The Life and Revelations of Saint Gertrude the Great by St. Gertrude the Great

Author:St. Gertrude the Great
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: eBook ISBN: 9781618903198
Publisher: TAN Books
Published: 1862-04-04T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 4

For the Feast of St. John the Evangelist.

His virtues, and the manner of imitating his purity.

THE APOSTLES and Evangelist St. John appeared to this virgin as she prayed one day during Advent. He was clothed in a gold-colored habit, covered with golden eagles, which signified that, though this Saint was elevated to the highest contemplation, even while in the body, he always sought to humble himself by the consideration of his own unworthiness. As Gertrude began to consider these ornaments, she perceived a red light shining from under the golden eagles, from which she learned that St. John always commenced his contemplation by the remembrance of the Passion of the Lord, which he had beheld with his own eyes, and which he had never ceased to mourn in his inmost heart; and thus by degrees he flew to the sublimity of the Divine Majesty, which he contemplated without pain by the eyes of his soul, as far as it is possible for man to do. He had also two golden lilies on his two shoulders—on the right was written, in marvelous characters, the words of the Gospel Discipulus quem diligebat Jesus; and on the left, Iste custos Virginis;14 to mark the singular advantage which he enjoyed of being called, and of being the disciple whom Jesus loved above the rest of His Apostles, and of having been found worthy by Christ Himself to receive from Him the charge of His Mother before He expired, on account of his surpassing purity.

The Apostle had a magnificent rational15 on his breast, to indicate his prerogative of having reposed on the bosom of Jesus during the last Supper. The words, In principio erat verbum [“In the beginning was the Word”], were written on it in letters of living gold, to show the marvelous virtue of the words contained in his Gospel. Then St. Gertrude said to Our Lord: “O most loving Lord, why is Thy beloved one manifested to a creature so unworthy as I am?” Our Lord answered: “I have done this that he may be united to you by a special friendship; and as you have no apostle,16 I have appointed him to be ever your faithful advocate with Me in Heaven.” “Teach me, then, my sweetest Lord,” she replied, “how I can show my gratitude to him.” Our Lord answered: “If any person says a Pater noster daily in honor of this Apostle, reminding him of the sweet fidelity with which his heart was filled when I taught this prayer, he will not fail to obtain for whoever prays thus the grace of persevering faithfully in virtue, even to the end of his life.”

This Apostle also appeared to the Saint as she assisted at Matins, on his Feast, when she applied with special fervor to her usual exercises. Gertrude then recommended some of the religious of whom she had charge very fervently to him; he received her prayer very lovingly, and said: “I am like my Master in this—that I love those who love me.

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