The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

August 3, 1903

The more the soul strips herself of natural things, the more of supernatural and divine things she acquires.

As I was in my usual state, my adorable Jesus came for just a little, making me hear His most sweet voice saying: "The more the soul strips herself of natural things, the more of supernatural and divine things she acquires. The more she strips herself of the love of self, the more of the love of God she acquires; the less she tires herself in knowing human sciences, in enjoying the pleasures of life, the more knowledge she acquires of the things of Heaven, of virtue, and the more she will enjoy them, as the bitter ones will convert into sweet. In sum, these are all things that proceed at the same rate, in such a way that, if one feels nothing of the supernatural, if the love of God is extinguished in the soul, if one knows nothing about virtues and the things of Heaven, and finds no pleasure in them, then he knows reason very well."