Ecstasy of St. Gemma: 91-95
The Ecstasies of St. Gemma, a powerful testimony of faith
Ecstasy 91
She seems to see the Heart of Jesus surrounded by many golden arrows, arrows of love. He prays to him to grant his wishes (Cf. P. GERM. N. IV).
May 1902.
O dear sorrows of Jesus!… What dear prayers… what gentle protests!…
In your mortal life, O Jesus, tell us what you did?… And in your ascent to heaven, tell us what you did?
If I take a look at your loving heart, O Jesus… I seem to see your beautiful heart surrounded by many golden arrows, arrows of love.
. . . . . . . . . . .
But you don’t want me, O Jesus, to talk to you about the benefits of the body, but about those of the soul… And these beautiful moments that pass!…
Jesus, use all your power in a work that will be your glory for all!… . Accept the desire I feel in my heart and adjust your effect. If you weren’t omnipotent, I wouldn’t ask you this question. And yet the Confessor tells me that I could do nothing on my own if I did not invoke your name.
But how can I put into execution that thing I feel in my heart?… And how can you see my soul so greedy for desires? And would you perhaps despise the desires that you yourself have placed in your heart? I don’t even think about this!
Ecstasy 92
He desires to enter the Heart of Jesus; he regrets his ingratitude, he wants to burn and consume himself in the fire of divine love (Cf. P. GERM. n. V).
Tuesday 10 June 1902.
My God, open your heart to me. O Jesus, open your sacramental chest to me, for I want to deposit all my affections there. And you, O Jesus, have told me several times that you will welcome me with generosity: is it true, my Jesus?
How much I love you, oh Jesus! I thank you; but why do you act so lovingly, while I offend you with such ingratitude? Only this thought should make me become a flame of love, if I understood it well… I love you, O Jesus. In fact, it is a beautiful love, loving someone who is not angry with someone who offends them… O Jesus, O Jesus, if I carefully considered the many cares you have for me, how I should distinguish myself in so many virtues! It’s true, yes, I stand out, O Jesus, but in what?… In sins! Forgive me, O Jesus, for all my negligence; forgive my ignorance.
My God! O Jesus, my love, uncreated good! What would have become of me, O Jesus, if your concern had not led me to you?… Open your heart to me, O Jesus; open your sacramental chest to me… I open mine to you… Introduce yourself, oh divine fire… burn me, oh Jesus, consume me… But I feel it within me, oh Jesus, a fire… If it pleases you, O Jesus, that I would burn all over!…
Ecstasy 93
He feels pined and dying for Jesus; he ardently desires the Eucharistic food (Cf. P. GERM. n. XXV).
Tuesday 17 June 1902.
My Jesus, I yearn… I die… I die for you… Jesus, food of strong souls, strengthen me, purify me, divinize me… . Great God… God of every sacrifice, Jesus, help me… My redemption, God begotten of God, come to my aid. Your eyes, O Jesus, are continually watching over me. I am thirsty for you, O Jesus. Can’t you see how much I suffer in the morning before feeding on you?… Let me feed myself, at least stay full!…
Ecstasy 94
One is encouraged by the thought that after the darkness the light will come (Cf. P. GERM. n. XXVII).
[About June 20, 1902].
Where are you, my God? I feel immediately refreshed, as soon as I can raise my voice in praise of you; but since the joy is short, my soul immediately returns to the abyss… Live peacefully; you will see that the darkness will pass and the light will come; be happy, hope in Jesus, in Jesus alone…
Ecstasy 95
Jesus is the magnet of all his affections; for him he will always work, live and die. He aspires to paradise, to possess Jesus unfailingly, satiate himself with his beauty, lose himself in his light (Cf. P. GERM. N. XXV).
Sunday 22 June 1902.
O Jesus, you are the magnet of all my affections. If your genius, O Jesus, stoops to the basest of all creatures like I am, ah! help me then to repair all the damage my sins have done. My Jesus!…
Oh! not to dismay me, because I live under the providence of a sky that is all pity…
Dear Jesus, I love you so much!… I will always work to love you; I will live to love you… I will die to love you. Dear Jesus! Dear Jesus!
I too, O Jesus, have a great desire to correspond to you.
Yes, you have benefited me so much! I will do everything for you: everything you ask of me. But what do you expect, O Jesus, from a creature of mud, capable only of offending you?…
I aspire to Paradise… When will I pass, O Jesus, from darkness to light, from death to life?… from the fear of losing you to the certainty of possessing you?… When will I be completely satisfied in your divine beauty?… When Will I lose myself entirely in your divine light?… But what light?… An immense, inextinguishable, incorporeal light… . O Jesus! When, Jesus?…
And then, oh my God, to see me suffer like this?… And that, Jesus, would you perhaps despise this desire of mine?… And who else put it in my heart, if not you?…
Come, come, O Jesus; come and get me, come and refresh me a little…