Transcription
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Most Holy Trinity, recognizing our nothingness, we want to surrender to you our life, our worries and sufferings, our whole being, body and soul, intelligence, and especially our will, to unite ourselves to your eternal and divine will, source of all good, and give you the glory and joy of fulfilling the purpose of our life, performing all our acts in your divine will, and thus live in it.
Come, Divine Will, with all the angels and saints, especially with our sweet mother and with Louisa, to touch our forehead, to imprint the Holy Spirit upon it, and infuse us with light so that we may understand the truths and the goods found in these writings. Amen. Fiat.
Well, now let's continue our deep reflection, thoughtful meditation, and our learning journey from the very first volume of this series of Louisa, which we've already been doing for several sessions. Blessed be God.
The last thing was that Louisa was already bedridden and Jesus was preparing her for her mystical espousals, and He had given her some more advice on how to live better, right? To be more united with Jesus, renouncing her own will even more. Well, here we are going to continue exactly where we left off last time.
When about 40 days had passed, which I estimated based on the words the Lord had told me, Jesus had said it would be for a certain period of time, and that's what I told the confessor. The sufferings continued to surprise me every day, and he was obliged to come every day. Then the confessor began to give me the obedience not to remain in that state anymore, and he added that if the suffering ceased, he would no longer come.
As far as I was concerned, I felt entirely and wholeheartedly prepared to obey. Especially my inner spirit deeply yearned to be freed from the burden of having to be confined to my bed day after day, which, no matter how pleasant it might be, was still a bed. Having to submit myself to everyone, even in the most unpleasant and necessary things for nature. Sorry, I got a little lost. That having to submit myself to everyone for one of the most repugnant and necessary things of nature.
So, here you can see how Louisa lets us glimpse what it meant to be confined there in bed. In other words, she couldn't take care of herself even for the most basic necessities of life. The act of being compelled to tell them to others was a truly significant and difficult sacrifice. So, nature itself stepped in to take care of the situation. He was comforted when he heard that they were giving me this obedience. So, that part, yes, it was always a sacrifice for Louisa. My soul. In other words, that's part of its nature. My soul was ready to obey or to remain in bed if the Lord so willed it, because he had begun to experiment. How good the Lord had been to me.
So at that point, her soul could see the graces that Jesus was giving her, and she began to experience those fruits. And she also came to understand through experience that true resignation knows how to transform the very essence of our circumstances and gradually converts what is bitter into something truly sweet. In other words, all that spiritual aspect.
You see, when he gave me the obedience of no longer having to stay in bed, I began to resist the Lord and said to him, "What do you want from me? I can't stay in bed anymore since obedience does not require it. But if you want it, give light to the confessor, and I am willing to do whatever you want." So despite the fact that, let's say, her nature would have preferred not to be in bed, at the same time she did want it. In other words, how can I put it? She was already feeling those graces from God. She saw them. She perceived them. We see deep down, despite all of that, we see how she was already at that point of being totally submitted to the will of God. That is, whatever He wanted. If the confessor said no, she was willing. If Jesus wanted her to continue, she was willing.
So, how beautiful it is to reach that point, which is what I mentioned earlier about holy indifference, right? "I can't continue lying in bed anymore because obedience does not allow it. But if you want it, give light to the confessor, and I am willing to do whatever you want." So you see, our prayers, at the very least, should reach this point, always being willing to do whatever God wants, knowing that He guides everything for our good. Well, we already know that, and that He will give us the necessary graces.
So I spent an entire night arguing with the Lord. When He came, I would say to Him, "My beloved Jesus, have patience. Do not come because obedience does not allow me to participate in Your sufferings until morning." I was winning. I was coming out ahead. I felt myself free from suffering. When suddenly, in an instant, the Lord came and drew me to Him in such a way that I could not resist Him. I lost consciousness and found myself so closely united with Him that no matter how much I tried to resist, I could not separate myself from Jesus. And it's not that she wanted to; I mean, we understand, right? It's not that she didn't want to be with Jesus, but rather that she wanted to obey.
Being with Jesus, I felt completely annihilated and felt a certain shame for the resistance I had put up throughout the night. And I said to Him, "Holy Spouse, forgive me, but it is the confessor who wishes it this way." And He said to me, "Do not be afraid. When it is out of obedience, I am not offended." On the contrary, He was pleased that Louisa already had that spirit of obedience. But on the other hand, Jesus wanted to show what His will was. So He acted in this way to show His will both to Louisa and to the confessor.
