. But as much as they did and tried, they could cause no harm. On the contrary, their very irons, as sharp and cutting as they were, lost all their activity, and became inoperative. Jesus and I were highly afflicted at seeing the brutality of those inhuman hearts which, though they saw that they could do nothing, would yet repeat the blows in order to succeed in their intent; and if they caused no harm, it was because they were unable to. They became angry because their weapons had become useless and they were unable to carry out their resolute will to do harm to Our Lord; and they said to themselves: “Why are we unable to do anything? What is the cause? It seems that other times we were able to do something, but as we find ourselves in the arms of this one here, we can do nothing. Let us try and see whether we can do harm to her, and get her out of the way.” While they were saying this, Jesus withdrew to my side and gave them freedom to do what they wanted. But before they laid hands on me, I said: “Lord, I offer my life for the Church and for the triumph of the truth – accept, I pray You, my sacrifice.’ Then they took a sword and cut my head off. Blessed Jesus accepted my sacrifice, but while they were doing this, in the act of making the sacrifice, to my highest sorrow I found myself inside myself. I thought I had reached the place of my desires, but I remained disappointed.

June 6, 1903
Jesus teaches her how she must behave in the state of abandonment and of sufferings.

After going through bitter days of privations and of sufferings, this morning I found myself outside of myself with Baby Jesus in my arms. As soon as I saw Him, I said: ‘Ah, dear Jesus, how could You leave me alone? At least teach me how I must behave in this state of abandonment and of sufferings.’ And He: “My daughter, offer everything you suffer in your arms, in your legs and in your heart together with the sufferings of my members by reciting five Glory be’s; and offer it to divine Justice to satisfy for the works, the steps and the bad desires of the hearts which creatures commit continuously. Unite it, then, to my sufferings caused by the thorns and to those of my shoulders, with the recitation of three Glory be’s, and offer it for the satisfaction of the three powers of man, which are so disfigured that I can no longer recognize my image in them; and try to keep your will always united to Me and in continuous attitude of loving Me. Let your memory be the bell that rings continuously within you, and reminds you of what I have done and suffered for you, and of how many graces I have given to your soul, so as to thank Me and be grateful to Me, since gratitude is the key that opens the divine treasures. Let your intellect think of nothing, and occupy itself with nothing but God. If you do this, I will find again my image in you, and I will take the satisfaction which I cannot receive from the other creatures. And you must do this continuously, because if the offense is continuous, continuous must be the satisfaction.”

Then I added: ‘Ah, Lord, how bad I have made myself – I have become even greedy.’ And He: “My daughter, do not fear, when a soul does everything for Me, everything she takes, even refreshments themselves, I receive as if she were refreshing my suffering body; and those who give them to her I consider as if they were giving them to Me; so much so, that if they did not give them, I would feel pain. But in order for you to remove any doubt, every time they give you some refreshment and you feel the necessity to take it, you will not only do it for me, but will add: ‘Lord, I intend to refresh your suffering body within mine.’ While saying this, little by little He withdrew into my interior, and I could no longer see Him and talk to Him. I felt such pain, that because of the sorrow I would have torn myself to pieces to be able to find Him again. So I began to tear the part of my interior in which He had enclosed Himself; and so I found Him, and with highest sorrow I said: ‘Ah, Lord, how can You leave me? Are You perhaps not my life, such that without You, not only the soul, but also the body is completely shattered and cannot bear the intensity of the pain of your privation? So much so, that it seems to me that I am going to die right here and now; my only and sole comfort – death.’ But as I was saying this, Jesus blessed me and withdrew into my interior again. He disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.

June 15, 1903
How the creature can preserve the Creative, Redemptive and Sanctifying Works of God within herself.

As I was in my usual state, I don’t know how I saw my adorable Jesus inside my eye. I was surprised, and He told me: “My daughter, one who makes use of her senses to offend Me deforms my image within herself; therefore sin gives death to the soul, not because she really dies, but because it gives death to everything which is Divine. If then she uses her senses to glorify Me, I can say: “You are my eye, my hearing, my mouth, my hands and my feet.” By this, she preserves my Creative Work within herself; and if to her glorifying Me she adds suffering, satisfying and repairing for others, she preserves within herself my Redemptive Work. And as she perfects these Works of Mine within herself, my Sanctifying Work rises again, sanctifying everything and preserving it within her soul. In fact, for everything I have done in the Creative, Redemptive and Sanctifying Works, I have transfused in the soul a participation in my very operating; however, everything is in whether the soul corresponds to my work.

June 16, 1903
What renders the soul more dear, more beautiful, more lovable and more intimate with God is her perseverance in operating to please Him alone.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and I saw Baby Jesus with a cup full of bitterness and a stick in His hand; and He said to me: “See my daughter, what a cup of bitterness the world continuously gives Me to drink.” And I: ‘Lord, share it with me so You won’t suffer alone.’ So He gave me to drink a little bit of that bitterness; and then, with the stick He had in His hand, He began to pierce the place of my heart through, to the point of making a hole from which a rivulet of that bitterness which I had drunk came out. However, it was changed into sweet milk, and went into the mouth of the Baby, who was all sweetened and refreshed. Then He told me: “My daughter, when I give to the soul the bitterness of tribulations, if the soul conforms to my Will, is grateful to Me, thanks Me for it and offers it to Me as a gift, for her it is bitterness, it is suffering, but for Me it changes into sweetness and refreshment. But what cheers Me the most and gives Me the most pleasure is to see that the soul, whether she operates or suffers, is all intent on pleasing Me alone, with no other end or purpose of recompense. However, what renders the soul more dear, more beautiful, more lovable, more intimate with the Divine Being, is her perseverance in this way of behaving, which renders her immutable with the immutable God. In fact, if today she does something and tomorrow she doesn’t; if one time she has one end and another time another; if today she tries to please God and tomorrow creatures, she is the image of one who today is queen and tomorrow a most miserable servant; today she nourishes herself with delicious foods, tomorrow with filth.”

After a little while He disappeared, but a little later He came back, adding: “The sun is there for the benefit of all, but not everyone enjoys its beneficial effects. In the same way, the Divine Sun gives Its light to all, but who enjoys Its beneficial effects? One who keeps his eyes open to the light of truth. All others, even if they are exposed to the Sun, remain in the dark. However, it is one who is all intent on pleasing Me that truly enjoys and receives all the fullness of this Sun.”

June 30, 1903
The Most Holy Virgin teaches the soul how to keep her interior gaze fixed on Jesus. The beauty of the interior soul.

As I was outside of myself, I saw the Queen Mother, and prostrating myself at Her feet, I said to Her: ‘My most sweet Mother, in what terrible constraints I find myself – deprived of my only good and of my very life. I feel I am touching the extremes.’

While saying this, I was crying, and the Most Holy Virgin, opening Herself at the place of Her Heart, as if She were opening a tabernacle, took the Baby from within it and gave Him to me, telling me: “My daughter, do not cry – here is your good, your life, your all. Take Him and keep Him always with you; and as you keep Him with you, keep your interior gaze fixed on Him. Do not be embarrassed if He does not tell you anything, or if you are unable to say anything. Just look at Him in your interior, and by looking at Him you will comprehend everything, you will do everything, and you will satisfy for all. This is the beauty of the interior soul: without voice, without education, since there is no external thing that attracts her or upsets her, but all of her attraction, all of her goods are enclosed in her interior, by simply looking at Jesus she easily comprehends everything and does everything. In this way, you will walk up to the top of Calvary; and once we reach it, you will no longer see Him as a Baby, but Crucified, and you will remain crucified together with Him.”

So it seemed that, with the Baby in my arms and together with the Most Holy Virgin, we walked the way of Calvary. While walking, at times I would find someone who wanted to take Jesus away from me, and I would call the Queen Mother to my help, saying to Her: ‘My Mama, help me, for they want to snatch Jesus away from me.’ And She would answer me: “Do not fear, your care must be in keeping your interior gaze fixed on Him. This has so much power, that all other powers, human and diabolical, remain debilitated and defeated.” Now, while we were walking, we found a temple in which Holy Mass was being celebrated. At the time of Holy Communion I flew to the altar with the Baby in my arms in order to receive Communion; but what was not my surprise when, as soon as Jesus Christ entered into me, He disappeared from my arms. Then, after a little while, I found myself inside myself.

July 3, 1903
If the soul gives herself completely to Jesus in life, Jesus gives Himself to her at her death and exempts her from Purgatory.

This morning, as I was very afflicted because of the loss of my adorable Jesus, all of a sudden He made Himself seen in my interior, filling my person completely – that is, my head, my arms, and all the rest. As I was seeing this, almost wanting to explain to me the meaning of the way He was making Himself seen, He told me: “My daughter, why do you afflict yourself if I am the master of all of you? When a soul comes to rendering Me the master of her mind, of her arms, of her heart and of her feet, sin cannot reign; and if something involuntary enters into her, since I am the master and the soul is under the influence of my lordship, she is in continuous attitude of purgation, and that something immediately goes out of her. Furthermore, since I am Holy, it is difficult for her to retain within herself anything which is not holy. Even more, since she has given all of herself to Me in life, it is justice that I give all of Myself to her at her death, admitting her to the beatific vision without delay. So, if one gives herself completely to Me, the flames of Purgatory have nothing to do with her.”

August 3, 1903
The more the soul strips herself of natural things, the more of supernatural and divine things she acquires.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came for just a little, making me hear His most sweet voice saying: “The more the soul strips herself of natural things, the more of supernatural and divine things she acquires. The more she strips herself of the love of self, the more of the love of God she acquires; the less she tires herself in knowing human sciences, in enjoying the pleasures of life, the more knowledge she acquires of the things of Heaven, of virtue, and the more she will enjoy them, as the bitter ones will convert into sweet. In sum, these are all things that proceed at the same rate, in such a way that, if one feels nothing of the supernatural, if the love of God is extinguished in the soul, if one knows nothing about virtues and the things of Heaven, and finds no pleasure in them, then he knows reason very well.”

October 2, 1903
One who is united with Jesus grows in His very life, gives development to the graft He made in Redemption, and adds more branches to the Tree of His Humanity. The interior and the exterior souls.

As I was in my usual state, all embittered and afflicted, and almost dazed because of the privation of my adorable Jesus, not knowing myself where I was, whether in hell or on earth, I just barely saw Him like a flash that escapes, saying: ‘One who is on the path of virtues is in my very life, and one who is on the path of vice is in contradiction with Me.” And He disappeared.

A little later, in another flash, He added: “My Incarnation grafted humanity to the Divinity, and if one tries to remain united with Me with his will, with his works and with his heart, trying to carry out his life according to the standard of Mine, it can be said that he grows in my very life and gives development to the graft made by Me, adding more branches to the Tree of my Humanity. If, on the other hand, he does not unite with Me, in addition to not growing in Me, he gives no development to the graft; but rather, since one who is not with Me cannot have life, with perdition the graft is undone.” And He disappeared again.

After this, I found myself outside of myself, inside a garden in which there were several rose bushes, some nicely bloomed, in the right proportion, almost half-closed, and others with petals falling off, to the point that a slight movement was enough to prune them, leaving just the stem of the rose, naked. A young man – I don’t know who he was – said to me: “The first roses are the interior souls, who operate in their interior. These souls are symbolized by the rose petals which are turned inwards, adding a distinction of beauty, of freshness and of solidity, with no fear that some petals may fall to the ground. The external petals symbolize the blooming that the interior soul does outwards; receiving life from within her, her works are fragrant with holy charity and, almost like lights, they strike the eyes of God and of her neighbor.

The second rose bushes are the exterior souls; the little good that they do is all external and in the sight of everyone. Since there is no interior blooming, there cannot be the aim for God alone and His love alone; and because this is lacking, the petals – that is, the virtues – cannot be well attached. So, as the light breath of pride comes, it makes the petals fall off; as the breaths of complacency, of love of self, of esteem of others, of contradictions, of mortification come, they just barely touch the rose, and the petals fall down to the ground. So, poor rose, it remains always naked, without petals, with only thorns left, which prick its conscience.” After this, I found myself inside myself.

October 3, 1903
Jesus continues His life in the world, not only in the Most Holy Sacrament, but also in the souls who are in His Grace.

I was thinking about the Hour of the Passion in which Jesus took leave of His Mother to go to His death, and they blessed each other, and I was offering this Hour to repair for those who do not bless the Lord in everything, but rather, they offend Him, in order to impetrate all the blessings which are necessary for us to preserve ourselves in the grace of God, and to fill the void of the glory of God, as if all creatures were blessing Him. While doing this, I felt Him move in my interior, saying: “My daughter, in the act of blessing my Mother I also intended to bless each creature individually, and all in general, in such a way that everything is blessed by Me: thoughts, words, heartbeats, steps and movements made for Me. Everything – everything has been given value by my blessing. Even more, I tell you that everything good that creatures do, was all done by my Humanity, so that all the works of creatures might first be divinized by Me. Furthermore, my life, real and true, still continues in the world, not only in the Most Holy Sacrament, but in the souls who are in my Grace; and since the capacity of the creature is very limited, and one of them alone is unable to grab everything I did, I act in such a way as to continue my reparation in one soul, praise in another, thanksgiving in another; in some others my zeal for the salvation of souls, in another my sufferings, and so with all the rest. According to how they correspond to Me, I carry out my life within them. Therefore, think of what constraints and pains they put Me into – while I want to operate in them, they do not pay attention to Me.” Having said this, He disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.

October 7, 1903
The victim souls are human angels who must repair, impetrate, protect humanity.

I had asked the confessor to leave me in the Will of Our Lord, withdrawing the obedience that, whether He wanted or not, I should continue to remain in this state of victim. At first he did not want it, but then he consented, as long as I would assume the responsibility of answering before Jesus Christ for what could happen in the world; and he said that I should think about it first, and then answer him. I wanted to tell him that I did not want to oppose the Divine Will; only, if the Lord wants it, I want it; if He does not want it, I do not want it – so, why this responsibility? And he: “Think about it first, and tomorrow you will answer.’ So, as I was thinking about it in my interior, He told me: “Justice wants it, Love does not.”

Then, finding myself in my usual state, I saw Him for just a little, and He told me: “The Angels, whether they obtain something or not, always do their office; they do not withdraw from the work entrusted to them by God, of the custody of souls. Even if they see that, almost in spite of their continuous cares, diligences, industries and assistances, souls are miserably lost, they are always there, at their places. Nor do they give greater or lesser glory to God if they obtain or do not obtain, because their will is always stable in carrying out the work entrusted to them. The victim souls are human angels who must repair, impetrate, protect humanity, and whether they obtain or do not obtain, they must not cease their work, unless they were assured about it from on high.”

October 12, 1903
Meanings of the crowning of thorns.

This morning I saw my adorable Jesus in my interior, crowned with thorns, and in seeing Him in that state I said to Him: ‘My sweet Lord, why did your head envy your scourged body which had suffered so much and had shed so much blood; and as your head did not want to be outdone by your body, which had been honored with the frieze of suffering, You Yourself incite your enemies to crown You with such a painful and tormenting crown of thorns?’

And Jesus: “My daughter, this crowning of thorns contains many meanings, and as much as I may speak, there is always much left to be said. In fact, the reason why my head wanted to be honored by having, not a general share, but its distinct and special portion of suffering, and its own shedding of blood, almost competing with the body – is almost incomprehensible to the created mind. The reason is that it is the head that unites the whole body and all of the soul, in such a way that, without the head, the body is nothing; so much so, that one can live without the other members, but it is impossible to live without the head, because it is the essential part of the whole of man. In fact, if the body sins or does good, it is the head that directs it, since the body is nothing other than an instrument. Therefore, since my head was to give back regime and dominion to men, and earn for them that new heavens of graces and new worlds of truths might enter the human minds, rejecting the new hells of sins because of which men reach the point of rendering themselves vile slaves of vile passions; wanting to crown the whole human family with glory, with honor and with decorum, I wanted to crown and honor my Humanity first, though with a most painful crown of thorns, symbol of the immortal crown which I was giving back to creatures, taken away by sin.

In addition, the crown of thorns means that there is no glory and honor without thorns; that there can never be dominion over passions and acquisition of virtues without feeling oneself being pricked deep in one’s flesh and spirit, and that true reigning is in mastering oneself by the pricks of mortification and of sacrifice.

Moreover, these thorns signified that I am the true and only King, and only one who constitutes Me King of her heart enjoys peace and happiness, and I constitute her queen of my own Kingdom. So, all those rivulets of blood which poured from my head were many little streams which bound the human intelligence to the knowledge of my sovereignty over them.”

But who can say all that I feel in my interior? I do not have the words to express it. Even more, the little I have said, it seems to me I have said without connection; and I believe that it must be so in speaking about the things of God – as high and sublime as is the way in which one speaks, since He is uncreated and we are created, one cannot speak about God but in stammering.

October 16, 1903
The Divine Will is light, and one who does it nourishes himself with light.

As I was in my usual state, I was feeling all full of sins and of bitterness. Then He made Himself seen like a flash in my interior, and I saw my adorable Jesus for just a little; however, in His presence, the sins disappeared. Concerned, I said: ‘My Lord, how is it that while in your presence I should know my sins better, it happens the opposite?’ And He: “My daughter, my presence is sea with no boundaries, and one who is in my presence is like a little drop; whether it is black or white, it dissolves in my sea. So, how can it be recognized any more? Moreover, my divine touch purges everything, and the black ones it turns into white. How can you fear then? Furthermore, my Will is light, and by always doing my Will, you nourish yourself with light, and your mortifications, privations and sufferings convert into nourishment of light for the soul. In fact, the only food which is nourishing and gives true life, is my Will. And don’t you know that this continuous nourishing herself with light, even if the soul should contract some defects, purges her continuously?” Having said this, He disappeared.

October 18, 1903
Sin is an act of the human will opposite to the Divine. True love is to live in the will of the beloved.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw my adorable Jesus for short instants, and He told me: “My daughter, do you know what forms sin? An act of the human will opposite to the Divine. Imagine two friends who are in opposition; if the thing is light, you would say that their friendship is not perfect and loyal. Be it even in little things, how can they love and yet oppose each other? True love is to live in the will of the other, even at the cost of sacrifice. If then the thing is grave, not only are they not friends, but they are fierce enemies. Such is sin. Opposing the Divine Will is the same as making God one’s enemy; be it even in little things, it is always the creature that puts herself in opposition to the Creator.”

October 24, 1903
An image of the Church.

As I told the confessor about my concerns that my state may not be Will of God, and that, at least as a test, I wanted to try to make an effort to go out of it and see whether I could manage or not, without raising his usual difficulties, the confessor said: “All right, tomorrow you will try.” So I was left as if I had been freed of an enormous weight. Now, after he celebrated Holy Mass and I received Communion, I saw my adorable Jesus in my interior for just a little, His gaze fixed on me, His hands joined, in the act of asking for pity and help. At that moment I found myself outside of myself, inside a room in which there was a lady, majestic and venerable, but gravely infirm. She was inside a bed with a headboard so high as to almost touch the vault, and I was forced to stay over this headboard, in the arms of a priest, in order to keep it still and to look at the poor ill one. While in this position, I saw a few religious surrounding and offering their cares to the patient, and saying among themselves with intense bitterness: “She is ill, she is ill – it would take nothing more than a little shake.” And I was taking care of keeping the headboard of the bed still, for fear that, if the bed moved, she might die.

But seeing that things were dragging on, and almost getting annoyed by that idleness, I said to the one who was holding me: ‘For pity’s sake, let me get down; I am doing nothing good, nor am I helping anyone – why stay here, so useless? If I get down, at least I can serve her, help her.’ And he: “Did you not hear that even a little shake could make her get worse and cause most sad things to happen to her? If you get down, since there is no one to keep the bed still, she may even die.” And I: ‘But how can it be possible that, by just doing this, this good can come to her? I don’t believe it – for pity’s sake, let me get down.’ So, after I repeated these words several times, he put me down on the floor, and by myself, with no one holding me, I drew near the ill one, and to my surprise and sorrow I saw that the bed was moving. At those movements, her face went blue, she trembled and emitted a death rattle. Those few religious were crying and saying: “There is no more time, she is in the extreme moments now.” Then some enemies entered – soldiers and captains – to beat the ill one; but, dying as she was, that lady got up with intrepidness and majesty to be wounded and beaten. On seeing this, I trembled like a reed, and I said to myself: ‘I have been the cause of this, I myself have given the push for so much evil to happen.’ And I understood that that lady represented the Church, infirm in Her members, with many other meanings which it seems useless to me to explain, because they can be comprehended by reading what I have written.

Then I found myself inside myself, and Jesus told me in my interior: “If I suspend you forever, the enemies will begin to make my Church shed blood.” And I: ‘Lord, it is not that I do not want to stay – Heavens forbid that I move away from your Will even for the blink of an eye; only, if You want me to, I will stay, if You don’t want me to, I will get out.’ And He: “My daughter, as soon as the confessor released you by telling you, ‘All right, tomorrow you will try’, the bond of victim was also released, because only the frieze of obedience is what constitutes the victim, and I would never accept her as such without this frieze, even at the cost of making a miracle of my omnipotence, if necessary, to give light to the one who directs you so that he would give this obedience. I suffered, and suffered voluntarily, but what constituted Me as victim was the obedience to my dear Father, who wanted to adorn all of my works, from the greatest to the littlest, with the honorary frieze of obedience.” Then, finding myself inside myself, I felt a fear to try to go out; but then, I snapped out of it saying: ‘The one who gave me this obedience should have thought about this; and besides, if the Lord wants me, I am ready.’

October 25, 1903
The soul in Grace enamors God.

As the hour for my usual state came, I was thinking to myself that if the Lord would not come I should try to make an effort [to go out of it], also to see whether at least I could manage to. At first I could manage, but then my adorable Jesus came and showed me that when I would think of remaining in it, He would draw near me and bind me to Himself, in such I way that I would not be able to go out; when, on the other hand, I would think of going out of it, He would move away and leave me free, in such a way that I could do it. So I could not make up my mind, and I said to myself: ‘How I wish I could see the confessor so as to ask him what I should do.’ Then, a little later, I saw the confessor together with Our lord, and immediately I said: ‘Tell me, should I stay – yes or no?’ While saying this, I saw in the interior of the confessor that he had withdrawn the obedience he had given me the day before, and so I decided to stay, thinking to myself that if it was true that he had withdrawn the obedience, fine; if then it was my fantasy that made me see it, while it could be false, when the confessor would come things would be taken care of, and I could try another day. So I calmed down.

Then, continuing to make Himself seen, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, the beauty of the soul in Grace is so great as to enamor God Himself. The Angels and the Saints are amazed at seeing this prodigious portent of a soul, still terrestrial, possessed by Grace. At the fragrance of her celestial odor, they run around her, and to their highest pleasure they find in her that same Jesus who beatifies them in Heaven, in such a way that it is indifferent for them to be up in Heaven or down near this soul. But who maintains and preserves this portent, giving new shades of beauty, continuously, to the soul who lives in my Will? Who removes any rust and imperfection from her, and administers to her the knowledge of the object she possesses? My Will. Who strengthens her, establishes her and confirms her in Grace? My Will. The living in my Will is the whole point of Sanctity, and gives continuous growth in Grace. However, one who one day does my Will, and another her own, will never be confirmed in Grace; she does nothing but grow and then decrease – and how much evil this brings to the soul! Of how much glory she deprives God and herself! She is the image of one who today is rich and tomorrow poor; she will be confirmed neither in richness nor in poverty, therefore one cannot know where she will end up.” Having said this, He disappeared. After a little while, the confessor came, and as I told him what I have written, he assured me that he had truly withdrawn the obedience he had given me.

To obey the confessor, I continue to tell the other meanings I understood on the 24^th of this month. So, the lady represented the Church, who is infirm, not in Herself, but in Her members; but even though She is laid low and insulted by enemies, and rendered infirm in Her very members, She never loses Her majesty and venerability. As for the bed She was in, I understood that while the Church seems oppressed, infirm, opposed, She yet rests with a perpetual and eternal rest, and with peace and safety in the paternal bosom of God, like a child on the lap of her mother. I understood that the headboard of the bed that touched the vault was the divine protection that always assists the Church, and that everything She contains has all come from Heaven: Sacraments, doctrine and other things – everything is celestial, holy and pure, in such a way that between Heaven and the Church there is continuous communication, never interrupted. As for the few religious who offered care and assistance to the lady, I understood that few are those who defend the Church with all of themselves – considering the evils She receives as though given to themselves. The room in which She resided, made of stone, represented the solidity, the firmness, and even the hardness of the Church in surrendering to no one the rights that belong to Her. The dying lady who, with intrepidness and courage, allows herself to be beaten by the enemies, represented the Church which, while She seems to be dying, rises again more intrepid – but how? Through sufferings and shedding of blood – the true spirit of the Church, always ready for mortification, as Jesus Christ was.

October 27, 1903
The divine way of operating is only love for the Father and for men.

As I was in my usual state, I saw my adorable Jesus for just a little, saying to me: “My daughter, to accept mortifications and sufferings as penance and as chastisement is praiseworthy, it is good, but it has no connection with the divine way of operating. In fact, I did much, I suffered much, but the way I had in all this was only love for the Father and for men. So, it shows immediately whether a creature has the way of operating and suffering in a divine manner – if it is love alone that pushes her to do it and to suffer. If she has other ways, good as they may be, they are always the ways of creatures, and therefore she will find in them the merit that a creature can acquire, not the merit that the Creator can acquire, because there is no union of ways. But if she has my way, the fire of love will destroy any disparity and inequality, and will form one single thing between my work and that of the creature.”

October 29, 1903
When the soul has the character of the purpose of Creation impressed within herself, Jesus repays her with part of the celestial happiness.

This morning my adorable Jesus made Himself seen in my interior as if He had incarnated Himself in my very person; and looking at me, He said: “My daughter, when I see the character of the purpose of Creation impressed in the soul, feeling satisfied with her because I see so well accomplished the work created by Me, I feel a duty – or rather, not a duty”, He immediately added, “because in Me there are no duties, but my duty is a more intense love to repay her, advancing for her part of the celestial happiness – that is, manifesting to her intellect the knowledge of the Divinity; attracting her with the food of eternal truths; amusing her sight with my beauty, making the sweetness of my voice resound to her hearing; to her mouth, my kisses; to her heart, my embraces and all my tendernesses. And this corresponds to the purpose for which I created her, which is: to know Me, to love Me, to serve Me.” And He disappeared.

So, finding myself outside of myself, I saw the confessor and I told him what blessed Jesus had told me. I asked him whether it was according to the truth, and he said to me: “Yes.” Not only this, but he added that the divine speaking could be recognized well, because when God speaks and the soul relates it, one who listens not only sees the truths of the words, but feels a movement in his interior, which only the Divine Spirit possesses.

October 30, 1903
Teachings about peace.

This morning, since my adorable Jesus was not coming, I was thinking in my interior: ‘Who knows whether it is true that it was our Lord who was coming, or rather, it was the enemy to deceive me. How could Jesus Christ leave me in such an ugly way, without pity?’ Now, while I was thinking of this, He made Himself seen for a few instants, and raising His right hand, pressing His thumb on my mouth, told me: “Be quiet, be quiet. And besides, would it be nice if someone who has seen the sun, only because he does not see it, says that what he had seen was not sun? Would it not be more true and reasonable if he said that the sun has hidden?” And He disappeared.

I could not see Him, but I felt that with His hands He was retouching me all over, and rubbing my mouth, my mind, etc.; and He made me all shining. Since I could not see Him, my mind continued to raise doubts, and He, making Himself seen again, added: “You still don’t want to stop it? You want to make my work in you disappear, because by doubting, you are not at peace, and since I am the fount of peace, as the one who guides you does not see you at peace, you will cause him to doubt, that it is not the King of Peace who dwells in you. Ah, you do not want to be attentive! It is true that I Myself do everything in the soul, in such a way that without Me she would do nothing, but it is also true that I always leave a thread of will to the soul, so that she too may be able to say: ‘I do everything of my own will.’ So, by being restless, you break this thread of union with Me, and you bind my arms, in such a way that I am unable to operate in you, waiting for you to put yourself at peace again in order to take the thread of your will again and continue my work.”

VOLUME 6

J.M.J.

November 1, 1903
When the soul does all of her actions for the sole purpose of loving Jesus, she walks always in daylight; it is never nighttime for her.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself and I saw myself as a little steamboat; I was all surprised at seeing myself reduced to that shape. In the meantime my adorable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, the life of man is a steamboat, and just as it is fire alone that allows the steamboat to move, and the more lively and the bigger the fire, the faster it runs, while if the fire is small it moves at a slow pace, and if the fire is extinguished it remains motionless – the same for the soul: if the fire of the love of God is big, it can be said that she flies above all things of the earth, and she always runs and flies toward her center, which is God. If then the fire is small, it can be said that she walks with difficulty, crawling and getting all muddy with everything that is earth. If then it is extinguished, she remains motionless, without the life of God within herself, as though dead to all that is divine. My daughter, when the soul does all of her actions for the sole purpose of loving Me, and wants no other recompense for her work but my love alone, she walks always in daylight – it is never nighttime for her. Even more, she walks within the sun itself which, almost like steam, surrounds her to let her walk within itself, making her enjoy all the fullness of light. Not only this, but her very actions serve as light for her journey, and increase for her ever new light.”

November 8, 1903
Jesus tells how the love of neighbor must be.

As I was in my usual state, I was praying for certain needs of others, and blessed Jesus, moving in my interior, told me: “For what purpose are you praying for these people?” And I: ‘Lord, and You, for what purpose did You love us?’ And He: “I love you because you are my own thing, and when an object is one’s own, one feels compelled to love it – it is like a necessity.” And I: ‘Lord, I am praying for these people because they are your own thing, otherwise I would not have interested myself.’ And He, placing His hand on my forehead, almost pressing it, added: “Ah, it is because they are my own thing! This is how the love of neighbor is all right.”

November 10, 1903
How true love forgets himself.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw blessed Jesus for just a little, saying to me: “My daughter, true love forgets himself and lives of the interests, of the pains and of everything that belongs to the beloved.” And I: ‘Lord, how can one forget himself when we feel ourselves so much? It is not something far away from us, or separated, which can easily be forgotten.’ And, again, He added that that is precisely the sacrifice of true love – that while one has himself, he must live of everything that belongs to the beloved. Even more, if he remembers himself, this memory must serve him to become more industrious about how to consume himself for the loved object. And if the beloved sees that the soul gives all of herself to Him, He will know well how to repay her by giving her all of Himself and letting her live of His divine life. So, one who forgets himself completely, finds everything. Moreover, it is necessary to see the difference that exists between what one forgets and what one finds: one forgets what is ugly and finds what is beautiful; one forgets nature and finds grace; one forgets passions and finds virtues; one forgets poverty and finds richness; one forgets foolishness and finds wisdom; one forgets the world and finds Heaven.”

November 16, 1903
There is no sacrifice without denying oneself, and sacrifice and denying oneself give rise to the most pure and perfect love.

This morning, as I was outside of myself, I found myself with Baby Jesus in my arms, and with a virgin, who laid me on the ground to make me suffer the crucifixion – not with nails, but with fire, placing a charcoal of fire on my hands and feet. Blessed Jesus was there assisting me while I was suffering, and said to me: “My daughter, there is no sacrifice without denying oneself, and sacrifice and denying oneself give rise to the most pure and perfect love. And since sacrifice is sacred, it happens that it consecrates the soul to Me, as a sanctuary worthy of Me to make of it my perpetual dwelling. So, let sacrifice work in you to render your soul and body sacred, so that everything may be sacred in you; and consecrate everything to Me.”

November 19, 1903
While one is nothing, one can be all.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw blessed Jesus in my interior, and a light in my intellect saying: “While one is nothing, one can be all. But how? One becomes all through suffering. Suffering makes the soul become pontiff, priest, king, prince, minister, judge, advocate, repairer, protector, defender. And since true suffering is the suffering wanted by God in the soul, if the soul appeases herself completely in His Volition, this appeasement, united to suffering, allows the soul to rule over justice, over the mercy of God, over men and over all things. Now, just as suffering gave Christ all the most beautiful qualities and all the honors and offices that the human nature can contain, in the same way, by participating in the suffering of Christ, the soul participates in His qualities, in the honors and in the offices of Christ, who is the All.”

November 23, 1903
There is no beauty that equals suffering for God alone.

I felt impressed in my interior by what I had written above, as if it were not according to the truth; so, as soon as I saw blessed Jesus, I said: ‘Lord, what I have written is not right; how can there be all this through mere suffering?’ And He: “My daughter, do not be surprised. Indeed, there is no beauty that equals suffering for the love of God alone. Two arrows come from Me continuously: one from my Heart, which is of love, and wounds all those who are on my lap – that is, those who are in my grace; this arrow wounds, mortifies, heals, afflicts, attracts, reveals, consoles and continues my Passion and Redemption in those who are on my lap. The other comes from my throne, and I entrust it to the Angels who, as my ministers, make this arrow flow over any kind of people, chastising them and exciting all to conversion.” Now, while He was saying this, He shared His pains with me, telling me: “Here in you also, is the continuation of Redemption.”

November 24, 1903
How each word of Jesus is a link of grace.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw blessed Jesus in my interior for just a little; and as if He wanted to continue removing doubts from me, He told me: “Daughter, I am the truth itself, and falsehood can never come from Me. At the most, it is something that man does not comprehend; and I do this to show that if one does not comprehend His word well, how can he comprehend the Creator in everything? However, the soul must correspond by putting my word into practice. In fact, my words are many links of grace that come out of Me, and are given to the creature as gift. If she corresponds, she connects these links to the others which she has already acquired; but if she does not, she sends them back to her Creator. Not only this, but I speak only when I see that the creature has the capacity to receive that gift, and corresponding to Me, she acquires not only many links of grace, but also many links of divine wisdom; and if I see them linked with correspondence, she disposes Me to give her yet more gifts. But if I see that my gifts are sent back, I withdraw, keeping silent.”

December 3, 1903
With the Divine Will we are everything; without It we are nothing.

Continuing in my usual state, my blessed Jesus came for a little, telling me: “My daughter, any human action which has no connection with the Divine Will puts God out of His own creation. Even suffering itself, as holy, noble and precious as it might be before my eyes, if it is not a birth from my Will, instead of pleasing Me, makes Me indignant and is disgusting to Me.” Oh, power of the Will of God, how holy, adorable and lovable You are! With You we are everything, even if we did nothing, because your Will is fecund and gives birth to all goods for us. Without You we are nothing, even if we did everything, because the human will is sterile and makes everything sterile.

December 5, 1903
How the holy desire to receive Jesus makes up for the Sacrament, in such a way that the soul breathes God, and God breathes the soul.

Since this morning I could not receive Communion, I was all afflicted, though resigned, and I thought to myself that if I had not been in this position of being bedridden and of being victim, I would certainly have been able to receive Him. And I said to the Lord: ‘You see, the state of victim subjects me to the sacrifice of depriving myself of receiving You in the Sacrament. At least accept the sacrifice of depriving myself of You to content You as a more intense act of love for You, because, at least, thinking that the very privation of You proves my love for You more, sweetens the bitterness of your privation.’ And as I was saying this, tears were pouring from my eyes; but – oh, goodness of my good Jesus! – as soon as I began to doze off, without making me wait and search for a long time, as usual, immediately He came, and placing His hands on my face, He caressed me and said: “My daughter, poor daughter, courage, the privation of Me excites the desire more, and in this excited desire the soul breathes God; and God, feeling more ignited by this excitement of the soul, breathes the soul. In this breathing each other – God and the soul – thirst for love ignites more, and since love is fire, it forms the purgatory of the soul, and this purgatory serves her, not as just one Communion a day, as the Church allows, but as a continuous communion, just as the breathing is continuous. But these are all communions of most pure love – only of spirit, not of body; and since the spirit is more perfect, as a consequence, love is more intense. This is how I repay, not one who does not want to receive Me, but one who cannot receive Me, depriving himself of Me to content Me.

December 10, 1903
Every time the soul seeks the Lord, she receives a divine shade, a divine feature.

Continuing in my usual state, I felt a weight over my soul, as if the whole world weighed upon me because of the privation of blessed Jesus; and in my immense bitterness I did as much as I could to look for Him. Then, once He came, He told me: “My daughter, every time the soul looks for Me, she receives a divine shade, a divine feature, and is reborn in Me as many times, and I am reborn in her.” While He was saying this, I was thinking of what He had said, almost surprised, and I said: ‘Lord, what are You saying?’ And He added: “Oh, if you knew the glory – the taste that the whole of Heaven feels in receiving this note from the earth: a soul that constantly seeks God, all similar to them. What is the life of the Blessed? What is it that forms it? Their being reborn continuously in God, and God in them. This is the saying: ‘God is ever old and ever new’. Nor do they ever feel tired, because they are in continuous attitude of new life in God.”

December 17, 1903
The adoration that the Most Holy Virgin did when She encountered Jesus carrying the Cross. The true spirit of adoration.

Continuing in my usual state, for a few instants I saw blessed Jesus with the Cross on His shoulders, in the act of encountering His Most Holy Mother; and I said to Him: ‘Lord, what did your Mother do in this most sorrowful encounter?’

And He: “My daughter, She did nothing but a most profound and simple act of adoration. And since the simpler the act, the more easily it unites with God, Most Simple Spirit, in this act She infused Herself in Me and continued what I Myself was doing in my interior. This was immensely pleasing to Me, more than if She had done any other greater thing. In fact, the true spirit of adoration consists in this: the creature dissolves herself and finds herself in the divine sphere; she adores all that God does, and she unites with Him. Do you think that when the mouth adores but the mind is somewhere else, it is true adoration? That is, the mind adores but the will is far away from Me? Or, one power adores Me, and the others are all disordered? No, I want everything for Myself, and everything I have given her, in Me. This is the greatest act of cult, of adoration, that the creature can do for Me.”

December 21, 1903
Effects of the Sorrows of the Celestial Mama. The glory She enjoys in Heaven.

This morning I found myself outside of myself, and looking into the vault of the heavens I saw seven most refulgent suns – but their shape was different from the sun which we see. It started with the shape of a cross and it ended with a point, and this point was inside a heart. At first it could not be seen clearly, because the light of these suns was so great as to not allow one to see who was inside; but the nearer I drew, the more clearly it appeared that the Queen Mama was inside. In my interior I kept saying: ‘How I would like to ask Her whether She wants me to try to go out of this state without waiting for the priest.’ In the meantime, I found myself near Her and I told Her; and She answered a curt “No”. I was left mortified by this answer, and the Most Holy Virgin turned to a multitude of people who surrounded Her, and said to them: “Listen to what she wants to do….” And everyone said: “No, no….”

Then, drawing near me, all goodness, She told me: “My daughter, courage along the way of sorrow. See, these seven suns which come out from within my Heart are my Seven Sorrows which produced much glory and splendor for Me. These suns, the fruits of my sorrows, dart continuously through the throne of the Most Holy Trinity which, feeling wounded, sends Me seven channels of grace continuously, making Me their owner; and I dispense them for the glory of all Heaven, for the relief of purging souls, and for the benefit of pilgrim souls.” While saying this, She disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.

December 22, 1903
The cross forms the incarnation of Jesus in the womb of souls, and the incarnation of the soul in God.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came as crucified, and after He shared His pains with me, while I was suffering, He told me: “My daughter, in the Creation I gave my image to the soul; in the Incarnation I gave my Divinity, divinizing humanity. And since in the very act, in the very instant, in which the Divinity incarnated Itself in humanity, It incarnated Itself in the cross, in such a way that from the moment I was conceived, I was conceived united with the cross – it can be said that just as my cross was united with Me in the Incarnation which I did in the womb of my Mother, so does my cross form as many other incarnations of mine in the wombs of souls. And just as the cross forms my incarnation in souls, the cross is the incarnation of the soul in God, destroying in her everything that gives of nature, and filling her with the Divinity so much, as to form a sort of incarnation – God in the soul, and the soul in God.” I remained as though enchanted on hearing that the cross is the incarnation of the soul in God, and He repeated: “I am not saying union, but incarnation, because the cross penetrates so much into her nature as to make her nature itself become suffering, and where there is suffering there is God, as God and suffering cannot be apart. And the cross, forming this incarnation, renders this union more stable, and the separation of God from the soul almost as difficult as is separating suffering from nature. On the other hand, through union, the separation can easily occur. It is understood, always, that this is not the Incarnation, but a simile of the Incarnation.”

Having said this, He disappeared, but after a little while He came back in the act of His Passion when He was covered with opprobriums, with ignominies, with spit – and I said to Him: ‘Lord, teach me what I could do to move these opprobriums away from You, and give You back honors, praises and adorations.’ And He said to me: “My daughter, around my throne there is a void, and this void must be filled with the glory that Creation owes Me. So, one who sees Me despised by the other creatures, and honors Me, not only for herself, but for others, makes honors for Me arise again in this void. When she sees Me unloved, and loves Me, she makes love for Me arise again. When she sees that I fill creatures with benefits, while they are not grateful to Me and do not even thank Me, and she is grateful to Me as if those benefits were given to her, and she thanks Me, she makes the flower of gratitude and of thanksgiving arise again for Me in this void; and so with all the rest that Creation owes Me, but denies to Me with awful ingratitude. Now, since all this is an overflow of the charity of the soul, who gives Me not only what she herself owes Me and what overflows from herself, but she does it for others – since this glory and these flowers that she sends to Me into this void around my throne are the fruit of charity, they receive a more beautiful shade, which is pleasing to Me.”

December 24, 1903
Desires makes Jesus be born in the soul. The same for the devil.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, Baby Jesus came, and on seeing Him so very little, as if He were just born, I said to Him: ‘My pretty little one, what was the cause – who made You come from Heaven and be born, so little, in the world?’ And He: “The reason was love; not only this, but my birth in time was the outpouring of love of the Most Holy Trinity toward creatures. In an outpouring of love of my Mother I was born from Her womb, and in an outpouring of love I am reborn in souls. But this outpouring is formed by desire. As soon as the soul begins to desire Me, I am conceived; the more she advances in her desire, the more I keep growing in the soul; and when this desire fills her whole interior and reaches the point of overflowing outside, then I am reborn in the whole of man – in his mind, in his mouth, in his works and steps. In the opposite way, the devil also makes his births in souls. As soon as the soul begins to desire and to want evil, the devil is conceived with his perverted works; and if this desire is nourished, the devil grows and fills all of man’s interior with passions, the most ugly and disgusting ones, and reaches the point of overflowing outside, as man lets all vices rush in. My daughter, how many births the devil makes in these most sad times! If men and demons had the power to do it, they would have destroyed my births in souls.”

December 28, 1903
How all lives are in Christ.

After I struggled very much, my blessed Jesus came for just a little, and made me see many human souls inside of His Humanity; and while I was seeing this, He told me: “My daughter, all human lives are in my Humanity in Heaven as though inside a cloister; and since they are inside my cloister, the regime of their lives comes from Me. Not only this, but my Humanity, being the cloister, conducts the lives of each soul. What joy is mine when souls remain in this cloister, and the echo that comes from my Humanity blends with the echo of each human life of the earth! And what bitterness is mine when I see that souls are not content, and go out of it! Others remain, but forced and unwilling; they do not submit to the rules and the regime of my cloister, therefore my echo does not blend with theirs.”

January 6, 1904
The human race is all one family; when someone does some good work and offers it to God, the whole human family participates in that offering and is present to God as if all were offering it.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Baby Jesus came, and after He placed Himself in my arms and He blessed me with His little hands, He told me: “My daughter, since the human race is all one family; when someone does some good work and offers something to Me, the whole human family participates in that offering and is present to Me as if all were offering it. As for example, today, as the Magi offered their gifts to Me, I had all human generations present in their persons, and all participated in the merit of their good work. The first thing they offered to Me was gold, and I, in return, gave them the intelligence and the knowledge of truth. But do you know which gold I want now from souls? Not material gold – no, but spiritual gold; that is, the gold of their will, the gold of their affections, of their desires, of their own tastes, the gold of the whole interior of man. This is all the gold that the soul has, and I want it all for Myself. Now, it is almost difficult for the soul to give this to Me without sacrificing and mortifying herself; and this is how myrrh, like electric wire, binds the interior of man, renders it more shining, and gives it the shades of multiple colors, giving all species of beauty to the soul. But this is not all; it takes someone who maintains the colors and the freshness always alive, which, almost like fragrance and breeze, blow from within the soul. It takes someone who offers and obtains greater gifts than the ones he gives; and it also takes someone who forces the One who receives and the One who gives to dwell in his own interior, keeping Him in continuous conversation and in continuous commerce with himself. So, who does all this? It is prayer, especially the spirit of interior prayer, which knows how to convert into gold, not only the internal works, but also the external works – and this is the incense.”

February 7, 1904
How difficult it is to find a soul who gives all of herself to God, so that God may give all of Himself to her.

I spent the whole last month in much suffering, therefore I omitted writing; and as I continue to feel very weak and in suffering, very often a fear comes to me that it isn’t that I cannot write, but that I do not want to, and as an excuse I say that I cannot. Indeed it is true that I feel great repugnance and I must make a great effort to write, and only obedience could conquer me. So, in order to remove any doubt I decided to write, not everything, but only a few words that I remember, to see whether I truly can or cannot.

I remember that one day, as I was feeling ill, He told me: “My daughter, what will happen if the music ceases in the world?” And I: ‘Lord, what music should cease?’ And He added: “My beloved, your music. In fact, when the soul suffers for Me, prays, repairs, praises, thanks continually, this is continuous music to my hearing, which takes Me away from hearing the iniquity of the earth, and therefore from chastising as appropriate. Not only this, but it is music in the human minds, and it diverts them from doing worse things. So, if I take you, would the music not cease? For Me it is nothing, because it would be nothing other than transporting it from the earth to Heaven, and instead of having it from the earth, I would have it in Heaven. But how shall the world go on?”

Then, I was thinking to myself: ‘These are the usual pretexts so as not to take me. There are so many good souls in the world, who do so much for God, and among all of them I perhaps occupy but the last place, and yet He says that if He takes me the music would cease? There are so many who do it better for Him!’ While I was thinking of this, He came like a flash and added: “My daughter, what you say is true – that there are many good souls who do much for Me – but how difficult it is to find one who gives Me everything so that I may give all of Myself. Some retain a little bit of love of self, some self-esteem, some one affection, be it even for holy people; some a little vanity; some retain a little bit of attachment to the earth, some to interest. In sum, some a little thing, some another – all keep something of their own, and this impedes that everything be divine in them. So, since what comes from them is not fully divine, their music will not be able to produce those effects to my hearing and to the human minds. Therefore, their much doing will not be able to produce those effects, nor please Me as much as the little doing of one who keeps nothing for herself, and who gives herself completely to Me.”

February 8, 1904
One of the qualities of Jesus is Pain. For one who lives of His Most Holy Will Purgatory does not exist.

I remember that another day, as I continued to feel in suffering, I saw the confessor praying Our Lord to touch the part where I was suffering so as to have the sufferings mitigate. And blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, your confessor wants me to touch you to alleviate your pains, but among my many qualities I am also Pain, and if I touch you, instead of decreasing, your pain could increase. In fact, the thing in which my Humanity delighted the most was suffering, and It still delights in communicating it to those whom It loves.” And it seemed that, in reality, He would touch me and make me feel more pain. So I added: ‘My sweet Good, as for myself, I want nothing but your Most Holy Will. I do not look at whether I suffer or I enjoy – your Will is everything for me.’ And He added: “And this is what I want, this is my design upon you, and this is enough for Me and contents Me. This is the greatest and most honorable worship that the creature can render Me, and that she owes Me as her Creator; and as the soul does so, it can be said that her mind lives and thinks in my mind; her eyes, being in mine, look through my eyes; her mouth speaks through my mouth, her heart loves through Mine, her hands operate within my own hands, her feet walk within my feet. And I can say: “You are my eye, my mouth, my Heart, my hands and my feet.” And, likewise, the soul can say: “Jesus Christ is my eye, my mouth, my heart, my hands and my feet.” Being in this union, not only of wills, but personal, when the soul dies there is nothing left of her to be purged, and therefore Purgatory cannot touch her, because Purgatory touches those who live outside of Me, whether completely or in part.”

February 12, 1904
When the soul is identified with the Humanity of Jesus none of her works are dispersed. Obedience and the Saints want Luisa to remain on earth as victim.

Continuing in my usual state, with more suffering, blessed Jesus came, and from all parts of His Humanity many rivulets of light came out, which communicated themselves to all the parts of my body. And from these rivulets that I received, as many other rivulets came out of myself, which communicated themselves to the Humanity of Our Lord. In the meantime I found myself surrounded by a multitude of Saints who, looking at me, were saying among themselves: “If the Lord does not concur with a miracle, she will no longer be able to live, because she lacks the vital humors. The circulation of her blood is no longer natural; therefore, according to the natural laws, she must die.” And they were praying blessed Jesus to make this miracle that I might continue to live; and the Lord said to them: “The communications of the rivulets, as you see, means that everything she does, even the natural things, are identified with my Humanity, and when I make the soul reach this point, of everything that both soul and body do, nothing is dispersed – everything remains in Me. On the other hand, if the soul has not come to identify herself completely with my Humanity, many works she does are dispersed. But since I made her reach this point, why can I not take her?”

Now, while they were saying this, I said to myself: ‘It seems that everyone is against me: obedience does not want me to die; these are praying the Lord not to take me – what do they want from me? I don’t know why they want me to be on this earth almost by force, far away from my highest Good’; and I was all afflicted. While I was thinking of this, Jesus told me: “My daughter, do not want to afflict yourself. The things of the world are most sad, and they get worse and worse. If the point comes for Me to give free vent to my Justice, I will take you, and then I will no longer listen to anyone.”

February 21, 1904
The promise of Luisa if she is allowed to die.

In the presence of the Most Holy Trinity, of the Queen Mother, Mary Most Holy, of my guardian Angel and of the whole Celestial Court, and in order to obey my confessor, I promise that if the Lord, by His infinite mercy, should give me the grace of letting me die, when I find myself together with my Celestial Spouse, I will pray and plead for the triumph of the Church and the confusion and conversion of Her enemies; that the Catholic party may triumph in our country, and that the church of St. Cataldo may be reopened for service; that my confessor be freed of his usual sufferings, with a holy freedom of spirit and the sanctity of a true apostle of Our Lord; and that – always if the Lord permits it – I will go to him, at least once a month, to confer about celestial things and things pertaining to the good of his soul. I promise all this, for my part, and I swear.

February 22, 1904
The great gift of having a victim.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, I saw blessed Jesus for just a little, and I saw people who were suffering. I prayed Jesus to free them of those sufferings, even at the cost of suffering myself in their place, and He said to me: “If you want to suffer yourself now that you are victim – fine; because then, when the victim comes to Me, those who surround you, your own country and even kingdoms will see the void that they will feel! Oh, how they will know then, through this loss, the great good I had given them by giving them a victim!”

February 12^bis, 1904
Luisa speaks with some priests about the church of St. Cataldo.

I had forgotten to say what I am about to write, which I will say now out of obedience, although these are not sure things, but uncertain, because the presence of Our Lord was missing.

I was outside of myself, and I seemed to find myself inside a church in which there were several venerable priests, and also souls from Purgatory and holy people, conversing among themselves about the church of St. Cataldo, saying that almost with certainty it would be obtained. On hearing this, I said: ‘How can this be? The other day it was rumored that the Chapter had lost the cause. So, through the tribunal it could not be obtained, the town council does not want to give it, and you are saying that it will be obtained?’ And they added: “In spite of all these difficulties, indeed it is not lost; and even if they reach the point of laying hands on it to knock it down, it still cannot be considered as lost, because St. Cataldo will know well how to defend his temple. However, poor Corato if they arrive at this!” But while saying this, they repeated: “They have taken away the first things; the Crowned Lady has already been transported to his house. You, go before Our Lady and pray to Her that, having started the grace, She would fulfill it.” I went out of that church to go pray, but as I was doing this, I found myself inside myself.

March 4, 1904
The soul must live up high. One who lives up high cannot be harmed.

As I was very afflicted and in suffering because of the loss of my good Jesus, I saw Him for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, your soul must try to maintain the flight of an eagle – that is, to dwell up high, above all the low things of this earth; and so high that no enemy may harm it. In fact, one who lives up high can harm the enemies, but cannot be harmed. And she must not only live up high, but must try to have purity and sharpness of eye, similar to those of an eagle. Though living up high, through the sharpness of her sight, she penetrates the divine things – not in passing, but by chewing them to the point of making of them her favorite food, despising any other thing. And she also penetrates the necessities of her neighbor, nor is she afraid to descend into their midst and do good to them; and if needed, she lays down her life. Through the purity of her sight, she makes the love of God and the love of neighbor from two to one, rectifying everything for God. So must the soul be if she wants to please Me.”

March 5, 1904
The cross is citation, advocate and judge of the soul, so that she may take possession of the eternal Kingdom.

This morning I was feeling in much suffering, with the addition of His privation. Then, after I struggled very much, He came for just a few instants, and told me: “My daughter, sufferings, crosses, are like many citations which I send to souls. If the soul accepts these citations – whether they are citations that notify the soul to pay some debt, or it is a notification to obtain some gain for eternal life – if the soul responds to Me by resigning herself to my Will, by thanking Me, by adoring my holy dispositions, we are immediately in accord, and the soul will avoid many inconveniences that are possible, like being cited again, having advocates involved, going through the suit, and receiving the condemnation of the judge. Responding to the citation with resignation and with thanksgiving alone will make up for all this, because the cross will be citation, advocate and judge for her, with nothing else needed for her to take possession of the eternal Kingdom. If then she does not accept these citations – think about it, yourself, into how many abysses of disgraces and troubles she throws herself, and what the rigor of the judge will be in condemning her for having shunned the cross as her judge – so much milder, more compassionate, more prone to enriching her rather than judging her, more intent on embellishing her rather than condemning her.”

March 12, 1904
Threats of wars. All Europe lays on Luisa’s shoulders.

Since Luisa is ill, I imposed on her to dictate to me. As she could not disobey, she dictated what follows, with great repugnance:

As I lamented to Our Lord that, while I felt in suffering, He would still not take me to Heaven, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, courage in suffering; I do not want you to afflict yourself in seeing yourself not yet taken to Heaven. You must know that all Europe lays on your shoulders, and the good or bad outcome for Europe depends on your sufferings. If you are strong and constant in suffering, things will be more bearable; if you are not strong and constant in suffering, or if I take you to Heaven, things will be so grave that Europe will be threatened with invasion and of being seized by foreigners.”

Even more, He added: “If you remain on earth and suffer much with desire and constancy, all the chastisements that will happen in Europe will serve for the coming of the triumph of the Church. And if in spite of all this, Europe will not take advantage and will remain obstinate in sin, your sufferings will serve as preparation for your death, without Europe’s taking advantage of them.” Father Gennaro De Gennaro.

March 14, 1904
Because of the necessity of the times, Jesus asks for silence, as He wants to chastise.

As I was in my usual state, after I struggled very much, blessed Jesus came out from within my interior, and as I wanted to speak, He placed a finger on my mouth, telling me: “Be quiet, be quiet.” I was left so very mortified and no longer dared to open my mouth; and blessed Jesus, seeing me so mortified, added: “Dearest daughter of mine, the necessity of the times brings silence, because if you speak to Me, your word binds my hands and I never come to the deeds, chastising as appropriate, and so we are always at the beginning. Therefore, it is necessary that there be silence between you and Me for some time.” And while He was saying this, a sign came out with written on it: “It is decreed: scourges, pains and wars.” And He disappeared.

March 16, 1904
True resignation does not put things under scrutiny, but adores in silence the divine dispositions. The cross is festive, jubilant, joyful and desiring.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, I found myself over a person who appeared as though clothed like a sheep, and I was carried on his shoulders. But he walked at a slow pace, while in front of him there was something like a car, which was faster; and I said in my interior: ‘This one is going slowly; I would like to go inside that car for it goes faster.” I don’t know why, but as soon as I thought of this I found myself there, inside of it, with other people who said to me: “What have you done – you have left the Shepherd? And what a Shepherd! In fact, since his life is in the fields, all the medicinal herbs, noxious and salutary, are his; and by being with him one can be always in good health. And if you see him clothed like a sheep, it is so that he can make himself similar to the sheep, allowing them to approach him with no fear; and even though he walks at a slow pace, he is safer.”

On hearing this, I said in my interior: ‘Since it is so, I would like to be with him so as to tell him something about my illness.’ But as I was thinking of this, I found him near me; and I, all content, drew close to his ear and said to him: ‘Good Shepherd, if you are so very expert, give me some remedy for my troubles, as I find myself in this state of sufferings.’ And as I wanted to say more, he cut my words inside my mouth, saying to me: “True resignation, not an imaginary one, does not put things under scrutiny, but adores in silence the divine dispositions.” And as he was saying this, it seemed that the sheepskin split, and I could see the face of Our Lord and His head crowned with thorns.

On hearing Him tell me that, I did not know what else to say – I remained in silence, content with being with Him; and He added: “You have forgotten to tell the confessor another thing about the cross. And I: ‘My adorable Lord, I don’t remember, repeat it to me and I will tell him.’ And He: “My daughter, among the many titles that the cross has, it has the title of ‘feast day’, because when one receives a gift, what happens? One makes feast, rejoices and is more content. Now, since the cross is the most precious, the noblest gift, and is given by the greatest and most unique Person that exists, it is more pleasing and brings more feast, more gladness than all other gifts. So, you yourself can say what other titles can be given to the cross.” And I: ‘As You say, it can be said that the cross is festive, jubilant, joyful, desiring.’ And He: “Good – you spoke well. However, the soul comes to experience these effects of the cross when she is perfectly resigned to my Will and has given all of herself to Me, without keeping anything for herself. And I, so as not to be surpassed in love by the creature, give her all of Myself, and in giving Myself I also give my cross; and the soul recognizing it as my gift, makes feast and enjoys.”

March 20, 1904
All things take origin from Faith.

This morning I was feeling all discouraged and embittered because of the loss of my adorable Jesus; and while I was in this state, He let His most sweet voice be heard, saying to me: “My daughter, all things take origin from Faith. One who is strong in Faith is strong in suffering; Faith makes one find God in every place, it makes one see Him in every action, touch Him in every movement, and every new occasion that presents itself is a new divine revelation that one receives. Therefore, remain strong in Faith, for if you are strong in it, in all states and circumstances, Faith will administer fortitude to you, and will make you be always united with God.”

April 9, 1904
One act of perfect resignation is enough for the soul to be purged of any involuntary imperfection.

This morning, since I would be receiving Communion, I was thinking to myself: ‘What will blessed Jesus say when He comes into my soul? He will say: “How ugly, bad, cold, abominable this soul is.’ How quickly He will make the species consumed so as not to be in contact with someone so ugly. But, what can I do? Even though I am so bad, yet, You must have patience in coming, because You are necessary to Me anyway, and I cannot do without You.’ At that moment, He came out from within my interior, and told me: “My daughter, do not want to afflict yourself for this. It takes nothing to remedy it; one act of perfect resignation to my Will is enough for you to be purged of all these uglinesses that you talk about. And I will say to you the opposite of what you think; I will say to you: ‘How beautiful you are, I feel the fire of my love in you, and the perfume of my fragrances. With you I want to make my perpetual dwelling’.” And He disappeared.

Then, when the confessor came, I told him everything, and he said to me that it was not right – that it is sorrow that purges the soul and that resignation has nothing to do with this. So, after I received Communion, I said: ‘Lord, father told me that what You told me was not right. Explain Yourself better and let me know the truth.’ And He, benignly, added: “My daughter, when it is about voluntary sin, then it takes sorrow; but when it is about imperfections, weaknesses, coldnesses and the like, and the soul has added nothing of her own, then a perfect act of resignation is enough; and if needed, she is also purged of this state, because in doing this act, the soul first encounters my Divine Will, which purges her human will and embellishes it with Its qualities, and then she identifies herself with Me.”

April 10, 1904
The three little ropes that bind Jesus all over and clasp Him more intimately to the soul: assiduous sufferings, perpetual reparation, persevering love.

This morning, finding myself with the fear that blessed Jesus, in seeing me still so bad, had left me, I felt Him come out from within my interior, and He told me: “My daughter, why do you occupy yourself with useless thoughts and with things which are not? Know that you have three titles before Me, which, like three little ropes, bind Me all over and clasp Me more intimately to you, in such a way that I cannot leave you; and these are: assiduous sufferings, perpetual reparation, persevering love. If you, as a creature, are constant in this, would the Creator perhaps be inferior to the creature – or would He let Himself be surpassed by her? This is impossible.”

April 11, 1904
Jesus thanks Luisa.

Continuing in my usual state, after much struggling, I saw my adorable Jesus for just a little, and He told me: “You who wanted Me so much – what do you want, what is it that you care about the most?” And I: ‘Lord, I want nothing – what I care about the most is You alone.’ And He repeated: “What – you want nothing? Ask Me for something – sanctity, my grace, virtues… for I can give you everything.” And, again, I said: ‘Nothing, nothing, I want You alone and whatever You want.” And, again, He added: “So you want nothing else? I alone am enough for you? Your desires have no other life in you but for Me alone? All your trust, then, must be in Me alone, for even if you want nothing, you will obtain everything.” And without giving me any more time, He disappeared like a flash.

I remained very disappointed, especially because, as much as I asked for Him, He would not come back; so I thought to myself: ‘I want nothing, I think and care about nothing but Him alone, while He seems not to bother about me. I don’t know how His good Heart can reach such a point.’ And I spoke a lot of other nonsense. Now, at that moment, He came back and told me: “Thank you, thank you. What is greater – when the Creator thanks the creature or when the creature thanks the Creator? Now, know that when you wait for Me and I delay my coming, I thank you; when I come immediately, you are obliged to thank Me. So, does it seem trivial to you that the Creator gives you the occasion to have Him be obliged to you and thank you?” I was left all confused.

April 12, 1904
Peace is the greatest treasure.

This morning I felt disturbed because of the absence of blessed Jesus. Then, after much struggling, I saw Him for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, when a river is exposed to the rays of the sun, in looking into it one sees the same sun that is there in the heavens. However, this happens when the river is calm, with no wind that ripples its waters. But if the waters are rippled, even though the river is completely exposed to the sun, one can see nothing – everything is confusion. The same for the soul: when she is exposed to the rays of the Divine Sun, if she is calm she perceives the Divine Sun within herself, she feels Its heat, she sees the light and understands the truth. But if she is disturbed, even though she has It within herself, she feels nothing but confusion and disturbance. Therefore, hold peace as your greatest treasure if you cherish being united with Me.”

April 14, 1904
If the soul gives to God the food of patient love, God will give her the sweet bread of grace.

I continue in my usual state, but always with immense bitterness in my soul because of the privation of blessed Jesus; at the most, He comes when I can take no more and after I have almost persuaded myself that He will come no more.

I saw Him for just a little, carrying a chalice in His hand, and He told me: “My daughter, if in addition to the food of love you give Me the bread of your patience – because patient and suffering love is a more solid, more nourishing and fortifying food, for if love is not patient, it can be said that it is empty, light love and with no substance, and therefore it can be said that the necessary materials in order to form the bread of patience are lacking – …so, if you give Me this, I will give you the sweet bread of grace.” And while saying this, He gave me to drink what was inside the chalice he carried in His hand, which seemed sweet, like a sort of liqueur which I am unable to distinguish. And He disappeared.

After this, I saw many foreign people around my bed – priests, gentlemen, women, and it seemed that they were going to come to visit me. Several of them were saying to the confessor: “Give us an account of this soul, of everything that the Lord has manifested to her and the graces He has given her, because the Lord manifested to us since 1882 that He would choose a victim; and the sign to recognize this victim would be that the Lord would keep her always in this state like a young woman, just as she was when He chose her, without aging or changing in her very nature.” Now, while they were saying this, I don’t know how, I saw myself just as I was when I became bedridden, without having changed a bit for having been in this state of sufferings for so many years.

April 16, 1904
Jesus and God the Father speak about Mercy.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and I saw a multitude of people, and in their midst one could hear noises of bombs and gun shots. People were dropping dead or wounded, and those who were left would flee up to a palace nearby; but the enemies would go up there and kill them, more surely than those who remained outside. So I said to myself: ‘How I wish I could see whether the Lord is there in the midst of these people, so as to say to Him: ‘Have mercy – pity on these poor people!’ So I went round and round and I saw Him as a little Child; but little by little He kept growing, until He reached the perfect age. I drew near Him and I said: ‘Amiable Lord, don’t You see the tragedy that is happening? You don’t want to make use of mercy any more? Do You perhaps want to keep this attribute as useless, which has always glorified your Incarnate Divinity with so much honor, forming a special crown on your august head, and bejeweling You with a second crown, so wanted and loved by You – which is souls?’

Now, while I was saying this, He told me: ‘Enough, enough, do not go any further; you want to speak of Mercy, and what about Justice – what are we going to do with It? I have told you and I repeat to you: ‘It is necessary that Justice follow Its course’.” So I replied: ‘There is no remedy – why then leave me on this earth when I can no longer placate You and suffer in the place of my neighbor? Since it is so, it is better if You let me die.’ At that moment I saw another person behind the shoulders of blessed Jesus, and He told me, almost making a sign with His eyes: “Present yourself to my Father and see what He tells you.’ I presented myself, all trembling, and as soon as He saw me, He told me: “Why have you come to Me?” And I: ‘Adorable Goodness, infinite Mercy, knowing that You are Mercy Itself, I have come to ask for your Mercy – Mercy on your very images, Mercy on the works created by You; Mercy on nothing else but your creatures themselves.’ And He said to me: “So, it is Mercy that you want. But if you want true Mercy, after Justice has poured Itself out It will produce abundant fruits of Mercy.” Not knowing what else to say, I said: ‘Father, infinitely Holy, when servants or people in need present themselves before their masters or rich people, if these are good, even if they do not give everything that is necessary for them, they always give something. And to me, who have had the good of presenting myself before You, absolute Master, rich without limit, infinite Goodness, don’t You want to give anything of what this poor little one has asked of You? Does a master perhaps not remain more honored and content when he gives, than when he denies what is necessary to his servants?’ After a moment of silence He added: “For love of you, instead of doing ten, I will do five.” Having said this, They disappeared, and in several places of the earth, especially of Europe, I saw wars, civil wars and revolutions multiply.

April 21, 1904
One who has the title of victim can fight with Justice.

Continuing in my usual state, I felt people around my bed praying to Our Lord; but I did not care about hearing what they wanted, I only cared about the fact that it was late and blessed Jesus had not yet made Himself seen. Oh! how my heart was tormented, fearing that He might not come at all. And I said to myself: ‘Blessed Lord, we are now at the last hour and You are still not coming? O please! do not give me this sorrow – let Yourself be seen at least.’ While I was saying this, He came out from within my interior and said to those who were around me: “It is not licit for creatures to fight with my Justice. Only for one who has the title of victim is it licit, not only to fight, but to play with Justice; and this, because in fighting or playing, one easily suffers blows, defeats and losses, and the victim is ready to receive the blows upon herself, and to resign herself in the defeats and losses, without caring about her losses, about her sufferings, but only about the glory of God and the good of her neighbor. If I wanted to placate Myself, I have my victim here, who is ready to fight and to receive all the fury of my Justice upon herself.” It shows that they were praying in order to placate the Lord. I was left mortified and more embittered in hearing this from Our Lord.

April 26, 1904
The habit does not make the monk.

This morning, as I was outside of myself, I found myself with Baby Jesus in my arms, surrounded by various devoted people and priests, many of whom were intent on vanities, on luxury and on fashion; and it seemed that they were saying that ancient proverb among themselves: “The habit does not make the monk.” Blessed Jesus told me: “My beloved, oh! how defrauded I feel of the glory which the creature owes Me, and which I am denied with so much cheek, and even by persons who are said to be devout!”

On hearing this I said: ‘Dear little One of my heart, let us recite three Glory Be’s, placing the intention of giving to your Divinity all the glory that the creature owes It, so You will receive at least a reparation.’ And He: “Yes, yes, let us recite them.” So we recited them together. Then we recited one Hail Mary, placing the intention of giving the Queen Mother also all the glory that creatures owe Her. Oh, how beautiful it was to pray with blessed Jesus! I felt so much at ease that I said: ‘My beloved, how I would like to make the profession of faith in your hands by reciting the Creed together with You.’ And He: “The Creed you will recite by yourself, because that is for you, not for Me, and you will say it in the name of all creatures so as to give Me more glory and honor.” So I placed my hands in His and I recited the Creed.

After this, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, it seems that I feel more relieved, and that the black cloud of human ingratitude, especially from devout souls, has been moved away. Ah, my daughter, the external action has so much strength to penetrate into one’s interior as to form a material garment for the soul; and when the divine touch touches them, they do not feel it vividly because their souls are wrapped with a muddy garment. And since they do not feel the liveliness of grace, grace is either rejected or remains fruitless. Oh, how difficult it is to enjoy pleasures, to dress luxuriously on the outside, and to despise those things internally! On the contrary, the opposite occurs – that is, one loves in his interior, and enjoys, what surrounds him externally. My daughter, consider, yourself, what the sorrow of my Heart is in these times, in seeing my grace being rejected by all kinds of people, while all my consolation is assisting creatures, and the whole life of creatures is divine help. But creatures reject my assistance and my help. You, come to take part in my sorrow, and compassionate my bitternesses.” Having said this, He disappeared, while I remained all afflicted because of the pains of my adorable Jesus.

April 29, 1904
The Divine Life manifests Itself in creatures through words, through works and through sufferings, but what manifests It more clearly are the sufferings.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself surrounded by three virgins, who took me and wanted to crucify me on a cross by sheer force; but since I did not see blessed Jesus, fearing, I resisted them. On seeing my resistance, they told me: “Dearest sister, do not fear that our Spouse is not here; allow us to begin to crucify you, for the Lord, drawn by the virtue of sufferings, will come. We are coming from Heaven, and since we have seen most grave evils about to happen in Europe, we have come to make you suffer so that at least they might be milder.” In the meantime they pierced my hands and feet through with the nails, but with such cruelty of pain, that I felt I was dying. Now, while I was suffering, blessed Jesus came, and looking at me with severe eyes, He told me: “Who commanded you to put yourself in these sufferings? Of what use are you to Me, then? To make Me unable even to be free to do what I want, and to be a continuous hindrance to my Justice?” In my interior I said: ‘What does He want from me? Neither did I want this; they have been the ones who induced me, and He gets upset with me.’ But I could not speak because of the bitterness of the pain. On seeing the severity of Our Lord, those virgins made me suffer more, pulling the nails out and then driving them in again; and they brought me closer to Him, showing Him my sufferings. The more I suffered, the more it seemed that the Lord was appeased; and when they saw Him more appeased, and almost moved by my suffering, they left me and went away, leaving me alone with Our Lord. Then He Himself assisted me and sustained me; and in seeing me suffer, to cheer me He told me: “My daughter, my Life manifests Itself in the creatures through words, through works and through sufferings, but what manifests It more clearly are the sufferings.”

In the meantime the confessor came to call me to obedience, but partly because of the sufferings, partly because the Lord would not leave me, I was unable to obey. So I lamented to my Jesus, telling Him: ‘Lord, how come the confessor is here at this hour? Why did he have to come right now?’ And He: “My daughter, let him be with us for a while, and also participate in my graces. When one frequents a house continuously, he participates in its crying and in its laughter, in its poverty and in its riches. The same for the confessor. Has he not participated in your mortifications and privations? Now he participates in my presence.” And it seemed that He communicated divine fortitude to him, telling him: “The Life of God in the soul is Hope, and the more you hope, the more Divine Life you contain within yourself. And since Divine Life contains power, wisdom, fortitude, love…, the soul feels herself as though being watered by as many streams for as many as are the divine virtues, and so the Divine Life keeps growing within you. But if you do not hope – both in spiritual things… and, through the spiritual, the corporal too will participate – the Divine Life will be gradually consumed until It is completely extinguished. Therefore, hope – hope always.”

Then, I was just barely able to receive Communion, and afterwards I found myself outside of myself, and I saw three men in the shape of three untamed horses, raging throughout Europe, making a great bloody slaughter. It seemed that they wanted to ensnare most of Europe in fierce wars, as though inside a net. All were trembling at the sight of those incarnate devils, and many were destroyed by them.

May 1, 1904
The eye that delights only in the things of Heaven has the virtue of seeing Jesus, while one who delights in the things of the earth has the virtue of seeing the things of the earth.

As I was in my usual state, I was thinking about Our Lord at the moment when, as He reached the top of mount Calvary, He was completely stripped and was embittered with gall; and I was praying to Him, saying: ‘My adorable Lord, I see in You but a garment of blood adorned with wounds; for taste and pleasure, I see bitternesses of gall, and for honor and glory, I see confusion, opprobriums and crosses. O please! do not permit, after You have suffered so much, that I look at the things of this earth as anything other than dung and mud, that I take any other pleasure but in You alone, and that all my honor be anything else but the cross.” And He, making Himself seen, told me: “My daughter, if you did otherwise you would lose the purity of eye, and as a veil would form before your sight, you would lose the good of seeing Me. In fact, the eye that delights only in the things of Heaven has the virtue of seeing Me, while one who delights in the things of the earth has the virtue of seeing the things of the earth, because his eye, in seeing them as different from what they are, sees them and loves them.”

May 28, 1904
Mortification knocks everything down and immolates everything to God.

Continuing in my usual state, and with highest bitterness because of the continuous privations of my adorable Jesus, He made Himself seen for just a little, telling me: “My daughter, the first bomb which must be primed in the interior of the soul is mortification. When this bomb is thrown into the soul, it knocks everything down and immolates everything to God. In fact, in the soul it is as though there are many palaces, but all of vices, such as pride, disobedience, along with many other vices; and the bomb of mortification, knocking everything down, rebuilds as many other palaces of virtues, immolating them and sacrificing them all to the glory of God.” Having said this, He disappeared.

A little later, the devil came, who just wanted to molest me; and I, without becoming fearful, said to him: ‘Why do you want to molest me? If you want to show how brave you are, take a rod and beat me up to the point of leaving me not even one drop of blood, provided, however, that each drop of blood I shed be one more proof of love, of reparation and of glory which I intend to give to my God.’ And he: “I don’t have a rod with me to be able to beat you; and if I go fetch it, you will not wait for me.” And I: ‘Go ahead – I’ll be waiting for you here.’ So he went off, and I remained with the firm intention of waiting for him. But to my surprise, I saw that, as he met with another demon, the two were saying: “It is useless for us to go back. Why should we beat her, if this must serve to harm us, and as a loss for us? It is good to make suffer one who does not want to suffer, because he would offend God; but if one wants to suffer, we would do harm to ourselves with our own hands.” So he did not come back, and I was left mortified.

May 30, 1904
The Passion serves as garment for man. Pride transforms the images of God into demons.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was thinking about and offering the Passion of Our Lord, especially the crown of thorns, and I was praying that He would give light to so many blinded minds, and that he would make Himself known, because ‘it is impossible to know You and not to love You.’ While I was saying this, my adorable Jesus came out from within my interior and told me: “My daughter, how much ruin pride causes in souls! It is enough to tell you that it forms a wall of division between the creature and God, and from images of Me it transforms them into demons. And then, if the fact that creatures are so blinded that they themselves do not understand nor see the abyss they are in, grieves you and saddens you so much, and you take so much to heart that I help them, my Passion serves as garment for man, which covers his greatest miseries, embellishes him and gives back to him all the good of which he had deprived himself and had lost because of sin. So I give it to you as gift, that you may use it for yourself and for whomever you want.” On hearing this, a great fear came to me in seeing the greatness of the gift, fearing that I might not be capable of using this gift and therefore I might displease the Giver. So I said: ‘Lord, I do not feel the strength to accept such a gift – I am too unworthy of such a favor. It is better if You keep it, for You are everything and know everything, and You know to whom it is necessary and appropriate to apply this garment so precious and of immense value. But I, poor one, what can I know? And if it is necessary to apply it to someone and I do not do it, what strict account would You not ask of me?’ And Jesus: “Do not fear, for the Giver Himself will give you the grace not to keep the gift He has given you as useless. Can you believe that I would give you a gift to do you harm? Never.” I did not know what to answer, but I remained frightened and suspended, intending to hear what lady obedience thought about it. It is understood, however, that this garment wants to signify nothing other than all that Our Lord operated, earned and suffered, in which the creature finds the garment to cover her nakedness stripped of virtues, and riches with which to enrich herself, beauties to render herself beautiful and to embellish herself, and the remedy for all her evils. Then, as I told this to obedience, he[1] told me that I should accept.

June 3, 1904
The cross destroys three evil kingdoms and constitutes three good Kingdoms in the soul.

This morning, since blessed Jesus was not coming, I felt all oppressed and tired. Then, when He came, He told me: “My daughter, do not want to become tired in suffering, but rather, act as if at each hour you were just beginning to suffer. In fact, if the soul lets herself be dominated by the cross, the cross destroys three evil kingdoms in her, which are the world, the devil and the flesh, and it constitutes in her three more good Kingdoms: the Spiritual, the Divine and the Eternal Kingdom.” And He disappeared.

June 6, 1904
It takes courage, fidelity and greatest attention to follow what the Divinity operates within us.

Continuing in my usual state, He made Himself seen for a little from within my interior – first Himself alone, and then all Three Divine Persons, but They were all in profound silence. I continued my usual interior work in Their presence, and it seemed that the Son would unite with me and I would do nothing but follow Him. But everything was silence, and in this silence I would do nothing but identify myself with God, and my whole interior, my affections, heartbeats, desires, breaths, would become profound adorations to the Supreme Majesty. Then, after spending some time in this state, it seemed that all Three of Them were speaking, though one single voice was formed, and They said to me: “Our beloved daughter, courage, fidelity and greatest attention in following what the Divinity operates in you, because everything you do, it is not you who does it, for you do nothing other than give the Divinity your soul as residence. It happens to you as to a poor woman who had a little hovel, and the king asks for it as his residence, and she gives it to him and does everything the king wants. So, since the king resides in that little hovel, it contains riches, nobility, glory and all goods. But to whom do they belong? To the king; and if the king wants to leave, what remains to the poor one? She is left always with her poverty.”

June 10, 1904
The beauty of man, and his blindness with regard to himself.

Continuing in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came for just a little, all sad and sorrowful, and He told me: “Ah, my daughter, if man knew himself, oh! how careful he would be not to become stained. In fact, his beauty, his nobility, his strikingness are such and so great that he encompasses all the beauties and varieties of created things within himself. And this, because all other things of nature had been created to serve man, and man was to be superior to all of them; so, in order to be superior, he had to encompass all the qualities of the other created things within himself. Not only this, but since the other things had been created for man, and man for God alone and for His delight, as a consequence he was not only to encompass all creation within himself, but he was to surpass it to the point of receiving the image of the Supreme Majesty within himself. But in spite of all this, heedless of all these goods, man does nothing but dirty himself with the ugliest filth.” And He disappeared.

I understood that it happens to us as to a poor woman, who received a garment woven with gold and enriched with gems and precious pearls. But since she knows little about these things and does not know their value, she keeps the garment exposed to dust; she easily lets it get dirty with mud, and she holds it as she would a rough and inexpensive dress; so much so, that if it is taken away from her, she suffers little or no displeasure. Such is our blindness with regard to ourselves.

June 15, 1904
The creature is nothing but a little container filled with a dose of all the divine particles.

As I was in my usual state, He came for just a little and told me: “My beloved daughter, the creature is so dear to Me and I love her so much, that if the creature could comprehend it, her heart would burst with love. This is so true, that in creating her I made her as nothing but a little container filled with a dose of all the divine particles, in such a way that of all my Being – attributes, virtues, perfections – the soul contains many little particles according to the capacity given to her by Me; and this, so that I might find in her as many little notes corresponding to my notes, and thus be able to delight perfectly and to play with her. Now, when the soul deals with material things and lets them enter into this little container filled with the divine, something of the divine flows outside of it, and something of matter enters to take its place. What affront the Divinity receives, and what harm for the soul! How much attention it takes so as not to let material things enter inside, if by necessity she has to deal with them! You, my daughter, be attentive; otherwise, if I see anything which is not divine in you, I will not make Myself seen anymore.”

June 17, 1904
The consummation of the human will in the Divine renders the soul one with God, and places the divine power in her hands.

This morning, after I struggled very much, blessed Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, see how many things are said about virtue, about perfection, but they all end up in one single point – that is, the consummation of the human will in the Divine. So, the more one is consumed in It, the more it can be said that he contains everything and is more perfect than everyone. In fact, all virtues and good works are many keys that open the divine treasures and make one acquire more friendship, more intimacy, more commerce with God; but consummation alone is what renders the soul one with Him and places the divine power in her hands. And this, because life must have a will in order to live, and by living of the Divine Will, one naturally takes ownership.”

June 19, 1904
Sorrowful times for the Church. The glory of the athletic spirits.

As I was in my usual state, I felt my adorable Jesus near me, saying: “My daughter, what a sorrowful stage the Church is about to enter. But all the glory in these times is of those athletic spirits who, heedless of shackles, chains and pains, do nothing but break the thorny path that divides the society from God.” Then He added: “One can see greed for human blood in man – he, from the earth, and I will concur from Heaven with earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, calamities, such as to make a good part of them die.”

June 20, 1904
Victim souls are the daughters of Mercy.

After I struggled very much, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, human perfidy has reached such a point as to exhaust my Mercy on its part. But my goodness is so great as to constitute daughters of Mercy, so that on the part of creatures also, this attribute may not be exhausted. These are the victims who are in full ownership of the Divine Will, having destroyed their own. In fact, in these souls, the container given by Me in creating them is in full vigor, and since they have received the particle of my Mercy, being daughters, they administer it to others. It is understood, however, that in order to be able to administer the particle of my Mercy to others, they themselves must be in Justice.” And I: ‘Lord, who can ever be in Justice?’ And He: “One who does not commit grave sins and abstains from committing the slightest venial sins of his own will.”

June 29, 1904
The sign to know when God withdraws from the soul.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, the sign to know when my Justice can no longer bear man and is in the act of sending grave chastisements, is that man can no longer bear himself. In fact, rejected by man, God withdraws from him and makes him feel all the weight of his nature, of sin, of miseries; and man, unable to bear the weight of his nature without divine help, seeks, himself, the way to destroy himself. Such is the state the present generation is now in.”

July 14, 1904
Life is a continuous consummation.

My days are becoming more and more sorrowful because of the almost continuous privations of my adorable Jesus. I myself do not know why I feel my soul, and also my body, being devoured by this separation. What a consuming torment… My only and sole comfort is the Will of God, because if I have lost everything, and also Jesus, this holy and most sweet Will of God alone is in my power. Also, feeling that my body too is being devoured, I flatter myself that it will not take too long for it to melt, because I see that I feel it succumb, and therefore I hope that one day or another the Lord may call me to Himself and end this hard separation.

Then, this morning, after much struggling – oh, how much! – He came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, life is a continuous consummation. Some consume it for pleasures, some for creatures, some for sinning, others for interests, some for whims… There are many kinds of consummation. Now, one who forms this consummation all in God, can say with all certainty: ‘Lord, my life has been consumed with love for You, and I have not only consumed myself, but I have died for love of You alone.’ Therefore, if you feel yourself being consumed continuously because of my separation, you can say that you are dying continuously in Me, and that you suffer many deaths for love of Me. And if you consume your being for Me, as great as the consummation of yourself is, so much do you acquire of the divine within yourself.”

July 22, 1904
Only stability is what reveals the progress of Divine Life within the soul.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, when the soul proposes either not to sin or to do some good, and does not carry out the proposition she made, it is a sign that those things are not done with all of her will and that the divine light has had no contact with the soul. In fact, when her will is true and the divine light makes known to her the evil to be avoided or the good to be done, the soul hardly fails to execute what she has proposed. On the other hand, when the divine light does not see stability in her will, it does not administer to her the necessary light in order to avoid something or to do something else; at the most, there might be moments of misfortune, abandonments by creatures or some other circumstance, such that it seems that the soul would want to undo herself for God, and change life; but as soon as the wind of the circumstances changes, immediately her human will changes. So, instead of will and light, it can be said that there is a mixture of passions according to the changes in the winds. Stability alone is what reveals the progress of Divine Life within the soul, because, since God is immutable, one who possesses Him shares in His immutability in good.”

July 27, 1904
For one who truly loves God, all things are Divine Will. Everything must be sealed by love.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came out from within my interior, and holding my head up, for I was very tired because of the long time waiting for Him, He told me: “My daughter, one who truly loves Me, in anything that happens to her, internal and external, devours everything as one single thing – which is the Divine Will. Of all things, none seems strange to her, as she looks at it as a product of the Divine Will; therefore she consumes everything in It. So, her center, her aim, is only and solely the Will of God. She always goes around within It as though inside a ring, without ever finding the way out, and making of It her continuous food.” Having said this, He disappeared.

Later, as He came back, He told me: “Daughter, let everything in you be sealed by love. If you think, you must only think of love; if you speak, if you work, if you palpitate, if you desire… If even just one desire which is not love comes out of you, restrict it within yourself, convert it into love, and then give it the freedom to go out.” And while saying this, He seemed to be touching my whole person with His hand, placing many seals of love.

July 28, 1904
The soul who is detached from everything finds God in all things.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a little while and told me: “My daughter, when the soul is detached from everything, in all things she finds God; she finds Him within herself, she finds Him outside of herself, she finds Him in creatures. So, it can be said that for the soul who is completely detached, all things convert into God. Even more, she not only finds Him, but contemplates Him, feels Him, embraces Him; and since she finds Him in everything, all things administer to her the occasion to adore Him, to pray Him, to thank Him, to draw close to Him more intimately. And besides, your laments about my privation are not completely reasonable; if you feel Me in your interior it is a sign that I am not only outside of you, but also inside, as though in my own center.”

I forgot to say at the beginning that the Queen Mama brought Him to me, and since I was praying Him to content me and not to leave me without Himself, blessed Jesus answered in the way written above.

July 29, 1904
Faith makes one know God, but trust makes one find Him.

Continuing in my usual state, as soon as I saw my adorable Jesus, I said to Him: ‘My Lord and my God.’ And He continued: “God, God, God alone. Daughter, faith makes one know God, but trust makes one find Him. So, without trust, faith is sterile, and even though faith possesses immense riches with which the soul can enrich herself, if there is no trust she remains always poor and lacking in everything.” While He was saying this, I felt myself being drawn into God, and I remained absorbed in Him like a little drop of water in the immense sea. As much as I looked, I could find no boundaries, either of height or of breadth; Heaven and earth, blessed and pilgrim souls, all were immersed in God. I could also see wars, like that between Russia and Japan, the thousands of soldiers who were dying and will die, and that by justice, also natural, the victory will be of Japan; and I saw that other European nations are plotting machinations of war even against nations of Europe. But who can say all that I could see of God and in God? So, to end it, I stop here.

July 30, 1904
The detachment that priests must have.

This morning blessed Jesus was not coming, and I, finding myself outside of myself, went round and round in search of my highest and only Good; and not finding Him, my soul felt itself dying at each instant. But what increased my torment was that while I felt I was dying, I would not die, for if I could die I would reach my intent, to be forever in the center – God. Oh, separation, how bitter and painful you are! There is no pain that can be compared to you. Oh, divine privation, you consume, you pierce, you are a two-edged sword that cuts on one side, and burns on the other. The pain you give is immense, as immense as is God. Now, while wandering about, I found myself in Purgatory, and my sorrow and my crying seemed to increase the sorrow of those poor souls deprived of their life, God. Among them there seemed to be quite a few priests, one of whom seemed to be suffering more than the others; and he said to me: “My grave sufferings come from the fact that in life I was very attached to family interests, to earthly things, and I had a little attachment to some people. This produces so much evil for the priest as to form an iron shell, covered with mud, that enwraps him like a garment, and only the fire of Purgatory and the fire of the privation of God – which is such that, compared to it, the first fire disappears – can destroy this shell. Oh, how much I suffer! My pains are unutterable. Pray, pray for me.” I felt even more tormented and I found myself inside myself.

Later, I saw just the shadow of blessed Jesus, and He told me: “My daughter, what were you searching for? For you there are no other reliefs and helps but Me alone.” He disappeared like a flash, and I was left saying: ‘Ah, He Himself tells me this – that He alone is everything for me? And yet, He has the courage to leave me without – deprived of Him.’

July 31, 1904
The human will falsifies and profanes even the holiest works.

Continuing in my poor state, it seemed that He came more than once, and I seemed to see Him as a Child, as though surrounded by a shadow. He said to me: “My daughter, don’t you feel the freshness of my shadow? Rest in it, for you will find refreshment.” And it seemed that we rested together in His shadow, and I felt all reinvigorated being close to Him. Then He continued: “My beloved, if you love Me, I do not want you to look either inside or outside of yourself, at whether you are warm or cold, at whether you do much or little, or at whether you suffer or enjoy. All this must be destroyed in you. You must have your eyes fixed only on whether you do as much as you can for Me, and everything to please Me. The other ways, as high, sublime and industrious as they might be, cannot please Me and content my love. Oh, how many souls falsify true devotion and profane the holiest works with their own will, always seeking themselves. Even in holy things, if one seeks her own way and taste and the satisfaction of herself, if she finds herself, she escapes from God and does not find Him.”

August 4, 1904
The state of the Blessed in Heaven will be according to the ways in which they comported themselves with God on earth. From the very way God is for the soul, it can be seen how the soul is for God.

This morning, when blessed Jesus came He transported me outside of myself, and taking me by the hand, He led me as far as underneath the vault of the heavens, from where one could see the Blessed and hear their chanting. Oh, how the Blessed were swimming in God! One could see their lives in God, and the Life of God in them. This alone seems to me to be the whole essence of their happiness. It also seems to me that each Blessed is a new heaven in that blessed dwelling, but all distinct among themselves – there is no one similar to anyone else; and this happens according to the ways in which they comported themselves with God on earth. One tried to love Him more; he will love Him more in Heaven and will receive from God ever new and increasing love, in such a way that this heaven will have a divine shade and feature, all special. Another tried to glorify Him more, and blessed God will give him ever increasing glory, in such a way that this new heaven will be more glorious and glorified by the very divine glory; and so with all the other distinct ways that each one had with God on earth, such that, if I wanted to say everything, I would be too long. So, it can be said that what we do for God on earth, we shall continue in Heaven, but with greater perfection; therefore, the good we do is not temporary, but will last for eternity and will shine before God and around us continuously.

Oh, how happy we will be in seeing that all our good and the glory we give to God, as well as our own, comes from that little bit of good that we started imperfectly on earth! If all could see this – oh, how they would hasten more to love, to praise, to thank and other things the Lord, so as to be able to do it with greater intensity in Heaven! But who can say everything? Rather, it seems to me that I am speaking much nonsense about that blessed dwelling place; my mind has it in one way, but my mouth cannot find the words to manifest it, therefore I move on.

Then, afterwards, He transported me to earth. Oh, how horrifying are the troubles of the earth in these sad times! Yet, it seems that this is still nothing, compared to what will come, both in the religious state – so much so, that it seems that the Church, this good and holy mother, will be torn to shreds by Her very children – and in the secular state. Then, after this, He took me back into myself and told me: “Tell Me a little bit, my daughter – how am I for you?” And I: ‘Everything – You are everything for me; nothing enters into me, everything flows outside but You alone.’ And He: “And I am all – all for you; nothing of you goes out of Me, but I delight all of Myself in you. So, from the very way I am for you, you can see how you are for Me.” Having said this, He disappeared.

August 5, 1904
Jesus, Ruler of kings and Lord of lords.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, in the act of ruling and dominating everything, and of reigning with the crown of King on His head and with the scepter of command in His hand. While I was seeing Him in this position, He told me (though in Latin, but I will say it according to what I understood): “My daughter, I am the Ruler of kings and the Lord of lords. To Me alone is this right of justice due, which the creature owes Me; and by not giving it to Me, she denies Me as Creator and Master of everything.” While saying this, He seemed to take the world in His hand and turn it upside down, so that creatures would submit to His regime and dominion. At the same time I could also see how the Lord ruled and dominated my soul, with such mastery that I felt all submerged in Him. From Him came the regime of my mind, of my affections, of my desires; many electric wires passed between me and Him, through which He directed and dominated everything.

August 6, 1904
The privation is pain of fire that ignites, consumes, annihilates, and its purpose is to destroy the human life to constitute the divine.

This morning I went through a most bitter time because of the privation of my highest and only Good. The sorrow of the privation was such that, as I found myself outside of myself, the pain of my soul was so great, that the pain itself administered such strength to it that it wanted to destroy whatever it found as hindrance to finding its All, God. And not finding Him, it would shout, cry, run more than wind; it wanted to upset everything, to turn everything upside down in order to find the life it was lacking. Oh, privation, how intense is your bitterness! Your sorrow is always new, and because it is new, the soul feels the bitterness of the pain as ever new. My soul feels as if one whole flesh would separate into many shreds, and all those shreds, with justice, ask for their life, and will find it only if they find God, who is more than their life. But who can say the state I was in? Meanwhile, Saints, Angels and purging souls rushed up to me, placing themselves in circle around me and preventing me from running, compassionating me and assisting me. But everything was useless for me, because in them I could not find the One who alone could soothe my pain and restore my life; and so I shouted more, crying out: ‘Tell me, where – where can I find Him? If you want to have pity on me, do not delay showing Him to me, for I can take no more!’ Then, after this, He came out from within the depth of my soul, and it seemed that He pretended to be sleeping, without being concerned about the hardness of my poor state. But even though He would not bother and was sleeping, at merely seeing Him I breathed my life as one breathes air, saying: ‘Ah, He is here with me!’ However, I was not freed of the pain in seeing that He would not even pay attention to me. Then, after much suffering, as if He had awakened, He told me: “My daughter, all other tribulations can be penances, expiations, compensations, but only the privation is pain of fire that ignites, consumes, annihilates, and does not give up until it sees the human life destroyed. But while it consumes, it vivifies and it constitutes Divine Life in it.”

August 7, 1904
The first to persecute the Church will be the religious.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself surrounded by Angels and Saints, who said to me: “It is necessary that you suffer more for the imminent things that are about to happen against the Church, for if they do not come about imminently, time will make them happen in a milder way and with lesser offense to God.” And I said: ‘Is suffering perhaps in my power? If the Lord gives it to me, I will gladly suffer.’ Meanwhile, they took me and brought me before the throne of Our Lord, and they prayed together that He would make me suffer; and blessed Jesus, coming toward us in the form of the Crucified, shared His pains with me – not only once, but I spent almost all morning amid continuous renewals of the crucifixion. Afterwards, He said to me: “My daughter, sufferings divert my just indignation, and the light of grace is renewed in human minds. Ah, daughter, do you think that it will be the secular who will be the first to persecute my Church? Ah, no, it will be the religious, the very leaders who, pretending now to be sons, shepherds, while in reality they are poisonous snakes that poison themselves and others, will begin among themselves to lacerate this good mother; and then the secular will follow.” Then, as obedience called me, the Lord withdrew, but all embittered.

August 8, 1904
The soul must look for Jesus within herself, not outside. Everything must be enclosed in one word: ‘Love’. One who loves Jesus is another Jesus.

While I continued struggling, my adorable Jesus came for just a little, but even though I felt Him near me, I would try to grab Him, and He would escape me, almost preventing me from going outside of myself to go in search of Him. Then, after I struggled very much, He made Himself seen for just a little and told me: “My daughter, do not look for Me outside of yourself, but within yourself, in the depth of your soul, because if you go outside and do not find Me, you will suffer very much and will not be able to endure. If you can find Me more easily, why do you want to struggle more?” And I: ‘It is because I believe that not finding You immediately within myself, I can find You outside; it is love that pushes me to this.’ And He: “Ah, it is love that pushes you to this? Everything, everything should be enclosed in one single word: ‘Love’. If the soul does not enclose everything in this, it can be said that she does not know a thing about loving Me, and according to how much the soul loves Me, so do I expand the gift of suffering.” And I, interrupting His speaking, all surprised and afflicted, said: ‘My Life and my whole Good, so, since I suffer little or nothing, I love You little, or not at all. What fright, the mere thought that I do not love You! My soul feels a sharp disappointment, and I even almost feel offended by You.’ And He added: “I do not intend to disappoint you; your disappointment would press on my Heart more than on your own. And besides, you must not look at the mere corporal sufferings, but also at the spiritual, and at the true will you have to suffer; because if the soul truly wants to suffer, for Me it is as if the soul had suffered. Therefore calm yourself and do not be troubled; and let Me continue speaking:

Haven’t you ever seen two intimate friends? Oh, how they try to imitate each other, and to reproduce the other within themselves. They imitate the voice, the manners, the steps, the works, the clothes, in such a way that the friend can say: ‘The one who loves me is another me, and since he is me I cannot help loving him.’ So I do with the soul who encloses all of Me within herself, as though within a small circle of love. I feel as though reproduced within her, and finding Myself, I love her with all my Heart, and I cannot do without being with her, because if I leave her, I would leave Myself.” While saying this, He disappeared.

