The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

February 19, 1902

The soul is like a canvas which receives the portrait of the Divine Image.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus made Himself seen in my interior, sleeping, spreading many rays of golden light from Himself. I was content to see Him, but also discontent for not being able to hear the sweetness and gentleness of His creative voice. Then, after much waiting, He returned to let Himself be seen, and seeing my discontent, He told me: "My daughter, in my public ministry the use of my voice is necessary so as to make Myself understood, but in my private ministry my presence alone is enough for everything. In fact, seeing Me and understanding the harmony of my virtues in order to copy them within oneself is all the same. So, the attention of the soul must be on seeing Me and on conforming to the interior operations of the Word in everything; because when I draw the soul to Myself, it can be said that at least for the time in which I keep her in my presence, she lives divine life. My light is like the brush with which to paint; my virtues provide the different colors, and the soul is like a canvas, receiving the portrait of the Divine Image within herself. It happens as to those high bridges: the higher they are, the deeper beneath them does a pouring rain fall. In the same way, before my presence, the soul puts herself in the place befitting to her – that is, at the bottom, in her nothingness, so much so, as to feel herself being destroyed; and the Divinity pours grace in torrents upon her, and reaches the point of submerging her within Itself. Therefore, she must be content with everything – content if I speak, content if I do not speak." While He was saying this, I felt myself as though being submerged in God, and then I found myself inside myself.