The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

July 28, 1906

The daringness of the soul. Jesus defends her.

Continuing in my usual state, blessed Jesus came for a short time, and as soon as I saw Him, I took Him and clasped Him in my arms - but so tightly, as if I wanted to enclose Him in my heart. At that moment I saw some people around me, saying: "How daring she is, she takes too many liberties, and when one takes liberties, there is not that esteem and respect that one should have." I felt all ablush in hearing this, but I could not do otherwise; and the Lord said to them: "It can only be said that one loves, esteems and respects an object, when one wants to make it his own; and when one does not want to make it his own, it means that he does not love it, and therefore he has neither esteem nor respect for it. For example: if one wants to know whether someone loves riches, in speaking to him about riches, he holds them in the highest esteem, he respects rich people, for nothing else than because they are rich, and he would want to make all riches his own. If on the other hand he does not love them, in merely hearing one speak about them, he becomes annoyed; and so with all other things. So, rather than blame, she deserves praise; and if she wants to make Me her own, it means that she loves Me, esteems Me and respects Me."