The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

December 24, 1902

Effects of sufferings. The value of pride.

Continuing in my usual state, I found myself outside of myself, and I found Our Lord, who had a cross near Him, which was all braided with thorns. He took it and placed it upon my shoulders, commanding me to carry it into the midst of a multitude of people, to give proof of His Mercy and to placate Divine Justice. It was so heavy that I carried it bent over and almost dragging myself. While I was carrying it, Jesus disappeared, and as I reached a certain place, the one who was guiding me told me: "Leave the cross and remove your clothes, for Our Lord is coming back and He must find you ready for the crucifixion." I removed my clothes but I kept them in my hands because of the embarrassment my nature felt; and I said to myself: ‘I will drop them as soon as He comes.’ At that moment He came back, and finding me with my clothes in my hands, told me: "You have not even let yourself be found completely stripped so that I might crucify you immediately. Well then, we will leave it for another time." I remained confused and afflicted, unable to articulate a word, and Jesus, to console me, took me by the hand and told me: "Tell Me, what do you want Me to give you?’ And I: ‘Lord, suffering.’ And He: "And what else?" And I: ‘I can ask of You nothing but suffering.’ And Jesus: "And what about love – don’t you want some?’ And I: ‘No, suffering, because in giving me suffering you will give me more love. I know this out of experience – that in order to obtain graces, the strongest love and all of You, these cannot be obtained but through suffering; and in order to earn all your sympathies, delights and satisfactions, the only and sole means is to suffer for love of You.’ And He: "My beloved, I wanted to test you so as to ignite in you more the desire to suffer for love of Me."

After this, I saw people who believed themselves to be something greater than others; and blessed Jesus said: "My daughter, one who believes himself to be something before Me and before men, is worth nothing. One who believes himself to be nothing is worth everything – first, before Me, because if he does something, he does not think he does it because he can do it, having the strength and the capacity, but rather, because he receives from God the grace, the helps and the lights; therefore it can be said that he does it by virtue of divine power, and one who has divine power with him is already worth everything. Second, before men, because this acting by virtue of divine power makes him operate in a completely different way, and he does nothing but send forth the light of the divine power he contains within himself, in such a way that the most perverted ones, without wanting it, feel the strength of this light and submit to his volition; and here is how he is worth everything also before men. On the contrary, one who believes himself to be something, in addition to being worth nothing, is abominable to my presence, and because of his ostentatious and particular manners - for he believes he is something and makes fun of others - men keep him pointed out as an object of derision and of persecution."