The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

November 16, 1906

Difference between the offenses of the religious and those of the secular.

As I was in my usual state, I saw the many offenses committed by priests and by religious people, and the great sorrow that blessed Jesus felt because of them. Almost surprised, I said: ‘My sweet life, it is true that religious people offend You, but it seems to me that the secular offend You more. Yet, You show greater sorrow for the first than for the second; it seems You are all eyes to look at all that the first are doing, and You seem not to look at what the second do.’

And He: "Ah, my daughter, you cannot comprehend the difference that exists between the offenses of the religious and those of the secular – this is why you are surprised. The religious have declared that they belong to Me, love Me and serve Me, and I have entrusted the treasures of my Grace to them, and the treasures of the Sacraments to others, who are the priests. Now, while pretending on the outside that they belong to Me, in their interior, if they need, they are far away from Me; they show that they love Me and serve Me, but they offend Me, and they use holy things to serve their own passions. This is why I am all eyes – so as not to let them spoil my gifts and my graces; but in spite of my cares, they reach the point of wreaking havoc with those very things with which, on the outside, they seem to be glorifying Me. This offense is so grave, that if you could comprehend it, you would die of heartbreak. On the other hand, the secular declare that they do not belong to Me, that they do not know Me, and that they do not want to serve Me; and because of this, first of all, they are free of the spirit of hypocrisy, which is the thing that displeases Me the most. Therefore, since they have declared themselves, I have not been able to entrust my gifts to them; even though Grace excites them, It fights them - It has not given Itself because they do not want It. It happens as to a king who, having waged battle to free the peoples from the slavery in which they are kept by other kings, managed, by force of blood, to free some of those peoples. Then he placed them under his dominion, providing everything for them, and if necessary, letting them live in his own residence. Now, who would displease him more if they offended him? The peoples which have remained far away from him, and which he yet wanted to free, or the ones that live with him?"