The Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great COMPILED BY THE RELIGIOUS OF HER MONASTERY CATHOLIC TREASURES, NOVEMBER 1980 Of the admirable effects of Holy Communion and that we should not lightly abstain from even for our unworthiness. On the Feast of St. Matthias, Gertrude, resolved for many reasons to abstain from Holy Communion. As her mind was occupied with God and herself during the first Mass our Lord presented Himself to her, with such marks of affection as a friend might manifest to his friend. Nevertheless, as the Saint was accustomed to such favours, she desired yet more and wished to pass entirely into her Beloved so that she might be wholly united to Him and consumed in the fire of His love. As she could not obtain this, she began to occupy herself with the Divine praises, which was one of her ordinary exercises. First, She glorified the goodness and mercy of the ever adorable Trinity for all the graces which had flowed forth from its deep abyss for the salvation of all the elect. Secondly, she returned thanks for all the favours which had been bestowed on the august Mother of God. Thirdly, for all the graces infused into the sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ, imploring all the Saints in general and each in particular to offer individually in sacrifice to the effulgent and ever-peaceful Trinity, in satisfaction for her negligence, all the dispositions and zeal with which they were adorned on the day of their elevation into glory and the consummation of their perfection and of their eternal reward. For this intention she said the Psalm Laudate Dominum thrice: first, in honour of all the Saints; secondly, in honour of the Blessed Virgin, and thirdly, in honour of the Son of God. Our Lord then said to her: "How will you recompense My Saints, who have made such offerings to Me for you, since you intend to omit your usual offering of thanksgiving for them?" The Saint did not reply. At the oblation of the Host she desired greatly to know what offering to eternal praise she could make to God the Father. "If you prepare yourself to approach the life-giving Sacrament of My Body and Blood today," said our Lord, "you will obtain this triple favour which you have desired during Mass; namely, to enjoy the sweetness of My love and to become united to Me by the power of My Divinity even as gold is united to silver and thus will possess a precious amalgam, which will be worthy to offer to the eternal praise of God the Father and acquit yourself of the gratitude which you owe to all the Saints." These words kindled in her so ardent a desire for Holy Communion, that even if she had to force her way to it across drawn swords, it would have appeared little to her. Afterwards, when she had received the Body of the Lord, as she made her thanksgiving, this Lover of men spoke thus to her: "You have resolved of your own will to serve Me today with others by brick, straw and stubble. I have chosen to place you amongst those who are replenished with the delights of My royal table." On the same day another person abstained from Communion without any reasonable cause. She said to her Lord: "Most merciful God, why have You permitted her to be thus tempted?" "What can I do for her," He replied, "since she has herself so covered her eyes with the veil of her unworthiness, that she cannot possibly see the tenderness of My paternal Heart?" E-MAIL HOME-------------------------------SAINT GERTRUDE www.catholictradition.org/Gertrude/revelations6.htm