August 9, 1904
It is not the works that constitute the merit of man, but obedience alone, as a birth from the Divine Will.

After delaying, He came for just a little like a bolt of light, and I was left filled with this light inside and out. I am unable to say what my soul comprehended and experienced within this light; I will only say that, afterwards, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, it is not the works that constitute the merit of man, but it is obedience alone that constitutes all merits as a birth from the Divine Will; so much so, that everything I did and suffered in the course of my life – everything was a birth from the Will of the Father. This is why my merits are innumerable – because they are constituted by divine obedience. Therefore, I do not look so much at the multiplicity and greatness of the works, but at the connection they have, either directly with divine obedience, or indirectly with obedience to one who represents Me.”

August 10, 1904
God knows the number, the value and the weight of all created things.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself wandering around churches, making a pilgrimage to Jesus in the Sacrament together with my guardian Angel. In one of the churches I said: ‘Prisoner of love, You are here abandoned and alone, and I have come to keep You company. And while keeping You company I intend to love You for those who offend You, praise You for those who despise You, thank You for those in whom You pour graces, but do not render You the tribute of thanksgiving; console You for those who afflict You, and repair for any offense against You. In a word, I intend to do for You all that creatures are obliged to do for You, for having remained in the Most Holy Sacrament. And I intend to repeat this for as many drops of water, for as many fish and grains of sand as are in the sea.’ While I was saying this, all the waters of the sea became present before my mind, and I said within myself: ‘My sight cannot grasp the whole vastness of the sea, nor does it know the depth and the weight of those immense waters, but the Lord knows their number, weight and measure.’ And I stayed there, all marveling. At that moment blessed Jesus told me: “Silly, silly that you are – why do you marvel so much? What is difficult and impossible for the creature, is easy and possible, and also natural, for the Creator. It happens in this as to someone who, looking at millions and millions of coins in the twinkling of an eye, says to himself: ‘They are innumerable – who can count them?’ But the one who put them in that place tells everything in one word: they are this many, they are worth this much, they weigh this much. My daughter, I know how many drops of water I Myself put in the sea, and no one can disperse even a single one of them. I numbered everything, I weighed everything, I evaluated everything; and so with all the other things. So, what is the wonder if I know everything?” On hearing this, every marvel ceased; or rather, I marveled at my silliness.

August 12, 1904
Man disperses the beauty with which God created him.

As I continued struggling, all of a sudden I found all of myself inside Our Lord, and from His head a shining thread descended into mine, which bound me completely inside of Jesus. Oh, how happy I was to be inside of Him! As much as I looked, I could see nothing but Him alone. This is my highest happiness – only Jesus, Him alone and nothing else. Oh, how well one feels! Meanwhile He told me: “Courage my daughter, don’t you see how the thread of my Will binds you completely inside of Me? So, if any other will wants to bind you, if it is not holy it cannot, because since you are inside of Me, if it is not holy it cannot enter into Me.” And while saying this, He looked at me over and over again, and then He added: “I created the soul with a rare beauty, I endowed her with a light superior to any other created light, and yet, man disperses this beauty inside ugliness, and this light inside darkness.”

August 14, 1904
The more the blows of the cross knock the soul down, the more light she acquires.

As I was a little in suffering, blessed Jesus, on coming, said to me: “My beloved daughter, the more the iron is beaten, the more light it acquires; and even if the iron did not have rust, the blows serve to keep it shiny and free of dust. So, whoever comes close to that iron, can easily reflect himself in it as if it were a mirror. The same for the soul: the more the blows of the cross knock her down, the more light she acquires, and she maintains herself dusted of any slightest thing, in such a way that whoever comes close to her can reflect himself in her as if she were a mirror. And, naturally, being a mirror, she performs its office – to show whether faces are stained or clean, whether they are beautiful or ugly. Not only this, but I Myself delight in going to reflect Myself in her; and finding in her no dust or any other thing that may prevent Me from reflecting my Image in her, I love her more and more.”

August 15, 1904
Melancholy is to the soul as winter to the plants. The triumph of the Church is not far.

This morning I felt all oppressed, with a melancholy that filled my whole soul. It seemed that blessed Jesus did not let me struggle too much, and on seeing me so oppressed, He told me: “My daughter, why this melancholy? Don’t you know that melancholy is to the soul as winter to the plants, as it strips them of the leaves and prevents them from producing flowers and fruits; so much so, that if the gaiety of spring and of heat did not come, the poor plants would remain incapacitated and would end up withering? Such is melancholy for the soul; it strips her of divine freshness, which is like rain that makes the virtues turn all green again; it renders her incapable of doing good, and if she does good, she does it with difficulty and almost out of necessity, not out of virtue. It prevents her from growing in grace, and if she does not stir herself with a holy gaiety, which is spring rain that, in a very short time, gives development to the plants, she will end up withering in good.”

Now, while He was saying this, in one flash I saw the whole Church, the wars which the religious must go through and which they must receive from others, and wars among societies. There seemed to be a general uproar. It also seemed that the Holy Father would make use of very few religious people, both for bringing the state of the Church, the priests and others to good order, and for the society in this state of turmoils. Now, while I was seeing this, blessed Jesus told me: “Do you think that the triumph of the Church is far?” And I: ‘Yes indeed – who can put order in so many things that are messed up?’ And He: “On the contrary, I tell you that it is near. It takes a clash, but a strong one, and therefore I will permit everything together, among religious and secular, so as to shorten the time. And in the midst of this clash, all of big chaos, there will be a good and orderly clash, but in such a state of mortification, that men will see themselves as lost. However, I will give them so much grace and light that they may recognize what is evil and embrace the truth, making you suffer also for this purpose. If with all this they do not listen to Me, then I will take you to Heaven, and things will happen even more gravely, and will drag on a little longer before the longed-for triumph.”

August 23, 1904
Chastisements also in Italy.

This morning I went through a most bitter time, almost completely deprived of my blessed Jesus; only, I found myself outside of myself in the midst of wars, people killed, towns besieged, and it seemed that this was also in Italy. What fright I felt! I wanted to remove myself from scenes so sorrowful, but I could not – a supreme power kept me nailed. Whether it was an Angel or a Saint I am unable to tell with certainty, but someone said: “Poor Italy, how lacerated she will be by wars!” On hearing this, I remained more than frightened, and I found myself inside myself. Not having yet seen the One who is my life, and with all those scenes in my mind, I felt I was dying. Then, I just barely saw His arm, and He said to me: “There will be something in Italy for certain.”

September 2, 1904
Only God has the power to enter into the hearts and dominate them as He pleases. A new way in which priests must conduct themselves.

Being in my usual state, I was feeling all oppressed, with the addition of the fear that my poor state might be all a diabolical work, feeling my soul and body being consumed. Then, He came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, why do you trouble yourself so much? Don’t you know that if all the diabolical forces would unite together, they could not enter into a single heart and take dominion of it, unless the soul herself, of her own will, would let them in? Only God has this power of entering into the hearts and dominating them as He pleases.” And I: ‘Lord, why do I feel my soul and body being consumed when You deprive me of Yourself? Is this not the diabolical breath that has penetrated into my soul and torments me like this?’ And He: “On the contrary, I tell you that it is the breath of the Holy Spirit which, blowing continuously into you, keeps you always ignited and consumes you for love of Him.”

After this, I found myself outside of myself and I could see the Holy Father, assisted by Our Lord, writing about a new way in which priests must conduct themselves – what they must do, what they must not do, where they must not go; and he attached a penalty for those who would not surrender to obedience to him.

September 7, 1904
Attention on not committing sin makes up for the sorrow for sin.

I was concerned because I had read in a book that the reason for so many frustrated vocations is the lack of incessant sorrow for sin; and since I do not think about this, but I only think of blessed Jesus and of how to have Him come, and I occupy myself with nothing else, I thought to myself of what a bad state I was in. Then, as I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, attention on not committing sin makes up for the sorrow; and even if one were sorry, but in spite of this he committed sins, his sorrow would be vain and fruitless. On the other hand, a continuous attention on not committing sins not only takes the place of sorrow, but pushes grace continuously to help the soul in a special way not to fall into sin, and it maintains the soul always purged. Therefore, continue to be attentive on not offending Me even slightly, for this will make up for all the rest.”

September 8, 1904
Discouragement kills souls more than all other vices. Courage revives the soul and is the most praiseworthy act that she can do.

Continuing in my usual state, my adorable Jesus was not coming. After I struggled very much, I was feeling all discouraged and I greatly feared that for that morning He would not come at all.

Then, as He later came for just a little, He told me: “My daughter, don’t you know that discouragement kills souls more than all other vices? Therefore, courage, courage, because just as discouragement kills, courage revives, and is the most praiseworthy act that the soul can do, because while feeling discouraged, from that very discouragement she plucks up courage, undoes herself and hopes; and by undoing herself, she already finds herself redone in God.”

September 9, 1904
As soon as the soul goes out of the depths of peace, she goes out of the divine sphere. Peace reveals whether the soul seeks God for God or for herself.

Continuing in my usual state, I felt disturbed because of the absence of my adorable Jesus. Then, after I struggled very much, He came and told me: “My daughter, as soon as the soul goes out of the depths of peace, she goes out of the divine sphere and finds herself either in the diabolical or in the human sphere. It is peace alone that reveals whether the soul seeks God for God or for herself, whether she operates for God or for creatures. In fact, if she does it for God, the soul is not disturbed; it can be said that the peace of God and the peace of the soul combine together, and the boundaries of peace expand around the soul, in such a way that everything converts into peace, even wars themselves. But if the soul is disturbed, be it even in the holiest things, it shows after all that it was not for God, but for her own self or for some human purpose. Therefore, when you do not feel calm, call yourself a little to see what actually is in there; destroy it, and you will find peace.”

September 13, 1904
True donation is to keep one’s will sacrificed continuously; this is a martyrdom of continuous attention that the soul makes for God.

As I was in my usual state, after I struggled very much He made Himself seen clasped to me, holding my heart in His hands; and fixing on me, He told me: “My daughter, when a soul has given Me her will, she is no longer free to do what she pleases, otherwise it would not be a true donation. On the other hand, true donation is to keep one’s will sacrificed continuously to the One to whom it had already been given; and this is a martyrdom of continuous attention that the soul makes for God. What would you say of a martyr who today offers himself to suffer any kind of pain, and tomorrow draws back? You would say that he did not have true disposition for martyrdom, and that one day or another he will end up denying his faith. So I say to the soul who does not let Me do what I please with her will, but now gives it to Me, and now draws it back: ‘Daughter, you are not disposed to sacrifice and martyr yourself for Me, because true martyrdom consists in continuity. You may call yourself resigned, conformed, but not a martyr; and one day or another you may end up withdrawing from Me, reducing everything to a child’s game.’ Therefore, be attentive, and leave Me full freedom to do with you as I best please.”

September 26, 1904
The lamp of Grace. All the pains that Jesus suffered in His Passion were triple.

As I was in my usual state, I heard a voice saying to me: “There is a lamp which is such that whoever draws near it can light as many little flames as he wants; and these little flames serve to form a crown of honor around the lamp, and to give light to the one who lit them.” I said to myself: ‘What a beautiful lamp this is; it has so much light and so much power, that while it gives to others as much light as they want, it remains always what it is, without being impoverished in light. Who knows who possesses it!’ While I was thinking of this, I heard someone say: “The lamp is Grace, and God possesses It. Drawing near it signifies the good will of the soul to do good, because as many goods as one wants to draw from Grace, one can draw. The little flames that are formed are the different virtues which, while giving glory to God, give light to the soul.”

Then, after this, I saw blessed Jesus for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter…” (and this, because I was thinking of how Our Lord let Himself be crowned with thorns, not once, but as many as three times; and since those thorns, broken, remained inside His head, as the crown of thorns would be driven in again the thorns which were already there would penetrate deeper. And I said: ‘My sweet love, why did You want to suffer this painful martyrdom as many as three times? Was one time not enough to pay for our evil thoughts?’) …So, making Himself seen, He said: “My daughter, not only was the crowning with thorns triple, but almost all the pains I suffered in my Passion were triple. Triple were the three hours of agony in the garden; triple was the scourging, as they scourged Me with three different types of lashes; three times did they strip Me, and as many as three times was I condemned to death: at nighttime, early in the morning, and in broad daylight. Triple were my falls under the Cross; triple the nails; three times did my Heart pour out blood: in the garden by Itself; in the act of the crucifixion from Its very center, when I was stretched well on the Cross – so much so that my body was all dislocated and my Heart was smashed inside and poured out blood; and after my death, when my side was opened with a lance. Triple were the three hours of agony on the Cross. If one wanted to ruminate on everything – oh, how many ‘triples’ he would find! And this was not by chance, but everything was so because of divine disposition, to render the glory due to the Father complete, as well as the reparation owed to Him by creatures and the good to be earned for creatures themselves. In fact, the greatest good that the creature has received from God was being created in His image and likeness, and endowed with three powers – intellect, memory and will – and there is no sin that the creature commits in which these three powers do not concur. So, she stains and disfigures the beautiful divine image that she contains within herself, using the gift to offend the Giver. And I, in order to restore this divine image in the creature and to give God all the glory that the creature owed Him, concurred with all my intellect, memory and will, in a special way with these ‘triples’ suffered by Me, in order to render both the glory due to the Father and the good which was necessary for creatures complete.”

September 27, 1904
Natural qualities are lights that serve man to set him on the path of good. What pleases Jesus the most is the voluntary sacrifice.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw my blessed Jesus for just a little, almost in the act of chastising the people; and as I prayed Him to placate Himself, He told me: “My daughter, human ingratitude is horrendous. Not only the Sacraments, grace, the enlightenments, the aids which I give to man, but the very natural qualities I have given him, are all lights that serve man to set him on the path of good, so that he may find his happiness. But man, converting all this into darkness, seeks his own ruin, and while seeking his ruin he says he seeks ‘my own good’. This is the condition of man. Can there be blindness and ingratitude greater than these? Daughter, the only relief and pleasure that the creature can give Me in these times is to sacrifice herself voluntarily for Me. In fact, since my sacrifice for them was all voluntary, wherever I find the will to sacrifice for Me, I feel as though repaid for what I did for them. Therefore, if you want to relieve Me and give Me pleasure, sacrifice yourself voluntarily for Me.”

September 28, 1904
Repressing oneself is worth more than acquiring a kingdom.

This morning, since my most sweet Jesus was not coming, I went through a very hard time. I did nothing but repress and force myself, and I said to myself: ‘What am I still here for? What is the value for me of this repressing myself continuously?’ While I was thinking of this, He came like a flash and said to me: “Repressing oneself is worth more than acquiring a kingdom.” And He disappeared.

October 17, 1904
In order to find the Divinity, one must operate united with the Humanity of Christ and with His very Will.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, it is necessary to operate through the veil of the Humanity of Christ in order to find the Divinity – that is, to operate united with His Humanity, with the very Will of Christ, as if His Will and that of the soul were one, in order to please Him alone; operating with His very ways, directing everything to Christ, calling Him in everything the soul does, as if He Himself were to do her very actions. By doing this, the soul finds herself in continuous contact with God. In fact, for Christ, His Humanity was nothing other than a sort of veil that covered the Divinity; therefore, by operating in the midst of these veils, she already finds herself with God. One who does not want to operate through His Most Holy Humanity and wants to find Christ, is like one who wants to find the fruit without finding the skin – it is impossible.”

October 20, 1904
Priests biting one another.

This morning I found myself outside of myself in the middle of a road on which there were many little dogs biting one another, and at the head of this road there was a religious who could see them biting one another; he could hear them and was troubled, seeing things with natural sight, while they were talking without deepening and scrutinizing things well, and without a supernatural light that would allow them to know the truth.

In the meantime I heard a voice say: “These are all priests who are biting one another.” It seemed that that religious was a visitor who, as he saw the priests biting, lacked divine assistance.

October 25, 1904
‘The Word’ means manifestation, communication, divine union with the human. If the Word had not taken flesh, there would have been no other means to be able to unite God and man.

Continuing in my usual state, after I struggled very much, He came. As soon as I saw Him, I said: ‘The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.’ And blessed Jesus added: “The Verbum took flesh, but did not remain flesh – He remained as He was; and just as ‘verbum’ means ‘word’ and there is nothing that has more influence than the word, ‘The Word’ means manifestation, communication, divine union with the human. So, if the Word had not taken flesh, there would have been no other means to be able to unite God and man.” Having said this, He disappeared.

October 27, 1904
Luisa remains without suffering to form a little void for Justice, so that It may chastise the people.

While in my usual state, I was very agitated, not only because of the almost total privation of my only and sole Good, but also because, finding myself outside of myself, I saw how people were going to kill one another like many dogs, as if Italy was going to be involved in a war with other nations. I saw many soldiers departing, crowds upon crowds, and as those would be claimed victims, yet more would be called. Who can say how oppressed I felt, more so, since I felt almost without sufferings. So I lamented, saying to myself: “Why live? Jesus does not come, suffering is lacking; my dearest and most inseparable companions, Jesus and suffering, have left me – and yet I live? I thought that without both of them I would not be able to live, so inseparable were they from me; and yet, I still live? Oh, God, what a change, what a painful point, what an unspeakable torment, what an unheard-of cruelty! You have left other souls without You, but never without suffering; to no one have You given this affront, so ignominious. Only for me, for me alone was this slap prepared, so terrible; I alone deserved this chastisement, so unbearable. But, just chastisement for my sins – or rather, I deserved something worse!’ At that moment He came like a flash, telling me imposingly: “What is the matter with you, speaking like this? My Will is enough for you in everything. It would be a chastisement if I put you out of the divine sphere and I caused the food of my Will to be lacking to you, which I want you to cherish and esteem above everything. Besides, it is necessary that you remain without suffering for some time in order to form a little void for Justice, so that It may chastise the people.”

October 29, 1904
The chain of graces is linked to persevering works. All evils are enclosed in lack of perseverance.

After I struggled very much, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, when the soul disposes herself to do some good, be it even saying one Hail Mary, grace concurs in doing that good. So, if the soul is not persevering in doing that good, it shows with clarity that she has no esteem or consideration for the gift received, and she makes fun of grace itself. How many evils are enclosed in this way of operating – today yes, tomorrow no; ‘I like it – I do it’; ‘it takes a sacrifice to do that good – I don’t feel like doing it’. It happens as to that person who, having received a gift from a gentleman, today receives it, but tomorrow sends it back. That gentleman, because of his goodness, sends it once again, but after he has kept it for some time, tired of keeping that gift with himself, he rejects it again. Now, what will that gentleman say? ‘It shows that he has no esteem for my gift. Should he become poor or die, I don’t want to have anything to do with him any more.’

Everything – everything is linked to the way of operating with perseverance; the chain of my graces is linked to persevering works. So, if the soul makes some escapes, she breaks this chain – and who can assure her that it will be linked again? My designs are accomplished only in one who attaches his works to perseverance. Perfection, sanctity, everything – everything goes along united with it; but if the soul is intermittent, her operating without perseverance, like an intermittent fever, renders the divine designs vain, dissolves her perfection and makes her sanctity fail.”

November 13, 1904
The creature would never have been worthy of Divine Love without a free will.

As I continue in my usual state, my bitternesses keep increasing more and more because of the almost [total] privations and silence of my Most Holy and only Good. All is shadow and flash that escape. I feel crushed and dazed, I don’t understand anything anymore, because the One who contains the light is far away from me, and is like a flash that, though it lights up, then becomes darker than before. The only and sole inheritance left to me is the Divine Will.

Then, after struggling very much, I felt I could not go on anymore. He came for a little and said to me: “My daughter, since I was Man and God, my Humanity could see, present, all sins, chastisements and lost souls. It would have wanted to seize all this in one single point, destroy sins and chastisements, and save souls; It would have wanted to suffer, not one day of Passion, but all days, to be able to contain all these pains within Itself and spare the poor creatures. But in spite of the fact that I would have wanted to, and could have done it – because I could have destroyed the free will of creatures and I would have destroyed these heaps of evils – yet, what would have happened to man without his own merits, without his own will in operating good? What impression would he ever have made? Would he ever have been an object worthy of my creative wisdom? Certainly not. Oh, would he not have been like a foreign son in someone else’s home, who, not having worked together with the other sons, has no right and no inheritance? This son is always full of blushes if he eats or drinks, because he knows that he has done not one favorable act to prove his love for that father, therefore he can never be worthy of the love of that father for him. So, the creature would never have been worthy of Divine Love without a free will.

On the other hand, my Humanity was not supposed to violate my creative wisdom; It was supposed to adore it, as It did adore it, and It resigned Itself to receiving the voids of Justice within Itself – but not in the Divinity, because these voids of Divine Justice are filled by the chastisements of this life, by hell and by Purgatory. So, if my Humanity resigned Itself to all this, would you perhaps want to surpass Me and not receive any void of suffering upon yourself in order not to let Me chastise the people? Daughter, conform to Me and remain peaceful.”

November 17, 1904
How the soul can be food for Jesus.

Having received Communion, I was thinking about the benignity of Our Lord in giving Himself as food to such a poor creature as I am, and about how I could correspond to such a great favor. While I was thinking of this, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, just as I make Myself food for the creature, so can the creature make herself my food, converting all of her interior into nourishment for Me, in such a way that her thoughts, affections, desires, inclinations, heartbeats, sighs, love – everything, everything should tend toward Me. And I, on seeing the true fruit of my food, which is to divinize the soul and convert everything within Myself, would come to nourish Myself with the soul – that is, with her thoughts, with her love, and with all the rest. In this way, the soul could say to Me: ‘Just as You have reached the point of making Yourself my food and of giving me everything, I too have made myself your food; there is nothing left to give You, because everything I am is all Yours.’

In the meantime I understood the enormous ingratitude of creatures, because while Jesus deigns to reach such excess of love as to make Himself our food, we then, deny Him His food and cause Him to remain on an empty stomach.

November 18, 1904
The Heaven of Jesus on earth is the souls who give a dwelling to His Divinity.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, when I came upon earth my heaven was my Humanity, and just as in the heavens one can see the multitude of the stars, the sun, the moon, the planets, and vastness, all placed in good order; in the same way, my Humanity, which was my heaven – image of the heavens that exist up above, in which everything is orderly – was to make the order of the Divinity dwelling inside shine forth, that is, virtues, power, grace, wisdom, and the like. Now, when the heaven of my Humanity ascended into Heaven after my Resurrection, my heaven upon earth was to continue to exist – and it is the souls who give a dwelling to my Divinity. Dwelling in them, I form my heaven, and from them also do I make the order of the virtues contained inside shine forth. What honor for the creature to lend a heaven to her Creator! But – oh, how many deny it to Me! And you – would you not want to be my heaven? Tell Me you would.” And I: ‘Lord, I want nothing but to be recognized in your Blood, in your wounds, in your Humanity, in your virtues. In this alone I would want to be recognized, so as to be your heaven, and to be unrecognized by all.’ He seemed to approve of my proposal, and He disappeared.

November 24, 1904
In order to give and to receive it takes union of wills.

Being all afflicted and oppressed, and seeing good Jesus dripping blood, I said: ‘Blessed Lord, what about me? Don’t You want to give me at least one drop of Blood as remedy for all my evils?’ And He said to me: “My daughter, in order to give it takes the will of the one who must give and the will of the one who must receive; otherwise, if someone wants to give and the other does not want to receive, even though the first wants to give, he cannot give. Likewise, if the first does not want to give, the other cannot receive. It takes union of wills. Ah, how many times my grace is suffocated, and my Blood rejected and trampled upon!” While He was saying this, I saw all people swarming inside the Blood of sweet Jesus; but many would go out of It, not wanting to remain inside that Blood in which all our goods and any remedy for our evils were enclosed.

November 29, 1904
The Divinity of Jesus in His Humanity descended into the deepest abyss of all human humiliations, and divinized and sanctified all human acts.

This morning I was offering all the actions of the Humanity of Our Lord to repair for so many of our human actions, either carelessly done, without a supernatural purpose, or sinful, in order to impetrate that all creatures might do their actions with the intentions of the actions of blessed Jesus and in union with them, and to fill the void of glory that the creature would give God if she did so. While I was doing this, my adorable Jesus told me: “My daughter, my Divinity in my Humanity descended into the deepest abyss of all human humiliations; so much so, that there was no human act, as lowly and little as it might be, which I did not divinize and sanctify. And this, in order to give back to man doubled sovereignty – the one he lost in Creation, and the one I acquired for him in Redemption. But man, always ungrateful and the enemy of himself, loves to be a slave rather than a sovereign. With a means so easy – that is, with the intentions of his actions [united] to mine – he could render his actions deserving of divine merit, but he wastes them and loses the device of king and the sovereignty over himself.” Having said this, He disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.

December 3, 1904
The ‘mistakes’ contained in these writings. Two questions to know whether it is God or the devil that operates in Luisa.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, cast to the ground, before the sun, whose rays penetrated through the whole of me, inside and out, leaving me as though enchanted. After much time, tired of that position, I began to crawl on the ground, for I did not have the strength to get up and walk. Then, after I struggled very much, a virgin came, who took me by the hand and led me inside a room, on a bed, in which there was Baby Jesus placidly sleeping. Content for having found Him, I placed myself near Him, but without waking Him up. After some time, as He woke up, He began to stroll on the bed, and I, fearing that He might disappear, said: ‘Pretty little One of my heart, You know that You are my life – O please, do not leave Me!’ And He: “Let us establish how many times I must come.” And I: ‘My only Good, what are You saying? Life is always necessary; therefore always – always.’ In the meantime two priests came, and the Baby withdrew into the arms of one of them, commanding me to speak with the other. This one wanted an account of my writings, and was reviewing them one by one. Fearing, I said to him: ‘Who knows how many mistakes are in there!’ And he, with affable seriousness, said: “What mistakes? Against the Christian law?” And I: ‘No, grammar mistakes.’ And he: “This doesn’t matter.” And I, gaining confidence, added: ‘I fear that it may be all an illusion.’ And he, looking straight at me, replied: “Do you think I need to review your writings to know whether you are a deluded one or not? With two questions I will ask you, I will know whether it is God or the devil that operates in you. First, do you think that you have deserved all the graces that God has given you, or that they have been gift and grace of God?” And I: ‘Everything by the grace of God.’ “Second, do you think that in all the graces that the Lord has given you your good will has anticipated grace, or that grace has anticipated you?” And I: ‘Certainly grace has always anticipated me.” And he: “These answers make me know that you are not a deluded one.” At that moment I found myself inside myself.

December 4, 1904
It is easier to fight with God than with obedience.

As I was very agitated, and with the fear that blessed Jesus no longer wanted me in this state, I felt an interior strength to go out of it, and this strength I felt within me was so great that, unable to contain it, I kept repeating: ‘I feel tired, I cannot take any more.’ And in my interior I heard being said to me: “I too feel tired, I can take no more, it is necessary that you remain completely suspended from the state of victim for a few days, so as to let them make the decision for wars; then I will make you fall again. And then, when they do make the wars, we’ll see what should be done with you.” I did not know what to do; obedience did not want it, and fighting with obedience is the same as surmounting a mountain that fills the earth and touches the heavens, and without a path on which to walk – therefore, insurmountable. I don’t know whether this is foolishness, but I believe that it is easier to fight with God than with this terrible virtue.

So, agitated as I was, I found myself outside of myself in front of a Crucifix, and I said: ‘Lord, I can take no more, my nature has failed me; I lack the necessary strength to be able to continue in this state of victim. If You want me to continue, give me the strength, otherwise I quit.’ While I was saying this, a fountain of Blood gushed out from that Crucifix, toward Heaven, and falling back over the earth it converted into fire. Several virgins were saying: “For France, Italy, Austria and England…” – and they were mentioning other nations, but I did not understand well – “Most grave wars are prepared, civil and governmental.…” On hearing this, I became all frightened, and I found myself inside myself. I myself could not decide what I should follow – whether the interior strength that pushed me to go out [of the state of victim], or the strength of obedience that pushed me to stay. Both of them were strong and powerful over my weak and poor being. So far, it seems that obedience prevails, though with difficulty, and I don’t know where I will end up.

December 6, 1904
The beginning of eternal beatitude is to lose every taste of one’s own.

As I continued struggling, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and I saw myself as naked, stripped of everything – perhaps a soul more miserable than I am cannot be found, so extreme is my misery. What a dismal change! If the Lord does not make a new miracle of His omnipotence to make me rise again from this state, I will certainly die of misery.

Then blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, courage, the beginning of eternal beatitude is to lose every taste of one’s own. In fact, as the soul keeps losing her own tastes, the divine tastes take possession of her, and the soul, having undone and lost herself, no longer recognizes herself; she finds nothing else of her own – not even spiritual things. Seeing that the soul has nothing else of her own, God fills her with all of Himself and replenishes her with all the divine happinesses. Only then can the soul truly be called blessed, because as long as she had something of her own, she could not be exempt from bitternesses and fears, nor could God communicate His happiness to her. No soul that enters the port of eternal beatitude can be exempted from this point – painful, yes, but necessary; nor can she do without it. Generally they do it at the point of death, and Purgatory does the last job; this is why, if creatures are asked what God’s taste is, what divine beatitude means, these are things unknown to them and they are unable to articulate a word. But with the souls who are my beloved, since they have given themselves completely to Me, I do not want their beatitude to have beginning up there in Heaven, but to have beginning down here on earth. I want to fill them not only with the happiness, with the glory of Heaven, but I want to fill them with the goods, with the sufferings, with the virtues that my Humanity had upon earth; therefore I strip them, not only of material tastes, which the soul considers as dung, but also of spiritual tastes, in order to fill them completely with my goods and give them the beginning of true beatitude.”

December 22, 1904
The more the soul is empty and humble, the more the divine light fills her and communicates its graces and perfections to her.

As I was in my usual state, I saw little Baby Jesus with a fistful of light in His hand, and rays flowing out through His fingers. I remained enchanted, and He told me: “My daughter, perfection is light, and one who says he wants to reach it acts just like one who would want to clasp a body of light in his hand: as he tries to clasp it, the light itself flows out through his fingers; except, his hand remains immersed in that light. Now, the light is God, and God alone is perfect, and the soul who wants to be perfect does nothing but seize shadows – the little drops of God; and sometimes she does nothing but live in the light alone, that is, in the Truth. And just as the light penetrates deeper and occupies more space the greater the void it finds, and the deeper the place is – in the same way, the more the soul is empty and humble, the more the divine light fills her and communicates Its graces and perfections to her.”

December 29, 1904
Most of the time, human weakness is lack of vigilance and of attention.

As I was in my usual state, I was thinking about the most humiliating steps that Our Lord suffered, and I would feel horror within myself; but then I would say to myself: ‘Lord, forgive those who renew for You these sorrowful steps, because too great is the weakness that man contains.’ At that moment blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, that which is said to be human weakness, most of the time is lack of vigilance and of attention from one who is leader – that is, from parents and superiors. In fact, when a creature is watched over and checked, and is not given the freedom she wants, not receiving its nourishment, the weakness is destroyed by itself, while yielding to one’s weakness is nourishment to becoming worse in that weakness.” Then He added: “Ah, my daughter, just as the soul becomes impregnated with virtue like a dry sponge becomes soaked with water – that is, with light, with beauty, with grace, with love – in the same way, sin and the weaknesses that one yields to, impregnate the soul just like a sponge becomes soaked with mud – that is, with darkness, with ugliness, and even with hatred against God.”

January 21, 1905
One who dishonors obedience dishonors God.

After I had exposed certain doubts to the confessor, my mind could appease itself with what he said to me. Then, when blessed Jesus came, He told me: “My daughter, if one reasons over obedience, by merely reasoning over it he dishonors it, and one who dishonors obedience, dishonors God.”

January 28, 1905
The cross is seed of virtue.

As I was feeling in suffering more than usual, my adorable Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the cross is seed of virtue, and just as one who sows harvests for ten, twenty, thirty, and even one hundred – in the same way, the cross, being seed, multiplies virtues and perfections, and it embellishes them in an admirable way. So, the more crosses thicken around you, the more seeds of virtue are sown into your soul. Therefore, instead of afflicting yourself when a new cross comes to you, you should rejoice, thinking that you are acquiring another seed, with which you can enrich, and even complete, your crown.”

February 8, 1905
The characteristics of the children of God: love for the cross, love for the glory of God, and love for the glory of the Church.

Continuing in my poor state of privation and of unspeakable bitterness – at the most, He makes Himself seen in silence – this morning He told me: “My daughter, the characteristics of my children are: love for the cross, love for the glory of God, and love for the glory of the Church – to the point of laying down their lives. One who does not have these characteristics, in vain calls himself my son; one who dares to say it, is a liar and a traitor who betrays God and himself. Take a look into yourself, to see whether you have them.” And He disappeared.

February 10, 1905
What the contentments of the soul are.

As I was in my usual state, I felt a discontentment about myself; but then, when blessed Jesus came, I felt myself entering into such contentment that I said: ‘Ah, Lord, You alone are the true contentment!’ And He added: “And I say to you that the first contentment of the soul is God alone. The second contentment is when the soul, within herself and outside of herself, looks at nothing but God. The third is when, as the soul finds herself in this divine sphere, no created object, nor creatures nor riches can break the Divine Image within her mind. In fact, the mind nourishes itself with what it thinks, and by looking at God alone, of the things of down here, she looks only at those that God wants, not bothering about anything else, and so she remains always in God. The fourth contentment is suffering for God, because in order for the soul and God now to maintain their conversation, now to be more intimately clasped together, now to prove their love to each other, God calls the soul and the souls answers, God draws near and the soul embraces Him, God gives her suffering and the soul gladly suffers – or rather, she desires to suffer more for love of Him so as to be able to say to Him: ‘Do You see how I love You?’ And this is the greatest of all contentments.”

February 24, 1905
Humility is a flower without thorns.

This morning, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, humility is a flower without thorns, and because it is without thorns, it can be held in one’s hand, it can be clasped, it can be placed wherever one wants, without fear of being bothered or pricked. Such is the humble soul. One can say that she does not have the pricks of defects; and since she is without pricks, one can do with her whatever he wants. Not having thorns, naturally she does not prick nor cause bother to others, because thorns are given by one who has them; but if one does not have them, how can he give them?

Not only this, but humility is a flower which strengthens and clears one’s sight; and with its clearness, it knows how to stay away from the thorns themselves.”

March 2, 1905
Jesus gives Luisa the key of His Will.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and I found myself with a key in my hand; and even though I was covering a long way and sometimes I would get distracted, yet, as soon as I would think about the key, I would always find it in my hand. Now, I could see that this key served to open a palace, and inside of it there was Baby Jesus, sleeping; but I could see everything from afar, and I was all in haste – in a hurry to go there and open it, for fear that He might wake up, that He might cry, and would not find me near Him. So I hastened more and more, but when I got there, just about to go up, I found myself inside myself, and I remained concerned. However, afterwards, when blessed Jesus came, He told me: “My daughter, the key that you always found in your hand is the key of my Will which I have placed in your hands; and one who has an object in his hand can do with it whatever he wants.”

March 5, 1905
Definitions of the cross.

As I was in suffering a little more than usual, blessed Jesus came for a little and told me: “My daughter, the cross is support of the weak, it is strength of the strong, it is seed and custody of virginity.” Having said this, He disappeared.

March 20, 1905
True love and true virtues must have their origin in God.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the love which does not have its origin in God cannot be called true love, and the virtues themselves which do not have their origin in God are falsified virtues. Indeed, everything which does not have its origin in God can be called neither love nor virtue, but rather, apparent light that ends up converting into darkness.” Then He added: “For example: a confessor who works and sacrifices himself very much for a soul is something holy – it apparently gives of heroism; and yet, if he does so because he has obtained or hopes to obtain something, the origin of his sacrifice is not in God, but in himself and for himself, therefore it cannot be called virtue.”

March 23, 1905
Glory and satisfaction of Jesus.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a little, and I said to Him: ‘Lord, is my state your glory?’ And He: “My daughter, all my glory and all my satisfaction is solely that I want the whole of you more in Me.” Then He added: “Everything is in the soul’s distrust and fear of herself, and in her trust and confidence in God.” Having said this, He disappeared.

March 28, 1905
Effects of disturbance. Continuous encounter of Jesus with the soul.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and since I had said to a soul who was disturbed: ‘Think of not wanting to be disturbed, not only for your own good, but more so out of love for Our Lord, because a soul who is disturbed is not only disturbed herself, but makes Jesus Christ disturbed’, later I said to myself: ‘What nonsense I spoke – Jesus can never be disturbed.’ Then, on coming, He told me: “My daughter, instead of nonsense you spoke a truth. In fact, in each soul I form a divine life, and if the soul is disturbed, this divine life that I keep forming also remains disturbed. Not only this, but it never comes to being completed perfectly.” And He disappeared like a flash.

Then I continued my usual interior work on the Passion, and as I reached the point of the encounter of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross, He made Himself seen again and told me: “My daughter, the soul also I encounter continuously, and if in the encounter I make with the soul I find her in the act of exercising virtues, and united with Me, she repays Me for the sorrow I suffered when I encountered my Mother, so sorrowful because of Me.”

April 11, 1905
How perseverance is seal of eternal life and development of divine life.

Being very afflicted because of the privation of my adorable Jesus, I was saying to myself: ‘How cruel He has become with me – I myself cannot understand how His good Heart can reach the point of doing this. And then, if persevering pleases Him so much, yet, my persevering does not move His good Heart.’ While I was saying this and other nonsense, all of a sudden He came and told me: “Indeed, that of the soul which pleases Me the most is perseverance, because perseverance is seal of eternal life and development of divine life. In fact, just as God is ever old and ever new and immutable, in the same way, through perseverance, by having exercised it always, the soul is old, and by her attitude of exercising it, she is ever new; and each time she exercises it she is renewed in God, remaining immutable, and without realizing it. Since through perseverance she continuously acquires divine life within herself, by acquiring God she is sealed with eternal life. Can there be a seal safer than God Himself?”

April 16, 1905
Suffering is reigning.

Continuing in my usual state, my lovable Jesus made Himself seen for a little, with a nail inside His Heart; and drawing near my heart He would touch it with that nail, and I would feel mortal pains. Then He said to me: “My daughter, it is the world that drives this nail deep inside my Heart, giving Me a continuous death. So, by justice, just as they give Me continuous death, I will allow that they give death among themselves, killing one another like many dogs.” And while saying this, He made me hear the screams of the rebel, to the point that I remained deafened for four or five days. Then, as I was very much in suffering, He came back a little later and told me: “Today is the Day of the Palms in which I was proclaimed King. All must aspire to a kingdom, but in order to acquire the eternal kingdom it is necessary for the creature to acquire the regime of herself through the dominion of her passions. The only means is suffering, because suffering is reigning; that is, through patience, man puts himself in his place, becoming king of himself and of the eternal kingdom.”

April 20, 1905
In these times humanity is like a bone out of place. How to know whether the soul has dominated her passions.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, almost in the act of chastising the people, and He told me: “My daughter, creatures lacerate my flesh, they trample upon my Blood continuously, and I will permit that their flesh be lacerated and their blood dispersed. In these times humanity is like a bone out of place – out of its center, and in order to put it in place again and make it reenter into its center it is necessary that it be undone.” Then, calming Himself a little, He added: “My daughter, the soul can know whether she has dominated her passions, if, touched by temptations or by people, she takes it into no consideration. For example: she is tempted to impurity; if she has dominated this passion the soul takes it into no consideration, and her very nature remains in its place; if on the other hand she hasn’t, the soul becomes annoyed, she afflicts herself, and feels a rotten stream flow within her body. Or, one person mortifies or insults someone else; if this one has dominated the passion of pride, she remains at peace; if on the other hand she hasn’t, she feels a stream of fire, of indignation, of pride within herself, which turns her completely upside down. In fact, when the passion is there, at the occasion, it comes out into the field; and so with all the rest.”

May 2, 1905
The three types of resurrection which suffering contains.

As I continued to be in suffering a little more than usual, on coming, my good Jesus told me: “My daughter, suffering contains three types of resurrection. First, suffering makes the soul rise again to grace. Second, as suffering advances, it gathers the virtues and the soul rises again to sanctity. Third, as suffering continues, it perfects the virtues, it embellishes them with splendor, forming a beautiful crown; and the soul, crowned, rises again to glory on earth, and to glory in Heaven.” Having said this, He disappeared.

May 5, 1905
Effects of Grace.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and it seemed that another Image, completely similar to Him, would come out from within His interior – only, it was smaller. I was surprised on seeing this, and He said to me: “My daughter, everything that can come out from within a person is called a birth, and this birth becomes the child of the one who gives birth to it. Now, this daughter of mine is Grace which, coming out of Me, communicates Herself to all the souls who want to receive Her and transmutes them into as many other children of mine. Not only this, but everything good and virtuous that can come out of these second children, becomes the children of Grace. See now, what a long generation of children Grace forms for Herself, if only they receive Her. But, how many reject Her; and my daughter comes back into my womb, alone and childless.” While He was saying this, that Image enclosed Herself within me, filling me completely with Herself.”

May 9, 1905
The soul who is united to Grace can do what death must do to her nature.

Continuing in my usual state, it seemed to me that my adorable Jesus was coming out from within my interior, and with sweet and affable voice He was saying: “And why, my daughter, can the soul, united to Grace, not do in advance everything that death must do to her nature? That is, making it die in advance, for love of God, to everything to which it will have to die? But only those who dwell continuously with my Grace come to have this blessed death, because by living with God it is easier for them to die to everything that is fleeting. And as the soul lives with God and dies to all the rest, her very nature comes to anticipate the privileges which must enrich her at the resurrection – that is, she will feel spiritualized, deified and incorruptible, in addition to all the goods in which the soul will take part, feeling herself the partaker in all the privileges of divine life. In addition to this, there is the distinction of glory which these souls will have in Heaven; they will be so different from the others, as Heaven is different from the earth.” Having said this, He disappeared.

May 12, 1905
The means not to lose the love of Jesus.

As I was in my usual state, my blessed Jesus came for just a little, and on seeing Him, I don’t know why, I said to Him: ‘Lord, still, this is something that lacerates my soul… the thought that I might lose your love.’

And He: “My daughter, who told you this? In all things my paternal goodness has administered the means to help the creature, as long as these means would not be rejected. So, the means not to lose my love is to hold my love and everything that regards Me as if it were one’s own. Can one lose all that is his? Certainly not. At the most, if he has no esteem for something that is his own, he will not have the care to keep it in a safe place; but if he has no esteem for it and does not keep it in a safe place, it is a sign that he does not love it, and therefore that object no longer contains the life of love and cannot be numbered among his own things. But when one makes my love his own, he esteems it, he keeps it in a safe place, he always keeps an eye on it, in such a way that he cannot lose what is his, either in life or in death.”

May 15, 1905
The path of virtue is easy.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a little and told me: “My daughter, they say that the path of virtue is difficult. False. It is difficult for one who does not move, because knowing neither the graces nor the consolations she would receive from God, nor the help for her to move, it seems difficult to her; and without moving she feels all the weight of the journey. But for one who moves, it is extremely easy, because the grace that inundates her fortifies her, the beauty of the virtues attracts her, the Divine Spouse of souls carries her cleaving to His arm, accompanying her along the journey. And the soul, instead of feeling the weight, the difficulty of moving, wants to hasten her way in order to reach, more quickly, the end of the path and of her very center.”

May 18, 1905
Love deserves preference above everything.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, fear takes life away from love. Not only this, but also the very virtues which do not originate from love decrease the life of love in the soul. On the contrary, in all things love deserves preference, because love makes everything easy, while the very virtues which do not originate from love are like many victims that end up in a slaughter – that is, the destruction of the virtues themselves.”

May 20, 1905
The way of suffering of Jesus.

This morning I was thinking of when blessed Jesus remained all dislocated on the Cross, and I said to myself: ‘Ah, Lord, how tormented you must have been by sufferings so atrocious, and how afflicted your soul must have been!’ At that moment, almost like a shadow, He came and told me: “My daughter, I did not occupy Myself with my sufferings, but rather, I occupied Myself with the purpose of my pains; and since in my pains I could see the Will of the Father fulfilled, I suffered and in my very suffering I found the sweetest rest. In fact, doing the Divine Will contains this good: while one suffers, one finds the most beautiful rest; and if one enjoys, but this enjoyment is not wanted by God, in the very enjoyment one finds the most atrocious torment. Even more, the closer I would come to the end of the pains, yearning to fulfill the Will of the Father in everything, the more relieved I would feel, and my rest would become more beautiful. Oh, how different is the way of souls! If they suffer or operate, their gaze is neither on the fruit which they can obtain nor on the fulfillment of the Divine Will; rather, they concentrate all of themselves on the thing that they are doing, and not seeing the goods which they can earn or the sweet rest that the Will of God brings, they live bothered and tormented, and they shun suffering and operating as much as they can, thinking of finding rest; but they remain more tormented than before.”

May 23, 1905
In order not to feel disturbance the soul must found herself well in God.

This morning I found myself outside of myself and I felt someone in my arms, with his head leaning on my shoulder. I could not manage to see who he was, so I pulled him by force, saying to him: ‘Tell me at least who you are.’ And He: “I am the All.” On hearing Him say He was the All, I said: ‘And I am the nothing. See Lord, how right I am that this nothing must remain united with the All, otherwise it will be like a handful of dust which the wind scatters away.’ In the meantime I saw someone who was doubtful, and was saying: “How is it that for every slightest thing, one feels so much disturbance?” And I, through a light that came from blessed Jesus, said: ‘In order not to feel disturbance, the soul must found herself well in God, tend to God with all of herself as though to one single point, and look at the other things with indifferent eyes. But if she does otherwise, in everything she does, sees or hears, she will feel her soul invested with a disquiet, like those slow fevers that make the soul all worn-out, disturbed, unable, herself, to make head or tail of anything.”

May 25, 1905
The Image of Jesus in the soul.

As I was in my usual state, I could see blessed Jesus outside and inside my interior. If I would see Him as a child outside, as a child I would see Him inside; if I would see Him crucified outside, I would see the same inside. I remained surprised, and He said to me: “My daughter, when my Image is formed completely in the interior of the soul, whatever form I want to assume externally in order to look at Myself, the same one is assumed by my Image which I have formed in the soul. What is the wonder then?”

May 26, 1905
When the soul is all of Jesus, He feels her murmuring within His Being.

As I was outside of myself, I found myself with Baby Jesus in my arms, and I said to Him: ‘My pretty little One, I am all and always Yours. O please! do not permit anything to flow within me, be it even a shadow, which is not Yours.’ And He: “My daughter, when the soul is all mine, I feel a continuous murmuring of her being within Me. I feel this continuous murmuring of hers flow in my voice, in my Heart, in my mind, in my hands, in my steps, and even in my Blood. Oh, how sweet is this murmuring of hers in Me! And as I feel it, I keep repeating: ‘Everything, everything – everything of this soul is mine; and I love you – I love you so much….’ And I seal the murmuring of my love in her. So, just as I feel hers, the soul feels my murmuring in all of her being. Therefore, if the soul feels my murmuring flow in all of herself, it is a sign that the soul is all mine.”

May 29, 1905
One who rests in the arms of obedience receives all the divine colors.

This morning, on coming, blessed Jesus threw Himself into my arms as if He wanted to rest, and He said to me: “So must the soul rest in the arms of obedience – like a child rests safely in the arms of his mother. And one who rests in the arms of obedience receives all the divine colors, because when someone is truly sleeping, one can do to him whatever he wants; in the same way, when someone truly rests in the arms of obedience, it can be said that he is sleeping, and God can do to the soul whatever He wants.”

May 30, 1905
The life of love of Jesus.

Continuing in my usual state, I was saying: ‘Lord, what do You want from me? Manifest your Holy Will to me.’ And He: “My daughter, I want you all in Me, so that I may find everything in you. Just as all creatures had life in my Humanity and I satisfied for all, in the same way, by being all in Me, you will make Me find all creatures in you; that is to say, united with Me, you will make Me find reparation for all, satisfaction, thanksgiving, praise and everything that the creatures are obliged to give Me, within yourself. In addition to divine life and human life, love administered a third life to Me, which made all the lives of creatures germinate within my Humanity. This is the life of love which, while giving Me life, gave Me continuous death; it beat Me and fortified Me, it humiliated Me and raised Me, it embittered Me and sweetened Me, it tormented Me and gave Me delights. What does this life of love not contain – untiring and ever ready for everything? Everything, everything can be found in it; its life is ever new and eternal. Oh, how I wish to find this life of love in you, so as to have you always in Me, and to find everything in you.”

June 2, 1905
Patience is the nourishment of perseverance.

This morning, on coming, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, patience is the nourishment of perseverance. In fact, patience keeps passions in their place and strengthens all virtues; and by receiving from patience the attitude of continuous life, the virtues do not feel the tiredness that inconstancy produces, which is so easy for the creature. So, the soul does not lose heart if she is mortified or humiliated, because patience immediately administers to her the necessary nourishment, and forms in her a stronger and more stable bond of perseverance. Nor does she push herself too much if she is consoled and elevated, because as patience nourishes perseverance, she contains herself within moderation without going out of its boundaries. In addition to this, since patience is nourishment, and as long as one nourishes himself it can be said that he has life, that he is not dead – in the same way, as long as she has patience, the soul will enjoy the life of perseverance.”

June 5, 1905
Crosses are baptismal founts.

This morning, on coming, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, crosses, mortifications, are as many baptismal founts, and any kind of cross which is dipped in the thought of my Passion loses half of its bitterness and its weight decreases by half.” And He disappeared like a flash. I remained there, doing certain adorations and reparations in my interior, and He came back again, adding: “What is not my consolation in seeing, redone in you, what my Humanity did many centuries ago. In fact, everything which I established for each soul to do, was done in my Humanity before, and if the soul corresponds to Me, what I did for her she does again within herself; but if she does not, it remains done only in Me, and I feel an inexpressible bitterness.”

June 23, 1905
One who is united with the Humanity of Jesus finds herself at the door of His Divinity.

Continuing in my usual state, I was thinking of how Jesus Christ died, and that in no way could He fear death, because, being so united with the Divinity, or rather, transmuted into It, He was already safe, like someone in his own palace. But for the soul – oh, how different it is! While I was thinking of this and other nonsense, blessed Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, one who is united with my Humanity already finds herself at the door of my Divinity, because my Humanity is mirror for the soul, from which the Divinity is reflected in her. If one is in the reflections of this mirror, it is natural that all of her being be transmuted into love; because, my daughter, everything that comes out of the creature, even the movements of her eyes, of her lips, the moving of her thoughts, and all the rest – everything should be love, and done out of love; and since my Being is all love, wherever I find love I absorb everything within Myself, and the soul dwells safely in Me, like someone in his own palace. So, what fear can the soul have, in her dying, of coming to Me, if she is already in Me?”

July 3, 1905
Declarations of Jesus regarding the state of Luisa.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself and I found the Queen Mama with Baby Jesus in Her arms, giving Him Her most sweet milk. On seeing that the Baby was suckling milk from the breast of our Mother, I removed Him very gently from Her breast and I began to suckle myself. On seeing me doing this, both of Them smiled at my foxiness, but They let me suckle. Then, after this, the Queen Mother told me: “Take your pretty little One and enjoy Him”; and I took Him in my arms.

In the meantime, noises of weapons could be heard from outside, and He said to me: “This government will fall.” And I: ‘When?’ Touching the tip of His finger He added: “Just another finger tip.” And I: ‘Who knows how long this finger tip is for You!’ But He did not pay attention to me, and since I was not really interested in knowing it, I said: ‘How I wish to know the Will of God with regard to me.’ And He told me: “Do you have a piece of paper? For I Myself will write and declare my Will about you.” I did not have it, so I went to look for one and gave it to Him; and the Baby wrote: “I declare before Heaven and earth that it is my Will to have chosen her as victim. I declare that she made the donation of her soul and body to Me, and since I am her absolute Master, whenever I please I share the pains of my Passion with her; and in exchange I have given her access to my Divinity. I declare that in this ‘access’ she prays to Me every day for sinners, continuously, and she draws a continuous flow of life for the good of sinners themselves.” And He wrote many other things, which I don’t remember too well, therefore I leave them out.

On hearing this I felt all confused, and I said: “Lord, forgive Me if I render myself impertinent; I did not want to know this, that You have written – it is enough for me that You alone know it. What I would like to know is whether it is your Will for my state to continue.’ And in my mind I continued: ‘…whether it is His Will for the confessor to come to call me to obedience, or rather, the time I spend with the confessor is my own fantasy.’ But I did not want to say it, fearing that I might be wanting to know too much, convincing myself that if one thing is His Will, the other must be His Will too. And Baby Jesus continued to write: “I declare that it is my Will that you continue in this state and that the confessor come to call you to obedience, as well as the time you spend with him. It is also my Will for you to be caught by the fear that your state may not be my Will; this fear and doubt purifies you of every slightest defect.” The Queen Mother and Jesus blessed me, I kissed their hands, and I found myself inside myself.

July 5, 1905
The Humanity of Jesus is melody for the Divinity.

Continuing in my usual state, I was continuing my usual interior operations, and blessed Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, my Humanity is melody for the Divinity, because all my operations formed many keys, which formed the most perfect and harmonious melody, such as to amuse the divine hearing. And the soul who conforms to my same operations, internal and external, continues the melody of my very Humanity for the Divinity.”

July 18, 1905
The soul must not open her interior to others, only to the confessor.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, when a confessor manifests to the souls his way of operating in their interior, he loses the drive to continue to operate; and the soul, knowing the purpose that the confessor has over her, will become negligent and nervous in her operating. In the same way, if the soul manifests her interior to others, in revealing her secret her drive will evaporate, and she will be left all weakened. And if this does not happen when she opens herself to the confessor, it is because the power of the Sacrament keeps the steam, increases the strength, and places its seal upon it.”

July 20, 1905
When the soul is not faithful to the Will of God, God ceases His designs upon her.

This morning I was praying for a priest who was infirm, who had been my director, and I was thinking to myself: ‘Had he continued my direction, would he be infirm or not?’ And blessed Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, who enjoys the goods that are present inside a house? Certainly those who are in it; and even though someone has been there before, only those who are currently in it can enjoy them. For example, as long as a servant remains with his master, the master pays him and allows him to enjoy the goods which are in his house; and when he goes away, he calls another one, pays him and lets him share in his goods. So I do; when something is wanted by Me and is left by someone, I transmit it to someone else, giving him everything which was destined for the other. So, had he continued your direction, given your state of victim, he would have enjoyed the goods pertaining to the state of the one who currently guides you, therefore he would not have been infirm. And if the current guide, in spite of his health, does not obtain everything else he wants, it is because he does not do fully what I want, and even though he enjoys some goods, yet, certain charisms of mine he does not deserve.”

July 22, 1905
God does not look at the work, but at the intensity of love in working.

I was feeling annoyed for being unable to make certain mortifications, as it seemed to me that the Lord abhorred me, and therefore He would not permit me to do them. And blessed Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, one who really loves Me never gets annoyed about anything, but tries to convert all things into love. For what reason did you want to mortify yourself? Certainly for love of Me. And I say to you: ‘For love of Me mortify yourself, and for love of Me take the reliefs; and both one and the other will have the same weight before Me.’ The weight of any action, be it even an indifferent one, increases according to the dose of love it contains, because I do not look at the work, but at the intensity of love that the working contains. Therefore I want no annoyance in you, but always peace; because in annoyances, in disturbances, it is always the love of self that wants to come out to reign, or the enemy to do harm.”

August 9, 1905
Effects of peace and of disturbance.

Continuing in my usual state, I was feeling a little disturbed, and blessed Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, the soul who is at peace and whose whole being tends completely into Me, drips with drops of light which fall upon my garment and form my ornament. On the other hand, the soul who is disturbed drips with darkness, which forms the diabolical ornament. Not only this, but disturbance impedes the course of grace and renders it unable to operate good.” Then He added: “If the soul becomes disturbed over everything, it is a sign that she is full of herself. If she becomes disturbed with something that happens to her, but does not with something else, it is a sign that she has something of God, but there are many voids to be filled. If, then, nothing disturbs her, it is a sign that she is all filled with God. Oh! how much harm disturbance does to the soul – to the point of rejecting God and of filling her completely with herself.”

August 17, 1905
All the glory of a soul is to be told that, of everything she has, nothing is hers, but all is of God.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw the Queen Mama who was saying to Our Lord: “Come – come into her garden to delight”, and it seemed that She was pointing to me. On hearing this, I felt full of blushes, and I said to myself: ‘I have nothing good at all – how can He delight?’ As I was thinking of this, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, why do you blush? All the glory of a soul is to be told that, of everything she has, nothing is hers, but all is of God; and I, in exchange, say to her that everything that is mine is hers.” And while He was saying this, it seemed that my little garden, which He Himself had made, would unite with His, most extensive, which He kept in His Heart, and they would become one, and we would delight together. Then I found myself inside myself.

August 20, 1905
Grace assumes as many images around the soul for as many as are the divine perfections and virtues.

This morning, on coming, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, if in all of her actions the soul does everything for God, and to please God alone, Grace enters into the soul from all sides, just as the light of the sun enters from all sides into a house when balconies, doors and windows are open, and one enjoys all the fullness of the light. In the same way, the soul enjoys all the fullness of the divine light; and through the correspondence of the soul, this light keeps increasing always, until she becomes all light. But if she does otherwise, the light enters through the cracks, and in the soul everything is darkness. My daughter, to one who gives Me everything, I give everything; and since the soul is not capable of receiving my Being all together, Grace assumes as many images around the soul for as many as are my perfections and virtues. So, It assumes the image of beauty, and It communicates the light of beauty to the soul; the image of wisdom, and It communicates the light of wisdom; the image of goodness, and It communicates goodness; the image of sanctity, of justice, of fortitude, of power, of purity, and It communicates the light of sanctity, of justice, fortitude, power and purity; and so with all the rest. So, the soul is studded, not with one sun, but with as many suns for as many as are my perfections. And these images are present around each soul; only, for those who are open and correspond to them, they are all in activity, working; for those souls who are not, they are as though asleep, and little or nothing can they use of their activity.”

August 22, 1905
One who shares with Jesus the weight of His sufferings, that is, the work of His Redemption, comes to participate in the gain of the work of Redemption.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came for just a little, and He transported me outside of myself; He shared His sufferings with me, and then He told me: “My daughter, when two people share together the weight of a work, together they share the compensation that they receive from that work, and both of them can do good to whomever they want with that compensation. So, since you share with Me the weight of my sufferings, that is, the work of my Redemption, you come to share in the gain of the work of Redemption. And since the compensation for our pains is divided between you and Me, I can do good to whomever I want, in general and also in a special way; and you too are free to do good to whomever you want with the compensation that is due to you. This is the gain for one who shares my pains with Me, which is conceded only to the state of victim; and it is gain for those who are closest to the victim because, being close, they can participate more easily in the goods that he possesses. Therefore, my daughter, rejoice the more I share my pains with you, because greater will be the share of your compensation.”

August 23, 1905
If the soul does everything for God, she remains extinguished in the flame of Divine Love. Thinking of oneself is never virtue, but always vice.

Continuing in my usual state, my blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, if the soul does everything for Me, she imitates those little moths which hang around and around a flame, and remain extinguished in that very flame. In the same way, according to whether she offers to Me the fragrance of her actions, of her movements and desires, the soul hangs round Me – now around my eyes, now my face, now my hands, now my Heart, according to the different offerings she makes to Me. And by her continuous hanging round Me, she remains all extinguished in the flame of my Love, without touching the flames of Purgatory.” Then He disappeared, and as He came back, He added: “Thinking of oneself is the same as going out of God and returning to live in oneself. Moreover, thinking of oneself is never virtue, but always vice, be it even under the aspect of good.”

August 25, 1905
True virtues must have their roots in the Heart of Jesus, and be developed in the heart of the creature.

This morning, on coming, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, the soul must reside in my Heart; and her very virtues… she must make it in such a way that they have their roots in my Heart and be developed in her heart. Otherwise, there might be the natural virtues, or those of sympathy, which are called virtues at times and circumstances, and are mutable; while the virtues whose roots are fixed in my Heart and are developed in the soul, are stable and adapt themselves to all times and to all circumstances, and are the same for all. But the others are not, and it happens that they feel an unlimited charity for someone, that is, at one time they are all fire, they make true sacrifices, they would want to lay down their lives; but then someone else comes, perhaps more in need than the first one, and in one moment the scene changes: they become icy, they don’t even want to make the sacrifice of listening or saying a word; they are listless and send him back embittered and irritated. Is this perhaps the charity whose root is fixed in my Heart? Certainly not. On the contrary, it is a vicious charity, all human and of sympathy, which seems to flourish at one moment, and it withers and disappears at another. Someone else is obedient to someone, submitted, humble; he makes himself a rag, in such a way that the other can do with him what he wants. But with another he is disobedient, recalcitrant, proud. Is this the obedience that comes from my Heart; as I obeyed everyone, even my very executioners? Certainly not. Someone else is patient on certain occasions; be they even serious sufferings, he looks like a lamb that does not even open its mouth to lament. But with another suffering, maybe smaller, he loses his temper, he gets irritated, he swears. Is this perhaps the patience whose root is fixed in my Heart? Certainly not. Someone else one day is all fervent, he prays always, to the point of transgressing the duties of his state; but another day he has had an encounter a little disappointing, he feels cold, and he abandons prayer completely, to the point of transgressing the duties of a Christian – the prayers of obligation. Is this perhaps my spirit of prayer, as I reached the point of sweating blood, of feeling the agony of death, and yet I never neglected prayer for one single moment? Certainly not. And so with all the other virtues. Only the virtues which are rooted in my Heart and grafted in the soul are stable and lasting, and shine as full of light. The others, while they appear to be virtues, are vices; they appear to be light, but they are darkness.”

Having said this, He disappeared, and as I continued to desire Him, He came back and added: “The soul who desires Me always impregnates herself with Me continuously; and I, feeling Myself impregnated by the soul, impregnate Myself with the soul, in such a way that, wherever I turn, I find her with her desires, and I touch her continuously.”

August 28, 1905
The Heart of Jesus binds the human hearts to Itself, and they take everything of His Heart, even His very life, if they correspond to Him.

This morning, on coming, my adorable Jesus made me see His most lovable Heart. Something like many shining threads of gold, of silver, and red-colored, were coming out from within It, and it seemed that they were forming a net which, thread after thread, bound all human hearts. I remained enchanted on seeing this, and He said to me: “My daughter, with these threads my Heart binds to Itself all the affections, the desires, the heartbeats, the love and even the very life of the human hearts, which are similar to my human Heart in everything – except, mine is different in sanctity. And having bound them, as my desires move from Heaven, the thread of desires excites their desires; if the affections move, the thread of affections moves their affections; if I love, the thread of love excites their love, and the thread of my life gives them life. Oh, what harmony between Heaven and earth, between my Heart and the human hearts! But only those who correspond to Me can perceive this, while those who reject Me with the effectiveness of their wills perceive nothing, and render vain the operations of my human Heart.”

September 4, 1905
In all times God has had souls from whom, as much as is possible for a creature, He has received the purpose of Creation, Redemption and Sanctification – and who have received His goods.

Continuing in my usual state, my adorable Jesus made me see His Most Sacred Humanity, all of His wounds, His pains; and from within His wounds, even from the drops of His Blood, many branches loaded with fruits and flowers came out, and it seemed that He communicated His sufferings to me, as well as all His branches loaded with flowers and fruits. I remained surprised on seeing the goodness of Our Lord in sharing all His goods with me, without excluding me from anything of all that He contained; and blessed Jesus told me: “My beloved daughter, do not be surprised at what you see, for you are not alone, nor the only one. In fact, in all times I have had souls from whom – as much as is possible for a creature, perfectly in some way – I might receive the purpose of my Creation, Redemption and Sanctification, and the creature might receive all the goods for which I created, redeemed and sanctified man. Otherwise, if I did not have even one single creature in each time, my whole work would be frustrated, at least for some time.

This is the order of my Providence, of my Justice and of my Love – that in each time I must have at least one with whom I might share all goods, and that the creature must give Me everything she owes Me as creature. Otherwise, why maintain the world? In one moment I would shatter it. This is precisely why I choose victim souls: just as divine Justice found in Me everything It should find in all creatures, and shared with Me, all together, the goods It would have shared with all creatures, in such a way that my Humanity contained everything, so do I find everything in the victims, and I share all my goods with them. During the time of my Passion I had my dearest Mother who, while I shared all my pains and all my goods with Her, was most attentive as creature, on gathering within Herself everything that creatures were to do for Me. Therefore in Her I found all my satisfaction and all the gratitude, the thanksgiving, the praise, the reparation, the correspondence which I was to find in everyone else. Then came Magdalene, John, and so on, in all the times of the Church. And so that these souls might be more pleasing to Me and I might feel drawn to give them everything, first I anticipate them, and then I ennoble their souls, bodies, traits, and even their voices, in such a way that one single word has so much strength, it is so gracious, sweet, penetrating, that it moves my whole Being to compassion and tenderness; it changes Me, and I say: ‘Ah! This is the voice of my beloved, I cannot do without listening to her; it would be as though wanting to deny what she wants to my very Self. If I am not to listen to her, I should take the will to speak away from her; but as for sending her back empty-handed – never.’ So, there is such electricity of union between Me and her, that the soul herself cannot comprehend everything in this life, though she will comprehend it with all clarity in the next.”

September 6, 1905
The evil of lack of attention.

This morning, after I struggled very much, I saw Our Lord crucified. I was kissing the wounds of His hands, and repairing and praying that He would sanctify, perfect, purify all human works for the sake of what He suffered in His most holy hands; and blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, the works which most exacerbate my hands, and which most embitter and enlarge my wounds, are the good works done without attention. In fact, lack of attention takes life away from the good work, and things which have no life are always near to rotting; therefore they nauseate Me, and for the human eye a good work done without attention is a greater scandal than sin itself. In fact, it is known that sin is darkness, and it is no wonder that darkness gives no life; but the good work which is light and gives darkness offends the human eye so much, that it is no longer able to find light, and therefore it finds an obstacle on the path of good.”

September 8, 1905
True charity is to do good to one’s neighbor because he is an image of God.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, true charity is when, in doing good to his neighbor, one does it because he is my image. All the charity that goes out of this sphere cannot be called charity. If the soul wants the merit of charity she must never go out of this sphere of looking at my image in everything. It is so true that true charity consists in this, that my very charity never goes out of this sphere. I only love the creature because she is my image; and if by sin she deforms this image of mine, I no longer feel like loving her – on the contrary, I abhor her; and I only preserve plants and animals because they serve my images; and the creature must modify all of herself on the example of her Creator.”

September 17, 1905
How one can participate in the sorrows of the Queen Mama.

Having been in much suffering because of the privation of my most sweet Jesus, this morning, the day of the Sorrows of Mary Most Holy, after I struggled in some way, He came and told me: “My daughter, what do you want, that you so much yearn for Me?”

And I: ‘Lord, what You have for Yourself – that is what I yearn for myself.’ And He: “My daughter, for Myself I have thorns, nails and cross.” And I: ‘Well then, that is what I want for myself.’ So He gave me His crown of thorns and shared with me the pains of the cross.

Then He added: “Everyone can share in the merits and in the goods produced by the sorrows of my Mother. One who, in advance, places herself in the hands of Providence, offering herself to suffer any kind of pains, miseries, illnesses, calumnies, and everything which the Lord will dispose upon her, comes to participate in the first sorrow of the prophecy of Simeon. One who actually finds herself amid sufferings, and is resigned, clings more tightly to Me and does not offend Me, it is as if she were saving Me from the hands of Herod, keeping Me safe and sound within the Egypt of her heart – and she participates in the second sorrow. One who feels downhearted, dry and deprived of my presence, and remains yet firm and faithful to her usual practices – even more, she takes the opportunity to love Me and to search for Me more, without tiring – comes to participate in the merits and goods which my Mother acquired when I was lost. One who, in any circumstance she encounters, especially in seeing Me gravely offended, despised, trampled upon, tries to repair Me, to compassionate Me, and to pray for the very ones who offend Me – it is as if I encountered in that soul my own Mother who, if She could have done it, would have freed Me from my enemies; and she participates in the fourth sorrow. One who crucifies her senses for love of my crucifixion, and tries to copy the virtues of my crucifixion within herself, participates in the fifth one. One who is in a continuous attitude of adoring, of kissing my wounds, of repairing, of thanking etc., in the name of all mankind, it is as if she were holding Me in her arms, just as my Mother held Me when I was deposed from the Cross – and she participates in the sixth sorrow. One who remains in my grace and corresponds to it, giving a place to no one else but Me within her heart, it is as if she buried Me in the center of her heart – and she participates in the seventh one.”

October 10, 1905
The sign that the soul is perfectly clasped and united with Jesus, is that she is united with all neighbors.

While I was very afflicted because of the struggles that blessed Jesus makes me suffer in waiting for Him, this morning, making Himself seen for just a little, He told me: “My daughter, I feel sorry for your sorrow and for seeing you as though immersed in bitter affliction because of my privation. I feel such pain because of your affliction, especially since it is because of Me, that I feel it as if it were my own; and it is so great, that if all the afflictions of others were united together, they would not give Me as much pain as yours alone, for it is only because of Me. Therefore, show Me your cheerful face, and make Me see that you are content.” Then He clasped Himself tightly with me, and added: “The sign that the soul is perfectly clasped and united with Me, is that she is united with all neighbors. Just as no clashing or disordered notes must exist with those who are visible on earth, so can no clashing note of disunion exist with the invisible God.”

October 12, 1905
The knowledge of self empties the soul of herself and fills her with God.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the knowledge of self empties the soul of herself and fills her with God. Not only this, but in the soul there are many receptacles, and everything that can be seen in the world takes its place in these receptacles – something more, something less, according to the concept of them that she makes for herself. Now, the soul who knows herself and is filled with God, knowing that she is ‘a nothing’, or rather, a fragile, rotten and stinking vase, is well wary of letting more filthy rot enter into her interior, which is the things that can be seen in the world. One who had a rotten wound and kept gathering more rot to put it on his wound, wound be quite crazy. Now, the knowledge of self brings with it the knowledge of the things of the world, and therefore how everything is vanity, fleetingness, goods that are only masked, deceits, inconstancy of creature. So, knowing how things are in themselves, she is well wary of letting them enter into herself, and so all those receptacles remain filled with the virtues of God.”

October 16, 1905
The closer the soul draws to the love of God, the more she loses her own virtues.

Having read a book which dealt with the virtues, I was concerned in looking at myself, for I could see no virtue in me. If it wasn’t that I just want to love Him, that I want Him, that I love Him, and that I want to be loved by blessed Jesus, nothing – nothing of God would exist in me. Now, as I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus told me: “My daughter, the closer the soul comes to the end, so as to draw near the fount of every good, which is the true and perfect love of God in which everything will remain submerged and love alone will float, to be the engine of everything, the more she loses all the virtues she has practiced along the journey, to enclose everything in love and rest from everything – to love only. Do the Blessed in Heaven not lose everything to love only? In the same way, the more she advances, the less she feels the varied crafting of the virtues, because, investing them all, love converts them all into itself, keeping them at rest within itself like many noble princesses, working, itself alone, and giving life to all of them. And while the soul does not perceive them, in love she finds them all, but more beautiful, more pure, more perfect, more ennobled; and if she does perceive them, it is a sign that they are separated from love. For example, a soul receives a command, and she exercises obedience to obey that person in order to acquire virtue, to sacrifice her own will, and for many other possible reasons. Now, by doing so, she already perceives that she is exercising obedience; she feels the toil, the sacrifice that this virtue brings with itself. Another then, obeys, not to obey that person, nor for other reasons; but knowing that God would be displeased by her disobedience, she looks at God in the one who commands her, and for love of Him she sacrifices everything, and obeys. In this, the soul does not perceive that she obeys, but only that she loves, because she has obeyed only out of love, otherwise she would have disobeyed anyway – and so with all the rest. Therefore, courage along the journey, because the more you move forward, the sooner you will enjoy in advance, also down here, the eternal beatitude of sole and true love.”

October 18, 1905
Everything is in increasing love and in remaining close to Jesus.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, Jesus came all of a sudden and told me: “My daughter, what foolishness – even in holy things they think of how to content themselves. If in holy things they make Me flee, where shall I find a place in the actions of my creatures? What a mistake! – when everything is in anticipating the actions of love, in executing them, gathering as many things as possible in order to increase love, and remaining very close to Me to drink at the spring of my love, and to immerse oneself completely in my love. And yet – what a blunder! – they do everything differently.” Having said this, He disappeared.

October 20, 1905
Divine Justice converts the fire of sin into fire of chastisement.

As I was in my usual state, after I struggled very much, blessed Jesus came for just a little, almost in the act of sending chastisements, and He told me: “My daughter, sin is fire, my Justice is fire. Now, since my Justice must remain always the same, just always in Its operating, without receiving any profane fire into Itself, when the fire of sin wants to unite to Its own fire, It pours it over the earth, converting it into fire of chastisement.”

October 24, 1905
The miseries of the human nature serve to reorder in it the order of all virtues.

While considering my misery, the weakness of human nature, I felt I was an object so very abominable to myself, and I imagined how much more abominable I am before God; and I said to myself: ‘Lord, how ugly the human nature has become.’ Now, coming for just a little, He told me: “Nothing has come out of my hands which is not good; on the contrary, I created the human nature beautiful and striking, and if the soul sees it as muddy, rotten, weak, abominable, this serves the human nature like manure serves the earth. One who does not understand what it is all about, would say: ‘This one is crazy, for he smears the earth with this filth’; while one who understands, knows that that filth serves to fecundate the earth, to make the plants grow, and to render the fruits more beautiful and tasty. So, I created the human nature with these miseries to reorder in it the order of all virtues; otherwise it would remain without the exercise of true virtues.” Then I saw in my mind the human nature as though full of holes, and in these holes there was rot, mud; and from within them branches loaded with flowers and fruits were coming out. So I comprehended that everything is in the use we make, even of miseries themselves.

November 2, 1905
The soul must conform to the Divine Will, and if she does so, Jesus makes her live of Himself and in Himself.

As I was in my usual state, I was very afflicted because of the privation of my adorable Jesus; and I was saying: ‘Ah, Lord, I want nothing but You, I find no other contentment but in You alone – and You have left me so cruelly?’ While I was saying this, He came out from within my interior and told me: “Ah, it is so? I alone am your contentment? And I find all my contentment in you. So, even if I had nothing else, you would render Me happy. My daughter, a little bit of patience until the wars begin, for then we will place ourselves in order as before.” And I, without knowing myself what I was saying, said: ‘Lord, let them begin.’ But immediately I added: “Lord, I was wrong.’ And He: “Your will must be mine; nothing must you want, be it even a holy thing, which is not conformed to my Will. In the circle of my Will do I want you to go around always, without going out of it for one instant, so that I may render you the master of my very Self. Do I want the war? You too. And with the soul who comports herself in this way, I make of my Being a circle around her, in such a way as to make her live of Me and in Me.” And He disappeared.

November 6, 1905
In His pains, the purpose of Jesus was primarily that of satisfying the Father in everything and for all, and then the Redemption of souls.

While thinking about the Passion of Our Lord, I said to myself: ‘How I would like to enter the interior of Jesus Christ, to be able to see everything He did, and to see what was most pleasing to His Heart, so that I too may do it and mitigate His pains by offering Him what pleased Him the most.’ While I was saying this, moving in my interior, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, my interior was occupied with those pains primarily to satisfy my dear Father in everything and for all, and then for the redemption of souls. The thing that pleased my Heart the most was to see the satisfaction that the Father showed to Me in seeing Me suffer so much for love of Him, in such a way that He gathered everything within Himself – not even a breath or a sigh was dispersed, but He gathered everything in order to be satisfied and to show Me His satisfaction. And I was so satisfied by this, that if I had nothing else, the sole satisfaction of the Father was enough for Me to be satisfied in what I suffered; while, on the other hand, much – much of my Passion was dispersed on the part of creatures. And the satisfaction of the Father was so great, that He poured, in torrents, the treasures of His Divinity into my Humanity. Therefore, accompany my Passion in this way, for you will give Me much pleasure.”

November 8, 1905
The first step to enter the Will of God is resignation. The soul who is resigned to the Divine Will comes to make of God her favorite food.

After I struggled very much, He came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, it happens to the soul who resigns herself to my Will as to someone who, drawing near a beautiful food in order to see it, feels the desire to eat it, and as his desire is excited, he begins to enjoy that food, and to transmute it into His flesh and into his blood. Had he not seen that beautiful food, the desire could not have come, he could not have experienced its taste, and would have continued to remain on an empty stomach. Now, such is resignation for the soul. As she resigns herself, in her very resigning she sees a divine light, and this light dispels what prevents her from seeing God; and as she sees God, she desires to enjoy Him; and while she enjoys Him, she feels as if she were eating Him, in such a way as to feel God Himself all transmuted into herself.

Therefore, it follows that the first step is to resign oneself; the second is to desire to do the Will of God in everything; the third is to make of It one’s favorite food, daily; the fourth is to consume the Will of God within one’s own. But if one does not take the first step, he will remain empty of God.”

December 12, 1905
The word of God is fecund word, which makes virtues germinate.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, when the creature does good, a light starts from her which goes to the Creator, and this light gives glory to the Creator of light, and embellishes the soul with a divine beauty.”

Then I saw the confessor taking the book written by me in order to read it, and together with Him was Our Lord, saying: “My word is rain, and since the rain fecundates the earth, the sign to know whether what is written in this book is rain of my word, is that it is fecund word, which makes virtues germinate.”

December 15, 1905
Jesus wanted to be crucified and lifted up on the cross, so that, if they want Him, souls may find Him.

Continuing in my usual state, I was thinking about the Passion of blessed Jesus; and He, making Himself seen crucified, shared with me a little bit of His pains, telling me: “My daughter, I wanted to be crucified and lifted up on the Cross, so that, if they want Me, souls may find Me. So, someone wants Me as Teacher for he feels the necessity to be instructed, and I lower Myself to teach him both the small things and the highest and most sublime, such as to make of him the most learned. Another moans in abandonment, in oblivion; he would like to find a father, he comes to the foot of my Cross, and I make Myself Father, giving him a home in my wounds, my Blood as drink, my Flesh as food, and my very Kingdom as inheritance. Another one is infirm, and he finds Me as Doctor who, not only heals him, but gives him the sure remedies in order not to fall again into infirmities. Another one is oppressed by calumnies, by scorns, and at the foot of my Cross he finds his Defender, to the point of rendering calumnies and scorns back to him as divine honors; and so with all the rest. So, whoever wants Me as Judge finds Me as Judge; whoever wants Me as Friend, as Spouse, as Advocate, as Priest… such do they find Me. This is why I wanted to be nailed, hands and feet: to oppose nothing of what they want – to make Myself as they want Me. But woe to those who, seeing that I am unable to move even one finger, dare to offend Me.” While He was saying this, I said: ‘Lord, who are those that offend You the most?’ And He added: “Those who make Me suffer the most are the religious who, living in my Humanity, torment and lacerate my flesh within my very Humanity; while one who lives outside of my Humanity lacerates Me from afar.”

January 6, 1906
Prayer is music to the hearing of Jesus, especially if it is of a soul who is conformed to His Will.

Continuing in my usual state, my blessed Jesus came for just a little, and while I was praying, clasping my whole being, He told me: “My daughter, prayer is music to my hearing, especially when a soul is all conformed to my Will, in such a way that nothing can be seen in her interior but a continuous attitude of life of Divine Will. With this soul it is as if another God would come out and play this music for Me. Oh, how delightful it is! – to find one who matches Me and can render Me divine honors. Only one who lives in my Will can reach such a point, because all other souls, even if they did and prayed much, would always give Me things and prayers that are human – not divine; therefore they do not have that power and that attraction over my hearing.”

January 14, 1906
Jesus forms His Image in the light that comes out of the soul.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, I am not content when only glimmers of light come out of the soul; I want that her thought be light – light the word, light the desire, light the works, light the steps; and that these lights, united together, form a sun, so that in this sun my whole Image may be formed. And this happens when she does everything – everything for Me; then does she become all light. And just as one who wants to enter into the solar light finds no obstacle to entering it, so do I find no obstacle in this sun which the creature has made of her whole being. On the other hand, with one who is not all light, I find many hindrances to forming my Image.”

January 16, 1906
No one can resist the truth. One who lives in the sphere of the Divine Will resides in the abode of all riches.

Continuing in my usual state, my blessed Jesus came for a little, and told me: “No one can resist the truth, nor can man say that it is not the truth. As evil and stupid as one might be, he cannot say that white is black and that black is white, that light is darkness and that darkness is light. Only, one who loves it embraces it and puts it to work, while one who does not love it remains perturbed and tormented.” And He disappeared like a flash.

A little later He came back and added: “My daughter, one who lives in the sphere of my Will resides in the abode of all riches, and one who lives outside of this sphere of my Will resides in the abode of all miseries. This is why it is said in the Gospel that one who has, will be given, and one who has not, will be deprived of the little he has. In fact, since one who lives in my Will resides in the abode of all riches, it is no wonder that he will continue to be enriched more and more with all goods, because he lives in Me as though in his own house; and keeping him in Me, would I perhaps be stingy? Would I not keep giving him, day after day, now one favor, now another, never ceasing to give to him until I have shared all my goods with him? Yes indeed. On the other hand, for one who lives in the abode of miseries, outside of my Will, his own will is already, in itself, the greatest of miseries and the destroyer of every good. So, if he has a little bit of good, not having contact with my Will, and appearing as useless in that soul, what is the wonder if it is taken away from him?”

[1] Here Luisa is referring to her confessor.

VOLUME 7

J.M.J.

January 30, 1906
Constancy orders everything.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, how necessary it is that the soul be constant in doing the good which she has started. In fact, though she has a beginning, she will have no end, and not having an end, it is necessary that she conform to the ways of the Eternal God. God is just, is holy, is merciful, He is the One who contains everything – but perhaps only for one day? No – always, always, always… In the same way, the soul must not be patient, humble and obedient one day, and impatient, proud and capricious another day. These are broken virtues, it is like mixing black and white, light and darkness; everything is disorder, everything is confusion – ways which are completely dissimilar to her Creator. In this soul there is continuous war, because passions wage war against her; in fact, in seeing themselves being nourished so very often, they hope the victory is theirs. Demons, creatures, and even virtues themselves in seeing themselves disappointed, wage a fierce war against her, and end up nauseating her. If these souls are saved – oh, how much work the fire of Purgatory will have to do!

On the other hand, for a constant soul everything is peace; mere constancy itself already keeps everything in its place; passions already feel they are dying, and who is the one who, nearing death, thinks about waging war against anyone? Constancy is the sword that puts everything to flight, it is the chain that binds all virtues, in such a way as to feel caressed by them continuously; and the fire of Purgatory will have no work to do, because constancy has ordered everything and has made the ways of the soul similar to those of the Creator.”

February 9, 1906
The union of our actions with those of Jesus is guarantee of salvation.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw just the shadow of blessed Jesus, all afflicted, and almost in the act of sending chastisements. Upon seeing Him, I said: ‘From the way He appeared, who will be able not just to escape the chastisements, but even to obtain salvation?’ And He, changing appearance, said: “My daughter, the union of the human works with mine is the guarantee to be saved, because if two persons work in the same field, their working in that field is the guarantee that both of them must harvest. In the same way, one who unites his works with mine – it is as if he were working in my field, therefore, will he not harvest in my kingdom? Will he perhaps have to work united with Me in my field, and then harvest in a kingdom completely foreign to Me? Certainly not.”

February 12, 1906
The virtues make us reach a certain height, but in the Divine Will there are no boundaries. Effects of the mere word ‘Will-of-God’.

As I was in my usual state, I was feeling all oppressed because of the privation of my blessed Jesus. Then He came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, all other virtues in the creatures build a wall of a certain height, but the wall of the soul who lives in the Will of God is a wall so high and deep, that neither its depth nor its height can be found. Also, it is all of pure and solid gold, not subject to any misfortune, because since this wall is in the Divine Volition – that is, in God – God Himself keeps it, and there is no power that can defy God. And the soul, while living in this Divine Volition, is clothed with a light all similar to the One in whom she lives, so much so, that also in Heaven she will shine more than all the others, in such a way as to be an occasion of greater glory for the very saints. Ah, my daughter, think a little bit of what an atmosphere of peace and of goods the mere word ‘Will-of-God’ contain. At the mere thought of wanting to live in this atmosphere, the soul feels already changed; she feels a divine air investing her, she feels her human being being dissolved, she feels divinized – from impatient, patient; from proud – humble, docile, charitable, obedient; in sum, from poor, rich. All the other virtues arise to surround, like a crown, this high wall which has no boundaries; because, since God has no boundaries, the soul is dissolved within God, she loses her own boundaries, and acquires the boundaries of the Will of God.”

February 23, 1906
How Jesus was nailed to the Cross in the Will of the Father.

This morning I was thinking of Our Lord in the act in which they were nailing Him to the cross; I was compassionating all of Him, and blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, not only my hands and feet were nailed to the cross, but all the particles of my Humanity, soul and Divinity were all nailed in the Will of the Father. In fact, the crucifixion was the Will of the Father, therefore I was nailed and transmuted completely in His Will. This was necessary because, what is sin but withdrawing from the Will of God, from everything that is good and holy which God has given us, believing to be something of one’s own, and offending the Creator? And I, in order to repair for this audacity and for this self idol which the creature makes of herself, wanted to dissolve my will completely and live from the Will of the Father at the cost of great sacrifice.”

February 28, 1906
The greatest honor that the creature can give to God is to depend on His Divine Will in everything. The way in which Grace communicates Itself.

This morning blessed Jesus made Himself seen for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, the greatest honor that the creature can give to God is to depend on His Divine Will in everything; and the Creator, in seeing that the creature fulfills her duty of creature toward the Creator, communicates His Grace to her.” And while He was saying this, a light came out of blessed Jesus, which made me comprehend the way in which He communicates Grace.

I understood it in this way. For example, the soul feels within herself the annihilation of herself; she sees her nothingness, her misery, her inability to do a shadow of good. Now, while she feels this way, God communicates His Grace, and the Grace of truth, in such a way that the soul can see the truth in everything without deceit, without darkness. And here is how, what God is by nature – eternal Truth which cannot deceive nor be deceived – the soul becomes by Grace. That is to say, the soul feels detachment from the things of the earth, she sees their fleetingness, their instability, how everything is false, everything is rot, which deserves to be abhorred rather than loved. While the soul feels this state, God communicates His Grace, and the Grace of true love and of eternal love; He communicates His beauty, in such a way as to make the loving soul go mad, and the soul remains filled with the love and the beauty of God. And here is how, what God is by nature – love and eternal beauty – the soul becomes by Grace; and so with all the other divine virtues, such that if I wanted to say everything, I would be too long. I only add that Grace anticipates the soul, It excites her, but only when the soul masticates those truths, and swallows them like food into her bosom, then It communicates Itself and enters to take possession of her. This is why not everyone receives the effects described above – because they let them escape from their minds like lightnings, and do not make a place for them.

March 4, 1906
Jesus jokes with Luisa.

Continuing in my usual state, I was saying to myself: ‘Lord, manifest your Will to me – whether I must be in this state or not. What would You lose? It is a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ that You need to say.’ While I was saying this, blessed Jesus made Himself felt in my interior, and told me: “My daughter, I say that I want you to go out of this state of victim, but if you do it – woe!”

And I: ‘If You Yourself tell me that You would want me to go out of it, should I not do it?’ And He: “I must say it to you, push you, make violence on you, and you must not do it, because a daughter who is always with her father must know the temperament of the father, the time, and the cause. She must ponder everything well, and if needed, she must dissuade her father from giving her this command.” And I: ‘I have not done it because obedience does not want it.’

And He, without giving me time: “And if they allow you to, woe to the one who does it!” On hearing this, I said: ‘Lord, it seems that this time You want to tempt me and create many embarrassments for me; I myself don’t know what to do.’ And He: “I wanted to joke a little bit with you. Do spouses not joke with each other sometimes? And could I not do likewise?”

March 5, 1906
Jesus asks her to give Him relief. She sees a man committing suicide.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself with baby Jesus, all afflicted. In seeing Him so afflicted, I said: ‘My dear little one, tell me, what do You want? That I suffer in order to relieve You?’ And He placed himself with His face to the ground, praying, almost wanting me to interpret His Will, but I could not understand anything. I raised Him from the ground, I kissed Him several times, and I said: ‘My beloved, I cannot understand what You want. Do You want me to suffer the crucifixion?’ And He: “No”. He took my arm with His hand, and my wrist appeared from the cuff of my shirt. In seeing this, I said: ‘Do you want me to be stripped? I feel great repugnance, but for love of You, I submit myself.’

In the meantime, I saw a man who, taken by desperation and by esteem of his own self, was committing suicide – and this, in our town. The baby told me: “I cannot contain so much bitterness – receive part of it.” And He poured a little bit of His bitterness into my mouth. I ran to that man to help him to repent of the evil he had done. The demons were taking that soul, placing it on the fire, and turning it over and over again as if they were roasting it. I freed him as many as two times, and then I found myself inside myself, praying the Lord to have mercy on that unfortunate soul. Blessed Jesus came back with the crown of thorns, so sunken into His head, that the thorns appeared even inside His mouth; and He told me: “Ah, my daughter, yet many do not believe that the thorns penetrated even into my mouth. The sin of pride is so awful as to be the poison of the soul – it kills it. Just as one who has something across his mouth prevents any food from passing into his body to give him life, so does pride prevent the life of God in the soul. This is why I wanted to suffer so much because of human pride; and in spite of this, the creature reaches such pride that, drunk with pride, he loses the knowledge of himself, and reaches the point of killing his body and soul.”

To obey, I say that when I told father what I have written above, he assured me that on that morning a man had committed suicide.

March 9, 1906
She sees purging souls going to help the peoples.

Continuing in my usual state, I just barely saw blessed Jesus and many purging souls, whom Jesus Christ was sending to the help of the peoples. It seemed that many disgraces of contagious diseases were to happen to the peoples, and earthquakes in some places. Some were killing themselves, some were throwing themselves into wells or into the sea, and some were killing others. It seems that man is tired of himself, because without God he does not feel the strength to continue living. Oh, God, how many chastisements, and how many thousands of people will be victims of these scourges!

March 13, 1906
If the soul cannot be without Jesus, it is a sign that she is necessary to His love.

This morning blessed Jesus was not coming, and I was saying to myself: ‘Lord, don’t You see that I feel life missing in me? I feel such necessity of You, that if You do not come, I feel my being destroyed. Do not deny me what is absolutely necessary to me; I do not ask You for kisses, caresses, favors, but only for what is necessary.’ While I was saying this, I found myself all absorbed in Him; my whole being was dissolved in such a way that I could do nothing and see nothing but what He Himself was doing and seeing. I felt blissful, happy, all of my powers dozy – just like one who goes into the depths of the sea, which is all water, and if he looks, he sees water; if he speaks, the water prevents his speech and enters even into his bowels; if he listens, it is the murmuring of the waters that enters into his ears. With this difference: that in the sea one’s life is in danger, and one feels neither happy nor blissful, while in God one reacquires divine life, happiness and beatitude. Then blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, if you cannot be without Me, so much am I necessary for you, it is a sign that you are necessary to my love. In fact, the degree in which one becomes necessary to someone else, is a sign that the second is necessary to the first. Therefore, even though sometimes It seems that I am not coming, and you struggle, and I see how necessary I am for you, as this necessity grows in you, so does it grow in Me, and I say to Myself: ‘I am going to go and take this relief for my love.’ This is why, after you have struggled, I come.”

April 17, 1906
God will arm the elements against man.

This morning I had a bad time; I was outside of myself and I could see nothing but fire. It seemed that the earth would open and threaten to swallow cities, mountains and men. It seemed that the Lord would want to destroy the earth, but in a special way three different places, distant from one another, and some of them also in Italy. They seemed to be three mouths of volcanoes – some were sending out fire which flooded the cities, and in some places the earth was opening and horrible quakes would occur. I could not understand very well whether these things were happening or will have to happen. How many ruins! Yet, the cause of this is only sin, and man does not want to surrender; it seems that man has placed himself against God, and God will arm the elements against man – water, fire, wind and many other things, which will cause many upon many to die. What fright, what horror! I felt I was dying in seeing all these sorrowful scenes; I would have wanted to suffer anything to placate the Lord. And the Lord made Himself seen for just a little – but who can say how? I said a few words to placate Him, but He would not listen to me. Then He told me: «My daughter, I can find no place left in which to rest in my creation. Let Me rest in you, and you – rest in Me and keep quiet.”

April 25, 1906
She suffers together with Jesus. He gives her all of His sufferings and all of Himself as gift.

As I was in my usual state, I seemed to see blessed Jesus inside of me, all afflicted, in the act of suffering the crucifixion, and it seemed that I would suffer a little together with Him. Then He told me: “My daughter, everything is yours: my sufferings and all of Myself – I give you everything as gift.” Then He added: “My daughter, how many things creatures do against Me – what a thirst for sins they have, what a thirst for blood! I would want to do nothing but pour the bowels of the earth inside out and burn them all up.” And I: ‘Lord, what are You saying? You told me that You are all mine, and one who gives himself to someone else is no longer the master of himself. I do not want You to do this, and You must not do it. If You want satisfaction from me, make me suffer whatever You want, for I am ready for everything.’

So, I felt Him within me as if I were keeping Him bound, and often times He would repeat: “Let Me do, for I can take no more! Let Me do, for I can take no more!” And I would repeat: ‘I do not want it, Lord, I do not want it.’ But as I was saying this, I felt my heart split with tenderness in admiring His goodness, so condescending to a sinful soul such as I. I could comprehend many things about the divine goodness, but I cannot say them well.

April 26, 1906
Jesus does not want to let her see the chastisements so as not to afflict her.

Continuing in my poor state, I felt there were people around my bed who wanted me to see the chastisements which were happening in the world – earthquakes, wars and many other things, which I could not understand well – to make me intercede with the Lord. It seemed to me that they were Saints, but I cannot tell with certainty. In the meantime, blessed Jesus came out from within my interior, and He said to them: “Do not molest her, do not afflict her by wanting to make her see sorrowful scenes. Rather, let her be tranquil, and leave her alone with Me.” They went away, and I remained concerned – ‘who knows what is happening, that He does not even want me to see….’

Then, afterwards, I found myself outside of myself, and I saw a priest who began to talk about the earthquakes which had occurred in the past days, saying: “The Lord is very indignant, I believe they are not yet finished.” And I: ‘Who knows whether we will be spared.’ He became enflamed, and it seemed that his heart was beating so strongly that I could feel it myself, and those heartbeats would reverberate in my heart. I could not understand who he was, but I felt a certain something being communicated to me. Then he added: “How can grave things happen, with destructions and dying of people, where there is a heart that loves for all? At most, a few tremors might be felt, without considerable damage.”

On hearing ‘a heart that loves for all’, I felt as though I were being picked on, and I myself cannot tell how I came out saying: ‘What are you saying – a heart that loves for all? Not only that loves for all, but that repairs for all, that suffers, that thanks, that praises, that adores, that respects the holy law for all; because I do not believe it is true love toward the beloved, if one does not render him the love and all the satisfaction which the others were supposed to render him, in such a way that in that person, he must find all the good and the contentment which he was to find in all.’ On hearing me, he became more ignited, and drew near me in the act of wanting to clasp me. I was afraid, I felt blushing for having spoken that way, and my heart, struck by his heartbeats, was throbbing. He seemed to transform, as if he were Our Lord, but I cannot tell with certainty. Without my being able to oppose Him, He clasped me to Himself, telling me: “Every morning I will come to you, and we will have breakfast together.” At that moment I found myself inside myself.

April 29, 1906
How the soul who is empty of everything is like water that always runs.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and filling all of my interior with Himself, He told me: “My daughter, an empty soul is like water that runs, and always runs, and when it reaches the center from which it came, only then does it stop; and since water has no color, it receives into itself all the colors that are reflected in it. In the same way, the empty soul runs, and always runs toward the divine center from which she came, and when she comes to fill all of herself, completely, with God, only then does she stop. In fact, since she is empty, nothing of the Divine Being escapes her, and since she does not have a color of her own, she receives all the divine colors into herself. Now, only an empty soul, because she is empty of everything, comprehends things according to the truth: the preciousness of suffering, the true good of virtue, the necessity for the Eternal One alone; because in order to love something, it is absolutely necessary to hate that which is opposite to what is loved. Only an empty soul reaches such a great happiness.”