And He continued saying to her, "Come, come to me. Today is New Year's Day. I want to give you your gift." That very morning was the 1st of January. Then He gently brought His most pure lips very close to mine and slowly poured out a most sweet heavenly milk. He kissed me tenderly, took a golden ring from within His side, and said to me, "Today, I truly want to show you the beautiful ring I have prepared for you for that day when I shall finally espouse you."
Well, let's look at this clarification here. Let us first remember that Louisa was outside of her body, although she could see her soul in human form, right? And also, well, Jesus, yes, because Jesus has His glorified body. But look at what a beautiful expression this is. He brought His most pure lips close. That is what it caused her was purity. So this is something mystical. These are mystical images that Jesus uses with Louisa and with many other mystics to help them understand with the human intellect very great and spiritual things. Spiritual things that, in some way, we have to comprehend. That is why it says that from Him comes a milk, a most sweet milk, and He transmits it, communicates it to Louisa in a certain way. It could have been done in many other ways, yes, but this is how Jesus chose to make it understood as an act of love, but as an act of pure love. In other words, we are the ones who need to purify ourselves and not think of it in any carnal sense, but rather focus entirely on the spiritual aspect and understand.
Notice also emphasizing the idea of the most sweet milk, that this is also a biblical figure. Do you remember that when the Almighty God promised the chosen people of Israel the beautiful promised land, what exactly did He say to them? He described it as a bountiful land flowing with an abundance of milk and sweet honey. And remember that this was also a reality, but it is also an image of something spiritual. Everything that God did in the history of salvation has that material part, let's say historical here, physical, but it also means something spiritual. Because through those things, God was trying to teach them something spiritual.
In reality, we know that the promised land was the humanity of Jesus. Let us remember, let's go even further back, how the Holy Scriptures begin. When God creates man and then woman, how does He make them from the earth? So, our humanity is formed from the earth. In other words, when God says earth, many times He is referring to our humanity, to our bodily part. So, and by heaven, many times He is referring to the soul, to the spiritual part. So God creates from the very beginning the human being from the earth, that is, both Adam and then Eve, even though it says that He takes her from Adam, but then He also takes the form. So originally it is from the clay of the earth. Clay is earth with water, after all. So all that image, the biblical image of the earth, also comes in.
You see, then later on, when it comes to the Jewish people, the chosen people, He gives them this image of the promised land, that is, we already know that the earth became corrupted. Instead of being that paradisical land full of spiritual flowers, that is, all the virtues, all the good deeds, paradise on earth, it became a desert after original sin. In other words, it is referring to humanity, to the human being. So, it became a desert. All of these are symbols. I mean, even if they were real, they are also symbols to help us understand.
And then with when Abraham and the chosen people come along, He promises them a new land, a land promised by God, flowing with milk and honey. So there He is already promising that humanity will be restored through His Son. You see, so that promised land was the humanity of our Lord God, who would indeed become man. So that's one of the images He uses. There are many more, but I'm not going to analyze all of them right now, just this one. And it says that it flows with milk and honey. So, what does that mean? Well, as we already know from history and tradition, honey represents a deep natural sweetness and vital nourishment. While milk also symbolized precisely that profound sense of being completely at peace, of being perfectly well in every way. Wouldn't you agree? In abundance.
So now with Louisa, He brings this up again, and from Him flows milk. Let's say, in other words, all that divine sweetness, all that divine abundance, the divine graces that produce that sweetness in the soul, that peace, that tranquility. So through that image, He is making her understand that He is pouring out graces from Himself, which is the promised land. In other words, it is where we must arrive and live, where we must dwell. You see, the mystical body of Christ, that is Jesus Himself. So it has all this beautiful meaning when spoken of mystically.
So you see, we have to find the spiritual meanings and not just stay at the material level, and even worse, to take what is spiritual and bring it down to the material plane, because then it becomes a misinterpretation. So rather, we have to rise up to the spiritual plane. This is important to understand in all the mystical matters that happen with Louisa and with other authentic mystics, our Lord, and even in the Sacred Scriptures themselves. The images that are used are for this purpose.
