The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

September 2, 1901

Only through the Cross will the Church reacquire Her full vigor. Condition of the present society.

This morning my adorable Jesus made Himself seen united with the Holy Father, and He seemed to say to him: "The things suffered up to now are nothing other than everything I went through from the beginning of my Passion until I was condemned to death. My son, there is nothing left for you but to carry the Cross to Calvary." As He was saying this, it seemed that blessed Jesus took the Cross and placed it upon the shoulders of the Holy Father, helping him to carry it Himself. While doing this, He added: "My Church seems to be dying, especially with regard to the social conditions, which anxiously wait for the cry of death. But, courage, my son; after you have reached the top of the mountain, as the Cross is lifted up, all will be shaken, and the Church will lay down Her aspect of a dying one, and will reacquire Her full vigor. The Cross alone is the means for it. Just as the Cross alone was the only means to fill the void which sin had made, and to unite the abyss of infinite distance that existed between God and man; in the same way, in these times the Cross alone will make my Church’s forehead rise, with courage and splendor, so as to confuse and put to flight the enemies." Having said this, He disappeared.

After a little while, my beloved Jesus came back all afflicted, and continued: "My daughter, how much I grieve for the present society! They are my members, and I cannot help loving them. It happens to Me as to one who had one arm or one hand infected and wounded. Does he perhaps hate it? Does he abhor it? Ah, not at all! On the contrary, he lavishes all his care upon it, and who knows how much he spends to see himself healed; and it causes his whole body to ache and be oppressed, until he manages to obtain the intent of seeing himself healed. Such is my condition: I see my members infected and wounded, I feel pain and sorrow, and because of this I feel more drawn to love them. Oh, how very different is my love from that of creatures! I am forced to love them because they are my own, but they do not love Me as their own; and if they love Me at all, they love Me for their own good." After this He disappeared, and I found myself inside myself.