May 4, 1906
Fears and tears of the soul. Jesus asks her to be more precise in writing.

I was very afflicted for not having seen my adorable Jesus clearly, with the addition that my thought was telling me that Jesus, He who is my life, did not love me any more. Oh, God, what mortal pains my poor heart felt! I did not know what to do to free myself from this. I shed bitter tears, and to free myself I said: ‘He does not love me any more? – and out of spite that He does not love me any more, I will love Him more than before.’ I wrote this to obey. Then, after much hardship, He came, bearing my tears on His face. I did not understand well why, but it seemed to me that since that thought had excited me and almost irritated me into loving Him more, pleased with it, He would almost say to me: “What – I do not love you? I love you so much that I keep an account even of your tears, and I bear them on my face for my pleasure.”

Then, afterwards, He added: “My daughter, I want you to be more precise, more exact, and to manifest everything in writing, because you skip many things, even though you take them for yourself without writing them; but many things will serve others.” On hearing this, I remained confused because, in truth, I do this, and my repugnance to write is so great, that only the miracles that obedience can do could conquer me, since of my own will I would not be good at writing a single coma. May everything be for the glory of God and to my confusion.

May 6, 1906
God is food and life of the soul.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little with a loaf of bread in His hand, as if He wanted to refresh me, for I feel so ill because of His continuous privations that it seems that a mere thread of life keeps me alive, and that I would be reduced to ashes and consumed under this thread. Then, after He refreshed me with that bread, He told me: “My daughter, the material bread is food and life for the body, and there is no particle of the body which does not receive life from that bread. In the same way, God is food and life of the soul, and there must be no particle which does not take life and food from God – that is, animating all of oneself in God, nourishing one’s desires in God, and making one’s affections, inclinations and love take life and food in God, in such a way as to enjoy no other food but God alone. But – oh, how many let their souls feed on all sorts of filth!”

Having said this, He disappeared, and I found myself inside a church, and it seemed that various people were saying: “Curse you, curse you…”, as if they wanted to curse the blessed Lord and also creatures themselves. I don’t know how, I comprehended all the weight of those maledictions, as though they signified the destruction of God and of themselves, and I cried bitterly because of these maledictions. Then I saw a priest celebrating at the altar, as if he were Our Lord, and coming into the midst of those who had uttered those maledictions, He said with a solemn and authoritative voice: “Maledicti, maledicti!” at least twenty times or more; and while He was saying this, it seemed that many thousands of people would drop dead – some from revolutions, some from earthquakes, some in the fire, some in the water. It seemed to me that these chastisements were the precursors of nearing wars. I cried, and He, drawing near me, told me: “My daughter, do not fear, for I am not cursing you; on the contrary, I say to you: ‘benedicta’ thousands and thousands of times. Cry and pray for these peoples.”

May 7, 1906
Jesus does not want to go out of the interior of Luisa.

This morning, after I received Communion, I saw blessed Jesus in my interior and I said to Him: ‘My beloved, come out from inside – come outside, that I may clasp You, kiss You and speak with You.’ And He, making a sign with His hand, told me: “My daughter, I do not want to come out, I am well within you, because if I go out of your humanity – a humanity which contains tenderness, compassion, weakness, concern – it would be as if I went out of my living Humanity. In fact, since you occupy my same office of victim, I should make you feel the weight of the pains of others, and therefore spare them. I will go out, yes, but not from within you; rather, from within God without a Humanity, and my justice will make its course as appropriate to chastise the creatures.” And it seemed He would go deeper and deeper inside. I repeated to Him: ‘Lord, come out, spare your children, your very members, your images.’ And He, making a sign with His hand, repeated: “I am not coming out, I am not coming out…” He repeated this quite a few times, and He communicated to me many things about what humanity contains, but I am unable to say them. I have them in my mind, but I cannot express them with words. I would rather have not written this, but obedience did not want it. Fiat – always Fiat.

May 15, 1906
The soul is like a sponge: if she squeezes herself she becomes soaked with God.

Continuing in my usual state, I felt an extreme affliction because of the privation of blessed Jesus, and I was almost tired and my strengths exhausted. Now, He made Himself seen for just a little in my interior, and told me: “My daughter, it is a continuous squeezing of herself that the soul must do. In fact, the soul is like a sponge: if she squeezes herself she becomes soaked with God, and by becoming soaked with God, she feels the life of God within herself, and therefore love for virtue and holy inclinations. She feels herself conquered and transformed in God, while if she does not squeeze herself, she remains soaked with herself, and therefore she feels all the effects which a corrupted nature contains; and all vices peep out – pride, envy, disobedience, impurity, etc., etc.”

May 18, 1906
The soul suffers while Jesus sleeps.

I was feeling very much in suffering, soul and body, to the point that I myself don’t know how I live, when I saw blessed Jesus, for just a little, resting and sleeping in my interior. I called Him, I pulled Him, but He would not listen to me. Then, after much hardship, He told me: “My beloved, do not want to disturb my rest. Do you not tell Me that you want to suffer in my place, and that you want to suffer in your humanity everything which I would suffer in my Humanity if It were living, intending to relieve my suffering members through your sufferings, by suffering yourself so as to leave Me free? So, while you suffer, I rest.” And while He was saying this, He fell asleep more soundly, and He disappeared. What He said to me are my continuous intentions in my sufferings.

June 13, 1906
The soul would even do excesses to obtain the intent of being loved more by her highest and only Good.

I go on amid continuous privations. At the most, He makes Himself seen in passing, or resting and sleeping in my interior, without saying a word to me; and if I go about lamenting, He either comes up saying to me: “You are wrong to lament – is it Me that you want? Well then, you have Me in the depth of your interior – what more do you want?”; or: “If you have Me completely within you, why do you afflict yourself? Is it because I do not speak to you? By just seeing Me, we understand each other”; or He comes up with a kiss, with a hug, with a caress, and if He sees that I do not calm down, He reproaches me severely, saying: “I am only displeased with your displeasure, and if you do not calm yourself, I will really give you displeasure by hiding completely.”

Who can say the bitterness of my soul? I feel dazed, and I am unable to manifest what I feel. Besides, in certain interior states it is better to keep silent and move on.

Then, this morning, as I saw Him, I felt myself being carried outside of myself – I cannot tell well whether it was paradise. There were many Saints, all ignited with love, and the wonder was that all loved, but the love of one was distinct from the love of the other. However, finding myself with them, I tried to distinguish myself and to surpass them all in love, wanting to be the first among all in loving Him, since my heart, too proud, could not bear that others would equal me, because I seemed to see that one who loves more is closer to Jesus, and is loved more by Him. Oh, the soul would give in to all excesses, she would not care about either life or death, nor would she think of whether it is convenient for her or not. In sum, she would even do excesses to obtain this intent – to be closer to Him, and to be loved a little bit more by her highest and only Good. But to my greatest sorrow, after a short time, an irresistible force drove me back into myself.

June 15, 1906
The whole of the Divine Life receives life from Love.

After I struggled very much, my blessed Jesus came in passing and told me: “My daughter, it can be said that the whole of the divine life receives life from love: love makes it generate, love makes it produce, love makes it create, love makes it preserve, and gives continuous life to all of its operations; so, if it did not have love, it would not operate or it would have no life. Now, creatures are nothing but sparks come out of the great fire of love, God, and their life receives life and the attitude to operate from this spark. So, the human life also receives life from love; however, not everyone uses it to love and to operate what is beautiful, what is good – the all, but they transform this spark – some into love of self, some into love of creatures, some of riches, and some even of beasts, to the highest sorrow of their Creator who, having unleashed these sparks from His great fire, yearns to receive them all back into Himself once again – expanded, like as many images of His divine life. But few are those who correspond to the imitation of their Creator. Therefore, my beloved, love Me, and let even your breath be a continuous act of love for Me, that a small fire may form from this spark, so as to give vent to the love of your Creator.”

June 20, 1906
Everything must be reduced to one single point: everything must become a flame.

Feeling very much in suffering, soul and body, and having spent the night with a flaming fever, I felt I was burning and being consumed. My strengths were exhausted, I felt I was dying, and added to that, He was not coming – truly I could take no more. Then, after a long time, I felt I was going outside of myself, and I saw Our Lord within an immense light, and myself completely nailed, even the tiniest particles of my members. It was not just my hands and feet, like other times, but each of my bones had its nail driven into it. Oh, how many bitter pains I felt! At each slightest motion I felt lacerated by those nails and I fainted; I felt I was about to die, but I was resigned and immersed in the Divine Volition, which seemed to me to be the key that would open divine treasures, from which I would draw strength to be sustained in that state of sufferings, to the point of making me content and happy. However, I was burning; those nails seemed to produce fire, and I was all immersed in it. Blessed Jesus was looking at me, and seemed to be pleased; then He told me: “My daughter, everything must be reduced to one single point – that is, everything must become a flame; and from this flame, filtered, pressed, beaten, a most pure light comes out – not like the light of fire, but of sun, fully similar to the light that surrounds Me. The soul who has become light cannot be away from the divine light; rather, my light absorbs her into itself and transports her into Heaven. Therefore, courage, this is the complete crucifixion of soul and body. Don’t you see how your light is already about to take off from the flame, and my light awaits it in order to absorb it?”

While He was saying this, I looked at myself, and I saw a great flame inside of me; a tiny little flame of light came out of it, which was about to detach itself and take flight. Who can describe my contentment? At the thought of dying, at the thought of being always with my only and highest good, with my life, with my center, I felt paradise in advance.

June 22, 1906
A garment similar to that of Jesus.

Continuing in my state of sufferings, ever increasing, blessed Jesus came for a little, and showed me a garment, all adorned and whole, without seam and opening, suspended above my person. While I was seeing this, He told me: “My beloved, this garment is similar to my garment, which I have communicated to you by having shared with you the pains of my Passion, and by having chosen you as victim. This garment covers and protects the world, and since it is whole, no one can escape its protection. But the world, with its abuses, no longer deserves to be covered by this garment, but to feel all the weight of the divine indignation. So I am about to draw it to Myself, to be able to give vent to my justice, which has been restrained for a long time by this garment.”

At that moment, it seemed that the light I had seen in the past days was inside this garment, and the Lord awaited both one and the other to absorb them into Himself.

June 23, 1906
Obedience makes her continue to live in the world as victim.

Continuing to feel ill, I told the confessor what I have written above, keeping silent about a few things regarding the same topic, partly because of the extreme weakness I felt, as I had no strength to speak, and partly out of fear that obedience might set some trap for me. Oh, Holy God, what fear! God alone knows how I live – I live dying continuously, and my only relief would be dying to find my life again in God. Yet, obedience wants to act as a cruel executioner, keeping me dying continuously, rather than living forever in God. Oh, obedience, how terrible and strong you are!

So, the confessor told me that he would not permit it, and that I was to tell the Lord that obedience did not want it. What a most bitter pain! So, finding myself in my usual state, I saw Our Lord, and the confessor praying Him not to let me die. Fearing that He might listen to him, I was crying, and the Lord told me; “Daughter, be quiet, do not afflict Me with your crying. I have every reason to take you because I want to scourge the world, and out of regard for you and your sufferings I feel as though bound. But the confessor is also right in wanting to keep you on earth, because – poor world, poor Corato – in the state in which it finds itself, what would happen to it if no one protects it? And also for himself, because since you are there, I make use of you, sometimes directly, saying something regarding him, and sometimes indirectly, now reprimanding him, now pushing him, now keeping him from doing something that may displease Me. So, if I call you to Myself, I will make use of his sufferings. But, courage, as things are now, I feel more disposed to make you content rather than the confessor, and I Myself will know how to change his will.”

Then I found myself inside myself, without having told Him that obedience did not want it – it did not seem necessary to me to say it because, since I had seen the confessor together with Our Lord, it seemed to me that he would already know everything.

June 24, 1906
She continues to long for Heaven.

After I told the confessor what is written above, he got upset, for he absolutely wanted me to oppose the Lord, because obedience did not want it. As for myself, I was feeling worse; the thought of the many privations of blessed Jesus, which had burned me to the quick over and over again, made me long for Heaven. I felt my poor humanity vividly, as it kept grumbling against obedience. I felt my poor humanity as if under a press, and I could not make up my mind. In the meantime Our Lord came, with an arch of light in His hands. A scythe came out, also of light, which touched the arch that blessed Jesus held in His hands, and as the arch was touched, it remained absorbed in Christ; and He disappeared, without giving me the time to tell what obedience wanted. I understood that the arch was my soul, and the scythe was death.

June 26, 1906
She sees baby Jesus, who kisses her and compassionates her.

Continuing in the same way, the confessor came, and he kept giving me the same obedience. Then, as baby Jesus came, I told Him of my bitternesses regarding the obedience, and He caressed me, compassionated me, and gave me many kisses. Through these kisses, He infused a breath of life in me, and as I found myself inside myself, I felt my humanity as though strengthened. God alone can understand these pains of mine, because they are pains which I am unable to narrate. I hope at least that the Lord may want to give light to those who give these kinds of obedience. May the Lord forgive me – the pain makes me speak even excesses.

July 2, 1906
With her sufferings, she forms a ring for Jesus.

As I was in my usual state and my sufferings kept increasing a little, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, truly I want to take you, because I want to disengage Myself from the world.”

It seemed He wanted to tempt me, but I did not say anything about His taking me, because obedience was opposed, and also because I am sorry for the world. In the meantime, He showed me His hand; He had a most beautiful ring with a white gem on His finger, and many little gold rings were hanging from this gem, which were intertwined and formed a beautiful ornament for the hand of Our Lord. He kept showing it, so much did He like it, and then He added: “You have done this for Me in these past days by means of your sufferings, and I am preparing a more beautiful one for you.”

July 3, 1906
The Will of God is the paradise of the soul on earth, and the soul who does the Will of God forms the paradise of God on earth.

Having received Communion, I felt all united and clasped to my most divine Jesus, and while He clasped me, I rested in Him and He rested in me. Then He told me: “My beloved, the soul who lives in my Will rests, because the Divine Will does everything for her, and while It operates for her, I find the most beautiful rest in her. So, the Will of God is rest for the soul, and rest for God in the soul. While resting in my Will, the soul remains always attached to my mouth, and suckles divine life into herself, making of it her continuous food. The Will of God is the paradise of the soul on earth, and the soul who does the Will of God comes to form the paradise of God on earth. The Will of God is the only key that opens the treasures of the divine secrets, and the soul acquires such familiarity in the house of God as to dominate as if she were the owner.”

Who can say what I comprehended about this Divine Will? Oh, Will of God, how admirable, lovable, desirable, beautiful You are! It is enough to say that, being in You, I feel all my miseries and all my evils being dissolved, and I acquire a new being, with the fullness of all the divine goods.

July 8, 1906
The soul is drawn by the light of Jesus, but obedience does not want it.

It continues almost always in the same way; I only feel a little bit more strength. May God be always blessed. Everything is little in the face of His love, even His very privation, even being away from Heaven – and only to obey. Now obedience wants me to write something about the light which I still see from time to time. Sometimes I seem to see Our Lord inside of me, and another image, all of light, coming out of His Humanity. More and more His Humanity ignites the fire and the image of the light of Christ, as if It were riddling this fire; and from this riddled fire a light comes out, fully similar to His image of light. He is all pleased and awaits it anxiously to unite it to Himself, and then it becomes incorporated once again into His Humanity. Other times, I find myself outside of myself, and I see myself all fire; I see the light which is about to take off from the fire, and Our Lord blowing His breath into that light. The light rises and begins its way toward the mouth of Jesus Christ, and with His breath He rejects it and attracts it, He enlarges it and makes it more shining; and the poor light wriggles about and makes every effort, for it wants to go into His mouth. It seems to me that if I arrived at that, I would breathe my last; yet, I am forced to say in my interior: ‘Obedience does not want it,’ in spite of the fact that saying this costs me my life – God. The Lord seems to delight in playing many jokes with this light.

It also seems to me that the Lord comes and wants to review everything that He Himself has given me – whether everything is orderly and clean of dust. Then He takes my hand and removes the rings which He gave me when He espoused me to Himself; one of them He found intact, and the rest He dusted with His breath; and then He placed them back. Then, it is as if He clothes me completely, and then He places Himself near me and says: “Now, yes, you are beautiful. Come to Me, I cannot be without you. Either you come to Me, or I to you – you are my beloved, my joy, my contentment.” While He says this, the light wriggles about and makes every effort, for it wants to go into Jesus; and as it begins its flight, I see that the confessor blocks it with his hands and wants to enclose it inside me, and Jesus remains quiet and lets him do it. Oh, God, what pain! Every time this happens, it seems I am going to die and reach the harbor, but obedience makes me find myself on the way again. If I wanted to say everything about this light I would never end; but it is so painful for me to write about this, that I cannot go on. Also, many things I am unable to express, therefore I keep silent.

July 10, 1906
One who gives herself completely to Jesus, receives the whole of Jesus.

As I was in my usual state, Our Lord came for a short time and told me: “My daughter, one who gives herself completely to Me, deserves that I give Myself completely to her. Here I am, at your complete disposal; whatever you want – take.” I did not ask Him for anything; I only said to Him: ‘My Good, I do not want anything – I want only You, and You alone. You alone are enough for me in everything, because if I have You, I have everything.’ And He: “Brava, you asked well, and while wanting nothing, you have wanted everything.”

July 12, 1906
Everything that serves as sufferings to the creature touches God.

Having struggled very much in waiting for my blessed Jesus, I was feeling tired and exhausted. Then, coming almost in passing, He told me: “My daughter, everything that serves as sufferings or as pricking to the creature, on one hand pricks the creature, on the other touches God. And God, feeling touched, at each touch He feels, gives always something divine to the creature.” And He disappeared.

July 17, 1906
To one who does the Will of God Jesus gives the key of His treasures, and there is no grace that comes from God in which she does not take part.

This morning I saw blessed Jesus with a key in His hand, and He said to me: “My daughter, this key is the key of my Will. It befits one who lives in my Will to have the key in order to open and close as she pleases, and to take whatever she likes of my treasures. In fact, by living of my Will, she will look after my treasures more than if they were her own, because all that is mine is hers, and she will not spoil them; rather, she will give them to others, or will take for herself whatever can give Me more honor and glory. Therefore, behold, I deliver the key to you – look after my treasures.”

While He was saying this, I felt all immersed in the Divine Will, so much so, that I could see nothing but Will of God, and I spent the whole day in this paradise of His Will. What happiness, what contentment! During the night, as I found myself outside of myself, I continued to be in this atmosphere, and the Lord added: «See, my beloved, for one who lives in my Will, there is no grace that comes from my Will for all creatures of Heaven and of earth in which she does not take part as first. And this is natural, because the one who lives in the house of a father is the one who abounds in everything; and if the others who are outside receive something, it is the surplus from the one who lives inside.” But who can say what I understood of this Divine Will? These are things that cannot be expressed. May everything be for the glory of God.

July 21, 1906
The upright intention purges the action.

Having come for a little, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, all human actions, even holy, done without a special intention for Me, come out of the soul full of darkness, while if they are done with an upright and special intention to please Me, they come out full of light, because the intention is the purge of the action.”

July 27, 1906
In the Cross, Jesus dowered souls and espoused them to Himself.

This morning, as my adorable Jesus made Himself seen embracing the Cross, I thought in my interior: ‘What were His thoughts in receiving the Cross?’ And He said to me: “My daughter, when I received the Cross, I embraced It as my dearest treasure, because in the Cross I dowered souls and espoused them to Myself. Now, upon looking at the Cross – at Its length and breadth – I rejoiced, because I saw in It sufficient dowries for all my spouses, and none of them could fear not being able to marry Me, because I held in my own hands – in the Cross – the price of their dowry. But with this condition alone: that if the soul accepts the little gifts I send to her – which are the crosses – as the pledge of her acceptance of Me as her Spouse, the marriage is formed and I give her the gift of the dowry. If then she does not accept the gifts – that is, if she is not resigned to my Will – everything is undone, and even if I want to dower her, I cannot, because in order to form a marriage, it always takes the will of both sides; and since the soul does not accept my gifts, it means that she does not want to accept the marriage.”

July 28, 1906
The daringness of the soul. Jesus defends her.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a short time, and as soon as I saw Him, I took Him and clasped Him in my arms – but so tightly, as if I wanted to enclose Him in my heart. At that moment I saw some people around me, saying: “How daring she is, she takes too many liberties, and when one takes liberties, there is not that esteem and respect that one should have.” I felt all ablush in hearing this, but I could not do otherwise; and the Lord said to them: “It can only be said that one loves, esteems and respects an object, when one wants to make it his own; and when one does not want to make it his own, it means that he does not love it, and therefore he has neither esteem nor respect for it. For example: if one wants to know whether someone loves riches, in speaking to him about riches, he holds them in the highest esteem, he respects rich people, for nothing else than because they are rich, and he would want to make all riches his own. If on the other hand he does not love them, in merely hearing one speak about them, he becomes annoyed; and so with all other things. So, rather than blame, she deserves praise; and if she wants to make Me her own, it means that she loves Me, esteems Me and respects Me.”

July 31, 1906
Jesus speaks about simplicity.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a little, and embracing me wholly, He told me: “My daughter, simplicity is to virtues as condiment to foods. For a simple soul there are neither keys nor doors to enter into Me, nor are there for Me to enter into her, because from all sides she can enter into Me, and I into her. Even more, to better say it, she finds herself in Me without entering because, by her simplicity, she comes to resemble Me, who am most simple Spirit, and only because I am most simple I am present everywhere and nothing can escape my hand. A simple soul is like the light of the sun – in spite of any fog, or of the fact that its rays pass through whatever rubbish, it remains always light, it gives light to all, and it never changes. In the same way, a simple soul, no matter what mortification or displeasure she may receive, does not cease to be light for herself and for those who have mortified her. And if she sees evil things, she does not become stained, but remains always light; nor does she change, because simplicity is that virtue which most resembles the Divine Being. Only through this virtue can one participate in the other divine qualities, and only in the soul who is simple are there no impediments or obstacles for Divine Grace to enter and to operate. In fact, since both one and the other are light, one light easily unites and transforms into the other.”

But who can say what I comprehended about this simplicity? I feel as though a sea is in my mind, and I am able to manifest but a few little drops of this sea, and those disconnected among themselves. Deo Gratias.

August 8, 1906
How it is necessary to run without ever stopping.

This morning blessed Jesus came for just a little, and since I was all tired because of His privation, He told me: “My daughter, in order for the soul to reach her central point, it is necessary that she run always, without ever stopping, because by running, her path will become smoother, and as she keeps going, the point which she must reach in order to find her center will be manifested to her; and along the way, the Grace which is necessary to her journey will be administered to her, in such a way that, helped by Grace, she will not feel the weight of her toiling, or of life. All the opposite for one who walks and stops. In fact, just by stopping, she will feel the tiredness of those steps which she has already taken, and will lose stamina for the journey. By not walking, she will not be able to see her point, which is a good most high, and will not be attracted to it. Not seeing her run, Grace will not give itself in vain, and her life will become unbearable, because idleness produces boredom and bother.”

August 10, 1906
One contentment less on earth, one paradise more in Heaven.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw blessed Jesus for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, for every slightest pleasure of which the soul deprives herself in this life for love of Me, I will give her one more paradise in the next life. So, one contentment less here, one paradise more there. Imagine a bit how many privations you have suffered in these twenty years of bed because of Me, and how many more paradises I will give you in Heaven.”

On hearing this, I said: “My Good, what are You saying? I feel honored and almost your debtor because You give me the occasion to be deprived for love of You, and You tell me that You will give me as many paradises?’ And He added: “It is precisely so.” Deo Gratias.

August 11, 1906
The cross is a treasure.

Finding myself in my usual state, I saw my adorable Jesus with a cross in His hand, all full of white pearls. Giving it to me as gift, He placed it on my breast, and it sank into my heart as inside a room. Then He told me: “My daughter, the cross is a treasure, and the safest place in which to keep this valuable treasure is one’s own soul. Or rather, it is a safe place when the soul is disposed to receive this treasure with patience, with resignation and with the other virtues, because the virtues are as many keys that secure it, so as not to spoil it or expose it to thieves. But if it does not find especially the gold key of patience, this treasure will find many thieves, who will steal it and spoil it.”

August 25, 1906
Self-interest and human sciences in priests.

This morning, finding myself outside of myself, I seemed to see priests and prelates intent on their interests and on human sciences, which are not necessary for their state, with the addition of a spirit of rebellion against the authorities superior to them. All afflicted, Our Lord told me: “My daughter, interest, human sciences, and everything that does not pertain to the priest, forms a second nature for him, muddy and rotten; and the works that come from him, even holy, are so stinking and I feel such nausea, that they unbearable to Me. Pray and repair for these offenses, for I can take no more.”

September 2, 1906
Luisa wants to do the accounts with Jesus. Jesus wants her to have no thought about herself.

This morning, having to receive Communion, I was prepared to make a day of retreat – that is, to prepare myself for death. And after I received Communion, I said to blessed Jesus: ‘Let us do the accounts now, so as not to leave them for the last extreme of my life. I myself don’t know how I am; I make no reflection over myself, and by not reflecting on it, I do not perceive myself, and so I feel neither fears, nor scruples, nor agitations, while I see that others, who are far more good than I am – and even the very lives of the Saints which I read – they all reflect upon themselves: whether they are cold or warm, whether tempted or calm, whether they confess well or badly; and almost all of them are shy, agitated and scrupulous. All my attention, instead, is on wanting You, on loving You, and on not offending You. As for the rest, I take nothing into account; it seems I have no time to think of anything else, and if I engage in doing it, an interior voice shakes me, scolds me, and says: “Do you want to waste time? Think of doing your things with God.” Therefore, I myself do not know the state in which I am – whether I am cold, dry, or warm. And if anyone wanted an account of it, I certainly would not be able to do it. I think I did it wrong. So, let us do the accounts now, that I may remedy it.’

And after I prayed Him over and over again, He said to me: “My daughter, I keep you always on my knees, and so tightly as to give you no time to think about yourself. I hold you like a father holds his little child on his knees: he gives him now a kiss, now a caress; now he feeds him with his own hands, and now, if inadvertently the little child gets dirty, the father himself takes care of cleaning him.

Now, if the father shows himself afflicted, the little one consoles him and dries his tears; if he shows himself irritated, the little one calms him. In sum, the father is the life of the little one and does not let him have the slightest thought about himself – whether he needs to eat, whether he gets dirty, whether he needs to clothe himself, and not even whether he needs to sleep, because, forming a cradle with his arms, he rocks him to make him fall asleep, and lets him sleep on his own lap. And the little one is all the relief and the life of the father, while the other grown-up children take care of reordering the house, of cleaning themselves by themselves, and of all the other affairs. So I do with you: I keep you on my knees like a little daughter, and so intimately united with Me as to not let you feel yourself. I think and take care of all of you – cleaning you if you are stained, feeding you if you need food; in sum, I anticipate you in everything, in such a way that you yourself do not perceive your needs. And by holding you intimately tight to Me, it is a grace that I give you, because you escape many, many defects, while if you had the thought of yourself – oh, into how many defects you would fall! Therefore, think of doing your office of little daughter toward Me, and have no thought for anything else.”

September 11, 1906
Everything which is not done for the glory of God remains obscured.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself with baby Jesus in my arms in the midst of many people, and He said to me: “My daughter, all the works, words and thoughts of creatures should be sealed with the mark: ‘Gloriam Dei, Gloriam Dei.’ And everything which is not sealed with this mark remains obscured and as though buried in darkness, stained, or at the most, as something of no value. So, the creature does nothing other than pull out darkness and abominable things from herself, because by not operating for the glory of God, the creature runs away from the purpose for which she was created – she is as though lost from God, and left alone with herself. God alone is light, and it is through God that human actions acquire value. Now, what is the wonder if the creature, by not operating for His glory, remains buried in her own darkness, and gains nothing from her toils – on the contrary, she loads herself with heavy debts?”

To our great bitterness, we looked at all those people as though buried in darkness. In order to distract blessed Jesus from that bitterness, I would clasp Him and kiss Him, and almost wanting to play with Him, I would say to Him: ‘Say with me: I give such power to the prayer of this soul as to concede what she asks of Me.’ But He would not listen to me; and I, wanting to force Him to say it with me, would renew the kisses, the embraces, and would repeat: ‘Say it – say it together with me…(the same words written above).’ I did so much that it seemed He said them, and I found myself inside myself, surprised at my daringness and madness; and I felt ashamed of myself.

September 12, 1906
Where God is not present, there can be neither firmness nor true good.

I was thinking about my state, which now seems to be all peace and love – nothing disturbs me, everything is good, nothing is sin; and I said to myself: ‘What will happen if at the moment of my death the scene will change and I will see the reverse of this – that is, all things will disturb me, and everything I have done will have been but a chain of evils.’ While I was thinking of this, He told me: “My daughter, it seems you want to disturb yourself by force and take away from Me my continuous rest in you. Do you think that your patience, the constancy and the peace of this state of yours is your own, or rather, the fruit and the grace of the One who dwells in you? I alone possess these gifts, and from the constancy, the peace and the patience you can recognize who it is that operates in you. In fact, when it is her nature or the devil, the soul feels dominated by continuous changes – she feels now one mood, now another; now all patience, now all vexation. In sum, the poor one is flapped about like a reed by a strong wind. Ah! my daughter, where God is not present, there can be neither firmness nor true good; therefore, do not want to disturb my rest and yours any more. Rather, be more grateful.”

September 14, 1906
Jesus defends the soul who gives herself completely to Him. The place of souls in the Humanity of Jesus.

This morning I was outside of myself and I saw baby Jesus within a mirror, so very clear and large, such that I could see Him very well from any point at which I would place myself. I made a sign with my hand for Him to come to me, and Jesus made a sign that I should go to Him. In the meantime, I saw many devout people and priests, as though placing themselves between me and Him, and they were talking about me. I would not pay attention to them – my aim was my sweet Jesus. However, He came out from within that mirror, all in a hurry, and wanted to beat those who were talking, saying to them: “Nobody touch her – because when one touches one who loves Me, I feel more offended than if he were touching Me directly. I will show you how I know how to take the part of one who gives herself completely to Me, and of her innocence”; and He clasped me with one arm, while threatening them with the other. I did not care at all that they would speak ill of me; I was only sorry that He wanted to beat them, and I said to Him: ‘My sweet life, I do not want anyone to suffer because of me, and from this I will know whether You love me – if You calm Yourself with them and do not beat them; otherwise, I will be discontent.’ So it seemed that He calmed Himself, and He pulled me away from the midst of those people, taking me into myself.

As I continued to see Him, no longer as a child, but crucified, I said to Him: ‘My adorable Good, since when You suffered the crucifixion all souls had a place in your Humanity, what was my place?’ And He: “My daughter, the place of the loving souls was in my Heart. As for you, then, in addition to keeping you in my Heart, since you were to cooperate in Redemption with your state of victim, I kept you in all of my members, as help and relief.”

September 16, 1906
The sheer truth, naked and simple, is the most powerful magnet to draw hearts.

As the confessor told me that Monsignor did not want people to come visit me, so that I might not be distracted, I said to him: ‘You have given this obedience more than once, but it is never sorted out – it is done for a little while, and then things go back as before; while if you give me the obedience not to speak any more, my silence would drive everyone away.’ Now, having received Communion, I said to the Lord: ‘If it pleases You, I would like to know how things are in your sight. You know the state of violence in which I find myself when I am with creatures, because with You alone I feel comfortable. I cannot understand why they want to come. I show myself rustic; I use no means to attract them, but rather, unpleasant manners. Why they want to come – I don’t know. Oh, Heavens grant that I may remain alone!’

At that moment He said to me: “My daughter, the sheer truth, naked and simple, is the most powerful magnet to draw hearts and to dispose them to face any sacrifice for love of the truth and of the people who reveal this truth. Who disposed the Martyrs to shed their blood? The truth. Who gave to many other Saints the strength to conduct a pure and unblemished life in the midst of so many battles? The truth – and a naked, simple and disinterested truth. This is why creatures want to come to you. Ah, my daughter, in these sad times, how hard it is to find someone who would manifest this naked truth, even among the clergy, the religious, and devout people! Their speaking and operating always nurses something human, of interest or other things, and the truth is manifested as though covered or veiled. So, the person who receives is not touched by the naked truth, but by the interest or the other human purpose in which the truth has been wrapped, and he does not receive the Grace and the influence which the truth contains. This is why so many sacraments, so many confessions, are wasted, profaned and without fruit, even though I do not abstain from giving them light. But they do not listen to Me, because they think to themselves that if they did so, they would lose their prestige, their being well liked, their nature would no longer find satisfaction, and they would go against their own interests. But – oh, how they deceive themselves! In fact, one who leaves everything for love of the truth will superabound in everything more profusely than others. Therefore, as much as you can, do not neglect to manifest this naked and simple truth – it is understood, always complying to the obedience of the one who directs you; but as the opportunity arises, manifest the truth.”

All that regards charity I have said in a veiled manner, and since obedience had told me to write everything in detail, I had the impression as if I had not obeyed. As I asked Our Lord, He told me that it was fine as it was, because one who finds himself in those defects, would understand.

September 18, 1906
Peace is light for the soul, light for her neighbor, and light for God.

After struggling very much, I was feeling all oppressed and almost a little disturbed, thinking about why my adorable Jesus was not coming. Then, He came in passing and told me: “My daughter, peace is light for the soul, light for her neighbor, and light for God. Therefore, a soul who is at peace is always light, and being light, she is always united to the Eternal Light from which she draws ever new light so as to be able to give light to others also. So, if you want ever new light, be at peace.”

September 23, 1906
How operating for Christ destroys the human work, which Jesus makes rise again into a divine work.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a little while, and embracing me wholly, He told me: «My beloved daughter, operating for Christ and in Christ makes the human work disappear completely, because by operating in Christ, since Christ is fire, He consumes the human work, and after He has consumed the human work, His fire makes it rise again into a divine work. Therefore, operate always together with Me, as if we were both doing the same thing together; if you suffer, suffer as if you were suffering together with Me; if you pray, if you work, do everything in Me and with Me. In this way you will lose the human works completely and will find them again as divine. Oh, how many immense riches creatures could acquire, but they do not avail themselves of them.

Having said this, He disappeared, and I remained with a great desire to see Him again. Then, I was outside of myself, and I kept looking for Him everywhere; and not finding Him I said: ‘Ah, Lord, how cruel You are with a soul who is all for You, and who does nothing but suffer continuous deaths for love of You! See, my will is looking for You, and not finding You, it dies continuously, because it does not find You who are the life of my will; my desires die continuously, because as they desire You and do not find You, they do not find their life. So, my breath, the heartbeats of my heart, my memory, my intellect – everything, everything is undergoing cruel deaths; and You have no compassion for me.’

At that moment, I came back into myself and I found Him within Me; and as though wanting to give tit for tat, He kept saying: “See, I am all in you, and all for you.” He seemed to have the crown of thorns; He would push it onto His head, and blood would come out; and He would repeat: “This Blood I am shedding for love of you.” He would show me His wounds and would add: “These – all for you.” Oh, how confused I felt, seeing that my love, compared to His, was nothing but a shadow.

October 2, 1906
How our sufferings can relieve Jesus.

Having received Communion, I felt I was outside of myself and I saw a person who was very oppressed by various crosses, and blessed Jesus was saying: “Tell her that in the act in which she feels as though dogged by persecutions, by punctures, by sufferings, she should think that I am present with her, and that whatever she suffers she can use to heal and medicate my wounds. So, her sufferings will serve to medicate now my side, now my head, now my hands and feet, which are too much in pain and embittered by the grave offenses that creatures give Me. This is a great honor that I give her, by giving her, Myself, the medicine to medicate my wounds, and by also giving her the merit of charity for having medicated Me.”

While He was saying this, I saw many purging souls who, on hearing this, all amazed, said: “Fortunate are all of you to receive so many sublime teachings – that you acquire the merits to medicate a God, which surpass all other merits in merit – and your glory will be distinct from the others, as is Heaven from the earth. Oh, if only we had received these teachings – that our sufferings could serve to medicate a God – how many riches we would acquire, which now we do not have!”

October 3, 1906
Jesus speaks about simplicity.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, simplicity fills the soul with Grace to the point of diffusing outside; so, if one wanted to constrain Grace within her, this could not be done. In fact, just as the Spirit of God, because He is most simple, diffuses everywhere without effort or strain, but rather, naturally; in the same way, the soul who possesses the virtue of simplicity diffuses Grace into others without even realizing it.” Having said this, He disappeared.

October 4, 1906
How upright operating is the breath that lights the fire of love.

Having received the obedience to speak only a few words if anyone came, I was concerned I had failed the obedience, and added to that, blessed Jesus was not coming. Who can say the torment of my soul – thinking that He was not coming because I had committed sin. His privation is always a cruel torment, but the thought of having provided the occasion for it because of some fault, is a torment that makes one go mad and kills with one blow.

Then, after I struggled very much, He came and touched me three times, telling me: “My daughter, I renew you in the Power of the Father, in my Wisdom, and in the Love of the Holy Spirit.” What I felt as He was saying this I am unable to express. Then He seemed to lie down within me, placing His head crowned with thorns upon my heart, and He added: “Upright operating keeps Divine Love always lit within the soul, while the operating which is not upright keeps putting it out, and if it tries to light it, now comes the breath of love of self and puts it out, now human respect, now self esteem, now the breath of the desire to please others… In sum, many breaths always keep putting it out; while with the upright operating, it is not many breaths that light this divine fire in the soul, but one continuous breath which keeps it always lit – and it is only the omnipotent breath of a God.”

October 5, 1906
Jesus is the master of the soul.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself together with baby Jesus. This time it seemed He felt like playing. He would press Himself against my breast and in my arms, and while looking at me with great love, now He would clasp me, now He would push me and almost knock against me with His little head, now He would kiss me so strongly that it seemed He wanted to enclose me and identify me with Himself. While He would do this, I would feel great pain – so much so, as to feel faint. But even though He would see me suffer like that He would not pay attention to me; on the contrary, if He would see from my face that I was suffering, since I would not dare to tell Him anything, He would do it harder, and would make me suffer more. Now, after He well gave vent to Himself, He told me: “My daughter, I am your master, and I can do with you whatever I want. Know that, since you are mine, you are no longer the master of yourself; and if you arbitrate something, even just one thought, one desire, one heartbeat, know that you are making a theft from Me.”

At that moment, I saw the confessor who, not feeling very well, wanted as though to unload his sufferings onto me; and all hurriedly, He pushed him away with His hand, and said: “I have to unload my own pains first, which are many, and then you can do it.” And while saying this, He drew near my mouth and poured a most bitter liqueur. Then I commended the confessor to Him, praying Him to touch him with His little hand, and to make him get well. He touched him and said: “Yes, yes.” And He disappeared.

October 8, 1906
The cross is to man as the rein to the horse.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the cross is to the creature as the rein to the horse. What would happen to the horse if man did not use the rein? It would be untamed, unrestrained, and would but go from precipice to precipice, to the point of becoming fierce and noxious to man and to itself. On the other hand, with the rein it can be conducted, it becomes tame, walks straight, serves the needs of man as a faithful friend, and stays safe from any precipice, because man keeps it and protects it. Such is the cross to man. The cross tames him, restrains him, arrests the course of his hurling himself along the paths of passions which he feels within himself, and which devour him like fire. So, instead of raging against God and hurting himself, the cross dampens his passions, softens him, conducts him, and serves the glory of God and his own salvation. Oh, if it wasn’t for the cross which, by Its mercy, Divine Providence holds as a rein in order to restrain man – oh, amid how many more evils would one see poor humanity lie!”

October 10, 1906
Jesus concurs in all the human actions.

This morning blessed Jesus made Himself seen within a torrent of light, and creatures were inundated with this light, in such a way that all the human actions received the attitude of operating from this light. While I was seeing this, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, I am concurring continuously in every slightest human action, be it even one thought, one breath, one movement. But creatures, not thinking about this attitude of mine toward them, not only do they not do all of their works for Me, from whom they receive the life of their very operating, but they attribute what they do to themselves. Oh! if only they thought about this continuous attitude of mine toward them, they would not usurp what is mine, to the detriment of my glory and of their good; while they should be doing everything for Me and give it to Me. Everything which is done for Me can enter into Me, and I keep it deposited within Myself to give it all to them in the next life. But everything which is not done for Me cannot enter into Me, because those are not works worthy of Me; on the contrary, I feel nausea for them and I reject them, even though there was my attitude.”

October 13, 1906
Detachment. Necessity of these writings, which are a Divine Mirror.

As I was in my usual state, my good Jesus made Himself seen for a little while, and He told me: “My daughter, in order to know whether a soul is stripped of everything, it is enough to see this: if holy or even indifferent desires arise within her and she is ready to sacrifice them to the Divine Volition with holy peace, it means that she is stripped; but if she becomes disturbed and upset, it means that she is keeping something for herself.”

Hearing the word “desire”, I said: ‘My highest Good, my desire is that I would rather not write any more. How it weighs on me – if it wasn’t for fear of going out of your Will and of displeasing You, I would not do it.’ And He, breaking my words off, added: “You do not want it, and I want it. That which I say to you, and which you write out of obedience, for now, serves as a mirror for you and for those who take part in directing you; but the time will come when it will serve as a mirror for others. So, that which you write, spoken by Me, can be called ‘Divine Mirror’. And you would want to take this Divine Mirror away from my creatures? Watch it, seriously, my daughter, and do not want to restrict this Mirror of Grace by not writing everything.” On hearing this, I remained confused and humiliated, with a great repugnance to write these last words of His, but obedience absolutely imposed it on me, and only to obey, I wrote. Deo Gratias.

October 14, 1906
Self-esteem poisons Grace. The Purgatory of a soul for having neglected Communion.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself with baby Jesus, and He seemed to say to a priest: “Self-esteem poisons Grace in you and in others. In fact, since by your office you must administer Grace, if souls detect that what you say and do, you do in order to be esteemed – and it can easily be detected when this poison is present – Grace does not enter alone, but together with the poison that you have. So, instead of rising again to life, they find death.”

Then He added: “It is necessary that you strip yourself of everything in order for you to be filled with the All, which is God. And by having the All within you, you will give the All to all those who will come to you; and in giving the All to others, you will find everything at your disposal, in such a way that no one will be able to deny you anything – not even esteem; even more, from human you will have it divine, which befits the All who dwells in you.”

After this, I saw a soul from Purgatory who, upon seeing us, hid and shunned us, and the blushing she felt was such that she was as though crushed. I was surprised that instead of running to the Baby, she would run away. Jesus disappeared, and I drew near her asking the reason for it. She was so ashamed that she could not utter a word, but as I forced her, she told me: “Just Justice of God, for having sealed upon my forehead confusion and such fear of His presence that I am forced to shun Him. I act against my own will, because while I am consumed with yearning for Him, another pain inundates me, and I shun Him. Oh, God – to see Him, and to shun Him – these are mortal and unutterable pains! However, I have deserved these pains, distinct from those of other souls, because in conducting a devout life, many times I made abuse by not receiving Communion because of trifles, temptations, coldnesses, fears, and sometimes even in order to be able to bring reasons to my confessor and let him hear that I was not receiving Communion. Souls hold all this as nothing, but God judges it most severely, giving it pains which surpass the other pains, because these are defects more directed to love. In addition to all this, Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament burns with love and with the desire to give Himself to souls. He feels Himself dying continuously with love, and when the soul can draw near Him to receive it, but does not – or even more, she remains there indifferent with many useless pretexts – the affront and the displeasure He receives are such that He feels restless, burning, and cannot give vent to His flames. He feels as though suffocated by His own love, finding no one with whom to share it, and almost gone mad, He keeps repeating: ‘The excesses of my love are neglected – even more, they are forgotten. Even the ones who call themselves my spouses have no yearning to receive Me and to let Me pour Myself out with them at least. Ah, in nothing am I requited! Ohh! Ohh! Ohh! I am not loved! I am not loved!’ And so, to have me purged of this defect, the Lord has made me share in the pain which He suffers when souls do not receive Him. It is a pain, it is a sorrow, it is a fire, such that it can be said that the very fire of Purgatory, compared to it, is nothing.”

After this, I found myself inside myself, all stupefied, thinking about the pain of that soul, while here with us neglecting Communion is really held as nothing.

October 16, 1906
How each good is a distinct melody in Heaven.

Having neglected to write what follows, obedience commanded me to do it.

I seemed to be outside of myself, and it seemed that there was a special feast in Heaven, and I was invited to this feast. It seemed I was singing with the very Blessed, because, up there, there is no need to learn, but one feels as though an infusion in one’s interior, and whatever the others sing or do, one is able to do as well. Now, it seemed to me that each Blessed is a key, that is, a melody himself, but all are in harmony among themselves, though each one is different from the other. One sings the notes of praise, one the notes of glory, one of thanksgiving, one of blessings, but all these notes reunite into one single note, and this note is Love. It seems that one single voice reunites all those voices and ends with the word ‘Love’. This cry, ‘Love’, is such a sweet and strong resounding that all other voices remain as though extinguished in this canticle, ‘Love’.

It seemed that all the Blessed were made ecstatic, drowsy, awake, inebriated by this cry or chant, ‘Love’, high, harmonious, beautiful, which deafened the whole of Heaven; they participated – one could say – in one more Paradise. But who were the fortunate ones who cried out more loudly, who made this note, ‘Love’, resound in everything, and who brought great happiness into Heaven Itself? They were the ones who had loved the Lord more when they lived on earth. Ah, they were not the ones who had done great things, penances, miracles… Ah, no – never! Love alone is what surpasses everything, and leaves everything behind. So, it is one who loves much, not one who does much, that will be more pleasing to the Lord. It seems I am speaking nonsense, but what can I do? It is obedience’s fault. Who doesn’t know that the things from up there cannot be spoken down here? So, in order not to speak more nonsense, I stop here.

October 18, 1906
The works which most please Jesus are the hidden works.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus just barely came and told me: “My daughter, the works which I like the most are the hidden works because, free from any human spirit, they contain such preciousness within themselves, that I keep them as the choicest inside my Heart; so much so, that in comparing a thousand external and public works with one internal and hidden work, the one thousand external ones remain below the single internal work, because in the external works the human spirit always takes its part.”

October 20, 1906
Jesus laments over the state of His ministers.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself inside a church in which there were many people attending sacred services. In the meantime, it seemed that by the authority of the government other people were entering to profane this holy place. Some were jumping, some were using violence, and some were laying hands, sacrilegiously, on the Most Holy Sacrament and on the priests. On seeing this, I cried and prayed, saying to the Lord: ‘Do not permit that they arrive at this – profaning your sacred temples – because who knows how many terrible chastisements You would unload upon your creatures because of these horrendous sins.’

While I was saying this, He told me: “My daughter, the cause of all these enormous crimes – because one sin is the cause and chastisement of making others fall into more sins – have been the sins of priests. They have been the first to profane my holy temple hiddenly with sacrilegious masses, and by mixing impure acts in the administration of the Sacraments. And under the appearance of holy things, they have reached the point of profaning not only my temples of stone, but of profaning and using violence on my living temples, which are the souls, and of profaning my very Body. The secular have somehow perceived all this, and not seeing in them the light necessary for their journey – or rather, they have found nothing but darkness – they have been left so clouded as to lose the beautiful light of faith; and without light, it is no wonder that they reach such grave excesses.

Therefore, pray for priests, that they may be light for the peoples, so that, as the light arises again, the secular may acquire life and may see the errors they commit; and by seeing them, they will feel disgusted to commit these grave excesses, which will be the cause of grave chastisements.”

October 23, 1906
How in these times everything is effeminate.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came for a little, and all oppressed and afflicted He wanted to pour His bitternesses into me. Then He told me: “My daughter, the bitternesses that creatures give Me are such that I cannot contain them; this is why I wanted to share them with you. In these times everything is effeminate; priests themselves seem to have lost the masculine characteristic and acquired the feminine characteristic. So, only rarely can a masculine priest be found; the rest – all effeminate. Ah, in what a deplorable state poor humanity is!” Having said this, He disappeared. I myself do not comprehend the meaning of this, but obedience wanted me to write it.

October 25, 1906
For one who receives It, Grace is light; for one who does not, It is fire.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and there seemed to be people who wanted to crucify me. While they were laying me on the cross, I saw Our Lord within me, and as I laid myself, He laid Himself too. So, in my hands there were His hands, and the nail was piercing my hands and His; whatever I suffered, He would suffer too. The pain that those nails without a point gave us was such that I felt I was dying – but, how sweet to die together with Jesus! I only feared that I would not die.

Now, as they were about to crucify my feet, Jesus escaped me from within, and was now in front of me; my sufferings took as though shapes of light, and placed themselves before the Lord as though in act of adoration. After this, He told me: “My daughter, for one who receives It, Grace is light, It is way, It is nourishment, It is strength, It is relief; but for one who does not receive It, in addition to the fact that he finds no light and feels the ground missing under his feet, remaining on an empty stomach and without strength, Grace converts into fire and chastisement.” While He was saying this, a torrent of light came out of His hand, which descended upon the creatures; this light remained light for some, and for some it turned into fire.

October 28, 1906
Everything which is light comes from God.

Having received Communion, I found myself within a great light – it was Jesus Himself, and He said to me: “My daughter, everything which is light is all mine – not of the creature. It happens as to a person who is invested by the rays of the sun: if he wanted to attribute the light which he enjoys to himself, he would be foolish and brainless. However, there is this: that that person, instead of enjoying the light of the sun, could say, ‘I want to walk in the shade’, and withdraw from the light; while the soul, in withdrawing from my light, becomes darkness, and darkness can produce nothing but evil.”

October 31, 1906
How for each suffering, the soul acquires one more kingdom within herself.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came in passing, and told me only this: “My daughter, each suffering that the soul suffers is one more dominion that she acquires over herself. In fact, patience in suffering is regime, and by ruling herself, the more she suffers, the more dominion she acquires. She does nothing but expand and enlarge her kingdom of Heaven, acquiring immense riches for eternal life. So, for each additional pain you suffer, consider that you acquire one more kingdom in your soul – a kingdom of grace, which corresponds to a kingdom of virtue and of glory.”

November 6, 1906
The Faith and the Hope of the soul who lives in the Divine Will.

I was praying according to my usual way – that whatever I do, I do it as if I were doing it with Our Lord and with His own intentions. So, I was reciting the Creed, and without realizing it myself, I was saying that I intended to have the faith of Jesus Christ to repair for so many unbeliefs, and to impetrate the gift of faith for all. At that moment, He moved in my interior, and told me: “You are wrong, I had neither faith nor hope, nor could I have them, because I was God Himself – I was only love.”

On hearing ‘love’, I liked so much being able to be only love that, not paying attention, I spoke some more nonsense, which was: ‘My Lord, I too would like to be like You – all love, and nothing else.’ And He added: “This is my goal, and this is why I often speak to you about perfect resignation, because by living in my Will, the soul acquires the most heroic love, and reaches the point of loving Me with my own love. She becomes all love, and becoming all love, she is in continuous contact with Me. So, she is with Me, in Me, and for Me she does everything I want; nor does she move or desire anything but my Will, in which all the love of the Eternal One is enclosed, and in which she herself remains enclosed. By living in this way, the soul almost comes to the point of dissolving faith and hope, because as she comes to live of Divine Will, the soul no longer feels in contact with faith and hope. Since she lives of the Will of God, what does she have to believe if she has found It and made of It her food? And what does she have to hope for, if she already possesses It by living, not outside of God, but in God? Therefore, true and perfect resignation is the mark of sure predestination, and the sure possession that the soul has of God. Have you understood? Think it over carefully.”

I remained as though enchanted, and I said to myself: ‘Really, one can reach this?!’ And I almost doubted, saying: ‘Maybe He wanted to tempt me to see what I would do, to give me the field to speak more nonsense, and to show me where my pride reaches. However, it is good to speak some nonsense; at least one pushes Him to say something, and receives the good of hearing His voice, which restores one from death to life’; and I kept thinking of what other nonsense I could say…. At that moment, He moved again and added: “It is you who want to tempt Me, not I you. And besides, stop doubting about my truths.” And He kept silent. I felt confused, and I kept thinking of what He had told me; but who can say everything? These are things that cannot be expressed.

November 9, 1906
Effects of meditating continuously on the Passion.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was thinking about the Passion of Our Lord; and while I was doing this, He came and told me: “My daughter, one who meditates continuously on my Passion and feels sorrow for it and compassion for Me, pleases Me so much that I feel as though comforted for all that I suffered in the course of my Passion; and by always meditating on it, the soul arrives at preparing a continuous food. In this food there are many different spices and flavors, which form different effects. So, if in the course of my Passion they gave Me ropes and chains to tie Me, the soul releases Me and gives Me freedom. They despised Me, spat on Me, and dishonored Me; she appreciates Me, cleans Me of that spittle, and honors Me. They stripped Me and scourged Me; she heals Me and clothes Me. They crowned Me with thorns, mocking Me as king, embittered my mouth with bile, and crucified Me; while the soul, meditating on all my pains, crowns Me with glory and honors Me as her king, fills my mouth with sweetness, giving Me the most delicious food, which is the memory of my own works; and unnailing Me from the Cross, she makes Me rise again in her heart. And every time she does so, I give her a new life of grace as recompense. She is my food, and I become her continuous food. So, the thing that pleases Me the most is meditating continuously on my Passion.”

November 12, 1906
The soul gives Jesus a dwelling in time, and He gives it to the soul in eternity.

Continuing in my usual state, I was saying to blessed Jesus: ‘Oh, how I wish to love You, to be loved more by You!’ And He, in my interior, told me: “I love you so much that I never leave you, and I dwell in you continuously.” And I: ‘Thank You for your benignity in dwelling in me, but I am not so content; I would be more content and would feel safer if I could dwell in You.’ And He: “Ah, my daughter, in time you give a dwelling to Me, and in eternity I will give it to you; and be well content and sure that the One who dwells in you has the power to maintain your dwelling fortified and free of any danger.”

November 14, 1906
The cross expands the boundaries of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Oh, how I struggled and suffered because of His privation! Then, after a long time, He made Himself seen, just in passing, and told me: “My daughter, if perfect resignation is the certain and sure sign of predestination, the cross expands the boundaries of the Kingdom of Heaven.” And He disappeared like a flash.

November 16, 1906
Difference between the offenses of the religious and those of the secular.

As I was in my usual state, I saw the many offenses committed by priests and by religious people, and the great sorrow that blessed Jesus felt because of them. Almost surprised, I said: ‘My sweet life, it is true that religious people offend You, but it seems to me that the secular offend You more. Yet, You show greater sorrow for the first than for the second; it seems You are all eyes to look at all that the first are doing, and You seem not to look at what the second do.’

And He: “Ah, my daughter, you cannot comprehend the difference that exists between the offenses of the religious and those of the secular – this is why you are surprised. The religious have declared that they belong to Me, love Me and serve Me, and I have entrusted the treasures of my Grace to them, and the treasures of the Sacraments to others, who are the priests. Now, while pretending on the outside that they belong to Me, in their interior, if they need, they are far away from Me; they show that they love Me and serve Me, but they offend Me, and they use holy things to serve their own passions. This is why I am all eyes – so as not to let them spoil my gifts and my graces; but in spite of my cares, they reach the point of wreaking havoc with those very things with which, on the outside, they seem to be glorifying Me. This offense is so grave, that if you could comprehend it, you would die of heartbreak. On the other hand, the secular declare that they do not belong to Me, that they do not know Me, and that they do not want to serve Me; and because of this, first of all, they are free of the spirit of hypocrisy, which is the thing that displeases Me the most. Therefore, since they have declared themselves, I have not been able to entrust my gifts to them; even though Grace excites them, It fights them – It has not given Itself because they do not want It. It happens as to a king who, having waged battle to free the peoples from the slavery in which they are kept by other kings, managed, by force of blood, to free some of those peoples. Then he placed them under his dominion, providing everything for them, and if necessary, letting them live in his own residence. Now, who would displease him more if they offended him? The peoples which have remained far away from him, and which he yet wanted to free, or the ones that live with him?”

November 18, 1906
The works without interior spirit and upright intention bloat the soul.

As I was in my usual state, I saw only a shadow of blessed Jesus, and He told me only: “My daughter, if a food could be separated from its substance and someone ate it, it would be of no use, or rather, it would serve to bloat his stomach. Such are the works without interior spirit and without upright intention: being emptied of divine substance, they are of no use, and serve only to bloat the person; therefore he receives more harm than good.”

November 20, 1906
Obedience communicates divine strength to the soul.

My poor state continues, full of bitterness because of the almost continuous privations that I suffer, but also of peace. I saw Him just flashing by, telling me: “My daughter, obedience is an unshakable wall, and such it renders the soul. Not only this, but in order to be unshakable, it is necessary for one to be strong and robust, and obedience communicates divine strength, in such a way that, in the face of the divine strength it possesses, all things are weak; so much so, that while obedience can move anything, nothing can move it.” And He vanished away.

November 28, 1906
The good of operating together with Jesus.

Continuing in my poor state, I just barely saw blessed Jesus, who seemed to transform all of Himself into me, in such a way that if I breathed, I could feel His breathing in mine; if I moved one arm, I could feel Him move His arm within mine, and so with all the rest. While He was doing this, He told me: “My beloved daughter, see in what a close union I am with you; this is how I want you to be – completely united and clasped to Me. And do not think that you must do this only when you suffer or pray, but rather, always – always. If you move, if you breathe, if you work, if you eat, if you sleep – everything, everything, as if you were doing it in my Humanity, and as if your working came from Me, in such a way that you should be nothing but the cortex, and once the cortex of your work is broken, one should find the fruit of the divine work. And this you must do for the good of the whole of humanity, in such a way that my Humanity must be present, as though alive in the midst of people. In fact, as you do everything, even the most indifferent actions, with this intention of receiving life from Me, your action acquires the merit of my Humanity, because since I was Man and God, in my breathing I contained the breathing of all; the movements, the actions, the thoughts… I contained everything within Myself; therefore I sanctified them, I divinized them, I repaired them. So, by doing everything in the act of receiving all of your working from Me, you too will come to embrace and contain all creatures within you, and your working will diffuse for the good of all. Therefore, even if the others will give Me nothing, I will take everything from you.”

It seems I am speaking a lot of nonsense. These are intimate things, and I am unable to say them well; I would like to write them as I have them in my mind, but I cannot. It seems that I take one drop of light, and one hundred more escape me. It would have been better had I kept silent, but, after all, may everything be for the glory of God.

December 3, 1906
The sweetness and the peace of the soul.

Since blessed Jesus was not coming, I felt such bitterness…; not only this, but a sort of hitch within my interior, such as to make me almost restless. Oh, God, what pain! All other pains compared to this are nothing but shadows, or rather, refreshment. Your privation alone can be given the name of pain.

Now, while I was fidgeting, He came out, in passing, from within my interior, and He said to me: “What is the matter with you? Calm yourself, calm yourself; here I am – not only with you, but in you. And then, I do not want this restless heart. Everything in you must be sweetness and peace, in such a way that it may be said of you that which is said about Me: that nothing but milk and honey flows within Me, symbolizing sweetness with honey, and peace with milk. I am so filled and soaked with them, that they pour out from my eyes, from my mouth, and from all of my works. And if you are not likewise, I feel dishonored by you, because, while the One who is all peace and sweetness dwells within you, you do not honor Me by showing even the slightest shadow of a resentful and restless heart. I love this sweetness and peace so much, that even if it were about something great concerning my honor and glory, I do not want, I never approve, resentful, violent, fiery manners, but rather, sweet and peaceful manners. In fact, sweetness alone is that which binds hearts like a chain, in such a way that they cannot unbind themselves. It is like pitch that sticks to them and they cannot free themselves, and are forced to say: ‘In this soul there is the finger of God, for we cannot act otherwise.’ And then, if I do not like a resentful manner, not even creatures will like it. If one speaks about or deals with things, even of God, with manners that are not sweet and peaceful, it is a sign that he does not have his passions in order; and one who does not keep himself in order, cannot order others. Therefore, be careful with anything which is not sweetness and peace, if you do not want to dishonor Me.”

December 6, 1906
Jesus hides to see what the soul does.

Continuing in my state of almost total privation – at the most, [He comes] like a flash or a shadow – I was saying in my interior: ‘Life of my life, how is it that You are not coming? Oh, how cruel You have become with me! How hard your Heart has become as You reach the point of not listening to me. Where are your promises? Where, your love, since You leave me abandoned in the abyss of my miseries? Yet, You promised me that You would never leave me; You told me that You love me – and now? And now? You Yourself told me that it is from one’s constancy that it can be known whether one really loves You, and if there is no constancy, one cannot rely on this love. So, how is it that You want it from me, who does not form your life, and then You who are my life deny it to me?’ But who can say all of my nonsense – I would be too long.

In the meantime, He moved in my interior, raising His arm in the act of sustaining me, and He told me: “I am within you, and I hide more in you to see what you do. I have failed in nothing, neither in promises, nor in love, nor in constancy. If you, imperfect, do it, I do it in the fullness of perfection toward you.” And He disappeared.

December 15, 1906
How the Divine Will contains all goods.

Continuing in my usual state, I was feeling embittered more than ever because of His privation. In one moment, I felt as though absorbed in the Will of God, and I felt all my interior appeased, in such a way as to no longer feel myself, but only the Divine Will in everything, even in His very privation. I myself said to myself: ‘What strength, what enchantment, what magnet this Divine Will contains, such as to make me forget about myself, and make the Divine Volition flow in everything.”

At that moment, He moved in my interior and told me: “My daughter, since the Divine Will is the only nourishing food that contains all flavors and tastes together, which are suitable for the soul, the soul finds her favorite food and becomes appeased. Her desire finds its food, and it only thinks of pasturing itself, slowly, and it forms without desiring anything else; her inclination has nothing else toward which to tend, because it has found the food that satisfies it. Her will has nothing else to will, because the soul has left her own will, which formed her torment, and has found the Divine Will, which forms her happiness; she has left poverty and has found wealth – not human, but divine. In sum, all of the interior of the soul finds its food – that is, its crafting with which it remains so occupied and absorbed as to be unable to move any farther. In fact, while finding all contentments in this food and crafting, the soul finds so much to do and to learn, and ever new things to enjoy, that from a minor science she learns major sciences, and there is always something else to learn. She passes from small things to great things, from one taste she moves to other tastes, and there is always something new to taste in this environment of the Divine Will.”

January 3, 1907
True trust reproduces Divine Life in the soul.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw blessed Jesus for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, if one fears much, it is a sign that she relies much on herself, because in noticing nothing but weaknesses and miseries within herself, she naturally and justly fears. On the other hand, if one fears nothing, it is a sign that she relies on God, because by relying on God, her miseries and weaknesses are dissolved in God, and as she feels invested by the Divine Being, it is no longer she who operates, but God within her. So, what can she fear? Therefore, true trust reproduces Divine Life in the soul.”

January 5, 1907
True sanctity consists of receiving anything that may happen to us as a specialty of divine love.

Having read about a soul who had scruples about everything, and who feared that everything might be sin, I was thinking to myself: ‘And I? How lax I am! I too would like to think that everything may be sin so as to be more attentive not to offend the Lord.’ Then, when blessed Jesus came, He told me: “My daughter, this is nonsense, and the soul remains stuck on the path of sanctity, while true and solid sanctity consists of receiving anything which may happen to her or which she may be doing, be it even the most indifferent thing, as a specialty of divine love, just as it would be if she found a food enjoyable or disgusting. A specialty of love in the enjoyment, thinking that it is Jesus that produces that enjoyment in the food, and that He loves her to the point of giving her pleasure even in material things. A specialty of love in the disgust, thinking that He loves her so much as to produce that disgust for her in order to make her similar to Himself in mortification, giving her, Himself, a little coin that she can offer to Him. A specialty of divine love if she is humiliated, if she is exalted, if she is healthy, if she is infirm, if she is poor or rich. A specialty of love her breathing, her sight, her speech – everything, everything; and just as she must receive everything – everything as a specialty of divine love, she must give everything back to God as a special love of hers. So, she must receive the wave of the love of God, and must give to God the wave of her love. Oh, what a sanctifying bath is this wave of love! It purifies her, it sanctifies her, it makes her advance without her realizing it; it is a life more of Heaven than of earth. This is what I want from you. Sin, and the thought of sin, must not exist in you.”

January 10, 1907
The evil of one’s own taste.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, the attachment of creatures to their own tastes is such that I am forced to contain my gifts within Myself. In fact, instead of becoming attached to the Donor, they become attached to my gifts, idolatrizing my gifts to the offense of the Donor. So, if they find their own taste, they act – or rather, they do not, they just satisfy their taste; if there is no taste, they do nothing. So, one’s own taste forms a second life in the creatures. But, miserable ones, they do not know that where one’s own taste is present, the divine taste can hardly be, even in the very holy things. So, in receiving my gifts, graces and favors, she must not appropriate them as her own things, making of them a taste for herself, but must keep them as divine tastes, using them in order to love the Lord more, and being ready to sacrifice them to that very love.”

January 13, 1907
Jesus wanted to suffer in His Humanity in order to redo the human nature.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw my blessed Jesus flashing by, and He told me: “My daughter, how much I love souls! Listen: the human nature was corrupted, humiliated, without hope of glory and of resurgence, and I wanted to suffer all humiliations in my Humanity. In a special way, I wanted to be stripped, scourged, and let my flesh fall off in shreds under the scourges, almost undoing my Humanity, in order to redo the humanity of creatures, and to make it rise again full of life, of honor and of glory to eternal life. What more could I do which I have not done?”

January 20, 1907
The greatest sanctity is to live in the Divine Will.

Having read the lives of two female Saints – one who aspired so much to suffering, and the other who aspired so much to be little – I was thinking in my interior about which one of the two it would be better to imitate, and unable to make up my mind, I felt as though hampered. So, in order to be free and to think only about loving Him, I said to myself: ‘I want to aspire to nothing but to love Him and to fulfill His Holy Will perfectly.’

At that moment, the Lord told me in my interior: “And it is here that I want you – in my Will. Until the grain of wheat is buried in the earth and dies completely, it cannot rise again to new life and multiply itself, giving life to other grains. In the same way, until the soul is buried in my Will, to the point of dying completely by dissolving all of her will within Mine, she cannot rise again to new Divine Life through the rising of all the virtues of Christ, which contain true Sanctity. Therefore, let my Will be the seal which seals your interior and exterior; and once my Will has risen completely within you, you will find true love – and this is the greatest of all the other sanctities to which one can aspire.

January 21, 1907
One who always loves Jesus cannot displease Him.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was saying in my interior: ‘Lord, let it be that I may be all Yours and that I may be always, always with You, and that I may never separate from You. However, while I am with You, do not permit that I may be a goad that embitters You, that I may bother You, that I may displease You, but that I may be a goad that is present in You to sustain You when You are tired or oppressed, that consoles You when You are bothered by the other creatures.’ While I was saying this, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, one who is in the continuous attitude of loving Me is always with Me, and can never be a goad that gives Me bother, but a goad that sustains Me, that relieves Me, that soothes Me. In fact, true love has this as its own: it renders the beloved content. Besides, one who always loves Me can never displease Me, because love absorbs the whole person. At the most, there might be little things, and the soul herself does not even realize that she may displease Me, but love itself takes on the commitment to purify her, so that I may always find my delights in her.”

January 25, 1907
Chastisements. She sees cities deserted.

I am going through most bitter days because of the almost continuous privations of blessed Jesus. At the most, He makes Himself seen in passing and like a flash, and immediately He hides so very deep within my interior that I cannot even catch sight of Him; and always in silence. So, when I saw Him after much struggling, and He was all embittered and oppressed, I said to Him: ‘But, tell me at least – what is it that makes You suffer so much?’ And He, unwilling, only to content me, told me: “Ah, my daughter, you do not know what must happen; if I told you, you would break my indignation, and I would not do what I have to do. This is why I keep silent. So, calm yourself about the way I act with you in this period of time. But, courage, it will be so very bitter for you, but do it as an athlete, as a generous one, always living, but as though dead, in my Will, without even crying.” Having said this, He hid deeper within my interior, leaving me as though petrified, without even being able to cry for His privation.

Now, to obey, I write that even before the month of January, until now, I do nothing but find myself outside of myself; it may also be a dream, but I seem to see places in desolation, cities deserted, entire streets with the houses closed, with no one walking along them; and dead people. My fright at seeing these things is such as to render me as though dazed, and I would like to imitate my good Jesus by remaining, I too, taciturn and silent. Why this, I am unable to say, because my light Jesus does not tell me anything. I wrote this only to obey. Deo Gratias.

February 20, 1907
Lack of correspondence to Grace.

It continues with Him always in silence, in passing and like a flash. I spend my days in bitterness and as though dazed; it is as if my whole interior had been struck by a thunderbolt, without being able to move either forward or backward. I myself am unable to say what has happened in my interior; I believe it is better to keep silent than to speak about it. Then, this morning, He came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, one who does not correspond to my grace lives like those birds which live by thievery. In the same way, the soul does nothing but live by thievery – she steals my grace, she lives and does not recognize Me, and she even offends Me.” And He disappeared like a flash, leaving me more dazed than before.

March 2, 1907
There is nothing that equals suffering willingly.

Continuing in my usual state, and having learned that almost the entire town was with the influenza, and that in other places people were dying, I was praying Our Lord that He would be so benign as to spare so many victims, and that He would make me suffer to spare them, since nowadays I suffer little or nothing, for He has taken this also away from me. While I was saying this, He told me in my interior: “My daughter, it was said about Me ‘that it was necessary that one would die to save the whole people’. It was a truth, but at that time it was not understood. In the same way, in all times it is necessary that there be one who suffers to spare the others, and this one, in order to be accepted must offer himself voluntarily, and only for love of God and of his neighbor, to suffer himself in order to spare all others. And the suffering of this one cannot be equaled by the suffering of all the others put together; there is no value that matches it. Do you think that the void of your suffering is nothing? Yet, it is not a complete void; and if I suspend you completely, where will the peoples end up? Woe, woe – things do not end here.”

March 13, 1907
Luisa prays to Jesus for her mother, that she may not go to Purgatory after her death.

It continues almost always in the same way; at the most, He makes Himself seen in silence. In these last days, when He made Himself seen, He would caress me and kiss me, and since my mama was sick, He made me understand that He would take her. I would say to Him: ‘My Lord, You want her, and I give her to You as gift before You take her; I do not want to wait until You take her, without giving her to You before. But I want from You the recompense for the gift I give You, giving me as reward your taking her straight to Paradise, without letting her touch Purgatory, at the cost of making me suffer the purgatory that mama should have.’ And blessed Jesus would say to me: “My daughter, let Me do.”

Returning to pray Him again, I would say: ‘But, my sweet love, who will have the heart to see my mama suffer in Purgatory, she who suffered so much, and who cried so much because of me. It is the weight of gratitude that pushes me, that urges me, and gives me strength. As for all other things, do whatever You want, but in this – no, I do not give up. You will content me and will do what I want.’ And He: “My beloved, do not render yourself too importunate – you are truly untiring, and by being untiring, You force Me to content you.” However, He would not give me a definitive answer. I would return to storm Him and would cry like a child, and praying Him and praying Him again, I kept offering what He suffered in His Passion, minute by minute, hour by hour, applying it to the soul of my mother, that she might be purged – purged and embellished, and I might obtain my intent. And He would add, drying my tears: “But, my dear beloved one, do not cry, you know that I love you; can I not content you? See, with the continuous offering of my Passion, as you let nothing escape you of what I suffered for your mother, her soul is inside an immense sea, and this sea washes her, embellishes her, enriches her, inundates her with light. And to assure you that I will content you, when your mother dies you will be surprised by a fire and will feel burned.” I remained content, but not certain, because He had not yet told me whether He would take her straight to Paradise.

May 9, 1907
Death and Purgatory of Luisa’s parents.

It has been a few months since I wrote, and with great repugnance, and only to obey I begin to write again. Oh, what a weight I feel! Only at the thought that I could say to my beloved Jesus: ‘See how I love You more, and how my love grows, since for love of You alone I submit myself to this sacrifice, and for as long as it lasts, I can also say that I love You more’ – thinking that I can say to my Jesus that I love Him more, I feel the strength to make the sacrifice to obey.

Now, since I do not remember everything distinctly, I will tell of the past, all together and confusedly, starting from where I left when I was praying that He would take my mother to Paradise without her touching Purgatory. Then, on March 19, the day dedicated to Saint Joseph, in the morning, while I was in my usual state, my mother passed from this life into the sphere of eternity; and blessed Jesus, allowing me to see her as He was taking her, told me: “My daughter, the Creator takes his creature.”

At that moment, I felt I was being invested, inside and out, with a fire so alive that I felt my bowels, my stomach and all the rest burning; and if I would have something, it would convert into fire, and I would be forced to bring it up immediately after I had swallowed it. This fire consumed me and kept me alive. Oh, how I understood the devouring fire of Purgatory which, while consuming the soul, gives her life! The fire does the office of food, of water, of death and of life; but I was happy in that state. However, since I had only seen that Jesus had taken her, but He had not showed me where He had taken her, my happiness was not full, and from my very sufferings I would draw concern, since those would be the sufferings of my mother if she was in Purgatory. And seeing blessed Jesus, who in these days has almost never left me, I would cry and say to Him: ‘My sweet love, tell me – where did You take her? I am content that You have taken her away from us, because You keep her with Yourself; but if You do not have her with Yourself, this I do not tolerate, and I will cry so much until You content me.’ And He seemed to enjoy my crying; He would embrace me, He would sustain me, He would dry my tears, and would say to me: “My daughter, do not fear, calm yourself; and once you have calmed yourself I will let you see her, and you will be very pleased. Besides, you can have the certainty that I have contented you from the fire that you feel.”

But I would continue to cry, especially when I would see Him, since I felt in my interior that something was still lacking to the beatitude of my mother; so much so, that the people who surrounded me, who had come because of the death of my mother, in seeing me cry so much, thinking that I was crying because of the death of my mother, were almost scandalized, thinking that I had moved away from the Divine Will, when, more than ever, I was swimming in this sphere of the Divine Will. But I do not appeal to any human tribunal, because it is false – only to the divine, which is full of truth. And good Jesus was not condemning me; on the contrary, He would compassionate me, and in order to sustain me, He would come more often, almost giving me a reason to cry more, because if He would not come, with whom was I to cry to impetrate what I wanted? The people were right because they judged from the outside; and then, after all, since I am so very bad, it is no wonder that the others would be scandalized by me.

Then, after quite a few days, as good Jesus came, He told me: “My daughter, be consoled, for I want to tell you and show you where your mother is. Since before and after she passed away, you have suffered continuously that which I earned, did and endured for her good in the course of my life, she partakes in what I did and enjoys my Humanity. Only the Divinity is concealed from her, but It will shortly be unveiled to her as well, and the fire you feel, and your prayers, have served to exempt her from any other pain of senses, which all must have, because my justice, receiving satisfaction from you, could not take it from both.” At that moment, I seemed to see my mother within an immensity which had no boundaries, and in it there were many delights and joys – for as many words, thoughts, sighs, works, sufferings, heartbeats…; in sum, for everything that the Most Holy Humanity of Jesus Christ contained. I understood that It is a second Paradise for the Blessed, and in order to enter the Paradise of the Divinity, all must pass through this Paradise of the Humanity of Christ. Therefore, the fact of having touched no other purgatory had been a most singular privilege for my mother, reserved for very few. However, I understood that even though she was not amid torments, but rather, amid delights, her happiness was not perfect, but almost halved.

May the Lord be always thanked.

I continued to suffer for twelve days, so much so, that I reduced myself to a thread of life, but since obedience intervened so that this thread of life might not break, I returned to my natural state. I don’t know, it seems that this obedience has a magic art over me, and that soon the Lord will make it lose its prestige in order to take me with Himself. I felt discontentment because obedience places itself in the middle so as not to let me pass into Heaven; and good Jesus told me; “My daughter, the Blessed in Heaven give me much glory because of the perfect union of their will with Mine, for their life is a product of my Will. There is so much harmony between them and Myself that their breath, their breathing, their movements, their joys and everything that constitutes their beatitude is the effect of my Will. However, I tell you that for the soul who is still a pilgrim, if she is united to my Will in such a way that she never detaches from It, her life is of Heaven, and I receive from her the same glory. Or rather, I take more pleasure and delight because what the Blessed do, they do without sacrifice and amid delights, while what the pilgrim souls do, they do with sacrifice and amid sufferings, and wherever there is sacrifice, I take more pleasure and I am more delighted. And the very Blessed, who live in my Volition, since the soul who is still a pilgrim and lives in my Will forms one Life with them, participate in the pleasure I take from the pilgrim soul.”

Another time, I remember that since I feared that my state might be a work of the devil, good Jesus told me: “My daughter, the devil can also speak about virtue, but while speaking about virtue, he casts repugnance and hatred for virtue itself into the interior of the soul. So, the poor soul finds herself in contradiction, and without the strength to practice good. On the other hand, when it is I who speak, since I am the truth, my word is full of life; it is not sterile, but fecund, therefore while I speak I infuse love for virtue, and I produce that very virtue in the soul. In fact, the truth is strength, it is light, it is support and a second nature for the soul who lets herself be guided by the truth.”

I continue by saying that only about ten days had passed from the death of my mother, when my father fell gravely ill, and the Lord made me understood that he too would die. I gave him to Him as a gift in advance, and I repeated the same pleas which I made for my mother – that He should not let him touch Purgatory. But the Lord showed Himself more reluctant, and would not listen to me. I feared greatly, not for his salvation, because good Jesus had made me a solemn promise almost fifteen years before that, of my family and of those who belong to me, no one would be lost; but I feared very much about Purgatory. I kept praying, but good Jesus would hardly come. Only on the day my father died, that is, after about fifteen days of illness, did blessed Jesus make Himself seen, all benign, clothed in white, as if He were in feast, and He told me: “Today I am waiting for your father, and for love of you I will let Myself be found, not as a judge, but as a benign father. I will welcome him in my arms.” I insisted about Purgatory, but He did not listen to me, and He disappeared. After my father died, I did not have any new suffering as had happened with my mother, and from this I understood that he had gone to Purgatory. I prayed and prayed again, but Jesus would make Himself seen flashing by, without giving me time; and what’s more, I could not even cry because I had no one with whom to cry, and the One who, alone, could listen to my crying, would run away from me. Adorable judgments of God, in His ways.

Then, after two days of interior pains, while I was seeing blessed Jesus and asking Him about my father, I felt he was behind the shoulders of Jesus Christ, as though bursting into tears and asking for help; and then they disappeared. I was left lacerated in my soul, and I kept praying. Finally, after six days, as I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, inside a church, and there were many purging souls. I was praying to Our Lord that He would at least let my father come inside a church to make his purgatory, because I could see that the souls in the churches receive continuous reliefs from the prayers and Masses that are said, and much more, from the real presence of Jesus in the Sacrament; it seems that that is a continuous refreshment for them. At that moment, I saw my father, venerable in his appearance, and Our Lord let me place him near the Tabernacle. So it seems I was left less lacerated in my interior.

I remember confusedly that, on another day, when blessed Jesus came, He made me comprehend the preciousness of suffering, and I prayed that He would let everyone comprehend the good contained in suffering. And He said to me: “My daughter, the cross is a thorny fruit, which is bothering and prickly on the outside, but once the thorns and the cortex are removed, one finds a precious and delicious fruit. But only one who has the patience to bear the bothers of the prickings, can arrive at discovering the secret of the preciousness and flavor of that fruit. And only one who has come to discover this secret, looks at it with love, and goes in search of this fruit with avidity, without caring about the prickings, while all the others look at it with contempt, and despise it.” And I: ‘But, my sweet Lord, what is this secret contained in the fruit of the cross?’ And He: “It is the secret of eternal beatitude, because in the fruit of the cross there are many little coins which circulate only to enter into Heaven, and with these little coins the soul is enriched and makes herself blessed for eternity.”

The rest I remember confusedly, and I feel it is not orderly in my mind, therefore I move on, and I stop here.

May 30, 1907
Effectiveness of prayer.

As I was in my usual state, I saw blessed Jesus for a short time, and I prayed to Him for myself and for other people, but with some difficulty outside of my usual way, as if I would not be able to obtain as much if I prayed for myself alone. And good Jesus told me: “My daughter, prayer is one single point, and while it is one point, it can grasp all other points together. So, whether the soul prays for herself alone or for others, she can impetrate just as much. Its effectiveness is one.”

VOLUME 8

J.M.J.

June 23, 1907
The most beautiful act is the abandonment in the Will of God.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus would not come, and I was thinking to myself about which would be the most beautiful act, and most pleasing to our Lord, which might more easily induce Him to come: sorrow for one’s own sins or resignation? In the meantime, He came for just a little, and told me: “Daughter, the most beautiful act, and most pleasing to Me, is the abandonment in my Will – but so great, that the soul would remember no more that her being exists; rather, everything for her is Divine Will. Even though sorrow for one’s own sins is good and praiseworthy, yet, it does not destroy one’s own being; while abandoning oneself completely in my Will destroys one’s own being, and makes one reacquire the Divine Being. Therefore, by abandoning herself in my Will, the soul gives Me more honor, because she gives Me everything I can demand of the creature, reacquiring, in Me, that which had come out of Me. And the soul comes to reacquire that which alone she should reacquire – that is, she reacquires God, with all the goods that God possesses. However, as long as the soul remains completely in the Will of God, she reacquires God; but as she goes out of my Will, she reacquires her own being, with all the evils of the corrupted nature.”

June 25, 1907
Whether still or walking, the soul must always remain in the Divine Will.

This morning I was thinking to myself that I felt as though stopped, without moving either forward or backward; and I said: ‘Lord, I myself cannot say what I feel. But after all, I will not afflict myself; whether I am behind, or still, or ahead, as long as I am in your Will I am always fine. In whatever point or in whatever way I may be, your Will is always holy, and in whatever way I will be in It, I will always be fine’

In the meantime, blessed Jesus came for a little while, and told me: “My daughter, courage, do not fear if you feel stopped; but be careful to make your stops in my Will, without going out of my Volition at all. I too make my stops in It, but then, in a twinkling of an eye I do more than what I have not done for years and years. See, according to the world, it seems that I have stopped, because since it deserves to be severely chastised and I am not doing it, it seems that I am not in motion; but if I take the rod in my hand, you will see how I will make up for all the stops. The same for you: remaining always in my Will, if you see that my Will wants you stopped, then stop and enjoy my Will; if you see that my Will wants you to walk, then walk – but walk always in my Volition, because by walking in my Will you will walk with Me, and will have the same Will of my walking. Therefore, remain always at the order of my Will, whether still or in motion, and you will always be fine.”

July 1, 1907
In the Divine Will one forgets about sins.

I was reading about a female saint who would think constantly about her sins, asking God for sorrow and forgiveness. In my interior I was saying: ‘Lord, what a difference between myself and this saint: I, who do not think about sins; and she, who always thinks about them. It shows how I got it wrong.’ In one instant I felt Him move in my interior; something like a flash of light formed in my mind, and I heard Him say: “Silly, silly that you are – don’t you want to understand this? When in the world has my Will ever produced sins or imperfections? My Will is always holy, and one who lives in my Will is already sanctified, and enjoys, nourishes herself with, and thinks of all that my Will contains. And even though she has committed sins in the past, finding herself in the beauty, in the sanctity, in the immensity of goods that my Will contains, she forgets the ugliness of her past and remembers only the present, unless she goes out of my Will. Then, as she would return to her own being, it is no wonder that she remembers sins and miseries. Keep well in mind that these thoughts of sins and of oneself cannot enter my Will; and if the soul feels them, it means that she is not stable and fixed within Me, but she makes some exits.”

Then, finding myself in my usual state, I saw Him for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, as much as the Truth is persecuted, one cannot help recognizing it as Truth, and the time comes in which that very persecuted Truth is recognized and loved. In these sad times everything is falsehood and duplicity, and so that Truth may have lordship, man deserves to be beaten and destroyed. Part of these blows they themselves will give to themselves, and will destroy one another; others will come from Me – especially for France; there will be such a great mortality as to almost depopulate her.”

July 4, 1907
The soul must ruminate within her mind on the truths she has learned.

I was thinking: ‘How bad I have become – yet, the Lord does not correct me; He does not scold me.’ While I was thinking of this, I felt Him move in my interior, telling me: “My daughter, keep walking, keep walking… If I am goodness, mercy, sweetness, I am also justice, strength, power. If I saw you go backward or commit voluntary defects after the so many graces I have given you, you would deserve to be struck by lightning, and indeed I would strike you. If I do not do it, you yourself can understand why; and if I do not always speak to you – ruminate constantly in your mind on all the truths I have taught you, then enter into your interior, unite yourself with Me, and I will always be with you, operating interiorly.”

July 10, 1907
One begins to really live, when he begins to be a victim.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself together with my adorable Jesus, and in seeing Him crowned with thorns, I removed the crown from His head, and with both hands I placed it on mine, pressing it thoroughly. Oh, how I felt the prickings penetrate into me! – but I felt happy to suffer to relieve the pains of Jesus. Then I said: ‘My good Jesus, tell me, is there much time left before You take me to Heaven?’

And He: “Indeed, very little” And I: ‘Your little can be ten…or twenty years. I am already forty-two.’ And He: “That is not true; your years only begin from the moment you began to be a victim. My goodness called you, and you can say that from that time you began to really live. And just as I called you to live my life upon earth, in a little while I will call you to live my life in Heaven.”

In the meantime, two pillars came out of the hands of blessed Jesus, which then became one, and which He kept leaning on my shoulders quite heavily, in such a way that I could not move from beneath them. While He was calling me, there was no one who would go to place his shoulders under those pillars; so they remained suspended in His hands, and while they were suspended, slaughters of every kind occurred. I understood that those pillars were the Church and the world, which had come out of His Most Holy hands, and were held inside His holy wounds. They will always be there, but if good Jesus has no place on which to lean them, He will soon tire of keeping them suspended in His hands – and woe!… but such woes as to be horrifying. They are such and so many, that I believe it is better to keep them in silence.

July 14, 1907
Everything in the soul must be love.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a little while, and without thinking, I asked: ‘Lord, yesterday I went to confession; if I had died, since confession remits sins, would You not have brought me straight to Heaven?’

And He: “My daughter, it is true that confession remits sins, but the surest and most certain thing to be exempt from Purgatory is love. Love must be the predominant passion in the soul. Love – her thought, her word, her movements… everything, everything must be enveloped by this love. In this way, finding her all love, the Uncreated Love absorbs the created love within Itself. In fact, Purgatory does nothing but fill the voids of love that are present in the soul; and once It has filled these voids, It sends her to Heaven. But if these voids are not there, it is not something that belongs to Purgatory.”

July 17, 1907
The true sign to know whether one lives in the Divine Will.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the true sign to know whether the soul lives in my Will, is that everything that happens to her, every circumstance, takes place in peace, because my Will is so perfect and holy that It cannot produce even the shadow of disturbance. So, if in contrasts, mortifications or bitternesses she feels disturbed, she cannot say that she is inside my Will. If she feels resigned and also disturbed, she can say, at most, that she is in the shadow of my Will; in fact, while being outside of It, she is free to feel her own self – but not inside.”

July 19, 1907
Neither aridities, nor temptations, nor defects enter the Divine Will.

Having spoken to someone about the Will of God, it had slipped from my mouth that if one is in the Will of God and feels aridity, one would still be at peace. Now, as I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus corrected me, telling me: “My daughter, be very careful when you speak about my Will, because my Will is so happy that It forms Our very beatitude, while the human will is so unhappy, that if it could enter Ours, it would destroy Our happiness and would wage war against Us. Therefore, neither aridities, nor temptations, nor defects, nor restlessness, nor coldness enter my Will, because my Will is light and contains all possible tastes. The human will is nothing but a little drop of darkness, all full of disgusts. So, if the soul is already inside my Will, before she enters – at the contact with my Will, Its light dissolved the little drop of darkness in order to be able to have it within Itself; Its heat dissolved coldness and aridities; Its divine tastes removed the disgusts, and my happiness freed her from all unhappinesses.”

August 6, 1907
She sees nothing but chastisements.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, inside a Church, and I seemed to see a most beautiful Lady, with her breasts so full of milk that it seemed that her skin was about to split. Calling me, She said to me: “My daughter, this is the state of the Church. She is so full of interior bitternesses, and in addition to the interior bitternesses, She is about to receive external bitternesses. You, suffer a little, that they may be mitigated.”

And while saying this, She seemed to open her breasts, and forming a cup with her hand She filled it with milk and gave it to me to drink. It was so very bitter, and produced so many sufferings that I myself cannot explain. In the meantime, I saw people starting a revolution, entering churches, stripping altars and burning them, making attempts on the lives of priests, breaking statues… and a thousand other insults and evils. While they were doing this, the Lord was sending more scourges from Heaven, and many were killed; there seemed to be a general uproar against the Church, against the government, and against one another. I was frightened; I found myself within myself, and I kept seeing the Queen Mother, together with other saints, praying to Jesus Christ that He would let me suffer. It seemed He would not pay attention to them, and they kept insisting. Importuned, blessed Jesus answered: “Do not importune Me, be quiet, otherwise I will take her with Me.” But in spite of this, it seemed that I suffered a little bit.

Now I am going to say, all together, that during almost all of these days, as I find myself in my usual state, I see nothing but revolutions and chastisements. Blessed Jesus is almost always taciturn, and every now and then He just tells me: “My daughter, do not force Me, otherwise I will make you go out of this state.” And I say: ‘My life and my all, if You want to be left free to do what You want, take me with You; then You will be able to do whatever You want.’ It seems that in these days it takes great patience in dealing with blessed Jesus.

August 22, 1907
The soul must be in the world as if there were no one else but God and herself. The cause that most renews the Passion of Jesus is the lack of resolution.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, in order for Grace to have free access into the soul, she must be in the world as if there were no one else but God and herself, because any other thought or thing put themselves between the soul and Grace, preventing Grace from entering into the soul, and the soul from receiving Grace.

Another day He told me: “My daughter, the cause that most renews my Passion is the lack of resolution. Ah! Not even among themselves are they so cowardly as to not keep what they promise to one another. Only with Me do they reach such cowardice and ingratitude, even though they know that I suffer greatly because of it – that one hour they promise, and another they deny what they promised.”

September 1907
The more the soul is the same in everything, the closer she comes to divine perfection.

I am going through most bitter days, with continuous privations. At the most, He comes like shadow and lightning, and with almost continuous threats of chastisements. Oh God, what an uproar! It seems that the world is shaken; all are in the attitude of making revolutions and of killing one another. The Lord seems to withdraw His Grace, and men become like many fierce animals. But after all, it is better to keep silent about these things, because talking about it embitters my poor soul too much, which is already full enough of bitternesses.

Then, this morning, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “All the works of God are perfect, and their perfection is recognized by their being round, or square at most; so much so, that not a stone is placed in the Celestial Jerusalem, which is not round or square.” I could not understand anything of this; however, as I went about looking at the vault of the heavens, I could see the stars, the sun, the moon, and also the shape of the earth itself – all round. But I could not understand the meaning of it, and the Lord added: “Roundness is the same in all of its parts; so, in order to be perfect, the soul must be the same in all states, in all circumstances, whether prosperous or adverse, whether sweet or bitter. Equality must surround her in everything, in such a way as to shape her like a round object; otherwise, if she is not equal to herself in all things, she will not be able to enter, beautiful and smooth, into the Celestial Jerusalem, and will not be able to adorn like a star the fatherland of the Blessed. So, the more the soul is the same in everything, the closer she comes to divine perfection.”

October 3, 1907
How one’s own self renders God a slave.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus would not come, and I was tormented by the pain of His privation; and not only by this, but by the thought that my state of victim might no longer be Will of God. I seem to have become nauseating before God, worthy only of being abhorred. Then, while I was thinking of this, He came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, one who chooses his own self, even for one instant, represses Grace, becomes the master of himself, and renders God a slave.” Then He added: “The Will of God makes one take the divine possession, but obedience is the key to open the door and enter this possession.” Having said this, He disappeared.

October 4, 1907
The exaltation of the cross. The cross grafts the Divinity to humanity.

Continuing in my usual state of privation, and therefore with little suffering, I was saying to myself: ‘Not only of Jesus am I deprived, but also the good of suffering is taken away from me. Oh, God! You want to put me to fire and the sword, and touch the things which are most dear to me, and which form my very life: Jesus and the cross. If I am abominable to Jesus because of my ingratitude, He is right in not coming; but you, O cross – what have I done to you, that you left me so barbarously? Ah, did I perhaps not welcome you when you came? Did I not treat you as my faithful companion? Ah, I remember that I loved you so much that I could not be without you, and sometimes I even preferred you to Jesus. I didn’t know what you had done to me, that I could not be without you. Yet, you left me! It is true that you have done much good to me; you were the way, the door, the room, the secret, the light in which I could find Jesus. This is why I loved you so much. And now, everything is over for me.’

While I was thinking of this, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “Daughter, the cross is part of one’s life, and only one who does not love his own life, does not love the cross, because it was with the Cross alone that I grafted the Divinity to lost humanity. Only the cross continues Redemption in the world, grafting anyone who receives it into the Divinity; and if one does not love it, it means he knows nothing of virtues, of perfection, of love of God, and of true life. It happens as to a rich man who has lost his riches, and is presented with the means to reacquire them again – and maybe even more. How much does he not love this means? Does he perhaps not put his own life into this means in order to find life again in his riches? Such is the cross. Man had become so very poor, and the cross is the means not only to save him from misery, but to enrich him with all goods. Therefore, the cross is the richness of the soul.” And He disappeared, while I remained more embittered, thinking of what I had lost.

October 12, 1907
She sees places devastated because of Justice.

After going through days of privation and of tears, finally this morning Jesus came and told me: “Ah! my daughter, you know nothing of what is supposed to happen between now and one year from now. Oh, how many things will happen! Take a look.”

At that moment, I found myself outside of myself, together with Jesus, and I saw, somewhere places collapsed and entire towns buried, somewhere places flooded and everything that existed in them disappeared; in other places, earthquakes with great damage, dead people, revolutions in several places – and in some of them, so violent, that one could not take a step without treading on human blood. But who can say all the tragedy that could be seen? After this, good Jesus added: “Have you seen? Ah! my daughter, courage, patience in the state in which you are; since justice wants to pours itself upon creatures, it refrains from pouring itself upon you, and the void of your sufferings will fill the void of their sufferings. Let us give course to justice a little bit – it is necessary; creatures are growing too bold. Then, everything will end, and I will be with you like before.”

October 29, 1907
True love and sacrifice.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and I saw baby Jesus who, placing Himself on my bed, beat my whole body with His hands, giving me also some kicks. After He beat me well and trampled me, He disappeared. As I returned into myself, I could not understand the reason for this beating; but I was content, remembering that I had drawn closer to Jesus to be beaten more. Then, while feeling all beaten up, I was surprised again by blessed Jesus who, removing the crown of thorns from His head, Himself, drove it into mine, but with such force that all the thorns were driven into me. Then, placing Himself in my interior, almost in the act of moving forward, He told me: “My daughter, how are you doing? Let us go higher, let us go higher in chastising the world.”

I felt frightened on hearing that I was uniting my will to His in going higher with chastisements. And He added: “That which I tell you, you must not forget. Remember that some time ago I showed you the present chastisements, as well as those which I was to send; and you, presenting yourself before my justice, pleaded so much for mankind, offering yourself to suffer anything, that it was conceded to you, as alms, that instead of doing ‘ten’, out of regard for you it would do ‘five’. This is why this morning I beat you – to be able to give you your intent: that, though having to do ten, I do five.”

Then He added: “My daughter, love is that which ennobles the soul and gives her possession of all my riches, because true love tolerates no division of any kind, even though one may be inferior to the other. ‘What is mine is yours’: this is the language of two beings who really love each other, because true love is transformation. So, the beauty of one removes the ugliness of the other, and renders him beautiful; if one is poor, I make him rich; if ignorant, I make him learned; if wretched, I make him noble. One is the heartbeat, one the breath, one the will in two beings that love each other; and if any other heartbeat or breath wanted to enter into them, they feel suffocated, breathless and torn, and they become ill. So, true love is health and sanctity, and one breathes a balsamic and fragrant air, which is the breath and the life of love itself. But it is in sacrifice that this love is more ennobled, more strengthened, more confirmed and expanded. So, love is the flame, sacrifice is the wood. Where there is more wood, the flames are higher, and the fire is always greater.