Well, even in the Sacraments themselves. See how they also have that material aspect. For example, Baptism, the water; Confirmation, the oil, the words; all of these, all the Sacraments have a material, tangible part that enters through our senses. But we can't just stay at that level. In all of this that I'm telling you, it's not so that we remain there. Why does God do this? So that through that material aspect, we can understand something spiritual. So we have to take it and rise up to the spiritual plane and elevate that to the spiritual level. With Baptism, for example, this is very clear. So yes, water is poured, the words are said, "I baptize you in the name of the Father," and so on, the baptismal formula, but it's not that the person's head is simply being washed. We understand perfectly well that through that water, it symbolizes that the soul is being cleansed. You see, what is really happening in the soul is through the words of the priest, through that Sacrament, it cleanses the soul. And all that symbolism of water and light, which is also present in the symbol of light, what it means, you see.
So the more we elevate ourselves to the spiritual plane, the more we will understand what is happening on the spiritual level. If we remain only on the material side, then we will see it as just a simple ritual, and then we focus more on the rituals, on whether it has to be done this way or that way. The manner doesn't matter. What matters is the spiritual plane, and through some material aspect, some ritual, certain words, or some matter that Jesus Himself established, that's enough for us to rise to the spiritual plane. So disputes shouldn't be about that, right? Instead, we should always elevate ourselves to the spiritual plane.
The same goes for the Eucharist. The same for all the Sacraments, and the same for everything we read about images in Louisa. So that's what the mystical life is about. It provides many images so that we can elevate them to the spiritual plane and understand spiritual things. That is the mystical language. Do you see a language that envelops love? Because when you speak of mystical matters, you are talking about the union of the soul with God. So that union is only possible through love. Love is alive there. It is active. And it doesn't just remain a very beautiful language of love, but it actually means things on the spiritual plane.
So when He gives her a kiss, for example, that's what it is. He is giving her His love and communicating blessings to her. In this case, He gave her milk. He is communicating certain graces to her, certain spiritual sweetness, consolations, and strength, reinforcing her. It's like nourishment that also strengthens her spiritually. So it's an image to help us understand. Surely in our own lives, we have also felt this, not as vividly as Louisa, but at certain times, perhaps when you go to receive Communion and feel that strength, or when you go to pray, withdraw into prayer or spiritual reading, and you feel that sweetness and that strength. We could say it in a much more general way, but well, God also poured out upon me the sweetest milk of His graces, even if you haven't perceived it. But it's a way of expressing, a way to help understand what's happening in your soul. You see, so that's the mystical language that needs to be learned. It is learned little by little, you know, to understand it. And I repeat, the key is for us to elevate ourselves to the spiritual plane and to understand it on the spiritual plane, and not the other way around, to bring that down to the material plane and misinterpret it, leaving it only on the material level with all the prejudices we already carry. You see, that is to misinterpret the mystical aspect.
Anyway, may God grant us light so that we may understand more and more everything that is happening, especially with Louisa. Well, so this happens, and then it says He took a ring from within His side and said to me, "Today I want to show you the ring I have prepared for you for when I espouse you." Obviously, although this is real, it was also symbolic, meaning it represented something. When we get to the espousal, we will see what it symbolized. Everything means something so that the soul may come to understand more aspects of that union with God.
I continue. Then He said to me, "Tell the confessor that it is My will that you continue to remain in bed." So first He strengthens Louisa. She who already had the will to do whatever God wanted, even though her nature was a bit hesitant, right? It wasn't that she didn't want to, but that's how she felt. And so Jesus strengthens her with that milk. And then He tells her about the confessor. "Tell the confessor that it is My will that you continue to remain in bed. And how is the confessor going to understand this? And as a solemn and undeniable proof that it is truly I, go to him and convey the message that there is currently a great and terrible conflict between Italy and Africa, and that if he grants you the obedience to allow you to continue suffering, I will not let either side do anything further, and both nations will eventually reach a lasting and harmonious peace."
