The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

September 16, 1906

The sheer truth, naked and simple, is the most powerful magnet to draw hearts.

As the confessor told me that Monsignor did not want people to come visit me, so that I might not be distracted, I said to him: ‘You have given this obedience more than once, but it is never sorted out - it is done for a little while, and then things go back as before; while if you give me the obedience not to speak any more, my silence would drive everyone away.’ Now, having received Communion, I said to the Lord: ‘If it pleases You, I would like to know how things are in your sight. You know the state of violence in which I find myself when I am with creatures, because with You alone I feel comfortable. I cannot understand why they want to come. I show myself rustic; I use no means to attract them, but rather, unpleasant manners. Why they want to come – I don’t know. Oh, Heavens grant that I may remain alone!’

At that moment He said to me: "My daughter, the sheer truth, naked and simple, is the most powerful magnet to draw hearts and to dispose them to face any sacrifice for love of the truth and of the people who reveal this truth. Who disposed the Martyrs to shed their blood? The truth. Who gave to many other Saints the strength to conduct a pure and unblemished life in the midst of so many battles? The truth - and a naked, simple and disinterested truth. This is why creatures want to come to you. Ah, my daughter, in these sad times, how hard it is to find someone who would manifest this naked truth, even among the clergy, the religious, and devout people! Their speaking and operating always nurses something human, of interest or other things, and the truth is manifested as though covered or veiled. So, the person who receives is not touched by the naked truth, but by the interest or the other human purpose in which the truth has been wrapped, and he does not receive the Grace and the influence which the truth contains. This is why so many sacraments, so many confessions, are wasted, profaned and without fruit, even though I do not abstain from giving them light. But they do not listen to Me, because they think to themselves that if they did so, they would lose their prestige, their being well liked, their nature would no longer find satisfaction, and they would go against their own interests. But – oh, how they deceive themselves! In fact, one who leaves everything for love of the truth will superabound in everything more profusely than others. Therefore, as much as you can, do not neglect to manifest this naked and simple truth – it is understood, always complying to the obedience of the one who directs you; but as the opportunity arises, manifest the truth."

All that regards charity I have said in a veiled manner, and since obedience had told me to write everything in detail, I had the impression as if I had not obeyed. As I asked Our Lord, He told me that it was fine as it was, because one who finds himself in those defects, would understand.