The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

March 17, 1900

Sorrow of the Pope. Humility.

This morning blessed Jesus made me see the Holy Father with open wings, going in search of his children in order to gather them under his wings; and I could hear his laments, saying:  “My children, my children, how many times have I tried to gather you under my wings - and you escape me!  O please!  Listen to my moans, and have compassion for my sorrow!”  And while saying this, he cried bitterly.  It seemed that it was not only the secular that were moving away from the Pope, but also priests, and these gave greater sorrow to the Holy Father.  How pitiful it was to see the Pope in this position!  After this, I saw Jesus who echoed the laments of the Holy Father, and added:  “Few are those who have remained faithful, and these few live like foxes withdrawn inside their dens.  They are afraid to expose themselves in order to pull their children away from the mouths of the wolves.  They speak, they propose, but those are all words thrown to the wind – they never come to deeds.”  Having said this, He disappeared.

After a little while He came back.  I felt all annihilated within myself in the presence of Jesus, and He, seeing me annihilated, told me:  “My daughter, the more you lower yourself within yourself, the more I feel drawn to lower Myself toward you, and to fill you with my grace.  Here is how humility is bearer of light.”