So here is the point. When it is God who wants to manifest His will, and it truly is God, and human beings cannot by themselves understand what His will is because it is something beyond their capacity, God gives some sign. This is how God acts, and He gives it, let's say, more or less at those moments or in those days or close by. Previously, when Louisa began to suffer, she had already once said that there was a cholera epidemic. Do you remember? We already saw that. And at that point, the confessor was not yet involved. It was just for her to offer herself. And when she offers herself, she spends a few days. And when she comes back to herself, when the priest comes and brings her back, she hears that the epidemic had already ended. So then, for Louisa, she had already been given that sign. She already knew that if that happened, it meant it was truly God's will. Now the sign is for the confessor.
So when it's like that, God always gives signs. Not that one should be constantly asking for them. That's not recommended. Only in cases where you truly can't see what God's will is because that it's not so certain in the sense that sometimes God may give it, and sometimes He doesn't, if He doesn't want to give it. Right? I'm especially referring to extraordinary matters like in Louisa's case, staying in bed as a mystic, right? In other words, as an offered victim. And with this mystical life, in that case, He did want to give this sign.
If we analyze, for example, when supernatural revelations and apparitions are authentic, for example, those of the Blessed Virgin, she gives signs. In Guadalupe, she gave one. Here in Mexico, in Lourdes, France, which is approved by the Church. I'm talking about the ones that are certain. In other words, those already approved by the Church, precisely because the Church saw those signs and it approved them. Why? Because it saw the signs from God, among many other things it uses to discern. In Lourdes, it was that spring of water where healings began to occur, which were studied and found to be genuine healings. In Fatima, we know about the great miracle of the sun, which was a prophecy and a sign months in advance. She said that on October 13th, she would give the sign, and as the months went by, infallibly on October 13th, she gave a spectacular sign for thousands.
So when it truly comes from God, there is indeed a powerful sign that really makes it clear that it is from God. Therefore, we must be careful because there are other places where signs are promised, but they do not happen. I mean, either they are supposed to happen at some uncertain time, or they are not convincing, or whatever. Right? So we need to study. It is something that can be studied and checked to see if that sign really exists. Sometimes they promise and nothing happens, and then they say, "No, that it will happen later," and so on. In other words, it is not infallible. That is no longer a sign from God. When they say that on a certain date or in a certain way it will happen, and it does not. On the contrary, that is a sign that it is not from God. You see, even if they tell you, "No, that it was because of the prayers," or "because it wasn't the right time," or whatever. No, no, God is not playing games. In other words, when He gives a sign, He gives it so that you will believe. Otherwise, how are you going to believe in something that isn't being verified?
Jesus during His life gave signs. That's why He performed miracles. Do you remember that they are called signs or miracles? Otherwise, how would people have known that He was God? That's why He performed those miracles as signs of His divinity, of His power beyond just being human. And above all, what did He say to the Pharisees? "The only sign I will give you will be the sign of Jonah." In other words, the sign of all signs was His resurrection, which is great because if you study it, it's obviously proven to have been a historical event. Anyway, I'm not going to give that lesson right now, but you can look it up about how it has all the characteristics of having been an extremely powerful sign for faith. That's why we believe in Christ and in the risen Christ. As St. Paul said, "Our faith would be in vain if Jesus had not risen."
So why is this? Why does God, when it is His work, give signs? Because He made us intelligent. So faith is not blind. Faith does not go against our intelligence, right? Faith transcends the limits of our human intelligence, but it certainly does not contradict or stand in opposition to our intelligence. So He has to provide us with a profound sense of conviction in some way, in a specific way, that we are truly and deeply convinced, so that we can offer our full and heartfelt assent of faith, even if we do not see everything else clearly. You see, just with that sign. That's why it's so important to study the life of our Lord, to maybe study a little apologetics, so that we are certain and confident in our faith, that we are not believing blindly without any reason at all. No, because it is completely reasonable to believe in this, because He has given us the signs and signals to believe that He is God and that everything He said is true.
So with Louisa, the same thing happens. That's why He gave signs to her confessors so that they could see that this was the work of God. So many times, for example, when she says that an earthquake is going to happen, I remember very well in Volume 8 that Louisa saw the earthquakes. Two or three days later, the earthquakes happened in Messina. Father Annibali testifies to it, and history also testifies to it, that there was a terrible earthquake there, but Louisa had already seen it a few days before. So to think that everything Louisa saw is for the future and still hasn't happened is not a correct historical interpretation. The correct thing to do is to look at and analyze history, because most, many of the things that Louisa saw, or just like in this case with this war, were meant to give a sign to the confessor that it was the work of God, and then they would happen just a few days later.
