The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

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.