St. John the Apostle, speaking to St. Gertrude the Great in her
Life and Revelations: "He who would participate in the beatitude which my victories have won, must run as I ran when on earth."
''I frequently reflected on the sweet familiarity and friendship with which I was favoured by Jesus, my most loving Lord and Master, in reward for my chastity, and for having watched so carefully over my words and actions that I never tarnished this virtue in the slightest degree. The Apostles separated themselves from such company as they considered doubtful, but mixed freely with what was not (as it is remarked in the Acts, that they were with the women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus); I never avoided women when there was an opportunity of rendering them any service, either of body or soul; but I still watched over myself with extreme vigilance, and always implored the assistance of God when charity obliged me to assist them in any way. Therefore these words are chanted of me:
In tribulatione invocasti me, et exaudivi te (Ps. Ixxx.) For God never permitted my affection to render any one less pure; wherefore I received this recompense from my beloved Master, that my chastity is more praised than that of any other saint; and I have obtained a more eminent rank in heaven, where, by a special privilege, I receive with extreme pleasure the rays of this love, which is as a mirror without spot and the brightness of eternal light."
p. 317: https://archive.org/details/thelifeandrevela00gertuoft/page/316/mode/2up
Topic: The Saints on Purity (Read 256 times)