What is sacrifice? It is to empty oneself out in the love and in the being of the beloved; and the more one sacrifices himself, the more he is consumed in the being of the beloved, losing his own, and acquiring all the features and the nobility of the Divine Being. See, it is so also in the natural world, though very imperfect: who acquires a name, nobility, heroism? – a soldier who sacrifices himself, who exposes himself in battle, who lays down his life for love of the king, or another who stands arms akimbo? Certainly the first one. The same for a servant: who can hope to sit at the table of his master? – the faithful servant who sacrifices himself, who lays down his life, who has greater care for the interests of his master than for his own, out of love for his master; or the servant who, though he fulfills his duty, when he can shun the sacrifice, shuns it? Certainly the first one. The same for a son with his father, for a friend with his friend, and so with all the rest. Therefore, love ennobles and unites, and forms one single thing; sacrifice is the wood to make the fire of love grow; obedience, then, orders everything.”

November 3, 1907
The soul in the Divine Will must concur in everything.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, I felt Him move in my interior, repeating: “Let us go higher….”

On hearing this, I shrugged my shoulders, saying: ‘Lord, why do You say, “Let us go higher”? Say, rather, “I will go higher with chastisements” – I am afraid to put my will into it.’ And He: “My daughter, my Will and yours are one, and if I say ‘let us go higher with chastisements’, do I not say the same in the good I do to creatures which surpasses – oh, by far! – the chastisements? Also, are you not united with Me in the many other chastisements which I do not send? So, one who is united in good, should he not be united in mortifications? Between Me and you there must be no division. You are nothing but tiny little grass which God delighted in endowing with a marvelous virtue; and just as one who does not know the virtue that this tiny little grass contains, tramples it and does not even look at it, in the same way, one who does not know the gift which I have placed in you and the virtue which my little grass contains, not only tramples you, but does not understand how I delight in giving value to the littlest things.”

After this, He seemed to lean His head upon mine, and I said: ‘O please! Let me feel your thorns.’ And He: “Do you want Me to beat you?” And I: ‘Yes’. At that moment, a rod armed with balls of fire found itself in the hand of Jesus, and I, seeing the fire: ‘Lord, I am afraid of fire – beat me only with the rod.’ And He: “You don’t want to be beaten, and I am going away.’ And He disappeared without giving me the time to pray Him to beat me as He pleased. Oh, how concerned and afflicted I remained! But He, who is so good, will forgive me.

November 18, 1907
By living her nothingness, the soul is filled with God.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and as soon as I saw Him, I said: ‘My sweet life, how bad I have become – I feel I am reduced to nothing. I no longer feel anything in me, everything is empty; I just feel an enchantment in my interior, and in this enchantment I wait for You, so that You may fill me. But in vain do I wait for this filling; on the contrary, I feel I always return to nothing.’ And Jesus: “Ah, my daughter! And you afflict yourself for you feel reduced to nothing? Rather, I say to you: the more the creature is reduced to nothing, the more she is filled with the All. And if she left even one shadow of herself, that shadow would prevent Me from giving all of Myself, completely, to the soul. Your constant returning to nothing means that you are dissolving your human being to reacquire the Divine.”

November 21, 1907
Love and union between Creator and creature.

Continuing in my usual state, I was uniting myself with Our Lord, making His thought, His heartbeat, His breath and all of His movements one with mine, and then adding the intention of going to all creatures, to give all this to all. And since I was united to Jesus in the Garden of Olives, I also gave to all and to each one, and also to the purging souls, the drops of His blood, His prayers, His pains and all the good He did, so that all the breaths, movements and heartbeats of creatures might be repaired, purified, divinized; and I gave the fount of all goods, which are His pains, as remedies for all. While I was doing this, blessed Jesus told me in my interior: “My daughter, with these intentions of yours, you wound Me continuously; and since you do them often, one arrow does not wait for another, and I am always wounded again.”

And I said: ‘How can it be possible that You are wounded, when You hide and make me suffer so much in waiting for your coming? Are these the wounds – is this the love You have for me?’ And He: “Rather, I have said nothing of all I should tell you. The soul herself, while she is a pilgrim, cannot comprehend all the good and love that passes between creatures and Creator; that her operating, speaking, suffering is all in my life, and that only by acting in this way can she do good to all. I will just tell you that each thought, heartbeat and movement of yours, each member of yours, any suffering bone of yours, are as many lights that come out from you; and as they touch Me I melt them for the good of all, while I send back to you, tripled, as many other lights of grace; and in Heaven I will give them to you of glory. It is enough to tell you that there is such union, such closeness, that the Creator is the organ, and the creature is the sound; the Creator the sun, the creature the rays; the Creator the flower, the creature the fragrance. Can one perhaps be without the other? Certainly not. Do you think that I do not take into account all your interior work and your pains? How can I forget them if they come from my very Self, and are one thing with Me? I also add that every time my Passion is remembered, since it is a treasure exposed for the good of all, it is as if one put it on a counter, to multiply it and distribute it for the good of all.”

November 23, 1907
If the soul suffers distractions at Communion, it is a sign that she has not given herself completely to God.

Having heard from someone that she would get easily distracted at Communion, I was saying in my interior: ‘How is it possible to get distracted while being with You? Does one perhaps not remain all absorbed in You?’ Now, finding myself in my usual state, I was doing my usual interior things, and it was as if I could see some distractions wanting to enter into me, and blessed Jesus put His hands in front of them and did not let them in. Then He told me: “My daughter, if the soul suffers distractions and disturbances, it is a sign that she has not given herself completely to Me. In fact, when the soul has given herself completely to Me, since she is my own thing, I know how to keep my gift in good custody; but when they do not give Me everything, because of their free will I cannot keep that special custody, and they are forced to suffer importuning things, which disturb my union with them. On the other hand, when the soul is all mine, she makes no effort to remain calm; the commitment is all mine to let nothing enter which may disturb our union.”

December 1907
In all of her acts, the soul must have the intention of encountering Jesus.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself with the thought of when blessed Jesus met His blessed Mother on the way to Calvary; and while I was compassionating both one and the other, sweet Jesus told me: “My daughter, my Mother went out on the day of my Passion only to be able meet and relieve Her Son. In the same way, for a true loving soul, her intention in all of her actions is only that of encountering her beloved, and of relieving Him from the weight of His cross. And since human life is a continuous attitude of actions, both external and internal, the soul does nothing but meet her beloved continuously. And will she just meet Him? No, no; she will greet Him, she will embrace Him. She kisses Him, she consoles Him, she loves Him, be it even with a little word said in passing; and He will be satisfied and content. And since the action always contains a sacrifice, if the action is done to encounter the sacrifice contained in it, it will serve to relieve Me from the weight of my cross. What will be the happiness of this soul who, in her actions, is always in contact with Me? How my Love will grow ever more at each additional encounter she has by means of her acting with Me! But, how few are those who make use of it to find the shortest way in their actions to come to Me, cling to Me, and relieve Me from the many afflictions that creatures give Me!”

January 23, 1908
Jesus never goes to the soul uselessly. Temporizing gives time and space to the enemies to wage battle.

As M. came, he told me that in these comings of Our Lord I did not deserve anything, and that I only deserved something when I practiced the virtues; and he also told me to pray for certain needs of his. Then, during the course of the day I was concerned about what I had heard, and in order to snap out of it I said to myself: ‘My adorable Good, You know that I have never cared about merits, but only about loving You. It seems that they want to make me a servant in your house, as if I cared about gains. No, I don’t want to be servant, but daughter – even more, You my beloved, and I, Yours.’ But in spite of this, that thought would come back very often. Now, as I found myself in my usual state, my blessed Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, M. did not tell you the truth, because when I go to a soul, I never go uselessly, but I always bring her some usefulness – now I speak to her about virtues, now I correct her, now I communicate my beauty to her, in such a way that all other things appear ugly to her – and many other things. And even if I did not say anything to her, it is certain that love develops more in the soul, and the more she loves Me, the more I come to love her in return; and the merits of love are so great, noble and divine, that compared to other merits, those could be called lead, and these pure gold. Besides, he himself came, and indeed he did not come like a statue – he tried to say some words, and to do some good to you, though as a creature; and then I who am the Creator, would do useless things?”

At that moment, I remembered the needs that M. had told me, and I prayed Our Lord to answer him. In the meantime, I seemed to see him with a silver-colored garment; a black veil descended from his head, covering part of his eyes, and this veil seemed to communicate itself to another person who was behind him. I could not understand anything of this, and blessed Jesus told me: “The silver-colored garment that you see on him is his purity in operating, and the black veil is the ‘human’ that he mixes with it. This human that he mixes is like a veil which, covering the light of truth that shines in his mind, sometimes makes him act with fear, or to content someone else, and not according to the truth which my Grace makes shine in his mind.”

And I: ‘Lord, grant him what he told me, for it is something that regards your glory very much.’ And He: “For an irresolute soul, temporizing gives time and space to the enemies to wage battle; while by not giving them time, and by showing oneself resolute and unshakeable, the doors are closed to the enemies, and one has the good of not even exposing oneself to the brawl. So, if he wants to reach his goal quickly, these are the means, and I will be with him, and he will be victorious. And then, the very ones who are most opposed to him will be the most supportive, and will admire him the most, seeing that he has undone their human views.”

February 6, 1908
Signs to know whether the soul is in Grace.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the sign to know whether a soul is in my Grace is that, as my Grace communicates Itself to her, the soul is ready to execute what Grace wants, in such a way that the Grace which was already in her interior and that which communicates Itself afterwards hold hands and, united with the will of the soul, place themselves in the attitude of operating. If then she is not ready, there is much to doubt about. Grace is symbolized by electric current, which turns on only those things where preparations have been made to receive the electric current. But where these preparations are not present, or some wires are broken or consumed, even though there is current, the light cannot communicate itself.” And He disappeared.

February 7, 1908
Life is a weight that will turn into a treasure.

Continuing in my usual state, I was thinking about the enormous weight that blessed Jesus felt in carrying the cross, and I said to myself: ‘Lord, life too is a weight – but what a weight, especially because You, my highest Good, are far away. At that moment, He came and told me: “My daughter, it is true that life is a weight, but when this weight is carried with Me, and one finds out that at the end of his life he can unload this weight within Me, he will find this weight changed into a treasure, in which he will find gems, precious stones, diamonds and all riches, such as to make him happy for eternity.”

February 9, 1908
The way the soul must be with Jesus. Necessity of love for Jesus.

Having received Communion, I was saying: ‘Lord, keep me always clasped to You, for I am too little, and if You do not keep me clasped, because I am little, I may get lost.’ And He: “I want to teach you the way you must be with Me: first, you must enter into Me, transform yourself in Me, and take what you find in Me. Second, once you have filled yourself completely with Me, go out and operate together with Me, as if you and I were one single thing, in such a way that if I move, you move as well; if I think, you think of the same thing of which I am thinking – in sum, whatever I do, you do as well. Third, with these acts that we have done together, move away from Me for one instant, and go into the midst of creatures, giving to all and to each one everything we have done together – that is, giving my divine life to each one, and then quickly returning into Me to give Me, in the name of all, all the glory that they should give Me, praying, excusing them, repairing, loving… Ah, yes! Love Me for all, satiate Me with love! There are no passions in Me, but if there could be any passion, it would be only this and this alone: love. But love in Me is more than passion – it is my life; and if passions can be destroyed, life cannot. See the necessity of being loved in which I find Myself. Therefore, love Me, love Me.”

February 12, 1908
In one day a courageous soul does more than a timid one does in one year.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, timidity represses Grace and hampers the soul. A timid soul will never be good at operating great things, either for God, or for her neighbor, or for herself. When a soul is timid, it is as if she had her legs tied: unable to walk freely, she always has her eyes fixed on herself, and on the effort she makes in order to walk. Timidity makes her keep her eyes low, never high. In operating, she draws her strength not from God, but from herself, and therefore, instead of becoming stronger, she becomes weaker. If Grace sows, it happens to It as to a poor farmer who, having sown and worked his little field, harvests little or nothing. On the other hand, in one day a courageous soul does more than a timid one does in one year.”

February 16, 1908
How the cross is the surest sign to know whether we love the Lord.

As I was in my usual state, I was thinking about why it is the cross alone that makes us know whether we really love the Lord, while there are many other things, like the virtues, prayer, the Sacraments, which could make us know whether we love the Lord. While I was thinking of this, blessed Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, it is really so, the cross alone is that which makes one know whether he really loves the Lord – but a cross carried with patience and resignation, because where there is patience and resignation in crosses, there is divine life. Since nature is so reluctant to suffering, if there is patience, it cannot be something natural, but divine, and the soul no longer loves the Lord with her love alone, but united with the love of the divine life. So, what doubt can she have whether she loves or not, if she arrives at loving Him with His own love?

On the other hand, in the other things, and even in the very Sacraments, there also may be someone who loves, who contains this divine life within himself, but these things cannot give the certainty of the cross. It may be there, or it may not, because of lack of dispositions. One can very well go to Confession, but if he lacks the dispositions, it certainly cannot be said that he loves and that he has received this divine life within himself. Another may receive Communion; indeed he receives the divine life, but he can only say that this divine life remains within him if he had the true dispositions. In fact, it can be seen how some receive Communion or go to Confession, but as occasions arise, the patience of divine life cannot be seen in them; and if patience is missing, love is missing because love is recognized only through sacrifice. And so here are the doubts; while the cross, patience, resignation, are fruits produced only by Grace and by love.”

March 9, 1908
The lives of all palpitated in the Heart of Jesus.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and He seemed to draw near me, letting me hear the beats of His Heart – but so very strongly; and many other little heartbeats palpitated in His heartbeat. He told me: “My daughter, this is the state in which my Heart found Itself in the act of my Passion. All human lives palpitated in my Heart, which, with their sins, were all in the attitude of giving Me death; and my Heart, in spite of their ingratitude, taken by violence of love, gave back life to all. This is why I palpitated so strongly, and in my heartbeat I enclosed all human heartbeats, making them rise again into heartbeats of grace, of love and of divine delights.” And He disappeared.

In addition to this, having spent a day with many visits, I was feeling tired, and in my interior I was lamenting to Our Lord, saying: “Move creatures away from me; I feel very oppressed – I don’t know what they find or want from me. Have pity on the violence I do myself continuously, to be with You in my interior and with creatures externally.’ At that moment, the Queen Mama came, and raising her right hand, pointing to my interior, in which there seemed to be lovable Jesus, told me: “My beloved daughter, do not oppress yourself, creatures run to where there is a treasure. And since in you there is the treasure of sufferings, in which my sweet Son is enclosed, they come to you. You, however, while dealing with them – do not get distracted from your treasure, making each one love the treasure you contain within you, which is the cross and my Son. In this way, you will send them back all enriched.”

March 13, 1908
The warmth of the union with Jesus dispels from the soul the cold of human inclinations.

While I was in my usual state, a demon came who did strange things, but as soon as he disappeared I no longer thought about it, to the point of forgetting about his strange behavior, occupying myself with my highest and only good. Later, however, a thought came to me: ‘How bad and insipid I am – nothing makes an impression on me.’ And blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, there are certain regions in which the plants are not subject to cold, to frost, to snow, and therefore they are not stripped of their leaves, flowers and fruits; and if they take some breaks, it is for a short time, so that when their fruits are picked, there may be the necessary time for others to grow. In fact, warmth fecundates them in an admirable way, and they are not subject to slowness, as the plants in cold regions. These poor plants, because of frost and snow, for long months are subject to producing very few fruits, and for a very short time, almost tiring the patience of the farmer who has to pick them.

Such are the souls who have reached union with Me: the warmth of my union dispels from them the cold of human inclinations which, like cold, renders them sterile and stripped of leaves and of divine fruits. The frosts of passions, the snows of disturbances, block the fruits of Grace in the soul. But since they remain in the shadow of their union with Me, nothing makes an impression on them any more, nothing enters into their interior which may disturb our union and our rest; the whole of their lives turns within my center. So, their inclination, their passion, is for God; and if sometimes there is a little break, it is nothing but a simple hiding of Myself in order to give them a surprise of greater consolations, and therefore be able to enjoy in them more delicious fruits of patience and of heroism, which they have exercised during my hiding.

All the opposite happens to imperfect souls: they really seem like plants born in cold regions; they are subject to all impressions; so, their lives live more from impressions than from reason and virtue. Inclinations, passions, temptations, disturbances and all the events of life are like colds, snows, frosts, hails, which prevent the development of my union with them; and when it seems that they have had a beautiful flowering, a new failure, something that upsets them, is enough to make this beautiful flowering wither and fall to the ground. So, they are always at the beginning; they produce very few fruits, and they almost tire my patience in cultivating them.”

March 15, 1908
When souls are all filled with God, storms have no strength to agitate them even slightly.

This morning, I was feeling more than ever oppressed because of the privation of my highest and only good, but at the same time I was placid, without those anxieties that used to make me go round through Heaven and earth, and only when I would find Him, then would I stop. So I was saying to myself: ‘What a change – I feel petrified from the pain of your absence, yet, I do not cry, I feel a profound peace that invests me completely; not a contrary breath enters into me.’ At that moment, blessed Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, do not want to trouble yourself. You must know that when there is a strong storm in the sea, where the waters are deep the storm is only superficial. The depths of the sea are in the most perfect calm, the waters remain tranquil, and the fish, when they detect the storm, go to nest where the water is deeper so as to be safer. So, the whole storm unloads itself where the sea contains very little water, because since there is little water, the storm has the strength to agitate it from top to bottom, and even to transport it elsewhere, to other points of the sea.

So it happens to souls when they are completely filled with God – up to the brim, up to overflowing outside: storms have no strength to upset them even slightly, because there is no strength that can defy God; at the most, they may feel it superficially. Even more, as the soul detects the storm, she puts the virtues in order, and goes to nest in the inmost depths of God. So, while externally there seems to be a storm, it is completely false – it is then that the soul enjoys more peace, and rests, tranquil, in the bosom of God, just like the fish in the bosom of the sea.

All the opposite for the souls who are empty of God, or contain just a little bit of God: storms agitate them all over; and if they have a little bit of God, they waste it. Nor does it take strong storms to agitate them; the slightest wind is enough to make virtues flee from them. Even more, holy things themselves, which form a delicious pasture for those former souls who enjoy them to their fill, for these souls, turn into storms. They are knocked about by all the winds; from no side is it ever dead calm for them, because reason demands that where the whole of God is not, the inheritance of peace is far away from them.”

March 22, 1908
The state of Luisa is a state of continuous prayer, of sacrifice and of union with God.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself and I seemed to see M. and other priests. Then, a young man of divine beauty came, who drew near me and gave me some food, and I prayed him to share that food which he was giving me, with M. and others. So, drawing near M., he gave him a good share of it, saying to him: “I share my food with you, and you – satisfy my hunger by giving me souls”, pointing to the work which M. wants to do, and also exciting him strongly in his interior, by giving him impulses and inspirations. Then he shared it with others.

In the meantime, a venerable lady came out, and those who had received food from the young man drew around her and asked her what my state was. And the lady answered: “The state of this soul is a state of continuous prayer, of sacrifice and of union with God; and while being in this state, she is exposed to all the events of the Church, of the world and of the justice of God, praying, repairing, disarming and preventing, as much as she can, the chastisements which justice wants to unload upon creatures. So, things are all suspended.”

Now, while hearing this, I said to myself: ‘I am so bad, yet they say that this is my state.’ But in spite of this, I found myself near a little window up high, and from it I could see all that was being done in the Church and in the world, and the scourges which were about to fall. But who could tell them all? I move on, so as not to be too long. And I – oh, how I moaned and prayed! I would have wanted to tear myself to pieces in order to prevent all this. But all of a sudden, everything disappeared and I found myself inside myself.

March 25, 1908
Temptations can be conquered easily. Where there is passion, the devil has more strength.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “Daughter, temptations can be conquered easily, because the devil is the most cowardly creature that can exist, and a contrary act, a contempt, a prayer, are enough to make him flee. In fact, these acts render him even more cowardly than he is, and in order not to bear that confusion, as soon as he sees the soul resolute in not wanting to pay attention to his cowardice, he flees terrified.

Now, if the soul cannot easily free herself, it means that it is not only a temptation, but a passion rooted within the soul, which tyrannizes her together with the temptation. Therefore, she is unable to free herself; and where there is passion, the devil has more strength to make fun of the soul.”

March 29, 1908
Peaceful souls are the delight of God.

This morning, on coming, blessed Jesus seemed to carry a black mantle; and drawing near me, He seemed to place me under it, saying: “In this way I will envelop all creatures, as within a black mantle.” And He disappeared.

I remained concerned because of some chastisement, and I prayed Him to come back, for I could no longer be without Him; but I was as though bothered by that sight from before. Then, after much hardship, He came, carrying a cup filled with some liqueur. He gave me some to drink, and then He added: “My daughter, peaceful souls eat at my same table and drink at my cup, and the Divine Archer does nothing but dart through them continuously, and no dart is wasted. All of them – all of them wound the loving soul; and the soul faints, while the Divine Archer continues with His arrows which now make her die of love, now give her back new life of love. And from her wounds, the soul shoots her darts to wound the One who has so much wounded her. So, a peaceful soul is the delight and the amusement of God; while, with turbid souls, if the Divine Archer darts through them, the darts are wasted by the soul, leaving Him embittered, and forming the diabolical amusement and taste.”

April 5, 1908
All that the Queen Mama contains has its origin in the Fiat.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, within a garden, in which I could see the Queen Mama placed on a very high throne. I yearned to go up there to kiss Her hand, and as I tried to go, She came to meet me, giving me a smacking kiss on my face. In looking at Her, I saw as though a globe of light in Her interior, and within that light there was the word ‘Fiat’. From that word descended many different unending seas of virtues, graces, greatnesses, glory, joys, beauties, and everything that our Queen Mama contains as a whole. Everything was rooted in that Fiat, and all of Her goods took their origin from the Fiat. Oh, omnipotent, fecund, holy Fiat! Who can comprehend you? I feel mute… It is so great that I can say nothing; therefore I stop here.

So I looked at Her with amazement, and She said to me: “My daughter, all of my Sanctity came out from within the word ‘Fiat’. I did not move even for one breath, one step, one action, or anything at all, if not within the Will of God. My life, my food, my all, was the Will of God; and this produced such sanctity, riches, glories, honors for Me… not human, but Divine. So, the more the soul is united, identified with the Will of God, the more she can be called holy, and she is loved more by God. And the more she is loved, the more she is favored, because her life is nothing but the product of the Will of God. How can He not love her if she is His own thing? Therefore, one must not look at how much or how little he does, but rather, at whether it is wanted by God. In fact, the Lord looks more at something little, if it is according to His Will, than at something great, without It.”

April 8, 1908
The Divine Will is continuous communion. How to know whether a state is Will of God.

I was concerned because I was not able to receive Communion every day, and good Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, I do not want you to be bothered by anything. It is true that having Communion is a great thing, but how long does the tight union with the soul last? A quarter of an hour at the most. But the thing you should cherish the most is the complete undoing of your will in Mine, because for one who lives of my Will, there is tight union not only for a quarter of an hour, but always – always. My Will is continuous communion with the soul; so, not once a day, but every hour and every moment is always communion for one who does my Will.”

I have gone through most bitter days because of the privation of my highest and only Good, thinking and fearing that my state might be a pretense. Being in bed without movement or occupation until the coming of the confessor – and without that usual doziness – tormented me and martyred me so much, to the extent of making me fall ill for the pain and the continuous tears. More than once I begged the confessor to give me permission and obedience to sit on the bed according to my habit, and do my usual work of ‘tombolo’, if I were not dozy and if Jesus Christ were not pleased to let me share, as victim, in one of the mysteries of His Passion. But he continuously and absolutely prohibited it to me. Rather, he added that this state of mine, although I was deprived of my highest Good, was to be considered as state of victim, because of the violence and the pain of the privation itself and of obedience.

I always obeyed, but the martyrdom of my heart was constantly saying to me: ‘Isn’t this a pretense? Where is your doziness? Where, your state of victim? And what do you suffer of the mysteries of the Passion? Get up, get up, don’t make pretenses! Work, work! Don’t you see that this pretense will lead you to damnation? And you – don’t you tremble? Don’t you think of the terrible judgment of God? Don’t you see that after so many years you have done nothing but dig your own abyss from which you will never get out for eternity?’ Oh God! Who can say the ripping of my heart and the cruel sufferings that tormented my soul, crushing me and throwing me into a sea of pains? But tyrant obedience did not allow me even one atom of my own will. May the Divine Will be done, which disposes this way.

While in the midst of these cruel torments, last night, as I was in my usual state, I found myself surrounded by some people who were saying: “Recite a ‘Pater, Ave, Gloria’ in honor of Saint Francis of Paola, who will bring you some refreshment for your sufferings.” So I recited it; and as I did so, the Saint appeared, bringing me a little loaf of bread. He gave it to me, saying: “Eat it.”

I ate it, and felt all strengthened. Then I said to him: ‘Dear Saint, I would like to tell you something.’ And he, all affability: “Tell me, what would you like to say?”

And I: ‘I fear very much that my state may not be Will of God. Listen: in the first years of this illness, which occurred at intervals, I would feel Our Lord calling me to become a victim; at the same time I would be caught by internal sufferings and wounds, such that externally it appeared that I was having a fit. Now, I fear that it was my fantasy that produced these evils.’

And the Saint: “The sure sign to know whether a state is Will of God is that the soul is ready to do otherwise, if she knew that the Will of God was no longer that state.”

Not persuaded, I added: ‘Dear Saint, I have not told you everything. Listen: the first ones were at intervals; then, from the time when Our Lord called me to continuous immolation, it is twenty-one years since I have been always in bed – and who can tell my tribulations? Sometimes it seems that He leaves me, He takes suffering away from me, the only and faithful friend of my state; and I remain crushed without God, and even without the support of suffering… and so, doubts and fears that my state may not be the Will of God.’

And he, all sweetness: “I repeat to you what I have said to you before: if you are ready to do the Will of God, if you knew It, then your state is His Will.’

Now, I very much feel within my soul that if I knew the Will of God with all clarity, I would be ready to follow this Holy Volition at the cost of my life. So I remained more tranquil. May the Lord be always thanked.

May 3, 1908
Effects of the circulation of the Divine Will in the soul.

Continuing in my usual state, I felt Our Lord near me for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, with the soul who does my Will, my Will circulates in her whole being like blood. So, she is in continuous contact with Me, with my power, wisdom, charity, beauty – she takes part in all that is mine. As she no longer lives of her own volition, her volition lives in Mine; and as Mine circulates in hers, hers circulates in all of my Being, and I feel her continuous contact. And as I feel touched by her continuously, you cannot comprehend how drawn I feel to love her, to favor her, to answer her in everything she asks – if I denied it, I would deny it to Myself. Besides, all things considered, since she lives in my Will, she asks for nothing but what I Myself want. This is what she wants, and this alone makes her happy, for herself and for others, because her life is more in Heaven than on earth. This is the fruit that my Will produces – to beatify her in advance.”

May 12, 1908
With their bad example, the rich have poisoned the poor.

Continuing in my usual state, I was praying to Our Lord that He would concede to put peace in the hearts, which are all in discord – the poor want to attack the rich; there is such turmoil, a thirst for human blood… It seems that they themselves can no longer contain themselves. If the Lord does not put His hand in, we are already close to the chastisements which many times He has manifested. Then, He came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, a just Justice Mine is. The rich have been the first to give a bad example to the poor, the first to move away from religion, from fulfilling their duties, to the point of feeling ashamed to enter a church, to attend Mass, to perform their obligation. The poor have nourished themselves with their poisonous slobber; and having fed themselves well with the poison of their bad example, with that same poison given by them, unable to contain it, they try to attack them and even to kill them. There is no order without subjection; the rich have subtracted themselves from God, and the peoples rebel against God, against the rich, and against everyone. The scale of my Justice is full, and I can no longer contain it.”

May 15, 1908
She sees wars and revolutions.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, in the midst of revolutions. It seems that they are ever more obstinate in wanting to shed blood. I prayed to the Lord, and He told me: “My daughter, two are the storms which men are preparing – one against the government, and the other against the Church.”

In the meantime, I seemed to see fleeing leaders, the king at risk of being made a prisoner, and trying to flee… I cannot say it well – it seemed that he was falling into the hands of the enemies. All the rich were undergoing grave dangers, and some were dying. That which was most sorrowful is that among the leaders of revolutions, also against the Church, priests were not lacking. Then, when things were reaching the extreme excesses, a foreign power seemed to intervene. I will not continue further, because these are things said other times.

June 22, 1908
The Divine Will triumphs over everything.

This morning, I was feeling very oppressed because of the privation of my adorable Jesus, and I said to myself: ‘I cannot take anymore – how can I go on without my life? What patience it takes with You! What would be the virtue that would induce Him to come?’ At that moment, He came and told me: “My daughter, the virtue that triumphs over everything, that conquers everything, levels everything, sweetens everything, is the Will of God, because It contains such power that nothing can resist It.»

While He was saying this, a road, all full of rocks, thorns and steep mountains, appeared before me. Once all this was placed in the Will of God, by the power of It the rocks were pulverized, the thorns were changed into flowers, the mountains leveled. So, in the Will of God all things have one same appearance; they all assume the same color. May His Most Holy Will be always blessed.

June 30, 1908
The true spirit of charity in the rich and in priests.

Continuing in my usual state, full of bitternesses and of privations, after much hardship I seemed to see peoples in the act of rebelling and of intensifying the brawl against the rich. In the meantime, the lament of most sweet Jesus made itself heard in my ear, all embittered, saying: “I am the one who is giving freedom to the poor – I am tired of the rich. They have done enough – how much money wasted on balls, on theatricals, on useless trips, on vanities, and even on sins! And the poor? They could not have enough bread to satisfy their hunger; they were oppressed, weary, embittered. Had they given them only what they spent on unnecessary things, my poor would have been happy. But the rich have kept them like a family that did not belong to them; even more, they have despised them, keeping comforts and amusements for themselves as things befitting their condition, and leaving the poor in misery, as something befitting their condition.”

And while saying this, He seemed to withdraw grace from the poor, and these would become enraged against the rich, in such a way that grave things would happen. On seeing this, I said: ‘My dear Life and my all Good, it is true that there are some bad rich people, but there are also some good ones, like the many devout ladies who give alms to the churches, and your priests who do so much good to all…’

“Ah! my daughter, keep quiet, and don’t touch this key, so very sorrowful for Me. I could say that I do not recognize these devout ladies. They give alms where they want, to obtain their intent, to hold people at their service; they spend even thousands of lire for those who sympathize with them, but then, where it is necessary, they do not deign to give a cent. Could I say that they do it for Me? Could I recognize these actions of theirs? You yourself can recognize whether they do it for Me from these signs – if they are ready for any bare necessity; if they do not differentiate by giving much where it is not so necessary, and refusing to give little where it is necessary. One can well say that there is no spirit of true charity or upright operating. So, my poor are put into oblivion also by these devout ladies. And the priests? Ah! my daughter – that is even worse. They do good to all?! You deceive yourself. They do good to the rich; they have time for the rich. By them also the poor are almost excluded; for the poor they have no time; for the poor they have not a word of comfort or help to tell them; they send them away, reaching the point of pretending they are ill. I could say that if the poor have moved away from the Sacraments, the priests have contributed to this, because they have always taken their time to confess them, and the poor grew tired and no longer came back. But then, if a rich person would show up, it is all the opposite: they would not hesitate one instant; time, words, comforts, help…, they would find anything for the rich. Could I say that the priests have a spirit of true charity, if they reach the point of picking the ones to whom they should listen? And what about the others? They either send them somewhere else, or oppress them so much, that if my grace did not help the poor in a special way, the poor would have been banished from my Church. True charity and upright spirit – only rarely do some priests have them, but as for the rest, I could say that these have departed from the earth.”

I remained embittered more than ever, imploring mercy.

July 26, 1908
Obedience.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, obedience is the ark of my dwelling in the soul. Where this ark of obedience is not present, I can say that there is no place for Me in that soul, and I am forced to remain outside.”

August 10, 1908
The work of Love.

Continuing in my usual state, but full of bitternesses and of privations, after I received Communion I was lamenting to blessed Jesus about the way He had left me, and about the uselessness of my state. And He, having compassion on my laments, told me: “My daughter, nothing has diminished the goods that exist between Me and you, because the whole of good is in the origin of its foundation. When two persons unite themselves with the bond of friendship or with the bond of marriage, and they have exchanged gifts besides, and have loved each other so much as to become inseparable, to the extent that one has taken and copied the other so much as to feel the being of the beloved within herself – if out of bare necessity they are forced to be far away from each other, are those gifts perhaps diminished, or does their love decrease? Not at all. On the contrary, being far away makes them grow more in love, and makes them keep the gifts received with greater care, waiting for some greater unexpected gift at the return of the other. But there is more; since one has copied her beloved within herself, it seems that there is no distance for her, because she feels the voice of the beloved flow within her voice, having imitated him. She feels him flow in her mind, in her works, in her steps… So, he is far and near, she looks at him and he escapes her, she touches him but cannot clasp him; therefore, the soul is in a continuous martyrdom of love. Now, if Justice forces Me to deprive you of Me and to be far away for some time, can you say that I have taken the gifts away from you, and that there is diminution of love?”

And I: ‘My state is too hard, my dear Life – and what am I here for if You do not let Me suffer to spare my neighbor the chastisements? You have said many times that You would not allow rain – and it is not raining; so, I cannot beat You in anything. Whatever You say, You do; while if I had You near Me like before, I would tell You so much that You would let me win. How can You say that distance is nothing?’

And He: “It is precisely because of this that I am forced to be far away – so as not to let you win, but give course to Justice. However, by keeping you here there is also some good, because the lack of water will call for famine; during this time the peoples will be humiliated, and after slaughters and wars have taken place, grace will find them more disposed to be saved. Is this not also a good, that while wars were about to overtake the famine, by keeping you here they will be postponed for a little longer, and so more souls will be saved?”

Then He added: “Love never says ‘enough’. Even if Love scourged the soul and tore her to pieces, those pieces would cry out Love. Love never says ‘enough’; It is not yet content – It pulverizes those pieces, It reduces them to nothing, and into that nothing It blows Its fire, and gives it Its own shape. It mixes nothing human, but only the divine; and it is then that Love sings Its glories, Its braveries, Its prodigies, saying: ‘I am content – my love has won; it has destroyed the human and built the divine.’ It happens to Love as to a talented artisan who, having many objects which are not to his liking, breaks them to pieces, puts them on the fire, and keeps them there until they melt, making them lose all of their shape; and then he forms from them many other objects, most beautiful and pleasant, worthy of his talent. It is yet true that for that which is human this action of Love is so very hard, but when the soul sees her gain, she will see how beauty has taken the place of ugliness, richness of poverty, nobility of roughness; and she too will sing the glories of Love.”

August 14, 1908
The human will serves as brush for Jesus in order to portray His image in the heart.

Having received Communion, I could see the Baby within my interior, as though looking for something important; and I said: ‘My pretty little one, what are You looking for with so much zeal? And He said: “Daughter, I am looking for the brush of your will to be able to portray my image in your heart. In fact, if you do not give me your will, I lack the brush to be able to portray Myself freely in you; and just as your will serves as brush in my hands, love serves as colors in order to impress the variety of colors of my image. Moreover, just as the human will serves as brush for Me, my Will serves as brush in the hands of the soul in order to portray her image in my Heart; in Me, then, she will find abundant color of love for the variety of colors.”

August 19, 1908
The soul must sow good with her whole being.

Having done my meditation on the fact that one who sows good will harvest good, and one who sows vices will harvest evils, I was thinking about what good I could sow, given my position, my misery and inability. At that moment, I felt I was being harvested, and I heard Him say in my interior: “The soul must sow good with her whole being – with all of it. The soul possesses a mental intelligence, and she must apply it to comprehend God, to think of good alone, never allowing any bad seed to enter her mind; and this is the sowing of good with the mind. The same with her mouth: she must never sow any bad seed, that is, bad words, unworthy of a Christian, but always say holy, useful and good words; so here is the sowing of good with the mouth. Then, with her heart she must love God alone, desire God, palpitate for Him, and tend to Him; here is the sowing of good with the heart. Then, with her hands she must do holy works, with her feet she must walk after the examples of Our Lord; and here is another good seed.”

On hearing this, I thought to myself: ‘So, in my position I too can sow good in spite of my extreme misery.’ But I thought of this with a certain fear of the account that the master will ask of me – whether I have sown well; and in my interior I heard Him repeat: “My goodness is so great that great wrong is done by those who make Me known as severe, very demanding and rigorous. Oh, what an affront they give to my Love! I will ask for no other account but of the little field given to them; and I will ask for an account for nothing but to give them the fruit of their harvests. I will give it to the intelligence, for the more it has comprehended Me in life, the more it will comprehend Me in Heaven; and the more it will comprehend Me, the greater the joy and beatitude with which it will be inundated. To the mouth I will give the harvest of the different divine flavors, and its voice will harmonize above all the other Blessed; to the works I will give the harvests of my gifts; and so with all the rest.”

August 23, 1908
The sign to know whether there is guilt in the soul during the privation.

Continuing in my usual state, I was very concerned about the state of my soul, and I said to myself: ‘Who knows what evil there is in my soul that the Lord deprives me of Him, and leaves me abandoned to myself.’

At that moment, He came for just a little and filled all of myself with Him, and my whole being was all directed to Him; there was not even a fiber or a motion that would not tend to Him. Then, afterwards, He told me: “Have you seen, my daughter? The sign that there is guilt in the soul when she finds herself without Me, is that, as I return to let Myself be seen, she does not remain all filled with God, nor is her being immediately disposed to immerse itself completely in Me, in such a way that not a fiber would be left which is not fixed in its Center. Where there is guilt, or something that is not completely mine, neither can I fill her, nor can the soul immerse herself in Me. Guilt, matter, cannot enter into God, nor run toward God. Therefore, calm yourself, and do not want to trouble yourself.”

August 26, 1908
Constancy in good makes Divine Life grow in the soul.

As I was in my usual state, I was all afflicted and almost dazed because of the usual privations. Then He came, just in passing, and told me: “My daughter, that which I want you to take to heart is constancy in good, both internal and external, because the repetition of the act of loving Me, of many interior acts and of constant good, makes Divine Life grow ever more in the soul – but with such energy, that she can be compared to a child who, growing in good air and with healthy foods, keeps growing well, in full health, until he reaches his proper stature, without needing either doctors or medicines. Even more, he is so robust and strong, that he relieves and helps others.

On the other hand, one who is not constant grows like a child who is not always fed with healthy foods and lives in putrid air. He grows sickly, and since his members do not have the strength to develop and grow due to lack of good nourishment, they develop with defects; and so a tumor forms in one place, an abscess in another. He walks with a limp, he speaks with difficulty; one can say that he is a poor cripple. Though one can see good members mixed in, those with defects are more; and even though he consults doctors and takes medicines, they do him little or no good, because his blood is infected by the putrid air, and his members are weak and defective from malnutrition. So, he will be a man, but he will not reach a proper stature, and will always need help, without being able to help others. Such is the inconstant soul. With inconstancy in good, it is as if the soul nourished herself with foods which are not good; and by applying herself to other things which are not God, it is as if she breathed putrid air. So, Divine Life grows with difficulty and poorly, because It lacks the strength and the vigor of constancy.”

September 2, 1908
True virtue begins in God and ends in Him.

I am going through bitter days because of the continuous privations of blessed Jesus. He came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the sign to know whether one has true charity is that he loves the poor. In fact, if he loves the rich and is available for them, he may do so because he hopes for something or obtains something, or because he is in sympathy with them, or because of their nobility, intelligence, eloquence, and even out of fear. But if he loves the poor, helps them, supports them, it is because he sees in them the image of God, therefore he does not look at roughness, ignorance, rudeness, misery. Through those miseries, as though through a glass, he sees God, from whom he hopes for everything; and so he loves them, helps them, consoles them as if he were doing it to God Himself. This is the good kind of true virtue, which begins from God and ends in God. On the other hand, that which begins from matter, produces matter and ends in matter. As bright and virtuous as charity may appear, if the divine touch is not felt, both the one who does it and the one who receives it become bothered, annoyed and tired, and if necessary, they even use it to commit defects.”

September 3, 1908
Jesus is light, and light is truth.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus made Himself seen all light, and said these simple words: “I am light – but what is light made of? What is the principle of it? It is truth. So, I am light because I am truth. Therefore, in order for the soul to be light and to have light in all of her actions, these must come from truth. Wherever there is artifice, deception and duplicity, there cannot be light – but darkness.” And He disappeared like a flash.

September 5, 1908
As the creature changes, she feels the different effects of the presence of God.

I was speaking with the Confessor, and he was saying: “How terrible it will be to see God indignant! This is so true, that on the Day of Judgment, the wicked will say: ‘Mountains – bury us, destroy us, that we may not see the face of God indignant.” And I was saying: ‘In God there cannot be indignation, but rather, it is according to the state of the soul: if she is good, the divine presence, His qualities, His attributes, attract her whole self within God, and she is consumed with the desire to immerse herself completely in God. If she is bad, His presence crushes her, drives her away from Him; and in seeing herself rejected and not feeling within her any seed of love toward a God so Holy, so Beautiful, while she is so ugly and bad, the soul would rather get rid of His presence, if possible even by destroying herself. So, in God there is no mutation, but rather, we experience different effects according to how we are.’

Afterwards, I thought to myself: ‘How much nonsense I said.’ Then, while I was doing the meditation during the day, He came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, it was well said – I do not change, but it is the creature that feels the different effects of my presence, as she changes. In fact, how can one who loves Me ever fear, if she feels my whole Being flow within her and form her very life? Can she ever fear my Sanctity, if she takes part in Sanctity Itself? Can she ever be ashamed of my Beauty, if she keeps trying to embellish herself ever more in order to please Me and to be like Me? She feels the whole of the Divine Being – all of It, flow in her blood, in her hands, in her feet, in her heart and mind, in such a way that It is something that belongs to her – It is fully her own. And how can It fear or be ashamed of Itself? This is impossible. Ah! my daughter, it is sin that casts so much disorder into the creature, that she reaches the point of wanting to destroy herself so as not to bear my presence. On the Day of Judgment it will be terrible for the wicked. Not seeing any seed of love in themselves, but rather, hate toward Me, my Justice imposes on Me to not love them; and the persons who are not loved, one does not want to keep around, and one makes use of some means to drive them away. I will not want to keep them with Me, and they will not want to stay – we will shun each other. Love alone is that which unites everything and makes all happy.”

September 6, 1908
Jesus wanted to suffer in order to reunite everything to Himself.

Continuing in my usual state, I was thinking about the mystery of the scourging; and as Jesus came, pressing His hand on my shoulders, I heard Him say in my interior: “My daughter, I wanted my flesh to be scattered in pieces, and my Blood to be shed from my whole Humanity, so as to reunite all of dispersed humanity. In fact, of all that was torn from my Humanity – flesh, blood, hair – nothing was dispersed in my Resurrection, but everything was reunited again to my Humanity. By this, I incorporated all creatures within Me. So, after this, if one wanders away from Me, it is out of his obstinate will that he tears himself from Me to go out and be lost.”

September 7, 1908
The more things of which the soul deprives herself down here, the more she will have up there in Heaven.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the more things of which the soul deprives herself down here, the more she will have up there in Heaven. So, the poorer on earth, the richer in Heaven; the more she is deprived of tastes, pleasures, amusements, trips, strolls on earth, the more tastes and pleasures she will have in God. Oh, how she will stroll in the expanse of the Heavens, especially in the immeasurable Heavens of the attributes of God! In fact, each attribute is one more Heaven, one more Paradise; and among the Blessed – some enter into them as though at the margin of the attributes of God; some walk in the middle of them, some even higher; and the more they walk, the more they taste, enjoy, and amuse themselves. So, one who leaves the earth, takes Heaven, be it even in the smallest thing. Therefore, it follows that the more one is despised, the more he is honored; the smaller, the greater; the more submitted, the more dominant; and so with all the rest. Yet, of the mortals, who thinks of depriving himself of something on earth, to have it eternally in Heaven? Almost no one.”

October 3, 1908
As long as the soul is in the continuous attitude of operating good, Grace is with her.

This morning blessed Jesus made Himself seen – just a shadow, and told me: “My daughter, as long as the soul is in the continuous attitude of operating good, Grace is with her and gives life to all of her actions. If then she is indifferent to doing good, or she is in the act of doing evil, Grace withdraws, because it is not something that belongs to It, and unable to take part in it or to administer Its own life, sorrowful, It departs with great displeasure. Therefore, do you want Grace to be always with you, and my very life to form yours? Then remain in the continuous act of doing good. In this way you will have my whole Being developed in you, and will not have to grieve so much if sometimes you do not have my presence. In fact, you will not see Me, but will touch Me in all your acts; and this will soften, in part, the pain of my privation.”

October 23, 1908
How divine science is in upright operating.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, all of divine science is contained in upright operating. In fact, that which is upright contains everything beautiful and good that can be found; it contains order, utility, beauty, mastery. A work is good insofar as it is well ordered, but if the threads appear crooked, and placed crookedly, one does not understand anything, and can see nothing but something disorderly, which will be neither useful nor good. This is why, from the greatest to the smallest things I have made, they all appear orderly, and all of them serve a useful purpose – because the fount from which they came was my upright operating. Now, as much as a creature is good, so much divine science she will contain within her; as much as she is upright, so many good things will come from her. A crooked thread in her operating is enough to put herself in disorder as well as the works that come from her, and to obfuscate the divine science that she contains. One who goes out of what is upright, goes out of what is just, holy, beautiful, useful, and goes out of the boundaries in which God placed her; and by going out, she will be like a plant which does not have much soil under it: now the rays of a scorching sun, now frosts or winds, will cause the influence of divine science to wither within her. Such is crooked operating – like frosts, winds, and rays of a scorching sun; so, lacking much soil of divine science, she will do nothing but wither within her own disorder.”

November 20, 1908
When the soul makes love her food, this love becomes solid and serious.

Continuing in my usual state, full of bitternesses and of privations, this morning blessed Jesus came for a little while; I would lament to Him about my state, but instead of answering me, He would draw closer to me. Then, afterwards, without answering what I was saying, He told me: “My daughter, the true loving soul is not content with loving Me with anxiety, with desires, with surges, but when she comes to make love her food and daily nourishment, only then is she content. It is then that love becomes solid, serious, and keeps on losing all that lightness of love to which the creature is subject. And since she makes it her food, it is spread throughout all of her members, and because it is spread everywhere, she has the strength to bear the flames of love that consume her and give her life. By containing love within her, by possessing it, she no longer feels those intense desires, those anxieties, but she only feels that she loves more the love that she possesses. This is the love of the Blessed in Heaven – this is my own love. The Blessed burn, but without anxiety, without clamor, rather, with solidity, with admirable seriousness. This is the sign that a soul has come to feed on love: she loses more and more the characteristics of human love. In fact, if one sees only desires, anxieties, surges, it is a sign that love is not her food, but it is only a few particles of herself that she has dedicated to love. So, since she is not all love, she does not have the strength to contain it, and so she has those surges of human love. These souls are very voluble, and without stability in their things; while the former ones are stable, like mountains that never move.”

December 16, 1908
The privation of Jesus is the greatest of all pains.

Going through most bitter days, I was lamenting to Our Lord, saying: ‘How cruelly You have left me! You told me that You had chosen me as your little daughter, that You would keep me always in your arms – and now? You have thrown me to the ground, and instead of a little daughter, I see that You have changed me into a little martyr; but even though little, my martyrdom is just as cruel and harsh, bitter and intense.’ While I was saying this, He moved in my interior and told me: “My daughter, you are mistaken – my Will is not to make you a little martyr, but a great martyr. If I give you the strength to bear my privation with patience and resignation – which is the most painful and most bitter thing that can be found, and there is no other pain that equals it or resembles it either in Heaven or on earth – is this not heroism of patience and the ultimate degree of love, compared to which, all other loves remain behind, are almost nullified, and there is nothing that can compare to it or stand before it? Is this not, then, great martyrdom? You say that you are a little martyr because you feel you do not suffer so much. It is not that you do not suffer, but it is the martyrdom of my privation that absorbs your other pains, making them even disappear. In fact, in thinking that you are without Me, you neither bother about nor pay attention to your other sufferings; and by not paying attention to them, you reach the point of not feeling their weight, therefore you say you do not suffer.

And then, I have not thrown you to the ground; rather, I keep you more than ever clasped in my arms. Even more, I tell you that if to Paul I gave my efficacious grace at the beginning of his conversion, to you I give it almost continually – and this is the sign of it: that you continue in your interior everything that you used to do when I was with you almost continually – doing what now you seem to do by yourself. Your feeling all immersed in Me and bound to Me, always thinking of Me even though you do not see Me – this is not your own thing, nor an ordinary grace, but special and efficacious grace. And if I give you much, it is a sign that I love you much, and I want to be loved much by you.”

December 25, 1908
How to make Jesus be born and grow in your hearts.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was longing for little Baby Jesus, and after many hardships, He made Himself seen in my interior as a little Baby, and told me: “My daughter, the best way to make Me be born in one’s own heart, is to empty oneself of everything, because in finding empty space, I can place all my goods in it. And only then can I remain in it forever, if there is room to be able to carry all that belongs to Me, all that is my own. A person who went to live in the house of someone else, could be called happy only if he found empty space in which to be able to put all of his belongings; otherwise, he would be unhappy. So I am.

The second thing in order to make Me be born and to increase my happiness, is that everything the soul contains, both internal and external – everything, must be done for Me; everything must serve to honor Me, to execute my orders. If only one thing, one thought, one word, is not for Me, I feel unhappy, and while I should be the master, they make Me a slave. Can I tolerate all this?

The third one is heroic love, magnified love, love of sacrifice. These three loves make my happiness grow in a marvelous way, because they render the soul capable of works which are superior to her strengths, as she does them with my strength alone. They will expand her, by making not only her, but also others love Me. And she will reach the point of enduring anything, even death, in order to triumph in everything, and be able to say to Me: ‘I have nothing else; everything is only love for You.’ In this way, she will not only make Me be born, but will make Me grow, and will form a beautiful paradise in her heart.”

As He was saying this, I looked at Him, and from little, in one instant He became big, in such a way that I remained completely filled with Him. Then everything disappeared.

December 27, 1908
What passed between Baby Jesus and His sweet Mama when She would feed Him from Her breast. The ‘I love You’ of the creature is requited by the ‘I love you’ of the Creator.

I was meditating on when the Queen Mama would give Her milk to Baby Jesus. I was saying to myself: ‘What must have passed between the Most Holy Mama and little Jesus in this act?’ At that moment, I felt Him move in my interior, and I heard Him say to me: “My daughter, when I suckled milk from the breast of my most sweet Mother, together with milk I suckled the love of Her Heart – and it was more love than milk that I suckled. While suckling, I would hear Her say to Me: ‘I love You, I love You, O Son’; and I would repeat to Her: ‘I love You, I love You, O Mama.’ And I was not alone in this; at my ‘I love You’, the Father, the Holy Spirit and the whole of Creation – the Angels, the Saints, the stars, the sun, the drops of water, the plants, the flowers, the grains of sand, all of the elements, would run after my ‘I love You’, and repeat: ‘We love You, we love You, O Mother of our God, in the love of our Creator.’

My Mother could see all this, and would remained inundated. She could find not even a tiny space in which She would not hear Me say that I loved Her. Her love would remain behind and almost alone, and She would repeat: ‘I love You, I love You….’ But She could never match Me, because the love of a creature has its limits, its time, while my love is uncreated, unending, eternal. The same happens to any soul when she says to me, ‘I love You’; I too repeat to her, ‘I love you’, and with Me is the whole Creation, loving her in my love. Oh, if creatures comprehended what good and honor they procure for themselves even by just saying to Me: ‘I love You’! This alone would be enough – a God beside them who, honoring them, replies: ‘I love you too.”

December 28, 1908
Earthquakes in Sicily and Calabria.

Finding myself in my usual state, I felt as if the earth were shaking and wanted to slip away from beneath us. I was concerned, and I said to myself: ‘Lord, Lord, what is this?’ And He, in my interior: “Earthquakes.” And He kept silent.

I almost paid no attention to Him, and within myself I continued my usual interior things when, all of a sudden, about five hours after that word had been spoken to me, I felt the earthquake sensibly. As soon as I felt it cease, I found myself outside of myself. Almost confused, I could see harrowing things, but this sight was immediately removed from me, and I found myself inside a church. A young man clothed in white came from the altar – I believe He was Our Lord, but I cannot tell with certainty – and drawing near me, with an imposing look He told me: “Come”.

I shrugged my shoulders, without getting up, and calculating within me that at that hour He was scourging and destroying, I said: ‘Lord, You want to take me now?!’, almost refusing His invitation. And the young man threw Himself into my arms, and in my interior I heard Him say: “Come, o daughter, that I may end it with the world; I will destroy a great part of it, with earthquakes, with waters and with wars.” After this, I found myself inside myself.

December 30, 1908
The infancy of Jesus to divinize the infancy of all.

I was meditating on the mystery of His infancy, and I said to myself: ‘My Baby, to how many pains You wanted to subject Yourself! It was not enough for You to come as an adult – You wanted to come as a baby, and suffer from the swaddling clothes, from silence, from the immobility of your little Humanity, of your feet, of your hands… Why all this?’

While I was saying this, He moved in my interior and told me: “My daughter, my works are perfect. I wanted to come as a little infant in order to divinize all the sacrifices and all the little actions of infancy. So, until children begin to commit sins, everything remains absorbed in my childhood, and divinized by Me. When sin then begins, separation begins between Me and the creature – a separation which is sorrowful for Me, and mournful for them.”

And I: ‘How can this be, if babies do not have reason, and are not capable of deserving?’ And He: “First, because I give merit by my grace; second, because it is not out of their will that they do not want to deserve, but because such is the state of infancy disposed by Me. Besides, a gardener who has planted a plant is not only honored, but he also picks the fruit of it, even though the plant does not have reason; the same for an artisan who makes a statue, and for many other things. Sin alone is that which destroys everything and separates the creature from Me; but everything else, even the most trivial action, comes to the creatures from Me, and to Me it returns, with the mark of the honor of my Creation.”

January 2, 1909
More about earthquakes. The Sacramental lot of Jesus under the rubble is less hard than in many Tabernacles.

To my great repugnance and only to obey, I continue to tell what has happened from December 28, regarding the earthquake. I was thinking to myself about the lot of so many poor people, alive under the rocks, and about the lot of my Lord in the Sacrament, He too alive and buried under the rubble; and I said to myself: ‘It seems as if the Lord is saying to those people: “I have had your same lot because of your sins. I am together with you to help you, to give you strength. I love you so much that I am waiting for one last act of love to save you all, not taking into account all the evil you have done in the past”. Ah! my Good, my Life and my All, I send You my adorations under the rubble – wherever You are; and my embraces, kisses and all my powers to keep You continuous company. Oh, how I wish I could come to dig you out, to put you in a more comfortable place, and more worthy of You!’

At that moment, my adorable Jesus told me in my interior: “My daughter, you have somehow interpreted the excesses of love which, even while scourging, I send to the peoples. But this is not all – there is more. Know that my Sacramental lot is perhaps less unhappy, less nauseating under the rocks than in the tabernacles. The number of sacrileges committed by priests, and also by the people, is such that I was tired of descending into their hands and into their hearts, to the point of being forced to destroy almost all of them. And then, what about the ambition and the scandals of priests? Everything was darkness in them, they were no longer the light which they should be; and when priests reach the point of no longer giving out light, the peoples reach the excesses, and my justice is forced to destroy them.”

I was also thinking about His privations, and I felt a fear in me, as if some strong earthquake were also to happen here. In seeing myself so alone without Jesus, I felt so oppressed as to feel I was dying. Then, having compassion for me, good Jesus came, just a shadow, and told me: “My daughter, do not oppress yourself so much; out of regard for you I will spare this city most grave damages. See if I should not continue to chastise: instead of converting, of surrendering, in hearing of the destruction of other provinces they say that it is those places and lands that make this happen, and so they take their own good time, continuing to offend Me. How blind and foolish they are – is the whole earth not in the palm of my hand? Could I perhaps not open chasms in the earth and cause them to be swallowed in other places as well? And to show them this, I will cause earthquakes in other places, in which they do not usually occur.”

While saying this, He seemed to stretch out His hand into the center of the earth, taking some fire and moving it closer to the surface of the earth; and the earth would shake and the earthquake would be felt, some places more intensely, some places less. And He added: “This is only the beginning of the chastisements – what will be the end of them?”

January 8, 1909
The fruit and the purpose of Communion.

Having received Communion, at the best moment I was thinking of how I could cling to blessed Jesus more then ever, and He said to me: “In order to cling more tightly to Me, to the point of dissolving your being in Mine, just as I transfuse Mine into yours, you must take what is Mine in everything, and in everything leave what is yours; in such a way that if you always think of things which are holy and regard only what is good, and the honor and glory of God, you leave your mind and take the divine. If you speak, if you operate good, and only out of love for God, you leave your mouth and your hands, and you take my mouth and my hands. If you walk along holy and upright paths, you will walk with my own feet; if your heart loves Me alone, you will leave your heart and will take Mine, and will love Me with my own love; and so with all the rest. So, you will be enveloped with all my things, and I with all of yours. Can there be a tighter union than this? If the soul reaches the point of no longer recognizing herself, but the Divine Being within her, these are the fruits of good Communions, and this is the divine purpose in wanting to communicate Himself to souls. But, how frustrated my love remains, and how few are the fruits that souls gather from this Sacrament, to the point that the majority of them remains indifferent, and even nauseated by this divine food.”

January 22, 1909
When God is debtor of the soul.

I was thinking about the many privations of Our Lord, and about the fact that once, years ago, after I had waited for Our Lord for a few hours, when He came I lamented to Him for He had made me struggle so much for His coming, and blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, when I surprise you, anticipating your yearnings for Me, and I come without having you wait, then you are my debtor. But when I have you wait for some time and then I come, I become your debtor – and do you think it is trivial that a God gives you the occasion to make Him your debtor?”

And I was saying to myself: ‘At that time, it was hours, but now it is days – who knows how many debts He has made with me! I believe they are innumerable, because He has been having many of these whims.’ But then I thought to myself: ‘And what is the good for me to have a God debtor? I believe that to have Him as debtor or to be His debtor is the same for Jesus, because in one instant He can give so much to the soul as to equal and surpass the debts He has – and so, here is how the debts are canceled.’

But while I was thinking of this, blessed Jesus told me in my interior: “My daughter, you are speaking nonsense. In addition to the ‘spontaneous gifts’ that I give to souls, there are the ‘gifts of bond’. To the souls of the ‘spontaneous gifts’, I may give or may not – it is my choice, because no bond binds Me; but with the souls of the ‘gifts of bond’, as in your case, I am bound and forced to give them what they want, and to grant them my gifts. Imagine a gentleman and two persons; one of these two persons keeps his money in the hands of the gentleman, while the other does not. That gentleman may give to both one and the other; but which one is more sure to obtain in a circumstance of need – the one who has money in the hands of the gentleman, or the one who does not? Certainly the one who has the money will have all the good dispositions, the courage, the confidence to go and ask for what is deposited in the hands of that gentleman. And if he sees him hesitant in giving, he will say to him, frankly: ‘You better give it to me, and quickly, because indeed I am not asking you for what is yours, but for what is mine.’ On the other hand, if the other one goes, who has nothing deposited in the hands of that gentleman, he will go timidly, without confidence, and it will be up to the gentleman, whether he wants to give him some help or not. This is the difference that passes between when I am the debtor, and when I am not. If you could understand what immense goods are produced by having a credit with Me!”

I add that while I was writing, I was thinking to myself about some more nonsense: ‘When I am in Heaven, my dear Jesus, You will feel irritated for having made so many debts with me; while if you come now, since I become the debtor, You, who are so good, at the first encounter we will have, will cancel all my debts. But I, who am bad, will not let it go, and will demand payment for even a breath of waiting.’ But while I was thinking of this, He told me in my interior: “My daughter, I will not feel irritation, but contentment, because my debts are debts of love, and I desire to be the debtor more than to have you as my debtor. In fact, these debts which I make with you, while being debts for Me, will be pledges and treasures which I will keep in my Heart for eternity, and which will give you the right to be loved by Me more than others. This will be one more joy and glory for Me, and you will be repaid for even a breath, a minute, a desire, a heartbeat; and the more pressing and greedy you will be in demanding, the more pleasure you will give Me, and the more I will give you. Are you happy now?” I remained confused, and did not know what else to say.

January 27, 1909
‘Luisa of the Passion of the Tabernacle’.

Continuing in my usual state, I said to myself: ‘What a useless life mine is – what good do I do? Everything is over; there is no more sharing in thorns, crosses, nails – it seems that everything is exhausted. I do feel suffering, to the point that I cannot move – it is a general rheumatism of pain; but it is something all natural. I am only left with the continuous thought of the Passion, and the union of my will with that of Jesus, offering what He suffered and all of myself as He wants, for whomever He wants; but apart from this, there is nothing but squalid misery. So, what is the purpose of my life?’

While I was thinking of this, blessed Jesus came, just a flash, and told me: “My daughter, do you know who you are? ‘Luisa of the Passion of the Tabernacle’. When I share my pains with you, you are still ‘of Calvary’; when I don’t, you are ‘of the Tabernacle’. See how true this is: in the Tabernacle, I show nothing on the outside – neither crosses, nor thorns; yet, my immolation is the same as on Calvary, the prayers are the same, the offering of my life still continues, my Will has not changed in anything, I burn with thirst for the salvation of souls… I can say that the things of my sacramental life, united with those of my mortal life, are always at one point – they have decreased in nothing; however, everything is interior. So, if your will is the same as when I used to share my pains with you, if your offerings are similar, if your interior is united with Me, with my Will – am I not right in saying that that you are Luisa of the Passion of the Tabernacle? With this difference alone: that when I share my pains with you, you take part in my mortal life, and I spare the world the gravest scourges; when I do not share them with you, I scourge the world, and you take part in my sacramental life – but the life is always one.”

January 28, 1909
What victim means.

Having read a book that talked about the different ways of operating interiorly, and about how Jesus would compensate these souls with a great capital of grace and with superabundant love, I compared everything I had read to the many ways and the many different acts that Jesus had taught me in my interior, which, compared to those of the book, seemed to me to be so vast as the sea compared to a little river. And I said to myself: ‘If this is true, who knows how much grace my always lovable Jesus pours in me, and how much love He has for me!’ Then, as I found myself in my usual state, good Jesus came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, you do not yet know well what it means to be chosen as victim. Just as I, by being victim, enclosed in Me all the acts of creatures, their satisfactions, reparations, adorations and thanksgivings, in such a way that I did for all and for each one that which they were supposed to do; in the same way, since you are victim, it is useless to compare yourself to others, because you must enclose within you, not the way of one, but the variety of the ways of each one. And since I must have you make up for all and for each one, as a consequence I must give you, not the grace that I give to one alone, but as much grace as to equal what I give to the whole of creatures. Therefore, love too must surpass all the love I have for the whole of creatures, because grace and love always go together; they have one single step, one single measure, one single will. Love draws grace, grace draws love – they are inseparable. This is why you see the most extensive sea which I have placed in you, and the little river in others.” I remained astounded, comparing so much grace to so much ingratitude and badness of mine.

January 30, 1909
The story of ‘why’.

Finding myself in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself; I seemed to see a soul in Purgatory, whom I knew, and I said to her: ‘Take a look at how I am before God – I am so concerned about it, especially about the state in which I find myself.’ And she told me: “It takes nothing to know whether you are doing well or badly: if you appreciate suffering, you are doing well; if you don’t, you are doing badly. In fact, one who appreciates suffering, appreciates God; and by appreciating Him, one can never displease Him. Things which are appreciated, are also esteemed, loved, and one cherishes them and keeps them safe, more than oneself. Can it ever be possible that one wants evil for himself? In the same way, it is impossible that one may displease God, if he appreciates Him.”

Then, afterwards, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, in almost all of the events that occur, creatures keep repeating, over and over again: ‘And why? And why? And why? Why this illness? Why this interior state? Why this scourge?’ And many other why’s. The explanation of ‘why’ is not written on earth, but in Heaven, and there everyone will read it. Do you know what ‘why’ is? It is egoism, which gives continuous food to love of self. Do you know where ‘why’ was created? In hell. Who was the first one that pronounced it? A demon. The effects produced by the first ‘why’ were the loss of innocence in Eden Itself, the war of untamable passions, the ruin of many souls, the evils of life. The story of ‘why’ is long; it is enough to tell you that there is no evil in the world which does not carry the mark of ‘why’. ‘Why’ is destruction of divine wisdom in souls. And do you know where ‘why’ will be buried? In hell, to make them restless for eternity, without ever giving them peace. The art of ‘why’ is to wage war against souls, without ever giving them respite.”

VOLUME 9

J.M.J.

March 10, 1909
The Father forms one single thing with Jesus. Jesus gives Himself continuously to souls.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself with baby Jesus in my arms, and I said to Him: ‘Tell me, my little pretty one, what does the Father do?’ And He: “The Father forms one single thing with Me; therefore, whatever the Father does, I do.”

And I added: ‘And with the Saints – what do You do?’ And He: “I give Myself continuously; so, I am their life, joy, happiness, immense good, without end and without boundaries. They are filled with Me; they find everything in Me – I am everything for them, and they are all for Me.”

On hearing this, I wanted to get huffy, and I said to Him: ‘To the Saints You give Yourself continuously, but to me, then – so meagerly, so stingily, and at intervals, to the point of having me spend part of the day without coming. And sometimes You hold off so much that the fear comes to me that You may not even come until evening; so I live dying, but of the most cruel and ruthless death. Yet, You told me that You loved me very much.’ And He: “My daughter, to you also I give Myself continuously – now personally, now by grace, now through light, and in many other ways. And then, who can deny that I love you very, very much?”

Now, at that moment a thought came to me of asking whether my state was Will of God – for that was more necessary than what I was saying to Him. So I told Him, and He, instead of answering me, drew near my mouth and placed His tongue in my mouth, and I was no longer able to speak. I could just suckle something – but I can’t tell what it was; and as He withdrew it, I could only say: ‘Lord, come back soon – who knows when You are coming back.’ And He answered: “This evening I will come back again.” And He disappeared.

April 1, 1909
Jesus bejewels the soul with the gems that come from suffering.

Since I was feeling very much in suffering, to the point of being unable to move, I was offering my little sufferings together with those of Jesus, and with that intensity of love with which He intended to glorify the Father, to repair for our sins, and to obtain all those goods which He impetrated with His sufferings. And I said to myself: ‘I will take it as if these sufferings were a martyrdom of mine, as if the pains were the executioners, as if the bed were the cross, and my immobility the ropes that keep me bound, so as to render myself more dear and loving to my highest good. But the executioners… I don’t see them. So, who is my executioner that lacerates me and tears me to shreds, not only on the exterior of my body, but also in the most intimate parts, deep in my soul – to the point that I feel the circle of my life crack? Ah! my executioner is blessed Jesus Himself!’

At that moment, almost in a flash, He told me: “My daughter, too great for you is the honor of having me as your executioner. I act just like a groom who, having to espouse his bride and send her out in public, in order to make her have a beautiful appearance and to make her worthy of himself, trusts no one, not even his spouse herself, but he himself wants to wash her, comb her, clothe her, adorn her with gems, with diamonds. This is a great honor for a bride; more so, since she will have no such concern: ‘Will I be pleasing to my spouse or not? Will he like the way I adorned myself, or will he reproach me as a foolish one, for not having been able to guess the way to please him the best?’

So I do with my beloved spouses. The love I have for them is so great that I trust no one; I am even forced to act as their executioner – but a loving executioner. And so now I give her a wash, now a comb; now I clothe her a little more beautifully, now I bejewel her – but not with the gems that come from the earth, which are things all superficial; rather, with the gems that I make come out from the depth of her soul, from the most intimate parts, and which are formed at the touch of my fingers that creates suffering; and from suffering come the gems. It converts the will into gold, and this will converted into gold by my own hands, will send out all kinds of things: the most beautiful crowns, the most magnificent garments, the most fragrant flowers, the most pleasant melodies. And with my own hands, as I have them produced, I keep arranging them to adorn her more and more. All this happens with suffering souls; so, am I not right in telling you: ‘Too great for you the honor’?”

May 5, 1909
Sufferings impress the Sanctity of Jesus in the soul.

As I was in my usual state, my benign Jesus made Himself heard for just a little, telling me with His sweet word: “My daughter, mortifications, miseries, privations, sufferings, crosses, for those who make use of them, serve for nothing but to impress well my Sanctity in the soul, as if she kept embellishing herself with all the varieties of the divine colors. Even more, they are nothing other than many fragrances of Heaven, with which the soul remains all perfumed.”

May 8, 1909
One who talks much is empty of God.

Continuing in my usual state, my lovable Jesus made Himself seen for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, one who talks much shows that he is empty in his interior, while one who is filled with God, finding more taste in his interior, does not want to lose that taste; he hardly speaks and only out of necessity. And even while speaking, he never departs from his interior, and he tries, as much as he can, to impress in others that which he feels within himself. On the other hand, one who talks much is not only empty of God, but with his much talking, he tries to empty others of God.”

May 16, 1909
The sun is symbol of grace.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the sun is symbol of grace. When it finds a void, be it even a cave, a vault, a fissure, a hole, as long as there is empty space and a little opening through which to penetrate, it enters and fills everything with light; nor with this does it diminish its light in the other spaces. And if its light does not illuminate more, it is not because it lacks light, but rather, because of the lack of space in which to be able to diffuse its light more. So is my grace: more than majestic sun, it envelops all creatures with its beneficial influence; however, it does not enter but into empty hearts – as much empty space as it finds, so much light does it let penetrate into the hearts.

These voids, then – how are they formed? Humility is the hoe which digs and forms the void. Detachment from everything and also from oneself is the void itself. The window in order to let the grace of light enter into this void, is trust in God and distrust of ourselves. Therefore, as much trust as one has, so much does he enlarge the door in order to let the light in, and to take more grace. The custodian which keeps the light and expands it, is peace.”

May 20, 1909
Love for God surpasses everything.

Continuing in my usual state, He just barely made Himself seen in a flash of light, and He told me: “My daughter, there is nothing that can surpass Love – neither doctrine nor dignity, and much less nobility. At the most, one who uses those for the good of making speculations around my Being can know Me more or less; but who reaches the point of making of Me his own object? Love. Who reaches the point of eating Me as one does with food? Love. One who loves Me devours Me; one who loves Me finds my Being identified with each particle of his being. There is as much difference between one who really loves Me and the others, whatever their conditions or qualities might be, as between one who knows a precious object, appreciates it, esteems it, but it does not belong to him, and one who possesses that precious object as his own. Who is more fortunate between these: the one who knows it or the one who possesses it? Certainly the one who possesses it. So, Love makes up for doctrine and surpasses it; It makes up for dignity and surpasses all dignities, providing one with divine dignity. It makes up for everything and surpasses everything.”

May 22, 1909
The sweet notes of Love.

This morning, as I received Communion, blessed Jesus did not come; and after waiting for a long time between vigil and sleep, in seeing that time was passing and Jesus was not coming, I wanted to go out of my sleep, but at the same time I wanted to stay, because of the torment I felt in my heart at not having seen Him. I felt like a baby who, wanting to sleep and being awakened by force, starts making fusses and cries; however, in my fussing, while striving to wake up I said within my interior: ‘What bitter separation! I feel lifeless, yet I live – but life is harder than death. However, may your privation be for love of You; for love of You the bitterness I feel; for love of You my tormented heart; for love of You the life I don’t feel, though I live. But so that it may be more acceptable to You, I unite this suffering of mine to the intensity of your Love, and with mine, I offer You your own Love.’

But as I was saying this, He moved in my interior and told me: “How sweet and delightful to my hearing is the note of Love. Say it, say it once more – repeat it again; cheer my hearing with these notes of Love, so harmonious, which descend deep into my Heart and sweeten all of Me.”

Yet, who would believe it? I am ashamed to say it… In my huffiness, I answered: ‘I don’t want to say it – You get sweetened, while I get more embittered.’ My sweet Jesus kept silent, as though being displeased with my answer; and as soon as I woke up, I repeated my notes of Love many times. However, He did not let Himself be heard or seen for the whole day.

May 25, 1909
Jesus confounds the soul with Love.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus was not coming; however, for the whole day I felt as if there were someone over me, who would not let me waste one minute of time, but would keep me always in continuous prayer. A thought wanted to distract me by saying to me: ‘When the Lord does not come, you pray more, you are more attentive, and by this you yourself give Him the field not to come, because the Lord may say: “Since she behaves better when I do not go, it is better if I deprive her of Me.”

Since I could not waste time in listening to what my thought was saying, in order to shut the door on its face, I said: ‘The more He does not come, the more I will confound Him with love. I don’t want to give Him the occasion – this is what I can do, and this is what I want to do; and He is free to do whatever He wants.’ And without thinking of the nonsense that my thought had told me, I continued to do what I was supposed to do.

In the evening, however, I didn’t even remember about this. Blessed Jesus came, and almost smiling at me, He told me: “Brava, brava, my lover, who wants to confound Me with love! However, I tell you: you will never confound Me; and if sometimes it seems that I am confounded with love, it is I who give you the freedom to do it, because the only relief and the thing which I most enjoy from creatures is love. In fact, it was I who solicited you to pray, who prayed with you, who gave you no respite. So, instead of Me being confounded, I confounded you with love; and since you felt all filled with love and were confounded by it, in seeing that my Love was pouring so much into you, you thought you were confounding Me with your love. However I tell you: as long as you try to love Me more, I delight in these mistakes of yours, and I make of them a joke between Me and you.”

July 14, 1909
God alone can infuse peace in the soul.

I have gone through a most bitter time because of the privation of blessed Jesus; at most, He would make Himself seen like shadow and lightning, and sometimes even the lightnings seemed to be running away. My mind was troubled by this thought: ‘How cruelly He left me! Jesus is so good… Ah! maybe it wasn’t Him who used to come – His goodness would not have done this to me. Who knows whether it was the devil or my fantasy, or dreams…’ But my inmost soul did not want to hear this – it wanted to remain at peace, and seemed to be annoyed by everything. It would penetrate more and more into the Will of God; it would hide in It, falling into a profound sleep in His Holy Will – and there is no way for it to wake up. It seems that good Jesus encloses it so much in His Will, that He does not allow one to find even the door in order to knock and let it hear that Jesus has left it; and so it sleeps and remains at peace. Receiving no answer, the mind says to itself: ‘Am I the only one who should take the bile? I too want to become calm and do the Will of God. Whatever comes… let it come – as long as I do His Holy Will.’ This is my present state.

Now, this morning, as I was thinking of what I said above, good Jesus told me: “My daughter, if these were fantasies, dreams, demons, they would not have so much strength as to make you possess the halo of peace – and not for one day, but for as many as twenty-five years. No one could have made that aura of sweet peace breeze inside and outside of you – only the One who is all peace; and if a breath of disturbance could surprise Him, He would cease to be God – His Majesty would be obfuscated, His greatness shrunk, His power weakened… In sum, the whole of the Divine Being would receive a shake. The One who possesses you, and whom you possess, is over you; He watches over you continuously for any breath of disturbance. Remember that in all of my comings I have always corrected you if there was a breath of disturbance in you; and nothing would displease Me more than not seeing you in perfect peace; and only then would I disappear from you, when I would see you all peaceful again. Fantasy, dreams, and much less the devil, do not have this virtue; and even less can they give it to others. Therefore, calm yourself and do not be ungrateful to Me.”

July 24, 1909
Everything the soul does out of love for God enters into Him and is transformed into His own works.

I was thinking of the misery of my present state, and I said to myself: ‘How everything is over for me! How good Jesus has forgotten about everything! He no longer remembers my hardships, the sufferings I have gone through for love of Him during many years of bed.’ And so my mind kept going back to some specialties of suffering, and the gravest ones, which I have gone through. At that moment, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, everything that is done for love of Me enters into Me and is transformed into my own works; and since my works are for the good of all – that is, for the pilgrim, the purging and the triumphant souls – everything you have done and suffered for Me is present in Me and does its office for the good of all, just as my works. Would you rather take them back into yourself?”

I answered: ‘May it never be, O Lord!’ But in spite of this I continued to think about it, being a little distracted from my usual interior work; and good Jesus repeated: “You don’t want to stop it? I am going to make you stop it.” And He placed Himself in my interior, praying in a loud voice and saying all that I was supposed to say. On seeing this, I remained confused and I followed good Jesus; and when He saw that I was no longer paying attention to anything else, then He kept silent; and I remained alone, doing what I am used to doing.

July 27, 1909
The soul is the toy of Jesus on earth.

As I was in my usual state, I thought to myself: “What am I here for? I am no longer good for anything. He does not come, and I have remained like a useless object; because without Him I am worth nothing, I suffer nothing. So, why keep me on this earth any longer?’ And He, just flashing by, told me: “My daughter, I keep you for fun, and toys are not always kept in one’s hands. Many times they are not touched even for months and months; but in spite of this, when the owner of that toy wants it, it does not cease to form his amusement. Do you perhaps want Me to have not even one toy on earth? Let Me amuse Myself with you on earth as I please, and in exchange I will let you amuse yourself with Me in Heaven.”

July 29, 1909
Peace is divine virtue.

Continuing in my usual state, I said to myself: ‘Why does the Lord absolutely want that no breath of disturbance enter into me, and that in all things I remain at peace? It seems that nothing pleases Him, be they even great works, heroic virtues, atrocious sufferings… It seems that He sniffs in the soul, and with all those things, if she has no peace, He remains nauseated and displeased with the soul.’ At that moment, He made Himself heard, and with dignified and imposing voice, answering my ‘why’, He told me: “Because peace is divine virtue, while the other virtues are human. So, any virtue, if it is not crowned with peace, cannot be called virtue – but vice. This is why I cherish peace so much – because peace is the surest sign that one suffers and works for Me, and it is the heritage I give to my children, of the eternal peace they will enjoy with Me in Heaven.”

August 2, 1909
The soul: a toy made of gold and diamonds.

I was thinking of what I wrote on the 27^th of last month, and I said to myself: ‘I thought I was something in the hands of the Lord; yet, I am nothing but a toy! What a most wretched object I am! Toys can be made of clay, of earth, of paper, of a flabby elastic band, such that it is sufficient that they fall to the ground – or just the slightest inconvenience, for them to break; and no longer being useful for the game, they are thrown away. Oh, my Good, how oppressed I feel at the thought that one day or another You may throw me away!’ And good Jesus made Himself heard and told me: “My daughter, do not oppress yourself. When toys are made of wretched matter and they break, one throws them away; but if they were made of gold or of diamonds, or of any other precious material, one has them fixed, and they always serve to form the amusement of the one who has the good of possessing them. So you are for Me: a toy made of diamonds and of purest gold, because you have my Image in you, and because I paid the price of my Blood to purchase you, and you are adorned with the likeness of my sufferings. Therefore, you are not a wretched object that I could throw away; rather, it costs Me very much. You can be tranquil – there is no danger I may throw you away.”

October 1, 1909
Jesus counts, weighs and measures everything in the soul, so that nothing may be lost and she may be repaid for everything.

Being very afflicted because of my poor state, I felt nauseating to myself, and abominable before God. I felt as if the Lord had left me halfway on the path, and without Him I feel I cannot go on any further. I feel He no longer wants to use me in order to spare the world the chastisements, and so He has moved crosses and thorns away from me; He has discontinued all my sharing in His Passion, the communications… The only thing I see is that He is on the alert so that I remain at peace. My God, what pain! If You Yourself did not keep me distracted from these losses – of crosses, of You, and of everything, I would die of grief. Ah! if it wasn’t for your Holy Will, into what a sea of troubles I would have fallen! Oh! keep me always in your Holy Will – this is enough for me.

Now, as I was in my usual state, I was crying and saying to myself: ‘Good Jesus has taken me into no account, nor the years of bed, nor the sacrifices – nothing; otherwise He would not have left me – and I cried and cried. At that moment, I felt Him move in my interior and I lost consciousness, but also outside of myself I kept crying. Then, as if a door had opened in my interior, I saw Jesus. I felt huffy and I did not say anything to Him; I just kept crying. Jesus told me: “Calm yourself, calm yourself, do not cry; if you cry, I feel my Heart touched and I faint with love for you. Do you want to increase my pains because of your love?”

Then, assuming a majestic air, as though sitting on a throne within my heart, He seemed to hold a pen in His hand and to write; and turning to me, He said: “See whether I do not take your things into account – not only the years of bed, the sacrifices, but even the thoughts you have for Me. I am writing your affections, your desires – everything… everything, even that which you would want to do or suffer, but you don’t because I do not concede it to you. I count, weigh and measure everything, so that nothing may be lost and you may be repaid for everything. And as I write it, I keep it in my own Heart.”

Then, I don’t now how, I found myself in Jesus, while before I was in my interior. It seemed that the head of Jesus was in the place of my head, and all of my members served as His body; and He repeated: “See how I keep you – like the members of my own body”; and He disappeared. After a little while, as I continued to be afflicted, bursting into crying every so often, Jesus came back and told me: “My daughter, courage, I have not left you; rather, I am hidden, because if I let Myself be seen as before, you would bind Me everywhere, and I would not be able to chastise the world in anything. Nor have I left you halfway on the path; don’t you remember what these last years of your life are? These are the years wanted by your confessor. Don’t you remember that, not once, but as many as four or five times you found yourself fighting with Me – I wanted to take you with Me, and you would tell me that obedience did not want it; and while I had prepared you in order to take you with Me, I was forced to leave you again? Look now at the consequences you are bearing; these are years of pause and of patience. Charity and obedience have their own thorns, which open large wounds and make the heart bleed; but they make the most ruby-red, fragrant and beautiful roses bloom. In fact, in seeing in your confessor the fruit of his good will, and charity, and fear that the world might be chastised – because of this I somehow concurred with him; but if I had not found anyone who would pray Me and interpose himself, you would certainly not be here. But, come – courage, the exile will not be too long after all, and I promise you that the day will come when I will not let Myself be overcome by anyone.”

Who can tell in what bitternesses I swim – comforted, yes, but embittered down to the marrow of my bones. I cannot remember this without crying; so much so, that in telling it to the confessor, the heat of my tears was such that it seemed I would get upset with him; and I truly said to him: ‘You have been the cause of my troubles.’

October 4, 1909
The thought of oneself must be stopped in order to do what Jesus does.

Continuing in my state of affliction and loss of my blessed Jesus, I was all occupied in my interior, according to my usual way, with the Hours of the Passion. The hour I am talking about is that in which Jesus loaded the heavy wood of the Cross upon Himself. The whole world was present to me: past, present and future. My whole imagination seemed to see all the sins of all generations, which pressed and almost crushed benign Jesus; so much so, that the cross was nothing but a twig of straw – a shadow of weight compared to all sins. And I tried to draw near Jesus, saying: ‘See, my Life, my Good, I will stay here in the place of all of them. Do You see how many waves of blasphemies? I am here to repeat that I bless You for all. How many waves of bitternesses, of hatreds, of scorns, of ingratitudes, of so very little love! And I want to soothe You for all, love You for all, thank You, adore You, honor You for all. But my reparations are cold, meager, finite. You, who are the One who is offended, are Infinite, therefore I want to render infinite also my reparations and my love; and in order to make it infinite, immense, endless, I unite myself with You, with your own Divinity – even more, with the Father and with the Holy Spirit, and I bless You with your own blessings, I love You with your Love, I soothe You with your own sweetnesses, I honor You, I adore You, as You do among Yourselves, Divine Persons.’

But who can tell all the nonsense I was saying? I would never end if I wanted to say everything. When I find myself in the Hours of the Passion I feel that, together with Jesus, I too embrace the immensity of His work; and for all and for each one I glorify God, I repair, I impetrate for all, and therefore I find it difficult to say everything. So, while I was doing this, a thought told me: ‘You are thinking about the sins of others – and what about your own? Think about yourself, repair for yourself.’ So I tried to think about my evils, my great miseries, the privations of Jesus caused by my sins, and getting distracted from the usual things of my interior, I cried over my great misfortune. At that moment, my always lovable Jesus moved in my interior, and with sensible voice told me: “Do you want to arbitrate yourself? The work of your interior is not yours, but mine; you do nothing but follow Me – the rest I do all by Myself. The thought of yourself you must stop; you must do nothing but what I want, and I will take care of your evils and goods. Who can do more good to you – yourself or I?” And He showed Himself displeased.

So I began to follow Him, but after a little while, as I reached another point of the way to Calvary, at which, more than anywhere else, I would penetrate into the different intentions of Jesus, a thought told me: ‘Not only must you stop the thought of sanctifying yourself, but also that of being saved. Don’t you see that by yourself you are good at nothing? What good can ever come to you by doing this for others?’ Turning to Jesus, I said to Him: ‘My Jesus, are your Blood, your pains, your cross not there for me? I have been so bad, that having trampled them under my feet with my sins, maybe You have exhausted them for me. But, O please!, forgive me; and if You do not want to forgive me, leave me your Will and I will be content. Your Will is everything for me. I have remained alone without You, and You alone can know the loss I suffered. I have no one; creatures without You bore me; I feel I am in this prison of my body like a slave in chains. At least, for pity’s sake, do not take your Holy Will away from me!’ So, while thinking of this, I got distracted again from my interior; and Jesus, again, made me hear His voice, louder and more imposing, saying: “You don’t want to stop it? Do you want to waste my work in you?”

I don’t know… as if He had silenced my mind, I tried to follow Him and to stop it.

October 6, 1909
The virtues of true love are: to purify everything, to triumph over everything, to reach everything.

After I received Communion, my always lovable Jesus came for a little while, and since I had had a discussion with the confessor on the nature of true love, I wanted to ask Jesus whether I was right or wrong, and He said to me: “My daughter, it is exactly like that, as you were saying – that true love facilitates everything, excludes any fear, any doubt, and all of its art is in taking possession of the beloved; and when it has made her its own, love itself provides her with the means in order to preserve the object acquired. Now, what fear, what doubt can a soul have about something that belongs to her? What can she not hope for? Even more, when she has come to take possession of it, love becomes daring and reaches the point of taking excesses up to the incredible. True love can say: ‘There is no longer yours and mine – I am yours, and you are mine; so, we can dispose of each other, delight in each other, enjoy each other. If I have acquired you, I want to use you as I please.’

How can the soul, in this state of true love, go fishing for defects, miseries, weaknesses, if the object acquired has condoned her everything, embellishes her with everything, and the object that she possesses keeps purifying her continuously? These are the virtues of true love: to purify everything, to triumph over everything, to reach everything. In fact, what love can there be for a person whom one fears, about whom one doubts, from whom one does not hope for everything? Love would lose the best of its qualities. It is true that even in the saints one can see this; and this shows that in the saints love can be imperfect and can have its variety, according to the state in which they find themselves.

In you the thing is very different: since you should be in Heaven with Me, and you have sacrificed this for love of obedience and of your neighbor, love has been confirmed in you, the will has been confirmed in not offending Me. Therefore your life is like a life that has already passed, and this is why you do not feel the burden of your miseries. So, be well attentive on what befits you, and on loving Me up to the infinite Love.”

October 7, 1909
Caution and jealousy of Jesus in surrounding with thorns both soul and body of creatures.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, my jealousy and the caution I have for my creatures is such and so great, that in order not to let them be ruined, I am forced to surround them with thorns – both soul and body, so that the thorns may keep away from them the mud that could dirty them. This is why, my daughter, I surround with thorns – that is, with bitternesses, with privations, with different interior states – also my greatest favors with which I favor the souls who are dear to Me, so that these thorns may not only keep them, but prevent their getting dirty with the mud of love of self, and the like.” And He disappeared.

October 14, 1909
Proofs that it is Jesus that goes to Luisa.

Continuing in my usual state, I seemed to find myself with a baby in my arms; and from one they became three, and I felt all immersed in them. Now, in the morning, when the confessor came, he asked me whether Jesus had come, and I told him what is written above, without adding anything else. The confessor told me: “Didn’t they tell you anything? Didn’t you understand anything?”

And I: ‘I can’t say it well.’ And he continued: “The whole Trinity was here and you can say nothing? You have become more stupid – it shows that these are dreams.” And I: ‘Yes, it is true that they are dreams.’ He continued to say other things, and while the confessor was speaking, I felt clasped, so very tightly, by the arms of Jesus, to the point of losing consciousness; and Jesus told me: “Who is it that wants to molest my daughter?” And I: ‘Father is right; since I am unable to say anything, they have no sign that it is Jesus Christ that comes to me.’ And Jesus continued: “I act with you as the sea would with a person who would go and dive into the depth of the sea. I plunge all of you into my Being, in such a way that all of your senses remain inundated; and in such a way, that if you want to speak of my immensity, depth and height, you can only say that it was so great that your sight was lost. If you want to speak of my delights, of my qualities, you can say that they are such and so many, that as you went about opening your mouth to count them, you were drowned in them; and so with all the rest. Besides, what is this – I have given no sign that it was I? False. Who has kept you in bed for twenty-two years without breaking you, and with full calm and patience? Has it perhaps been their virtue, or my virtue? And what about the tests they made during the first years of this state of yours, or making you remain immobile for ten, seven, or eighteen days without taking any of the necessary nourishments. Were they perhaps the ones who maintained you, or was it I?”

Then, since Father had called me, I returned into myself. Then, as the confessor celebrated Holy Mass, I received Communion, and Jesus came back. I lamented to Jesus that He was not coming as before; that the great love He had for me seemed to have turned into coldness… ‘It is true that as I lament to You, You always give excuses – that You want to chastise and this is why You do not come; but I don’t believe it. Who knows what evil there is in my soul, and because of it You do not come. Tell me at least, for at any cost, even of giving my life, I will remove it; but without You I cannot be. Think what You want; in this way I cannot go on – either with You on earth, or with You in Heaven.’ And blessed Jesus, interrupting my speaking, told me: “Calm yourself, calm yourself, I am not far away from you, but I am always with you. You do not always see Me, but I am always with you; even more, I am in your inmost heart in order to rest, and as you look for Me and bear my privations with patience, you surround Me with flowers to cheer Me and make Me rest more peacefully.”

And while He was saying this, it seemed that there were many varieties of flowers around Jesus, which almost concealed Him. Then He added: “You don’t believe that I keep you deprived of Me in order to chastise; yet it is so. When you least expect it, you will hear of the things that will happen.” And while saying this, He showed me, in the world, wars, revolutions against the Church, churches on fire – and this was almost imminent.

November 2, 1909
One should never look at the past, but at the present.

Continuing in my usual state, I was thinking about my things of the past, and blessed Jesus, making Himself seen for just a little, told me: “My daughter, do not look at the past, because the past is already in Me and can be of distraction for you, and it can make you mistake that little bit of path that is left for you to cover. In fact, your turning to the past makes you slow your pace on the present journey, and so you lose time and do not advance on your way. On the other hand, by looking only at the present, you will have more courage, you will remain more closely united with Me, you will advance more on your path, and there will be no danger of your being mistaken.

November 4, 1909
With His beatitude God renders all Heaven blissful, because everything is harmony in Him.

Having received Communion, I was saying to my adorable Jesus: ‘I am now tightly united with You – even more, I am identified with You. If we are one single thing, I leave my being in You, and I take Yours. So I leave You my mind, and I take Yours; I leave You my eyes, my mouth, my heart, my hands, my steps… Oh! how happy I will be from now on! I will think with your mind, I will look with your eyes, I will speak with your mouth, I will love with your Heart, I will work with your hands, I will walk with your feet… And if something comes to me, I will say: “I left my being in Jesus and I took His own – go to Jesus, and He will answer you for me.” Oh, how blissful I feel! Ah yes, I take from You also your beatitude, isn’t it true, Jesus? But, my Life and my Good, with your beatitude You render all Heaven blissful, while if I take your beatitude I make no one blissful.’ And Jesus told me: “My daughter, you too, by taking all of my Being along with my beatitude, can make others blissful. Why has my Being the virtue of beatifying? Because everything is harmony in Me, one virtue harmonizes with the other: justice with mercy, sanctity with beauty, wisdom with strength, immensity with depth and height, and so with all the rest. Everything is harmony in Me – nothing is discordant. These harmonies make Me blissful and I beatify all those who draw near Me. So, as you take my Being, be careful that all virtues harmonize among themselves; and this harmony will communicate beatitude to whomever draws near you, because in seeing goodness, sweetness, patience, charity and equality in everything in you, they will feel blissful being near you.”

November 6, 1909
The privation of Jesus purifies and consumes the soul.

I was lamenting to Jesus because of His privations, and making Himself seen for just a little, He told me: “My daughter, the cross unites the soul ever more closely to Me. These privations that you suffer make you fly above yourself, because not finding the One whom you love in you, life becomes boring to you, all the things that surround you annoy you, and you have nothing on which to lean. The One on whom alone you used to lean seems to be missing in you, and therefore the soul keeps flying and flying, until she is purged of everything, to the point of being consumed; and in these consummations your Jesus will give you the final kiss and you will find yourself in Heaven. Aren’t you happy?”

November 9, 1909
Amusement of Jesus when the soul operates together with Him.

As I was in my usual state, I seemed to see Our Lord extending His arms within me, and playing, with His hands, a little sonata with an organ while being inside of me. Jesus amused Himself in playing. I said to Him: ‘Oh, how well You amuse Yourself!’ And Jesus: “Yes, I do. You must know that since you have done your things together with Me – that is, you have loved Me with my love, you have adored Me with my adorations, you have repaired Me with my own reparations, and so with all the rest – things are immense in you, just as my own, and this union in operating has formed this organ. However, every time you suffer something more, you add one more key, and I immediately come to play my little sonata, to see what sound this new key produces; and I enjoy one more amusement. Therefore, the more you suffer, the more harmony you add to my organ, and I amuse Myself more.”

November 16, 1909
Sin is the only disorder in the soul.

After spending bitter days of privation, having received Communion, I was lamenting to blessed Jesus, saying to Him: ‘It really seems You want to leave me completely; but, at least tell me: do You want me to go out of this state? Who knows what disorder there is in me that You have moved away. Tell me, for I promise you from the heart – I will be more good.’

And Jesus: “My daughter, do not become alarmed. When I make you lose consciousness, remain peaceful; when I don’t, remain more peaceful, without wasting time. Whatever happens to you, take everything from my hands; can I not suspend your state for a few days? As for the disorder, I would have told you. Do you know what puts disorder in the soul? Only sin, even the slightest. Oh, how it deforms her, discolors her, debilitates her! But the interior states, the privations, do no harm to her. Therefore, be careful not to offend Me, even slightly, and have no fear of disorder in your soul.”

And I: ‘But, Lord, there must be something bad in me. Before, You did nothing but come and go, and in these visits… sharing of crosses, of nails, of thorns; but when nature has become so used to them to the point of considering them natural, so much so, that suffering is easier for her than not suffering, You withdraw. How is it possible that there is nothing grave in me?’ And Jesus, benignly, told me: “Listen my daughter, I had to dispose your soul to make you reach this point of delighting in suffering, so as to do my work; therefore I had to test you, surprise you, load you with sufferings, so that your nature might rise again to new life. This work I have completed, since the participation in my pains has remained in you permanently, now more, now less. Now, having completed this work, I am enjoying it; don’t you want me to rest? Listen, do not want to think about it; let your Jesus do it, who loves you very much. I know when my crafting is necessary in you, and when I must rest from my work.”

November 20, 1909
Human and divine views of the cross.

As I was in my usual state, my sweet Jesus came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, one who takes the cross according to human views finds it muddy, and therefore heavier and more bitter. On the other hand, one who takes the cross according to divine views finds it full of light, light and sweet. In fact, the human views are without grace, strength and light, therefore she has the boldness to say: ‘Why did that person do that wrong to me? Why did this one cause me this displeasure, this calumny?’ And the soul fills herself with indignation, with anger, with revenge, and so the cross becomes muddy, dark, heavy and bitter. On the other hand, the divine views are full of grace, of strength and of light, therefore she does not have the boldness to say: ‘Lord, why did you do this to me?’ On the contrary, she humbles herself, she resigns herself, and the cross becomes light and brings her light and sweetness.”

