For the past fifteen days our Lord has not communicated anything special to me. During these days, however, I endeavored to reform the innermost depths of my soul, and humbling myself at the sight of my many failures, I made a confession of my faults yesterday, and this morning approached our Lord in Holy Communion. Wanting to abase myself before Him, I contemplated Him surrounded with great majesty and splendor, but He, addressing me, said:
“My daughter, I prefer rather that you consider Me covered with wounds because sinners continually inflict them upon Me.”
At that instant I had a vision of our Lord in this sad state. “My daughter, come close and let Me confide in you.” Then this Divine Saviour spoke the following lamenting words which broke my heart and made me shed many tears:
“I am not known, I am not loved, and My Commandments are scorned.” Then He added the following words which actually made me tremble:
“Sinners are snatched from this world and they are swept into hell like the dust that is carried away by the fury of a tornado. Have pity on your brothers and pray for them! With the veil of your tender love wipe the Blood which flows from My wounds. Love Me and be assured that when you raise your heart to Me in love, I will accept it from you and keep it in security.”
After that our Lord told me that He was pleased with my retreat during which I discovered so many faults within my heart and He said:
“Think, My daughter, how much your recent meditations helped you find in your soul many defects, and consider on the other hand the many unhappy people who never meditate on these truths. Labor very hard both for yourself and for them. Be to these souls like a mother who will never eat unless she shares her food with her children.”
The Golden Arrow, the Revelations of Sr. Mary of St. Peter p. 194-195
THE PRODIGAL SON REVISITED –
What a model of Christian piety that we have in Sr. Marie de St. Pierre! She set the bar high through conducting an examination of conscience that lasted two entire weeks! This is great encouragement to persevere in daily assessing those areas of our spiritual lives where we have clearly fallen short of the glory of God. Also, this provides an occasion to give thanks to Him for each circumstance today that He has prevented us from offending Him, or where we have exercised virtue by the help of His grace.
After hearing the proclamation of the Gospel of the Prodigal Son at Holy Mass today, a connection to today’s revelation became apparent. In her two week retreat, Sr. Marie has much like the Prodigal Son, realized that she has sinned against heaven and against the Father. She then abases herself, seeking Jesus face to Face through her confessor, admitting her sins, then seeking restoration of her relationship with Him. Humility allows her to see like the son in the parable, how her sins have brought her Lord pain and injury as manifested on His Holy Face in His Passion. In the parable, the son is assured of his father’s mercy through an embrace and much celebration, and in the Revelation, Jesus promises in His mercy to keep Sister Marie’s heart in security because she has turned her heart to Him in love. That is her reward. Let us in turn run to this Sacrament frequently in humility and without fear or despair over the gravity of our sins which have offended the Majesty of God. We can have confidence that Jesus will forgive our transgressions if we lift our hearts to Him in both love and contrition.
However, with this consolation the story continues, as we are called by the Lord to pray it forward! The elder brother in the parable was clearly miffed and felt gypped that he had never been offered the privilege of a celebration despite his steadfast obedience to His Father’s will. Did he ever have pity on his brother and make any effort to rescue him from that life of dissolution, encouraging him to return home and seek restoration? The Gospel passage does not say. But, as our Lord Jesus reminded Sr. Marie, we first owe recompense to the Lord by spiritually embracing the office of the pious Veronica and tenderly wiping from His Face the blood pouring out from his wounds. In other words, to do penance. Next, we are to work assiduously for our own salvation, and also that of others. Like her, we are to have pity on our brethren and pray that they will not be that dust, violently swept away by a tornado of evil into the eternal fire of hell. Let us make a resolution this Lent to ask the Lord to reveal to us a soul or souls to whom He wants us to witness confidently that a good holy Confession will restore our friendship with our Heavenly Father and bring back the abiding peace we so desperately seek for our souls. Please see the Cry of Love prayer.
the littlest wren