CHAPTER XI. THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS, IN THE SACRAMENT OF HIS LOVE,
IS OUR GREATEST CONSOLATION ON EARTH
- The voice of Jesus.-----My Child, behold My Tabernacle with men! behold here I dwell with them. Here I Myself console them that come, and I wipe away every tear from their eyes.
And, as there is no place on earth, where affliction does not sometimes shed tears, My Heart multiplies Its miracles, that It may everywhere multiply consolations.
Hence, thou mayst learn, My Child, that the mercy of My Heart is greater than man’s misery can be.
If any remedy, if any comfort is required in misfortune, here it is found in My Heart; here it is drawn with gladness from the same.
Behold! here I make all things new: things heavy I change into light, things tasteless I make to be savory: bitterness I turn into sweetness, mourning into joy of heart.
Nay, more, this vale of tears I transform into a Paradise; earth into heaven before its time. For here is the plentifulness of all the good things of Heaven, here is the fountain of peace and gladness; here are the Angels, here am I Myself, here is bliss ever-enduring.
- These are the wonders of love, Child, which My Heart works for thee, that thou mayst not be cast down amid the tribulations of life; but that, attracted by the goodness of My Heart, thou mayst come to this overflowing fountain of all consolation.
If thou hast once duly tasted Its sweetness, thou wilt soon forget every affliction of the past, or wilt even deem it all joy.
When, here before the Tabernacle, thou pourest forth thy heart; above all, when, after holy Communion, thou speakest to Me heart to Heart, and resignest thyself wholly to Me; then wilt thou perceive that affliction yields to consolation, fear to confidence, lukewarmness to fervor of heart.
If, overlooking Me, thou runnest elsewhere to find some one to relieve and help thee in thy dejection, thou shalt often be able to say: I sought some one to comfort me, but I found none.
But hither thou shalt never come in vain: hence thou shalt never depart without relief.
Hither, then, do thou ever fly, that thou mayst receive a remedy for thy troubles; and turn thy Sufferings into consoling merits.
- If misfortune, if loss of possessions or even if want fill thy heart with groanings and thy eyes with tears, so as to render thy soul weary of life; here, My Child, thou shalt find what no mortal can give thee; here thou shalt obtain a soothing of thy grief. If thou lookest upon My example, thy heart shall be comforted: My promise of permanent possessions, which thou shalt receive by sharing My inheritance, after having passed a few days here below, will cheer up thy spirit: lastly, the secret grace of My Heart will not rarely turn the tears of grief into tears of consolation.
If the world hates thee, if men slight, oppose, or oppress thee; here, O My Child, here in this mystery of love thou shalt be abundantly comforted: when thou possessest Me, yea, when thou pressest Me to thy heart, Me thy Saviour, thy faithful Friend, thy best and dearest Father, thou wilt be contented enough to be hidden, to be humbled with Me, that thou mayst be the more alike and pleasing to My Heart, in order to be forever exalted by Me among My elect.
And, if thou art afflicted or tormented with pains of the body and anguish of soul; behold, Child, behold where is thy solace, which alone can reach the innermost recesses of the ailing heart, and which none can hinder, except thyself----by hearkening rather to thy own thoughts than to My whisperings. Thou shalt also experience that which has been felt by thousands of faithful souls that came hither in sorrow, and with an aching heart; and soon, refreshed by the sweetness of the love of My Heart, went away their hearts dilated with bliss.
If annoyed by temptations, if worn down by desolateness; hasten hither, My Child. Behold! My Heart invites and awaits thee thus tempted and rendered desolate. It will receive thee with gladness; It will strengthen thee by Its own fortitude; It will fill thee with the sweetness of Its unction.
Shouldst thou even commit a fault, arise quickly, and run thou hither. Here thou shalt easily repair all: here thou shalt recover peace and joy of heart.
O if thou knewest, My Child, with how great a longing to console every one, My Heart watches here at all times,----consoling Itself whenever It comforts some one in his affliction;----thou wouldst then understand whence it is that none, in what trouble soever he may find himself, can come hither well-disposed to My Heart, without receiving consolation.