November 25, 1909
Both in Jesus and in souls, the first crafting is done by Love.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was thinking about the agony of Jesus in the Garden; and blessed Jesus, making Himself seen for just a little, told me: “My daughter, men did nothing but work the skin of my Humanity, while the eternal Love worked all of my interior. So, in my agony, the eternal Love, the immense Love, the incalculable Love, the hidden Love – not men – opened large wounds in Me, pierced Me with flaming nails, crowned Me with burning thorns, made Me drink boiling gall. And my Humanity, unable to contain so many different martyrdoms at the same time, poured out large streams of Blood; It writhed, and reached the point of saying: ‘Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from Me; yet, not my will, but Yours be done’ – which It did not say in the rest of the Passion. Everything I suffered during the course of the Passion, I suffered all together in the agony – but in a more intense, more painful, more intimate way, because Love penetrated deep into the marrow of my bones and into the most intimate fibers of my Heart, which creatures could never reach. But Love reaches everything; there is nothing that can resist It. So, my first executioner was Love. This is why in the course of my Passion there was not even a reproachful glance in Me toward those who acted as my executioners – because I had a more cruel, more active executioner in Me: Love. And where the external executioners could not reach, or a little part of Me was spared, Love would continue Its work and spare Me nothing.

This happens in all souls: the first work is done by Love, and once Love has worked her and filled her with Itself, what appears on the outside is nothing but the outpouring of the crafting that Love has performed inside.”

December 22, 1909
The reason for the states of abandonments in holy souls before their death.

Having received Communion, I was lamenting to blessed Jesus because of His privations, for if He comes, it is almost always like a flash, or He remains all silent. And Jesus told me: “My daughter, in almost all souls to whom I have communicated Myself in an extraordinary way, I have allowed these states of abandonments at the end of their lives. This, not only because of certain other purposes of mine, but also in order to be honored and glorified in all of my conduct. In fact, many say: ‘Of course these souls were to reach such a high point of sanctity, and they loved Him so much! With so many favors, with so many graces and charisms, they would have to be really ungrateful not to reach that level. If we had received them, we too would have reached it – more than them.’ So, in order to justify my conduct, I will manifest to them the abandonments, the privations in which I put these souls, which is a living purgatory for them; and also their faithfulness, the heroism of their virtues, and how it is easier to suffer poverty when one does not know riches, than to be born rich, getting used to living as a rich person, and then lose the riches and live like a poor one. More so, since the supernatural riches are not like the material ones, which serve the body and, at most, diffuse on the outside. The supernatural riches penetrate deep into one’s marrow, into the most intimate fibers, into the noblest part of the intelligence. It is enough to say that it is more than martyrdom. I Myself am moved to pity so much, that my Heart almost breaks with tenderness; and I am forced to feel it break so very often that I cannot resist – also to give them the strength to fulfill their consummation. All Angels and Saints keep their gazes fixed on them, and they watch over them for Me, so that they may not succumb, knowing the crude martyrdom they suffer. My daughter, courage, you are right; but know that everything is Love in Me.”

And as He was saying this, He seemed to be moving farther away. I felt my very nature being consumed and melted into nothingness. Those seeds of strength, of light, of knowledge which I seemed to feel – everything turned into nothing. I felt I was dying; yet, I live. In the meantime He came back, and taking me in his arms, He seemed to sustain this nothingness of mine, telling me: “Do you see, my daughter, how, as the little seed of your strength, the little lamp of your light, the little knowledge of Me that you have, and all of your other little qualities dissolve, my strength, my light, my wisdom, my beauty and all of my other qualities take over and fill this nothingness of yours? Aren’t you happy?”

And I said to Him: ‘Listen, Jesus, if you continue in this way, You will lose taste for keeping me on earth.’ And I repeated this various times. And Jesus, not wanting to listen to my words, answered: “Listen, my daughter, I will never lose taste for you – if I keep you on earth, I will have my taste on earth; if I take you to Heaven, I will have my taste in Heaven. Do you know, rather, who will lose taste? Your confessor.”

February 24, 1910
Luisa is not able to manifest her interior to the confessor.

This morning, at Communion, I was lamenting to Jesus for I am no longer able to manifest my state to the one I am supposed to. Yes, many times I feel filled with Him, I seem to touch Him everywhere; and even in touching myself, I touch Jesus – but I cannot say a word; I would but dissolve myself in Jesus, in the depths of the most strict silence. And if I am forced, or spurred on to speak – oh God!, what effort I have to make; I feel like a child who feels so very sleepy, and they want to wake her up by force, and so she throws a tantrum.

So, I said to Jesus: ‘You have deprived me of everything – of your sufferings, of your favors, of your harmonious, sweet and gentle voice. I no longer recognize myself from the way I have become; and if You let me comprehend something, it is so deep inside, that it does not find the way to come out. Tell me, my Life, how should I behave?’ And Jesus: “My daughter, if you have Me, you have everything, and this must be enough for you. If you feel filled with Me, it is a sign that I keep you in the house of my Divinity. If a rich person admits a poor one into his house, it is a sign that he will give to the poor one everything he needs, even if he does not always speak to him, or caress him; otherwise, it would be a dishonor for the rich one. Am I not more than the rich one? Therefore, calm yourself and try to manifest what you can to obedience; as for the rest, leave everything to my care.”

February 26, 1910
Before dying, the soul must make everything die in the Divine Will and in Love.

My usual state of privation continues – and perhaps it is even worse. Oh God! What a descent I have made. I could never imagine I would reach such an end; but at least I hope I will never, never go out of the circle of His Most Holy Will – this is everything for me. I would like to cry over my heart-rending state, and sometimes I do; but Jesus reproaches me, telling me: “You want to be always a little girl? It shows that I am dealing with a little girl – I cannot trust you; I was hoping to find in you the heroism of sacrifice for Me, but instead I find the tears of a little girl who wants no sacrifice.”

And so, if I cry, He shows Himself harder, and He does one of His bravados by not coming at all for that day. Therefore, I have to pluck up courage to keep crying away from me, and I say to Jesus: “You say that You deprive me of Yourself out of love, and for love of You I accept your privation; for love of You I will not cry.’ And if I manage it, He shows Himself a little bit more indulgent; otherwise He penalizes me more with His privation – dying continuously, though living. Then, after spending a day like this, as much as I tried, I could not hold back my tears. Jesus made me pay for it as I deserved, but late at night, having compassion for me, as if just a window of light had opened in my mind, He made Himself seen and told me: “Don’t you want to understand that before dying you must die to everything – to suffering, to desires, to favors, to everything; and that everything must die in my Will and in my Love? That which enters eternity in Heaven is my Will and Love – all other virtues end: patience, obedience, suffering, desires… Only my Will and Love never end. Therefore, you must die in advance in my Will and in Love.

This is for all of my saints; and I Myself did not want to spare Myself being abandoned by the Father, so as to die completely in the Will and in the Love of the Father. Oh! how I would have wanted to suffer more! Oh! how much more did I yearn to do for souls! But all this died in the Will and Love of the Father, and so also have the souls done who have really loved Me. And you don’t want to understand this.”

March 8, 1910
The upright intention is light of the soul.

This morning, blessed Jesus came briefly and told me: “My daughter, the upright intention is light of the soul. It converts her into light, and it gives her the way to operate in a divine manner. The soul is nothing but a dark room, and the upright intention is like sun that enters into it and illuminates it; with this difference: the sun does not turn walls into light, while the upright working transforms everything into light.”

March 12, 1910
The Divine Will perfects love; It modifies it, It constrains it, and It expands it into something holier and more perfect.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came just in passing and told me: “My daughter, my Will perfects love; It modifies it, It shrinks it, and It expands it into something holier and more perfect. Sometimes love would want to run away and devour everything; but my Will masters love and says: ‘Slow down, don’t run away, because by running away you can hurt yourself, and by wanting to devour everything you can be mistaken.’ Love is pure insofar as it is conformed to my Will; they walk together, and they kiss each other continuously with the kiss of peace. Other times, either because of an interior state or because in its escapes it has not succeeded as it wanted, love would want to constrain Me and almost sit down sluggishly; so my Will spurs it on and says to it: ‘Come on, true lovers are not lazy – they don’t remain idle.’ When it is enclosed in my Will – only then is love safe. So, love makes one appreciate and desire something, and it is taken by follies and by excesses; while my Will tempers and calms love itself, and nourishes the loving soul with a food more solid and divine. Therefore, in love there can be many imperfections, even in holy things, while in my Will – never; everything is perfect.

My daughter, this happens especially in loving souls who have received the grace of my visits, of my kisses and caresses: they remain prey to love when I deprive them of Myself; love takes possession of them and renders them panting, fidgety, delirious, mad, restless, impatient. So, if it wasn’t for my Will that nourishes them, calms them, strengthens them, love would kill them. Though love is nothing but the firstborn child of my Will, it needs always to be corrected by my Will; and I love it as much as I love Myself.”

March 16, 1910
The narrow path to salvation.

In speaking with the confessor, he told me that it is difficult to be saved, for Jesus Christ Himself said it: “The door is narrow; you must strive to enter.” Then, after I received Communion, Jesus told me: “Poor Me, how stingy they consider Me. Tell the confessor: from their stinginess they judge mine. They do not hold Me as the great, immense, interminable, powerful Being, infinite in all of my perfections, who can make great crowds of people pass through narrowness, more than through wideness itself.”

And as He was saying this, I seemed to see a very narrow pathway, which led to a little door, narrow, but jam-packed with people, who were competing with one another to see who could advance more and enter into it. Jesus added: “See, my daughter, what a great crowd is pushing forward; and they compete to see who arrives first. In a competition there is much gaining, while if the pathway were wide no one would bother hastening, knowing that there is room for them to walk on whenever they want. But while they are taking their time, death may come, and not finding themselves walking on the narrow pathway, they would find themselves at the threshold of the wide door of hell.

Oh, how much good this narrowness does! This happens also among yourselves: if there is a feast or a service, and it is known that the place is small, many hurry up, and there will be more spectators enjoying that feast or service. But if it is known that the place is large, nobody bothers hastening and there will be less spectators; because, knowing that there is room for everyone, everyone takes his time, and some arrive in the middle of it, some at the end, and some find everything finished, enjoying nothing. This is what would have happened if the pathway to salvation were wide – few would bother hastening, and the feast of Heaven would have been for few.”

March 23, 1910
Living in the Divine Will is greater than Communion Itself.

As I was in my usual state, and lamenting because of His privations, He came just in passing and told me: “My daughter, I recommend that you not get out of my Will, because my Will contains such power as to be a new Baptism for the soul – and even more than Baptism itself. In fact, while in the Sacraments there is part of my Grace, in my Will there is the whole fullness of It. In the Baptism, the stain of original sin is removed, but passions and weaknesses remain. In my Will, since the soul destroys her own volition, she also destroys passions, weaknesses and all that is human; and she lives of the virtues, of the fortitude and of all the Divine qualities.”

On hearing this, I said to myself: ‘In a little while He is going to say that His Will is greater than Communion Itself.’ And He added: “Of course, of course, because the Sacramental Communion lasts a few minutes, while my Will is perennial communion; even more, eternal – entering eternity in Heaven. The Sacramental Communion is subject to some obstacles, either because of illness, or necessity, or because of those who have to administer It; while the Communion of my Will is not subject to any hindrance. If the soul only wants it, all is done. No one can prevent her from having such a great good which forms the happiness of the earth and of Heaven – neither demons, nor creatures, and not even my Omnipotence Itself. The soul is free; no one has any right over her at this point of my Will. This is why I push It, and I want so much that creatures take It: It is the most important thing for Me; the thing which I cherish the most. All other things do not interest Me as much, not even the holiest ones. And when I obtain that the soul live in my Will, I feel triumphant – because this is the greatest good which can exist in Heaven and on earth.”

April 10, 1910
Preparation and thanksgiving at Communion.

I write to obey, but I feel my heart crack from the effort I am making. But, Viva Obedience – Viva the Will of God! I write, but I tremble, and I myself don’t know what I am saying. Obedience wants me to write something about how I prepare myself and thank blessed Jesus at Communion. I don’t know how to say anything about it, because my sweet Jesus, in seeing my incapacity and that I am good at nothing, does everything Himself: He prepares my soul, and He Himself administers the thanksgiving to me; and I follow Him.

Now, the way of Jesus is always immense, and together with Jesus, I too feel immense, and as if I were able to do something. Then Jesus withdraws, and I remain always the stupid one that I am, the little ignorant one, the little naughty one. And it is exactly because of this that Jesus loves me – because I am ignorant, and I am no one, and I can do nothing. Knowing that I want to receive Him at any cost, so as not to receive dishonor in coming into me, but rather, highest honor, He Himself prepares my poor soul. He gives me His own things, His merits, His clothing, His works, His desires – in sum, all of Himself. If necessary, also that which the Saints did, because everything is His own; if necessary, also that which the Most Holy Mama did. And I too say to all: ‘Jesus, give honor to Yourself in coming into me. My Queen Mama, Saints, all Angels, I am so very poor; everything that is yours – put it in my heart, not for me, but for the honor of Jesus.’ And I feel that all of Heaven contributes to preparing me. And after Jesus has descended within me, I seem to see Him all pleased, seeing Himself honored by His own things; and sometimes He tells me: “Brava, brava, my daughter, how happy I am – how pleased I am. Everywhere I look within you, I find things worthy of Me. Everything that is mine, is yours; how many beautiful things you made Me find!”

Knowing that I am so very poor, that I have done nothing, and that nothing is mine, I laugh at the contentment of Jesus, and I say: ‘Thank goodness Jesus thinks like this! It is enough that He came – this is enough for me. It doesn’t matter that I have used His own things – the poor must receive from the rich.’ Now, it is true that a few glimmers here and there remain in me about the way Jesus has at Communion, but I am unable to reunite these glimmers together, and form a preparation and a thanksgiving. I lack the capacity; it seems to me that I prepare myself in Jesus Himself, and that I thank Him with Jesus Himself.

May 24, 1910
One who lives up high in the Divine Will, is not subject to mutations.

As I was in my usual state, I felt I was really a useless being; I was unable to think of either sins, or coldness or fervor – I looked at all things in the same way. I feel indifferent to everything; I occupy myself with nothing but the Holy Will of God, but without anxiety, rather, in the most perfect calm. So, I was saying to myself: ‘What a bad state mine is! Had I at least the thought of my sins – yet, it seems I am happy with them. Oh, Holy God, what disgrace is mine!’ While I was saying this, blessed Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, those who live down below, breathing the air that everyone breathes, are forced to feel the various mutations of weather – that is, cold, heat, rain, hail, winds, nighttime, daytime… But one who lives up high, where the air ends, is not subject to feeling these mutations of weather, because there is nothing but perfect daytime; and not feeling these mutations, naturally she has no concerns at all. The same happens to one who lives up high and from the divine air alone. Since my Being is not subject to mutations, but It is always the same, always peaceful and in full contentment, what is the wonder if one who lives in Me, from my Will and from my own air, has no concerns about anything? So, would you rather live down below like the majority does – that is, outside of Me, from human air, from passions…?”

June 2, 1910
The soul must die to everything in order to rise again, more beautiful.

As I was feeling very bad and as if everything was over, I was lamenting to Jesus about this total abandonment by Him, and Jesus told me: “My daughter, these are divine ways – to die and to rise again continuously. See, nature itself is subject to these deaths and to these risings: the flower is born and dies – but to rise again more beautiful; while if it never died, it would grow old, it would lose the liveliness of its complexion, the fragrance of its scent… And here is also the simile with my Being, which is ever old and ever new. The seed is sowed under the earth, as though buried so as to make it die; and in fact it dies, to the point of being pulverized, but then it rises again, more beautiful – even more, multiplied; and so with all the rest. If this happens in the natural order, much more in the spiritual order must the soul be subject to these deaths and to these risings, such that while it seems that she has triumphed over everything and abounds in fervor, in graces, in union with Me, in virtues, and that she has acquired as many new lives in everything, I hide Myself and it seems that everything dies around her. I give strokes of a true master, helping to make everything die for her; and when it appears to Me that everything has died for her, like sun, I come out – I unveil Myself, and with Me everything rises again, more beautiful, more vigorous, more faithful, more grateful, more humble, in such a way that, if there was anything human, death has destroyed it, making everything rise again to new life.”

July 4, 1910
The agony in the Garden was, in a special way, for the help of the dying; the agony on the Cross was for help at the last moment, at the very last breath.

Continuing in my usual state full of privations and of bitterness, I was thinking about the agony of Our Lord, and the Lord told me: “My daughter, in a special way I wanted to suffer the agony in the Garden, in order to help all of the dying to die well. Look well at how my agony is combined with the agony of Christians: tediums, sadnesses, anguishes, the sweat of blood – I felt the death of all and of each one, as if I were really dying for each one in particular; so I felt the tediums, the sadnesses, the anguishes of each one within Me, and with my own I offered help, comfort and hope to all, so that, as I felt their deaths in Me, they all might receive the grace to die in Me, as though in one single breath – with my breath, and to be beatified immediately by my Divinity.

If the agony in the Garden was in a special way for the dying, the agony on the Cross was for help at the last moment, at the very last breath. They are both agonies, but one is different from the other: the agony in the Garden, full of sadnesses, of fears, of anxieties, of frights; the agony on the Cross, full of peace, of imperturbable calm. And if I cried out ‘I thirst!’, it was the insatiable thirst that all might breathe their last in my last breath; and in seeing that many would go out of my last breath, out of grief I cried out ‘Sitio!’ [‘I thirst!’], and this ‘sitio’ still continues to cry out to all and to each one like a bell at the door of each heart: ‘I thirst for you, oh soul! O please, never go out of Me, but enter into Me and breathe your last in Me!’

So, six are the hours of my Passion which I gave to men in order to die well: the three in the Garden were for help in the agony; the three on the Cross for help at the very last sigh before death. After this, who could not look at death with a smile? More so for one who loves Me, for one who tries to sacrifice himself on my very cross. Do you see how beautiful death is, and how things are changed? In life I was despised; the very miracles did not produce the effects of my death; even up to the Cross there were insults. But as soon as I breathed my last, death had the power to change things: all beat their breasts, confessing Me the true Son of God; my very disciples plucked up courage, and even those who were hidden became brave and asked for my body, giving Me honorable burial. Heaven and earth, in full voice, confessed Me the Son of God. Death is something great, something sublime; and this happens also for my own children: in life they are despised, oppressed; those very virtues which, like light, should make those who are around them start, remain half-veiled; their heroisms in suffering, their abnegations, their zeal for souls, cast lights and doubts in those who surround them; and I Myself permit these veils, so as to preserve with more safety the virtue of my dear children. But as soon as they die, I withdraw these veils since they are no longer necessary, and the doubts become certainties, the light becomes clear, and this light makes others appreciate their heroism – they pay esteem to everything, even to the smallest things. Therefore, what cannot be done in life, is made up for by death. This, as for what happens down here. That which happens up there, then, is truly surprising and enviable to all mortals.”

July 8, 1910
For Jesus, the body is like the Tabernacle, the soul is like the pyx.

Being very afflicted because of the privation of my highest Good, and having received Communion, in receiving the holy host, it stopped in my throat, and as I suckled it in order to push it down, I suckled a sweet and delicious humor. Then, after suckling very much, it went down, and I could see the host changed into a baby, who said: “Your body is my Tabernacle, your soul is the pyx that contains Me; the beating of your heart is like the host that serves Me in order to transform Myself into you, as if within a host; with this difference: that in the host, as it is consumed, I am subject to continuous deaths; while the beating of your heart, symbolizing your love, is not subject to being consumed, and so my Life is continuous. Therefore, why so much affliction about my privations? If you don’t see Me, you feel Me; if you don’t feel Me, you touch Me… and now with the fragrance of my perfumes which diffuse around you; now with the light with which you feel invested; now by making a liqueur that cannot be found on earth descend into you; now by just touching you; and the many other ways which are invisible to you.”

Now, in order to obey, I will write these things that Jesus says happen to me often, and also while being fully awake. These fragrances – I myself am unable to tell what kind they are – I call ‘the fragrance of love’; and I feel it at Communion, if I pray, if I work, especially if I have not seen Him, and I say to myself: ‘Today He has not come. Don’t You know, O Jesus, that without You I cannot be, nor do I want to be?’ And immediately, and almost suddenly, I feel as though invested by that fragrance. Other times, as I move, or if I move the bed sheets, I feel that fragrance coming out, and in my interior I hear Him say: “I am here”. Other times, while I am all afflicted, as I go about raising my eyes, a ray of light comes before my sight. However, these things I take into no account, nor do they satisfy me. That which, alone, makes me happy is Jesus; all the rest I receive with certain indifference.

I wrote this only to obey.

July 29, 1910
The two pillars on which the soul must lean.

Continuing in my usual state, I felt I was so very bad – and even more, I felt troubled because even the confessor says that I have very much fallen out of my early state, otherwise Jesus would come. So, having received Communion, I lamented to blessed Jesus about His privations, asking Him to have the goodness of telling me what is the evil I do, for I would gladly give my life rather than displease Him: ‘How many times have I told You: if You see that I am about to offend You, even slightly, make me die’. And Jesus told me: “My daughter, do not trouble yourself. Have I not said years ago that in order to chastise the world I would not come so often to relieve Myself with you, and as a consequence, I would not come too often, though I would never leave you; and in order to make up for my frequent coming and going, I would permit Mass and Communion every day, so that you might draw the strength which you used to draw from my continuous visits; so much so, that I reached the point of threatening the confessor if he would not offer to do it? Yet, who does not know the chastisements that have happened in the meantime? Entire cities destroyed, rebellions, the withdrawal of grace from the evil, and also from the very religious who are evil, so that those poisons, those wounds which they had inside, might come out… Ah! I can take no more, the sacrileges are enormous; yet, this is still nothing compared to the chastisements that will come! Had I not said this before, you would have some reason to become alarmed.

You, however, must lean on two pillars to be able to live with full confidence. One is my Will. In my Will there cannot be sins; my Will smashes all passions and sins to pieces – even more, It pulverizes them, to the point of destroying their roots. If you lean on the pillar of my Will, darkness will convert into light, doubts into certainty, hopes into possession. The second pillar on which you must lean is the firm will and continuous attention not to offend Me, even slightly; disposing one’s own will to suffer everything, to face everything, to be submitted to everyone, rather than displease Me. When the soul sees that she is leaning continuously on these pillars, which form more than her very life, she can live with greater confidence than if she lived with my continuous favors. More so, since I permit this state also to dispose you to departing from this earth.”

August 3, 1910
Voluntary sin upsets the humors of the soul.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “Listen, my daughter: miseries, weaknesses, are means in order to find oneself in the harbor of the Divinity, because in feeling the burden of human miseries the soul gets annoyed, gets bothered, and tries to get rid of her self; and in getting rid of her self, she already finds herself in God.”

Then, having placed my arm around His neck, He clung against my face, and disappeared. Later, as He came back, and I was lamenting for He would run away like a flash without giving me time, He told me: “Since it displeases you, take Me, bind Me as you want and don’t let Me run away.” And I: ‘Bravo, bravo Jesus, what a beautiful proposal You make me! But then, can this be done with You? You let Yourself be bound and clasped as much as one can, but at the best moment You disappear and no longer let Yourself be found. Bravo, Jesus, You want to make fun of me! But, after all, do whatever You want; what I care is that You tell me where I offend You, and in what I displeased You – that You no longer come as before.’

And Jesus added: “My daughter, do not trouble yourself, when there is true sin, it is not necessary for Me to say it; the soul already perceives it by herself, because sin, when it is voluntary, upsets the natural humors: man undergoes as though a transformation in evil, he feels as though soaked with the sin he has voluntarily committed. Just as true virtue transforms the soul in good, her humors remain all in harmony among themselves, and her nature feels as though soaked with sweetness, with charity, with peace – so it is with sin. So, have you perceived this turmoil? Have you felt as though soaked with impatience, with anger, with disturbances?” And while He was saying this, He seemed to look deep into me, to see whether that was in me, and it seemed that it was not. And He continued: “You yourself have seen it”.

I don’t know why, but while He was saying this, He showed more earthquakes with destruction of entire cities, revolutions, and many other troubles; and He disappeared.

August 12, 1910
The origin of all the evil of priests is in dealing with souls about human things.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself and I saw some priests, as well as Jesus, who made Himself seen in my interior all dislocated and with His limbs detached. Jesus pointed at those priests, making me understand that even though they were priests, they were members, detached from His body; and lamenting He said: “My daughter, how offended I am by priests! The superiors do not watch over my sacramental lot, and expose Me to enormous sacrileges. These whom you see are separated members, and although they offend Me very much, my body has no more contact with their wicked actions; but the others who pretend they are not separated from Me and continue their actions as priests – oh! how much more they offend Me! To what an atrocious slaughter I am exposed, how many chastisements they draw – I can bear them no more!”

And as He was saying this, I saw many priests running away from the Church and turning against the Church to wage war against Her. I looked at those priests with great sorrow, and I felt a light that made me comprehend that the origin of this and all the evil of priests is in dealing with souls about human things, things all of a material nature, without a strict necessity. These human things form a net for the priest which blinds his mind, hardens his heart to divine things, and prevents his step on the path that befits him in the office of his ministry. Not only this, but it is a net for souls, because they bring what is human, and receive what is human, and grace remains as though excluded from them. Oh! how much evil is committed by these – how many slaughters of souls they make!”

May the Lord enlighten everyone.

August 19, 1910
Jesus pours His bitternesses. Fear that it might be the devil.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, inside a Church, and above the altar there was the Celestial Queen and baby Jesus who was all in tears. The Celestial Mama, making a sign with Her eyes, made me understand that I should take the baby in my arms and do as much as I could to calm Him. I drew near Him and I took Him in my arms; I squeezed Him to myself and I said to Him: “My pretty little one, what is it? Pour Yourself out with me. Isn’t love the balm and the alleviation for all of your sorrows? Isn’t love that which makes one forget everything, that sweetens everything and pacifies any dispute? If You cry, there must be something discordant between your love and that of the creatures, therefore let us love each other, give me your love, and I will love You with your own love.’ And then, who can say all the nonsense I told Him? He seemed to stop crying a little bit, but not completely; and He disappeared.

Then, the following day, again, I found myself outside of myself, inside a garden, and I was following the via crucis [way of the cross]; and while doing this, I found Jesus in my arms. As I arrived at the eleventh station, blessed Jesus, no longer able to resist, stopped me, and drawing His mouth near mine, He poured something thick and liquid into it. The liquid I was able to swallow, but the thick part would not go down, so much so, that when Jesus moved His mouth from me, I had to pour it to the ground. Then I looked at Jesus, and I saw that a liquid, thick and pitch-black, was flowing from His mouth. I was frightened very, very much, and I said to Him: “It seems to me that You are not Jesus, Son of God, and of Mary Mother of God – but the devil. It is true that I want You, that I love You, but it is always Jesus that I want, never the devil – with him I want nothing to do. I am content with being without Jesus, rather than having anything to do with the devil.’ And to be more sure, I marked Jesus with the sign of the cross, and then I signed myself. In order to dispel my fright, Jesus withdrew that black liquid into Himself, which was impossible to look at, and He told me: “My daughter, I am not the devil; what you see is nothing but the great iniquities that creatures do against Me, and which I will pour upon them, for I can no longer contain them. I poured some into you, and you were unable to contain everything, so you poured it to the ground. I will continue to pour upon them.”

And as He was saying this, He made me comprehend what chastisements He will make rain from Heaven. He will wrap the peoples in mourning, in most bitter and harrowing tears, and because of that little bit which He poured into me, He will spare, if not completely, part of our town. Then He showed a great mortality of peoples because of epidemics, earthquakes and other accidents. How many desolations, how many miseries!

August 22, 1910
Jesus running away and looking for refreshment.

Continuing in my usual state, having lost consciousness, I saw many people who were putting blessed Jesus to flight; and Jesus was fleeing and fleeing, but wherever He went, He could find no place, so He would flee again. Finally He came to me, all dripping with sweat, tired, afflicted; He threw Himself into my arms, He clung tightly to me, and said to those who were following Him: “From this soul you cannot make Me flee.” Humiliated, they withdrew, and He said to me: “Daughter, I can take no more, give Me some refreshment.” And He began to suckle from my breast. Then, I found myself inside myself.

September 2, 1910
One should pay attention to what he must do, not to chatter.

I was thinking about Jesus carrying the Cross to Calvary, especially when He met with the women, and He forgot about His pains and occupied Himself with consoling, answering and also instructing those poor women. How everything was love in Jesus! He was the one who needed to be consoled, yet He was consoling – and in what a state He was consoling! He was all covered with wounds, His head pierced with most pricking thorns, panting and almost dying under the cross – and He was consoling others! What an example, what a humiliation for us – a little cross is enough to make us forget the duty to console others! So I remembered the many times in which, finding myself oppressed by sufferings or by the privations of Jesus that pierced and lacerated my interior through, and being surrounded by people, Jesus would spur me on to imitate Him in this step of His Passion; and I, though embittered down to the marrow of my bones, would strive to forget about myself in order to console and instruct others. And now, finding myself free and without having to deal with people, because of and thanks to obedience, I was thanking Jesus for I no longer found myself in those circumstances… I feel I can breathe a freer air, to be able to occupy myself only with myself.

And Jesus, moving in my interior, told me: “My daughter, yet for Me it was a relief, and I felt as though refreshed, especially in those who were truly coming to do good. In these times, truly, there is a lack of those who cast true interior spirit into souls, because not having it themselves they cannot infuse it in others; so they teach souls to be touchy, scrupulous, light, without a true foundation of detachment from everything and from everyone, and this produces sterile virtues, which go about blooming, and they die. And some think they make progress with souls, because they reach minuteness and scrupulousness; but instead of progress, these are true hindrances which ruin the souls, and my love remains on an empty stomach with them. Therefore, since I have given you much light about the interior ways, and I have made you comprehend the truth about true virtues and true love, since you are in the truth, through your mouth I could make others comprehend the truth about the true path of virtues, and I felt contentment because of this.”

And I: ‘But, blessed Jesus, after the sacrifice I would make, they would then go around talking, and so obedience, justly, has prohibited the coming of people.’ And Jesus: “This is the error – that one pays attention to chatter, rather than to the good one is supposed to do. About Me also they chattered, and if I wanted to pay attention to this, I would not have accomplished the Redemption of man. Therefore, one must pay attention to what one must do, and not to what people say; and chatter remains with those who make it.”

September 3, 1910
That which Jesus does to one soul, affects all others.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came as a child; He kissed me, He clasped me, He caressed me, and He returned many times with kisses and embraces. I was surprised that Jesus had so exceeded with me, most miserable one, being with me amid kisses and embraces. I returned them, but timidly; and Jesus, with a light that came out from Him, made me comprehend that when He comes it is always a great good – not only for me, but for the whole world, because by loving one soul and pouring Himself out with her, He comes to regard the whole of humanity. In fact, in that soul there are many bonds that unite everyone: bonds of likeness, bonds of paternity and sonship, bonds of brotherhood, bonds of having all come out and been created by His hands, bonds of having all been redeemed by Him, and because of this He sees us marked with His Blood. Therefore, in seeing all this, as He loves and favors one soul, the others too are loved and favored – if not in everything, at least in part. So, by coming to me – since we are in times of scourges – in kissing me, embracing me, caressing me and looking at me, blessed Jesus wanted to regard everyone else and spare them in some points, if not completely.

Then, after this, I saw a young man – I believe he was an angel who went around marking those who were to be touched by the scourge. It seemed that a great number of people was taken.

September 9, 1910
Laments of the soul for not being able to hold back the chastisements.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus was not coming, and I was saying to myself: ‘How Jesus has changed with me; how He no longer loves me as before! Before I was permanently bedridden, when there was the cholera, He Himself begged me that if I accepted sufferings for a few days, He would make the cholera cease; and since I accepted them, the scourge did cease. But now, he keeps me continuously in bed, one hears about the cholera and the torments it causes to the poor people, and He does not want to listen to me. How He no longer wants to make use of me!’ While saying this, I went about looking within me, and I saw Jesus there, with His head raised, looking at me and listening to me, all moved. And when He saw that I noticed He was looking at me, He told me: “My good daughter, how importunate you are to Me! You want to win by force, don’t you? All right, all right, but do not molest Me any more.” And He disappeared.

September 11, 1910
Jesus wants love, truth and rectitude from souls. A soul perfectly united to the Divine Will makes Mercy win over Justice.

Continuing in my usual state, it seemed that the confessor put the intention of making me suffer the crucifixion. After some hardships, benign Jesus concurred a little, and told me: “My daughter, because of the world I cannot take any more; many move Me to indignation, and snatch scourges from my hands by force.” And while He was saying this, there seemed to be a pouring rain that was causing damage to the vineyards. Then I prayed for the confessor, who seemed to be there present. I wanted to take his hands, to have him touched by Jesus, and it seemed that Jesus did it. I prayed Him to tell what He wanted from father, and Jesus said to him: “I want love, truth and rectitude. That which renders man most dissimilar from Me is not being armed with these prerogatives.” And as He said ‘love’, He seemed to seal all of his members, his heart, his intelligence, with love. Oh, how good is Jesus!

Then afterwards, having told father what I wrote on the 9^th, I remained doubtful, and I said to myself: ‘How I wish I would not have to write these things… if it is true that Jesus suspends the scourge to content me, or if it is my fantasy.’ And Jesus told me: “My daughter, justice and mercy are in a continuous fight, and the victories of mercy are more than those of justice. Now, when a soul is perfectly united with my Will, she takes part in my actions ad extra, and as she satisfies with her sufferings, mercy obtains its most beautiful victories over justice. And since I delight in crowning all of my attributes with mercy, even justice itself, in seeing Myself being importuned by the soul united with Me, in order to content her, I surrender to her, because she has surrendered all of her things in my Will. This is why I do not come when I do not want to surrender – because I don’t trust that I can resist without surrendering. So, what is your doubt?”

September 22, 1910
Each virtue is a Heaven that the soul acquires.

This morning, continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, each virtue is a heaven that the soul acquires. Therefore, as many virtues as she acquires, so many heavens does she keep forming, and these heavens defeat all human inclinations, destroy that which is earthly, and make the soul wander through the purest auras, through the holiest delights, through the celestial fragrances of the highest good, anticipating for her part of the eternal joys.” And He disappeared.

October 1, 1910
Love for Jesus forms the transformation of the soul in Him.

Having received Communion I felt all transformed in blessed Jesus, and I said to myself: ‘How can one maintain this transformation with Jesus?’ And in my interior it seemed that Jesus was saying: “My daughter, if you want to be always transformed in Me – even more, to be one single thing with Me – love Me always and you will maintain your transformation with Me. In fact, love is fire, and whatever woods are thrown into the fire, small or big, green or dry, they all take the form of fire and convert into fire itself; and after these woods have been burned, one can no longer discern which wood was one and which another, neither the green one nor the dry one – one can see nothing but fire. The same when the soul never ceases to love Me. Love is fire that transmutes the soul in God; love unites, its flames invest all of the human operations and give them the form of the divine operations.”

October 17, 1910
As much love and union with Jesus as the soul has, so much value her sacrifices have.

As I was in my usual state, I was praying my loving Jesus for the happy transit of a priest, who had been my confessor years before; and I said to my beloved Jesus: ‘Remember how many sacrifices he made, how much zeal he had for your honor and glory – and then, how much did he not do for me? How much did he not suffer? On this point You must render him to us, by letting him pass even into Heaven.’ And blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, I do not look so much at the sacrifices, but at the love with which they are made and at the union with Me that they have. So, the more the soul is united with Me, the more I take into account her sacrifices. If the soul is more tightly united with Me, I take great account of her littlest sacrifices, because in the union there is the measure of love, and the measure of love is eternal measure, which has no end and no boundaries. On the other hand, with a soul who may sacrifice herself very much but is not united with Me, I look at her sacrifice as that of a stranger, and I give her the remuneration she deserves – a limited one. Imagine a father and a son who love each other. The son makes small sacrifices, and the father, because of the bond of union of paternity, of sonship and of love, which is the strongest bond, looks at these small sacrifices as a great thing; he is triumphant, he feels honored, he gives all of his riches to his son, and dedicates all of his attentions and cares to his son. Now consider a servant, who works all day long, is exposed to heat and to cold, is at the command of his master, and if necessary, stays up even at night on his behalf – and what does he receive? The miserable remuneration of one day, such that, if he does not work every day, he will have to starve. Such is the difference that passes between the soul who possesses union with Me and the soul who does not possess it.”

While He was saying this, I felt I was outside of myself together with blessed Jesus and, again, I said to Him: ‘My sweet Love, tell me, where is this soul?’ And Jesus: “In Purgatory. Oh, if you saw in what light he is swimming, you would be amazed!” And I: ‘You say that he is in Purgatory, and then You say that he swims in light?’ And Jesus: “Yes, he finds himself swimming in light, because he had kept this light in deposit, and in the act of dying, this light has invested him and will never leave him.” I understood that this light was his good works done with purity of intention.

October 24, 1910
Disturbance and its effects. Everything comes from the fingers of God.

I was highly afflicted because of the privation of my lovable Jesus, and having received Communion, I was lamenting because of His absence; and Jesus told me in my interior: “My daughter, sad things – very sad things are happening and will happen.” I was frightened. So, various days went by without Jesus; I just heard Him repeat often: “My good daughter, patience with my not coming – later I will tell you why.”

So, I went on embittered, yes, but peaceful, when all of a sudden, I had a dream that saddened me very much and also disturbed me; more so, since not seeing Jesus, I had no one to whom to turn in order to be surrounded by that aura of peace that only Jesus possesses. Oh, how a disturbed soul is to be pitied! Disturbance is an infernal air that one breathes, and this air of hell casts out the celestial air of peace, and takes the place of God in the soul. Fuming with this infernal air in the soul, disturbance masters her so much that, with its infernal blow, it makes even the holiest, the purest things appear as the ugliest and most dangerous. It puts everything in disorder, and the soul, tired of this disorder, is soaked with the stink of this air of hell, she is annoyed by everything, and feels boredom for God Himself.

I did feel this air of hell, not inside of me, but around me; yet, it did so much harm to me that I no longer cared that Jesus was not coming – even more, it seemed to me that I didn’t even want Him. It is true that the thing was very serious, not a bagatelle: it was that I had been assured that I was not in a good state, therefore the sufferings, the visits of Jesus, were not Will of God, and I was supposed to stop it once and for all. I am not saying everything about it, because I don’t think it is necessary; I wrote this only to obey.

Then, the following night I saw water pouring down from heaven like a deluge, such as to cause great damage and bury entire towns; and the impression from that dream was such, that I didn’t want to see anything. In the meantime, a dove, hovering around me, told me: “The moving of the leaves, of the plants, the murmuring of the waters, the light that invades the earth, the motion of all nature, everything – everything comes from the fingers of God. Imagine if your state alone should not come from the fingers of God.” So, when the confessor came, I told him everything about my state, and he told me that it had been the devil in order to disturb me. I remained a little bit more peaceful, but like someone who has suffered a grave illness.

October 29, 1910
The three weapons to defeat disturbance.

As I was in my usual state, it seemed that Jesus made Himself seen for a little, and I said to Him: ‘Life of my life, my dear Jesus, during these past days I have been disturbed, and You, who have been so jealous of my peace, have not had a single word for me in these past days to give me that peace which You so much want.’ And He: ‘Ah, my daughter, I was scourging and destroying cities and burying human lives – this is why I have not come. On this day of respite – for then I will take up the scourge in my hand once again – immediately I have come to see you again. You must know that if I did not reward the things done with purity of intention, the upright works, and everything that is done for love of Me, I would fail a duty of justice, and all of my other attributes would remain obscured. Therefore, these are the three most powerful weapons to destroy this poisonous and infernal slobber of disturbance.

So, if the necessity to chastise should force Me not to come for a few days, and this air of hell wanted to invest you, put these three weapons against it: purity of intention, work of victim – upright and good in itself, and sacrificing yourself for Me with the sole purpose of loving Me, and you will defeat any disturbance and will cast it away into the deepest hell. And with your indifference you will turn the key so that it may no longer be able to get out and molest you.”

November 1, 1910
The consummation in the unity of wills forms the supreme unity.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the supreme unity is when the soul reaches such tightness of union with my Will as to consume any shadow of her own will, in such a way that it is no longer possible to discern which one is my Will and which one is hers. Then my Will becomes the life of this soul, in such a way that whatever thing It may dispose over her as well as over others, she is content with everything. Anything seems to be suitable for her; death, life, cross, poverty, etc. – she looks at all of these as her own things, which serve to maintain her life. She reaches such an extent, that not even chastisements frighten her any more, but she is content with the Divine Will in everything, so much so, that it seems to her that if I want something, she wants it too; and if she wants it, the Lord does it. I do what she wants, and she does what I want.

This is the final breath of the consummation of your will in mine which I have asked of you many times, and which obedience and charity toward the neighbor have not conceded you; so much so, that many times I have surrendered to you by not chastising, but you have not surrendered to Me, to the point that I am forced to hide from you in order to be free when justice forces Me and men reach the point of provoking Me to take up the scourge in my hand and chastise the peoples. If I had you with Me, with my Will in the act of scourging, I would probably have fallen short and diminished the scourge, because there is no greater power in Heaven and on earth than a soul who is totally and completely consumed in my Will. She reaches the point of debilitating Me, and she disarms Me as she pleases. This is the supreme unity. Then, there is the low unity in which the soul is resigned, yes, but she does not look at my dispositions as her own things – as her own life, nor does she delight in my Will, or dissolve hers in Mine. This one I look at, yes, but she does not reach the point of enamoring Me, nor do I reach the point of going mad for her, as I do for those of the supreme unity.”

November 3, 1910
The soul: Paradise of Jesus on earth.

This morning, blessed Jesus made Himself seen in my interior in the act of cheering Himself and of relieving Himself of the many bitternesses of creatures; and He said these simple words: “You are my Paradise on earth – my comfort.” And He disappeared.

Deo gratias.

VOLUME 10

J.M.J.

November 9, 1910
Bad effects of human works done with a human purpose.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was commending the many needs of the Church to my blessed Jesus; and Jesus told me: “My daughter, the holiest works done with a human purpose are like cracked containers – if one pours any liqueur into them, little by little it flows out to the ground; and when they go to get those containers in times of need, they find them empty. This is why the children of my Church have reduced themselves to such a state – because in their works, everything is human purpose; so, in needs, in dangers, in affronts, they have found themselves to be empty of grace. And therefore, being debilitated, worn out, and almost blinded by the human spirit, they give themselves to excesses. Oh! how vigilant the leaders of the Church should have been, so that I would not be made the laughing stock and almost the lid covering their wicked actions. It is true that there would be great scandal if they repented, but this would be a minor offense for Me compared to the many sacrileges which they commit. Alas! It is too hard for Me to tolerate them! Pray, pray, my daughter, because many sad things are about to come out of the children of the Church.” And He disappeared.

November 12, 1910
As many as are the ways in which the soul gives herself to God, so many are the ways in which He gives Himself to the soul.

I was thinking about blessed Jesus when He was carrying the Cross to Calvary, especially when He met with Veronica, who offered Him a piece of cloth so that He might dry His Face, all dripping with blood. And I said to my lovable Jesus: ‘My Love, Jesus, heart of my heart, if Veronica offered You a cloth, I don’t want to offer You little cloths to dry your Blood, but I offer You my heart, my continuous heartbeat, all my love, my little intelligence, my breath, the circulation of my blood, my movements – all of my being to dry your Blood; and not only from your Face, but from all of your Most Holy Humanity. I intend to tear myself into as many pieces for as many as are your wounds, your sorrows, your bitternesses, the drops of the Blood You shed, so as to place on all of your sufferings, on some my love, on some a relief, on some a kiss, on some a reparation, on some an act of compassion, on some a thanksgiving, etc. I do not want any little particle of my being, any drop of my blood, to be left without occupying itself with You. And do You know, O Jesus, what I want as recompense? That in all of the tiniest particles of my being You impress and seal your image, so that, in finding You in everything and everywhere, I may multiply my love…’; and so forth with all the other nonsense I said.

Now, having received Communion, and looking into myself, I could see, in each particle of my being, the whole of Jesus within a flame; and this flame spoke of love. And Jesus said to me: “Here is my daughter made content – as many as are the ways in which she has given herself to Me, so many, and tripled, are the ways in which I have given Myself to her.”

November 23, 1910
Love is enough for everything, and changes the natural virtues into Divine.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was thinking about purity, and about how I do not give a thought to this beautiful virtue, either for or against. It seems to me that on this button of purity – it neither bothers me, nor do I think about it. So I said to myself: ‘I myself do not know how I am with regard to this virtue; but I do not want to meddle in this – love is enough for me, in everything.’ And Jesus, adding to my words, told me: “My daughter, love encloses everything, chains everything, gives life to everything, triumphs over everything, embellishes everything, enriches everything. Purity is content with not doing any act, gaze, thought or word, which is not honest, while it tolerates the rest; and this amounts to the acquisition of mere natural purity. Love is jealous of everything, even of one’s thought and breath, as honest as one may be. It wants everything for itself, and with this, it gives to the soul not natural, but Divine purity – and so with all the other virtues. So, one can say that love is patience, love is obedience, is sweetness, is fortitude, is peace – it is everything. If all the other virtues do not receive life from love, they can be called natural virtues at the most; but love changes them into Divine virtues. Oh! what a difference between the two: the natural virtues are servants, the Divine are queens. Therefore, may love be enough for you, in everything.”

November 28, 1910
Lack of love has cast the world into a net of vices.

Finding myself in my usual state, I saw my always lovable Jesus. In my interior I felt myself all transformed in the love of my beloved Jesus; now I would find myself inside of Jesus – bursting into acts of love together with Jesus, loving as Jesus loved… but I am unable to say it, I lack the words; and now I would find my sweet Jesus in me, and I alone would burst into acts of love, while Jesus would listen to me, telling me: “Say it, say it – repeat it again; relieve Me with your love. Lack of love has cast the world into a net of vices.” And He would remain silent in order to listen to Me, and I would repeat again the acts of love.

I will say the little I remember:

But who can say them all? In doing this, I felt myself divided into many little flames, which then became one single flame.

November 29, 1910
Jesus is jealous that someone else may comfort the soul.

Since a good and holy priest was coming, I was a little bit anxious to speak with him, especially about my current state, in order to know the Divine Will. Now, after he came the first and the second time, I saw that nothing would be done of what I wanted. So, having received Holy Communion, all afflicted, I was repeating my great affliction to my affectionate Jesus, saying to Him: ‘My Life, my Good and my All, it shows that You alone are everything for me. I have never found in any creature, as good and holy as he might be, a word, a comfort, a solution for the slightest doubt of mine. It shows how there is to be no one for me, but You alone: You alone – the All for me, and I alone, alone – always alone for You. And so I abandon myself in You, completely and always. As bad as I am, have the goodness of holding me in your arms, without leaving me for one single instant.’

While I was saying this, my blessed Jesus made Himself seen looking in my interior, turning everything upside down to see if there was something which He did not like. And while turning and turning, He took something like a grain of white sand in His hands, and He threw it to the ground. Then He said to me: “Dearest daughter of mine, it is absolutely right that for one who is all for Me, I be all for her. I am too jealous that someone else might give her the slightest comfort. I alone – I Myself alone want to make up for all, and in everything. What is it that afflicts you? What do you want? I do everything to make you content. Do you see that white grain that I removed from you? It was nothing but a little bit of anxiety, for you wanted to know my Will from others. I removed it from you and I threw it on the ground so as to leave you in holy indifference – the way I want you. And now I will tell you what my Will is: I want Mass and also Communion; as for whether or not you must wait for the priest to come round, you will be indifferent to this. If you feel dozy, you will not try to come round; and if you feel awake, you will not try to doze off. However, know that I want you always ready, and always at your post of victim, even if you should not always suffer. I want you like the soldiers in the battle field: even if the act of fighting is not continuous they remain with their weapons ready, and if necessary, seated in the quarters, so that every time the enemy tries to start the fight, they may always be ready to defeat him. The same for you, my daughter: you will remain always ready, always at your post, so that every time I should want to make You suffer either for my relief or to hold back chastisements, or for anything else, I may find you always ready. I do not have to always call you, or dispose you to the sacrifice each time; but rather, you will consider yourself as being always called, even if I should not always keep you in the act of suffering. So, we have understood each other, haven’t we? Be tranquil, and fear nothing.”

December 2, 1910
The spark of Jesus.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came, and I saw myself like a spark. This spark was going around my dear Jesus, and it would stop now on His head, now in His eyes; it would now enter into His mouth, and now descend inside of Him, deep into His innermost adorable Heart. Then it would come out, and go around; and Jesus would even place it under His feet; and instead of being extinguished at the warmth of His divine soles, it would ignite more, it would come out with greater speed from underneath His feet, and would turn around Jesus again. And now it prayed with Jesus, now it loved Him, now it repaired Him – in sum, it did whatever Jesus was doing; and with Jesus, this spark became immense, embraced everything in the prayer – no one escaped it. It was present in the love of all, and for all it loved, it repaired; it made up for everyone and for everything. Oh! how admirable and unutterable is that which is done with Jesus. I lack the words to be able to put on paper the expressions of love and other things that can be done with Jesus. Obedience would want it so, but the mind goes up high to take the words from Jesus, then it descends down below, tries to find the expressions, the words of the natural language, but it finds no way out – therefore I can’t.

Then, my beloved Jesus told me: “My daughter, you are the spark of Jesus. A spark can be anywhere, it can penetrate into anything, it occupies no space. At most, it lives up high and wanders around; and it is also delightful.»

And I: ‘Ah! Jesus, a spark is very weak, and can easily be extinguished; and if it goes out, there is no way to give it new life. Therefore, poor me, if I arrive at being extinguished.’

And Jesus: “No, no, the spark of Jesus cannot be extinguished, because its life is nourished by the fire of Jesus, and the sparks which have life from my fire are not subject to death; and if they die, they die within the very fire of Jesus. I have made you the spark so that I may amuse Myself more with you; and because of the littleness of the spark, I can use it by making it go around continuously, inside and outside of Me, keeping it in whatever part of Me I want: in my eyes, in my ears, in my mouth, under my feet – wherever I best please.”

December 22, 1910
In order to be able to operate great things for God, it is necessary to destroy self-esteem, human respect and one’s own nature.

Continuing in my usual state, I saw various priests before my mind; and blessed Jesus was saying: “In order to be able to operate great things for God, it is necessary to destroy self-esteem, human respect and one’s own nature, so as to live again of Divine Life, and take into consideration only the esteem of Our Lord and that which regards His honor and His glory. It is necessary to crush, to pulverize that which is human in order to be able to live of God. And here is how, not you, but God Himself will speak and operate in you, and the souls and the works entrusted to you will produce splendid effects, and you will receive the fruits which you and I longed for – like the works of the reunions of priests which I spoke to you about before. One of these might be able to promote and also carry out this work, but a little bit of self-esteem, of useless fear, of human respect renders him incapable; and when grace finds the soul surrounded by this baseness, it flies and does not stop, and the priest remains a man and operates as a man, and his works have the effects which those of a man can have – not the effects which a priest animated by the spirit of Jesus Christ can have.”

December 24, 1910
Irresolute souls are good at nothing.

Having received Communion, I was praying good Jesus for a priest who wanted to know whether the Lord was calling him to the religious state; and good Jesus told me: “My daughter, I call him, but he is always undecided. The souls which are not resolute are good at nothing, while on the other hand, when one is determined and resolute, he surpasses all difficulties – he melts them; and the very ones who raise those difficulties, in seeing him so resolute, become debilitated and do not have the courage to oppose him. It is a little bit of attachment that binds him, and I do not want to contaminate my grace in hearts which are not untied from everyone. Let him detach himself from everything and from everyone, and then my grace will inundate him more, and he will feel the necessary strength to fulfill my call.”

December 25, 1910
Priests have become attached to families, to interest, to exterior things, etc. This is why it is necessary to have houses of reunion for priests.

This morning blessed Jesus made Himself seen as a tiny Little One, but so gracious and beautiful as to enrapture me in a sweet enchantment. Especially, then, He rendered Himself more lovable because, with His tiny little hands, He took little nails and nailed me with a mastery worthy only of my always lovable Jesus. Then He filled me with kisses and with love, and so I did with Him.

Then, after this, I seemed to find myself in the grotto of my newborn Jesus, and my little Jesus told me: “My beloved daughter, who came to visit me in the grotto of my birth? Only shepherds were my first visitors – the only ones who kept coming and going, offering Me gifts and their little things. They were the first to receive the knowledge of my coming into the world and, as a consequence, the first favorites to be filled with my grace. This is why I always choose poor, ignorant, abject people, and I make of them portents of grace – because they are always the ones to be more disposed, the ones who more easily listen to Me and believe Me without raising so many difficulties, so many quibbles as, on the contrary, learned people do.

Then came the Magi, but no priest showed up, while they should have been the first to form my cortege. In fact, more than anyone else, according to the Scriptures which they studied, they knew the time and the place, and it was easier for them to come to visit me. But no one – no one moved; rather, while they indicated the place to the Magi, they did not move, nor did they trouble to take one step to follow the traces of my coming. This was a most bitter sorrow for Me at my birth, because in those priests the attachment to riches, to interest, to families and to exterior things was so great as to blind their sight like a glare, harden their hearts, and render their intelligence dazed to the knowledge of the most sacrosanct and most certain truths. They were so engulfed in the low things of the earth, as to never be able to believe that a God could come upon earth in the midst of so much poverty and so much humiliation. And this, not only at my birth, but also during the course of my life. When I performed the most sensational miracles, no one followed me; on the contrary, they plotted my death, and killed Me on the cross. And after using all of my art in order to draw them to Myself, I put them into oblivion and chose poor and ignorant people as my apostles, forming my Church in them. I segregated them from their families, I released them from any bond of riches, I filled them with the treasures of my graces, and I rendered them capable of governing my Church and souls.

However, you must know that this sorrow of mine is still lasting, because the priests of these times have banded together with the priests of those times. They have been holding hands in their attachments to families, to interest, to exterior things, and they care very little, or not at all, about that which is interior. Even more, some have degraded themselves so much as to make even secular people understand how unhappy they are with their state, lowering their dignity down to the bottom, and below the secular themselves. Ah! my daughter, what prestige can their word still have among the peoples? Even more, because of them, the peoples keep deteriorating in the faith and into abysses of worse evils, groping their way in darkness, because they see no more light in priests. This is the reason for the necessity of houses of reunion of priests, so that, freed from the mist of darkness by which he is invaded – families, interest, and cares for exterior things – the priest may give out light of true virtues, and the peoples may turn back from the errors in which they have fallen. These reunions are so necessary, that every time the Church has reached the bottom, this has almost always been the means in order to make Her rise again, more beautiful and majestic.”

On hearing this, I said: ‘My highest and only Good, sweet Life of mine, I compassionate your sorrow and I would like to soothe it with my love, but You know well who I am – how poor, ignorant, bad I am, and also extremely taken with my passion for hiddenness. I would love it if You could hide me so much within You, that no one might ever again believe that I existed; and You, instead, want me to speak about these things which so much grieve your most loving Heart, and which are so necessary for the Church. Oh! my Jesus, to me, speak of love, and go to other good and holy souls to speak about these things which are so useful for your Church.’

And good Jesus continued: “My daughter, I too loved hiddenness, but there is a time for everything. When the honor and the glory of the Father, as well as the good of souls, became necessary, I revealed Myself and I did my public life. So I do with souls: sometimes I keep them hidden, other times I manifest them; and you must be indifferent to everything, wanting only that which I want. Even more, I bless your heart and your mouth, and I Myself will speak in you, with my own mouth and with my own sorrow.” And so He blessed me, and He disappeared.

January 8, 1910
The family kills the priest. Self-interest is the wood worm of the priest.

I will now write things of the past in order to obey, and I will explain myself about these reunions of priests that blessed Jesus wants. Since a holy priest came during last November and told me to ask Jesus what He wanted from him, my always lovable Jesus told me: “The mission of the priest chosen by Me will be high and sublime. It is about saving the most noble, the most sacred part, which are the priests, who in these times have become the laughing stock of the peoples. The most appropriate means would be to form these houses of reunion for priests, so as to segregate them from their families, because the family kills the priest, while he should promote it, push it, and also intimidate it. If these are saved, the peoples are saved.”

Then I received four communications from Jesus regarding these reunions. I wrote them, and I gave them to that priest; so I did not think it was necessary to repeat them in these writings of mine. But obedience wants me to write them, and I will make the sacrifice:

1 – My adorable Jesus told me: “The mission I will give is high and sublime, in a special way, for priests. Faith is almost extinguished among the peoples, and if there is any spark left, it is as though hidden under ashes. The life of priests, which is almost completely secularized, and maybe worse than that, as well as their examples, which are not good, lend a hand to extinguish this spark. And what will happen to them and to the peoples? This is why I have called him, so that he may interest himself with my cause, and with example, with words, with works and with sacrifice, he may put a mend in it. The most suitable, appropriate and effective mending would be to form houses of reunion for diocesan priests within their towns, segregating them from their families; because the family kills the priest and causes the darkness of interest, the darkness of appreciation of mundane things, the darkness of corruption to be cast into the midst of the peoples. In sum, it takes away all the prestige, the splendor of the priestly dignity, and it makes him become the laughing stock of the people. I will give him intrepidity, courage and grace, if he gets down to work.”

In addition to this, it seemed that blessed Jesus adorned his heart, now with love and now with sorrow, letting him share in His pains.

2 – My highest and only Good continues to speak to me about the great good that would come to the Church by forming these houses of reunion: “The good will become more good; those who are imperfect, lukewarm, relaxed, will become good; those who are really wicked will go out. And this is how the body of the ministers of my Church will be riddled and purified; and by means of the purification of the chosen part, the most sacred, the people will be reformed.”

In the meantime, I could see before my mind, as if inside a picture, Corato and the priests who were to lead this work, though it would be directed by Father G. The priests seemed to be Fr. C., D., B. and D., C., F., followed by others; and it seemed that they were to put in a share of their possessions. And my adorable Jesus added: “It is necessary to weave this thing well, so that no one may escape, and to procure the necessary means so as not to burden the people. And so the parish incomes should be tied only to those who will participate in these reunions; and these will maintain the choir and all of the other offices pertaining to their ministry. At first, this will provoke contradictions and persecutions, but mainly among the priests themselves. However, soon things will change – the people will be with them, generously providing for them, and they will enjoy the peace and the fruit of their toils, because for those who are with Me, I allow that everyone be with them.”

Then, my always lovable Jesus threw Himself into my arms, all afflicted and supplicating, so much as to move to pity even the stones; and He said: “Tell father G. that I beg Him, I supplicate him to help – to save my children, and not to let them perish.”

3 – My always lovable Jesus continues on the same topic. With the fathers there present, I saw the Heavens opened and my adorable Jesus and the Celestial Mama coming toward me, with the Saints looking at us from Heaven. And my benign Jesus said: “My daughter, tell father G. that I absolutely want this work. They already begin to raise difficulties, but tell him that it takes nothing but intrepidity, courage and lack of self-interest. It is necessary to close one’s ears to all that is human, and to open them to that which is Divine; otherwise, the human difficulties will become a net that will keep them entangled, in such a way that they will not be able to get out, and I will justly chastise them, rendering them the rags of the peoples. But if they promise to get down to work, I will be all for them, and they will be nothing but the shadows which will follow the work so yearned for by Me. Not only this, but they will have another great good. In fact, the Church needs to be purged and washed by the shedding of blood, because She has dirtied herself very, very much, to the point of giving Me nausea; but in the places where they will purify themselves in this way, I will spare the blood. What more do they want?”

Then, turning around, as though looking at one of the priests, He added: “I choose you as the head of this work, because I have cast a seed of courage within you. This is a gift, and I do not want you to keep it uselessly. Up until now, you have wasted it in frivolous things, in foolish things and in politics – and these have repaid you by embittering you and by giving you no peace. Now, enough – enough. Give yourself to my work, use the courage I have given you only for Me, and I will be all for you, and will repay you by giving you peace and grace. I will make you acquire that esteem which you have been fishing for back there, and which you have not obtained; or rather, I will not give you human esteem, but Divine.”

Then He said to father G.: “My son, courage, defend my cause; sustain – help those priests whom you see a little disposed for this work. Promise every good in my name to those who will commit themselves, and threaten those who cause contradictions and obstacles. Tell the bishops and the leaders that if they want to save the flock, this is the only means. It is up to them to save the shepherds, and up to the shepherds to save the flock; and if the bishops do not place the shepherds in safety, how can the flock ever be saved?”

4 – Having heard about the difficulties of the priests in forming the houses of reunions, I was praying to good Jesus that, if it was His Will that it be done, He would dissolve the obstacles which were preventing such a great good. And my adorable Jesus, in coming, told me: “My daughter, all the obstacles come from the fact that each one looks at this thing according to his own conditions and dispositions, and, naturally, they encounter a thousand laces and stumbling blocks which prevent their steps. But if they looked at this work according to my honor and glory, and only for the good of their souls and of the souls of others, all laces would be broken, and the obstacles would vanish. Yet, if they commit themselves, I will be with them, and I will protect them so much, that if any priest will try to oppose and hinder my work, I am even disposed to take his life away.”

Then, all afflicted, my always lovable Jesus added: “Ah! my daughter, do you know what the most insurmountable stumbling block and the strongest lace is? It is mere self-interest. Self-interest is the wood worm of the priest, which renders him like rotten wood, that is fit only for burning in hell. Interest makes the priest the laughing stock of the devil, the mockery of the people, and the idol of their families. Therefore, the devil will put many obstacles to hinder their work, because he sees that the net in which he has kept them chained and enslaved to his dominion is being broken. So, tell father G. to infuse courage in those whom he sees disposed, and not to leave them until he sees that the work has started; otherwise they will just keep planning, but will not conclude anything. Let him tell the bishops not to accept new ordinations, if they are not disposed to live segregated from their families. Tell him also that many will deride him, make fun of him and discredit him, but he should not pay attention to this – suffering because of Me will be all sweet for him.”

January 10, 1911
When the priests do not occupy themselves only with God, they become withered, because they do not participate in the influence of Grace.

Continuing in my usual state, as I was praying my always lovable Jesus to dissolve the obstacles which prevented these reunions, and to manifest to us the way which best pleased Him, blessed Jesus came for a little while and told me: “My daughter, the point which I most care about and which I cherish the most is to detach the priest perfectly from his family. Let them give everything they have to their families, keeping for themselves only that which is personal. And since they are to be maintained by the Church, justice demands that things must end up there where they come from – that is, everything which they may have must serve to maintain themselves and to expand the works for my glory and for the good of the people. Otherwise, I will not render the peoples generous toward them; not only this, but they themselves will separate from their families with their bodies, but not with their hearts; and therefore, a thousand avidities…, who can make more profit…, and huffiness among them if one is assigned a more lucrative position than someone else, so as to be able to give to their families…. They themselves will see, in practice, how many evils will come if they touch this most essential point. How many disunions, jealousies, rancors, and the like.

I am content with having fewer of them, rather than having this work, so much wanted by Me, ruined. Ah! my daughter, how many Hananiahs will come out! And how well they will know how to defend, to support, to excuse this so well-liked idol of interest. Ah! only with those who consecrate themselves to Me do I have this misfortune – that instead of caring about Me, about my honor and my glory, and about the sanctification which befits their state, they use Me only as a cover, while their purpose is to care about their families and grandchildren. Ah! it is not so for those who give themselves to the world; rather, they try to strain their families; and if they cannot pull, they arrive at denying their own parents. But when the priest does not occupy himself only with my glory, and with the offices pertaining to the priestly ministry alone, he is nothing but a dislocated bone which gives pain to Me, pain to himself, and pain to the people, and renders his vocation a frustrated one. And since when a bone is not in its place it always gives pain, and by not participating in the humors of the body, with time withers and it is necessary to sever it because of its uselessness, as much as because it gives pain to the other members – the same with priests: when they do not occupy themselves with Me alone, being like a bone dislocated from my body, they become withered, because they do not participate in the influence of my grace. And I hold them and hold them, but if I see their hardness, I cast them away from Me. And do you know where? Into the deepest hell.”

Then He added: “Write this; let them tell the father to whom I entrust this mission for priests to remain firm on this point, and to make it untouchable. Tell him also that I want him on the cross – always crucified with Me.”

January 15, 1911
Interest is the poison of the priest. God is not understood by those who are not stripped of everything and everyone.

Continuing in my usual state, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen crying. The Celestial Mama brought Him to me to calm Him, and I tried to do as much as I could, kissing Him, caressing Him, squeezing Him to myself, and saying to Him: ‘What do you want from me? Don’t You want love to make You happy and calm your crying? Have You Yourself not told me other times that your happiness is my love? And I love You, very, very much – but I love You together with You, because by myself I don’t know how to love You. Give me your burning breath that it may melt my whole being into a flame of love, and then I will love You for all, I will love You with all, I will love You in the hearts of all.’ But who can tell all my nonsense? Then it seemed that He calmed down a little, and in order to distract my sweet love completely from crying, I said to Him: ‘My Life and my All, be consoled; when they do the reunions of priests – oh! how consoled You will be!’

And He, immediately: “Ah! my daughter, interest is the poison of the priest, and has infiltrated so much into them as to poison their hearts, their blood, and even the marrow of their bones. Oh! how well did the devil weave it, having found in them a will disposed to be woven. My Grace has used all of Its art in order to form the weaving of love and to give them the counterpoison to interest; but not finding their will disposed, it has woven little or nothing of the divine. So, the devil, unable to prevent these houses of reunion for priests completely, with a great loss for him, contents himself at least with maintaining the web he has woven with the poison of interest. Oh! if you saw how few are those who are disposed to separate from their families with their hearts also, and to throw-up this poison of interest – you would cry with Me. Don’t you see how they fight among themselves in this regard? How they become agitated? How they become all fire? Even more, they believe this is nonsense which does not befit their state.”

While He was saying this, I could see the priests who were disposed for this – how scarce was their number. Jesus disappeared, and I found myself inside myself. Now, feeling repugnance to write these things about priests, but having made the sacrifice of doing it, because obedience wants it so, my beloved Jesus came afterwards, and gave me a kiss to reward me for the sacrifice I made; and He added: “My beloved daughter, you have not said everything about the inconveniences which could arise if the priest remains entangled in the bond of the family, the many mistaken vocations because of which the Church cries bitterly in these times: one would certainly not see so many modernists, so many priests empty of true piety, so many of them given to pleasures, so many to intemperance, many others who look at souls being lost as if it were nothing, without the slightest bitterness, and all the other absurdities they do. These are signs of mistaken vocations. And if the families see that there is nothing more to hope for from priests, none of them will ever again feel like pushing their sons to become priests, nor will the sons ever think of enriching and lifting their families through their ministry.”

And I: ‘Ah! my sweet Jesus, instead of telling these things to me, go to the leaders, to the bishops; and they who have authority can manage to content You on this point. But I, poor one – what can I do? Nothing but compassionate You, love You and repair You.’

And Jesus: “My daughter – to the leaders, to the bishops? The poison of interest has invaded everyone, and since almost all of them are taken by this pestilential fever, they lack the courage to correct and to check those who depend on them. And then, I am not understood by those who are not stripped of everything and of everyone. My voice resounds very badly to their hearing; even more, it seems an absurdity to them – something that is not appropriate for the human condition. If I speak with you, we understand each other well enough, and if nothing else, I find a vent for my sorrow, and You will love Me more, because you know that I am embittered.”

January 17, 1911
The civilian leaders listen to Jesus more than the ecclesiastical leaders. The houses of reunion for priests will be called “Houses of the Resurrection of the Faith.”

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came, but so afflicted and so burning with love, that He was restless and asked for refreshment. And throwing His arms around my neck, He told me: “My daughter, give Me love – this is the sole and only refreshment to calm my restlessness of love.”

Then He added: “Daughter, what you wrote about the reunions of priests is nothing but a process that I am making with them. If they listen to Me – fine. But if they don’t, since the leaders of the ecclesiastics will not listen to Me because they too are bound by the laces of interest, and are slaves of human miseries, almost lapping them up – instead of dominating over those miseries, of interest, of high positions and the like, the miseries dominate them; therefore, since they are deafened by what is human, I will be neither understood nor listened to – I will turn to the civilian leaders, who will listen to Me more easily. Because of their desire to see the priest humiliated, and also because maybe these are a little more stripped than the ecclesiastics themselves, my voice will be more listened to; and what they do not want to do out of love, I will make them do by necessity and by force, and I will make the government take away what is left to them.”

And I: ‘My highest and only good, what will be the name to be given to these houses, and what the rules?’

And He: “The name will be: The Houses of the Resurrection of the Faith. As for the rules, they can use the same rules as the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri.”

Then He added: “Tell father B. that you will be the organ and he the sound for this work. If he will be mocked and disliked by those who have their interests, the good and the few true good will comprehend the necessity and the truth that he announces, and will make it a duty of conscience to get down to work. Besides, if he is mocked, he will have the honor of becoming more similar to Me.”

January 19, 1911
The word of Jesus is eternal. Jesus wants the priest to be untouchable by the bond of the families. The spirit of the priests of these times: spirit of revenge, of hatred, of interest, of blood.

In hearing of the difficulties raised by the priests, especially about breaking the bond with their families completely, and that it was impossible to carry this out in the way said by blessed Jesus, and that if this were true, He should speak to the Pope, for he, who has authority, could command everyone and sort this work out – I was repeating all this to blessed Jesus, and I was lamenting to Him, saying: ‘My Highest Love, was I not right in telling You to go to the leaders to say these things, for if You say them to me, little ignorant one, what can I do?’ And my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, write, do not fear, I am with you. My word is eternal, and what cannot do good here, can do good elsewhere – what cannot be carried out in these times, will be carried out in other times. But this is how I want the priest – untouchable by the bond of the families. Ah, you do not know what the spirit of the priests of these times is! It is in nothing dissimilar from that of the secular – a spirit of revenge, of hatred, of interest, of blood. Now, having to live together, if one earns more than the other and does not leave it for the good of all, one will feel overtaken, one defrauded, another humiliated, believing that he too would be good at making that earning; and therefore brawls, rancors, displeasures… They would even come to blows.

Your Jesus told you, and that’s enough. This point is necessary; it is the pillar, it is the foundation, it is the life, it is the nourishment of this work. If it could work without it, I would not have insisted so much. Then, my daughter, take a look at how rough and ignorant of divine things they are. I do not have their way of thinking, such that they go lapping up and crawling for dignities. In communicating Myself to souls, I do not look at dignities – whether they are bishops or popes; but I look at whether they are stripped of everything and of everyone. I look at whether everything – everything in them is love for Me; I look at whether they have scruples about making themselves the masters of even one single breath, of one heartbeat. And in finding them all love, I do not look at whether they are ignorant, abject, poor, despised and made of dust. Dust itself I convert into gold; I transform it in Me; I communicate all of Myself to it; I entrust to it my most intimate secrets; I make it share in my joys and in my sorrows. Even more, since they live in Me by virtue of love, it is no wonder that they are aware of my Will about souls and about my Church. One is their life with Me; one is the Will, and one is the light with which they see the truth according to the divine visions, and not according to the human. This is why I do not toil in communicating Myself to these souls, and I raise them above all dignities.”

Then, clasping me and kissing me, He told me: “My beautiful daughter – but beautiful of my own beauty, you afflict yourself because of the things they say? Do not afflict yourself. Ask father B., poor child of mine, how much he suffered because of Me from his superiors, from his brothers and from others, to the point of declaring him a fool, an enchanter, and of making it a duty for themselves to penalize him. And what was his crime? Love! Feeling ashamed of their lives compared to his, they waged war on him, and still do. Ah! how costly is the crime of love! Love costs Me much, and much it costs my dear children! But I love him very much, and because of what he has suffered, I have given him Myself as reward, and I dwell in him. Poor son of mine, they don’t leave him alone; they spy on him everywhere, which they don’t do to others – to find, who knows, some matter on which to correct him and mortify him. But since I am with him, I render their arts vain. Give him courage, but – oh! how terrible will be the judgment I will make on those who dare to mistreat my dear children!”

January 28, 1911
Love forces God to tear the veils of faith. The Church is agonizing, but will not die.

As I was in my usual state, the Heart of my sweet Jesus made Itself seen, and as I looked inside of Jesus, I could see His Heart in Him, and in looking inside of myself, I could see His Most Holy Heart also within me. Oh! how much gentleness, how many delights, how many harmonies could be felt in that Heart! Then, while I was delighting with Jesus, I heard His most gentle voice coming out from His Heart, telling me: “Daughter, delight of my Heart, Love wants its outpourings, otherwise one could not go on, especially one who really loves Me and does not admit within herself any other pleasure, any other taste, any other life but Love. I feel so drawn toward them, that Love Itself forces Me to tear the veils of faith, and I reveal Myself, making them enjoy, down here also, Paradise at intervals. Love gives Me no time to wait for death with those who really love Me, but I anticipate It also in this life. Enjoy – feel my delights, see how many contentments there are in my Heart; take part in everything, pour yourself out in my Love, so that yours may expand more and you may love Me more.”

While He was saying this, I saw some priests, and Jesus continued: “My daughter, the Church in these times is agonizing, but will not die – on the contrary, She will rise again more beautiful. The good priests strive for a life more stripped, more sacrificed, more pure; the bad priests strive for a life more interested, more comfortable, more sensual – all earthly. I speak – but not to them; I speak to the few good ones, be they even one per town. To these do I speak, and I command, I beg, I supplicate that they make these houses of reunion, saving for Me the priests who will come into these shelters, by rendering them completely free from any bond of family. And through these few good ones will my Church recover from Her agony. These are my support, my pillars, the continuation of the life of the Church. I do not speak to the others – that is, to those who do not feel like freeing themselves of any bond of family; because if I speak, I am certainly not listened to – even more, at the mere thought of breaking every bond, they become indignant. Ah! unfortunately they are accustomed to drinking the cup of interest and the like, which, while being sweetness for the flesh, is poison for the soul. These will end up drinking the sewer of the world. I want to save them at any cost, but I am not listened to; therefore I speak, but for them it is as if I were not speaking.”

February 4, 1911
Where the reunions of priests will be established, the persecutions will be milder.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, tell father G. to solicit the reunions of priests. Let them not make the persecution come earlier – woe to them! In fact, where these reunions will be established, either the persecutions will be milder, or wounds will be spared. The rot is great and too stinking, and it takes iron and fire by necessity. Iron is for cutting the gangrenous flesh, and fire is for purifying. Therefore, hurry, hurry.”

February 8, 1911
Love renders Jesus happy. Luisa is the Paradise of Jesus on earth.

Continuing in my usual state, I spent about six days all immersed in the love of my blessed Jesus, to the point that, at times, I felt I could take no more, and I would say to Jesus: ‘Enough, enough, I can take no more.’ I felt as if I was in a bath of love that penetrated deep into the marrow of my bones. Now Jesus would speak to me of love and of how much He loved me, and now I would speak of love to Him. The beautiful thing is that sometimes Jesus would not let Himself be seen, and I, swimming in this bath of love, would feel the circle of my poor nature crack; I would lament to Him, and He would whisper in my ear: “Love is I, and if you feel love, it is sure that I am with you.”

Other times, as I would lament, He would say in my ear, but all of a sudden: “Luisa, you are my Paradise on earth, and your love renders Me happy.”

And I: ‘Jesus, my Love, what are You saying? Do You want to make fun of me? You are already happy because of Yourself; why do You say that You are happy because of me?’

And He: “Listen to Me carefully, my daughter, and you will comprehend what I am telling you. There is no created thing which does not receive life from my Heart. All creatures are like many cords that come from my Heart and have life from Me. By necessity and naturally, everything they do is all reflected in my Heart, be it even one movement. As a consequence, if they do evil, if they do not love Me, they give Me continuous bother; that cord resounds in my Heart with sounds of displeasures, of bitternesses, of sins, and forms in It such lugubrious sounds as to render Me unhappy on the part of that cord or life that comes from Me. On the other hand, if it loves Me and is all intent on contenting Me, that cord gives Me continuous pleasure and forms festive and sweet sounds, which harmonize with my own Life; and on the part of that cord, I enjoy so much as to be rendered happy and to enjoy my own Paradise because of it. If you comprehend well all this, you will no longer say that I make fun of you.”

And here is what I would say about Love, and what Jesus would say. I will say it with some nonsense and maybe also disconnected, because the mind does not adapt itself completely to words:

‘Oh! my Jesus, Love are You, You are all Love,

and Love do I want, Love I desire, for Love I long;

Love I supplicate, and Love I implore of You.

Love invites me, Love is my life,

Love kidnaps my heart

deep into the womb of my Lord.

With Love He inebriates me, with Love He delights me,

I, all alone, and only for You!

You, alone and only for me!

Now that we are alone, shall we speak about Love?

O please! let me comprehend how much You love me,

Because only in your Heart can one comprehend Love.’

“Do you want Me to speak to you of Love?

Listen, my beloved daughter:

my Life is Love.

If I breathe, I love you;

if my Heart beats, my heartbeat says to you: Love, Love.

I am mad with Love for you.

If I move, I add Love for you,

with Love I inundate you, with Love I surround you,

with Love I caress you, with Love I dart through you.

With Love I flash through you, with Love I attract you,

with Love I nourish you,

and sharp arrows I send to your heart.”

‘Enough, oh my Jesus, for now – I already feel faint with Love;

sustain me in your arms, enclose me in your Heart,

and from within your Heart, let me too give vent to my Love;

otherwise I die of Love.

With Love I rave, with Love I burn,

with Love I make feast, with Love I languish,

with Love I am consumed;

Love kills me and makes me rise again more beautiful to new life.

My life escapes me, and I feel only the Life of Jesus, my Love,

and in Jesus, my Love, I feel immersed and I love everyone;

He wounds me with Love, He makes me ill with Love,

with Love He embellishes me, and makes me ever more rich.

I can say nothing more.

Oh! Love, You alone understand me,

You alone comprehend me,

my silence tells You even more.

In your beautiful Heart one says more by keeping silent than by speaking;

and by loving, one learns how to love.

Love, Love – speak, You alone,

because being Love, You know how to speak of Love.’

“Do you want to hear Love?

All Creation tells you Love.

If the stars twinkle, they tell you Love;

if the sun rises, it gilds you with Love.

If it shines with all of its light in its full day,

it sends arrows of Love to your heart;

if the sun sets, it tells you: ‘It is Jesus that dies of Love for you.’

In the thunders and lightnings, I send you Love,

and smacking kisses I give to your heart.

It is Love that runs upon the wings of the winds;

if the waters murmur, I extend my arms to you;

if the leaves move, I clasp you to my Heart;

if the flower gives out its fragrance, I cheer you with Love.

All Creation, in mute language, tells you, in chorus:

‘From you alone do I want life of Love’.

Love do I want, Love I desire, for Love I beg from within your heart.

I am only content if you give Me love.”

‘My Good, my All, insatiable Love,

if You want Love, then give me Love;

if You want me happy, then speak to Me of Love;

if You want me content, then render me Love.

Love invests me, Love makes me fly,

and brings me to the Throne of my Maker.

Love shows me the uncreated Wisdom,

It leads me into the Eternal Love,

and there do I set my home.

Life of Love, I will live in your Heart;

I will love You for all,

I will love You with all,

I will love You in all.

Jesus, seal me completely with Love inside your Heart;

empty my veins, and instead of blood, let Love flow in them;

take away my breath, and let me breathe air of Love;

burn my bones and flesh, and weave me completely – completely with Love.

May Love transform me, may Love conform me,

may Love teach me how to suffer with You;

may Love crucify me,

and make me all similar to You.’

March 24, 1911
The soul prays for the needs of the Church.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came, and as I prayed to Him for certain needs of the Church and for a certain B., who has given books of hell for publishing, He told me: “My daughter, he did nothing but throw himself even more into the mud. Any mind of healthy reason will see immediately how cretinous he is, and how I have caused him to hallucinate, not placing any true force of reason in what he affirms. I don’t want priests to bother reading it; if they do, they will render themselves too vile, and will descend from their dignity, as though wanting to pay attention to the nonsense of a child, and therefore giving him the field to do more nonsense. But by not bothering about him and not paying attention to him, they will at least give him the sorrow that no one pays attention to what he does, and that no one appreciates him. They will answer with the worthy works of their ministry – this is the most beautiful answer. Ah! To him, then, it will happen that he will fall into the very trap he is preparing for others.”

March 26, 1911
The only relief that cheers Jesus is Love.

This morning, as I was outside of myself, I saw the Celestial Mama with the Baby in Her arms. The Divine Baby called me with His little hand, and I flew to put myself on my knees before the Queen Mama; and Jesus told me: “My daughter, today I want you to speak with our Mama.”

And I said: ‘My Celestial Mama, tell me, is there anything in me that displeases Jesus?’ And She: “Dearest daughter of mine, be tranquil, for now I don’t see anything that may displease my Son. If – may it never be – you will run into something that can displease Him, I will let you know immediately. Trust your Mama and do not fear.”

As the Celestial Queen assured me, I felt new life being infused in me, and I added: ‘My Most Sweet Mama, what sad times we are in. Tell me, is it really true that Jesus wants the reunions of priests?’ And She: “He surely does, because the waves are rising too high, and these reunions will be the anchors, the lamps, the helm, with which the Church will be saved from shipwreck caused by the storm. In fact, while it will appear that the storm has submerged everything, after the storm it will be seen that the anchors, the lamps, the helm – that is, the most stable things in order to continue the life of the Church – are still there. But – oh, how vile, cowardly and hard-hearted they are! Almost none of them moves, while these are times for works. The enemies are not resting, while they remain there in sluggishness – but, so much the worse for them.”

Then She added: “My daughter, try to make up for everything by means of Love. May you cherish one thing alone: to love; one thought alone, one word alone, one life alone: Love. If you want to content and please Jesus, love Him, and give Him always the occasion to speak of Love. This is the only relief that cheers Him: Love. Tell Him to speak to you of Love, and He will put Himself in feast.”

And I: ‘My tender Jesus, did You hear what our Mama is saying? That I should ask You for Love, and to speak about Love.’ And Jesus, celebrating, said such and so many things about the virtue, the height, the nobility of Love, that it is not for the human language to be able to repeat it; therefore I stop here…

May 16, 1911
Jesus does not want to confound the enemies of the Church, and He cries over the painful wounds which are in Her body.

I was praying blessed Jesus to confound the enemies of the Church, and my always lovable Jesus, in coming, told me: “My daughter, I could confound the enemies of the Holy Church, but I don’t want to. If I did so, who would purge my Church? The members of the Church, and especially those who occupy positions and heights of dignity, have their eyes dazzled, and they blunder a great deal, reaching the point of protecting the false virtuous and oppressing and condemning the true good. This grieves Me so much – to see those few true children of mine under the weight of injustice; those children from whom my Church must rise again and to whom I am giving much grace to dispose them to this… I see them placed with their backs to the wall, and bound to prevent their step. This grieves Me so much, that I feel I am all fury for their sake!

Listen my daughter, I am all sweetness, benign, clement and merciful; so much so, that because of my sweetness I enrapture hearts. But I am also strong, as to be able to crush and reduce to ashes those who not only oppress the good, but reach the point of preventing the good which they want to do. Ah! you cry over the secular, and I cry over the painful wounds which are in the body of the Church. These grieve Me so much as to surpass the wounds of the secular, because they come from the side from which I did not expect it, and induce Me to make the secular rail against them.”

May 19, 1911
Confidence captures Jesus. Jesus wants the soul to forget about herself and to occupy herself with Him alone.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus made Himself seen all afflicted, and I was around Him, all intent on compassionating Him, loving Him, embracing Him and consoling Him, with all the fullness of confidence; and my sweet Jesus told me: “My daughter, you are my contentment. I like it this way – that the soul forgets about herself, about her miseries, and occupies herself only with Me, with my afflictions, with my bitternesses, with my love, and she remains around Me with all confidence. This confidence captures my Heart and inundates Me with so much joy that, just as the soul forgets all of herself for Me, I forget everything for her, and I make her one single thing for Me; and I reach the point of not only giving her, but of letting her take everything she wants. On the other hand, to the soul who does not forget everything for Me, even her miseries, and who, if she wants to be around Me, does so with all respect, with fear and without the confidence that captures my Heart, as though wanting to be with Me with fearful restraint and all circumspect – to this one I give nothing, and she can take nothing, because the key of confidence, of ease, of simplicity is missing. These are all necessary things in order for Me to give, and for her to receive; and so, she comes with miseries, and with miseries she remains.”

May 24, 1911
What God is by nature, the soul is by grace.

I was thinking of the incomprehensible greatness and wisdom of God, who, in giving His goods to us, does not decrease in anything; on the contrary, it seems that by giving, He acquires the glory that the creature gives Him for having received the goods of the Lord. And blessed Jesus, in coming, told me: “My daughter, you too possess this quality – not in the body, but in the soul – which was communicated to you by my Goodness. In fact, by trying to infuse good, virtue, love, patience, sweetness in souls, you lose nothing at all; on the contrary, by infusing them in others, if you see that they take advantage of them, you enjoy a greater satisfaction. So, that which you are by grace in your soul, I am by nature – and not only for the goods of virtues, but for all possible goods, natural spiritual, and of any kind.”

June 7, 1911
Sorrow of Jesus because of the priests. Love that is hidden – woe!

Going through most bitter days of privation of my adorable Jesus, I was praying Him to deign to come, and He came just like a flash and told me: “Love that is hidden – woe!”

Then, as I was praying Him for the Church and for pity on many souls who become lost because they want to wage war against the Church, and for His ministers, Jesus added: “My daughter, do not afflict yourself. It is necessary that the enemies purge my Church; and after they have purged Her, the patience, the virtues of the good will be light for the enemies, and both one and the other will be saved.”

And I: ‘But at least do not permit that the faults of your ministers become known to the secular, otherwise they will afflict the Church even more.’ And Jesus: “My daughter, do not pray Me, for I become indignant. I want this matter to come out – I can take no more, I can take no more. The sacrileges are enormous; by covering them, I would give them the field to commit greater evils. You will have patience in bearing my absence – you will do this as a heroine. I want to trust you, who are my daughter, while I occupy Myself with preparing the scourges for the secular and for the priests.”

June 21, 1911
There is no sanctity if the soul does not die in Jesus.

I was thinking of the Celestial Mama, when She was holding my always lovable Jesus, lifeless, in Her arms; of what She did, and of how She occupied Herself with Jesus. And a light accompanied by a voice in my interior, said: “My daughter, Love acted powerfully in my Mother. Love consumed Her completely in Me, in my wounds, in my Blood, in my very death, and It made Her die in my Love. And my Love, consuming Her love and the whole of my Mother, made Her rise again to new Love – that is, all from my Love. So, Her love made Her die, and my Love made Her rise again to a Life all in Me, of a greater sanctity, and fully Divine. Therefore, there is no sanctity if the soul does not die in Me; there is no true Life if she does not consume all of herself in my Love.”

June 23, 1911
Love is not subject to death. There is no power or rights over Love.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, Love is not subject to death. There is no power, there are no rights over Love. Love is eternal, and one who loves is eternal with Me. Love fears nothing, doubts about nothing, and converts evils themselves into Love. I Myself am Love, and I love so much one who loves Me in everything and who does everything out of Love, that woe to those who touch him! I will make them be burned by the fire of my terrible Justice.”

July 2, 1911
Wherever Love is, there is Life. Without Love, everything is dead.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, wherever Love is, there is Life – and not human life, but Divine Life. Therefore, all the works, also good, which are not done out of Love, are like a painted fire, which gives no heat, or like painted water, which quenches no one’s thirst and which does not purify. Oh! how many painted, or dead works are done also by persons consecrated to Me. In fact, Love alone is that which contains Life; no other thing contains as much power to give Life to all; or rather, without Love, everything is dead.”

September 6, 1911
One who pays attention to herself grows thin and emaciated.

It continues almost always in the same way – that is, with most bitter privation and with silence. At most, He only makes Himself seen, and at most, it is about usual things, therefore I do not write them. I remember that when I emit some laments about my state, He tells me in my interior: “My daughter, patience, do this as a stalwart – as a heroine. Courage, let Me chastise for now, and then I will come as before.”

I also remember that, as I was concerned about my state, He told me: “My daughter, one who wants to pay attention to difficulties, to doubts, to herself, is like those fussy persons who feel disgust for everything, and instead of thinking about nourishing themselves, they think of the rubbish, even if it’s not there, and therefore they grow thin, emaciated, and so they die.”

Some other little things, I don’t remember well.

Then, this morning, as I was outside of myself, I found Baby Jesus in my arms, crying so very strongly because He heard that they wanted to cast Him away from Italy. We made our way toward France, and they did not want to receive Him; and my always lovable Jesus, crying, said: “Everyone drives Me away, no one wants Me, and I, forced by them themselves, will scourge them.”

In the meantime, I saw roads full of rocks, of fire, with great damage to the cities.

“Did you see? Let us retreat, my daughter, let us retreat.”

And so we retreated into my bed, and He disappeared. Then, after a few days, as I was praying Him to placate Himself because of the many scourges that one hears about, He told me: “My daughter, they treat me like a dog, and I will make them kill one another like dogs.”

Oh God, what heartbreak! Placate Yourself, O Lord – placate Yourself!

October 6, 1911
Jesus hides Himself to be able to chastise. With Jesus the soul can do everything, without Him she can do nothing.

I was thinking to myself: ‘How is it possible that blessed Jesus, in order to chastise the people, has to deprive me of His lovable presence. I would like to see whether He does not go to other souls to make Himself seen. I believe that these are excuses, or that there is something in me which prevents Him from coming.’ And Jesus, just barely making Himself seen, told me: “My daughter, it is really true that I do not come often because of the chastisements. And suppose, if you’d like, that I go to someone else – this says nothing; everything is in the state that the souls have reached through my grace. For example: if I went to a soul who is a beginner, or has not reached the possession of Me as if I were all her own, she would do little or nothing to Me. She would not have that daring, that confidence to disarm Me, and to bind Me as she pleases. These are all timid before Me – and with reason, because they have not entered into Me as the owners, so as to be able to dispose as they wish. On the other hand, when the soul has reached the point of possessing Me, she is daring, confident; she knows all the divine secrets, and with reason she can say to Me: ‘If You are mine, I want to do what I want.’ And this is why I hide to be able to act – because they would suffer greatly in uniting with Me to chastise, or they would prevent Me from doing it. Here, my daughter, is the necessity that I do not manifest Myself to you; otherwise… I want to hear it from you yourself – what would you do to Me? How much would you not be opposed?”

And I: ‘Certainly, Lord, I would have to stick to all that You Yourself have taught me – to love the creatures as your images and as Yourself. If I could see You as before, You would never be able to permit the war in Italy; but You hide, and I remain as nothing – and pure nothing. With You I can do everything; without You I can do nothing.’

And Jesus: “You see? You yourself say it; so, if I came to you, the war would be reduced to a game, while my Will is for it to bring sad and grave consequences. Therefore I repeat to you my refrain: ‘Courage, be at peace, be faithful to Me; don’t act like a child who makes fusses for everything, but like a heroine. I do not really leave you, but I will remain hidden in your heart, and you will continue to live of my Will; and if we don’t do it so, the peoples will reach such excesses as to strike terror and fright.”

October 8, 1911
Threats of letting Italy be invaded by the foreigners.

Continuing in my usual state, I just barely saw my adorable Jesus, but so afflicted as to make the stones cry. He showed me cities besieged, as if foreign peoples wanted to invade Italy. All were shouting with grief and fright, and some were hiding. And Jesus, all afflicted, told me: “My daughter, what sad times! Poor Italy! She Herself is preparing the landing to perish. I have given Her much; I have favored Her more than any other nation, and in return She has given Me more bitternesses.”

And as I wanted to pray Him to placate Himself by pouring His bitternesses into me, He disappeared.

October 10, 1911
Jesus draws her to do His Will.

I feel I am dying with grief, and I keep repeating my refrain, so very often: ‘Poor brothers of mine, poor brothers of mine!’ Jesus has increased my grief by letting me see the tragedy of war. How much blood it seemed was being shed, and will be shed. Jesus seemed inexorable, and said: “I cannot take any more, I want to finish with it – and you will do my Will, won’t you?”

‘Certainly – as You wish; but can I ever forget that these are your children, who have come out of your very hands?’

And Jesus: “But these children make Me suffer very much, and they not only want to kill their own father, but they want to make themselves their own murderers. If you knew how much they make Me suffer, You would conform to Me.”

And as He was saying this, He seemed to bind my hands, and He clasped me so to Himself, and I felt so transformed in His Will, as to lose the strength to do violence to Him. Then He added: “I like it this way – all in my Will.”

On seeing my inability and also the tragedy, I burst into crying, and I said: ‘My Jesus, what shall they do? There are no means to save them – save at least their souls! Who will be able to resist? At least take me first!’

And Jesus: “You see? If you continue crying, I go away and I leave you alone – you too want to afflict Me. I will save all those who are disposed, therefore do not cry. I will give you their souls – be content. Should I perhaps no longer take you to Heaven, that you afflict yourself so much? Do you know that I won’t take you?” And since I continue to cry, Jesus seemed to withdraw, and I had to shout loudly, saying to Him: ‘Jesus, don’t leave me, for I am not crying any more!’

October 11, 1911
True Love is in the union of wills. Jesus can deny nothing to one who loves Him.

My always lovable Jesus continues to come for just a little, but always with the refrain of causing a tragedy – and not just this, but of letting Italy be invaded by foreign people. If this happens, there will be great troubles for Italy. So I was saying to Jesus: ‘The war, the wars, the earthquakes, the cities destroyed – now you want to add this too; You really want to go too far! But who shall be able to resist?’

And Jesus: “Ah! my daughter, it is necessary, it is necessary. You do not comprehend well what excesses man has reached, and from all classes – priests, religious… Who will purge them? Is it not good for Me to use foreign people in order to purify everything and to make them lower their haughty and proud heads?”

And I: ‘You cannot do this – at least this of making the foreigners come. I will win over You with my love – what am I saying? Rather, with your Love. Have You Yourself not said that You can deny nothing to one who loves You?”

And Jesus: “Do You want to win over Me? It seems you want to fight with Me, but don’t you know that true Love is in the union of wills?”

And I, getting more excited, said: ‘Certainly – united with your Will in everything, but not in this. Here the harm of others enters. We will fight when the war has ended, but You will not win it.’

And Jesus: “Brava, brava, you want to fight with Me.”

And I: ‘It is better to fight with You than with someone else, because You alone are the Good One, the Holy One, the Lovable One, who takes care of his children.’

And Jesus: “Come with Me for a little while – let’s go see.”

And I: ‘I don’t want to come. You don’t want to give me anything – what would I come for?’ But then we went. Who can tell the evils that could be seen, and Jesus’ reason for wanting to almost destroy us! They are so many, that I don’t know where to start to tell them; therefore I stop here.

October 12, 1911
He speaks about chastisements.

He continues by just barely making Himself seen, but in the act of drawing my will so much to Himself, that I almost feel as if I wanted the chastisements. What pain! It seems He let me suffer a little bit, telling me: “Things will be grave; this little suffering of yours serves to content you and to make Me keep my word to you – of sparing in part.”

And I: ‘Thank You, O Jesus! But I am not content. I hope I can win You and placate You, because from the news one hears about the war, it seems that Italy is winning; therefore since Italy is winning, it will never get to the point that the foreigners may invade Italy.’

And Jesus: “Ah! my daughter, how they deceive themselves! I will allow the first triumphs to make them blind, and then the enemy will plot their defeat. This is nothing yet; the triumphs they talk about are without battles, and therefore without certainty.”

And I: ‘Ah! I have seen it, Jesus. Keep me content – placate Yourself.’

And He: “Ah, my daughter, my daughter!”

October 14, 1911
Everything is in Love. How scarce is the number of those who fuse their lives completely in Love.

My always lovable Jesus made Himself seen, wanting to fall asleep inside of me; and I, distracting Him, told Him: ‘Jesus, what are You doing? This is not the time for sleep. Times are sad, and much vigil is necessary. What is it? Do You want to make something grave happen today?’

And Jesus: “Let Me sleep, for I feel all the need of it; and you, rest together with Me.”

And I: ‘No Lord, You suffer very much and rest is necessary for You – I don’t.’

And He: “Then I sleep, and you hold the weight of the world – you’ll see if you can do it.”

And I: ‘By myself I will certainly not make it, but together with You – yes. Besides, isn’t Love more than rest for You? I want to love You so very much, but with your own Love, to be able to give You the love of all. With Love I will soothe your every pain, I will make You forget all the sorrows, I will make up for all that the creatures should do. Isn’t it true, O Jesus?’

