The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

September 5, 1899

How Jesus operates perfection little by little.

This morning I found myself in such disheartenment and I saw myself so bad, that I myself rendered myself unbearable. When Jesus came, I told Him of my pains and the miserable state in which I was, and He said to me: "My daughter, do not want to lose heart. It is my usual way to operate perfection little by little, and not everything in one instant, so that, in seeing that she is always lacking something, the soul may push herself and make all efforts in order to reach what she lacks, to please Me more and to sanctify herself more. And I, drawn by those acts, feel forced to give her new graces and celestial favors, and in this way a commerce, fully divine, forms between the soul and God. Otherwise, if the soul possessed within herself the fullness of perfection and therefore of all virtues, she would not find the way to strive, and to please Me more, and so the tinder with which to start the fire between creature and Creator would be missing."

May the Lord be always blessed!