So you see how we still need to be even more historical when it comes to Louisa. And that's why it's important sometimes to read, for example, the biography of Louisa published by the Vatican, which is more historical, specifically "The Son of My Will," because it is already a bit more coordinated with history. There will be things that were not fulfilled in those times, yes. But we should really have the mindset that many of them were indeed fulfilled. For example, when He tells her that there in Korato, she saw streams of water that made Korato tremble and also caused it to flood. We know that this happened back in those times, historically speaking. So people who don't know that history think that it's only going to happen now, and not just in Korato, but in other places as well. Well, it could happen again in other places, even in Korato, but historically it did happen in Korato. So what was it for? I repeat, it was so that the confessors of that time could see that it truly was from God. And not just at the beginning of Louisa's vocation, of her mission of being a victim soul, but throughout her entire life, He kept giving those signs. So that's why the confessors were discerning together with the bishop. And they never said that it wasn't from God.
Well, so that's regarding the sign. Now I can elaborate a little more. Why is it not good for us to ask for signs? Well, because the standard and ordinary method that God graciously provides for us to carefully discern and understand His divine will is prayer. That is thinking, studying, seeing, pondering which way, what the consequences are, where God is leading, that is what is good, what is bad, in short, right? Through prayer. So God enlightens you, and then God gives you that inner certainty of where you're going, or at least that it's this way. Sometimes it's not 100% certainty, right? Because that's what faith is for. But you say, "Well, I think the best thing is this way to make this decision or go this way according to what I believe would be the will of God." So that is enough to keep following the will of God and that good intention, logically.
See, uh, only if God were to ask for something very different from what you might think. Well, that's when God gives those extraordinary signs. Why is it dangerous to be asking for signs for everything, as I tell you? First, because that's why God gave us intelligence, and He enlightens our intelligence if He sees that we apply ourselves to seeking His will with all our capacity and our good intention and prayer. And second, because our own imagination can also get in there, our own desire to have a sign, and misinterpret anything as a divine sign, or we also give the devil an opening. He can get into that. So that's why I tell you it's dangerous. It's better in prayer to ask God to enlighten you, and for you to make the decision with your intelligence and your will. Perhaps, if required, well, ask for advice from someone, some prudent priest who can help you in that discernment. But extraordinary signs, asking for them, lead to confusion. Yes. Yes.
There are cases, of course, of saying, "Oh, I asked for a sign, and such a thing happened to me, and well, I thought it was God's sign, but then I made that decision, and it was wrong, and I realized it wasn't." Well, you shouldn't ask. Decisions are not made by signs, but by intelligence enlightened by God and seeking His will. That is the way God wants us to take it. For example, in the case of the Blessed Virgin, well, how was it in general? It was like that, except in the Annunciation, when the angel appeared to her. Well, because it was beyond what she could have sought or known naturally, right? By an action, let's say, of grace in a more natural way, but it was something totally extraordinary. So the angel appears to her to tell her what God's will was. And even then, let's not say that she wasn't also very cautious. She asks until it is clear to her intelligence what God wants. She doesn't give her "yeses" blindly. She asks in order to discern, to understand, and for her to be convinced that it is God's will. It's not about blindly following signs and things. Now, intelligence is always much more important. That is where God enlightens us.
See, and as for everything else, well, it's not like God or an angel appeared to her every day to tell her what His will was. No, she discerned the rest with her enlightened intelligence, united to the intelligence that is to divine wisdom, right? So that is the way. But anyway, let's go back to this point about the sign. She gives the confessor as a sign that it is I: "Tell him that there is war between Italy and Africa, and that if he gives you the obedience to make you continue suffering, for you to continue suffering, I will not let either side do anything; both will be at peace."