And He: “What you say is really true, but Love is also just. Oh! how scarce is the number of those who fuse their lives completely in Love! I recommend to you, my daughter – make known to everyone you can that everything is in Love – the necessity of Love – and that all that is not Love, be they even holy things, instead of making them walk forward, make them go backward. May your mission be to teach the true Life of Love, in which there is all that is beautiful of creatures, and all that is most beautiful which they can give Me.” And I: ‘How much it takes to make them comprehend this. To some it appears strange that everything is in Love, and that by loving, Love takes on the commitment to make them similar to You, who are all Love. But, after all, I will do what I can.’

Then I saw Jesus wanting to withdraw, and I: ‘Don’t leave me; now that we are conversing about Love You want to withdraw? How is it? You like Love so much…’ But after a little while He disappeared.

I add that on the 11^th I had said to Jesus: ‘Either You will keep me on the cross, or I will keep You on the cross.’ And since Jesus had shown me Himself carrying a coffin, all black, upon His shoulders, and He was all bent over under that coffin, He told me: “This coffin is Italy. I can no longer manage to carry it – I feel crushed under it.” And it seemed that, as He rose, the coffin swung, and Italy received a terrible shake.”

October 15, 1911
She prays Jesus to burn everyone with Love.

This morning, blessed Jesus made Himself seen burning with Love; the breath that came out of Him was so enflamed that it seemed to be enough to burn everyone with Love, if they wanted. So I said to Him: ‘Jesus, my Love, how burning is your breath! Burn everyone, give Love to everyone, especially to those who want it.”

And He: “Burn all those who approach you.”

And I: “How can I burn them if I myself am not burned?’ At that moment, it seemed that He wanted to speak about chastisements, and I: ‘You really want to be impertinent! Not now – we will think about it later.’ Then it seemed that the Saints were praying my sweet Jesus to be allowed to take me to Heaven with them; and I: ‘See, Jesus, how good the Saints are, that they want to take me with them? Not You – it’s not that You are not good, but You are not good with me because You don’t take me. How cruel everyone is; there is no greater cruelty than this – wanting to keep me bound to the earth.’ Jesus withdrew, leaving me so very ugly.

October 16, 1911
More threats of letting Italy be invaded by the foreigners; and Luisa becomes huffy with Jesus.

This morning, my always lovable Jesus threatened strongly to let Italy be invaded by foreign people; and I, getting huffy with Him, told Him: ‘You really want to be impertinent! You say You love me, and You don’t want to content me in anything. Bravo, Jesus! – is this the love You have for me?’

And Jesus: “To show you that I love you, for love of you I will spare your environment. Aren’t you happy?”

And I, crying out loudly: ‘No Lord, You cannot do this!’

And Jesus: “What is it? Are you becoming huffy?”

And I: ‘Yes, today I get huffy with You.’ And He disappeared. But I hope that He will placate Himself. Then, He seemed to be binding me so very tightly to Himself in order to make me do His Will.

October 17, 1911
Jesus gets more taste from the love of the pilgrim soul, than from that of the Saints.

It seems that my most sweet Jesus came for a little longer than usual. It seemed He was wearing the crown of thorns, and I, removing it from Him, drove it into my head; but after a little while, in looking at Jesus, I saw Him crowned with thorns again. And Jesus: “See my daughter, how they offend Me: you removed one from Me, and they have woven another. They never leave Me free – they weave Me crowns of thorns continuously.”

And I removed it again from Him, and Jesus, pleased, drew near my mouth and poured a little bit of a most sweet liqueur. And I: ‘Jesus, what are You doing? You are full of bitternesses, and You pour sweetnesses into me? This is not appropriate.’

And Jesus: “Let Me do it – you too needed to be cheered. Even more, I want you to take some rest inside my Heart.”

Oh! How comfortable it was! Then He put me out, and I: ‘Why did You put me out? I was so comfortable in your Heart – how beautiful It was!’

And Jesus: “When I keep you inside of Me I alone enjoy you; when I put you out everyone enjoys you, and you can take the defense of your brothers, you can plead for them, you can have them spared; so much so, that the Saints say that I content you more than them, and that I take more taste from your love than from theirs. And I say to them that I do this with love and with justice, because with you I can share my pains, but not with them. Since you are a pilgrim soul, you can take the pains of others as well as mine upon yourself, and by this you have the strength to disarm Me – unless I did not want to, like last night, when I bound your arms very tightly so that you might not oppose my Will. But they no longer have these weapons in their power, so much so, that if I have to chastise, I hide from you who can come up with something – but not from them.”

And I: ‘Certainly, certainly, O Jesus, You must take more contentment from my love than from theirs, because theirs is the love of the blessed – they see You, they enjoy You continuously, and are absorbed within your Most Holy and Divine Will. They are completely dissolved in You; how great can their love really be, since they receive continuous life from You… But I, poor one – your privations alone give me continuous death.’

And Jesus: “Poor daughter of mine, you are right.”

October 18, 1911
Jesus plays with the soul.

This morning, my most sweet Jesus just barely made Himself seen in the act of putting His finger in my mouth, almost wanting me to raise my voice to speak to Him, telling me: “Make Me a lullaby of love, I want to distract Myself a little from that which creatures do to Me. Speak to Me of love – cheer Me.”

And I: ‘You do it first, for I will learn from You how to do it.’ And Jesus told me many things about love, adding: “Shall we play?” And I: ‘Yes.’ And He seemed to take an arrow from within His Heart, sending it into mine. I felt I was dying with pain, and I writhed with love.

And Jesus: “I did it; now you do it.”

And I: ‘I don’t know what to send You. In order to do it for You I must use your own.’ And so I took the arrow and I threw it into His Heart, and Jesus was wounded and fainted, and I sustained Him in my arms. But who can say all the nonsense?

Now, at the best moment He disappeared, without even helping me to turn. It seemed that an Angel wanted to help me, and I: ‘No, I want Jesus. My Angel, call Him, call Him, otherwise I will stay here.’ And I cried out loudly: ‘Come, come, O Jesus!’ And it seemed that Jesus came – I won Him. Bravo, Jesus! And while helping me to turn, He told me: “You offend the Angel.”

And I: ‘It is not true, I want everything from You. Besides, he knows that I must love You over all.’ Jesus smiled and disappeared.

October 19, 1911
The love from the earth renders Jesus more content, because the love of Heaven is His own, while He wants to gain that of the earth.

This morning, my always lovable Jesus wanted to escape me, so I clasped Him tightly in my arms, and since Jesus wanted to wriggle free, I said to Him: ‘You teach me. The day before yesterday You bound me tightly, in such a way that I was unable to make one movement, and I let You do it, so that at the right occasion I could repay You with the same thing. Now You be quiet – let me do it, I want to speak to You in your ear, more so since I don’t feel like shouting, as it seems that in these last days You wanted to make me shout by playing deaf, by pretending not to understand me, and I was forced to repeat and to shout in order to make myself understood. I don’t know, every once in a while You come up with something new.’

And Jesus: “I was deafened by the offenses of the creatures, and in order to be distracted and cheered I wanted to hear your harmonious voice, and so I pretended not to hear. Ah! you do not know what echo of maledictions comes from the earth! The voices of love, of praises… break this pestilential echo and relieve Me quite a bit.”

In the meantime, it seemed that Mama was coming, and I: ‘Oh! Mama, Mama! Come, Oh Jesus! Oh Mama!’

And She: ‘Love Jesus very much. Keep Him content – love is His happiness.”

And I: ‘It seems that somehow He is content; I do what I can to love Him, but it seems to me that You can make Him content more than I can.’

And She: “My daughter, the love of Heaven is His own, but He wants to gain the love of the earth. This is why, on this side, you can make Him more content, by loving Him and, much more, by suffering.’

And I: ‘If You knew O Mama, what He does to me! He leaves me, He reaches the point of denying sufferings to me in order to chastise. Listen to what He told me the day before yesterday – that He wants to let foreign people come into Italy. How much ruin will they not produce? He really wants to do impertinences; and to make me surrender, He bound me very tightly to His Will.’

And Jesus: “Are you accusing Me?”

And I: ‘Certainly I have to accuse You before Mama, because She entrusts You to me, recommending that I be well attentive so as not to let You operate chastisements, and She told me even to be daring in order to disarm You. Isn’t it true, Mama?’

And She: “Yes, it is true, and I want you to continue on, because grave chastisements have been prepared. Therefore, love Him very much, for love will sweeten Him, at least.”

And I: ‘I will do what I can. I feel I love Him alone, so much so, that I can be without You, but without Jesus – no. And You certainly don’t feel sorry about that, because You know and You want that I must love Jesus the most, among everyone.’ And Mama seemed to be content.

October 20, 1911
Jesus cries, and wants to be relieved. New threats to Italy.

My adorable Jesus aroused compassion; He was crying very, very much, leaning His face on mine, and I could feel His tears flowing over me. In seeing Him cry, I too was crying, and I said: ‘What is it, O Jesus, that You cry? O please! do not cry. I beg You – pour it into me, let me share in your bitternesses, but do not cry, for I feel I am dying of sorrow. Poor Jesus, what have they done to You?’ And I caressed Him, and I kissed Him to soothe His crying.

And Jesus: “Ah! my daughter, you do not know what they do to Me; if you saw it, you would die of sorrow. And then you say that I must not let the foreigners come; but in what they do, they themselves are snatching this scourge from Me. They have snatched from Me the scourge of war; they, the destruction of cities. Therefore my daughter, patience.”

And I: ‘In seeing You cry, I feel my arms being broken and I am unable to tell You not to do it. I just tell You: take me first, because being in Heaven, I will think as those of Heaven, but while being on earth, I will not think as those of Heaven, and therefore I feel I cannot resist in seeing all this.’ It seemed that the sorrow of Jesus and the necessity that someone relieve Him were so great, that He stayed with me almost for the whole time, and I would now speak to Him of love, now repair Him, now pray with Him; now I would check His head to see if He had the crown of thorns so as to remove it from Him. And Jesus felt like staying; He seemed to let me do everything. The sins that were being committed were so many that He shunned going into the midst of the peoples. Then He poured a little bit of sweet liqueur, telling me: “You too need to be cheered.”

Oh! How good is Jesus!

October 23, 1911
We must let the life of our hearts be all love, because Jesus wants to take food within our hearts.

This morning my always lovable Jesus came, but who can say how much in suffering He makes Himself seen! It seems that He feels within Himself all the pains of the creatures, and they are so many that He looks for refreshment and relief. Now, after keeping Him with me in silence, telling Him my nonsense of love as refreshment, and adding kisses and caresses, it seemed He was relieved; and then He told me: “My daughter, let the life of your heart be all love; let nothing else enter into it, because I want to take food from within your heart, and if I do not find it all love, it will not be enjoyable food for Me. As for the other parts of you, you can give to each one its office – that is, to your mind, to your mouth, to your feet, to all of your senses; to some adoration, to some reparation, to some praise, thanksgiving and all the rest. But from your heart I want love only.”

October 26, 1911
How Jesus needs to pour His love out, and He can make His outpourings of Love only with one who loves Him and is all love for Him.

He continues to make Himself seen, but wanting to hide within me so as not to see the evils of creatures. I seemed to find myself outside of myself, and I saw venerable men, all dismayed, speaking about the war, and with great fear. Then the Queen Mama made Herself seen, and I: ‘My beautiful Mama, what will happen with the war?’

And She: “My daughter, pray! Oh, how many troubles! Pray, pray, my daughter.”

I was dismayed and I prayed to good Jesus; but it seems that Jesus does not want to pay attention to me. Even more, it seems that He does not even want me to talk about this. It seems He only wants refreshment – and only the refreshment of love. Instead of pouring bitternesses, He pours sweetnesses; and if I say, ‘You are full of bitternesses, and You pour sweetnesses into me?’, Jesus says: “My daughter, I can pour out bitternesses with everyone, but the outpourings of love, the sweetnesses, I can pour only into one who loves Me and who is all love for Me. Don’t you know that love too is a necessity for Me, and that I need it more than anything?”

November 2, 1911
Jesus gives her a heart of light, and tells her to do everything by means of that heart.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and as I lamented to Him because He was coming only in passing and did not give me time to tell Him anything about the so many needs that exist – with the addition that when He comes, now He clasps me tightly, now He transforms me so much within His Will as to leave me not even a little space to be able to plead for His creatures – Jesus told me: “My daughter, you always want to know it. I tell you: things will be grave – extremely grave, and this is the whole reason; and if I placed Myself in intimacy with you, you would bind Me and would come up with something of yours; rather, you must have patience, and let Me bind you for now.”

Then He took a heart of light and placed it in my interior, adding: “You will love, you will speak, you will think, you will repair – you will do everything by means of this heart.”

November 18, 1911
What true crucifixion consists of. The exterior crucifixion lasted only three hours, but the crucifixion of all the particles of His Being, and the crucifixion of His human will in the Will of the Father lasted for His whole Life.

As I was lamenting to Jesus because of His privations, especially in these days, and because He does not even let me see anything any more, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, I am here in your heart, and if I no longer let you see anything it is because I have left the world to the mercy of itself; and since I have withdrawn from it, I have withdrawn you also. This is why you do not see what is happening in these days, but for you I am always intent on watching and listening to what you want. Have you perhaps asked Me for anything? Have you been in need of my teachings and I have not paid attention to you? On the contrary, I am assisting you so much, that I have placed you in the condition of feeling need for nothing. Your only need is my Will, and that the consummation of love be accomplished in you. My Will is like a spring, and the more the soul penetrates into my Will, the more this spring of my Will extends, and the soul takes greater part in all of my goods. So, in this period of your life I want you all intent on forming the perfect consummation of yourself in Love.”

And I: ‘But, sweet Love of mine, I am very concerned about my current state. My Love, what a change! And You know it – also suffering has run away; it seems it is afraid to come to me. Is this not a dismal sign?’

And Jesus: “What you are saying is false, my daughter. If I did not keep you as though bound, you would get up. What is the meaning of your not being able to move by yourself? Of needing others in your things? Is this not a sign that I keep you bound? Having released you from the bonds of my presence, my Love uses different devices to keep you bound with Me. You must know that true crucifixion does not consist of being crucified in your hands and feet, but in all the particles of your soul and body. Therefore, I keep you more crucified now than before. How long did the exterior crucifixion of my hands and feet last? Only three hours. But the crucifixion of all the particles of my Being, and the crucifixion of my will in the Will of the Father lasted for my whole Life. Don’t you want to imitate Me in this too? Ah! If I really wanted to release you, you would be fine, as if you had not been in bed even for one day. However, I promise you that I will come back soon.”

December 14, 1911
The word of Jesus is sun; it nourishes the mind, and satiates the heart with love.

I continue my most bitter days, though resigned to the Will of God. My always lovable Jesus, if He makes Himself seen, is always afflicted and taciturn; it seems He no longer wants to pay attention to me in anything. This morning, making Himself seen, He put two earrings on my ears – so shining as to look like two suns. Then He told me: “My beloved daughter, for one who is all intent on listening to Me, my word is sun, which not only delights the hearing, but nourishes the mind and satiates the heart with Me and with my Love. Ah! they don’t want to understand that all my intent is to have all of you intent within Me, without paying attention to anything else. Look at her (pointing at someone), with her way of scrutinizing everything – she pays attention to everything, she is affected by everything, up to the excesses – and even in holy things. This is nothing but a living outside of Me, and one who lives outside of Me, by necessity feels herself very much. She thinks she does honor to Me, but it is the opposite.”

December 21, 1911
The Divine Will is Sun, and one who lives in the Divine Will becomes Sun.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a little while, and placing Himself in front of me, He looked at me all over. Those gazes penetrated me inside and out, and I became all light; and the more He looked at me, the more I sparkled, and through this light He looked at the whole world. Then, after fixing on me thoroughly, He told me: “My daughter, my Will is Sun, and one who lives in my Volition becomes Sun, and only through this Sun do I look at the world and pour graces and benefits for the good of all. If there wasn’t this Sun of my Will in a few souls, the earth would become foreign to Me, and I would sever any communication between the earth and Heaven. So, the soul who does my Will perfectly is like sun in the world; with this difference: that the material sun does good, giving light and material good, while the Sun of my Will in the soul impetrates both spiritual and temporal graces, and gives light to the souls. My daughter, let my Will be that which you cherish the most; may my Will be your life, your all, even in the holiest things, and even in my very privation. You certainly will not give Me this sorrow of moving away from my Will, even for just a little – will you?

I remained enchanted, and He disappeared. And I am thinking to myself: ‘What do these words of Jesus mean? Oh! maybe He wants to do something big to me – that is, to deprive me of Him. Ah, may His Most Holy Will be always blessed and adored!’

January 5, 1912
Jesus renders Himself the debtor of the soul. Effects of continuous prayer.

Having read in my writings that when blessed Jesus deprives us of Himself, He becomes our debtor, I was thinking to myself: ‘If Jesus counts all the privations, and the huffs and piques I must take, especially in these times, who knows how many debts He has made with me! But I fear that if my state is not His Will, instead of making Him the debtor, I may render myself His debtor.’ And Jesus, moving in my interior, told me: “I am really looking at what you do – whether you shift, whether you change your way. As long as you do not shift, be sure that I keep signing new debts; your waiting, your tolerance and perseverance provide Me with the bill on which I put my signatures. But if you did not do so – first, I would not know where to put my signatures; second, you would have no document in hand to be able to collect these debts. And if you wanted to be paid, I would answer you, frankly: ‘I do not know you – where are the documents that I am your debtor?’ You would remain confused. It is true that I make Myself the debtor when I deprive one of my presence, of sensible grace, but this, when my wisdom disposes so and they do not give me the occasion to deprive them of Me. But when they do give Me the occasion, or when they are not faithful or do not wait for Me after I deprive them of Myself, then, instead of I becoming their debtor, they are the ones who make themselves the debtors. If I make a debt, I have something from which to pay and I remain always what I am; but if you do it, how will you pay Me? Therefore, be attentive, at your place, in your state of victim, in whatever way I keep you, if you want to make Me your debtor.”

I said to Him: ‘Who knows, O Jesus, how father is doing, since he was not feeling well. Today I have not remembered him continuously before You, as I did the day before yesterday.’

And Jesus: “He keeps feeling more relieved, because when you pray Me continuously, I feel the strength of the prayer and it almost prevents Me from making him feel more suffering. With time, as this continuous prayer ceases, this strength keeps dissolving, and I am left free to make him suffer more.”

January 11, 1912
Love wants to be matched by Love.

After I received Communion, my always lovable Jesus made Himself seen all around me, and I was in the middle, as if within a flow. Jesus was the flow and I the nothing which was in the middle of this flow. Now, who can say what I experienced in this flow? I felt I was immense, yet nothing existed of me but nothingness; I felt breathed upon by Jesus; I felt His breath around me and everywhere… But I don’t have the words to express myself, I am too ignorant; I wrote this to obey. Then, afterwards Jesus told me: “My daughter, see how much I love you and how I keep you safe within my flow – that is, within Me. This is how you should keep Me safe and sheltered within you. Love wants to be matched by Love, so as to have the contentment of making a greater surprise of Love. Therefore, never go out from within my Love, from within my desires, from within my works, from within my all.”

January 19, 1912
Jesus binds the hearts in order to unite them with Himself and make them lose all that is human. The human ingratitude.

As I was in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus made Himself seen with a little rope in His hand, and with it He kept binding hearts, clasping them very tightly to Himself, in such a way as to make them lose their own feeling and make them feel the whole of Jesus. In feeling themselves so clasped, the hearts wriggled about, and as they wriggled about the knot which Jesus had made over them loosened, as they feared that it was a detriment to them no longer to feel themselves. All afflicted because of this behavior of souls, Jesus told me: “My daughter, have you seen how souls render my tendernesses of love vain? I keep binding hearts to unite them closely with Me, to make them lose all that is human; but instead of letting Me do it, on seeing their human being broken, they lose air, they struggle, they wriggle about, and they also want to look a little bit themselves at how cold, dry or warm they are. By this looking at themselves, struggling, wriggling about, the knot I had made becomes loose, and they want to be with Me at a distance, but not clasped in such a way as no longer to feel themselves. This afflicts Me very much, and they prevent my games of love. And do not think that these are only souls who are far away from you – rather, these are also those who are around you. You will make them comprehend well the sorrow that they give Me, and that if they do not let themselves be clasped by Me to the point of losing the feeling of themselves, I will never be able to expand my graces and my charisms with them. Have you understood?”

And I: ‘Yes, O Jesus, I understood! Poor ones, if they understood the secret contained in your clasping, they would not do this – they would let You do it; even more, they themselves would make themselves smaller so as to let You tighten the knot more.’ At that moment, I made myself very small; Jesus clasped me, and instead of wriggling about, I let Him squeeze me more tightly; and as He squeezed me, I felt the life of Jesus – losing my own. Oh! how happy I felt with the life of Jesus! I was able to love more, and I could reach everything that Jesus wanted.

January 20, 1912
When Love does not obtain the intent with good manners, It tries to obtain it with huffs, with fusses, and even with holy naughtiness.

As my always lovable Jesus returned, He continued to make Himself seen while clasping hearts; and as souls resisted those squeezes, grace would remain inoperative, and Jesus would take this grace in His hand and bring it to those few who were letting themselves be squeezed. He brought a good part of it also to me. On seeing this, I said to Him: ‘My sweet Life, You have been so good with me in letting me share in the grace which others refuse; yet, I feel no squeezes – on the contrary, I feel so very wide, so much so, that I am unable to see either the width or the height or the depth of the boundaries in which I find myself.’

And Jesus: “My beloved daughter, my squeezes are felt by one who, not letting herself be squeezed thoroughly by Me, cannot enter to live in Me; but one who lets herself be squeezed by Me as I want, already passes to living in Me, and by living in Me, everything is wideness – constraints no longer exist. All the constraint lasts for as long as the soul has the patience to let herself be squeezed by Me, to the point of undoing the human being in order to live in the Divine Life. But then, as she passes to living in Me, I keep her safe; I let her wander throughout my endless boundaries; I no longer need to use bonds. On the contrary, many times I Myself have to force her so as to put her out a little, to let her see the evils of the earth, to make her plead with greater yearning for the salvation of my children, and have them spared the deserved chastisements. And she is on tenterhooks, and pushes Me for she wants to enter into Me, lamenting, saying that the earth is not for her. How many times have I not done this with you? I had to show Myself huffy and fussy to make you stay a little bit at your place, otherwise you would not have lasted one minute outside of Me. My Heart knows what I suffered in seeing you outside of Me, wriggling about, struggling, crying. While the others do this so as not to be squeezed, you did it so as to live in Me. And how many times have you yourself not become huffy and fussy because of this way of mine of operating? Don’t you remember that we have also been in a fight?”

And I: ‘Ah! yes, I remember. The day before yesterday, precisely, I was about to get upset because You put Me outside of Yourself, and as I saw You crying over the evils of the earth, I cried together with You and the huffiness went away. You are truly naughty, O Jesus! Don’t You know that You are naughty – little naughty one? But of Love. In order to give Love and to receive Love, You arrive at naughtiness. Isn’t it true, Jesus? After a huff or a fuss that we take with each other, don’t we love each other more?’

And He: “Certainly, certainly, it is necessary to love to be able to comprehend Love; and when Love does not obtain the intent with good manners, It tries to obtain it with huffs, with fusses, and even with holy naughtiness.”

January 27, 1912
The soul wants hiddenness.

This morning, Jesus showed me a soul who was crying, but it seemed, rather, to be a crying of love. Jesus clasped her, and it seemed that inside His Heart there was a cross which, pressing against her heart, made her feel abandonments, coldness, agonies, distractions, oppressions; and the soul wriggled about, and a few times she escaped from the arms of Jesus to put herself at His feet. Jesus wanted that, in her state, she would hold on, remaining in His arms, telling her: “If you are able to hold on in this state, remaining in my arms without wavering, this cross will be your sanctification; otherwise you will always stay at the same point.”

On seeing this, I said: ‘Jesus, what do these people want from me? It seems to me that they want to take holy freedom away from me, and enter into the secrets that exist between me and You.’

And Jesus: “My daughter, if I allowed them to hear something of what you say to Me, it was because of their great faith; and if I did not do it, I would feel as if I were defrauding them. But let others try, and you will see that I would not even let you utter a sound.”

And I: ‘I fear, O Jesus, that even at this moment we are not alone; and if You allow things to get out, where will my hiddenness in You be any more? Listen, O Jesus, I’m telling You this, nice and clear: I don’t want my nonsense to get out. You alone must know it, because You alone know me – how mad and bad I am, for I even reach the point of doing impertinences with You, and of becoming fussy as if I were a little girl. Who would ever reach this point? No one – only my madness, my pride, my great wickedness. And since I see that You love me more, in order to have more love from You I continue with my nonsense, caring about nothing but to be your amusement. What do others know about this, O dear Jesus?’

“My daughter, do not worry, I told you that I too don’t want this habitually – at most, once in a hundred times.” And almost to distract me He added: “Tell me, what do you want to say to those who are in Heaven?”

And I: ‘By myself I can say nothing to no one – only to You can I say everything. Through You, You will tell them that I regard and greet everyone – the sweet Mama, the saints and the angels my brothers, and the virgins, my sisters. And You will tell them to remember the poor exiled one.’

February 2, 1912
How the victim soul must be.

This morning, as I offered a soul as victim to Jesus, Jesus accepted the offer, and told me: “My daughter, the first thing I want is union of wills. She must give herself prey to my Will; she must be the amusement of my Volition. I will be very attentive on looking at whether everything she does is connected to my Will, especially if it is voluntary. In fact, I will not take into account things which are not voluntary, to the point that, when she tells me that she wants to be my victim, I will consider it as not said.

Second. To the union with my Will add Victim of Love. I will be jealous of everything. True love is no longer master of itself, but of the beloved.

Third. Victim of Immolation. She must do everything in the attitude of sacrificing herself for Me, even the most indifferent things.

To this, will add being Victim of Reparation. She must feel sorrow for everything, repair Me for everything, compassionate Me in everything; and this will be the fourth thing.

If she behaves faithfully in this, then will I be able to accept her as Victim of Sacrifice, of Suffering, of Heroism, of Consummation. Recommend that she be faithful. If she is faithful, everything is done.”

And I: ‘Yes, she will be faithful.’

And He: “We’ll see.”

February 3, 1912
If in the soul there is no purity, upright working and love, she cannot be the mirror of Jesus.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came, and placing His holy hand under my chin, He told me: “My daughter, you are the reflection of my glory.”

Then He added: “In the world I need mirrors to which to go and look at Myself. Only then can a fount serve as mirror in which people can reflect themselves, when the fount is pure; but it is of no use for the fount to be pure if the waters are cloudy. It is useless for that fount to boast about the preciousness of the stones on which it is founded, if the waters are cloudy; nor can the sun make its rays perpendicular so as to render those waters silvery and communicate to them the variety of colors; nor can people reflect themselves in it. My daughter, virgin souls are the similes of the purity of the fount: the crystal clear and pure waters are the upright working, the sun that make its rays perpendicular is Me, the variety of colors is love. Therefore, if I do not find purity, upright working and love in a soul, she cannot be my mirror.

These are my mirrors in which I make my glory be reflected; with all the others, even if they are virgins, not only can I not reflect Myself, but if I wanted to do so, I would not recognize Myself in them. And the sign of all this is peace; from this you will be able to know how very scarce are the mirrors I have in the world. In fact, very few are the peaceful souls.”

February 10, 1912
The sign in order to know whether one has left everything for God, and has reached the point of operating and of loving everything divinely.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus made Himself seen for just a little, and He told me: “My daughter, when one leaves everything and operates for Me, and loves everything divinely, all things are at his disposal. And the sign that one has left everything for Me and has reached the point of operating and of loving everything divinely, is that in operating, in speaking, in praying, in everything, he no longer finds hindrances, displeasures, contrasts, oppositions; because in the face of this power of operating and of loving everything divinely, all lower their heads and dare not even breathe. In fact, I, benevolent Father, am always guarding the human heart, and in seeing it slip away from Me – that is, operating and loving humanly – I put thorns, displeasures, bitternesses, which prick and embitter that human work and love; and the soul, on seeing herself pricked, realizes that that way of hers is not divine, so she enters into herself and acts differently. In fact, the pricks are the sentinels of the human heart and they provide it with the eyes to be able to see who is the one who is moving her – whether God or the creature.

On the other hand, when the soul leaves everything, and operates and loves everything divinely, she enjoys my peace, and instead of having the sentinels and the eyes of the prickings, she has the sentinel of peace, which moves anything that can disturb her peace away from her; and the eyes of love, which put to flight and burn those who want to disturb her. Therefore they remain at peace with regard to that soul; they give her peace, and they place themselves at her disposal. It seems that the soul can say: ‘Nobody touch me, because I am divine, and I am fully of my sweet love, Jesus. Nobody dare to disturb my sweet rest with my Highest Good; and if you dare to, with the power of Jesus which is mine, I will put you to flight’.”

It seems I have said much nonsense, but Jesus will certainly forgive me, because I have done it to obey. It seems as if He assigns to me a written essay, and I, a little ignorant one and a child, don’t have the ability to develop it.

VOLUME 11

J.M.J.
Viva Gesù, Viva Maria

Good-bye in the Evening to Jesus in the Sacrament

O my Jesus, celestial Prisoner, the sun is now setting, the darkness invades the earth, and You remain alone in the Tabernacle of love. I seem to see You with an air of sadness because of the loneliness of the night, not having around You the crown of your sons and of your tender spouses, who may at least keep You company in your voluntary imprisonment.

O my Divine Prisoner, I too feel my heart catch for having to leave You, and I am forced to say good-bye to You. But, what am I saying? O Jesus – never again good-bye. I don’t have the courage to leave You alone. Good-bye with my lips, but not with my heart; rather, I leave my heart with You in the Tabernacle. I will count your heartbeats and I will correspond to them with my heartbeat of love; I will number your panting sighs and, to cheer You, I will make You rest in my arms. I will be your vigilant sentry; I will be attentive to see if anything comes to trouble You or to sadden You, not only so as to never leave You alone, but also to take part in all your pains.

O Heart of my heart! O Love of my love! Leave this air of sadness and be consoled; I don’t have the heart to see You afflicted. While with my lips I say good-bye, I leave with You my breaths, my affections, my thoughts, my desires and all my movements, which, forming a chain of continuous acts of love, united to Yours, will surround You like a crown, and will love You for all. Aren’t You happy, O Jesus? It seems You say Yes, don’t You?

Good-bye, O loving Prisoner – but, I have not finished yet. Before I depart, I also want to leave my body before You; I intend to make of my flesh and of my bones many tiny little pieces in order to form as many lamps for as many Tabernacles as exist in the world; and of my blood, many little flames to light those lamps. And in every Tabernacle I intend to put my lamp which, uniting with the lamp of the Tabernacle that gives You light at night, will say to You: ‘I love You, I adore You, I bless You, I repair You and I thank You for me and for all.’

Good-bye, O Jesus – but, listen to one more word: let us make a pact, and the pact be that we will love each other more. You will give me more love, will enclose me in your love, will make me live of love, and will bury me in your love. Let us tighten our bond of love more strongly; I will be content only if You give me your love to be able to really love You.

Good-bye, O Jesus, bless me – bless all. Clasp me to your Heart, imprison me in your love; and I leave You, placing a kiss upon your Heart. Good-bye, good-bye….

Good Morning to Jesus

O my Jesus, sweet Prisoner of love, here I am before You again. I left You saying good-bye, and now I come back saying good morning. I was anxiously burning to see You again in this prison of love, to give You my yearning obsequies, my affectionate heartbeats, my ardent desires and all of myself in order to transfuse myself completely in You, and to abandon all of myself in You in perpetual memory and pledge of my love toward You.

O my always lovable Sacramental Love, You know? While I have come to give You all of myself, I have also come to receive from You all of Yourself. I cannot live without a life, therefore I want yours. All is given to one who gives all; isn’t it true, O Jesus? Therefore, today I will love with your heartbeat of a passionate lover; I will breathe with your panting breath in search for souls; I will desire your glory and the good of souls with your immeasurable desires. All the heartbeats of creatures will flow within your divine heartbeat; we will grasp them all, we will save them, we will let no one escape, at the cost of any sacrifice – even if I should bear all the pain. If You should push me away, I will fling myself deeper inside; I will cry out louder in order to plead together with You the salvation of your children and my brothers.

O my Jesus, my Life and my All, how many things does your voluntary imprisonment tell me! But the emblem with which I see You all studded, is the emblem of the souls; and the chains which bind You completely, so very tightly, are love. It seems that the words souls and love make You smile, debilitate You and force You to surrender in everything; and I, pondering well these excesses of your love, will be always around You and together with You, with my usual refrains: ‘Souls and love’.

Therefore, today I want all of You – always together with me in the prayer, in the work, in the pleasures and displeasures, in the food, in the steps, in the sleep – in everything. I am certain that, being unable to obtain anything by myself, with You I will obtain everything; and everything we do, will serve to soothe each of your pains, to sweeten every bitterness of yours, to repair for any offense, to repay You for everything, and to impetrate any conversion, no matter how difficult and desperate. We will go begging for a little love from every heart, to make You more content and happy. Isn’t it good like this, O Jesus?

O dear Prisoner of love, bind me with your chains, seal me with your love. O please! show me your beautiful face. O Jesus, how beautiful You are! Your blond hair braids and sanctifies all my thoughts; your forehead, calm and serene in the midst of so many offenses, gives me peace and puts me in the most perfect calm – even in the midst of the greatest storms, of your very privations, of your whims, which cost me my life. Ah, You know it, but I move on; it is my heart that tells You this, for it knows how to say it better than I do. O Love, your beautiful cerulean eyes, sparkling with divine light, abduct me to Heaven and make me forget the earth; but, alas, to my greatest sorrow my exile yet continues. Hurry, hurry, O Jesus! Yes, You are beautiful, O Jesus; I seem to see You in that Tabernacle of love. The beauty and the majesty of your face enamors me and makes me see Heaven; your gracious mouth kisses me softly in every instant. Your gentle voice calls me and invites me to love every moment; your knees sustain me; your arms clasp me with indissoluble bond; and I will impress my burning kisses, thousands upon thousands, on your adorable face.

Jesus, Jesus, may our will be one; one our love, one our contentment. Never leave me alone, for I am a nothing, and the nothing cannot be without the All. Do You promise me, O Jesus? It seems that You say Yes. And now bless me – bless all; and in the company of the Angels, of the Saints, of the sweet Mama and of all creatures, I say to You: ‘Good morning, O Jesus, good morning….’

Now, after I wrote these prayers, written above under the influence of Jesus, as He came at nighttime, Jesus showed me that He was keeping this ‘good-bye’ and ‘good morning’ inside His Heart, and He told me: “My daughter, they really came out of my Heart. Whoever will recite them with the intention of being with Me, as it is expressed in these prayers, I will keep him with Me and in Me, to do what I do. I will not only warm him with my love, but each time I will increase my love toward that soul, admitting him to union with the Divine Life and with my own desires to save all souls.”

I would want Jesus in my mind, Jesus in my lips, Jesus in my heart; I would want to look only at Jesus, hear only Jesus, be clasped only with Jesus. I want to do everything together with Jesus – love with Jesus, suffer with Jesus, joke with Jesus, cry with Jesus, write with Jesus. Without Jesus I don’t even want to draw a breath. I will stay here like a fussy little girl, doing nothing, so that Jesus will come to do everything with me, content to be His amusement, abandoning myself to His love, to His lashes, to His worries and to His loving whims, as long as I do everything with Jesus.

See, O my Jesus? This is my will, and You will not move me – did You hear? So, now come and write with me.

+++

February 14, 1912
Jesus looks at everything in the will. In the Divine Will all things acquire the same value.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came, and I was saying to Him: ‘Tell me, O Jesus, how is it that after You have disposed the soul to suffering, and knowing the goodness contained in it, she loves suffering, she suffers almost with passion, and while she believes that suffering is her inheritance, all of a sudden You take this treasure away from her?’ And Jesus: “My daughter, my love is great, my rule is insuperable, my teachings are sublime, my instructions divine, creative and inimitable. Therefore, so that all things – be they great or small, painful or enjoyable, natural or spiritual – may acquire one single color and have one single value, once the soul has practiced suffering and reaches the point of loving it, I let this suffering pass into her will as her own property. So, every time I send her suffering, having the property and the dispositions within her will, she will always be disposed to suffer it and to love it. I look at things in the will, and it is as if the soul were always suffering, even if she does not suffer. And so that pleasure may have the same value as suffering, as well as praying, working, eating, sleeping… – in sum, everything, because everything is in whether things are from my Will – so that all things may have one same value, I allow the soul to practice all things in my Will with holy indifference. So, it seems to the soul that I give her something, and then I take it away from her; but it is not true. Rather, it happens that at the beginning, when the soul is not yet well trained, she feels sensitivity in suffering, in praying, in loving; but when, through practice, these things pass into her will as her own property, her sensitivity ceases. And when the need arises for her to use these divine properties which I made her acquire, with firm step and imperturbable heart she begins to exercise them, as the opportunity comes. For example: does suffering come? She finds within herself the strength and the life of suffering. Must she pray? She finds within herself the life of prayer; and so with all the rest.”

According to what Jesus says, it seems to me this way: let us suppose that I have received a gift; until I make up my mind on where I should keep that gift, I look at it, I appreciate it, and I feel a certain sensitivity in loving that gift; but if I keep it under lock and key, no longer watching it, that sensitivity ceases. However, with this I cannot say that the gift is no longer mine; on the contrary it is more certainly mine, because I keep it under lock and key, while before it was in danger, and someone might have stolen it from me.

Jesus continues: “In my Will all things hold each other’s hands, all look alike and all are in accord. Therefore, suffering gives its place to pleasure and says: ‘I have done my part in the Will of God; now you do yours, and only if Jesus wants it I will enter the field again.’ Fervor says to coldness: ‘You will be more ardent than me if you content yourself with staying in the Will of my Eternal Love.’ Prayer to work, sleep to vigil, illness to health… everything – all things among themselves, it seems that each one leaves its place to the other to be present in the field, though each one has its own distinct place. So, it is not necessary for one who lives in my Will to move in order to place herself in the act of doing what I want; she is already in Me, like an electric wire, doing whatever I want.”

February, 1912
Offering of a victim.

Continuing in my usual state, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen crucified, with a soul near Him, who was offering herself to Jesus as victim. And Jesus said to her: “My daughter, I accept you as victim of pain. Everything you may suffer, you will suffer as if you were with Me on the Cross, and with your sufferings you will relieve Me. Many times, this relieving of Me with your sufferings escapes you; know, however, that I was a peaceful Victim and Host. You too – I don’t want you an oppressed victim, but peaceful and joyful. You will be like a docile little lamb, and your bleating – that is, your prayers, sufferings and works – will serve to soothe my embittered wounds.”

February 18, 1912
How the soul who lives of the life of Jesus can say that her life is ended.

Finding myself in my usual state, my always and all lovable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, everything you do for Me, even a breath, enters into Me as a pledge of your love for Me; and I, in exchange, give you my pledges of love. Therefore, the soul can say: ‘I live of the pledges that my beloved Jesus gives me’.” Then He added: “My beloved daughter, since you live of my life, it can be said that your life is ended – you no longer live. So, since it is no longer you who lives, but I, anything they do to you, pleasing or displeasing, I receive as if it were done directly to Me. And you can comprehend this from the fact that, whatever they do to you, whether pleasing or displeasing, you do not feel anything. This means that there must be someone else who feels that pleasure or displeasure; and who else could feel it if not Myself, who lives in you and loves you very, very much?”

February 24, 1912
The soul who lives in the Divine Will loses her temperament and acquires that of Jesus. The smile of Jesus.

After I saw various souls around Jesus, especially one who was more sensitive, Jesus told me: “My daughter, if the souls with sensitive temperament start doing good, they make more progress than the others, because their sensitivity leads them to arduous and great enterprises.” I prayed that He would take what was left of her human sensitivity away from that soul, and that He would clasp her more closely to Himself and tell her that He loved her, for He would conquer her completely, as she would hear that He loved her. ‘You will see that You will succeed. Have You not conquered me in this way, telling me that You loved me very, very much?’ And Jesus: “Yes, yes, I will do it, but I want her cooperation – that she escape as much as she can from the people who excite her sensitivity.”

So I added: ‘My Love, tell me, what about my temperament – what is it?’ And Jesus: “One who lives in my Will loses her temperament and acquires mine. So, in the soul who lives in my Will one finds a pleasant, attractive, penetrating, dignified temperament, and simple at the same time – of a child-like simplicity; in sum, she looks like Me in everything. Even more, she keeps her temperament within her power as she wants and as is needed. Since she lives in my Will, she takes part in my power, so she has all things, and herself, at her disposal, and according to the circumstances and the people she deals with, she takes my temperament and applies it.”

And I: ‘Tell me, will You give me a first place in your Will?’ Jesus smiled: “Yes, yes, I promise you. I will never let you go out of my Will, and you will take and do whatever you want.”

And I: ‘Jesus, I want to be poor poor, little little; I want nothing, even of your very things; it is better if You keep them. I want only You, and as I need things You will give them to me; isn’t it true, O Jesus?’

And Jesus: “Brava, brava, my daughter! Finally I have found someone who does not want anything. Everyone wants something from Me, but not the All – that is, Myself alone; but you, by wanting nothing, have wanted everything, and here is all the fineness and the astuteness of true love.” I smiled and Jesus disappeared.

February 26, 1912
The creature is a complex of love and moves only out of love. Jesus, beggar of love.

Returning, my all and always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, I am love and I made the creatures all love. Their nerves, bones, flesh, are woven with love; and after I wove them with love, I made blood flow in all their particles, as though covering them with a garment, in order to give them the life of love. So, the creature is nothing other than a complex of love, and she does not move other than out of love. At the most, there can be varieties of love, but it is always out of love that she moves. There can be divine love, love of self, love of creatures, evil love – but always love; nor can she do otherwise, because her life is love, created by the Eternal Love, and therefore led to love by an irresistible force. So, after all, even in evil, in sin, there must be a love that pushed the creature to do that evil.

Ah, my daughter, what is not my sorrow in seeing in the creatures the property of my love, which I delivered, being profaned and contaminated by a different use! In order to guard this love which came out of Me, and which I gave to creatures, I remain around them like a poor beggar; and as the creature moves, palpitates, breathes, works, speaks, walks, I go begging for everything from her, and I beg her, I implore her – I beseech her to give everything to Me, saying to her: ‘Daughter, I ask from you nothing other than what I gave you. It is for your own good; do not steal from Me what is mine. The breath is mine – breathe only for Me; the heartbeat and the movement are mine – palpitate and move only for Me’; and so with all the rest. But, to my greatest sorrow, I am forced to see the heartbeat taking one way, the breath another; and I, poor beggar, remain on an empty stomach, while the love of self, of creatures, and even of passions remain full. Can there be a greater wrong than this? My daughter, I want to pour out my love and my sorrow with you; only one who loves Me can compassionate Me.”

February 28, 1912
The sign in order to know whether one loves only Jesus. How one who loves Him is united with Him.

This morning, as my adorable Jesus came, I said to Him: ‘O my Heart, my Life and my All, how can one know whether one loves You only or others also?’

“My daughter, if the soul is completely filled with Me up to the brim, to the point of overflowing outside – that is, if she thinks of, searches for, speaks about and loves nothing but Me – it seems that everything else does not exist for her; rather, it bores, it bothers her. At the most, she gives the scraps and the last place to that which is not God, as if it were her last thought, word or act for a necessary thing of the natural life. This is nothing but giving the scraps to one’s nature; this is what saints do. I did it too, with Myself and with the Apostles, giving some dispositions on where to spend the night or what to eat. Giving this to one’s nature does no harm either to love or to true sanctity, and it is a sign that the creature loves Me only.

But if the soul alternates among various things – now she thinks of Me, now of something else; now she speaks about Me, and then she speaks at length about something else, and so with the rest – it is a sign that she does not love Me only, and I am not content with it. Then, if only her last thought, her last word, her last act is for Me, it is a sign that she does not love Me, and if she gives Me anything at all, she gives Me nothing but scraps. Yet, this is what most creatures do.

Ah, my daughter, those who love Me are united with Me like the branches are united to the trunk of the tree. Can there ever be separation, oblivion or different nourishment between the branches and the trunk? One is their life, one the purpose, the fruits are the same; even more, the trunk is the life of the branches, and the branches are the glory of the trunk – they are all the same thing. This is how the souls who love Me are with Me.”

March 3, 1912
The temperament of Jesus is formed by His Will, and the soul who does the Divine Will takes part in all the qualities of His temperament.

Continuing in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, one who does my Will loses her temperament and acquires mine, and since in my temperament there are many melodies which form the paradise of the Blessed – such that music is my sweet temperament, music the goodness, music the sanctity, music the beauty, the power, the wisdom, the immensity, and so with all the rest of my Being – the soul, taking part in all the qualities of my temperament, receives within herself all the varieties of these melodies. As she goes along doing even the littlest actions, she makes a melody for Me, and as I hear it, I immediately recognize that it is music that the soul has taken from my Will – that is, from my temperament – and I run to listen to it, and I like it so much that I am amused and cheered of all the wrongs which the other creatures do to Me.

My daughter, what will happen when these melodies will pass into Heaven? I will put the soul in front of Me; I will play my music, and she will play her own – we will dart through each other; the sound of one will be the echo of the sound of the other; the harmonies will mix together. In clear notes it will be known to all the Blessed that this soul is nothing other than the fruit of my Will – the portent of my Will; and all Heaven will enjoy one more paradise.

These are the souls to whom I keep repeating: ‘Had I not created the heavens, for you alone I would create them.’ In them I lay the Heaven of my Will, and I make of them the true images of Myself; and within these Heavens I keep wandering about, amusing Myself and playing with them. To these Heavens I repeat: ‘Had I not left Myself in the Sacrament, for you alone I would have done it.’ In fact, they are my true hosts, and just as I could not live without a Will, in the same way I cannot live without these Heavens of my Will; rather, they are not only my true Hosts, but my Calvary and my very Life. These Heavens of my Will are more dear to Me and more privileged than the Tabernacles and the very consecrated Hosts, because in the Host my Life ends as the species is consumed, while in these Heavens of my Will my Life never ends; even more, they serve as my Hosts on earth and will be eternal Hosts in Heaven. To these Heavens of my Will I add: ‘Had I not incarnated Myself in the womb of my Mother, for these souls alone I would have incarnated Myself, and for them I would have suffered my Passion’, because in them I find the true fruit of my Incarnation and Passion.”

March 8, 1912
The state of victim of Jesus during His hidden life. What being a victim means.

This morning Father G. offered himself as victim to Our Lord, and I was praying, offering him, that He would accept him. Then, my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, I accept him whole-heartedly. Tell him that his life will no longer be his, but mine, and that I chose him as victim of my hidden life. My hidden life was victim for the whole interior life of man; so it satisfied for the bad thoughts, desires, tendencies and affections.

Everything that man does externally is nothing other than the outpouring of his interior. If so much evil shows on the outside, what must the interior be like? Therefore, the redoing of the interior of man cost Me very much; it is enough to say that it took Me as long as thirty years. My thought, my heartbeat, breath and desire were always intent on running close to the thought, heartbeat, breath and desire of man, in order to repair them, satisfy for them and sanctify them.

So I choose him as victim for this point of my hidden life, and I want all his interior united with Me, and offered to Me, to satisfy Me for the evil interior of other creatures. I choose him for this on purpose, because, being a priest, he knows better than others the interior of souls, the rot and the slime which is in them. From this, he can better know how much my state of victim cost Me, a state in which I want him to take part – and not only him, but also others whom he will approach.

My daughter, tell him that I am giving him a great grace by accepting him as victim, because becoming a victim is nothing other than a second baptism – or rather, more than baptism, because it is about rising again in my very life; and since the victim must live with Me and of Me, it is necessary for Me to wash him of every stain, giving him a new baptism and strengthening him in grace, to be able to admit him to live with Me. Therefore, from now on, in anything he does, he will no longer say that it is his own, but that it is mine. So, whether he prays, speaks or works, he will say that these are my things.”

After this, Jesus seemed to be looking around; and I: ‘What are you looking at, O Jesus? Aren’t we alone?’ And He said: “No, there are people. I draw them around you to have them closer to Me.” And I: ‘Do You love them?’ And He: “Yes, but I would like them to be more at ease, more trusting, more brave and more intimate with Me, with no thought about themselves. They must know that victims are no longer the masters of themselves, otherwise they would annul the state of victim.”

Then, having to cough a little, I said: ‘Jesus, let me come soon, let me die of consumption. Hurry, hurry, let me come – take me with You.’ And Jesus: “Don’t make Me see you are discontent, otherwise I suffer. Yes, you will die of consumption – just a little longer; and if you will not die of corporal consumption, you will die of the consumption of love. O please, do not go out of my Will, for my Will will be your paradise; or better still, the paradise of my Will. For as many days as you will be on earth, so many paradises will I give you in Heaven.”

March 13, 1912
The baptism of victim is baptism by fire, and has effects superior to the baptism by water.

Jesus continues to speak about the state of victim, telling me: “My daughter, the baptism at birth is by water, therefore it has the virtue of purifying, but not of removing tendencies and passions. On the other hand, the baptism of victim is baptism by fire, therefore it has not only the virtue of purifying, but of consuming any passion and evil tendency. Even more, I Myself baptize the soul, bit by bit: my thought baptizes the thought of the soul; my heartbeat baptizes her heartbeat; my desire her desire, and so on. However, this baptism is carried out between Myself and the soul, according to whether she gives herself to Me without ever taking back what she has given Me.

This is why, my daughter, you do not feel evil tendencies and the like. It comes from your state of victim, and I tell you this for your consolation. So, tell Father G. to be well attentive, for this is the mission of missions – the apostolate of apostolates. I want him always with Me, and all intent within Me.”

March 15, 1912
The Divine Will is the Sanctity of sanctities. The souls who live in the Divine Will are true living hosts.

Continuing in my usual state, I felt a great desire to do the Most Holy Will of blessed Jesus; and He, on coming, told me: “My daughter, my Will is the Sanctity of sanctities. The soul who does my Will, however small, ignorant, unknown, leaves the other Saints behind in spite of their prodigies, sensational conversions and miracles. Rather, in comparison, the souls who do my Will are queens, and it is as if all the others were at their service.

It seems that the souls who do my Will do nothing, while they do everything, because, being in my Will, they act in a divine manner, in a hidden and surprising way. So, they are light that illuminates, they are winds that purify, they are fire that burns, they are miracles that make others do miracles. Those who do miracles are channels; but in these souls resides the power. Therefore, they are the foot of the missionary, the tongue of the preachers, the strength of the weak, the patience of the sick, the regime of the superiors, the obedience of the subjects, the tolerance of the slandered, the firmness in dangers, the heroism of the heroes, the courage of the martyrs, the sanctity in the saints, and so with all the rest. Being in my Will, they concur with all the good that can exist both in Heaven and on earth.

This is why I can surely say that they are my true hosts – but living hosts, not dead ones. In fact, the accidents that form the host are not full of life, nor do they influence my life; but the soul is full of life, and by doing my Will, she influences and concurs with all that I do. This is why these hosts consecrated by my Will are more dear to Me than the very sacramental hosts, and if I have reason to exist in the sacramental hosts, it is to form the sacramental hosts of my Will.

My daughter, I take such delight in my Will, that in simply hearing one speak about It, I feel overjoyed and I call the whole of Heaven to make feast. Imagine, yourself, what will become of those souls who do It: in them I find all the contentments, and to them I give all the contentments; their life is the life of the Blessed. Two things only do they cherish, desire and yearn: my Will and Love. They have little to do, while indeed they do everything. The virtues themselves remain absorbed in my Will and in Love, and so they have nothing to do with them any more, since my Will contains, possesses and absorbs everything – but in a way which is divine, immense and endless. This is the life of the Blessed.”

March 20, 1912
Everything is in giving oneself to Jesus, and in doing His Will always and in everything.

Finding myself in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus made Himself seen all sorrowful, and said to me: “My daughter, they do not want to understand that everything is in giving oneself completely to Me, and in doing my Will always and in everything. Once I have obtained this, I Myself keep pushing the souls, saying to each one of them: ‘My daughter, take this enjoyment, this comfort, this relief, this refreshment….’ With this difference: if they had taken those things before giving themselves completely to Me and doing my Will always and in everything, those would have been human things; but afterwards, they are divine. And since they are my things, I no longer feel jealous, and I say to Myself: ‘If she takes a licit pleasure, she takes it because I want it; if she deals with people, if she converses licitly, it is because I want it. If I did not want it, she would be ready to stop everything; therefore I put things at her disposal, because everything she does is the effect of my Will, no longer of her own.

Tell me, oh! my daughter, what have you lacked since you gave yourself completely to Me? I have given you my tastes, my pleasures and all of Myself for your contentment. This, in the supernatural order; but in the natural order also, I have not allowed you to lack anything: confessors, Communions, and all the rest. Rather, since you wanted Me alone, you did not want the confessors so often; but wanting everything in abundance for one who wanted to deprive herself of everything for Me, I did not listen to you.

Daughter, what pain I feel in my Heart in seeing that souls do not want to understand this, even those who are said to be the most good.”

April 4, 1912
The Divine Will must be the center of everything.

This morning my always lovable Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, my Will is the center, the other virtues are the circumference. Imagine a wheel in whose middle all the rays are centered. What would happen if one of these rays wanted to detach itself from the center? First, that ray would make a bad impression; second, it would remain inoperative, because, no longer being attached to the center, it would no longer receive life and would be dead; and the wheel, in moving, would get rid of it.

Such is my Will for the soul – my Will is the center. All the things which are not done in my Will, and only to fulfill my Volition, be they even holy things, virtues or good works, are like the rays detached from the center of the wheel; they are works and virtues without life. They could never please Me; rather, I do everything to get rid of them and to punish them.”

April 10, 1912
Trusting souls are the outpouring and the amusement of the love of Jesus.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, the souls who will shine the most, like bright gems in the crown of my mercy, are the souls who have more trust, because the more trust they have, the more they give space for the attribute of my Mercy to pour into them any grace they want. On the other hand, the soul who does not have true trust, herself closes the graces within Me, remaining always poor and unequipped, while my love remains constrained within Me, and I suffer very much. And in order not to suffer so much, and to be able to pour out my love more freely, I deal more with those souls who trust than with the others. With these I can pour out my love, I can play, I can cause loving contrasts, since there is no worry that they might take offense or become fearful; on the contrary, they become more brave and take everything in order to love Me more. Therefore, trusting souls are the outpouring and the amusement of my love, the ones who receive more graces, and the richest.”

April 20, 1912
How nature tends toward happiness. Human tastes and divine tastes.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, nature tends toward happiness with an irresistible force – but with reason, because it was made to be happy, and of a divine and eternal happiness. But to their own great harm, some get attached to one taste, some to two, some to three, and others to four, and the rest of their nature remains either empty and without taste, or embittered, annoyed and nauseated. In fact, human tastes, even holy tastes, are mixed with a little bit of human, and do not have the strength to absorb the whole of one’s nature and to overwhelm it completely in the taste. More so, since I keep embittering these tastes so as to be able to give the creature all my tastes which, being innumerable, have the strength to absorb the whole of her nature in the taste. Can anyone give greater love than this – that in order to give the greatest I take away the little, and in order to give the All I take away the nothing? Yet, this operating of mine is taken badly by creatures.”

April 23, 1912
How in all things Jesus proves His love for the creature. True sanctity is in doing the Divine Will, and in reordering all things in Jesus.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a little, and told me: “My daughter, sometimes I allow fault in a soul who loves me in order to clasp her more tightly to Myself, and to oblige her to do greater things for my glory. In fact, the more I give to her, permitting even fault in order to be moved to greater compassion for her miseries and to love her more, filling her with my charisms, the more I compel her to do great things for Me. These are the excesses of my love.

My daughter, my love for the creature is great. Do you see how the light of the sun invades the earth? If you could make many atoms out of that light, in those atoms of light you would hear my melodious voice and, one after the other, they would repeat to you: ‘I love you, I love you, I love you…’, in such a way as to give you no time to count them. You would remain drowned inside love. And indeed, I love you – ‘I love you’ in the light that fills your eyes; ‘I love you’ in the air that you breathe; ‘I love you’ in the whistling of the wind that touches your hearing; ‘I love you’ in the warmth and in the cold felt by your touch; ‘I love you’ in the blood that flows in your veins. My heartbeat says ‘I love you’ in the beating of your heart. I repeat to you ‘I love you’ in each thought of your mind; ‘I love you’ in each action of your hands; ‘I love you’ in each step of your feet; ‘I love you’ in each word… because nothing happens inside or outside of you without the concurrence of an act of my love toward you. So, one ‘I love you’ of mine does not wait for another. And your ‘I love You’s’? How many are for Me?”

I remained confused. I felt deafened inside and out, full chorus, by the ‘I love you’s’ of my sweet Jesus, while my ‘I love You’s’ were so scarce, so limited, that I said: ‘Oh! my lover Jesus, who can ever match You?’ But with what I have said, it seems that I have said nothing of all that Jesus made me understand.

Then He added: “True sanctity is in doing my Will, and in reordering all things in Me. Just as I keep everything in order for the creature, so should the creature order all things for Me and in Me. My Will keeps all things in order.”

May 9, 1912
How we can consume ourselves in love.

This morning, finding myself in my usual state, I was thinking about how we can consume ourselves in love; and blessed Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, if the will wants nothing but Me, if the intellect occupies itself with nothing but knowing Me, if the memory remembers nothing other than Me; here they are – the three powers of the soul consumed in love. The same for the senses: if one speaks only about Me, if she hears only that which regards Me, if she enjoys only my things, if she works and walks only for Me, if her heart loves only Me, if her desires desire only Me; here it is – the consummation in love formed in her senses.

My daughter, love has a sweet enchantment, and it renders the soul blind to all that is not love, making her all eyes for all that is love. Therefore, for one who loves, whatever her will may encounter, if it is love, she becomes all eyes; if not, she becomes blind, stupid and does not understand anything. The same for her tongue; if she has to speak about love, she feels many eyes of light flow within her word and becomes eloquent; if not, she begins to stammer and ends up dumb; and so with all the rest.”

May 22, 1912
True love is not subject to discontents.

As I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a little, and since I was feeling a certain discontent in me, He told me: “My daughter, true love is not subject to discontents; rather, from the very discontents it takes the opportunity to change them into the most beautiful contentments by virtue of love. More so, since, being the contentment of contentments, I cannot tolerate any discontent in the soul who loves Me, as I Myself feel her discontent more than if it were my own rather than hers, and I am forced to give her whatever thing renders content in order to have her all conformed to Me. Otherwise, there would be some clashing and dissimilar fibers, heartbeats or thoughts which would make us lose the best of our harmony, and I cannot tolerate all this in one who truly loves Me.

Moreover, true love operates out of love, and out of love it does not operate; it asks out of love, and out of love it surrenders. So, true love ends all in love; out of love it dies, and out of love it rises again.”

And I: ‘Jesus, it seems that You want to escape me with this talking, but know that I am not giving up. For now, You surrender to me out of love; do for me an act of love and surrender to that which is so necessary to me, and to which I am so bound. As for the rest, I surrender everything to You. Otherwise I will be discontent.” And Jesus: “You want to win by dint of discontents.” He smiled and He disappeared.

May 25, 1912
The soul who lives in the Divine Will is a soft object in the hands of Jesus.

This morning my always lovable Jesus, seeing me very oppressed, let me suckle from His Heart, and then He told me: “My daughter, if one wants to make a hole in a hard object or give it another shape, that object would be ruined or shattered. But if it is soft or made of a malleable paste, one can make the hole or give it the shape desired without fearing that it might break. And if one wanted to give it back the original shape, that object would be ready for everything with no difficulty.

Such is the soul who lives in my Will. She is a soft object, and I can make of her whatever I want. Now I wound her, now I embellish her, now I enlarge her; in one instant I remake her again, and the soul is ready for everything, she opposes nothing, and I always carry her in my hands, delighting in her continuously.”

May 30, 1912
For the soul who truly loves Jesus there cannot be separation from Him. Love forms their mutual rest.

Continuing in my usual state, I felt oppressed because of the privation of my always lovable Jesus; and He, on coming, told me: “My daughter, when you are without Me, make use of this very privation to double, to triple, to increase a hundredfold your acts of love toward Me, in such a way as to form an environment, all of love, inside and outside of you, in which you will find Me, more beautiful and as though reborn to new life. In fact, wherever love is, there I am; therefore, for the soul who truly loves Me there cannot be separation; rather, we form the same thing, because love seems to create Me, to give Me life, to nourish Me, to make Me grow. In love I find my center and I feel recreated, reborn, while I am eternal, with no beginning and with no end; but thanks to the soul who loves Me, I enjoy love so much that I feel as though remade.

Furthermore, in this love I find my true rest. My Intelligence rests in the intelligence of one who loves me; my Heart, my desire, my hands and my feet rest in the heart that loves me, in the desire that loves Me and desires only Me, in the hands that work for Me, and in the feet that walk only for Me. So, part by part, I go along resting in the soul who loves Me; and the soul, with her love, finds Me in everything and everywhere. She rests completely in Me, and in my love she is reborn, she is embellished, and she grows in an admirable way, in my own love.”

June 2, 1912
Only the things which are extraneous to Jesus can separate the soul from Him.

Continuing in my usual state, I was lamenting to Jesus about His privations, and Jesus told me: “My daughter, when there is nothing in the soul which is extraneous to Me, or which does not belong to Me, there cannot be separation between Myself and the soul. Even more, I tell you that if there is not a thought, affection, desire or heartbeat which is not mine, either I keep the soul with Me in Heaven, or I remain with her on earth. If there are things extraneous to Me – this only can separate Me from the soul; and if you do not perceive this within you, why do you fear that I might separate from you?”

June 9, 1912
For the soul who does the Divine Will and lives in It there is no death and no judgment.

As I was feeling a little in suffering, I was saying to my always lovable Jesus: ‘When will You take me with You? O please! hurry, O Jesus; let death cut this life of mine and unite me with You in Heaven.’

And Jesus: “My daughter, for the soul who does my Will and lives of my Volition there is no death. Death is for one who does not do my Will, because she has to die to many things: to herself, to passions, to the earth. But one who does my Will has nothing to die to; she is already used to living in Heaven. For her, it is nothing other than laying down her remains, like one who would lay down the clothes of a poor one to wear the garments of a queen, in order to leave exile and take possession of the Fatherland. The soul who does my Will is not subject to death, she receives no judgment; her living is eternal. That which death was supposed to do, love has done in advance, and my Will has reordered her completely in Me, in such a way that I have nothing for which to judge her. Therefore, remain in my Will and, when you least expect it, you will find yourself in my Will in Heaven.”

June 28, 1912
The soul who lives in the Divine Will is a heaven in which Jesus is the Sun and His virtues are the stars.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a little, and told me: “My daughter, the soul who does my Will is heaven, but heaven without sun and without stars, because I am the Sun, and the stars which embellish this heaven are my own virtues. How beautiful this heaven, such as to enamor whomever can know it; and much more am I enamored, as I place Myself like Sun in the center of this heaven, and I keep darting through it, continuously, with new light, with new love, with new graces.

How beautiful it is to see this heaven, if the Sun shines – that is, when I manifest Myself and caress the soul, filling her with my charisms. I embrace her, and touched by her love, I faint and I rest in her. All the Saints gather around Me while I rest; they are amazed in watching this heaven in which I am the Sun, and remain ecstatic at this prodigious portent, because neither on earth nor in Heaven can one find anything more beautiful and more delightful for Me and for all.

How beautiful this heaven, if the Sun hides – that is, when I deprive her of Me. Oh! how the harmony of the stars can be admired! In fact, the air of this heaven is not subject to clouds, to showers, to storms, because the hidden Sun is hidden in the center of the soul, and Its heat is so burning as to destroy clouds, showers and storms. The air of this heaven is always calm, serene and sweet-smelling, and the stars which shine most brightly in it are perennial peace and endless love.

Whether the soul is hidden in the Sun and the stars disappear, or the Sun is hidden in her and the harmony of the stars appears – this heaven is beautiful in every way. This heaven is my contentment, my rest, my love – my Paradise.”

July 4, 1912
The Divine Will must be the sepulcher of the soul. By thinking about herself, the soul escapes from Divine Life.

This morning, after Communion, I was saying to my always lovable Jesus: ‘To what a state I have reduced myself! It seems that everything escapes me: suffering, virtues – everything!’ And Jesus: ‘My daughter, what is the matter? Do you want to waste time? Do you want to go out of your nothingness? Stay in your place – in your nothingness – so that the All may keep Its place in you. Know, however, that you must die completely in my Will: to suffering, to virtues – to everything. My Will must be the tomb of the soul; and just as in the tomb one’s nature is consumed to the point of disappearing completely, and through that very consummation it will rise again to new and more beautiful life – in the same way, the soul, buried in my Will as though inside a tomb, will die to suffering, to her virtues, to her spiritual goods, and will rise again in everything to Divine Life.

Ah, my daughter, it seems that you want to imitate the mundane, who tend to what is temporal and ends, while they take what is eternal into no consideration. My beloved, why do you not want to learn to live only of my Will? Why do you not want to live only the life of Heaven, even while being on earth? My Will is Love, the One that never dies; therefore my Will must be your sepulcher, and Love is the lid that must to lock you and seal you in, giving you no more hope to get out. And besides, every thought that regards oneself, even about virtues themselves, is always gaining for oneself and running away from Divine Life; while if the soul thinks only about Me and what regards Me, she takes Divine Life into herself, and by taking the Divine Life, she escapes the human, and takes all possible goods. Have we understood each other?”

July 19, 1912
Attentiveness to the teachings of Jesus makes the soul’s refrigerating breath reach Him also through others. Love must stand alone.

This morning, as I was in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, I feel your breath and I feel refreshed by it. Your breath gives Me refreshment, not only when I am near you, but also when others speak of you and of the things said by you for their good. Through them I feel your breath and I delight; my refreshment is repeated, and I say: ‘My daughter sends Me her refreshment also through others, because if she had not been attentive in listening to Me, she could never have done good to others. Therefore, she is still the one who sends Me this good.’ So, I love you more and I feel compelled to come and converse with you.”

Then He added: “True love must stand alone. When it leans on someone else – even a holy or a spiritual person – it nauseates Me, and instead of contentment, I feel bitterness and bother. In fact, only when love stands alone can I have lordship and do whatever I want with the soul; and this is the nature of true love. But when it does not stand alone, one thing can be done, something else cannot – it is a hindered lordship, which does not give full freedom, and therefore love feels uncomfortable and constrained.”

July 23, 1912
The heart must be empty of everything.

Finding myself with my always lovable Jesus, I was lamenting to Him because, in addition to His privations, I also felt my poor heart insensitive, cold, indifferent to everything, as if it no longer had life. What a pitiful state mine is! And even so, I myself am unable to cry over my misfortune. ‘Since I myself am unable to have compassion for myself – You, have compassion for this heart, which You have loved so much, and which You intended so firmly to receive.’

And Jesus: “My daughter, do not afflict yourself for something that deserves no affliction. Instead of having compassion for these laments and for your heart, I am pleased and I say to you: ‘Rejoice with Me, because I have made a complete purchase of your heart. And since you no longer feel anything of your very contentments and of the life of your heart, I alone come to enjoy your contentment and your very life.

You must know that when you do not feel anything from your heart, I draw your heart into my Heart and I keep at rest, in sweet sleep, while I enjoy it. If you do feel it, then the enjoyment is together. If you let Me do, after I have given you rest in my Heart and enjoyed from you, I will come to rest in you and I will make you enjoy the contentments of my Heart.

Ah, my daughter, this state is necessary for you, for Me and for the world. For you: if you had been awake, you would have suffered very much in seeing the chastisements which I am sending now, and the others which I will send. Therefore, it is necessary to put you to sleep so as not to make you suffer so much. It is necessary for Me: how much I would have suffered had I not made you content – had I not condescended to what you wanted, since you would not permit Me to send chastisements. So, it was necessary to put you to sleep. In certain sad times, with necessity of chastisements, it is necessary to choose ways in the middle in order to be less unhappy. It is necessary for the world: if I wanted to pour Myself out with you and make you suffer as I once used to do – and therefore making you content by sparing the world the chastisements – faith, religion, salvation, would be banished even more from the world, especially considering how souls are disposed in these times. Ah, my daughter, let Me do, whether I have to keep you awake or asleep. Did you not tell Me to do with you whatever I wanted? Do you perhaps want to withdraw your word?”

And I: ‘Never, O Jesus! Rather, I fear that I have become bad, and because of this I feel I am in this state.’ And Jesus: “Listen, my daughter, is it perhaps that some thought, affection or desire which is not for Me has entered into you? If this were the case, you should fear; but if this is not, it is a sign that I keep your heart in Me and I make it sleep. The time will come – it will come – when I will have it wake up; then you will see that you will take the attitude of before, and since you will have been at rest, this attitude will be greater.” Then He added: “I make souls of all kinds: I make the ones sleepy with love, the ignorant of love, the crazy of love, the learned of love. But, of all this, do you know what interests me the most? That everything be love. Anything else which is not love is worth not even a glance.”

August 12, 1912
The love of God symbolized by the sun.

This morning my always lovable Jesus came for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, my love is symbolized by the sun. The sun rises majestically, but while it rises, it is always fixed and never rises. With its light it invades all the earth; with its heat it fecundates all plants; there is no eye which does not enjoy of it. One could say that there is almost no good on earth which does not come from its beneficial influence. How many things would not have life without it? And yet, it does everything without clamor, without saying even a word, without demanding anything. It gives no bother to anyone; on the contrary, it does not even take up any space on earth which, in turn, it invades with its light. Men can do whatever they want with it; even more, while they enjoy the good of the sun, they pay no attention to it, and they keep it in their midst, unobserved.

Such is my love, symbolized by the sun. Like majestic sun, it rises in the midst of all; there is no mind which is not irradiated by my light; there is no heart which does not feel my heat; there is no soul which is not embraced by my love. More than sun, I am in the midst of all, but – ah! how few pay attention to Me. I remain almost unobserved in their midst; I am not requited, and yet I continue to give light, heat and love. If some soul pays attention to Me, I go mad, but without clamor, because, being solid, fixed, truthful, my love is not subject to weaknesses.

Just so would I like your love for Me; and if it were so, you too would become sun for Me and for all, because true love possesses all the qualities of the sun. On the other hand, a love which is not solid, fixed, truthful, is symbolized by earthly fire, which is subject to variations. Its light is not capable of illuminating all; it is a very gloomy light, mixed with smoke. Its heat is limited, and if it is not fed with wood, it dies down and turns into ash; and if the wood is green, it sputters and smokes. Such are the souls who are not completely for Me, as my true lovers. If they do a little bit of good, it is more clamor and smoke that comes out of their actions than light. If they are not fed by some human bother – even under the aspect of sanctity, of conscience – they die down and become colder than ash. Their characteristic is inconstancy: now fire, now ash.”

August 14, 1912
In order to forget herself, she soul must do everything, not only because Jesus wants it, but because Jesus Himself wants to do it in her. If He redeemed us with His Passion, with His hidden life He sanctified and divinized all human actions.

As I was in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, in order to forget herself, the soul should make it in such a way that everything she does, and which is necessary to her, she does as if I Myself wanted to do it in her. If she prays, she should say: ‘It is Jesus who wants to pray’; and I pray together with her. If she has to work: ‘It is Jesus who wants to work’. ‘It is Jesus who wants to walk; it is Jesus who wants to take food, who wants to sleep, who wants to get up, who wants to enjoy Himself…’, and so with all the other things of life. Only in this way can the soul forget herself, because she will do everything, not only because I want it, but because I Myself want to do it – it is necessary precisely to Me.”

Now, one day I was working and I thought to myself: ‘How can it be that, while I am working, it is Jesus who works in me and He Himself wants to do this work?’ And Jesus: “I Myself – and my fingers, which are in yours, are working. My daughter, when I was on earth, did my hands not lower themselves to work the wood, to hammer the nails, and to help my foster father Joseph? While I was doing that, with those very hands, with those fingers, I created souls and called other souls back to the next life; I divinized all human actions; I sanctified them, giving a divine merit to each one of them. In the movements of my fingers I called in sequence all the movements of your fingers and those of others; and if I saw that they were doing them for Me, or because I wanted to do them within them, I continued my life of Nazareth in them, and I felt as though cheered by them for the sacrifices and the humiliations of my hidden life, giving them the merit of my very life.

Daughter, the hidden life that I conducted in Nazareth is not taken into consideration by men, when in fact, after my Passion, I could not have done a greater good for them. By lowering Myself to all those acts, little and lowly – those acts which men do in their daily lives, such as eating, sleeping, drinking, working, starting the fire, sweeping, etc. – all acts which no one can do without – I made a divine little coin of incalculable value flow in their hands. So, if my Passion redeemed them, my hidden life provided each human action, even the most insignificant one, with divine merit and with infinite value.

Do you see? While you work – working because I want to work – my fingers flow within yours, and while I work in you, in this very instant, how many am I bringing to the light of this world with my creative hands? How many others am I calling back? How many others do I sanctify, correct, chastise, etc.? Now, you are with Me, creating, calling, correcting and so forth; therefore, just as you are not alone, neither am I alone in my working. Could I give you a greater honor?”

But who can say what I comprehended, and the good that we can do to ourselves and to others by doing things because Jesus wants to do them in us? My mind gets lost, therefore I stop here.

August 16, 1912
Thinking of oneself blinds the mind; thinking only of Jesus is light for the mind.

This morning my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, the thought of yourselves blinds your minds; it forms a sort of human enchantment in them, and this human enchantment forms a net around man. This net is made of weaknesses, of oppressions, of melancholies, of fears and of everything evil contained in the human nature. And the more one thinks about oneself, even under the aspect of good, the thicker the net becomes, and the blinder the soul.

On the other hand, not thinking of oneself, but thinking only of Me, and only of loving Me, whatever the circumstance, is light for the mind and forms a sweet divine enchantment. This divine enchantment also forms its net, but this net is all made of light, of fortitude, of joy, of trust; in sum, of all the goods which I Myself possess. And the less one thinks about oneself, the thicker that net becomes, to the point that one no longer recognizes oneself. How beautiful it is to see the soul wrapped in this net which the divine enchantment has woven! How delightful, gracious and dear to all Heaven! The opposite for the soul who thinks about herself.”

August 17, 1912
The thought of oneself makes the soul smaller.

While I was praying, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, the thought of oneself makes the soul smaller, and from her smallness she measures my greatness, almost wanting to constrain Me. On the other hand, one who does not think of herself, by thinking of Me expands within my immensity and renders Me the honor due to Me.”

August 20, 1912
Jesus is close to the soul, waiting for her to call Him to do what she does together with her. Man proposes, God disposes.

Continuing, my always lovable Jesus made Himself heard for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, how sorry I feel in seeing the soul huddled within herself – in seeing her operating by herself. I am close to her and look at her, and seeing that many times she is unable to do well what she does, I wait for her to call Me and say: ‘I want to do this thing, but I am unable do it. Come and do it together with me, and I will do everything well.’ For example: ‘I want to love; come to love together with me. I want to pray; come and pray together with me. I want to make this sacrifice; come and give me your strength, for I feel weak…’, and so with everything else. Gladly and with greatest delight, I would offer Myself for everything.

I am like the teacher who, having assigned an essay to his pupil, remains close to his student to see what he does. Unable to do well, the pupil becomes worried, worked up, upset, and he may even cry, but he does not say: ‘Master, teach me how I should do this.’ What is not the mortification of the teacher, in seeing himself treated like a nothing by his student? Such is my condition.”

Then He added: “It is said: man proposes, God disposes. As soon as the soul proposes to do some good, to be holy, immediately I dispose around her the things which are needed: light, graces, knowledge of Me, stripping. And if I do not achieve the purpose with these, then by dint of mortifications I allow nothing to be lacking to her, in order to give her what she has proposed. But – oh, how many escape by force from amid this crafting that my love has woven around them! Few are those who persist and allow Me to accomplish my work.”

August 28, 1912
It is love that transforms the soul in God, but it wants to find her emptied of everything.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, the other virtues, as high and sublime as they may be, always cause the creature to be distinguished from her Creator. Only love is what transforms the soul in God and makes her one with Him. So, love alone is what triumphs over all human imperfections, and consumes what prevents the soul from passing to take divine life in God. However, there cannot be true love if it does not receive life and nourishment from my Will. So, it is my Will that, united with love, forms the true transformation with Me. That soul is in continuous contact with my power, sanctity and all that I am; therefore she can say that she is another Me. Everything is precious, everything is sanctity for that soul; it can be said that even her breath or the contact with the ground that she treads is precious, is holy, because these are nothing other than effects of my Will.”

Then He added: “Oh! if all knew my love and my Will, they would stop leaning on themselves and, even more, on others – human supports would end. Oh, how insignificant, painful, uncomfortable, they would find them! All would lean only on my love, and since my love is most pure spirit and does not contain matter, they would feel so much at ease leaning within Me, and with the effects they want.

My daughter, love wants to find souls emptied of everything, otherwise it cannot clothe them with the garment of love. It would happen as to someone who wanted to wear a suit, but that suit is stuffed inside, so he is unable fit in it. He tries to put an arm in the sleeve, but he finds it blocked; so, that poor one has to either put it away or make a bad impression. The same with love: when it wants to clothe the soul with itself, if it does not find the soul completely emptied, it withdraws, embittered.”

August 31, 1912
Love, symbolized by a dazzling sun, defends the loving soul and keeps her safe.

As I was praying for a person, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, it happens with love, symbolized by the sun, just as to those people who can easily do their actions only as long as they keep their eyes low, for the light of the sun descends mildly into their eyes. But if they want to fix their eyes on the sun, especially if it is midday, their sight remains dazzled and they are forced to lower them, otherwise they would lose the attitude of their actions. They would have the worst of it, while they would cause no harm to the sun, which would continue its course with its majesty.

So it happens, my daughter, to one who truly loves Me. Love is more than a majestic, imposing sun for her. If people look at her from afar, the light of love descends mildly into their eyes, and therefore they can plot, lay snares, speak ill of her. But as they try to approach her, to fix on her, the light of love will flash into their eyes, and they will end up moving away and no longer thinking about it; and the loving soul will continue her course without even thinking about whether they are looking at her or not, because she knows that love will defend her in everything and will keep her safe.”

September 2, 1912
The harm of self-reflections for a soul who loves Jesus. The souls who are united with the Divine Will and think only of loving Jesus, are united to Him like rays to the sun.

I was saying to my always lovable Jesus: ‘My only fear is that You might leave me, withdrawing from me.’ And Jesus: “My daughter, I cannot leave you because you do not reflect on yourself, nor do you have any concern for yourself. For one who truly loves Me, self-reflections, self-concerns, even in good, are many voids that she forms in love, therefore my life cannot fill the soul completely. I am as though put aside, in a corner, and they give Me the occasion to make my little withdrawals. On the other hand, if one is not prone to reflections on her own concerns but thinks only of loving Me, she takes care of Me, and I fill her completely. There is not one point in her life in which she does not find mine, and if I wanted to make my little withdrawals, I would have to destroy Myself, which can never be.

My daughter, if souls knew how harmful self-reflections are! They bend the soul, they lower her, they cause her to keep her face turned inward. And the more they look at themselves, the more human they become; the more they reflect, the more they feel their miseries and become miserable. On the other hand, thinking only of Me, of loving Me, of being all abandoned in Me, makes the soul straight; and by keeping their faces turned to look at Me alone, they rise and grow. The more they look at Me, the more divine they become; the more they reflect on Me, the richer, stronger and more courageous they feel.”

Then He added: “My daughter, the souls who are united with my Will, who allow Me to carry out my life within them, and who think only of loving Me, are united to Me like rays to the sun. Who forms the rays? Who gives them life? The sun. If the sun were unable to form its rays, it could not extend its light and its heat. So, the rays help the sun to do its course, and they make it more beautiful. The same for Me; through these rays alone, which form one single thing with Me, I extend Myself over all regions, giving light, grace and heat, and I feel more embellished than if I had no rays.

Now, one could ask a sun’s ray how many courses it has made, how much light and how much heat it has given. If it had reason it would answer: ‘I don’t want to bother with this – the sun knows and that’s enough. Only, if I had more lands to which to give light and heat, I would do it, because the sun that gives me life can reach everything.’ But if that ray wanted to reflect, to look back at what it did, it would lose its course and would become dark.

Such are the souls, my lovers – they are my living rays; they do not reflect on what they do. All their intent is to remain in the Divine Sun; and if they wanted to reflect, it would happen to them as to the sun’s ray: they would lose much.”

September 6, 1912
The ones who experience the benefits of having Jesus close to themselves.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, I am with souls, inside and outside of them; but who experiences the effects of this? One who comes close to my Will with his will; one who calls Me, who prays, and knows my power and the good I can do to him. Otherwise, it happens as to that person who has water in his home, but does not go near it to take it and drink. Even if there is water, he does not enjoy the benefit of it and burns with thirst. In the same way, if he is cold, though the fire is there, he does not go near it to get warm; he will not enjoy the benefit of its heat; and so with all the rest. What is not my sorrow as I want to give, but there is no one who takes my benefits.”

September 29, 1912
The soul most favored by Jesus. Jesus is the One who disposes the intentions of the soul who lives in His Will. The use of natural goods in the Divine Will.

I am writing of past things. I was thinking to myself: ‘The Lord spoke to some about His Passion, to some about His Heart, to some about His Cross, and many other things. I would like to know who has been favored the most by Jesus.’ And my lovable Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, do you know who has been most favored by Me? The soul to whom I have manifested the prodigies and the power of my Most Holy Will. All other things are parts of Me, while my Will is the center, the life, the ruler of everything. My Will directed my Passion, gave life to my Heart, and exalted the Cross. My Will encompasses everything, captures everything and gives effect to everything; therefore my Will is more than anything. As a consequence, the one to whom I have spoken about my Will – she has been the most favored, among everyone and above everything. How much you should thank Me for having admitted you to the secrets of my Volition! Even more, one who is in my Will is my Passion, she is my Heart, she is my Cross, and she is my very Redemption. There is nothing dissimilar between Myself and her. Therefore, in my Will do I want the whole of you, if you want to take part in all my goods.”

Another time I was thinking about what would be the best way to offer our actions, prayers, etc. – whether as reparations, as adorations, etc. And my always benign Jesus told me: “My daughter, one who is in my Will and does her things because I want it, does not need to dispose her intentions herself. Since she is in my Will, as she operates, prays, suffers, I Myself dispose these things as I best please. Do I like reparation? I placed them as reparation. Do I like love? I take them as love. Being the owner, I do with them whatever I want. Not so for those who are not in my Will: they are the ones who dispose, and I comply with their will.”

Another day, having read in a book about a female saint who first had almost no need of food, and then needed to feed herself very often – her necessity being such that she reached the point of crying if they would not give her something – I remained concerned, thinking about my state, since once I used to take very little food and I was forced to bring it up, and now I take more and I do not bring it up. And I was saying to myself: ‘Blessed Jesus, what is this? I consider this as my lack of mortification; it is my badness that leads me to these miseries.’ And Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, do you want to know why? Here I am to make you content. At the beginning, in order to make the soul completely my own, to empty her of all that is sensible and to place in her all that is celestial and divine, I detach her even from the necessity of food, in such a way that she almost does not need it. So, finding herself in this condition, she touches with her own hand that Jesus alone is enough, that nothing is necessary for her any more; and the soul rises high, she despises everything, she cares for nothing else – her life is celestial. After I have established her well, for years and years, no longer fearing that what is sensible might cause her even a shadow of an impression – because after the soul has tasted the heavenly it is almost impossible that she might appreciate dregs and dung – I give her back to ordinary life, because I want my children to take part in the things created by Me for love of them, according to my Will, not to their own. And it is only for love of these children that I am forced to feed the others. Not only this, but to see these celestial children take the necessary things with sacrifice, with detachment, and according to my Will, is for Me the most beautiful reparation for all those who use the natural things not according to my Will. How can you say that there is badness in you for this? Not at all. What’s wrong with taking, in my Will, a little more or a little less of dregs? Nothing – nothing. In my Will there can be nothing evil, but always good, even in the most insignificant things.”

October 14, 1912
Everything that Jesus does in souls is eternal.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was lamenting to blessed Jesus about my poor state, saying: ‘What good does it do to me that in the past You gave me so many graces, and You even reached the point of crucifying me with You, if now everything is over?’ And Jesus: “My daughter, what are you saying? What? Nothing does you good? Everything is over? False – you are deceiving yourself. Nothing is over and everything does you good. You must know that everything I do to the soul is sealed with the seal of eternity, and there is no power that can take the work of my grace away from the soul. So, everything I have done to your soul – everything – exists and has life in you, and it gives you continuous nourishment. So, if I crucified you, the crucifixion exists, and it exists for as many times as I have crucified you. Many times I delight in operating in souls and putting my work in storage; and then I renew my work without taking away what I have done before. Therefore, how can you say that nothing does you good and that everything is over?

Ah, my daughter, the times are so sad that my Justice reaches the point of rejecting the souls who take the lightnings upon themselves, preventing them from falling upon the world. These are the dearest victims of my Heart, and the world forces Me to keep them almost idle. But this is not their idleness because, being in my Will, while it seems that they do nothing, they do everything; even more, they embrace immensity and eternity; but the world, because of its wickedness, does not enjoy all the effects of this.”

October 18, 1912
Jesus and Luisa cry together.

This morning, my always lovable Jesus came for just a little, all afflicted and crying. I cried together with Him, and then He said: “My daughter, who is it that makes us cry and oppresses us so much? It is the cause of the world, isn’t it?” And I: ‘Yes.’ And He: “For a cause so holy and so without personal interest do we cry; and yet, who considers this? On the contrary, they laugh at the affliction we suffer because of them. Ah! Things are still at the beginning; I will wash the face of the earth with their very blood.” And I could see so much human blood being shed, that I said: ‘Ah! Jesus, what are You doing? Jesus, what are You doing?’

November 1, 1912
The soul who thinks about herself impoverishes herself and feels the need for everything. The soul who lives in the Divine Will does not think about herself; she lacks nothing and needs nothing.

Being very afflicted because of the privation of my adorable Jesus, I was praying and repairing for all. But at the extreme of my bitterness, I turned the thought to myself and I said: ‘Have mercy on me – forgive this soul! Your Blood, your pains – are they not mine too? Do they perhaps count less for me?’ While I was saying this, my lovable Jesus told me from within my interior: “Ah, my daughter, what are you doing, thinking about yourself? You are now going down, reducing yourself from owner to the miserable condition of one who asks! Poor daughter – by thinking of yourself you impoverish yourself, because in my Will you are the owner, and you can take anything you want on your own. If there is anything to do in my Will, it is to pray and to repair for others.”

And I: ‘Most sweet Jesus, You love so much that those who live in your Will do not think about themselves; and You, do You think of Yourself?’ (What an inappropriate question)

And Jesus: “No, I do not think about Myself. Those who need something think about themselves. I need nothing. I am sanctity itself, happiness itself, immensity, height and depth themselves. I lack nothing – nothing. My Being contains all possible and imaginable goods within Itself. If any thought occupies Me, it is for mankind, which I released from Myself, and which I want to return into Myself. And in this same condition do I place the souls who truly want to do my Will – they are one with Me, and I render them the owners of my goods, because in my Will there is no slavery: what is mine is theirs, and whatever I want, they want as well. So, if one feels the need of something, it means that she is not really in my Will, or at the most, she makes some descents, just as you are doing right now – nothing less!

Does it not seem strange to you that one who has formed one single thing – one single Will – with Me, asks Me for mercy, pardon, blood, pains, when I made her the owner together with Me? I do not know what mercy, what pardon to give her, since I gave her everything. At the most, I should have mercy on Myself, or forgive Myself some fault, which can never be. Therefore, I recommend that you not leave my Will, and that you continue not to think about yourself, but about others; otherwise you would impoverish yourself and would feel the need for everything.”

November 2, 1912
How the soul must recognize herself only in God.

Continuing in my affliction, I was saying to myself: ‘I no longer recognize myself. Sweet Life of mine, where are You? What should I do to find You again? Without You, my Love, I cannot find the beauty that embellishes me, the strength that fortifies me, the life that vivifies me. I lack everything – everything is death for me; and life itself, without You, is more harrowing than any death. Ah, it is a constant dying! Come, O Jesus, I can take no more! Oh, supreme light, come – don’t make me wait any more! You let me feel the touch of your hands, but as I try to grab You, You escape me. You let me see your shadow, but as I try to look into the shadow at the majesty and the beauty of my Sun Jesus, I lose both shadow and Sun. O please, have pity! My heart is tortured, it is lacerated into pieces – I cannot live any more. Ah, if only I could die!’

As I was saying this, my always lovable Jesus came for just a little and told me: “My daughter, I am here, inside of you. If you want to recognize yourself, come into Me, to recognize yourself inside of Me. If you come to recognize yourself in Me, you will put yourself in order, because in Me you will find your image, made by Me and similar to Me. You will find everything that is needed to preserve and embellish this image. As you come to recognize yourself in Me, you will also recognize your neighbor in Me; and in seeing how I love you, and how I love your neighbor, you will rise to the degree of true divine love, and everything, inside and outside of you, will take on the true order – which is the divine order.

But if you want to recognize yourself inside of yourself, first, you will not really recognize yourself because you will lack divine light; second, you will find all things in disorder and clashing among themselves: misery, weakness, darkness, passions, and all the rest. It is disorder that You will find inside and outside of yourself, for these things will wage war not only against you, but also among themselves, to see which one can hurt you the most; and imagine, yourself, in what order they will put you with your neighbor.

Not only do I want you to recognize yourself in Me, but if you want to remember yourself, you must come and do it in Me; otherwise, if you try to remember yourself without Me, you will do more harm than good.”

November 25, 1912
The two stairways to Heaven: one of wood, for those who follow the path of human virtues; and one of gold, for those who live their lives in the Life of Jesus.

This morning it seemed that my always lovable Jesus came in the usual way as before; however, it seemed to me as if He was passing by, and was anxious to see me again and to be with me in a familiar way. On seeing Him so good, sweet, benign, I forgot about all His worries, and about the privations; and seeing Him with a crown of thorns, big and quite thick, I said to Him: ‘My sweet Love and my Life, show me that You continue to love me – remove this crown that surrounds your head and put it on mine with your own hands.’ And lovable Jesus quickly removed it from His head and with His own hands He pressed it on my head. Oh! how happy I felt with the thorns of Jesus – sharp, yes, but sweet. He looked at me with loving tenderness, and I, seeing myself gazed upon so tenderly, becoming brave, added: ‘Jesus, my heart, the thorns are not enough for me to be certain that You love me as before – don’t You have the nails with which to nail me? Hurry, O Jesus, don’t keep me in doubt, for the mere doubt of not being ever more loved by You gives me continual death! Pierce me!’

And He: “My daughter, I do not have nails with Me, but to make you content I will pierce you with an iron.” So He took my hands and ripped them open, very far; and then my feet. I suffered, yes; I felt I was swimming in a sea of pain, but also of love and sweetness. It seemed that Jesus could not remove His tender and loving gaze from me; and placing His royal mantle on me, covering me completely with it, He told me: “My sweet daughter, cease now any doubt about my love for you. Even more, in order to give you courage I tell you that no matter what state you are in, or whether you see Me worried, or flashing by, or silent, remember that one single renewal of my thorns or nails to you will be enough to place us again in our loving closeness and intimacy – more than before. Therefore, be content, and I will continue with the scourges in the world.” He told me other things, but the intensity of the pain does not allow me to remember them well.

Then I remained alone again, without Jesus, and I poured myself out with my sweet Mama, crying and praying Her to make Jesus come back to me. My Mama told me: “My sweet daughter, do not cry. You must thank Jesus for the way He comports Himself with you and for the grace He gives you, not allowing that you move away from His Most Holy Will in these times of chastisements. Greater grace He could not give you.”

Afterwards, Jesus came back, and seeing that I had cried, He told me: “Why have you cried?” And I: ‘I cried with my Mama, I did not cry with anyone else; and I did it because You were not here.’ And Jesus, taking my hands in His, seemed to mitigate my pains, and then He showed me two high stairways, from earth up to Heaven. On one of them there were more people – very few on the other. The one on which there were only few people was of solid gold, and it seemed that those few who were going up were as many other Jesuses – each one of them was one Jesus. The other one, on which there were more people, seemed to be made of wood and one could distinguish who the people were – almost all of them short and not very developed.

Jesus told me: “My daughter, those who lived their lives in my Life ascend on the golden stairway; so I can say: ‘They are my feet, my hands, my Heart – the whole of Myself.’ As you can see, they are another Me – they are all for Me, and I am their life. Their actions are all of gold and of incalculable value, because they are divine. No one will ever be able to reach their height because they are my very Life. Almost without anyone knowing them, because they are hidden in Me, only in Heaven will they be perfectly known.

On the wooden stairway there are more souls; these are the souls who walk along the way of the virtues, yes, but not in union with my Life and with the continuous connection of my Will. Their actions are of wood, therefore their value is minimal. These souls are short, almost scrawny, because many human purposes are mixed in with their good actions, and human purposes produce no growth. They are known to everyone, because they are not hidden in Me, but in themselves, therefore no one covers them. They will not cause any surprise for Heaven, since they were known also on earth.

Therefore, my daughter, I want you completely in my Life, with nothing in yours, and I entrust to you the ones you know and see, that they may keep themselves strong and constant on the stairway of my Life.” He pointed to me someone whom I know, and disappeared. May everything be for His glory.

December 14, 1912
One who is in the Divine Will, embracing everything, praying and repairing for all, takes within herself alone the love that God has for all. One who is completely in the Divine Will is not subject to temptation.

This morning, when my always lovable Jesus came, He tied me with a golden thread and told me: “My daughter, I do not want to tie you with ropes and chains. Shackles and iron chains are used with rebels, but with the docile – with those who want no life other than my Will and take no food other than my love – just a thread is enough to keep them united with Me; and many times I do not even use this thread. They are so deeply into Me as to form one single thing with Me; and if I use the thread, it is almost to play around them.” While Jesus was tying me, I found myself in the endless sea of the Will of my sweet Jesus and, as a consequence, in all creatures; and I kept going in the mind of Jesus, in the eyes of Jesus, in His mouth, in His Heart, as well as in the minds, in the eyes and in everything else of the creatures, doing all that Jesus did. Oh! how with Jesus one embraces all – no one is excluded.

Then, Jesus added: “One who is in my Will, embracing everything, praying and repairing for all, takes within herself alone the love I have for all. The love I have for everyone she encloses in just herself, and for as much as I love her, she is equally dear to Me and beautiful. She leaves everyone behind.”

Then, having read that one who is not tempted is not dear to God, and since it seems to me that for a long time now I have not known what temptation is, I said this to Jesus, and He told me: “My daughter, one who is completely in my Will is not subject to temptation, because the devil does not have the power to enter my Will. Not only this, but he himself does not want to enter because my Will is light, and before this light the soul would recognize his tricks very easily and would therefore make fun of the enemy. The enemy does not like this mockery, which is more terrible for him than hell itself; so he does all he can to stay away from her. Try to get out of my Will, and you will see how many enemies will swoop down on you. One who is in my Will carries the flag of victory always high, and none of the enemies dares to confront this impregnable flag.”

December 20, 1912
Jesus gives everything that He is to one who does His Will. There are no judgments for the soul who does His Will. Difference between the Divine Will and love.

In these past days my always lovable Jesus seemed to felt like speaking about His Holy Will. He would come, say a few words, and escape. I remember that once He told me: “My daughter, with one who does my Will I feel as though the duty to give her my virtues, my beauty, my strength – in a word, everything that I am. If I did not give it to her, I would deny it to Myself.”

Another time, I was reading about how terrible the Judgment is, and as I was left very saddened, my sweet Jesus told me: “My daughter, why do you want to sadden Me?” And I: ‘I do not intend to sadden You, but myself.’ And He: “Ah, don’t you want to understand that displeasures, sadnesses and anything that one who does my Will may suffer, fall upon Me and I feel them as my own? I can say to one who does my Will: ‘Laws are not for you – for you there are no judgments’. And if I wanted to judge her, I would act like one who wants to go against himself. On the contrary, one who does my Will, instead of being judged, acquires the right to judge others.” Then He added: “The good will of the soul in doing good is a power over my Heart; and this power exerts so much leverage on Me, that by dint of leveraging, she forces Me to give her what she wants.”

