The Book of Heaven
—Unofficial Version—

September 1, 1907

The more the soul is the same in everything, the closer she comes to divine perfection.

I am going through most bitter days, with continuous privations. At the most, He comes like shadow and lightning, and with almost continuous threats of chastisements. Oh God, what an uproar! It seems that the world is shaken; all are in the attitude of making revolutions and of killing one another. The Lord seems to withdraw His Grace, and men become like many fierce animals. But after all, it is better to keep silent about these things, because talking about it embitters my poor soul too much, which is already full enough of bitternesses.

Then, this morning, blessed Jesus came for just a little and told me: "All the works of God are perfect, and their perfection is recognized by their being round, or square at most; so much so, that not a stone is placed in the Celestial Jerusalem, which is not round or square." I could not understand anything of this; however, as I went about looking at the vault of the heavens, I could see the stars, the sun, the moon, and also the shape of the earth itself – all round. But I could not understand the meaning of it, and the Lord added: "Roundness is the same in all of its parts; so, in order to be perfect, the soul must be the same in all states, in all circumstances, whether prosperous or adverse, whether sweet or bitter. Equality must surround her in everything, in such a way as to shape her like a round object; otherwise, if she is not equal to herself in all things, she will not be able to enter, beautiful and smooth, into the Celestial Jerusalem, and will not be able to adorn like a star the fatherland of the Blessed. So, the more the soul is the same in everything, the closer she comes to divine perfection."