And at the very moment of saying these words to me, I truly felt surrounded by sufferings, almost as if I were wrapped in a heavy garment. And I realized that I could not on my own free myself from this feeling. Then I thought to myself, "What will the confessor say?" But well, it was not in my power. That milk that Jesus poured into me produced such love for Him that I felt myself languish, and I felt such satiety and sweetness that later, when the confessor came and made me return from that state, and the family brought me food, I felt so satisfied that the food, well, it wouldn't go down. I couldn't swallow it. But to fulfill the obedience that was desired, I took a little, and immediately I was forced to return it, mixed with that sweet milk that Jesus had given me. And He, as if joking, said to me, "Was what I gave you not enough? Are you not happy? Are you not satisfied?" I blushed all over and immediately told him, that is, I was ashamed. And immediately I said to him, "What do you want from me? It is obedience." But anyway, when the confessor came, when the confessor had arrived, he began to get restless and tell me that I was disobedient. He also told me, "It is an illness because if it were from God, He would have made you obey me. Therefore, instead of calling the confessor, you should call the doctors."
When he had finally finished speaking and telling her all of this, she listened. I told him what the Lord had told me. So Louisa doesn't get angry. She doesn't argue. Just the evidence, right? With docility, with humility. I told him what the Lord had told me. And he said it was true that there was war between Africa and Italy. And he told me, "We'll see if nothing happens." And so he was persuaded to let me continue suffering. After about 4 months, one day the confessor came and told me that news had arrived of the war between Africa and Italy, and that without any harm being done between them, they had made peace. So there's the proof for the confessor, and the confessor surely told the bishop. Thus the confessor was persuaded and left me in peace. So he left her in peace to continue in that state.
So how beautiful, how that discernment of God's will is developing on the part of Louisa and on the part of the confessor. See, this gives us so much light on how it is also developing in our lives. Sometimes we want everything easy, fast, and that's it. And even sometimes in an extraordinary way. And it's not like that. It's little by little, through circumstances, sometimes. And that's where we always have to be alert, discerning what God wants for each of us at that moment or from then on. Right?
Anyway, so here it goes to the spiritual part that was, let's say, all this part with the confessor, right? So my sweet Jesus did nothing but prepare me for this mystical betrothal that He had promised me. He would show Himself while I was in this state, sometimes three or four times a day, as He wished. Sometimes it was a continuous coming and going. He seemed to me like a lover who doesn't know how to be without his wife. Well, let's say there, it would be without his girlfriend. Because in the stages of spiritual life, it's more or less like that. So, if He had already promised her the betrothal, it's as if she were already promised, engaged, but they were not yet together. That is to say, they were not yet totally united. So, Jesus had this attitude that He went frequently. He let Himself be seen by Louisa. She says it was a continuous coming and going. "He seemed to me like a lover who doesn't know how to be without his wife." This is how Jesus was with me, and He would say to me, "Look, I love you so much that I can't be away from you. I feel restless, almost restless thinking that is restless thinking that you are suffering for me and you are alone. That's why I've come to see if you have need of anything." And while He said this, He Himself would lift my head, put His arm behind my neck, and embrace me. And while He held me like that, He would kiss me. And if it was summertime and it was hot, from His mouth, He would send, He would send a refreshing breath, or take something in His hand and fan me. And then He would ask me, "How do you feel? Do you feel better?" I mean, look, He has those beautiful details, right? I would tell Him honestly, "No matter how I am feeling, if I am with You, I am always truly completely well."
Other times He would come, and if He saw me very weak from being continuously in those sufferings, I mean, look, Louisa, we see, oh, she saw Jesus so much, and how nice, and Jesus did these beautiful things for her, yes, but Louisa was suffering for the love of Jesus. Jesus, you know, continuously. Other times He would come, and if He saw me very weak from being continuously in those sufferings, especially if the confessor came at night, my loving Jesus, seeing me in that state of extreme weakness, so much so that sometimes I felt like I was dying, He would come close to me and from His mouth He would pour that milk into mine. Or He would have me lean against His side, and I would drink in torrents of sweetness. That is, as if they came from His side, from the wound in His side, from His heart, of delights and of strength. And He would say to me, "I want to be your everything, and even your nourishment for soul and body."
Well, in Louisa, that's how Jesus wanted to be. You see, who can say what I experience both in soul and body through these graces that Jesus gave me? So now we understand better why she didn't have the need to eat. And if she did eat, it was only out of obedience, and she would return it because she didn't receive her life and nourishment from there, but directly from Jesus. And I repeat, not because of drinking that mystical milk. No, but because it was all that strength that God gave her through all this, right? Even physically, she felt reinforced, strengthened.