Then I was thinking: ‘What does Jesus like the most: love or His Will?’ And Jesus: “My Will must prevail over everything. Look at it, yourself: you have a body and a soul; you are made of intelligence, of flesh, of bones, of nerves. But you are not of cold marble – you also contain heat. So, the intelligence, the body, the flesh, the bones, the nerves must be my Will, and the heat which the soul contains is love. Look at the flame, the fire: the flame, the fire, must be my Will, while the heat produced by the flame and fire is love. So, in all things, the substance must be my Will; the effects, love. Both of them are so connected together that one cannot be without the other. So, the more substance of my Will the soul contains, the more love she produces.”

January 22, 1913
The triple Passion of Jesus: of love, of sin, and from the Jews. Jesus is thrown into the Cedron stream.

I was thinking about the Passion of my always lovable Jesus, especially of what He suffered in the Garden. I found myself all immersed in Jesus, and He told me: “My daughter, my first Passion was of love, because the first step with which man, in sinning, gives himself to evil is the lack of love; so, since love is missing, he falls into sin. In order to be repaid through Me for the lack of love of the creatures, love made Me suffer more than anyone; It almost crushed Me, more than if I were under a press. It gave Me as many deaths for as many creatures receiving life.

The second step that occurs in sin is defrauding God of His glory. So, in order to be repaid for the glory taken away by the creatures, the Father made Me suffer the Passion of sin, such that each sin gave Me a special Passion. Although there was one Passion, I suffered for sin as many Passions as there would be sins committed until the end of the world. So, the glory of the Father was restored.

The third effect produced by sin is weakness in man. Therefore, I wanted to suffer the Passion from the hands of the Jews – my third Passion – to restore in man his lost strength.

Therefore, with the Passion of love, love was restored and placed at the right level; with the Passion of sin, the glory of the Father was restored and placed at its level; with the Passion of the Jews, the strength of the creatures was placed at its level and restored. I suffered all this in the Garden, and the pain was so much, so many the deaths – the atrocious spasms inflicted upon Me, that I really would have died if the Will of the Father for my death had arrived.”

Then I began to think of when my lovable Jesus was thrown into the Cedron stream by the enemies. Blessed Jesus made Himself seen in a state that aroused pity, all wet by those filthy waters. He told me: “My daughter, in creating the soul I covered her with a mantle of light and of beauty. Sin removes this mantle of light and of beauty, placing a mantle of darkness and ugliness, rendering the soul disgusting and nauseating. And I, in order to remove this mantle, so filthy, which sin puts on the soul, allowed the Jews to throw Me into this stream, where I remained as though enwrapped, inside and out, because these putrid waters entered even into my ears, into my nostrils and into my mouth; so much so, that the Jews were disgusted to touch Me. Ah, how much the love of creatures cost Me – to the point of rendering Me nauseating even to Myself!”

February 5, 1913
One who does not do the Divine Will steals from God. Difference between Divine Will and love.

This morning my always lovable Jesus came like shadow and flash, and told Me: “My daughter, one who does not do my Will has no reason to live on earth; her life becomes without purpose, without means and without an end. She is just like a tree that is unable to produce any fruit, or at the most it produces poisonous fruits with which it poisons itself more and more, as well as anyone who would imprudently eat them. This tree does nothing other than steal the poor toils of the farmer who, with hardships and sweats, is around it to hoe the soil. In the same way, the soul who does not do my Will is in a continuous attitude of stealing from Me, and the thefts she makes from Me she converts into poison. So, she is around Me to steal from Me; she steals from Me the work of Creation, of Redemption and of Sanctification with regard to herself. She steals from Me the light of the sun, the food she takes, the air she breathes, the water that quenches her thirst, the fire that warms her, and the ground she treads, because all this belongs to those who do my Will – all that is mine is theirs. On the other hand, one who does not do my Will has no rights, and therefore I feel I am being continuously robbed. So, one who does not do my Will must be held as a noxious and fraudulent stranger, and therefore it is necessary to chain him and cast him into the deepest prisons.” Having said this, He disappeared like a flash.

Another day He came and told me: “My daughter, do you want to know the difference between my Will and love? My Will is sun – love is fire. My Will, like sun, has no need of nourishment, nor does It grow or decrease in light and in heat – It remains always equal to Itself, and Its light is always most pure. On the other hand, the fire, which symbolizes love, needs wood in order to be fed, and if the wood is missing, it can even be extinguished. It grows and decreases according to the wood that is placed in it; therefore it is subject to instability, and its light is always gloomy, mixed with smoke, especially if love is not regulated by my Will.” Having said this, He disappeared, and a light remained in my mind, through which I comprehended that the Will of God is like a sun for the soul, because the actions that are done as wanted by God form one single thing with the Divine Will – and, there it is, the sun is formed. The wood that maintains this sun is the human action and one’s own entire being united to the action and to the Divine Being. So, the soul herself becomes the wood, provided by the Divine Will – and this wood cannot be missing. Therefore this sun has no need of nourishment; it neither grows nor decreases, it is always equal to itself, its light is most pure, because it takes part in everything, and the Divine Being and the divine wood are never depleted and are not subject to smoke.

I won’t explain further, because I think that the rest, regarding love, can be understood by itself.

February 19, 1913
The Divine Will is opium that puts to sleep all that is human in the soul. Jesus desires to speak through the soul to do good to others.

Continuing in my usual state and having received Holy Communion, my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, my Will is like opium to the body. The poor patients who have to undergo an operation – the severing of one leg or one arm – are put to sleep with the opium. With it, they will not feel the sharpness of the pain, and after they wake up, they will find themselves with the results of the accomplished operation. If they have not suffered too much, it is all by virtue of the opium.

Such is my Will: the opium of the soul, which puts to sleep the intelligence, the love of self, the self-esteem – all that is human. The opium of my Will does not allow displeasure, slander, suffering, or a state of interior pains of the soul to penetrate deeply into her, because it keeps her as though asleep. But with this, the soul still finds herself with the same effects and the same merits; even more – oh, how much she surpasses them, just as if she had thoroughly felt that suffering. But with this difference: the opium for the body has to be purchased and cannot be used often, or every day, and if a person wanted to over-use it, he would become dazed, especially if he is of weak constitution; on the other hand, the opium of my Will I give out for free; it can be taken at any moment, and the more often the soul takes it, the more light of reason she acquires; and if she is weak, she acquires divine strength.”

After this, I seemed to see people around me, and I said to Jesus: ‘Who are they?’ And Jesus: “They are the ones whom I entrusted to you some time ago. I commend them to you – watch over them. I want to form this bond of union between you and them so as to have them always around Me.” And He pointed out to me one in particular. And I: ‘Ah, Jesus, have You forgotten about my misery and nothingness, and the extreme need I have? What shall I do?’ And Jesus: “My daughter, you will do nothing, just as you have always done nothing; I alone will speak and operate within you, and I will speak through your mouth. If only you want it so, and if there is good disposition in them, I will offer Myself for everything; and even if I should keep you asleep in my Will, I will wake you up when necessary, and I will let you speak to them. I will delight more in hearing you speak about my Will both in vigil and in sleep.”

March 16, 1913
Prayer without fervor. In the Divine Will ice is more ardent than fire. The nourishment of souls who do God’s Will.

I will write some little things that blessed Jesus told me in these past few days. I remember that, though feeling indifferent and cold, I was doing what I usually do; and I thought to myself: ‘Who knows how much more glory I gave to Our Lord when I felt the opposite of how I feel today?’ And blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, when the soul prays with fervor, it is incense with smoke; on the other hand, when she prays feeling cold, but without having allowed anything extraneous to Me to enter herself, it is incense without smoke. Both of them are pleasing to Me, but the incense without smoke pleases Me more, because smoke always causes some bother to the eyes.”

As I was feeling the same way, lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, ice in my Will is more ardent than fire. What would impress you the most: to see that ice has the virtue of burning and destroying anything that may touch it, or to see fire turning things into fire? Certainly the ice. Ah, my daughter, in my Will things change their nature. So, ice in my Will has the virtue of destroying anything that is not worthy of my Sanctity, and renders the soul pure, clear and holy, according to my liking, not according to her liking. This is the blindness of creatures – and also of those who are said to be good – in feeling cold, miserable, weak, oppressed, and so on. And the more they feel bad, the more they huddle within their will, weaving their own maze with which to wrap themselves even more within their evils, instead of making a jump into my Will, in which they would find the coldness-fire, the misery-wealth, the weakness-strength, the oppression-joy. I make them feel so bad on purpose, in order to give them, in my Will, the opposite of the evils they have. But creatures, not wanting to understand this once and for all, render vain my designs upon them. What blindness! What blindness!”

Another day Jesus told me: “My daughter, take a look at how one who does my Will nourishes herself.” At that moment I saw a sun spreading innumerable rays – it was so very bright that our sun seemed to be just a shadow; and a few souls, immersed in this light, suckling with their mouths from these rays, as if they were breasts. These souls were estranged to anything else, as if they were doing nothing; but while it seemed that they were doing nothing, from them came the whole of the divine operating. My always lovable Jesus added: “Have you seen the happiness of the ones who do my Will, and how from them only comes the repetition of my works? One who does my Will nourishes herself with light – that is, with Me; and while she does nothing, she does everything. So, she can be certain that whatever she thinks, does and says is the effect of the food which she takes – that is, everything is the fruit of my Will.”

March 21, 1913
The abandonment of the soul in the Will of God is opium for Jesus. The air of souls.

Continuing in my usual state, I was telling sweet Jesus to condescend to let me share in His pains; and He told me: “My daughter, the opium of the soul is my Will; my opium is the will of the soul abandoned in my Will, united to pure love. This opium that the soul gives Me has the virtue of making the thorns lose in Me their capacity to prick, the nails to pierce, the wounds to cause pain; it soothes everything for Me and puts everything to sleep. So, if you have given Me opium, how can you want Me to let you share in my pains? If I do not have them for Myself, neither do I have them for you.” And I: ‘Ah, Jesus, how good You are at coming up with this! It seems that You want to make fun of me, coming up with these terms so as not to make me content.’ And He: “No, no, it is true – it is really like this. I need much opium, and I want you so abandoned in Me as to no longer feel yourself, in such a way that I will no longer recognize you as yourself, but I will only recognize Myself in you, and I will say to you that you are my soul, my flesh, my bones. During these times I need much opium, because if I wake up, I will pour down deluges of scourges.” And He disappeared.

After a little while, He came back and added: “My daughter, many times it happens to souls what happens in the air. Because of the stench that emanates from the earth the air becomes greasy, and one feels such a thick, heavy, oppressive and nauseating air, that winds are necessary in order to remove that grease from the air. Then, after the air has been purified, the finest breeze blows, such that one would remain with one’s mouth open in order to breathe that purified air. All this happens in souls. Many times complacency, self-esteem, ego, and all that is human, grease the air of the soul, and I am forced to send her the wind of coldness, the wind of temptation, of aridity, of slander, so that these winds may remove the grease from the air of the soul, may purify her, and bring her back to her nothingness. Then, nothingness opens the door to the All – to God, and the All makes many fragrant breezes blow, such that, with her mouth open, she swallows that air and remains all sanctified by it.”

March 24, 1913
Jesus is the contentment of contentments. The Celestial Mama was filled with Jesus through Her constant thinking of His Passion.

I was feeling a certain discontent because of the privations of my always lovable Jesus; and He, coming for just a little, told me: “My daughter, what are you doing? I am the contentment of contentments. Being in you, and feeling some discontents, I recognize that they come from you, and therefore I do not recognize Myself completely in you, because discontents are part of the human nature – not of the Divine; while it is my Will that what is human no longer exist in you – only my Divine Life.”

I add that I was thinking to myself about the sweet Mama, and Jesus told me: “My daughter, the thought of my Passion never escaped my dear Mama, and by dint of repeating it, she filled all of Herself with Me, completely. The same happens to the soul: by dint of repeating what I suffered, she arrives at filling herself with Me.”

April 2, 1913
The soul who does the Will of God is the breath of Jesus.

I was all afflicted because of the privations of my sweet Jesus, when Jesus came from behind my shoulders; He placed His hand on my mouth, moved the bed sheets away from me, which were so close as to prevent me from breathing freely, and then told me: “My daughter, one who does my Will is my breath; and since my breath contains all the breaths of creatures, I administer breath to all from within the soul who does my Will. This is why I moved the bed sheets away – I too felt my breathing hampered.” And I: ‘Ah, Jesus, what are you saying? Rather, I feel that You have left me and that You have forgotten everything – the many promises You made me.…’ And He: “My daughter, don’t say this to Me for you offend Me, and force Me to make you really feel what it means to be left by Me.”

Then He added with an air which was all sweetness: “One who does my Will represents, vividly, the period of my life upon earth: while on the outside I appeared as a Man, at the same time I was always the beloved Son of my dear Father. In the same way, the soul who does my Will has, externally, the skin of humanity; while inside there is my Person – inseparable, just like Me, in the love and in the Will of the Sacrosanct Trinity. So, the Divinity says: ‘This is another daughter that We keep on earth. For love of her do We sustain the earth, because, in everything, she stands in for Us’.”

April 10, 1913
Value and effects of the Hours of the Passion. The love of Jesus is fire that burns evil and gives life to good.

This morning my always lovable Jesus came, and hugging me to His Heart, told me: “My daughter, one who always thinks about my Passion forms a fount within her heart, and the more she thinks about It, the larger this fount becomes. And just as the waters that spring up are waters common to everyone, in the same way, this fount of my Passion which is formed in her heart serves for the good of the soul, for my glory, and for the good of all creatures.” And I: ‘Tell me, my Good, what will You give as recompense to those who will do the Hours of the Passion the way You taught them to me?’

And He: “My daughter, I will look at these Hours, not as yours, but as done by Me. I will give you my same merits, as if I were in the act of suffering my Passion; and the same effects, according to the dispositions of the souls. This, while they are on earth – and I could not give them a greater reward. Then, in Heaven, I will place these souls in front of Me, darting through them with darts of love and of contentments for as many times as they did the Hours of my Passion; and they will dart through Me. What a sweet enchantment this will be for all the Blessed!”

Then He added: “My love is fire, but not like material fire which destroys things and reduces them to ashes. My fire vivifies and perfects; and if it burns and consumes anything, it is all that is not holy – desires, affections, thoughts which are not good. This is the virtue of my fire: to burn evil and to give life to good. So, if the soul feels no tendency to evil within her, she can be certain that my fire is in her. But if she feels fire mixed with evil within her, it is much to be doubted whether that be my real fire.”

May 9, 1913
Jesus and His Mama are inseparable. How She carried out Her office of Mother.

While praying, I was thinking about that moment in which Jesus took leave of His Most Holy Mother to go and suffer His Passion; and I said to myself: ‘How is it possible that Jesus could separate from His dear Mama, and She from Jesus?’ And blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, surely there could not be separation between Me and my sweet Mama; the separation was only apparent. She and I were fused together, and the fusion was such and so great that I remained with Her, and She came with Me. So, it can be said that there was a sort of bilocation. This happens also to souls when they are truly united with Me; and if, while praying, they let prayer enter into their souls as life, a sort of fusion and bilocation occurs: I bring them with Me, wherever I am, and I remain with them.

My daughter, you cannot comprehend well what my beloved Mama was for Me. In coming upon earth, I could not be without Heaven, and my Heaven was my Mama. There was such electricity running between Me and Her, that not one thought escaped Her which She would not draw from my mind. And this drawing from Me of word, will, desire, action, step – in sum, of everything – formed the sun, the stars, the moon in this Heaven, together with all possible delights that a creature can give Me, and that she herself can enjoy. Oh, how I delighted in this Heaven! Oh, how I felt cheered and repaid for everything! Even the kisses that my Mama gave Me enclosed the kiss of all humanity, returning to Me the kiss of all creatures. I felt my sweet Mama everywhere. I felt Her in my breath; and if it was labored, She would relieve it. I felt Her in my Heart; and if It was embittered, She would sweeten It. I felt Her in my step; and if it was tired, She would give Me vigor and rest…. And who can tell you how I felt Her in my Passion? At each lash, at each thorn, at each wound, at each drop of my Blood – I felt Her everywhere, carrying out the office of my true Mother. Ah, if souls reciprocated Me, if they drew everything from Me – how many Heavens and how many Mothers would I have on earth!”

May 21, 1913
How the true consummation is formed.

As I was in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, I want the true consummation in you – not imaginary, but true; though in a simple and feasible way. Suppose that a thought came to you which is not for Me; you must destroy it and substitute it with the divine. In this way you will have formed the consummation of the human thought and acquired the life of the divine thought. In the same way, if the eye wants to look at something that displeases Me or does not refer to Me, and the soul mortifies herself, she has consumed the human eye, and acquired the eye of the divine life; and so with the rest of your being. Oh, how I feel these new divine lives flowing in Me, taking part in everything I do! I love these lives so much that I surrender everything for love of them. These souls are first before Me; and if I bless them, through them others are blessed. They are the first to be benefited and loved; and through them, others too are benefited and loved.”

June 12, 1913
The effects of fusing oneself in Jesus: the Most Holy Trinity is formed in the soul.

While praying, I was uniting my mind to the mind of Jesus, my eyes to those of Jesus, and so with all the rest, with the intention of doing what Jesus did with His mind, with His eyes, with His mouth, with His Heart, and so forth. And as it seemed that the mind of Jesus, His eyes, etc., diffused for the good of all, it seemed that I too would diffuse for the good of all, uniting and identifying myself with Jesus.

Now, I thought to myself: ‘What kind of a meditation is this? What prayer? Ah, I am no longer good at anything – I am not even capable of reflecting on something!’ While I was thinking of this, my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, what? You are afflicting yourself with this? Instead of afflicting yourself you should rejoice, because when you used to meditate, and many beautiful reflections used to arise within your mind, you would do nothing but take from Me part of my qualities and of my virtues. Now, since the only thing left to you is being able to unite and identify yourself with Me, you take the whole of Me. Good at nothing as you are, with Me you are good at everything, because with Me you want the good of all, and the mere desiring and wanting good produces a strength in the soul which makes her grow, and settles her in the Divine Life. Then, by uniting with Me and identifying with Me, she unites with my mind, producing many lives of holy thoughts in the minds of creatures; as she unites with my eyes, she produces many lives of holy gazes in creatures. In the same way, if she unites with my mouth, she will give life to the words; if she unites to my Heart, to my desires, to my hands, to my steps, at every heartbeat she will give a life – life to desires, to actions, to steps – but holy lives, because I contain the creative power within Me, and therefore, together with Me, the soul creates and does whatever I do.

Now, this union with Me – part to part, mind to mind, heart to heart, etc. – produces in you, in the highest degree, the life of my Will and of my love. In this Will, the Father is formed; and in this love, the Holy Spirit; and through the operating, the words, the works, the thoughts, and everything else that can come from this Will and from this love, the Son is formed – and here is the Trinity in souls. So, if We need to operate, it is indifferent whether We operate in the Trinity in Heaven, or in the Trinity within souls on earth. This is why I keep taking everything else away from you, be they even good and holy things: to be able to give you the best and the holiest – which is I; and to be able to make of you another Myself, as much as it is possible for a creature. I believe you won’t lament any more, will you?” And I: ‘Ah! Jesus, Jesus, I feel, rather, that I have become awful bad; and the worst is that I am unable to find this badness of mine, for at least I would do anything I can to cast it away.’ And Jesus: “Enough, enough – you want to go too far into the thought of yourself. Think of Me, and I will take care of your badness too. Have you understood?”

June 24, 1913
The soul who has no appetite for good.

The soul who has no appetite for good, feels a sort of nausea and repulsion for good itself. Therefore, these souls are the refuse of God.

August 20, 1913
Trust, simplicity and disinterest for herself are necessary for the soul who lives in the Divine Will. This creature is the life, the blood, the bones of Jesus.

While I was praying, I saw my always lovable Jesus within me, and many souls around me, who were saying: ‘Lord, You have placed everything in this soul!’ And stretching out their hands toward me, they said to me: ‘Since Jesus is in you and, with Him, all goods – take and give to us.’ I remained confused, and blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, in my Will there are all possible goods, and it is necessary for the soul who lives in It to be in It with trust, operating as the owner together with Me. Creatures expect everything from this soul, and if they do not receive, they feel defrauded. But how can she give if she does not operate together with Me with full trust? Therefore, trust in order to give, simplicity in order to communicate herself to all, disinterest for herself, to be able to live completely for Me and for her neighbor, are necessary for the soul who lives in my Will. So I am.”

Then He added: “My daughter, it happens to one who truly does my Will as to a grafted tree: the power of the graft has the virtue of destroying the life of the tree which receives the graft. So, one can no longer see the fruits and the leaves of the first tree, but those of the graft. And if the first tree said to the graft: ‘I want to keep at least a little branch for myself, so that I too may be able to give some fruits, and make everybody know that I still exist’, the graft would say: ‘You have no more reason to exist after you have submitted yourself to receiving my graft. Life will be all mine.’ In the same way, the soul who does my Will can say: ‘My life is ended. It is no longer my works, my thoughts, my words that will come out of me, but the works, the thoughts and the words of the One whose Will is my life.’ So, to the one who does my Will I say: ‘You are my life, my blood, my bones.’ The true and real sacramental transformation takes place – not by virtue of the words of the priest, but by virtue of my Will. As soon as the soul decides to live of my Volition, my Will creates Myself in the soul; and as my Will flows in the will, in the works, in the steps of the soul, she undergoes as many of my creations. It happens just as to a pyx full of consecrated particles: there are as many Jesuses for as many particles – one for each particle. In the same way, by virtue of my Will, the soul contains Myself in her whole being, as well as in each part of it. One who does my Will fulfills the true eternal communion – and a communion with complete fruit.”

August 27, 1913
The enemy cannot approach the soul who lives in the Divine Will directly.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was lamenting to my always lovable Jesus about my poor current state, and with all the bitterness of my soul I said to Him: ‘Life of my life, You don’t want to have compassion on me any more. Why live? You don’t want to use me any more – everything is over. My bitterness is such and so great that I feel petrified because of the pain. And what is more is that while I remain all abandoned in your arms, as if I gave not a thought to my great misfortune, others – and You know who they are – whisper in my ear: ‘And how is this? And why? Maybe you have committed sins? You have become distracted!’ And what is worse is that, while they say this to me, I feel that I don’t want to hear them, as if they would interrupt the sleep You make me have in the arms of your Will. Ah! Jesus, maybe You did not pay attention to how hard this pain is for me, otherwise You would come to my aid.’ And I told Him many more silly things.

Then blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, poor daughter of mine, they want to sadden you, don’t they? Ah, my daughter, I do so much to keep you at peace, and they want to disturb you! No, no. Know that if you dared to offend Me, I would be the first to be saddened, and the first to tell you; and since I do not tell you anything – do not worry. But do you want to know who the cause of this really is? It is the devil. He is consumed with rage, and every time you speak about the effects of my Will to those who approach you, he blows up in fury, and unable to approach one who does my Will directly, he goes around, approaching those who can get close to you under the appearance of good, in order to obtain at least the miserable intent of disturbing the serene heaven of the soul in whom I delight to dwell. So, he thunders and lightnings from afar, thinking he is doing something; but – poor him! – the power of my Will breaks his legs, making those thunders and lightnings fall upon himself; and he is left more furious than before.

Furthermore, what you say is not true, ‘What is the purpose of my state?’ You must know that, for the soul who truly does my Will, the virtue of my Will is such and so great that if I get close to the place where that soul is in order to send chastisements, finding there my Will and my own love, I do not feel like punishing Myself in that soul. Rather, I remain wounded and I faint, and instead of chastising, I go and throw Myself in the arms of that soul who contains my Will and my love; I rest and I remain all cheered. Ah! if you knew into what constraints of love you put Me, and how much I suffer when I see you the least bit saddened or disturbed because of Me, you would be more content, and others would abstain from causing you bother.” And I: ‘You see, O Jesus, how much evil I do, to the point of making You suffer so much!’ And Jesus, immediately: “My daughter, do not trouble yourself because of this. The sufferings that come to Me from the love of the soul contain great joys also, because true love, though it brings sufferings, is never separated from great joy and unspeakable contentments.”

September 3, 1913
When Jesus places the soul in His Will and she takes up stable dwelling in It, just like Jesus, she feels the need to give to all.

While I was praying… (although I don’t really know how to explain myself well. This might also be a subtle pride of mine: I never think about myself and my great miseries, but pray always to repair, to console Jesus, for sinners – for everyone. However, it is not that I think about it before – no; it is enough for me to start praying and I find myself at that point). Now, I was concerned about this, and my always lovable Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, what is this? Are you concerned about it? You must know that when I place the soul in my Will and she takes up stable dwelling in my Volition, since my Will contains all possible and imaginable goods, the soul feels that she abounds with everything, and she places herself in my same conditions – that is, she feels the need to give rather than to receive; she feels that she needs nothing, and if she wants anything, she can take whatever she wants without asking. Since my Will contains an irresistible force of wanting to give, only when she gives – then is she happy; and as she gives she becomes more thirsty for giving. And in what constraints she finds herself when she wants to give and finds no one to whom to give!

My daughter, I place the soul who does my Will in my same conditions; I share with her my great joys and bitternesses, and everything she does is sealed with disinterest for herself. Ah! yes, the soul who does my Will is the true sun which gives light and heat to all, and feels the necessity to give this light and heat. And while it gives to all, the sun takes nothing from anyone because it is superior to everything and there is no one on earth who can match it in light and in the great fire it contains. Ah! if creatures could see a soul who does my Will, they would see her as more than a majestic sun in the act of doing good to all; and even more, they would recognize Myself in this sun. So, the sign that the soul has reached the point of doing my Will is that she feels in the condition of giving. Have you understood?”

September 6, 1913
The Hours of the Passion are the very prayers of Jesus.

I was thinking about the Hours of the Passion, which have now been written, and how they are without any indulgence. So, those who do them gain nothing, while there are many prayers enriched with many indulgences. While I was thinking of this, my always lovable Jesus, all kindness, told me: “My daughter, through the prayers with indulgences one gains something, but the Hours of my Passion, which are my very prayers, my reparations, and all love, have come out of the very depth of my Heart. Have you perhaps forgotten how many times I have united Myself with you to do them together, and I have changed chastisements into graces over the whole earth? So, my satisfaction is such and so great, that instead of the indulgence, I give the soul a handful of love, which contains incalculable prices of infinite value. And besides, when things are done out of pure love, my love finds its outpouring, and it is not insignificant that the creature gives relief and outpouring to the love of the Creator.”

September 12, 1913
Jesus has been speaking to Luisa for about two years about His Will in a way which He has never manifested to anyone before. From that time He has substituted the ecstasy of His Most Holy Humanity, given to enamor her of His Person, with the ecstasy of His Divine Will.

I was thinking about how blessed Jesus has changed things. Even when He comes, I don’t remain petrified as before, and as soon as He leaves I feel I am in my natural state. I don’t know what has happened to me; and what is more, I feel bothered if the thought comes to me, or if the one who has authority over me wanted to know about my things.

But good Jesus, who watches over my every thought and wants not even one of them to be out of tune in my mind, on coming, told me: “My daughter, would you perhaps want me to use ropes and chains to keep you bound? Once they were necessary, and with all love I kept you bound, pretending to be deaf to some lament of yours – remember…. But now I no longer see them as necessary. For more than two years now, I have wanted to use more noble chains with you – which are my Will. This is why during this time I have always spoken to you of my Will and of the sublime and indescribable effects which this Will contains – which I have not manifested to anyone until now. Go through as many books as you want, and you will see that in none of them will you find what I have told you about my Will. This was necessary to dispose your soul to the present state you are in. After keeping you always with Me, I knew very well that you could not have endured suffering the continuous privation of my presence had I not substituted it with something – still my own – which, invading your soul completely, would keep you captured more than my presence itself. My Will took its place in keeping captured each one of your thoughts, affections, desires, words; so much so, that your tongue speaks about my Will with such eloquence and enthusiasm, because it is captured by my Volition. This is why you feel bothered when you are asked ‘how is it and why’ Jesus does not come as before: because you have been captured by my Will, and your soul suffers when they want to break the sweet enchantment of my Volition.”

And I: “Jesus, what are you saying? Go away, go away – it is my evils that have reduced me to such a state.’ Jesus smiled in hearing me say ‘go away’, and clasping me more closely to Himself, added: “I cannot go. Could I perhaps separate from my Will? If you have my Will, I must be always with you. My Will and I are one – not two. Rather, let’s come to the facts: tell Me, what are your evils?” And I: ‘My Love, I don’t know. You Yourself have said that your Will keeps me captured. How can I know them?’ And Jesus: “Ah, you don’t know them?” And I: ‘I cannot know them, because You keep me always up above, and You give me no time to think about myself; and at the moment I want to think about myself, You scold me – now severely, to the point of telling me that I should be ashamed of doing that; now lovingly, drawing me to Yourself with such strength as to make me forget about myself. How can I do it?’

And Jesus: “If you cannot do it, it means that I am more pleased if you don’t do it, since my Will keeps hold of you in place of everything, and It would see Itself being deprived of something that belongs to It. This is why It remains over you and prevents you from thinking about yourself, knowing that wherever my Volition holds the place of everything, there cannot be evils. So, jealous, I remain on guard.”

And I: ‘Jesus, are You making fun of me?’ And Jesus: “My daughter, you force Me to speak to make you understand how things are. Listen: in order to make you reach a point so noble and divine, I behaved with you like two lovers who love each other to folly. You would never have loved my Will so much had you not known Me. Therefore, first I gave you the ecstasy of my Humanity, so that knowing who I am, you would love Me; and in order to draw all your love I used with you many stratagems of love. You remember them – it is not necessary for Me to make you a list. Now, after I have drawn you well to love my Person, you have been caught by my Will – and you love It. And since you could not be without Me after so much time – as if we had lived together – it was necessary that the ecstasy of my Will would hold in you the place of my Humanity. Everything I have done before has been graces to dispose you to the ecstasy of my Will, because when I dispose a soul to live in a higher way in my Will, I have to manifest Myself in order to infuse graces so great.”

Surprised, I said: ‘What are you saying, O Jesus? What? Your Will is ecstasy?’

“Yes, my Volition is true and perfect ecstasy, and you break this ecstasy whenever you want to think about yourself. But I will not let you win – great chastisements will come in the near times, and even though you do not believe it, you and the one who directs you will believe when you hear them. This is why it is necessary that the ecstasy of my Humanity be interrupted, though not completely: because otherwise you would bind Me everywhere. So, I will let the sweet enchantment of my Will take the place of it, also so that you may suffer less when you see the chastisements.”

September 20, 1913
Everything that happens around and inside the soul is nothing other than the continuous crafting of Jesus so that His Will may be fulfilled and carried out in her.

I was thinking about my present state – how little or nothing I suffer. And Jesus, immediately: “My daughter, everything that happens around and inside the soul – bitternesses, pleasures, contrasts, deaths, privations, contentments, and other things – is nothing other than my continuous crafting so that my Will may be fulfilled and carried out in her. When I obtain this, all is done, and therefore everything gives the soul peace. It seems that even suffering wants to stay away from her, in seeing that the Divine Volition is greater than it is, and that It holds in her the place of everything, surpassing everything. It seems that all pay reverence to her; and I Myself, when the soul reaches this point – of using everything in order to let Me accomplish the crafting of my Will – once this is done, I prepare her for Heaven.”

September 21, 1913
All the things that the soul does in the Divine Will and together with Jesus acquire His same qualities, the same life and the same value.

This morning my always lovable Jesus made Himself seen with indescribable sweetness and affability, as if He wanted to tell me something very dear to Him and of great surprise for me. So, embracing me completely and pressing me to His Heart, He told me: “My beloved daughter, all the things that the soul does in my Will and together with Me – prayers, actions, steps, etc. – acquire my same qualities, the same life and the same value. See, all the things I did upon earth – prayers, sufferings, works – are all in act, and will remain in eternity for the good of whomever wants them. My operating differs from the operating of creatures. Containing the creative power within Myself, I speak and I create, just as one day I spoke and I created the sun, and this sun is always full of light and heat, and it always gives light and heat as if it were in the act of receiving continuous creation from Me, without ever decreasing. Such was my operating upon earth. Since I contain the creative power within Myself, the prayers, the steps, the works I did and the blood I shed, are in continuous act of praying, of operating, of walking, etc., just as the sun is in continuous act of giving light. So, my prayers continue, my steps are always in the act of running after souls; and so with the rest. Otherwise, what great difference would exist between my operating and that of my Saints?

Now, my daughter, listen to a beautiful – beautiful thing, not yet understood by creatures: all the things that the soul does together with Me and in my Will, just as are my things, so are hers too. The connection with my Will and her operating together with Me participate in my same creative power.” I remained ecstatic and with a joy that I could not contain, and I said: ‘How can all this be possible, O Jesus?’ And He: “Whoever does not understand this can say that he does not know Me.” And He disappeared. But I cannot say it well, and I don’t know how to explain myself better. Who can tell all that He made me understand? Rather, it seems to me that I have spoken nonsense.

September 25, 1913
The Divine Will is the center of the soul. The Sacraments produce their fruits and effects according to how souls are submitted to the Divine Will, and to their connection with It.

I told the confessor that Jesus had said to me that the Will of God is the center of the soul; that this center is in the depth of the soul, and that, spreading Its rays like sun, It gives light to the mind, sanctity to the actions, strength to the steps, life to the heart, power to the word and to everything; and not only this, but also that while this center – the Will of God – is inside of us, so that we may never escape from It, and so as to remain at our continuous disposal, never leaving us alone or separated even for one minute – at the same time, It is also in front of us, on our right, on our left, behind and everywhere, and It will be our center also in Heaven. The confessor was saying, instead, that the Most Holy Sacrament is our center.

Now, on coming, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, I had to make it in such a way that sanctity might be easy and accessible to all – unless they did not want it – in all conditions, in all circumstances and in every place. It is true that the Most Holy Sacrament is center; but who instituted It? Who subdued my Humanity to enclose Itself within the small circle of a Host? Wasn’t that my Will? Therefore my Will will always have primacy over everything. Besides, if everything is in the Eucharist, the priests who call Me from Heaven into their hands, and who are in contact with my Sacramental Flesh more than anyone, should be the holiest and the most good; but instead, many of them are the worst. Poor Me, how they treat Me in the Most Holy Sacrament! And the many devout souls who receive Me, perhaps every day, should be as many saints if the center of the Eucharist were sufficient. But instead – and it is something to be cried over – they remain always at the same point: vain, irascible, punctilious, etc. Poor center of the Most Holy Sacrament, how dishonored It remains!

On the other hand, there maye be a mother who does my Will and who, because of her situation, not because she does not want to, cannot receive Me every day; and one sees that she is patient, charitable, and carries the fragrance of my Eucharistic virtues within herself. Ah, is it perhaps the Sacrament or, rather, my Will to which she is submitted, that keeps her subdued and makes up for the Most Holy Sacrament? Even more, I tell you that the Sacraments themselves produce fruits according to how souls are submitted to my Will. They produce effects according to the connection that souls have with my Volition. And if there is no connection with my Will, they may receive Communion, but will remain on an empty stomach; they may go to Confession, but will remain always dirty; they may come before my Sacramental Presence, but if our wills do not meet, I will be as though dead for them, because my Will alone produces all goods and gives life to the very Sacraments in the soul who lets herself be subdued by It. And those who do not understand this – it means that they are babies in religion.”

October 2, 1913
When the human will unites to the Divine Will, the life of Jesus is formed in the soul. The soul who does the Will of God can say that her life is ended.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus made Himself seen inside of me, but so identified with me that I could see His eyes within mine, His mouth within mine, and so with the rest. While I saw Him like this, He said to me: “My daughter, look at how I identify Myself with the soul who does my Will, making Myself one with her. I become her very life, because my Will is inside and outside of that soul. It can be said that my Will is like the air that she breathes, which gives life to everything; like light that makes one see and understand everything; like heat that warms, fecundates and makes one grow; like heart that palpitates, like hands that work, like feet that walk. And when the human will unites to my Volition, my life is formed in the soul.”

Then, having received Communion, I was saying to Jesus, ‘I love You’; and He told me: “My daughter, do you really want to love Me? Say: ‘Jesus, I love You with your Will.’ And since my Will fills Heaven and earth, your love will surround Me everywhere, and your ‘I love You’ will resound up there in the Heavens, and down to the bottom of the abysses. In the same way, if you want to say: ‘I adore You, I bless You, I praise You…’, you will say it united with my Will, and will fill Heaven and earth with adorations, with blessings, with praises, with thanksgivings. In my Will things are simple, easy and immense. My Will is everything; so much so, that my very attributes – what are they? A simple act of my Will. So, if Justice, Goodness, Wisdom, Fortitude follow their course, my Will precedes them, accompanies them, and places them in the attitude of operating. In sum, they do not move one point from my Volition. Therefore, whoever takes my Will takes everything; even more, she can say that her life is ended – ended the weaknesses, the temptations, the passions, the miseries; because all things lose their rights in one who does my Will, for my Will has primacy over everything and right to everything.”

November 18, 1913
When the human will and the Divine Will are opposed, one forms the cross of the other. The cross can do as much good insofar as it is connected with the Will of God.

I was thinking about my poor state, and how even the cross has been banished from me; and in my interior Jesus told me: “My daughter, when two wills are opposed to each other, one forms the cross of the other. So it is between Me and the creatures: when their wills are opposed to Mine, I form their cross and they form Mine; I am the long beam of the cross, while they are the short one, and crossing each other, they form the cross. Now, when the will of the soul unites with Mine, the beams are no longer crossed, but united, and therefore the cross is no longer a cross. Have you understood? And besides, I sanctified the cross; it was not the cross that sanctified Me. It is not the cross that sanctifies – it is the resignation to my Will that sanctifies the cross; therefore, even the cross can do as much good insofar as it is connected with my Will. Not only this; the cross sanctifies and crucifies part of the person, while my Will does not spare anything; it sanctifies everything, and crucifies thoughts, desires, will, affections, heart – everything. And since my Will is light, It shows to the soul the necessity of this sanctification and complete crucifixion, in such a way that she herself incites Me to accomplish the crafting of my Will upon her.

Therefore, the cross and the other virtues are content as long as they get something; and if they can pierce the creature with three nails, they boast of their triumph. On the other hand, my Will, which does not know how to do incomplete works, is not content with just three nails, but with as many nails for as many acts of my Will which I dispose for the creature.”

November 27, 1913
The Divine Will is the highest point which can exist, both in Heaven and on earth

My always lovable Jesus continues to speak about His Most Holy Will: “My daughter, as many complete acts of my Will as the creature performs, so many parts of Me does she take into herself; and the more she takes of my Will, the more light she acquires, forming the sun within herself. And since this sun is formed by the light that she takes from my Will, the rays of this sun are linked to the rays of my Divine Sun. So, each one is reflected into the other, each one flashes through the other, and they dart through each another; and as they do this, the Sun that my Will has formed in the soul becomes larger and larger.”

And I: ‘Jesus, here we are again – in your Will; it seems You have nothing else to say.” And Jesus: “My Will is the highest point which can exist, both in Heaven and on earth, and when the soul has reached It, she has subdued everything and has done everything. There is nothing left for her to do but to dwell over these heights, enjoy them, and understand this Will of Mine more and more, which is not yet understood well either in Heaven or on earth. There is much time for you to be spent in It, because you have understood very little, and much remains for you to understand. My Will is so great that whoever does It can call himself a god of the earth; and just as my Will forms the beatitude of Heaven, these gods who do my Will form the beatitude of the earth and of those who are near them. There is no good that exists on earth which is not to be attributed to these gods of my Will – whether as direct or as indirect cause, everything is due to them. Just as there is no happiness in Heaven which does not come from Me, so there is no good on earth which does not come from them.”

March 8, 1914
As the soul lives and dies in the Divine Will, there is no good which she does not carry with herself. The value of one single instant in the Divine Will. All that the soul who lives in the Divine Will experiences does not belong to her, but to Jesus within her. One who lives in the Divine Will can by no means go to Purgatory.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus has not ceased to speak to me, so very often, about His Most Holy Will. I will say the little I remember:

As I was not feeling well, on coming, blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, the soul who lives in my Will can say of everything I do: ‘It is mine.’ This, because the will of the soul is so identified with Mine, that whatever my Will does, she does as well. So, as she lives and dies in my Volition, there is no good which she does not carry with herself, because there is no good which my Will does not contain; my Will is the life of all the good that creatures do. Therefore, as the soul dies in my Will, she carries with her the Masses that are celebrated, and the prayers and the good works that are done, because they are all fruits of my Will. And this is still very little compared to the operating of my Will Itself which the soul carries with her as her own. One instant of the operating of my Will is enough to surpass all the works of all creatures, past, present and future. So, as the soul dies in my Will, there is no beauty that matches her, nor heights, riches, sanctity, wisdom or love; nothing – nothing can equal her. As the soul who dies in my Will enters into the Heavenly Fatherland, not only will the Heaven’s gates open, but the entire Heaven will bow to welcome her into the celestial dwelling, to honor the working of my Will. What should I tell you, then, of the feast and the surprise of all the Blessed in seeing this soul completely marked by the working of the Divine Will; in seeing, in this soul who has done everything in my Will, that everything she has done during her life – each saying, each thought, word, work, action of hers – are many suns that adorn her, each one different from the other in light and in beauty; and in seeing in this soul many divine rivulets that will inundate all the Blessed and flow also upon earth for the good of pilgrim souls, since Heaven cannot contain them? Ah, my daughter, my Will is the portent of portents. It is the secret to finding light, sanctity and riches – It is the secret to all goods; but It is not known, and therefore not appreciated nor loved. You at least, appreciate It, love It, and make It known to those whom you see disposed.”

Another day, as I was suffering, I felt like I was unable to do anything, so I felt oppressed. And Jesus, clasping the whole of me, told me: “My daughter, do not worry yourself. Try only to be abandoned in my Will, and I will do everything for you, because one single instant in my Will is more than all the good you could possibly do in your entire life.”

I also remember that another day He told me: “My daughter, one who truly does my Will, in everything that occurs within her, both in the soul and in the body, in whatever she feels and suffers, can say: ‘Jesus is suffering, Jesus is oppressed.’ In fact, everything that creatures do to Me reaches Me even in the soul in whom I dwell, who does my Will. So, if the coldness of creatures reaches Me, my Will feels it, and since my Will is life of that soul, it happens as a consequence that the soul feels it too. So, instead of troubling herself over this coldness, as if it were her own, she must remain around Me to console Me and repair for the coldness that creatures send to Me. In the same way, if she feels distractions, oppressions and other things, she must remain around Me to relieve Me and repair, as if those were not her things, but mine. Therefore, the soul who lives of my Will will feel many different pains, according to the offenses that creatures give Me – but in a sudden way and almost in one start. On the other hand, she will also feel indescribable joys and contentments; and if in the first she must occupy herself with consoling Me and repairing, in the joys and contentments she must delight. Only then does my Will find my own interest; otherwise It would remain saddened and unable to carry out what my Volition contains.”

Another day He told me: “My daughter, one who does my Will can by no means go to Purgatory, because my Will purges the soul of everything. After keeping her so jealously during her life, in the custody of my Volition, how could I allow the fire of Purgatory to touch her? At the most she may lack some clothing, but my Will, before revealing the Divinity to her, will clothe her with all that she may lack. And then I reveal Myself.”

March 14, 1914
How hard it is for Jesus not to content one who does His Will and takes the whole of Him.

Today I was fusing all of myself in Jesus, but to so much as to feel the whole of Jesus alive and real within me. While I was feeling Him, He said to me – but in such a tender and touching way that I felt my poor heart crack: ‘My daughter, it is too hard for Me not to content one who does my Will. As you see, I have no more hands, nor feet, nor Heart, nor eyes, nor mouth – I have nothing left. In my Will, which you have taken, you took possession of everything, and I have nothing left. This is why, in spite of the many grave evils that inundate the earth, the deserved chastisements are not pouring upon it: because it is hard for Me not to content you. Besides, how can I do that if I have no hands, and you do not give them to Me? If they become absolutely necessary to Me, I will be forced to steal them from you, or to convince you so that you yourself would give them to Me. How hard it is for Me – how hard it is for Me to displease one who does my Will! I would displease Myself.”

I remained surprised at this speaking of Jesus. Not only this, but I could really see that I had the hands, the feet and the eyes of Jesus; and I said to Him: ‘Jesus, let me come.’ And He: “Give Me a little more of life in you, and then you will come.”

March 17, 1914
One who does the Divine Will takes part not only in the external works (ad extra) of God, but also in the interior actions (ad intra) of the Divine Persons.

Continuing in my usual state, my lovable Jesus kept making Himself seen inside my whole being, in such a way that I possessed all of His members. He looked so content that, appearing unable to contain this contentment, He told me: “My daughter, one who does my Will takes part in the actions ‘ad intra’ of the Divine Persons. Only for one who does my Volition is this privilege is reserved: to take part not only in all of Our works ‘ad extra’, but to pass from these to the works ‘ad intra’. This is why it is hard for Me not to content one who lives of my Will: because since this soul is in my Will, she is present in the intimate place of Our Heart, of Our desires, of Our affections and thoughts. Her heartbeat, her breath and Ours are one. Therefore, the contentments, the delights, the glory, the love that she gives Us – all of them infinite in their way and nature, in nothing dissimilar to Ours – are such and so many, that just as in Our eternal love One enraptures the Other, One forms the contentment of the Other, to the point that, many times, unable to contain this love and these contentments We go out with works ‘ad extra’; in the same way, We remain enraptured and delighted by this soul who does Our Will. Therefore, how could We render discontent one who makes Us so content? How not to love just as We love Ourselves – not as We love the other creatures – one who loves Us with Our same love? There are no curtains of secrets between this soul and Us; there is no ‘Ours’ and ‘yours’, but everything is in common; and what We are by nature – impeccable, holy… – We render the soul by grace, so that no disparity may exist between her and Us. And just as, unable to contain Our love, We go out with works ‘ad extra’, in the same way, unable to contain the love of one who does Our Will, We let her out of Ourselves, and We point her out to the peoples as Our favorite one – Our beloved; and that it is only for her and for souls similar to her that We let goods descend upon earth; and that only for love of these souls do We preserve the earth. And then We enclose her within Ourselves to enjoy her, because just as We, Divine Persons, are inseparable, so does the soul who does Our Will become inseparable from Us.”

March 19, 1914
The soul who diffuses herself in the Divine Will forms the jewel and the amusement of the Three Divine Persons.

It seems that blessed Jesus wants to speak about His Most Holy Will. I was diffusing myself in His whole interior – in His thoughts, desires, affections, in His Will, in His love, in everything; and Jesus, with infinite sweetness, told me: “Oh, if you knew the contentment that one who does my Will gives Me! Your heart would break with joy. See, as you were diffusing yourself in my thoughts, desires, etc., you formed the amusement of my thoughts; and my desires, fusing in yours, played together with them. Your affections, united to your will and to your love, running and flying into my affections, into my Will and love, kissed one another; and pouring like a rapid stream into the immense sea of the Eternal One, they amused themselves with the Divine Persons – now with the Father, now with Me, now with the Holy Spirit. Then, wanting to give no time to One Another, We all play with her – the Three of Us together, and we make of her Our jewel. And this jewel is so dear to Us that, since it must form Our amusement, We keep it jealously ‘ad intra’, in the intimate part of Our Will; and when the creatures embitter Us and offend Us, in order be cheered We take Our jewel, and We amuse Ourselves together.”

March 21, 1914
The irresistible need of Jesus to make known to the soul how He loves her and all the gifts with which He keeps filling her.

Jesus continues: “My daughter, I love one who does my Will so much, that I cannot manifest to her everything – or everything at once – of how much I love her, the grace with which I keep enriching her, the beauty with which I keep embellishing her, and all the goods with which I keep filling her. If I manifested to her everything together, the soul would die of joy, her heart would burst in such a way that she could no longer live on earth, but, in a flash, would take flight toward Heaven. However, I feel an irresistible need to make Myself known, as well as the love I have for her. It is too hard to love, to do good, without making oneself known. I feel my Heart as though crack, and unable to resist so much love, I keep manifesting to her, little by little, how I love her and all the gifts with which I keep filling her. And when the soul feels filled to the brim, to the point of no longer being able to contain them, in one of these manifestations of mine she will disappear from the earth and will emerge within the bosom of the Eternal One.”

And I: ‘Jesus, my Life, it seems to me that You exaggerate a little bit in manifesting to me where a soul who does your Will can reach.’ And Jesus, compassionating my ignorance, smiling, told me: “No, no, my beloved, I do not exaggerate. One who exaggerates seems to want to deceive; but your Jesus knows not how to deceive you – on the contrary, what I have told you is nothing. You will receive more surprises when, once the prison of your body is broken and you are swimming inside my bosom, the point that my Will made you reach will be openly revealed to you.”

March 24, 1914
The Humanity of Jesus has Its limits, while His Will is eternal and without limits. The soul who lives in the Divine Will makes up for the Humanity of Jesus, and is used by Him as His Humanity.

Continuing in my usual state, I was lamenting to Jesus for He had not yet come; and He, on coming, told me: “My daughter, my Will hides my very Humanity within Itself. This is why, in speaking to you about my Will, sometimes I hide my Humanity from you. You feel surrounded with light; you hear my voice but cannot see Me, because my Will absorbs my Humanity within Itself, since my Humanity has Its limits, while my Will is eternal and without limits. In fact, when my Humanity was on earth, It did not cover all places, all times and all circumstances; and where It could not reach, my endless Will made up for It, and did reach. So, when I find souls who live completely of my Will, they make up for my Humanity – for the times, for the places, for the circumstances and even for the sufferings – because since my Will lives in them, I use them just as I used my Humanity. What was my Humanity if not the organ of my Will? Such are those who do my Will.”

April 5, 1914
Everything that is done in the Divine Will becomes light.

Continuing in my usual state, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen within an immensity of light. I was swimming in this light, and so I could feel it flow in my ears, in my eyes, in my mouth – in everything. And Jesus told me: “My daughter, for one who does my Will, if she works, her work becomes light; if she speaks, if she thinks, if she desires, if she walks, etc., her words, thoughts, desires and steps turn all into light – but light drawn from my Sun. My Will draws one who does my Volition with such strength as to make her spin continuously around this light; and as she spins, she takes more light which keeps her as though captured within Me.”

April 10, 1914
Meaning of the tearing off of the crown of thorns from the head of Jesus. The center of Jesus on earth is the soul who does His Divine Will. Love needs the Divine Will to be at rest.

This morning my always lovable Jesus came as crucified and shared His pains with me. He drew me so much to Himself, into the sea of His Passion, that I could almost follow It step by step. But who can say all that I could comprehend? There are so many things that I don’t know where to begin. I will only say that in seeing the crown of thorns being torn off of Him, since the thorns were keeping the Blood from coming all out, as the crown of thorns was torn off, that Blood poured outside through those little holes, flowing over His face, over His hair, in large rivulets, and descending over the whole person of Jesus. And Jesus: “Daughter, these thorns which prick my head will prick the pride, the conceit, the most hidden wounds of man, so as to make the pus which they contain come out. And the thorns dipped in my Blood will heal him, and will return to him the crown which sin had taken away from him.”

Then Jesus made me pass to other steps of the Passion, but I felt my heart being pierced in seeing Him suffer so much. And He, almost to cheer me, began to speak about His Holy Will again: “My daughter, my center on earth is the soul who does my Will. See, the sun spreads its light everywhere on earth, but it keeps its own center. In Heaven I am the life of each Blessed, but I still have my center, my throne. In the same way, I am everywhere on earth, but my center – the place in which I raise my throne in order to reign, my charisms, my satisfactions, my triumphs, my very palpitating Heart – the whole of Myself, is found in the soul who does my Most Holy Will as though in its own center. This soul is so identified with Me that she becomes inseparable from Me, and all my wisdom and power cannot find the means to detach from her in the slightest.”

Then He added: “Love has its anxieties, desires, ardors and restlessness; my Will, instead, is perpetual rest. And do you know why? Because love contains the beginning, the means and the end of a work, therefore anxieties and restlessness arise in order to reach the end; and much of what is human and imperfect mixes with them. And if my Will and love are not united together at each step – poor love, how dishonored it remains, even in the greatest and holiest works. On the other hand, my Will operates in a simple act, as the soul leaves the whole attitude of the work to my Will; and while my Will operates, the soul rests. Therefore, since it is not the soul that operates, but my Will in her, there are no anxieties or restlessness, and her works are free of any imperfection.”

May 18, 1914
Peaceful souls are the staffs of God.

As I was feeling oppressed, I was almost about to be surprised by the poisonous waves of disturbance. My lovable Jesus, my faithful sentry, immediately ran to prevent disturbance from entering into me, and scolding me, told me: “Daughter, what are you doing? The love and the interest I have to maintain the soul at peace are such and so great that I am forced to make miracles in order to keep the soul at peace; and those who disturb these souls would want to confront Me and prevent this miracle of mine, all of love. So, I recommend to you – be balanced in everything. My Being is in full balance in everything, and yet I do see and feel evils, and bitternesses I do not lack. Nevertheless, I never become unbalanced, my peace is perennial, my thoughts are peaceful, my words are honeyed with peace, the beating of my Heart is never tumultuous, even in the midst of immense joys or interminable bitternesses; the very operating of my hands in the act of scourging flows over the earth as enveloped in waves of peace. So, if you do not maintain yourself at peace, since I am in your heart I feel dishonored, and my way and yours are no longer in accord; I would feel hindered in you from carrying out my ways in you, and therefore you would render Me unhappy. Only peaceful souls are my staffs on which I lean; and when the many iniquities snatch scourges from my hands, by leaning on these staffs I always do less than what I should do. Ah! if – may it never be – I lacked these staffs, in lacking my supports I would send everything to ruin.”

June 29, 1914
How the creature who lives in the Divine Will takes part in the actions ‘ad intra’ of the Divine Persons.

As some authoritative people read what is written on March 17 – that one who does the Will of God takes part in the actions ‘ad intra’ of the Divine Persons, etc. – they said that it was not like that, and that the creature does not enter into this. I was left pensive, though calm and convinced that Jesus would make the truth known. Then, finding myself in my usual state, I saw an interminable sea before my mind, and many objects inside this sea – some of them were small, some bigger; some remained on the surface of the sea and were simply wet; others went down to the bottom, becoming soaked with water inside and out; others, then, went down so deep as to become dissolved inside the sea.

Now, while I was seeing this, my always lovable Jesus came and told me: “My beloved daughter, did you see that? The sea symbolizes my immensity, while the objects, different in size, the souls who live in my Will. The different ways of being – some on the surface, some down, some dissolved within Me – vary according to how they live in my Volition: some in an imperfect way, some in a more perfect way, and others reaching the point of dissolving completely in my Will.

Now, my daughter, my ‘ad intra’ about which I spoke to you is precisely this: sometimes I keep you together with Me, with my Humanity, and you take part in my pains, in the works and in the joys of my Humanity; some other times, drawing you inside of Me, I make you to be dissolved within my Divinity. How many times have I not made you swim within Me, keeping you so deep inside of Me that you could see nothing but Me, inside and outside of yourself? Now, as I kept you within Me, you took part in the enjoyments, in the love and in all the rest, always according to your little capacity; and even though Our works ‘ad intra’ are eternal, the creatures can still enjoy the effects of those works in their lives, according to their love.

Now, when the will of the soul is one with Mine, and I place her inside of Me, and she renders herself indissoluble, always as long as she does not move from my Will – what is the wonder if I said that she takes part in the works ‘ad intra’? Besides, from the way it is explained further down, if they wanted to know the truth they could have known very well the meaning of my ‘ad intra’, because the truth is light to the mind, and with light things can be seen as they are. But if one does not want to know the truth, the mind is blind and things cannot be seen as they are; and so they raise doubts and difficulties, remaining more blind than before. Besides, my Being is always in act, It has no beginning and no end, I am old and new, therefore Our works ‘ad intra’ have always been, are and will be – and always in act. So, through the intimate union with Our Will, the soul is already within Us, and therefore she admires, she contemplates, she loves, she enjoys – she takes part in Our love, in Our enjoyments and in everything else. Why, then, was it inappropriate for Me to say that one who does my Will takes part in the actions ‘ad intra’?”

While Jesus was saying this, a simile came to my mind: a man marries a woman; the two have children, and are so rich, virtuous and good as to make whomever might live with them happy. Now, if someone, touched by the goodness of this couple, wants to live together with them, does he not come to partake in their riches and in their happiness? And by living together with them, does he not feel himself being infused with their virtues? If this can be done humanly, how much more with our lovable Jesus.

August 15, 1914
Fusing oneself in Jesus in order to relieve Him from the pains caused by creatures.

As I was in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came in a different way from the usual one which He has had with me during this period of my life – that if He comes at all, it is just for a little, in passing, flashing by, and with almost total cessation of the sufferings which He used to communicate to me upon coming. His Holy Will alone is what makes up for everything in me.

So, this morning He came and stayed for several hours, but in a state that would make the stones cry. He had pain everywhere, and wanted to be relieved in each part of His Most Holy Humanity. It seemed that if this were not done, He would reduce the world to a heap of rubble. It seemed that He did not want to go so as not to see the slaughters and the grave sights of the world, which almost forced Him to do worse things. So I clasped Him to myself, and wanting to relieve Him, I fused myself in His intelligence so as to be present in all the intellects of creatures, and therefore give my good thought for each evil thought, in order to repair and relieve all the offended thoughts of Jesus. In the same way, I fused myself in His desires so as to be present in all the evil desires of creatures, in order to place my good desire and relieve the offended desires of Jesus; and so with all the rest. Then, after I relieved Him part by part, as though cheered, He left.

September 25, 1914
Effects of the prayers done in the Divine Will.

I was offering my poor prayers to blessed Jesus, and I was thinking to myself to whom it would be better for blessed Jesus to apply them. And He, benignly, said to me: “My daughter, the prayers done with Me and with my very Will can be given to all, without excluding anyone. All receive their part and their effects, as if those prayers had been offered for one alone. However, they operate according to the dispositions of the creatures, just like Communion, or my Passion: I give It to all and to each one, but the effects are produced according to their dispositions; and if ten people receive It, the fruit is not inferior to the case in which five had received It. Such is the prayer done together with Me and from my Will.”

October 1914
Value and effects of the Hours of the Passion, and recompense that Jesus will give to those who do them.

I was writing the Hours of the Passion, and I thought to myself: ‘How many sacrifices in order to write these blessed Hours of the Passion, especially to put on paper certain interior acts which had passed only between me and Jesus. What will be the recompense that He will give to me?’ And Jesus, letting me hear His tender and sweet voice, told me: “My daughter, as recompense for having written the Hours of my Passion, for each word you have written I will give you a kiss – a soul.” And I: ‘My love, this is for me; and what will You give to those who will do them?’ And Jesus: “If they do them together with Me and with my own Will, I will also give them a soul for each word they will recite, because the greater or lesser effectiveness of these Hours of my Passion is in the greater or lesser union that they have with Me. By doing them with my Will, the creature hides within my Volition, and since it is my Volition that acts, I can produce all the goods I want, even through one word alone; and this, for each time you will do them.”

Another time I was lamenting to Jesus, because after so many sacrifices to write these Hours of the Passion, very few were the souls who were doing them. And He: “My daughter, do not lament – even if there were only one, you should be content. Would I not have suffered my whole Passion even if one soul alone were to be saved? The same for you. One should never omit good because few avail themselves of it; all the harm is for those who do not take advantage of it. And just as my Passion made my Humanity acquire the merit as if all were saved, even though not all are saved, because my Will was to save everyone, and I received merit according to what I wanted, not according to the profit which creatures would draw; the same for you: you will be rewarded depending on whether your will was identified with my Will in wanting to do good to all. All the harm is for those who, though being able to, do not do them. These Hours are the most precious of all, because they are nothing less than the repetition of what I did in the course of my mortal life, and what I continue to do in the Most Holy Sacrament. When I hear these Hours of my Passion, I hear my own voice, my own prayers. In that soul I see my Will – that is, wanting the good of all and repairing for all – and I feel drawn to dwell in her, to be able to do what she herself does within her. Oh, how I would love that even one single soul for each town did these Hours of my Passion! I would hear Myself in each town, and my Justice, greatly indignant during these times, would be placated in part.”

I add that one day I was doing the Hour in which the Celestial Mama gave burial to Jesus, and I followed Her to keep Her company in Her bitter desolation, to compassionate Her. I did not usually do this Hour all the times – only sometimes. Now, I was undecided about whether I should do it or not, and blessed Jesus, all love, and as though praying me, told me: “My daughter, I do not want you to omit it. You will do it for love of Me, in honor of my Mama. Know that every time you do it, my Mama feels as if She were on earth in person, repeating Her life, and therefore She receives that glory and love which She gave Me while on earth; and I feel as if my Mama were on earth again – Her maternal tenderness, Her love and all the glory that She gave Me. So, I will consider you as a mother.” Then, as He embraced me, I heard Him say to me, very softly: “My mama, mama”; and He whispered to me all that sweet Mama did and suffered in this Hour – and I followed Her. From that time on, helped by His grace, I have never omitted it again.

October 29, 1914
The acts united with the Will of God are complete and perfect acts.

I was lamenting to blessed Jesus because of His privations, and my poor heart, oppressed, was in delirium. Speaking nonsense, I said to Him: ‘My Love, how can this be? Have You forgotten that I don’t know how, nor can I be without You? Either with You on earth, or with You in Heaven. Do You perhaps want me to remind You of this? Do You want to be silent, asleep, troubled? Then do so – as long as You remain always with me. But I feel that You have put me out of your Heart…. Ah, did You have the heart to do this?’

But as I was saying this and other nonsense, my sweet Jesus, moving in my interior, told me: “My daughter, calm down, I am here. To say that I have put you out of my Heart is an insult that you give Me, when I keep you in the depth of my Heart, and so tightly, that my whole Being flows in you, and yours in Me. Therefore, be attentive so that nothing of my Being which flows within you may escape you, and that each one of your acts may be united with my Will. In fact, my Will contains completely accomplished acts; one single act of my Will is enough to create a thousand worlds, all perfect and complete. I do not need subsequent acts – one is enough for all. So, in doing the simplest act united with my Will, you will give Me a complete act – that is, an act of love, of praise, of thanksgiving, of reparation. In sum, you will enclose for Me everything in this act; even more, you will enclose even Myself, and will give Myself to Me.

Ah, yes – only these acts united with my Will can stand before Me, because with a perfect Being who does not know how to do incomplete acts it takes complete and perfect acts to give Him honor and satisfaction, and only in my Will will the creature find these complete and perfect acts. Outside of my Will, no matter how good her acts might be, they will always be imperfect and incomplete, because the creature needs subsequent acts in order to complete and perfect a work – if she manages at all. Therefore, all that the creature does outside of my Will I look on as a trifle. So, may my Will be your life, your regime, your all. In this way, by enclosing my Will, you will be in Me and I in you; and you will be very careful not to say ever again that I have put you out of my Heart.”

November 4, 1914
The satisfaction of Jesus because of the Hours of the Passion.

I was doing the Hours of the Passion and Jesus, all pleased, told me: “My daughter, if you knew what great satisfaction I feel in seeing you repeating these Hours of my Passion – always repeating them, over and over again – you would be happy. It is true that my Saints have meditated on my Passion and have comprehended how much I suffered, melting in tears of compassion, so much so, as to feel consumed for love of my pains; but not in such a continuous way, and repeated many times in this order. Therefore I can say that you are the first one to give Me this pleasure, so great and special, as you keep fragmenting within you – hour by hour – my life and what I suffered. And I feel so drawn that, hour by hour, I give you this food and I eat the same food with you, doing what you do together with you. Know, however, that I will reward you abundantly with new light and new graces; and even after your death, each time souls on earth will do these Hours of my Passion, in Heaven I will clothe you with ever new light and glory.”

November 6, 1914
The soul who does the Hours of the Passion makes the life of Jesus her own, and does His same office.

As I continued the usual Hours of the Passion, my lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, the world is in continuous act of renewing my Passion; and since my immensity envelopes everything, inside and outside the creatures, from their contact I am forced to receive nails, thorns, scourges, scorns, spit and all the rest which I suffered in the Passion – and still more. Now, at the contact with souls who do these Hours of my Passion I feel the nails being removed, the thorns shattered, the wounds soothed, the spit taken away. I feel I am repaid in good for the evil that others do to Me, and in feeling that their contact does no harm to Me, but good, I lean more and more on them.”

In addition to this, returning to speak about these Hours of the Passion, blessed Jesus said: “My daughter, know that by doing these Hours the soul takes my thoughts and makes them her own; she takes my reparations, prayers, desires, affections, and even my most intimate fibers, and makes them her own. And rising up between Heaven and earth, she does my same office, and as co-redemptrix, she says with Me: ‘Ecce ego, mitte me [Here I am, send me] – I want to repair for all, answer for all, and impetrate good for all’.”

November 20, 1914
Necessity of writing about the chastisements. The Divine Will and love form the life and the Passion of Jesus in the soul.

I was feeling very afflicted because of the privations of blessed Jesus, and much more so because of the scourges which are currently pouring down upon earth, and about which many times Jesus had spoken to me many years before. It really seems to me that during so many years in which He has kept me in bed we would share the weight of the world, suffering and working together for the good of all creatures. It seems to me that the state of victim in which lovable Jesus had placed me, bound all creatures together, between Him and me. There was nothing that Jesus would do, nor chastisement He would send, without letting me know. And I would plead so much before Him, that He would either reduce the chastisement by half, or not send it at all. Oh! how I grieve at the thought that Jesus might have withdrawn all the weight of creatures upon Himself, leaving me aside, as unworthy to work together with Him. But there are yet more afflictions: in the darting little visits that Jesus makes, He keeps telling me that the wars and the scourges which are happening now, are still nothing, while it seems that they are too much; that other nations will go to war – and not only this, but that, in time, they will wage wars against the Church, attack sacred people and kill them. How many churches will be profaned!

In truth, for about two years I have omitted writing about the chastisements which very often Jesus manifested to me; partly because they are repetitions, and partly because writing about chastisements hurts me so much that I just cannot continue. However, one evening, while I was writing what He had told me about His Most Holy Will, and having skipped what He had told me about the chastisements, reproaching me sweetly, Jesus told me: “Why did you not write everything?” And I: ‘My Love, it did not seem necessary to me. And besides, You know how much I suffer.’ And Jesus: “My daughter, if it were not necessary, I would not have told you. And besides, since your state of victim is linked with the events that my Providence disposes over creatures, and since this link between you, Myself and creatures, as well as your sufferings in order to prevent chastisements, appear from your writings, this gap would be noticed and things would appear as clashing and incomplete – and I do not know how to do clashing and incomplete things.” Shrugging my shoulders, I said: ‘It is too hard for me to do it; and besides, who is going to remember everything?’ And Jesus, smiling, added: “And if after your death I put a pen of fire in your hands, in Purgatory, what will you say?” So, that’s why I made up my mind to mention the chastisements. I hope that Jesus will forgive my omission, and I promise to be more diligent in the future.

Now I go back to say that, as I was very afflicted, on coming, Jesus took me in His arms to cheer me, and told me: “My daughter, be cheered. One who does my Will is never apart from Me; rather, she is together with Me in the works that I do, in my desires, in my love – she is together with Me in everything and everywhere. Even more, I can say that since I want everything for Myself – affections, desires, etc. of all creatures – but I do not have them, I remain around the creatures with the attitude of making a conquest. Now, as I find the satisfaction of my desires in one who does my Will, my desire rests in her, my love takes rest in her love, and so with all the rest.” Then He added: “I have given you two very great things which, one can say, formed my very life. My life was enclosed in these two points: Divine Will and love; and this Will carried out my life in Me, and accomplished my Passion. I want nothing else from you but that my Will be your life, your rule, and that in not one thing, whether small or big, you escape from It. This Will will carry out my Passion in you; and the closer you remain to my Will, the more you will feel my Passion within you. If you let my Will flow as life within you, my Will will make my Passion flow within you. So, you will feel It flowing in each one of your thoughts, in your mouth – you will feel your tongue soaked in It, and your word will come out warm with my Blood, and you will speak eloquently about my pains. Your heart will be filled with my pains, and in each of its outpourings, it will bring the mark of my Passion to your whole being; and I will keep repeating to you, always: ‘Here is my life, here is my life.’ I will delight in giving you surprises, narrating to you now one pain, now another, which you have not yet heard or understood. Aren’t you happy?”

December 17, 1914
The Divine Will forms the true and perfect consecration of the Divine Life in the soul.

Continuing in my usual state and being very afflicted because of the privations of Jesus, after many hardships He came, making Himself seen in all of my poor being. It seemed to me as if I were the garment of Jesus. Then, breaking the silence, He told me: “My daughter, you too can form hosts and consecrate them. Do you see the garment that covers Me in the Sacrament? These are the accidents of the bread with which the host is formed. The life which exists in this host is my Body, my Blood and my Divinity. The attitude which contains this life is my Supreme Will, and this Will carries out the love, the reparation, the immolation, and all the rest that I do in the Sacrament, which never moves one point from my Volition. There is nothing that comes from Me which is not led by my Volition.

Here is how you too can form the host. The host is material and totally human; you too have a material body and a human will. This body and this will of yours – if you keep them pure, upright and far away from any shadow of sin – are the accidents, the veils, so that I may be able to consecrate Myself and live hidden within you. But this is not enough; it would be like the host without consecration – my life is needed. My life is composed of sanctity, of love, of wisdom, of power, etc., but the engine of all is my Will. Therefore, after you have prepared the host, you must make your will die in this host; you must cook it well, so that it may not be born again. Then you must let my Will permeate all your being; and my Will, which contains the whole of my life, will form the true and perfect consecration. So, the human thought will have life no more, but only the thought of my Volition, and this consecration will create my wisdom in your mind; no more life for what is human, for weakness, for inconstancy, because my Will will form the consecration of the Divine Life, of fortitude, of firmness, and of all that I am. So, each time you make your will, your desires, and all that you are and that you may do, flow into my Will, I will renew the consecration, and I will continue my life within you as in a living host – not a dead one, like the hosts without Me.

But this is not all. In the consecrated hosts, in the pyxes, in the Tabernacles, everything is dead – mute; not a heartbeat sensibly, not a surge of love which may correspond to so much love of mine. If it wasn’t for the fact that I wait for hearts in order to give Myself to them, I would be quite unhappy, I would remain defrauded in my love, and my sacramental life would remain without purpose. And if I tolerate this in the Tabernacles, I would not tolerate it in living hosts. So, life needs nourishment, and in the Sacrament I want to be nourished, and I want to be nourished with my own food – that is, the soul will make my Will, my love, my prayers, reparations and sacrifices her own; she will give them to Me as if they were her own things, and I will nourish Myself. The soul will unite with Me, she will prick up her ears to hear what I am doing so as to do it together with Me; and as she keeps repeating my own acts, she will give Me her food, and I will be happy. Only in these living hosts will I find the compensation for the loneliness, the starvation, and all that I suffer in the Tabernacles.”

December 21, 1914
To have company in His pains is the greatest relief for Jesus.

I was in my usual state, and blessed Jesus, coming all afflicted, told me: “My daughter, I can take the world no more. You, relieve Me for all – let Me palpitate in your heart, so that in feeling the heartbeats of all through your heart, sins may not reach Me directly, but indirectly – through your heart. Otherwise my Justice will put out all the chastisements that have never occurred before.” And in the act of saying this, He identified His Heart with mine, and made me feel His heartbeat. But who can say what I could feel? Sins, like arrows, wounded that Heart; and as I shared in it, Jesus would find relief. Then, feeling all identified with Him, I seemed to be enclosing His intelligence, His hands, His feet, and all the rest; and I shared in all the offenses of each of the senses of creatures. But who can say how this was happening? Then Jesus added: “To have company in my pains is the greatest relief for Me. This is why my Divine Father was not so inexorable after my Incarnation, but milder – because He no longer received offenses directly, but indirectly – that is, through my Humanity, which acted as a continuous shield for Him. In the same way, I keep searching for souls who would place themselves between Me and the creatures; otherwise I will make of the world a heap of ruins.”

February 8, 1915
Jesus does not want the ‘childish fusses’ of self- reflections from the souls who must live in His Will. The union of Will forms all the perfection of the Three Divine Persons. Necessity of chastisements as creatures have rendered themselves unbearable.

I continue on very afflicted because of the ways my always lovable Jesus has with me, but I am resigned to His Most Holy Volition. If I lament to Jesus because of His privations and His silence, He says to me: “This is not the time to think about this. These are childish fusses, and of very weak souls, who care about themselves and not about Me; who think of what they feel rather than of what they should be doing. These souls reek of human to Me, and I cannot trust them. From you I do not expect this; I want the heroism of the souls who, forgetting about themselves, care only about Me, and united with Me, occupy themselves with the salvation of my children, whom the devil tries to snatch from my arms using all his tricks. I want you to adapt yourself to the times – now sorrowful, now mournful, now tragic – and to pray and cry together with Me over the blindness of creatures. Your life must disappear, letting the whole of my life permeate you. If you do this, I will feel in you the fragrance of my Divinity, and I will trust you in these sad times. And yet, these are nothing but the preludes of chastisements. What will happen when things go further? Poor children, poor children!” And it seems that Jesus suffers so much, that He remains speechless, and hides more deeply than inside the heart, in such a way as to disappear completely. And when, tired of my sorrowful state, I renew my laments, I call Him over and over again, and I say to Him: ‘Jesus, don’t You hear the tragedies that are happening? How is it possible that your compassionate Heart can bear so much torment in your children?’ – He seems to just barely move in my interior, as if He did not want to be heard, and I feel another panting breath within my breathing, as if I were rattling. That is the breath of Jesus because I recognize its sweetness. But while it refreshes me completely, it makes me feel mortal pains, because in that breath I feel the breath of all, especially of many dying lives; and Jesus suffers the rattle of agony with them. Other times, it seems that He is in so much pain that He sends feeble moans, such as to move the hardest hearts to pity.

Then, as I continued my laments, this morning, on coming, He told me: “My daughter, the union of our wills is such that the will of one cannot be distinguished from that of the other. It is this union of Will that forms all the perfection of the Three Divine Persons, because since We are equal in the Will, this uniformity brings also the uniformity of sanctity, of wisdom, of beauty, of power, of love and of all the rest of Our Being. So, We reflect Ourselves in One Another, and Our satisfaction in looking at One Another is so great as to render Us fully happy. So, each One is reflected in the Other, and each One pours into the Other all the qualities of Our Being, like many immense seas of different joys. If anything were dissimilar among Us, Our Being could not be perfect, nor fully happy.

Now, in creating man, We infused Our image and likeness in him so as to overwhelm him with Our happiness and be reflected and delighted in him. But man broke the first link of connection – the will – between himself and the Creator, therefore losing the true happiness; even more, all evils swooped down upon him. So, We can neither reflect Ourselves nor delight in him. Only in the soul who does Our Will in everything can We do it, and in her We enjoy the complete fruit of Creation. In fact, even with those who have some virtues, who pray, who attend the Sacraments, if they are not conform to Our Will, We cannot reflect Ourselves in them, because since their will is broken from Ours, all things are in disorder and upside down. Ah, my daughter, only Our Will is welcome, because It reorders, It makes one happy, and brings all goods with Itself. Therefore, do my Will always and in everything – do not care about anything else.”

And I: ‘My Love and my Life, how can I conform to your Will in regard to the many scourges You are sending? It takes too much to say ‘Fiat’. And besides, how many times have You told me that if I did your Will, You would do mine? And now what? Have You changed?’ And Jesus: “It is not I who have changed; it is the creature that has reached the point of becoming unbearable. Come closer and suckle from my mouth the offenses that creatures send Me. If you can swallow them, I will suspend the scourges.” I drew near His mouth and I suckled with avidity. To my highest sorrow, I tried hard to swallow, but I couldn’t. I choked; then I returned to try hard again, but I could not manage. Then, with a tender voice, sobbing, Jesus told me: “Have you seen? You cannot swallow it – spew it on the ground and it will fall upon creatures.” So I spewed it, and Jesus too spewed it from His mouth upon the earth, saying: “This is nothing yet, this is nothing yet!” And He disappeared.

March 6, 1915
Jesus suspends the state of victim of Luisa in part, so as to give course to Justice.

As I was in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came for a little while. Since my confessor was not well and therefore my state had been interrupted – that is, it was not like before, when I would come round when called by obedience – I said to Jesus: ‘What do You want me to do? Should I stay, or should I try to come round when I feel free?’ And Jesus: “My daughter, do you perhaps want Me to operate as before, when I not only commanded you to remain [in this state], but I also bound you in such a way that you could not come round, if not through obedience? If I did this now, my Love would feel constrained and my Justice would find an obstacle in pouring Itself out fully upon creatures. And you might say to Me: ‘Just as You keep me bound as victim of sufferings for love of You and for the creatures, so do I bind You in order to stop your Justice from pouring Itself out upon creatures.’ So, the wars and the preparations that other nations are making to go to war would all go up in smoke. I cannot, I cannot! At the most, if you want to remain [in this state], or if the confessor wants to keep you in it, I will have some regard for Corato and I will spare something. But meanwhile things are getting tighter, and my Justice does not want you in this state at all, so as to be able to send immediately more scourges, make other nations go to war, and lower the pride of creatures, as they will find defeats where they believe to find victories. Alas! my Love cries, but my Justice demands satisfaction! My daughter, patience!” And He disappeared.

But who can say how I was left? I felt I was dying, because I thought that, had I gone out [of that state] by myself, I myself might be the cause for an increase in the scourges and therefore for the entrance of other nations into the war – especially of Italy. What pain, what heartbreak! I felt all the weight of this suspension from Jesus, and I thought to myself: ‘Who knows whether Jesus is not permitting the confessor to be well so as to give the final blow and make Italy enter the war?’ How many suspicions and fears… And as I came out [of that state] by myself, I spent a day of tears and of intense bitterness.

March 7, 1915
Chastisements. The children of the Church will be Her fiercest enemies.

The thought of the scourges, and of the fact that I might foment them by going out of that state by myself, pierced my heart. The confessor continued not to be well. I prayed and cried, and I could not make up my mind. Blessed Jesus would come like a flash and then run away, leaving me free. Finally, moved to compassion, He came, and compassionating and caressing all of me, told me: “My daughter, your constancy conquers Me. Love and prayer bind Me and almost wage battle against Me. Therefore I have come to be with you for a little while, for I could resist no more. Poor daughter, do not cry – here I am, all for you. Patience, courage – don’t lose heart. If you knew how much I suffer… but the ingratitude of creatures forces Me to do this – their enormous sins, their incredulity, almost wanting to challenge Me. And this is the least – if I told you about the religious side… how many sacrileges! How many rebellions! How many pretend to be my children, while they are my fiercest enemies! These false sons are usurpers, self-interested and incredulous; their hearts are bilges of vice. These very sons will be the first to wage war against the Church – they will try to kill their own Mother! Oh! how many of them are already about to come out into the field. Now there is war among governments and countries; soon they will make war against the Church, and Her greatest enemies will be Her own children. My Heart is lacerated with sorrow. But in spite of all this, I will let this storm pass by, and the face of the earth and the churches be washed by the blood of the same ones who have smeared them and contaminated them. You too, unite yourself to my sorrow – pray and be patient in watching this storm pass by.”

But who can say my torment? I felt I was more dead than alive. May Jesus be always blessed, and may His Holy Will be always done.

April 3, 1915
The Divine Will is like heaven and sun for the soul.

My always lovable Jesus continues to come every now and then, but without changing His appearance of threats and scourges; and if sometimes He delays, He comes with an appearance that moves one to pity – tired, exhausted. He draws me to Himself and transforms me into Himself; then He enters into me and transforms Himself into me. He wants me to kiss His wounds, one by one, to adore them and to repair. Then, after He has made me soothe His Most Holy Humanity, He tells me: “My daughter, my daughter, it is necessary that I come to you every now and then to take rest, to be soothed, to pour Myself out; otherwise I would cause the world to be devoured by fire.” And without giving me time to tell Him anything, He escapes.

Now, this morning, as I was in my usual state, and since He was delaying, I thought to myself: ‘What would have happened to me during these privations of my sweet Jesus, if it wasn’t for the Holy Divine Will? Who would have given me life, strength, help? Oh! Holy Divine Will, in You I enclose myself, in You I abandon myself, in You I rest. Ah, all run away from me – even suffering, and even that very Jesus who once seemed unable to be without me! You alone do not escape from me, O Holy Will. O please, I beg You, when You see that my weak strengths can take no more, reveal to me my sweet Jesus, whom You hide from me, and whom You possess. Oh, Holy Volition, I adore You, I kiss You, I thank You – but don’t be cruel with me!’

While I was thinking and praying like this, I felt myself being invested by a most pure light; and the Holy Volition, revealing Jesus to me, told me: “My daughter, the soul without my Will would have been like the earth, had it had neither heavens, nor stars, nor sun, nor moon. The earth in itself is nothing other than precipices, steep heights, waters and darkness. If the earth did not have a heaven above, which shows man the way so that he may recognize the different dangers which the earth contains, man would be bound, now to fall, now to drown, etc. But there is a heaven above, and especially a sun, which says to man in a mute language: ‘See, I have no eyes nor hands nor feet, yet I am the light of your eyes, the action of your hand, and the step of your foot; and when I have to illuminate other regions, I leave you the sparkling of the stars and the moonlight to continue my office.’ Now, just as I gave to man a heaven for the good of his nature, to his soul too, which is more noble, I gave the heaven of my Will, because the soul too contains precipices, heights and crags, which are passions, virtues, tendencies, and other things. Now, if the soul moves out from under the heaven of my Will, she will do nothing but fall from sin to sin; passions will drown her, and the heights of virtues will turn into abysses. Therefore, just as everything would be disordered and infertile on the earth without a heaven, the same for the soul without my Will.”

April 24, 1915
That which Jesus suffered in the crowning of thorns is incomprehensible to the created mind. Much more painfully than by those thorns, His mind was pierced by all the evil thoughts of creatures.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was thinking of how much blessed Jesus suffered in being crowned with thorns, and, making Himself seen, Jesus told me: “My daughter, the pains which I suffered were incomprehensible to the created mind. Much more painfully than by those thorns, my mind was pierced by all the evil thoughts of creatures, in such a way that none of these thoughts could escape Me – I felt them all inside Me. So, I felt not only the thorns, but also the disgust of the sins which those thorns inflicted on Me.”

I looked at my lovable Jesus and I could see His most holy head surrounded by spokes of thorns which came out from inside Him. All the thoughts of the creatures were in Jesus; they went from Jesus into them, and from them to Jesus, remaining as though linked together. Oh, how Jesus suffered!

Then He added: “My daughter, only the souls who live in my Will can give Me true reparations and soothe Me from thorns so sharp. In fact, since they live in my Will, and since my Will is everywhere, they find themselves in Me and in everyone, they descend into creatures and rise up to Me, they bring Me all reparations, they soothe Me – and in creatures’ minds they turn darkness into light.”

May 2, 1915
Pains of Jesus because of the chastisements. The souls who live in the Divine Will are the closest to the Humanity of Jesus; they live in Him and in all creatures, and impetrate good for all.

My days are more and more so very bitter. This morning my sweet Jesus came in such a state of suffering that it cannot be described. On seeing Him suffer so much, I would have wanted to give Him relief at any cost. Not knowing what to do, I pressed Him to my heart, and drawing near His mouth, with mine I tried to suckle part of His interior bitternesses. But – nothing! No matter how hard I tried to suckle, nothing would come out. I returned to my efforts, but it was all in vain. Jesus was crying, and I too was crying in seeing that I could not alleviate His pains in any way. What a cruel torment! Jesus was crying because He wanted to pour [His bitternesses into me], but His Justice prevented Him from doing it; I was crying in seeing Him cry, and because I could not help Him. These are pains which no words can describe. Then, sobbing, Jesus told me: “My daughter, sins snatch scourges and wars from my hands. I am forced to allow them, and at the same time I cry and suffer with the creature.”

I felt I was dying for the pain, and Jesus, wanting to distract me, added: “My daughter, do not lose heart. This too is in my Will, because only the souls who live in my Will can confront my Justice. Only those who live in my Volition have free access to share in the divine decrees and plead for their brothers. Those who dwell in my Will are the ones who possess all the fruits of my Humanity, because my Humanity had Its limits, while my Will has no limits, and my Humanity lived in my Will – immersed in It, inside and out. Now, the souls who live in my Will are the closest to my Humanity. Making my Humanity their own – because I gave It to them – they can present themselves before the Divinity as invested with It, like another Me, and they can disarm Divine Justice and impetrate scripts of forgiveness for the perverted creatures. Since they live in my Will, they live in Me; and since I live in everyone, they also live in everyone and for the good of all. They live hovering in the air like sun, and their prayers, acts, reparations and everything they do, are like rays which descend from them for the good of all.”

May 18, 1915
Chastisements. Jesus will have regard for the souls who live of His Will, and for the places where these souls live.

Continuing in my poor state, I feel my poor nature succumbing. I am in a state of continuous violence: I want to do violence to my lovable Jesus, but He hides more so as not to be forced. Then, when He sees that I am not in the act of doing violence to Him because He is hidden, all of a sudden He makes Himself seen and bursts into crying because of what miserable humanity is suffering and will suffer. Other times, in a moving and almost imploring tone, He tells me: “Daughter, do not use violence on Me. My state is already violent in itself because of the grave evils that creatures suffer and will suffer; but I must give Justice Its rights.” And while saying this, He cries, and I cry together with Him. Many times it seems that, transforming Himself completely into me, He cries through my eyes, and then all the tragedies that Jesus had shown me many years before – human bodies mutilated, floods of blood, towns destroyed, churches profaned – pass before my mind. My poor heart is lacerated by the pain; I feel it now writhe because of the spasm, now ice-cold. And while I suffer this, I hear the voice of Jesus saying, “How I grieve! How I grieve!” And He bursts into sobs. But who can say everything?

Now, as I was in this state, my sweet Jesus, in order to somehow calm my fears and frights, told me: “My daughter, courage. It is true that great will be the tragedy, but know that I will have regard for the souls who live of my Will, and for the places where these souls live. Just as the kings of the earth have their courts, their quarters, in which they keep safe in the midst of dangers and of the fiercest enemies – because the strength they have is so great that their very enemies, while they destroy other places, do not even look at that point for fear of being defeated – in the same way, I too, King of Heaven, have my quarters, my courts upon earth. These are the souls who live in my Volition, in whom I live; and the court of Heaven crowds round them. The strength of my Will keeps them safe, rendering the bullets cold, and driving back the fiercest enemies.

My daughter, why do the Blessed themselves remain safe and fully happy even when they see that creatures suffer and that the earth is in flames? Precisely because they live completely in my Will. Know that I put the souls who live completely of my Will on earth in the same condition as the Blessed. Therefore, live in my Will and fear nothing. Even more, in these times of human carnage, I want you not only to live in my Will, but to live also among your brothers – between Me and them. You will hold Me tightly within yourself, sheltered from the offenses that creatures send Me; and as I give you my Humanity and what I suffered as gift, while keeping Me sheltered, you will give to your brothers my Blood, my wounds, my thorns and my merits for their salvation.”

May 25, 1915
Men are obedient to governments, which use violence, but not to God, who uses love.

As I was in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus made Himself seen for just a little, and told me: “My daughter, the scourge is great, yet the peoples do not stir themselves; rather, they remain almost indifferent, as if they had to be present at a tragic scene, not a reality. Instead of coming, all unanimous, to cry at my feet and implore mercy and forgiveness, they stand at attention to hear what is happening. Ah, my daughter, how great is human perfidy! Look at how obedient they are to governments: priests, lay people, do not demand anything, do not refuse sacrifices, and must be ready to give their own lives. Ah, for Me only there was no obedience and no sacrifices; and if they did anything at all, it was more pretensions and interests. This, because the government uses violence; but I make use of love, yet this love is disregarded by creatures – they remain indifferent as if I did not deserve anything from them!” As He was saying this, He burst into tears. What a cruel torment to see Jesus crying! Then He continued: “But blood and fire will purify everything and will restore the repentant man. And the more he delays, the more blood will be shed, and the carnage will be such as man has never imagined.” While saying this, He showed the human carnage. What torment to live in these times! But may the Divine Volition be always done.

June 6, 1915
In the Divine Will everything resolves into love for God and for one’s neighbor

As I am in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus, while remaining hidden, wants me all intent on Him, to plead continuously for my brothers. So, while I was praying and crying for the salvation of the poor combatants, wanting to cling to Jesus so as to implore Him that none of them be lost, I reached the point of speaking nonsense to Him. And Jesus, though sad, seemed to be pleased with my petitions, and as though willing to concede what I wanted. But a thought flew into my mind: that I should think about my own salvation. And Jesus told me: “My daughter, as you were thinking about yourself, you produced a human sensation, and my Will, fully Divine, noticed it. In my Will everything resolves into love for Me and for one’s neighbor; there are no personal things, because by containing my Will alone, the soul contains all possible goods for herself; and if the contains them, why ask Me for them? Rather, isn’t it right that she occupy herself with praying for those who do not have them? Ah! if you knew what calamities miserable humanity will go through, you would be more active in my Will for their good.” And while saying this, He made me hear all the evils that the masons are plotting against humanity.

June 17, 1915
Everything must end in the Divine Will.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was lamenting to Jesus, saying to Him: ‘My Life, Jesus, everything is ended. There is nothing left for me but your flashes and shadows at the most.’ And Jesus, interrupting my speaking, told me: “My daughter, everything must end in my Will. Once the soul has reached this, she has done everything; and if she had done much but had not enclosed it in my Will, one can say that she has done nothing. In fact, I take into account all that ends in my Will, because in It alone is my very Life present, as though bound, and so it is right that I take into account even the littlest things, and even trifles, as my own things, because in each little act that the creature does united with my Will, I feel that she first takes it from Me, and then she operates. So, her little act comprises the whole of my sanctity, my power, wisdom, love and all that I am, and in that act done united with my Will, I feel my life, my works, my word, my thought and so on, being repeated. So, if your things have ended in my Will, what else would you want? All things have only one final point. The sun has only one point – that its light may invade all the earth. The farmer sows, hoes, works the earth, he suffers from cold and heat; but this is not his final point – no; his point is to reap [the fruits] to make of them his food. The same for many other things which, many as they are, resolve into one single point – and this constitutes the life of man. In the same way, the soul must make everything end in the single point of my Will, and my Will will constitute her life, and I will make of it my food.”

Then He added: “In these sad times, you and I will go through a very painful period – things will rage more. But know that if I take my cross of wood away from you, I give you the cross of my Will, which has no length and no width – it is interminable. A more noble cross I could not give you; it is not made of wood, but of light; and in this light, burning more than any fire, we will suffer together in each creature and in their agonies and tortures; and we will try to be life of all.”

July 9, 1915
One who truly does the Divine Will is placed in the same condition as the Humanity of Jesus.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was feeling very bad, and my always lovable Jesus, moved to compassion for my poor state, came for a little while and, kissing me, told me: “Poor daughter, do not fear; I do not leave you, nor can I leave you. In fact, one who does my Will is my magnet, which acts powerfully over Me, and draws Me to itself with such violence that I cannot resist. It takes too much to rid Myself of one who does my Will; I should rid Myself of Myself, which is not possible.”

Then He added: “Daughter, one who truly does my Will is placed in the same condition as my Humanity. I was Man and God. As God, I contained within Myself all the happinesses, beatitudes, beauties, and all the goods that I possess. On one hand my Humanity participated in my Divinity, and therefore It was blissful, happy, and Its beatific vision never escaped It. On the other hand, having taken upon Itself the satisfaction for creatures before Divine Justice, my Humanity was tormented by the clear sight of all sins; and having to take them upon Itself in order to satisfy for them, It felt the horror of each sin with its own special torment. Therefore, It felt joy and pain at the same time; love on the part of my Divinity, freezing cold on the part of creatures; sanctity on one hand, sin on the other. There was nothing which the creature would do that could escape Me, be it even the littlest thing. Now my Humanity is no longer capable of suffering, therefore I live in one who does my Will – she serves as my humanity. This is why on one hand the soul feels love, peace, firmness in good, fortitude and the like; on the other hand, coldness, bothers, tiredness, etc. If the soul remains completely in my Will and takes these things, not as her own things, but as things that I Myself suffer, she will not lose heart, but will compassionate Me, and will have the honor of sharing in my pains, because she is nothing other than a veil that covers Me. She will feel nothing but the bothers of the pricks, of the cold, but it is into Me, into my Heart, that they are driven.”

July 25, 1915
How Jesus is unfortunate in love, and wants to be comforted.

Continuing in my usual state, I was lamenting to Jesus because of His usual privations, and He, always benign, compassionated me telling me: “My daughter, be stalwart – be faithful to Me in these times of tragedies, of horrendous carnages, and of intense bitternesses for my Heart.” And almost sobbing, He added: “My daughter, in these times I feel like a poor unfortunate. I feel unfortunate together with the one who is wounded on the battlefield; unfortunate for the one who dies in his own blood, abandoned by all; unfortunate with the poor who feels the weight of his hunger. I feel the misfortune of many mothers, whose hearts bleed for their sons in battle. Ah! all misfortunes weigh upon my Heart, and I remain pierced. And in the face of all these misfortunes, I see Divine Justice wanting to put more divine fury on the field against creatures, unfortunately rebellious and ungrateful. And then, who can tell you how unfortunate I am in love? Ah! creatures do not love Me, and my great love is repaid with repeated offenses.

My daughter, in the midst of so many misfortunes of mine, instead of consoling, I want to be comforted. I want souls who love Me to be around Me, that they may keep Me faithful company, and give all their pains to Me, as a relief for my misfortunes and to impetrate grace for the poor unfortunate ones. Depending on whether souls are faithful to Me in these times of scourges and misfortunes, once Divine Justice is appeased, I will reward the souls who have been faithful to Me, and have taken part in my misfortunes.”

July 28, 1915
The soul who lives in the Divine Will forms one single Heart with that of Jesus.

I was repeating my laments to Jesus, saying to Him: ‘How is it that You left me? You promised me that You would come every day[1], at least once, and today the morning is gone, the day is ending, and You are still not coming? Jesus, what torment is your privation – what a continuous death. Yet, I am all abandoned in your Will. Even more, I offer You this privation of You, as You teach me, in order to give salvation to as many souls for as many instants as I am deprived of You. I place the pains which I suffer when I am without You like a crown around your Heart in order to prevent the offenses of creatures from entering into your Heart, and to prevent You from condemning any soul to hell. But with all this, O my Jesus, I still feel my nature being upset, and incessantly I call You, I search for You, I long for You.’ At that moment, my lovable Jesus extended His arms around my neck, and clasping me, told me: “My daughter, tell me, what do you desire, what do you want to do, what do you love?” And I: ‘I desire You, and that all souls be saved; I want to do your Will, and I love You alone.’ And He: “So you desire what I want. With this, you hold Me in your power, and I hold you; and you cannot detach yourself from Me, nor can I from you. How can you say, then, that I have left you?”

Then He added in a tender tone: “My daughter, one who does my Will is so identified with Me, that her heart and Mine form one single Heart. And since all the souls who are saved, are saved through this Heart, and as Its heartbeat is formed, so do they take flight toward salvation, coming out from the mouth of this Heart – I will give to the soul the merit of those saved souls, because she has wanted the salvation of those souls together with Me, and I have used her as the life of my own Heart.”

August 12, 1915
The hardness of the peoples, and how they want to be touched in their own flesh.

As I was in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came for a little while, telling me: “My daughter, how hard the peoples are! The scourge of war is not enough, misery is not a sufficient dose to make them surrender. They want to be touched in their own flesh, otherwise one gets nowhere. Don’t you see how religion triumphs on the battlefield? And why? Because they are being touched in their own flesh. This is why it is necessary that there be no country which will not be caught in the net, in one way or another; but almost all will be exposed to being touched in their own flesh. I do not want to do this, but their hardness forces Me to.”

In saying this, He was crying. I cried along, and I prayed that He would make the peoples surrender with no slaughter and no blood, and that all be saved. And Jesus: “My daughter, everything will be enclosed in the union of our wills. Your will will run together with Mine, and will impetrate sufficient grace to save souls. Your love will run within mine; your desires and your heartbeat will run within mine, and will ask for souls with an eternal heartbeat. All this will form a net around you and Me, and we will remain as though woven inside of it. This will serve as bulwark of defense, and while it will defend Me, you will be protected from any danger. How sweet it is for Me to hear, within my heartbeat, the heartbeat of a creature which says within mine: ‘Souls, souls!’ I feel as though chained and conquered, and I surrender.”

