The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

December 2, 1899

Eloquent praise of the Cross.

As I was very afflicted about certain things, which it is not licit here to say, lovable Jesus, wanting to relieve me from my affliction, came with an appearance all new.  He seemed to be dressed in pale blue, all adorned with tiny little bells of gold which, in touching one another, resounded with a sound never before heard.  At the appearance of Jesus and at that gracious sound, I felt enchanted and relieved in my affliction, which departed from me like smoke.  I would have remained there in silence, so much did I feel the powers of my soul enchanted and stunned, if blessed Jesus had not broken my silence, saying to me:  “My beloved daughter, all these little bells are many voices that speak to you of my love, and call you to love Me.  Now, let me see how many little bells you have that speak to Me of your love and call Me to love you.”

And I, all full of blushing, said to Him:  ‘But, Lord, what are You saying?  I have nothing; I have nothing but defects.’  And Jesus, compassionating my misery, continued:  “You have nothing, it is true.  Well then, I want to adorn you with my own little bells, so that you may have many voices to call Me and to show Me your love.”  So it seemed that He surrounded my waist with a belt adorned with these little bells.

After this, I remained in silence, and He added:  “Today I take pleasure in spending time with you.  Tell Me something.”  And I:  ‘You know that all my contentment is in being with You, and in having You, I have everything.  So, in possessing You, it seems I have nothing else to desire, or to say.’  And Jesus:  “Let Me hear your voice that cheers my hearing.  Let us converse together a little; I have spoken to you many times about the Cross; today, let Me hear you speak of the Cross.”

I felt all confused; I did not know what to say.  But as He sent me a ray of intellectual light, to make Him content I began to say:  ‘My Beloved, who can say to You what the Cross is?  Your mouth alone can speak worthily of the sublimity of the Cross; but since You want me to speak, I will do it.

The Cross, suffered by You, freed me from the slavery of the devil, and espoused me to the Divinity with an indissoluble bond.  The Cross is fecund and gives birth to Grace in me.  The Cross is Light, It disillusions me of what is temporal, and reveals to me what is eternal.  The Cross is fire, and reduces to ashes all that is not of God, to the point of emptying my heart of the tiniest blade of grass that might be in it.  The Cross is coin of inestimable value, and if I have, O Holy Spouse, the fortune of possessing it, I will be enriched with eternal coins, to the point of becoming the richest in Paradise, because the currency that circulates in Heaven is the Cross suffered on earth.  The Cross, then, makes me know myself; not only this, but It gives me the knowledge of God.  The Cross grafts all virtues into me.  The Cross is the noble pulpit of the uncreated Wisdom, that teaches me the highest, the finest and most sublime doctrines.  So, only the Cross will reveal to me the most hidden mysteries, the most secret things, the most perfect perfection, hidden to the most erudite and learned of the world.  The Cross is like beneficent water that purifies me; not only this, but It administers to me the nourishment for the virtues, It makes them grow, and only then does It leave me, when It brings me back to Eternal Life.  The Cross is like celestial dew, which preserves and embellishes for me the beautiful lily of purity.  The Cross is the nourishment of Hope.  The Cross is the beacon of operating Faith.  The Cross is like hard wood, which preserves the fire of Charity, keeping it always lit.  The Cross is like dry wood, which dispels and puts to flight all the smokes of pride and of vainglory, producing the humble violet of humility in the soul.  The Cross is the most powerful weapon that offends the demons, and defends me from all of their claws.  Therefore, the soul who possesses the Cross is the envy and admiration of the very Angels and Saints, and the rage and indignation of the demons.  The Cross is my Paradise on earth, in such a way that if the Paradise of the Blessed up there, is of delights, the Paradise down here is of sufferings.  The Cross is the chain of most pure gold that connects me to You, my Highest Good, and forms the most intimate union which can possibly be given, to the point of making my being disappear.  And It transforms me in You, my Beloved, to the point that I feel lost within You, and I live from your very Life.’

After I said this (I don’t know whether it is nonsense), my lovable Jesus was all delighted in listening to me, and taken by enthusiasm of love, kissed me all over, and said to me:  “Brava, brava, my beloved - you spoke well!  My Love is fire, but not like the terrestrial fire which, wherever it penetrates, renders things sterile and reduces everything to ashes.  My fire is fecund, and it renders sterile only that which is not virtue.  To all the rest it gives life, it makes beautiful flowers bloom, it makes the most delicious fruits mature, and forms the most delightful celestial garden.  The Cross is so powerful, and I communicated so much grace to It, as to render It more effective than the very Sacraments; and this, because in receiving the Sacrament of my Body, the dispositions and free concourse of the soul are needed in order to receive my graces, and many times these may be lacking; while the Cross has the virtue of disposing the soul to grace.”