She says, "If I wanted to recount all these graces, I would go on for too long. I remember that sometimes when He didn't come soon, I would lament to Him, saying to myself, 'Oh, Holy Spouse, why have You made me wait so long? I couldn't resist any longer. Without You, I felt like I was dying.'" And while I was saying this, the sorrow was so great that I wept. And He would pity me, dry my tears, kiss me, embrace me, and say to me, "I don't want you to cry. Look, I am with you now. Tell me what you want." I would tell Him, "I want nothing more than You, and I will stop crying when You promise me that You won't make me wait so long." And He would say to me, "Yes, yes, I will satisfy you."
So you see here, we can say it's like a courtship, right? Like the courtship of Louisa and Jesus. Courtship. Let's understand the spiritual sense. But it's that time when, well, yes, Jesus also kind of makes the soul fall more in love. He gives her more graces, sometimes sensible ones, more fervors, more, well, yes, details. I think that, well, I imagine many of you can think of a time in your life when you also had those kinds of graces or have them. I don't know. So each person. But later on, Louisa says that afterwards, why doesn't it continue like at the beginning? Well, no, it's that first Jesus wants to attract the soul to Him, to see how good He is. And then it's not that Jesus stops being good or stops loving her, but that He makes her participate more, not only in the sweetness but also in His pains, in His sorrows, in all this part, because they share everything now. In fact, they are more united, even if there isn't as much sensitivity or sensible love or sensible details. But love, in fact, well, it keeps growing more and more.
One day, while we were saying this, the sorrow I felt was so great that I couldn't stop crying. I mean, the first time she was deprived of Jesus like that, right? Then my good Jesus said to me, "Look, I want to satisfy you in everything. I feel so attracted to you that I cannot help but do what you want." But God reaches this point of doing what the soul wants when the soul already wants everything that God wants. It's no longer so much what the soul wants. But since the soul already knows what God's will is, it then wants God's will. And then God wants what the soul wants as well. I mean, it's a, that's part of the union with God.
You see, it's not that Louisa was telling Him her own personal whims, her own human will. No. "If until now I have taken away your exterior life and manifested Myself to you, now I want to draw your soul toward Me so that wherever I go, you may come with Me. In this way, you will be able to enjoy Me more and cling more intimately to Me, which you have not done until now." So here it's already like going beyond herself. First, Jesus comes to Louisa's soul and works on her soul, in her soul, let's say, within her, and then He makes Louisa step out of her human limits and begin to follow Jesus in what Jesus does as well. See, so now here it's that part that's more reciprocal. Not only does Jesus come and do everything with the soul, but the soul will go with Jesus and do what Jesus does. It's that part now that is more about the divine will. So Louisa is already reaching this point. That's why He often takes her out of herself and brings her to churches. So that, let's say, Louisa's horizon goes beyond just her own communion. I take communion, I receive Jesus, and that's it. No, but Jesus is also in the other tabernacles and in the other souls. So what is Jesus doing there? I'm going to accompany what Jesus does over there too, who is the same Jesus who comes to me. But now she begins to go beyond her human limits. So she begins to learn this way of acting in a divine way, in a universal way. But here He's just explaining what He's going to do with her, and we'll leave it here.
So in this way, we understand more how for Louisa everything was little by little. See, and we also understand a little bit of our own spiritual process. Often the soul starts drawing closer to God. It converts through those sweetnesses, that falling in love with God, etc. But then something more serious begins afterward. And then God, as you read the writings, perhaps "The Hours of the Passion," makes you realize that it's not just you and Jesus here, but also beyond. And so to make reparation for others, to love for others, all that, see, to take that leap beyond our own limits. So blessed be God who has called us to this, to this knowledge, and first Louisa, so that through her we may learn all about this divine life, this divine work, in His divine will.
Well, let us pray. Thank you, Jesus, in Your divine will, for the entire life of Louisa. Help us to also follow Your work within us, guiding us so that we may truly come to live fully in Your divine will, so that we may have that intimate union of wills with You, so that we may love You totally and in Your divine will, not only for ourselves but for everyone. And let us do what You do, wherever You are, everywhere. Let us be there, accompanying You. Our Mother, Most Holy Virgin, help us to continue in this divine life, in this sublime life, not only knowing but performing our acts in this most beautiful divine will. Amen.
In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.