August 14 1915
Everything that Jesus did and suffered is act, and serves as prop on which souls can lean so as not to fall into sin and be saved.

Continuing in my usual state, Jesus came for just a little. He was so tired, exhausted, that He Himself called me to kiss His wounds and dry His Blood, which was flowing from every part of His Most Holy Humanity. So, after I went over all His members making various adorations and reparations, my sweet Jesus, relieved and leaning on me, told me: “My daughter, my Passion, my wounds, my Blood, everything I did and suffered, are in continuous act in the midst of souls, as if I were operating and suffering at this very moment. They serve Me as props on which I can lean, and as props on which souls can lean so as not to fall into sin, and be saved. Now, during these times of scourges, I am like someone who lives up in the air, with no ground underneath, and amid continuous blows: Justice knocks Me from Heaven, and creatures, through sin, from the earth.

Now, the more the soul remains around Me, kissing my wounds, repairing Me, offering my Blood – in a word, re-doing, herself, what I did during the course of my Life and Passion – the more props she forms so that I can lean on them and not fall, and the larger the circle becomes in which souls find support so as not to fall into sin, and be saved. Do not get tired, my daughter, of being around Me, and of going over my wounds, over and over again. I Myself will administer to you the thoughts, the affections, the words, so that you may remain around Me. Be faithful to Me – times are short, Justice wants to unfold Its fury, and creatures irritate It. It is necessary that these props multiply more; therefore, do not fail the work.”

August 24 1915
The only thing that makes the creature be like God is the Divine Will.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came for just a little, and I gave Him a kiss, telling Him: ‘My Jesus, if it were possible, I would like to give You the kiss of all creatures. In this way I would satisfy your love, by bringing them all to You.’ And Jesus: “My daughter, if you want to give Me the kiss of all, kiss Me in my Will, because my Will, containing the creative virtue, contains the power to multiply one act into as many acts as one wants. In this way, you will give Me the contentment as if all were kissing Me, and you will have the merit as if you had made everyone kiss Me; while all creatures will receive the effects according to their dispositions.

One act in my Will contains all possible and imaginable goods. You will find an image of this in the light of the sun. The light is one, but this light multiplies in all gazes of creatures. The light is always one, and one single act, but not all the gazes of creatures enjoy the same light. Some, of weak sight, need to put their hands before their eyes, almost not to feel themselves being blinded by the light. Others, blind, do not enjoy it at all, but this is not because of a defect of the light, but because of a defect in the eyesight of creatures. So, my daughter, if you desire to love Me for all, if you do it in my Will, your love will flow in It; and since my Will fills Heaven and earth, I will hear your ‘I love you’ being repeated in Heaven, around Me, inside of Me, on earth, and it will multiply from every point, for as many acts as my Will can do. Therefore it can give Me the satisfaction of the love of all, because the creature is limited and finite, while my Will is immense and infinite.

How can those words spoken by Me in creating man, ‘Let Us make man in Our Image and Likeness’, be explained? How could the creature, so incapable, ever resemble Me and be my image? Only in my Will could he arrive at this, because by making It his own, he comes to operate in a divine manner; and through the repetition of these divine acts, he comes to resemble Me – to become my perfect image. It happens as to a child who, by repeating the acts which he observes in his teacher, becomes like him. So, the only thing that makes the creature be like Me is my Will. This is why I have so much interest that the creature, by making It his own, fulfill the purpose for which he was created.”

August 27, 1915
By fusing herself in the Divine Will, the soul becomes filled with God and His divine qualities, and God is filled with her.

I was fusing myself in the Most Holy Will of blessed Jesus, and while doing this I found myself in Jesus; and He told me: “My daughter, when a soul fuses herself in my Will, it happens as when two containers, full of different fluids, are poured one into the other: the first remains filled with what the second contained, and the second with the content of the first. In the same way, the creature remains filled with Me, and I with her. And since my Will contains sanctity, beauty, power, love, etc., by filling herself with Me, fusing and abandoning herself in my Will, the soul comes to be filled with my sanctity, with my love, with my beauty, etc., in the most perfect way given to a creature. And I feel I am filled with her, and finding in her my sanctity, my beauty, my love, etc., I look at these things as if they were her own, and I like her so much as to become enamored, in such a way as to keep her jealously in my inmost Heart, enriching her and embellishing her continuously with my divine qualities, to be ever more delighted and enamored.”

September 20, 1915
The Fiat must be the sweet knot that binds all the acts of the creature.

Continuing in my usual state, my lovable Jesus made Himself seen with scourges in His hands, touching and beating the creatures. It seemed that the scourges were extending more, and among many things, it seemed that some were plotting a conspiracy against the Church, and they were mentioning Rome. Blessed Jesus was afflicted and as though covered with a black mantle. He told me: “My daughter, the scourges will make the peoples rise again, but there will be so many of them that all peoples will be wrapped in sorrow and mourning. And since the creatures are my members, I am wrapped in black because of them.”

I was all dismayed and I prayed Him to placate Himself; and He, to cheer me, told me: “My daughter, the Fiat must be the sweet knot that will bind all your acts. So, my Will and yours will form the knot; and know that every thought, word, act, done as tied to my Will, is one more channel of communication that opens between Myself and the creature. If all your acts are tied to my Will, not one channel of divine communication will be close between you and Me.”

October 2, 1915
The souls tries to relieve Jesus from the bitterness caused by the sins of man.

After I had suffered very much because of the privations of my always lovable Jesus, it seemed that He came for a little while, but in such suffering as to be terrifying. I plucked up courage and drew near His mouth; and after I kissed Him, I tried to suckle – who knows, I might manage to relieve Him by sucking part of His bitternesses. To my surprise, I was able to draw a little bit of bitterness out of Him, which other times I could not manage to do. But Jesus was in such suffering that it seemed He did not realize it. However, after I did this, as though stirring Himself, He looked at me and told me: “My daughter, I can take no more, I can take no more. The creature has reached the brim, and she fills Me with such bitterness that my Justice was in the act of decreeing the general destruction. But you arrived in time to snatch a little bit of bitterness away from Me, so that my Justice might still hold off. However, the chastisements will extend more. Ah! man incites Me, he disposes Me to fill him and almost stuff him with sorrows and chastisements, otherwise he will not change his mind.”

I hastened to pray Him to placate Himself, and He, and with a moving tone, told me: “Ah, my daughter! Ah, my daughter!” And He disappeared.

October 25, 1915
When Jesus can say to a soul: “My life, my mama.”

Continuing in my usual state, amid privations and bitternesses, I was thinking about the Passion of my lovable Jesus, and He kept repeating: “My life, my life… My mama, my mama….” Surprised, I said to Him: ‘What does this mean?’ And Jesus: “My daughter, as I feel my thoughts, my words, being repeated in you, loving with my love, wanting with my Will, desiring with my desires, and all the rest, I feel my life being drawn into you, and my own acts being repeated. And my satisfaction is so great, that I keep repeating: ‘My life, my life….’ And as I think of what my dear Mama suffered, who wanted to take all my pains and suffer them Herself in my place, and as you try to imitate Her, praying Me to let you suffer the pains that creatures give Me, I keep repeating: ‘My mama, my mama….’ In the midst of so many bitternesses of my Heart because of the many lacerated members of many creatures, which I feel within my Humanity, my only relief is to feel my life being repeated. In this way I feel the members of creatures being knitted again within Me.”

October 28, 1915
The life and works of Jesus are seeds sown for souls to harvest.

This morning, my always lovable Jesus, on coming, told me: “My daughter, my life on earth was nothing but seeds sown, which my children will harvest, as long as they remain on the same land in which I sowed these seeds. And according to their attitude for harvesting, my seeds will produce their fruits. Now, these seeds are my works, words, thoughts, and even my breaths, etc.; and if the soul harvests them all, making them her own, she will be enriched in such a way as to purchase the Kingdom of Heaven. But if she does not, these seeds will serve as her condemnation.”

November 1, 1915
Jesus wants to pour Himself out in love.

This morning my sweet Jesus did not keep me waiting for too long. He came, though panting and restless, and throwing Himself into my arms, told me: “My daughter, give Me rest, let Me pour Myself out in love. If justice wants its outpouring, it can pout itself out with all creatures; but my love can pour itself out only with one who loves Me – with one who is wounded by my same love and, delirious, keeps seeking to pour herself out within my love, asking Me for more love. And if my love did not find a creature who would let Me pour Myself out, my justice would ignite even more, and would give the last blow to destroy the poor creatures.” And as He was saying this, He kissed me over and over again, telling me: “I love you, but with an eternal love; I love you, but with an immense love; I love you, but with a love that is incomprehensible to you; I love you with a love that will never have limits nor an end; I love you with a love that you will never be able to match.”

But who can say all the titles with which Jesus said that He loved me? And at each title He spoke, He waited for my answer. Not knowing what to say to Him, and not having sufficient titles to match Him, I told Him: ‘My Life, You know that I have nothing, and whatever I do I take from You, and then I leave it in You again, so that my things, remaining in You, may have continuous attitude and life in You, while I remain always nothing. Therefore I take your love, I make it my own, and I say to You: “I love You with an eternal and immense love; with a love that has no limits and no end, and that is equal to yours”.’ And I kissed Him over and over again. As I kept repeating, ‘I love You’, Jesus became calm, took rest, and disappeared.

Then, coming back, He showed His Most Holy Humanity beaten up, wounded, dislocated – all blood. I remained horrified, and Jesus told me: “My daughter, look – I keep within Me all the poor wounded ones who are under the bullets, and I suffer together with them. I want that you too take part in these pains for their salvation.” And as Jesus transformed Himself into me, I felt myself, now agonizing, now grieving – in sum, I felt what Jesus felt.

November 4, 1915
Sorrow of the Most Holy Virgin because of the scourge of the war. Necessity of the scourge, especially for the conversion of priests.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself together with the Queen Mama, and I prayed that She would intercede with Jesus to stop the scourge of the war. I said to Her: ‘My Mama, pity on so many poor victims. Don’t you see how much blood, how many members torn to pieces, how many moans and tears? You are the Mama of Jesus, but also our own; so it is up to you to reconcile your children.’ And while I was praying Her, She was crying; but though crying She seemed unyielding. I cried along and continued to pray for peace, and my dear Mama told me: “My daughter, the earth is not yet purged; the peoples are still hardened. And besides, if the scourge ceases, who will save the priests? Who will convert them? The garment that for many of them covers their lives is so deplorable, that even the secular are disgusted to approach them. Let us pray, let us pray.”

November 11, 1915
The souls who live in the Divine Will are other Christs.

This morning I felt such compassion for the offenses that Jesus receives and for the many poor creatures who have the misfortune of offending Him, that I would face any pain in order to prevent sin; and I prayed and repaired from the heart. In the meantime, blessed Jesus came and seemed to carry the same wounds of my heart, but – oh! how much larger. He told me: “My daughter, in issuing the creature, my Divinity remained as though wounded by my own love for love of the creature. This wound made Me come down from Heaven to earth, and cry, and shed my blood, and do all that I did.

Now, the soul who lives in my Will feels this wound of mine vividly, as if it were her own. She cries and prays, and would suffer anything to save the poor creature, and so that my wound of love may not be exacerbated by the offenses of creatures. Ah! my daughter, these tears, prayers, pains, reparations, soothe my wound and descend upon my breast like shining gems, and I glory in keeping them on my breast to show them to my Father so as to move Him to pity toward creatures. So, a divine vein ascends and descends between these souls and Me, which keeps consuming their human blood; and the more they share in my wound and in my very life, the larger this divine vein becomes. It becomes so large that they become other Christs. And I keep repeating to the Father: ‘I am in Heaven, but there are other Christs on earth, who are wounded with my same wound, who cry like Me, who suffer, who pray, etc. Therefore, We must pour Our mercies upon the earth.’ Ah! only these who live in my Volition, who share in my wound, are like Me on earth, and will be like Me in Heaven by sharing in the same Glory of my Humanity.”

November 13, 1915
Necessity for Jesus to give Communion to Himself, before giving It to others. How the soul must offer her Communion.

After I had received Holy Communion, I thought to myself: ‘How should I offer It in order to please Jesus?’ And He, always benign, told me: “My daughter, if you want to please Me, offer It as my own Humanity did. Before giving Communion to others, I gave Communion to Myself, and I wanted to do this in order to give to the Father the complete glory of all the Communions of creatures, and to enclose within Me all the reparations for all the sacrileges, for all the offenses, that my Humanity would receive in the Sacrament. Since my Humanity enclosed the Divine Will, It enclosed all reparations of all times; and since I received Myself, I received Myself worthily. And since all the works of creatures were divinized by my Humanity, with my Communion I wanted to seal the Communions of creatures. Otherwise, how could the creature receive a God? It was my Humanity that opened this door to creatures, and earned for them that they might receive Me. Now, you, my daughter, do it in my Will, unite it to my Humanity. In this way you will enclose everything, and I will find in you the reparations of all, the compensation for everything, and my satisfaction. Even more, I will find in you another Me.”

November 21, 1915
Man forces God to chastise him, and to make Himself known by means of justice.

Finding myself in my usual state, I saw my always lovable Jesus for just a little, and I prayed Him, for pity’s sake, to change the decrees of Divine Justice. I said to Him: ‘My Jesus, no more – my poor heart is crushed in hearing about so many tragedies. Jesus, enough – it is your dear images, your beloved children, that moan, cry and grieve under the weight of almost infernal instruments.’ And He: “Ah! my daughter, yet, all the terrible things that are happening now are only the sketch of the design. Don’t you see what a large circle I am marking? What will happen when I execute the design? At many points they will say: ‘Here there was such and such city, here such and such buildings.’ Some points will disappear completely. Time is short – man has reached the point of forcing Me to chastise him. He wanted to almost challenge Me, to incite Me, and I remained patient – but all times come. They did not want to know Me by means of love and mercy – they will know Me by means of justice. Therefore, courage, do not lose heart so soon.”

December 10, 1915
The soul must make the prayers, the works and the sufferings of Jesus her own, so as to have in her power all the good that they produced.

I was feeling so very afflicted because my sweet Jesus, my Life, my All, did not make Himself seen. I was lamenting: ‘If I could, I would deafen Heaven and earth with my laments so as to move Him to compassion for my poor state. What a great misfortune – to know Him, to love Him, and to remain without Him! Can there ever be a graver misfortune?’ But while I was lamenting, blessed Jesus, making Himself seen in my interior, told me with a severe look: “My daughter, do not tempt Me. Why this? I told you everything so as to let you be tranquil; I told you that when I abstain from coming, it is because I have to tighten stronger chastisements, because my Justice wants it so; and I even told you the reasons. Before, you would not believe that it was in order to chastise that I was not coming as usual – because you did not hear that great chastisements were happening in the world. Now you hear them, and in spite of this you still doubt. Is this not tempting Me?”

I was shaking in seeing and hearing Jesus so severe, and in order to calm me down He changed His look and, all kindness, added: “My daughter, courage. I do not leave you, I am inside of you, although you do not always see Me. And you – unite yourself always with Me; if you pray, let your prayer flow in mine, and make it your own. In this way, all that I did with my prayers – the glory I gave to the Father, the good I impetrated for all – you will do as well. If you work, let your work flow in mine, and make it your own. In this way, you will have in your power all the good that my Humanity did, which sanctified and divinized everything. If you suffer, let your suffering flow in mine, and make it your own; and in this way you will have in your power all the good that I did in Redemption. By this, you will take the three essential points of my Life; and as you do so, immense seas of graces will come out of you, which will pour out for the good of all, and I will look at your life, not as your own, but as Mine.”

January 12, 1916
Almost all nations have united in offending God, and have conspired against Him.

I was lamenting to blessed Jesus because of His usual privations, and I was crying bitterly; and my adorable Jesus came, but in a sorrowful state, showing how things will get worse and worse. This made me cry more, and Jesus told me: “My daughter, you cry over the present times, and I cry over the future. Oh! in what a maze will the nations find themselves, to the point that one will become the terror and the massacre of the other, such that they will be unable to get out by themselves. They will do things as though crazy, as though blind, to the point of acting against themselves. And the maze which poor Italy is in…. How many shocks she will receive! Remember how many years ago I told you that she deserved the chastisement of being invaded by foreign nations – this is the plot that they are hatching against her. How humiliated and annihilated she will remain! She has been too ungrateful with Me. The nations for which I had a predilection, Italy and France, are the ones which have denied Me the most; they held hands in offending Me. Just chastisement: they will hold hands in being humiliated. They will also be the ones which will wage war more against the Church. Ah! my daughter, almost all nations have united in offending Me; they have conspired against Me. What wrong have I done to them? So, almost all of them deserve chastisement.”

But who can say the sorrow of Jesus, the state of violence in which He was, and also my fright, my fear? I said to my Jesus: ‘How can I live amid so many tragedies? Either You let me be the victim and spare the peoples, or You take me with You.’

January 28, 1916
Constrained love is the greatest bitterness. Suspension of the state of victim.

I felt oppressed and I thought to myself: ‘How everything is over: state of victim, suffering, Jesus – everything!’ I add that the confessor was not well, and therefore it was likely that I would have to remain without Communion. I felt all the weight of the suspension of [my state of] victim on the part of Jesus. As for the guide[2], I had received no order – either in favor or against it. To this I also added my affliction, as I remembered that on March of last year, when the confessor was not well and I was in the same condition, Jesus had told me that if I or the one who guides me would keep me in the state of victim, He would spare Corato. Therefore – new fears: that I myself might be the cause of some grave trouble, also in Corato. But who can say all my apprehensions and bitternesses? They were so many that I felt petrified.

Now, my blessed Jesus, having compassion, made Himself seen in my interior, and He seemed to have His hand on His forehead, all afflicted; so much so that I did not have the courage to call Him. Almost whispering, I just said: ‘Jesus, Jesus.…’ He looked at me, but – oh! how sad was His gaze! He told me: “My daughter, how much I suffer! If you knew the pains of the One who loves you, you would do nothing but cry. I suffer for you also, because since I do not come very often, my love is constrained and I cannot pour Myself out. And in seeing that you too cannot pour yourself out because you do not see Me – in seeing you suffer, I suffer more.

Ah! my daughter, constrained love is the greatest bitterness, which tortures a poor heart the most. If you remain quiet while suffering, I do not suffer so much; but if you afflict yourself and worry in your suffering, I fidget and become delirious, and I am forced to come to pour Myself out and to let you pour yourself out, since my pains and yours are sisters. And besides, your state of victim is not over; my works are eternal, and it is not without a just reason that I suspend them, though without making them end. Besides, I look at things in the will; so, you are as you used to be, because your will has not changed. And if you do not have sufferings, you are not the one who receives harm; rather, it is the creatures that do not receive the effects of your pains – that is, to be spared the scourges. It happens as to the creatures who occupy public offices or government positions for a given time: even when they retire from those positions, they receive a life salary. Should I be outdone by creatures? Ah, no! If those are given pensions for life, I give them for eternity. Therefore, you must not be concerned about the pauses I make. And then, why do you fear? Have you forgotten how much I have loved you? The one who guides you will be prudent, knowing how things are, and how they have been; and I will have regard for Corato. As for you, then, whatever might happen, I will hold you tightly in my arms.”

January 30, 1916
When the soul lives completely in the Divine Will, everything she does is reflected in Jesus, and everything Jesus does is reflected in her.

I was fusing all of myself in my always lovable Jesus, and while I was doing this, on coming, Jesus fused all of Himself in me, and told me: “My daughter, when the soul lives completely in my Will, if she thinks, her thoughts are reflected in my mind in Heaven; if she desires, if she speaks, if she loves – everything is reflected in Me, and everything I do is reflected in her. It happens as when the sun is reflected in the glass: one can see another sun in it, completely similar to the sun in the heavens – with this difference: the sun in the heavens is fixed and remains always in its place, while the sun in the glass is passing.

Now, my Will crystallizes the soul, and everything she does is reflected in Me; and I, wounded and enraptured by these reflections, send her all my light, so as to form another sun in her. So, it seems that there is one sun in Heaven and another on earth. What enchantment – and what harmonies between them! How many goods are poured out for the good of all! But if the soul is not fixed in my Will, it can happen to her as to the sun which is formed in the glass, which is a passing sun: after a while, the glass remains in the dark, and the sun in Heaven remains alone.”

February 5, 1916
Scourges to the world and great trials for the few good. Only through faithfulness will they not stagger, and be saved.

I continue my days being afflicted, especially because of the almost continuous threats of Jesus, that the scourges will spread more. Last night, then, I remained terrorized; I found myself outside of myself and I found my afflicted Jesus. I felt reborn to new life in finding Him, but, no! – as I was about to console Him, some people snatched Him from me and reduced Him to pieces! What heartbreak! What fright! I threw myself on the ground, close to one of those pieces, and a voice from Heaven resounded in that place: “Firmness, courage to the few good! May they not move in anything; may they not neglect anything. They will be exposed to great trials, both from God and from men. Only through faithfulness will they not stagger, and be saved. The earth will be covered with scourges never before seen. Creatures will try to destroy the Creator, to have a god of their own, and to satisfy their whims at the cost of any slaughter. And with all this, not attaining their purposes, they will arrive at the most awful brutalities. Everything will be terror and fright.”

After this, I found myself inside myself. I was shaking. The thought of how they had reduced my beloved Jesus gave me death. I wanted to see Him at any cost, even for one instant, to see what had happened to Him. And Jesus, always good, came; and I calmed down. May He be always blessed.

March 2, 1916
What God contains in His power, the soul contains in her will. Jesus wants complete freedom in the soul who gives herself to Him.

I continue my most bitter days. Blessed Jesus comes only rarely; and if I lament, either He answers with a sob of crying, or He says to me: “My daughter, you know that I do not come often because the chastisements are encroaching more and more – so, why do you lament?” But I reached such a point that I could not take any more, and I burst into tears. In order to calm me and strengthen me, Jesus came, and I spent almost the whole night with Jesus. Now He kissed me, caressed me, sustained me; now He threw Himself into my arms to take rest; now He showed me the terror among peoples – and some would run away in one direction, some in another. I also remember that He told me: “My daughter, what I contain in my power, the soul contains in her will. So, I look at all the good that the soul really wants to do, as if she had really done it. I have Will and power – if I want, I can; on the other hand, the soul cannot do many things, but her will compensates for power. In this way, she keeps becoming more like Me, and I keep enriching her with all those merits that her good will contains, and that her will wants to do.”

Then He added: “My daughter, when the soul gives herself completely to Me, I establish my dwelling in her. Many times I like to shut everything and be in the shade; other times I like to sleep and I place the soul as a sentry, that she may not allow anyone to come to bother Me and interrupt my sleep; and if necessary, she has to face the bothers herself, and answer for Me. Other times, I like to open everything and let in the winds, the coldnesses of creatures, the darts of sins that they send Me, and many other things. The soul must be content with everything; she must let Me do whatever I want; even more, she must make my things her own. If I were not free to do what I want, I would be unhappy in that heart. If I had to be careful to make her feel how much I enjoy, but to unwillingly hide from her how much I suffer – where would my freedom be? Ah! everything is in my Will. If the soul takes It, she takes the whole substance of my Being, and encloses the whole of Me within herself. And as she goes on doing good, by having the substance of my life within herself, she makes that good come out of my very self; and since it comes out of Me, it runs like ray of light for the good of all creatures.”

April 1, 1916
What stripping is required of the soul, so that her heartbeat may be one with that of Jesus.

This morning my sweet Jesus made Himself seen within my heart, and His heartbeat was beating in mine. I looked at Him, and He told me: “My daughter, for one who really loves Me and does my Will in everything, her heartbeat and mine become one. So, I call them my heartbeats and, as such, I want them around and even inside the heartbeat of my Heart – all intent on consoling Me and sweetening all my sorrowful heartbeats. Her heartbeat in mine will form a sweet harmony, which will repeat my whole life for Me, and will speak to Me of souls, forcing Me to save them. But, my daughter, what stripping is required to be the echo of my heartbeat! It must be a life more of Heaven than of earth – more divine than human! Even one shadow, one little thing, is enough to prevent the soul from feeling the strength, the harmonies, the sanctity of my heartbeat; and so she does not echo my heartbeat, she does not harmonize together with Me, and I am forced to remain alone in my sorrow or in my joys. And these sorrows I receive from souls who – …who knows how much they had promised Me, but at the occasions, I was left disappointed by their promises.”

April 15, 1916
Everything in Jesus, the Word, speaks lovingly to creatures, and the soul who lives in His Will is all voice together with Him.

I live dying because of the continuous privations of my sweet Jesus. This morning I found all of myself in Jesus, as if I were swimming in the immensity of my Highest Good. Then I looked inside myself and I saw Jesus in me, and I could hear the whole Being of Jesus speaking: His feet, His hands, His Heart, His mouth – in sum, everything was voices. Not only this, but the wonder was that these voices became immense, and multiplied for each creature. The feet of Jesus spoke to the feet and to each step of creatures; His hands to their works; His eyes to their gazes; His thoughts to each of their thoughts. What harmonies between Creator and creatures! What an enchanting sight! What love! But, alas, all these harmonies were broken by ingratitudes and by sins; love was repaid with offenses. And Jesus, all afflicted, told me: “My daughter, I am the Verbum – that is, the Word – and my love toward the creature is so great that I multiply into as many voices for as many acts, thoughts, affections, desires, etc. as each creature does, in order to receive from them the return of those acts done for love of Me. I give love and I want love, but I receive offenses instead. I give life, but if they could, they would give Me death. But in spite of all this, I continue my loving office.

However, know that the soul who lives united with Me and from my Volition, swimming in my immensity, is all voice together with Me as well. So, if she walks, her steps speak, pursuing the sinner; her thoughts are voices to the minds; and so with all the rest. Only from these souls do I find as though a recompense in the work of Creation. And in seeing that, unable to do anything by themselves to correspond to my love and maintain the harmonies between them and Me, they enter into my Will, they make themselves the owners of It, and they act in a divine manner – my love finds its outpouring, and I love them more than all other creatures.”

April 21, 1916
The garment of thorns which creatures have made for the Humanity of Jesus.

I continue my most bitter days. I fear that some day Jesus may not even come in passing, and in my sorrow I keep repeating: ‘Jesus, don’t do this to me. If You don’t want to speak – so be it; if You don’t want to let me suffer, I resign myself; if You don’t want to give me the gift of your charisms – Fiat; but not coming at all – not this. You know that it would cost me my life, and my very nature, left without You until evening, would melt.’ As I was saying this, blessed Jesus, increasing my bitternesses, made Himself seen telling me: “Know that if I do not come to pour Myself out with you for a little while, it is because the world is receiving the last blow of destruction and all sorts of scourges.”

What fright – I remained terrified and petrified for the pain. So I continued praying, and I said: ‘My Jesus, each moment of your privation asks of You that a new life of yours be created within souls. And You must give me this grace – on this condition only do I accept your privation. It is not something trivial that I deprive myself of – but of You, immense, infinite, eternal Good. The cost is immense; therefore, let’s come to a deal.’ And Jesus extended His arms around my neck, as though accepting. I looked at Him, but – ah! what a painful sight. Not only His head, but all of His Most Holy Humanity was surrounded by thorns; so much so, that as I embraced Him I was pricked. But I wanted to enter into Jesus at any cost. And He, all goodness, broke that garment of thorns at the place of His Heart, and put me inside. I could see the Divinity of Jesus, and although It was one with His Humanity, while His Humanity was being tormented, His Divinity remained untouchable. And Jesus told me: “My daughter, have you seen what a painful garment creatures made for Me, and how these thorns have penetrated into my Humanity? These thorns have closed the door to the Divinity, having surrounded all my Humanity, only from which could my Divinity come out for the good of creatures. Now it is necessary that I remove part of these thorns, and that I pour them upon creatures, so that, as the light of my Divinity flows from these thorns, I may place their souls in safety. Therefore, it is necessary that the earth be invested with chastisements, earthquakes, famines, wars, etc., in order to break this garment of thorns that creatures have made for Me, so that the light of the Divinity, penetrating into their souls, may remove their illusions, and make better times arise.”

April 23, 1916
At each thought about the Passion of Jesus, the soul draws light from His Humanity.

Continuing in my usual state, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen all surrounded with light, which came out from within His Most Holy Humanity, and embellished Him in such a way as to form an enchanting and enrapturing sight. I remained surprised, and He told me: “My daughter, each pain I suffered, each drop of Blood, each wound, prayer, word, action, step, etc., produced a light within my Humanity, which embellished Me in such a way as to keep all the Blessed enraptured. Now, at each thought that the soul has about my Passion, at each act of compassion, reparation, etc., she does nothing other than draw light from my Humanity, and be embellished in my likeness. So, each additional thought about my Passion will be one more light which will bring her eternal joy.”

May 3, 1916
In the Divine Will the soul prays like Jesus; she satisfies the Father and repairs for all, as He did.

While I was praying, my lovable Jesus placed Himself close to me, and I could hear that He too was praying. So I began to listen to Him, and Jesus told me: “My daughter, pray, but pray as I pray – that is, pour all of yourself into my Will, and in It you will find God and all creatures; and making all things of creatures your own, you will give them to God as if all were one single creature, because the Divine Volition is the owner of all. Then you will place at the feet of the Divinity the good acts in order to give honor to It, and the bad ones in order to repair for them through the sanctity, power and immensity of the Divine Will, from which nothing can escape. This was the life of my Humanity upon earth. As holy as It was, I still needed this Divine Volition in order to give complete satisfaction to the Father, and to redeem the human generations. In fact, only in this Divine Volition could I find all generations, past, present and future, and all of their acts, thoughts, words, etc., as though in act. And in this Holy Will, letting nothing escape Me, I took all thoughts into my mind, and for each of them in particular I brought Myself before the Supreme Majesty, and I repaired for them. And in this same Will, I descended into each mind of creature, giving them the good which I had impetrated for their intelligences. In my gazes I took the eyes of all creatures, their words in my voice, their movements in my movements, their works in my hands, their affections and desires in my Heart, their feet in my steps; and making them my own, in this Divine Volition my Humanity satisfied the Father, and I placed the poor creatures in safety. And the Divine Father was satisfied, nor could He reject Me, He Himself being the Holy Will. Would He perhaps reject Himself? Certainly not. More so, since in these acts He found perfect sanctity, unreachable and enrapturing beauty, highest love, immense and eternal acts, invincible power. This was the whole life of my Humanity upon earth, from the first instant of my conception up to my last breath, to continue it in Heaven and in the Most Holy Sacrament.

Now, why can you not do this as well? For one who loves Me everything is possible. United with Me, in my Will, take and bring the thoughts of all before the Divine Majesty within your thoughts; the gazes of all in your eyes; in your words, movements, affections and desires, those of your brothers, in order to repair for them and impetrate for them light, grace and love. In my Will you will find yourself in Me and in all, you will live my life, you will pray with Me. The Divine Father will be happy, and the whole of Heaven will say: ‘Who is calling us from the earth? Who is it that wants to compress this Holy Will within herself, enclosing all of us together?’ And how much good can the earth obtain by making Heaven descend upon earth!”

May 25, 1916
The work of the Celestial Farmer in the soul. How correspondence is necessary in order to produce rich fruits.

Continuing in my usual state, I was all afflicted, especially because in the past days blessed Jesus had shown me how foreign soldiers were invading Italy, the great massacre of our soldiers, and the pools of blood which Jesus Himself was horrified to look at. I felt my poor heart bursting with grief, and I said to Jesus: ‘Save my brothers, your images, from this pool of blood. Do not permit that any soul plunge into hell.’ And in seeing that Divine Justice will ignite Its fury even more against the poor creatures, I felt I was dying. Almost to distract me from such tormenting scenes, Jesus told me: “My daughter, the love with which I love souls is so great, that as soon as the soul decides to give herself to Me, I surround her with so much grace, I caress her, I move her, I pick her up, I endow her with sensible graces, with fervors, with inspirations, with squeezes of her heart. So, in seeing herself so filled with graces, the soul begins to love Me, forms as though a foundation of prayers and pious practices within her heart, and begins to exercise herself in the virtues. All this forms a flowery field in the soul.

But my love is not content with just flowers – it wants fruits. So it begins to make the flowers fall – that is, it strips her of the sensible love, of fervor and of everything else – in order to make the fruits be born. If the soul is faithful, she continues her pious practices, her virtues, she takes no pleasure in any other human thing, she does not think about herself, but only of Me. Through trust in Me, she will give flavor to the fruits; through faithfulness, she will make the fruits mature; and through courage, tolerance and tranquillity, they will grow and become rich fruits. And I, the Celestial Farmer, will pick these fruits and make of them my food, and I will plant another field, more flowery and beautiful, in which heroic fruits will grow, such as to snatch unheard-of graces from my Heart. But if she is unfaithful and mistrustful, becomes restless, takes pleasure in human things, etc., these fruits will be unripe, insipid, bitter, covered with mud, and will serve to embitter Me and to make Me withdraw from the soul.”

June 4, 1916
Jesus pours His bitternesses into Luisa so as to spare the peoples, but it is too much for her to contain it all.

This morning it seemed that my always lovable Jesus came. I clasped Him to my heart, and Jesus gave me a kiss; but as He was kissing me, I felt a most bitter liquid flow from His mouth into mine. I remained surprised in seeing that, without praying Him, sweet Jesus was pouring His bitternesses into me, while other times I had prayed Him so much and He had not conceded it to me. Then, when I was filled with that most bitter liquid, Jesus continued pouring. It spilled outside, it went on the ground, and He still kept pouring, in such a way that a pool of that most bitter liquid formed around me and blessed Jesus.

Then, as though relieved a little, He told me: “Daughter, have you seen how many bitternesses the creatures give Me? It is so much that, unable to contain them any longer, I wanted to pour them into you. But you could not contain them either, so they went on the ground, and will pour upon the peoples.” And while saying this, He marked the various points and towns which were to be stricken by the invasions of foreign people, and some were running away, some were left naked and starved, some were exiled, some killed – horror and fright everywhere. Jesus Himself wanted to withdraw His gaze from so much tragedy. Frightened and terrorized, I wanted to prevent Jesus from doing this, but He seemed unshakeable, and He told me: “My daughter, it is their very bitternesses that Divine Justice is pouring upon the peoples. I wanted to pour them in you first, in order to spare some points, to make you content; and what was left I poured upon them. My Justice demands satisfaction.” And I: ‘My Love and my Life, I know little about justice; if I pray to You, it is for mercy. I make appeal to your love, to your wounds, to your Blood. After all, they are always your children, your dear images. Poor brothers of mine, how shall they go on? Into what constraints will they be put? To make me content, You tell me that You have poured into Me, but the points You spare are too few.’ And He: “On the contrary, it is too much; and it is because I love you, otherwise I would have spared nothing. And besides, have you not seen how you yourself were unable to contain any more?” I burst into crying, and I said: ‘Yet, You tell me that You love me; and where is all this love that You have for me? True love knows how to content the beloved in everything. And then, why don’t You make me larger, so that I may contain more bitternesses and spare my brothers?’ Jesus cried with me, and disappeared.

June 15, 1916
In the Divine Will everything is complete. The most powerful prayers over the Heart of Jesus, and those which move Him the most, are to clothe oneself with all that He Himself did and suffered.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came, He transformed me completely in Him, and then He told me: “Daughter, pour yourself into my Will to make complete reparations for Me. My love feels an irresistible need for them; after so many offenses of creatures, it wants one at least who, placing herself between Me and them, would give Me complete reparations, love for all, and would snatch from Me graces for all. But you can do this only in my Will, in which you will find Me and all creatures. Oh! with what yearnings am I waiting for you to enter into my Will, to be able to find in you the satisfactions and the reparations of all. Only in my Will will you find all things in act, because I am engine, actor and spectator of everything.” Now, while He was saying this, I poured myself into His Will – but who can say what I saw? I was in contact with every thought of creature, the life of which came from God; and I, in His Will, multiplied myself in each thought, and with the sanctity of His Will I repaired everything, I had a ‘thank You’ for all, a love for all. Then I multiplied myself in the gazes, in the words and in everything else – but who can say what was happening? I lack the terms, and maybe the very angelic tongues would stammer; therefore I stop here.

So I spent the whole night with Jesus in His Will. Then I felt the Queen Mama near me, and She told me: “My daughter, pray.” And I: ‘My Mama, let us pray together, for by myself I don’t know how to pray.’ And She added: “The most powerful prayers over the Heart of my Son, and those which move Him the most, are for the creature to clothe herself with everything He Himself did and suffered, since He gave everything as gift to the creature. Therefore, my daughter, surround your head with the thorns of Jesus, bead your eyes with His tears, impregnate your tongue with His bitterness, clothe your soul with His Blood, adorn yourself with His wounds, pierce your hands and feet with His nails, and like another Christ present yourself before His Divine Majesty. This sight will move Him in such a way that He will not be able to deny anything to the soul who is clothed with His own insignia. But – oh! how little do creatures know how to make use of the gifts which my Son gave them! These were my prayers upon earth, and these are my prayers in Heaven.” So, together we clothed ourselves with the insignia of Jesus, and together we presented ourselves before the Divine Throne. This moved all; the Angels made way for us and remained as though surprised. I thanked Mama, and I found myself inside myself.

August 3, 1916
Each act the creature does is one more paradise she acquires in Heaven.

As I continue in my usual state, my lovable Jesus makes Himself seen in passing, or He says a few words and then He runs away, or He hides in my interior. I remember that one day He told me: “My daughter, I am the center, and all Creation receives life from this center. So, I am life of every thought, of every word, of every action – of everything; but creatures make use of this life I give them to take the occasion to offend Me. I give life, and if they could, they would give Me death.” I also remember that as I prayed Him to hold back the scourges, He told me: “Daughter, do you think I am the one who wants to scourge them? Ah, no! On the contrary, my love is so great that I consumed my whole life in redoing what man was obliged to do for the Supreme Majesty; and since my acts were divine, I multiplied them into so many as to redo them for all and for each one, in such a way as to fill Heaven and earth, and to keep man defended so that Justice might not strike him. But man, with sin, breaks this defense, and once the defense is broken, the scourges strike man.”

But who can say all the little things He told me? Then, this morning, I was praying and lamenting to Jesus for He was not answering me, especially because He does not stop chastising, and I said to Him: ‘Why pray if You do not want to answer me? On the contrary, You tell me that the evils will get worse.’ And He: “My daughter, good is always good. Even more, you must know that each prayer, each reparation, each act of love, any holy thing that the creature does, is one more paradise that she acquires. So, the simplest holy act will be one more paradise; one act less, a paradise less. In fact, every good act comes from God, and therefore in every good act the soul takes God; and since God contains infinite, innumerable, eternal, immense joys – so many that the very Blessed will not arrive at enjoying them all throughout all eternity – it is no wonder, then, that since each good act acquires God, God is almost bound to substitute them with as many contentments. So, if the soul suffers even distractions for love of Me, in Heaven her intelligence will have more light and will enjoy as many more paradises for as many times as she has sacrificed her intelligence; and so much more will she comprehend God. If she suffers coldness for love of Me, so many paradises will she enjoy of the variety of contentments which are present in my love; if darkness, so many more contentments in my inaccessible light; and so with all the rest. This is what one prayer more or one less means.”

August 6, 1916
Need of Jesus for souls who live in the Divine Will to multiply.

As I was in my usual state, my sweet Jesus came for just a little and in passing, and He said to me: “My daughter, my love feels an irresistible need for souls who live in my Will to multiply, because they are the places of my quarters. My love wants to do good to all, but sins prevent Me from pouring my benefits upon them, therefore I keep searching for these quarters; in them I am not prevented from pouring my graces, and through them, the towns and the people that surround them take part in them. Therefore, the more quarters I have on earth, the greater vent can I give to my love, and the more it pours itself out into benefits for the good of humanity.”

August 10, 1916
How in the Divine Will our pains are together with those of Jesus.

Continuing in my usual state, I was feeling embittered because of the privation of my lovable Jesus, and I was lamenting to Him that each privation He caused me was a death that He gave me – and a cruel death, such that while one feels death, one cannot die. And I said: ‘How can You have the heart to give me so many deaths?’ And Jesus, in passing, told me: “My daughter, do not lose heart; when my Humanity was on earth It contained all the lives of creatures, and these lives came all from Me. But how many of them would not return into Me because they would die and bury themselves in hell – and I felt the death of each one, which tormented my Humanity. These deaths were the most sorrowful and cruel pain of my whole life, up to my last breath. My daughter, don’t you want to take part in my pains? The death you feel because of my privation is nothing but a shadow of the pains of death which I felt because of the loss of souls. Therefore, give it to Me to sweeten the so many cruel deaths that my Humanity suffered. Let this pain flow in my Will, and you will find mine; and uniting with it, it will run for the good of all, especially for those who are about to fall into the abyss. If you keep it for yourself, clouds will form between you and Me, and the current of my Will will be broken between you and Me; your pains will not find mine, you will not be able to diffuse yourself for the good of all, and will feel all the weight of it. On the other hand, if you think of how to let everything which you may suffer flow in my Will, there will be no clouds for you, the very pains will bring you light, and will open new currents of union, of love and of graces.”

August 12, 1916
Glory of the souls who will live in the Divine Will on earth.

I was fusing myself in the Most Holy Will, and my sweet Jesus told me: “My daughter, only by one who lives in my Will do I feel as though repaid for Creation, Redemption and Sanctification, and she glorifies Me in the way in which the creature must glorify Me. Therefore these souls will be the gems of my throne and will take within themselves all the contentments and the glory which each Blessed will have for himself alone. These souls will be as though queens around my throne, and all the Blessed will be around them; and just as the Blessed will be as many suns that will shine in the Celestial Jerusalem, the souls who have lived in my Will will shine in my own Sun. They will be as though circumfused with my Sun, and these souls will see the Blessed from within Me, because it is right that, having lived on earth united with Me, with my Will, as they lived no life of their own, they have a place distinct from all others in Heaven, and they continue in Heaven the life which they lived on earth – completely transformed in Me and immersed in the sea of my contentments.”

September 8, 1916
For as long as the soul is in the Divine Will, so much of Divine Life can she say she lives on earth. The acts in the Divine Will are the simplest acts, but, because they are simple, they communicate themselves to all.

This morning, after Communion, I felt that my lovable Jesus absorbed me completely in His Will in a special way, and I swam inside of It. But who can say what I felt? I have no words to express myself. Then Jesus told me: “My daughter, for as long as the soul is in my Will, so much of Divine Life can she say she lives on earth. How I like it when I see that the soul enters into my Will to live Divine Life in It! I like very much to see souls who repeat in my Will what my Humanity did in It! I received Communion, I received Myself in the Will of the Father, and with this I not only repaired everything, but finding immensity and all-seeingness of everything and everyone in the Divine Will, I embraced all, I gave Communion to all; and in seeing that many would not take part in the Sacrament and that the Father was offended for they did not want to receive my Life, I gave to the Father the satisfaction and the glory as if all had received Communion, giving to the Father the satisfaction and the glory of a Divine Life for each one. You too – receive Communion in my Will, repeat what I did, and in this way you will not only repair everything, but will give Me to all as I intended to give Myself to all, and will give Me the glory as if all had received Communion. My Heart feels moved in seeing that, unable to give Me anything from her own which is worthy of Me, the creature takes my things, she makes them her own, she imitates the way I did them, and to please Me, she gives them to Me. And I, in my delight, keep repeating: “Brava, my daughter, you have done exactly what I did.”

Then He added: “The acts in my Will are the simplest acts, but, because they are simple, they communicate themselves to all. The light of the sun, because it is simple, is light of every eye – yet the sun is one. One act alone in my Will, like most simple light, diffuses itself in every heart, in every work, in everyone – yet the act is one. My very Being, because It is most simple, is one single act, but an act which contains everything; it has no feet but is the step of all; no eyes, but is the eye and the light of all; it gives life to everything, but with no effort, with no toil, yet it gives the act of operating to all. So, the soul in my Will becomes simple, and together with Me she multiplies in all, and does good to all. Oh! if all comprehended the immense value of the acts, even the littlest, done in my Will – they would let not one act escape them.”

October 2, 1916
Effects of Communion in the Divine Will.

This morning I received Communion in the way Jesus had taught me – that is, united with His Humanity, His Divinity and His Will; and Jesus, on coming, made Himself seen and I kissed Him and clasped Him to my heart. He returned my kiss and my embrace, and told me: “My daughter, how content I am that you have come to receive Me united with my Humanity, Divinity and Will! You have renewed in Me all the contentment I received when I communicated Myself; and while you were kissing Me and embracing Me, since all of Myself was in you, you contained all creatures, and I felt I was given the kiss of all, the embraces of all, because this was your will, as was Mine in communicating Myself – to return to the Father all the love of creatures, even though many would not love Him. The Father made up for their love in Me, and I make up for the love of all creatures in you; and having found in my Will one who loves Me, repairs Me, etc., in the name of all – because in my Will there is nothing that the creature cannot give Me – I feel like loving creatures even if they offend Me, and I keep inventing stratagems of love around the hardest hearts in order to convert them. Only for love of these souls who do everything in my Will, do I feel as though chained, captured; and I concede to them the prodigies of the greatest conversions.”

October 13, 1916
How the Angels are around the soul who does the Hours of the Passion. These Hours are sweet little sips that souls give to Jesus.

I was doing the Hours of the Passion, and blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, in the course of my mortal life, thousands and thousands of Angels were the cortege of my Humanity, gathering everything I did – my steps, my works, my words, and even my sighs, my pains, the drops of my Blood – in sum, everything. They were the Angels in charge of my custody, and of paying Me honor; obedient to my every wish, they would rise to and descend from Heaven, to bring to the Father what I was doing. Now these Angels have a special office, and as the soul remembers my Life, my Passion, my Blood, my wounds, my prayers, they come around this soul and gather her words, her prayers, her acts of compassion for Me, her tears and her offerings; they unite them to mine, and they bring them before my Majesty to renew for Me the glory of my own Life. The delight of the Angels is so great that, reverent, they listen to what the soul says, and pray together with her. So, with what attention and respect must the soul do these Hours, thinking that the Angels hang upon her lips to repeat after her what she says.”

Then He added: “After the so many bitternesses that creatures give Me, these Hours are sweet little sips that souls give Me; but for the many bitter sips I receive, the sweet ones are too few. Therefore, more diffusion, more diffusion!”

October 20, 1916
Grace, like sunlight, gives Itself to all.

I was fusing myself in the Divine Will and the thought came to me of commending to It various people in a special way; and blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, specificity goes by itself even if you should not place any intention. In the order of grace it happens as in the natural order: the sun gives light to all, yet not everyone enjoys the same effects; however, this is not because of the sun, but because of creatures. One uses the light of the sun in order to work, to be industrious, to learn, to appreciate things; this one makes herself rich, she constitutes herself, and does not go around begging for bread from others. Someone else, then, keeps lazing about, she does not want to meddle in anything, the light of the sun inundates her everywhere but for her it is useless, she wants to do nothing with it. This one is poor and sickly because sloth produces many evils, physical and moral, and if she feels hungry, she needs to beg for someone else’s bread. Now, is the light of the sun perhaps responsible for these two? Or, does it give more to one and less to the other? Certainly not; the only difference is that one takes advantage of the light in a special way, while the other does not. Now, the same happens in the order of grace which, more than light, inundates souls, and now it makes itself all voice to call them, voice to instruct them and to correct them; now it makes itself fire and burns away from them the things of down here, and with its flames it puts to flight creatures and pleasures from them, and with its burns it forms pains and crosses in order to give to the soul the shape of sanctity it wants from her; now it makes itself water, and purifies her, embellishes her and impregnates her completely with grace. But who is attentive on receiving all these flows of grace – who corresponds to Me? Ah, too few! And then some dare to say that to these I give grace for them to make themselves saints, and to others I do not, almost wanting to hold Me responsible, while they content themselves with conducting their lives lazing about, as if the light of grace were not there for them.”

Then He added: “My daughter, I love the creature so much, that I Myself have placed Myself as sentry of each heart to watch them, to defend them and to work their sanctification with my own hands. But to how many bitternesses do they not subject Me? Some reject Me, some do not care about Me and despise Me, some lament about my surveillance, some slam the door in my face, rendering my work useless. And I not only placed Myself to act as sentry, but on purpose do I choose the souls who live of my Will. In fact, since they are present in all of Me, I place them with Me as a second sentry of each heart. These second sentries console Me, repay Me for them, and keep Me company in the loneliness into which many hearts force Me; and they force Me not to leave them. Greater grace I could not give to creatures, by giving them these souls who live of my Will, who are the portent of portents.”

October 30, 1916
Threats of scourges, especially for Italy.

I was lamenting to my always lovable Jesus for in these past days He would hardly come, or I would just barely perceive His shadow, and then He would disappear. And blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, how quickly you forget that on those days in which I do not come so much and I escape you, it is for nothing else but to give one more winding to the scourges. Things will rage more and more. Ah! man has reached such perversity that it is not enough to touch his flesh to make him surrender, but I have to come to the point of pulverizing him! Therefore one nation will invade another, and they will lacerate each other; blood will flow like water in the towns. Even more, in certain nations they will become the enemies of themselves and they will fight one another, they will kill one another, they will do things as though crazy. Ah, how much man grieves Me! – I Myself cry over him.” At the words of Jesus I burst into crying, and I prayed Him to spare poor Italy; but Jesus continued: “Italy, Italy… ah! if you knew how much evil she is up to, how many plots against my Church! The blood she is causing to be shed in battle is not enough for her – she is thirsty for more blood, but wants the blood of my children – the blood of the primate. She wants to stain herself with such crimes as to draw upon herself the revenge of Heaven and of other nations.” I remained terrorized. I fear greatly, but I hope that the Lord will placate Himself.

November 15, 1916
The soul forms her paradise on earth.

I was lamenting to my sweet Jesus that He no longer loved me as before, and He, all goodness, told me: “My daughter, not loving one who loves Me is impossible for Me. Rather, I feel so drawn toward her, that at the littlest act of love she does for Me, I respond with triple love and I place a divine vein in her heart, which administers to her divine science, divine sanctity and virtue; and the more the soul loves Me, the more this divine vein rises, and watering all the powers of the soul, it diffuses for the good of the other creatures. I have placed this vein in you, and when you lack my presence and do not hear my voice, this vein will make up for everything, and will be voice for you and for the other creatures.”

Another day, I was fusing all of myself, as usual, in the Will of blessed Jesus, and He said to me: “My daughter, the more you fuse yourself in Me, the more I fuse Myself in you. So, it is on earth that the soul forms her paradise; according to how much she fills herself with holy thoughts, with holy affections, desires, words, works and steps, so does she keep forming her paradise. To one more holy thought or word, one more contentment will correspond, and many varieties of beauty, of contentments, of glory, for as much more good as she has done. What will the surprise of this soul be when, once the prison of her body is broken, immediately she will find herself in the sea of as many pleasures and happinesses, as much light and beauty, for as much more good as she has done – be it even a thought!”

November 30, 1916
The benefits of repairing for others.

I was very afflicted because of the privation of my adorable Jesus, and I cried bitterly; and as I was doing the Hours of the Passion, a thought tormented me, saying to me: “Look at what good your reparations for others have done to you: they have caused you to let Jesus escape you”; and much more nonsense…. But blessed Jesus, moved to compassion by my tears, pressed me to His Heart and told me: “My daughter, you are my goad – my love is cornered by your violences. If you knew how much I suffer in seeing you suffer because of Me! But it is Justice that wants to pour Itself out, and your very violences force Me to hide. Things will rage more; therefore, patience. Besides, know that the reparations done for others have done great good to you, because in repairing for others, you intended to do what I did, and I repaired for all, and also for you; I asked forgiveness for all, I grieved for the offenses of all, and I also asked forgiveness for you, and for you also I grieved. Therefore, as you do what I did, you also take the reparations, the forgiveness and the sorrow I had for you. So, what could do more good to you – my reparations, my forgiveness, my sorrow, or yours? And then, I never let Myself be surpassed in love. When I see that, for love of Me, the soul is all intent on repairing Me, loving Me, apologizing to Me and asking forgiveness for sinners, to give her tit for tat I ask forgiveness for her in a special way, I repair and love for her, and I keep embellishing her soul with my love, with my reparations and forgiveness. Therefore, continue to repair, and do not raise conflicts between you and Me.”

December 5, 1916
The good that the soul who lives in the Will of God does.

I was doing my meditation, and according to my usual way I was pouring all of myself in the Will of my sweet Jesus. In the meantime, I saw an engine before my mind, which contained innumerable fountains which spouted waves of water, of light, of fire; and rising up to Heaven, these would pour upon all creatures. There was no creature who was not inundated by these waves; the only difference was that for some they entered inside, while for others, only outside. And my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, I am the engine, and my love keeps the engine in motion, and pours over everyone. But for those who want to receive these waves, if they are empty and they love Me, they enter into them, while the others are just touched in order to be disposed to receive such a great good. As for the souls who do my Will and live in It, then, they are inside the engine itself, and since they live of Me, they can dispose of the waves that gush out for the good of others, and are now light that illuminates, now fire that ignites, now water that purifies. How beautiful it is to see these souls who live of my Will, coming out from within my engine like as many other little engines, diffusing themselves for the good of all! And then they return into the engine and disappear from the midst of creatures, as they live of Me, and Me alone!”

December 9, 1916
Jesus wants to find Himself and what He did in the soul. With this intention the soul must do the Hours of the Passion and every action.

I was afflicted because of the privations of my sweet Jesus; and if He comes, while I breathe a little bit of life, I am left more afflicted in seeing Him more afflicted than I am. He does not want to hear about placating Himself, because creatures force Him, and snatch more scourges from Him. But while He scourges, He cries over the lot of man, and He hides deep inside my heart, almost not to see what man suffers. It seems that one can no longer live in these sad times; yet, it seems that this is only the beginning.

Then, as I was worried about my hard and sad lot of having to be so very often without Him, my sweet Jesus came, and throwing one arm around my neck, told me: “My daughter, do not increase my pains by worrying – they are already too many. I do not expect this from you; on the contrary, I want you to make my pains, my prayers and all of Myself your own, in such a way that I may find in you another Me. In these times I want great satisfactions, and only one who makes Me his own can give them to Me. That which the Father found in Me – glory, delight, love, satisfactions whole and perfect, and for the good of all – I want to find in these souls, like as many other Jesuses that match Me. These intentions you must repeat in each Hour of the Passion that you do, in each action – in everything. If I do not find my satisfactions – ah, it is over for the world! The scourges will pour down in torrents. Ah, my daughter! Ah, my daughter!” And He disappeared.

December 14, 1916
Jesus slept and worked in order to give true rest to souls in God.

I was offering my sleep to Jesus, saying to Him: “I take your sleep and I make it my own, and by sleeping with your sleep, I want to give You the contentment as if another Jesus was sleeping.’ Without letting me finish what I was saying, He told me: “Ah, yes, my daughter, sleep with my sleep, so that, in looking at you, I may reflect Myself in you, and as I gaze at Myself, I may find all of Myself in you, because you are sleeping with my sleep; and so that, as you gaze at yourself in Me, we may be in accord in everything. I want to tell you why my Humanity subjected Itself to the weakness of sleep. My daughter, the creature was made by Me, and, as my own, I wanted to keep her on my lap, in my arms, in continuous rest. The soul was to rest in my Will and sanctity, in my love, in my beauty, power, wisdom, etc. – all these, acts which constitute true rest. But, what sorrow! The creature escapes from my lap, and trying to detach herself from my arms in which I hold her tight, she goes in search of vigil. Vigil are passions, sin, attachments, pleasures; vigil the fears, the anxieties, the agitations, etc. So, as much as I long for her and call her to rest in Me, I am not listened to. This is a great offense, an affront to my love, which the creature takes into no consideration, and she gives not a thought to repair for it. This is why I wanted to sleep – to give satisfaction to the Father for the rest which souls do not take in Him, by repaying Him for all; and while sleeping, I impetrated true rest for all, making Myself the vigil of each heart in order to free them of the vigil of sin. And I so much love this rest of the creature in Me, that I not only wanted to sleep, but I wanted to walk in order to give rest to her feet; work, to give rest to her hands; palpitate and love, to give rest to her heart. In sum, I wanted to do everything so that the soul might do everything in Me, and would take rest; and so that I might do everything for her, provided that I could keep her safe within Me.”

December 22, 1916
Everything that the soul does in the Will of God, Jesus does together with her.

Having received Communion, I was uniting all of myself with Jesus, pouring all of myself into His Will; and I said to Him: ‘I am unable to do anything, or say anything, therefore I feel the great need to do what You do, and to repeat your own words. In your Will I find, present and as though in act, the acts You did in receiving Yourself in the Sacrament, I make them my own, and I repeat them for You.’ So I tried to penetrate into everything which Jesus had done in receiving Himself in the Sacrament, and while I was doing this, He told me: “My daughter, the soul who does my Will, and whatever she does, she does in my Volition, forces Me to do whatever she does together with her. So, if she receives Communion in my Will, I repeat the acts I did in communicating Myself, and I renew the complete fruit of my Sacramental Life. If she prays in my Will, I pray with her and renew the fruit of my prayers. If she suffers, if she works, if she speaks in my Will, I suffer with her, renewing the fruit of my pains; I work and speak with her, and I renew the fruit of my works and words; and so with all the rest.”

December 30, 1916
How Jesus made us free in our will and in our love. The effects of this.

Continuing in my usual state, I was thinking about the pains of my lovable Jesus, offering my interior martyrdom united to the pains of Jesus; and Jesus told me: «My daughter, my executioners were able to lacerate my body, insult Me, trample upon Me…, but they could touch neither my Will nor my love; these I wanted free, so that, like two currents they might run and run, without anyone being able to hinder them, pouring Myself out for the good of all, and also of my very enemies. Oh, how my Will and my love triumphed in the midst of my enemies! They would strike Me with scourges, and I would strike their hearts with my love; and with my Will I would chain them. They would prick my head with thorns, and my love would turn on the light in their minds to make Me known. They would open wounds on Me, and my love would heal the wounds of their souls. They gave Me death, and my love gave life back to them; so much so, that as I breathed my last on the Cross, the flames of my love, touching their hearts, forced them to prostrate themselves before Me and to confess Me as true God. Never was I so glorious and triumphant as I was in my pains during the course of my mortal life down here.

Now, my daughter, in my likeness, I made the soul free in her will and in her love. So, others might take possession of the external works of the creature, but no one – no one can do so with her interior, with her will and her love. I Myself wanted her to be free in this, so that, freely, not being forced, this will and this love might run toward Me; and immersing herself in Me, she might offer Me the noblest and purest acts which a creature can give Me; and since I am free, and so is she, we might pour ourselves into each other and run – run toward Heaven to love and glorify the Father, and to dwell together with the Sacrosanct Trinity; run toward the earth to do good to all; run into the hearts of all to strike them with our love, to chain them with our will, and make of them conquests. Greater dowry I could not give to the creature. But where can the creature make greater display of this free will and of this love? In suffering. In it love grows, the will is magnified, and, as queen, the creature rules over herself, she binds my Heart, and her pains surround Me like a crown, they move Me to pity, and I let Myself be dominated. I cannot resist the pains of a loving soul, and I keep her at my side like a queen. In the pains, the dominion of this creature is so great, that they make her acquire noble, dignified, ingratiating, heroic, disinterested manners, similar to my manners; and the other creatures compete to let themselves be dominated by this soul. And the more the soul operates with Me, is united with Me, identifies herself with Me, the more I feel absorbed by the soul. So, as she thinks, I feel my thought being absorbed in her mind; as she looks, as she speaks, as she breathes, I feel my gaze, my voice, my breath, my action, step and heartbeat being absorbed in hers. She absorbs all of Me, and while she absorbs Me, she keeps acquiring my manners, my likeness; I keep gazing at Myself in her continuously, and I find Myself.”

January 10, 1917
How sanctity is formed of little things.

This morning my lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, sanctity is formed of little things; so, one who despises the little things cannot be holy. It would be like someone who despises the little grains of wheat which, as many of them are united together, form the mass of the wheat; and by neglecting to unite them, he would cause the necessary and daily nourishment for the human life to be lacking. In the same way, one who neglected to unite many little acts together, would cause the nourishment of sanctity to be lacking; and just as one cannot live without food, in the same way, without the food of the little acts, the true shape of sanctity, and the mass sufficient to form sanctity, would be lacking.”

February 2, 1917
The world has become unbalanced because it has lost the thought of the Passion.

As I was in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and I found my always lovable Jesus, all dripping with blood, with a horrible crown of thorns, looking at me with difficulty through the thorns. He told me: “My daughter, the world has become unbalanced because it has lost the thought of my Passion. In darkness, it has not found the light of my Passion which would illuminate it; and as it would make known to it my love and how much souls cost Me, it might turn to loving the One who has truly loved it; and the light of my Passion, guiding it, would put it on its guard against all dangers. In weakness, it has not found the strength of my Passion which would sustain it. In impatience, it has not found the mirror of my patience which would infuse in it calm and resignation; and in the face of my patience, feeling ashamed, it would make it its duty to dominate itself. In pains, it has not found the comfort of the pains of a God which, sustaining its pains, would infuse in it love of suffering. In sin, it has not found my sanctity which, placing itself in front of it, would infuse in it hate of sin. Ah! man has made an abuse of everything, because in everything he has moved away from the One who could help him. This is why the world has lost balance. It behaved like a child who no longer wanted to recognize his mother; or like a disciple who, denying his master, no longer wanted to listen to his teachings, or learn his lessons. What will happen to this child and to this disciple? They will be the sorrow of themselves, and the terror and sorrow of society. Such has man become – terror and sorrow; but a sorrow without pity. Ah! man is getting worse and worse, and I cry over him with tears of blood!”

February 24, 1917
In receiving Communion, the soul must be consumed in Jesus, and give Him the complete glory of His Sacramental Life in the name of all.

Having received Communion, I was holding my sweet Jesus tightly to my heart, and I said: ‘My Life, how I wish I could do what You Yourself did in receiving Yourself sacramentally, so that You may find your own contentments, your own prayers, your reparations in me.’ And my always lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, in this small circle of the host I enclose everything, and this is why I wanted to receive Myself – to do complete acts which would glorify the Father worthily, as creatures would receive a God. And I gave to creatures the complete fruit of my Sacramental Life; otherwise it would have been incomplete for the glory of the Father and for the good of creatures. This is why in each host there are my prayers, my thanksgivings, and everything else which was needed to glorify the Father, and which the creature was supposed to do for Me. So, if the creature fails, I continue my crafting in each host, as if I were receiving Myself again for each soul. Therefore, the soul must transform herself in Me, form one single thing with Me, make my life, my prayers, my moans of love, my pains her own – as well as my heartbeats of fire, with which I would want to ignite them, but I find no one who abandons herself as prey to my flames. In this host I am reborn, I live, I die and I consume Myself, but I find no one who consumes herself for Me; and if the soul repeats what I do, I feel Myself being repeated, as if I were receiving Myself once again, and I find complete glory, divine contentments, outpourings of love that match Me, and I give to the soul the grace to be consumed of my own consummation.»

[1] From Volume 1: “…resign yourself, place yourself as though dead in my arms; offer yourself as voluntary victim to repair for the offenses against Me, for sinners, and to spare men the deserved scourges, and as a pledge I give you my word that I will not leave you even one day without coming to see you. Up until now you have come to Me, from now on I will come to you – aren’t you happy?”

[2] The confessor.

VOLUME 12

J.M.J.

March 16, 1917
How the tight union between the soul and God is never broken.

My usual state continues, and my always lovable Jesus makes Himself seen almost like a flash, and flying past; and if I lament, He tells me: “My daughter, my daughter, poor daughter, if you knew what will happen, you would suffer very much; and I, in order not to make you suffer so much, try to escape you.” And I return to lament, saying to Him: ‘My Life, I did not expect this from You. You, who seemed to be incapable and unable to be without me – and now, hours and hours… and sometimes it seems You want to let the entire day go by. Jesus, don’t do this to me; how You have changed.’ And Jesus surprises me and says to me: “Calm yourself, calm yourself; I have not changed – I am immutable. Even more, I tell you that when I communicate Myself to the soul, and I have kept her clasped with Me, I have spoken to her, I have poured out my love, this is never broken between Me and the soul. At the most, I change the way – now one way, now another – but always I keep inventing how to speak to her and pour Myself out with her in love. And don’t you yourself see that, if I have not told you anything in the morning, I am almost waiting for the evening to say a word to you? And when they read the applications of my Passion, since I am in you, I pour Myself up to the brim of your soul and I speak to you of my most intimate things, which I had not manifested until now, and of how the soul must follow Me in that operating of mine. Those applications will be the mirror of my interior Life, and whoever will reflect himself in it, will copy my own Life within himself. Oh! how they reveal my love, my thirst for souls, and in each fiber of my Heart, in each of my breaths, thoughts, etc. Therefore, I speak to you more than ever, but as soon as I finish, I hide; and you, not seeing Me, tell me that I have changed. Even more, I tell you that when you do not want to repeat with your voice what I say to you in your interior, you hinder my outpouring of love.”

March, 18 1917
Effects of fusing oneself in Jesus.

I was praying, fusing all of myself in Jesus, and I wanted each thought of Jesus in my power, so as to be able to have life in each thought of creature, to be able to repair with the very thought of Jesus; and so with all the rest. And my sweet Jesus told me: “My daughter, my Humanity on earth did nothing other than link each thought of creature with my own. So, each thought of creature reverberated in my mind, each word in my voice, each heartbeat in my Heart, each action in my hands, each step in my feet, and so with all the rest. With this, I gave to the Father divine reparations. Now, everything I did upon earth I continue in Heaven, and as creatures think, their thoughts pour into my mind; as they look, I feel their gazes in mine; so, as though a continuous electricity flows between Me and them, as the members are in continuous communication with the head; and I say to the Father: ‘My Father, I am not the only one who prays You, repairs, satisfies, appeases You, but there are other creatures who do within Me what I do. Even more, with their suffering, they make up for my Humanity, which is glorious and incapable of suffering.’

By fusing herself in Me, the soul repeats what I did and continue to do. But what will be the contentment of these souls who have lived their life in Me, embracing together with Me all creatures, all reparations, when they are with Me in Heaven? They will continue their life in Me; and as creatures will think or will offend Me with thoughts, these will reverberate in their mind, and they will continue the reparations which they did on earth. They will be, together with Me, the sentries of honor before the divine throne; and as creatures on earth will offend Me, they will do the opposite acts in Heaven. They will guard my throne, they will have the place of honor; they will be the ones who will comprehend Me the most – the most glorious. Their glory will be all fused in mine, and mine in theirs.

So, let your life be all fused in mine – make no act without letting it pass into Me; and every time you fuse yourself in Me, I will pour in you new grace and new light, and will make Myself the vigilant sentry of your heart, so as to keep any shadow of sin away from you. I will guard you as my own Humanity, and I will command the Angels to form a circle around, that you may be defended from everything and from everyone.”

March 28, 1917
The ‘I love you’ of Jesus. The immediate act with Him.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus just barely made Himself seen – but so afflicted as to arouse pity. And I said to Him: ‘What’s wrong, Jesus?’ And He: “My daughter, there will be, and will happen, unexpected things – and all of a sudden; and revolutions will break out everywhere. Oh! how things will get worse.” And, all afflicted, He remained in silence. And I: ‘Life of my life, tell me another word.’ And Jesus, as though breathing over me, said: “I love you”. But in that ‘I love you’ it seemed that everyone and all things received new life. And I repeated: ‘Jesus, say one more word.’ And He: “More beautiful word than an ‘I love you’ I could not tell you. And this ‘I love you’ of mine fills Heaven and earth; it circulates in the Saints, and they receive new glory; it descends into the hearts of pilgrim souls, and some receive grace of conversion, some of sanctification; it penetrates into Purgatory, and it pours over souls like beneficial dew, and they feel refreshment from it. Even the elements feel invested with new life in fecundating, in growing. So, all perceive the ‘I love you’ of your Jesus. And do you know when the soul draws an ‘I love you’ of mine upon herself? When, fusing herself in Me, she takes on the divine attitude, and dissolving herself within Me, she does everything I do.”

And I: ‘My Love, many times it is difficult to always maintain this divine attitude.’ And Jesus: “My daughter, what the soul can not always do with her immediate acts in Me, she can make up for with the attitude of her good will. And I will be so pleased with it as to make Myself the vigilant sentry of each thought, of each word, of each heartbeat, etc.; and I will place them inside and outside of Me as my cortege, looking at them with such love, as the fruit of the good will of the creature. When the soul, then, fusing herself in Me, does her immediate acts with Me, then I feel so drawn toward her that I do what she does together with her, and I transmute the operating of the creature into divine. I take everything into account, and I reward everything, even the smallest things; and even just one good act of the will does not remain defrauded in the creature.”

April 2, 1917
The pains of the privation of Jesus are divine pains.

I was lamenting to my always lovable Jesus about His usual privations, and was saying to Him: ‘My Love, what a continuous death. Each privation of You is a death that I feel – but such cruel and ruthless death, that while it makes me feel the effects of death, it does not make me die. I have not understood how the goodness of your Heart can endure seeing me suffer so many continuous deaths, and then make me still continue to live.’

And blessed Jesus came for a just a little, and pressing me to His Heart, told me: “My daughter, press yourself to my Heart and draw life. But know, however, that the pain most satisfying, most pleasing, most powerful, that equals Me the most and can stand before Me, is the pain of my privation, because it is divine pain. You must know that souls are so bound with Me as to form many links connected together within my Humanity; and as souls become lost, they break these links, and I feel the pain as if one member were detaching itself from the other. Now, who can join these links for Me? Who can weld them in such a way as to make the split disappear? Who can make them enter into Me again, to give them life? The pain of my privation, because it is divine. My pain because of the loss of souls is divine; the pain of the soul who cannot see Me, cannot feel Me, is divine. And since both of them are divine pains, they can kiss each other, join together, stand before each other, and have such power as to take the souls unlinked, and connect them in my Humanity.

My daughter, does my privation cost you much? And if it does cost you, do not keep as useless a pain of such great cost. As I give it to you as gift, do not keep it for yourself, but let it fly into the midst of the combatants; snatch souls from amid the bullets, and enclose them in Me. And as the weld and seal, place your pain; and then let your pain go around through the whole world, to make it catch souls and bring them all back into Me. So, as you feel the pains of my privation, you will keep placing the seal of the reconnection.”

April 12, 1917
It is not the suffering that renders the creature unhappy; she becomes unhappy when something is missing to her love.

As I was in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came, and since I was a little in suffering, He took me in His arms and told me: “My beloved daughter, beloved daughter of mine, rest in Me. Even more, your pains – do not keep them with yourself, but send them up to my Cross, that they may become the cortege of my pains and relieve Me, and my pains may be the cortege of yours and sustain you, burn with the same fire and be consumed together. And I will look upon your pains as my own; I will give them the same effects, the same value; and they will do the same offices which I did on the Cross, before the Father and before souls. Even more, come, you yourself, onto the Cross – how happy we will be together, even in suffering. In fact, it is not the suffering that renders the creature unhappy; on the contrary, suffering makes her victorious, glorious, rich, beautiful. But she becomes unhappy when something is missing to her love. You, united with Me on the Cross, will be completely satisfied in love; your pains will be love; your life, love – all love; and therefore you will be happy!”

April 18, 1917
Pouring oneself into the Divine Will and fusing oneself in Jesus, forms beneficial dew over all creatures.

I was fusing myself in my sweet Jesus, to be able to diffuse myself in all creatures and fuse them all in Jesus; and I kept flinging myself between the creatures and Jesus, to prevent my beloved Jesus from being offended, and creatures from being able to offend Him. Now, while I was doing this, He told me: “My daughter, as you pour yourself into my Will and fuse yourself in Me, a sun is formed in you. As you keep thinking, loving, repairing, etc., the rays are formed; and my Will, as background, makes Itself crown of these rays; and the sun is formed which, rising up in the air, melts into beneficial dew over all creatures. So, the more you fuse yourself in Me, the more suns you keep forming.

Oh! how beautiful it is to see these suns which, rising and rising, remain circumfused within my own Sun, and pour beneficial dew over all. How many graces do creatures not receive! I am so taken by this, that as they fuse themselves, I pour abundant dew of all kinds of graces upon them, so that they can form greater suns, such that I may be able to pour, more abundantly, the beneficial dew over all.” And as I was fusing myself, I could feel light, love, graces, being poured over my head.

May 2, 1917
How Jesus died little by little.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was lamenting to my sweet Jesus because of His privations, saying to Him: ‘My Love, who could ever think that your privation would have to cost me so much? I feel myself dying little by little. Each act of mine is a death that I feel, because I cannot find the life; but dying and living is even more cruel – even more, it is double death.’

And my lovable Jesus came flashing by, and told me: “My daughter, courage and firmness in everything. And then, don’t you want to imitate Me? I too died little by little. As creatures offended Me in their steps, I felt the tearing in my feet, but with such bitterness of spasm as to be capable of giving Me death; and while I would feel Myself dying, yet, I would not die. As they offended Me with their works, I felt death in my hands, and at the cruel torment, I agonized, I felt faint; but the Will of the Father sustained Me. I would die, and not die. As the evil voices, the horrendous blasphemies of creatures reverberated in my voice, I felt Myself suffocating, my word being choked, poisoned; and I felt death in my voice, but I would not die. And my tortured Heart? As It palpitated, I felt in my heartbeat the evil lives, souls tearing themselves away; and my Heart was in continuous tearing and lacerations. I agonized and died continuously in each creature, in each offense; yet, love, the Divine Will, forced Me to live. This is the reason for your dying little by little; I want you together with Me – I want your company in my deaths. Aren’t you happy?”

May 10, 1917
How, with His breath, Jesus gives motion and life to all creatures.

Continuing in my poor state, I was trying to fuse myself in my sweet Jesus according to my usual way; but as hard as I tried, it was in vain. Jesus Himself distracted me, and sighing strongly, told me: “My daughter, the creature is nothing other than my breath. As I breathe, I give life to everything. All life is in the breathing; if there is no breathing, the heart no longer beats, the blood no longer circulates, the hands remain inactive, the mind feels the intelligence die; and so with all the rest. So, the whole of human life is in receiving and in giving this breath. But while, with my breath, I give life and motion to all creatures, and with my holy breath I want to sanctify them, love them, embellish them, enrich them, etc., in giving Me the breath they receive, they send Me offenses, rebellions, ingratitudes, blasphemies, denials, and all the rest. So, I send the breath as pure, and it comes to Me impure; I send it in blessing, and it comes to Me cursing; I send it all love, and it comes to Me offending Me deep into my inmost Heart. But love makes Me continue to send breath, to maintain these machines of human lives; otherwise they would no longer function, and would end up in ruin.

Ah! my daughter, have you heard how human life is maintained? By my breath. And when I find a soul who loves Me, how sweet her breath is, how she amuses Me – I feel cheered. An echo of harmonies forms between Me and her, which remain distinct from the other creatures, and will be distinct also in Heaven. My daughter, I could not contain my love, and I wanted to pour Myself out with you.”

So, today I could not fuse myself in Jesus, because He Himself kept me occupied in His breath. How many things I comprehended, but I am unable to say them well, and I stop here.

May 12, 1917
One who doubts about the love of Jesus saddens Him.

Since my always lovable Jesus had not come and I was very afflicted, while I was praying, a thought flew into my mind: ‘Did the thought ever come to you that you might be lost?’ I never really think about this, so I remained a bit surprised. But good Jesus, who watches over me in everything, immediately moved in my interior and told me: “My daughter, this is true strangeness, and which saddens my love very much. If a daughter said to her father: ‘I am not your daughter; you will not give me a share of your inheritance, you don’t want to give me food, you don’t want to keep me in your house’, and she torments herself and sends out laments – what would the poor father say? ‘Strangeness – this daughter is crazy.’ And with all love he would say to her: ‘But, tell me, if you are not my daughter, whose daughter are you? How is this? You live under my same roof, you eat at my same table; I clothe you with my money, earned with my own sweat. If you are ill, I assist you and I procure the means to heal you. Why then, do you doubt that you are my daughter?’

With more reason, I would say to one who doubts about my love, and feared that she might be lost: ‘How is this? I give you my Flesh for food, you live completely of my own. If you are ill, I heal you with the Sacraments; if you are stained, I wash you with my Blood. I can say that I am almost at your disposal – and you doubt? Do you want to sadden Me? Tell Me, then: do you love someone else? Do you recognize some other being as another father, since you say that you are not my daughter? And if this is not, why do you want to afflict yourself and sadden Me? Aren’t the bitternesses that others give Me enough – you too want to put pains in my Heart?”

May 16, 1917
Effects of the Hours of the Passion.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was fusing all of myself in my sweet Jesus, and then I poured all of myself into the creatures, in order to give the whole of Jesus to all creatures. And my lovable Jesus told me: “My daughter, every time the creature fuses herself in Me, she gives to all creatures the influence of Divine Life; and according to what creatures need, they obtain their effect: those who are weak, feel strength; those who are obstinate in sin, receive light; those who suffer, comfort; and so with all the rest.”

Then I found myself outside of myself. I was in the midst of many souls who were saying to me – they seemed to be purging souls and Saints, and were mentioning one person known to me, who died not too long ago – and they were saying to me: ‘He feels as though happy in seeing that there is not one soul who enters Purgatory without carrying the mark of the Hours of the Passion; and surrounded by the cortege of these Hours and helped by them, souls take a safe place. And there is not one soul who flies into Heaven without being accompanied by these Hours of the Passion. These Hours make a continuous dew rain down from Heaven to earth, into Purgatory, and even into Heaven.’

On hearing this, I said to myself: ‘Maybe my beloved Jesus, in order to keep the word He had given – that for each word of the Hours of the Passion He would give a soul – there is not one soul whom He saves who does not benefit from these Hours.’

Afterwards, I returned into myself, and as I found my sweet Jesus, I asked Him whether that was true. And He: “These Hours are the order of the universe; they put Heaven and earth in harmony, and hold Me back from sending the world to ruin. I feel my Blood, my wounds, my love, and everything I did, being placed in circulation; and they flow over all in order to save all. And as souls do these Hours of the Passion, I feel my Blood, my wounds, my yearnings to save souls, being put on the way, and I feel my Life being repeated. How could creatures obtain any good if not by means of these Hours? Why do you doubt? This thing is not yours, but mine. You have been the strained and weak instrument.”

June 7, 1917
The soul remains separated from Jesus when she lets something that does not belong to Him enter into herself.

Finding myself in my usual state, I was lamenting to my sweet Jesus because of His privations, and was saying to Him: ‘What bitter separation; separated from You – everything is over. I have remained as the most unhappy creature that can exist.’ And Jesus, interrupting my speaking, told me: “My daughter, what separation are you fishing for? Only when she lets something that does not belong to Me enter into herself, then is the soul separated from Me. Therefore, I enter into the soul, and if I find her will as my own, her desires, her affections, her thoughts, her heart – everything as my own, I absorb her into Myself, and with the fire of my love I keep liquefying her will with Mine, making them one. I liquefy her desires with mine, her affections, her thoughts, with mine; and once I have formed one single liquid, I pour it over my whole Humanity like celestial dew; and as it forms into as many drops of dew for as many offenses as I receive, they kiss Me, love Me, repair Me, and embalm my embittered wounds. And since I am in the act of doing good to all, this dew descends for the good of all creatures.

But if I find something extraneous in the soul, which does not belong to Me, then I cannot melt what is hers into mine, because love alone is what has the virtue of melting and becoming one. Things that are similar are those that can mix together, and that have the same value. Therefore, if in the soul there is iron, thorns, stones – how can they melt? And then there are separations, unhappinesses.

So, if nothing has entered into your heart, how can I separate?”

June 14, 1917
The more the soul strips herself of herself, the more Jesus clothes her with Himself.

Continuing in my usual state, I was praying my lovable Jesus to come into me in order to love, to pray, to repair, for I knew how to do nothing. And sweet Jesus, moved to compassion for my nothingness, came, remaining with me to pray, loving and repairing together with me. And then He said to me: “My daughter, the more the soul strips herself of herself, the more I clothe her with Myself. The more she believes she can do nothing, the more I act in her, and I do everything. I feel all my love, my prayers, my reparations, etc. being placed in act by the creature; and to give honor to Myself, I listen to what she wants to do. Love? I go to her and love together with her. Does she want to pray? I pray together with her. In sum, her stripping and her love, which is mine, bind Me and force Me to do with her whatever she wants to do. And I give to the soul the merit of my love, of my prayers and reparations; and to my highest contentment, I feel my Life being repeated, and I make the effects of my operating descend for the good of all, because it is not of the creature, who is hidden in Me – but it is mine.”

July 4, 1917
All the pains of creatures were suffered before by Jesus. One who does the Divine Will is together with Jesus in the Tabernacle.

Continuing in my usual state, I was feeling a little in suffering, and my adorable Jesus, on coming, placed Himself in front of me, and it seemed that between me and Jesus there were many electric wires of communication; and He told me: “My daughter, each pain that the soul suffers is one more communication that the soul acquires. In fact, all the pains that the creature could suffer were suffered before by Me in my Humanity, and took their place in the divine order. And since the creature cannot suffer them all together, my goodness communicates them little by little; and as it communicates them, the chains of union with Me keep growing. And not only with pains, but with anything good that the creature can do; so do the links of connection develop between Me and her.”

Another day I was thinking to myself of the good that other souls receive by being in front of the Most Holy Sacrament, while I, poor one, was deprived of it. And blessed Jesus told me: “My daughter, one who does my Will is together with Me in the Tabernacle, and takes part in my pains, in the coldness, in the irreverences, in everything, which the very souls who are in my Sacramental Presence do. One who does my Will must excel in everything; and the place of honor is always reserved for her. Therefore, who receives more good: one who is before Me, or one who is with Me? For one who does my Will I do not tolerate even one step of distance between Me and her, or division of pains or of joys. I may keep her on the cross – but always with Me. This is why, then, I want you always in my Will: to give you the first place over my Sacramental Heart. I want to feel your heart palpitating in Mine, with my own love and pain. I want to feel your will in Mine, which, multiplying in everyone, may give Me, with one single act, the reparations of all and the love of all; and my Will in yours, which, making your poor humanity my own, may elevate it before the Majesty of the Father as my continued victim.”

July 7, 1917
For one who does the Divine Will everything is present.

I was fusing myself in my sweet Jesus, but I saw myself as so meager that I didn’t know what to give Him. And the always lovable Jesus, to console me, told me: “My daughter, for one who does my Will there is no past or future, but everything is present in act. And just as everything I did and suffered is all present in act, in such a way that, if I want to give satisfaction to the Father or do good to creatures, I can do it as if, in act, I were suffering and operating – in the same way, what the creature can suffer or do in my Will is already identified with my pains and with my works, and they become one. And when the soul wants to give Me an attestation of love with her pains, she can take the pains suffered at other times, which are in act, and give them to Me in order to replicate her love, her satisfactions for Me. And I, in seeing the industriousness of the creature who places her acts as though in a bank in order to multiply them and collect the interest to give Me love and satisfactions, so as to enrich her more and not to be outdone in love, I will give her my pains, my works multiplied, to give her love and to be loved.”

July 18, 1917
The soul who lives in the Divine Will lives in Jesus, and at His expense.

Continuing in my usual state, I was trying to pour all of myself into the Holy Will of Jesus, and I prayed Him to pour all of Himself into me, in such a way that I would no longer feel myself, but the whole of Jesus. And blessed Jesus came and told me: “My daughter, when the soul lives in my Will, and everything she does, she does in my Volition, I feel her everywhere. I feel her in my mind, and her thoughts flow within mine; and as I diffuse the life of intelligence in the creatures, she diffuses herself together with Me in the minds of the creatures; and as she sees Me being offended, she feels my pain. I feel her in my heartbeat – even more, I feel one heartbeat for two inside my Heart; and as my love pours into creatures, she pours herself together with Me, and she loves with Me; and if I am not loved, she loves Me for all to requite Me in love, and she consoles Me. In my desires I feel the desire of the soul who lives in my Will; in my works I feel hers – in everything. Therefore, one can say that she lives at my expense.”

And I: ‘My Love, You do everything by Yourself, and do not need the creature. Why, then, do You love so much that the creature live in your Will and of your Will?’ And Jesus: “Indeed I have need of nothing and do everything by Myself, but love, in order to have life, wants its outpouring. Imagine a sun, which has no need of light – it is sufficient for itself and for others; but, still, since there are other little lights, even though it does not need them, it wants them within itself for company, to pour itself out and to enlarge the little lights. What wrong would the little lights not do, if they refused? Ah! my daughter, when the will is alone, it is always sterile; love, when isolated, languishes and dies down. And I love the creature so much that I want her united with my Will, so as to render her fecund, to give her life of love; then do I find my outpouring, because I created the creature only to pour Myself out in love – for nothing else; and therefore this is all my commitment.”

July 25, 1917
Jesus purifies the soul in order to admit her to live in His Will.

Continuing in my usual state, I was lamenting to Jesus, and I also prayed Him to put an end to the many chastisements. And Jesus told me: “My daughter, you lament? Yet, this is still nothing; the great chastisements will come. The creature has rendered herself unbearable; under the blows, she rebels more; even more, she does not want to recognize my hand that strikes her. I have no other means to use than to exterminate her. In this way I will be able to remove many lives which infect the earth and kill my growing generation. Therefore, do not expect an end for now, but rather, more and worse evils. There will not be one place on earth, which will not be soaked in blood.”

On hearing this, I felt my heart being lacerated; and Jesus, wanting to cheer me, told me: “My daughter, come into my Will to do what I do; and in my Will you will be able to run for the good of all creatures; and from within the blood in which they are swimming, you will be able to save them with the power of my Volition, in such a way as to bring them to Me, washed by their own blood, with the touch of my Will.”

And I: ‘My Life, I am so bad – how can I do this?’ And He: “You must know that the most noble, the most sublime, the greatest, the most heroic act is to do my Will and to operate in my Volition. So, at this act, which no other will be able to equal, I make display of all my love and generosity. And as soon as the soul decides to do it, I, in order to give her the honor of keeping her in my Volition, in the act in which the two wills meet to be fused into each other and become one, if she is stained, I purify her; if the thorns of the human nature enwrap her, I shatter them; and if some nail pierces her – that is, sin – I pulverize it, because nothing evil can enter my Will. Even more, all my attributes invest her and change weakness into fortitude, ignorance into wisdom, misery into richness, and so with all the rest. In the other acts something from herself always remains, but in these she remains completely stripped of herself, and I fill her completely with Myself.”

August 6, 1917
The Divine Will renders the soul happy, even in the midst of the greatest storms.

Continuing in my usual state, my always lovable Jesus came; and since I was very afflicted because of the continuous threats of worse chastisements, and because of His privations, He told me: “My daughter, be cheered, do not loose heart too much. My Will renders the soul happy, even in the midst of the greatest storms. Even more, she rises so high that the storms cannot touch her, though she sees them and hears them. The place in which she dwells is not subject to storms, but is always serene, and smiling sun, because her origin is in Heaven, her nobility is divine, her sanctity is in God, in which she is kept by God Himself; because, jealous of the sanctity of this soul who lives in my Will, I keep her in my inmost Heart, and I say: ‘Nobody touch her – my Will is untouchable, It is sacred, and all must give honor to my Will’.”

August 14, 1917
Jesus did nothing other than give Himself prey to the Will of the Father. Difference between living resigned to the Will of God, and living in the Divine Will.

As I was in my usual state, my sweet Jesus came for just a little and flying past, and told me: “My daughter, I did nothing other than give Myself prey to the Will of the Father. So, if I thought, I thought in the mind of the Father; if I spoke, I spoke in the mouth and with the tongue of the Father; if I worked, I worked in the hands of the Father; even my breath I breathed in Him, and everything I did was ordered as He wanted. Therefore, I could say that I carried out my Life in the Father, and I was the bearer of the Father, because I enclosed everything in His Will and I did nothing by Myself. My main point was the Will of the Father, because I did not care about Myself, nor did I interrupt my course because of the offenses they gave Me, but I kept flying more and more toward my center; and only when I fulfilled the Will of the Father in everything – then did my natural Life end.

The same for you, my daughter. If you give yourself prey to my Will, you will have no more concern for anything. The very privation of Me, which torments you and consumes you so much, flowing in my Will, will find support, my hidden kisses, my Life in you, clothed with you. In your very heartbeat you will feel mine – burning and sorrowful; and if you do not see Me, you feel Me; my arms hold you tightly; and how many times do you not feel my motion, my refreshing breath that refreshes your ardors? You do feel all this; and when you try to see who squeezed you, who breathes on you, and you do not see Me, I smile at you, I kiss you with the kisses of my Will, and I hide more within you, in order to surprise you again and to give you one more jump into my Will. Therefore, do not sadden Me by afflicting yourself, but let Me do. Let the flight of my Volition never cease in you; otherwise you would hinder my Life in you; while by the living in my Will, I do not find any hindrance, and I make my Life grow, and I carry It out as I want.”

Now, in order to obey, I want to say a few words on the difference between living resigned to the Divine Will, and living in the Divine Will.

First: living resigned. According to my poor opinion, this means to resign oneself to the Divine Will in everything, both in prosperous and in adverse circumstances, looking at the Divine Will in all things – the order of the divine dispositions which It has over all creatures, such that not even one hair can fall from our head if the Lord does not want it so. It seems to me like a good son, who goes wherever his father wants, and suffers whatever his father wants. Poor or rich, it is indifferent to him; he is content only with being what the father wants. If he receives or asks for an order to go somewhere for the fulfillment of some business, he goes only because the father wanted it. But in the meantime, he must take some refreshment, stop to rest, have some food, deal with people; therefore he has to put in much of his own will, even though he goes because the father wanted it. However, in many things he finds himself in the circumstance of doing them by himself; so, he may be far away from the father for days, for months, without receiving specification of the will of the father in all things. So, for one who lives resigned to the Divine Will, it is almost impossible not to mix his own will with It; he may be a good son, but will not have, in everything, the thoughts, the words, the life of the Father fully portrayed in him. In fact, since he has to go, return, follow, deal with others, love is already broken – because only continued union makes love grow, and it never breaks – and the current of the Will of the Father is not in continuous communication with the current of the will of the son; and in those intervals, the son may get used to doing his own will. However, I believe that this is the first step toward sanctity.

Second: living in the Divine Will. I would like the hand of my Jesus to write this. Ah! He alone could tell all the beauty, the goodness and the sanctity of living in the Divine Will. I am incapable, I have many concepts about It in my mind, but I lack the words. My Jesus, pour Yourself into my word, and I will say what I can.

Living in the Divine Will means being inseparable, doing nothing by oneself, because before the Divine Will one feels incapable of anything. He does not ask for orders, nor does he receive them, because he feels incapable of going on his own; and he says: “If You want me to do this, let us do it together; and if You want me to go, let us go together.” So, he does all that his Father does. If the Father thinks, he makes the thoughts of the Father his own, and has not one thought more than those of the Father. If the Father looks, if He speaks, if He works, if He walks, if He suffers, if He loves, he too looks at what the Father looks at, repeats the words of the Father, works with the hands of the Father, walks with the feet of the Father, suffers the same pains of the Father, and loves with the love of the Father. He lives, not outside, but inside the Father, therefore he is the reflection and the perfect portrait of the Father – which is not for one who lives only resigned. It is impossible to find this son without the Father, or the Father without him; and not only externally, but all his interior is as though interwoven with the interior of the Father – transformed, dissolved completely, completely, in God.

Oh! the rapid and sublime flights of this child in the Divine Will. This Divine Volition is immense; in every instant It circulates in everyone, It gives life to everything and orders everything; and the soul, moving within this immensity, flies to all, helps all, loves all, but as Jesus Himself helps and loves – which one who lives only resigned cannot do. Therefore, one who lives in the Divine Will finds it impossible to act on his own; even more, he feels nausea for his human operating, be it even holy, because in the Divine Will all things, even the smallest ones, take on a different look. They acquire nobility, splendor, divine sanctity, divine power and beauty; they multiply to infinity, and in one instant one does everything. And after he has done everything, he says: ‘I have done nothing – Jesus did it. And this is all my contentment: that, meager as I am, Jesus has given me the honor to keep me in the Divine Will, to let me do what He Himself has done.’ So, the enemy cannot bother this child – whether he has done well or badly, little or much – because Jesus Himself did everything, and he together with Jesus. He is the most peaceful; he is not subject to anxiety; he loves no one and loves everyone – but divinely. It can be said that he is the repeater of the Life of Jesus, the organ of His voice, the heartbeat of His Heart, the sea of His graces.

True sanctity, I believe, consists only in this. All other things are shadows, larvae, specters of sanctity. In the Divine Will, virtues take their place in the divine order; while, outside of It, in the human order, they are subject to self-esteem, to vainglory, to passions. Oh! how many good works, how many attended Sacraments are to be cried over before God, and to be repaired for, because they are empty of Divine Will, and therefore without fruits. Heaven willing that all would comprehend true sanctity. Oh! how all other things would disappear.

Therefore, many find themselves on the false way of sanctity. Many place it in the pious practices of piety – and woe to those who move them! Oh! how they deceive themselves. If their wills are not united with Jesus, and also transformed in Him – which is continual prayer – with all their pious practices their sanctity is false. And it shows how these souls pass very easily from pious practices to defects, to amusements, to the sowing of discord, and other things. Oh! how dishonored is this kind of sanctity. Others place it in going to church to attend all the services, but their will is far from Jesus; and it shows how these souls have little care for their own duties. And if they are hindered, they get angry, they cry that their sanctity goes up in the air, they lament, they disobey, they are the wounds of the families. Oh! what false sanctity. Others place it in frequent confessions, in minute spiritual directions, in having scruples about everything; but then they have no scruple that their will does not run together with the Will of Jesus – and woe to those who contradict them! These souls are like inflated balloons: a little hole is enough for the air to come out, and their sanctity goes up in smoke, and falls to the ground. These poor balloons have always something to say, they are mostly inclined to sadness, they live always in doubt, and therefore would like to have a director for themselves, who would advise them, give them peace and console them in every little thing. But they are soon more agitated than before. Poor sanctity, how forged it is.

I would like the tears of my Jesus to cry together with Him over these false sanctities, and make everyone know how true sanctity is in doing the Divine Will and in living in the Divine Volition. This sanctity sinks its roots so deep that there is no danger that it may oscillate, because it fills earth and Heaven, and everywhere it finds its support. This soul is firm, not subject to inconstancies, to voluntary defects; she is attentive to her duties, she is the most sacrificed, detached from everyone and from everything, even from directions themselves; and since the roots are deep, she rises so high that the flowers and fruits bloom in Heaven; and she is so hidden in God that the earth sees little or nothing of this soul. The Divine Will keeps her absorbed within Itself; only Jesus is the author, the life, the form of the sanctity of this enviable creature. She has nothing of her own, but everything is in common with Jesus; her passion is the Divine Will; her characteristic is the Will of her Jesus, and the Fiat is her continuous motto.

On the other hand, the poor and false sanctity of the balloons is subject to continuous inconstancies, and while it seems that the balloons of their sanctity swell so much as to seem to be flying in the air at a certain height, to the point that many, and even the directors, are amazed – soon they are disillusioned. One humiliation, one preference of the directors toward someone else, is enough to make these balloons deflate, for they believe this is a theft against them, considering themselves the neediest. Therefore, while having scruples about trifles, they then reach the point of disobeying. Jealousy is the woodworm of these balloons, which, consuming the good they do, keeps sucking air from them, and the poor balloon deflates and falls to the ground, reaching the point of dirtying itself with earth. Then the sanctity that was in the balloon appears. And what does one find? Love of self, resentment, passions hidden under the aspect of good, almost to have occasion to say: ‘They have made themselves the amusement of the devil.’ So, of all their sanctity, nothing was found but a mass of defects, apparently disguised as virtues. But then, who can say everything? Only Jesus knows the worst evils of this false sanctity, of this devout life without foundation, because it leans on false piety. These false sanctities are the spiritual lives without fruit, sterile, which are the cause of who knows how much crying for my lovable Jesus. They are the ill feeling of society, the worries of the very directors, and of families. It can be said that they bring with themselves a noxious air that harms everyone.

Oh! how so very different is the sanctity of the soul who lives in the Divine Will! These souls are the smile of Jesus; they are far away from everyone, even from the very directors. Only Jesus is everything for them; therefore, nobody worries because of them. The beneficial air that they possess embalms all; they are the order and the harmony of all. Jesus, jealous of these souls, makes Himself actor and spectator of whatever they do – there is not one heartbeat, breath or thought which He does not regulate and dominate. Jesus keeps this soul so absorbed in the Divine Will that she can hardly remember that she is living in the exile.

September 18, 1917
Effects of constancy in good.