The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

June 28, 1900

The present chastisements are nothing but the predisposition for future chastisements.

This morning, as I was highly afflicted because of the privation of my loving Jesus, I saw Him for just a little, and He said to me:  “My daughter, how many masks will be unmasked in these times of chastisements!  In fact, these present chastisements are nothing but the predisposition for all the chastisements which I manifested to you during the course of last year.”

As He was saying this, in my interior I said:  ‘If the Lord continues to behave the way He is behaving - that since He wants to send chastisements He does not come, He does not share His pains with me and treats me with unusual manners - who would be able to endure?  Who will give me the strength to remain in this state?’  And Jesus, answering my thought, added in act of compassion:  “And so, do you want Me to suspend your state of victim for a little while, and to resume it later?”  As He said this, I felt such confusion and bitterness (for it seemed to me as if, with that proposal, the Lord was driving me away from Himself) that I was unable to say either yes or no - also in order to hear what obedience decides.  So, without waiting for my word, He disappeared from me, leaving me as though a nail was stuck into in my heart, thinking that Jesus was rejecting me.  The pain was so great that I did nothing but shed bitter tears.