WE read in the Life of St.
Magdalene de Pazzi that one of her sisters, named Maria- Benedicta, a Religious
of eminent virtue, died in her arms. During her agony she saw a multitude of
angels, which surrounded her with a joyful air, waiting until she should
breathe forth her soul, that they might bear it to the Heavenly Jerusalem ; and
at the moment she expired, the saint saw them receive the soul under the form
of a dove, the head of which was of a golden hue, and disappear with her. Three
hours later, watching and praying near the remains, Magdalene knew that the
soul of the deceased was neither in Paradise nor Purgatory, but in a particular
place where, without suffering any sensible pain, she was deprived of the sight
of God.
The following day, whilst Mass
was being celebrated for the soul of Maria-Benedicta, at the Sanctus Magdalene
was again rapt in ecstasy, and God showed her that blessed soul in the glory to
which she had been just admitted. Magdalene ventured to ask our Saviour why He
had not allowed this dear soul to enter sooner into His holy presence. She
received for answer that in her last sickness Sister Benedicta had shown herself
too sensitive to the cares bestowed upon her, which interrupted her habitual
union with God and her perfect conformity to His Divine Will.
Let us return to the Revelations
of St. Gertrude, to which we have just alluded. There we shall find another
instance which shows how, for certain souls at least, the sun of glory is
preceded by a dawn which breaks by degrees. A Religious died in the flower of
her age in the embrace of the Lord. She had been remarkable for her tender
devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. After her death St. Gertrude saw her,
brilliant with a celestial light, kneeling before the Divine Master, whose
glorified wounds appeared like lighted torches, from whence issued five flaming
rays that pierced the five senses of the deceased. The countenance of the latter,
however, was clouded by an expression of deep sadness. “Lord Jesus,” cried the
saint, how comes it that whilst you thus illumine your servant, why does she
not experience perfect joy? ”Until now, ”replied the good Master, “this sister
has been worthy to contemplate my glorified humanity only, and to enjoy the
sight of my five wounds, in recompense for her tender devotion to the mystery
of the Holy Eucharist ; but unless numerous suffrages are offered in her
favour, she cannot yet be admitted to the beatific vision, on account of some
slight defects in the observation of her holy rules. ”Let us conclude what we
have said concerning the nature of these pains by some details which we find in
the Life of Blessed Margaret Mary of the Visitation. They are taken in part
from the Memoir of Mother Greffier, who, wisely diffident on the subject of the
extraordinary graces granted to Blessed Sister Margaret, recognised the truth
only after a thousand trials. Mother Philiberte Emmanuel de Montoux, Superior
at Annecy, died February 2, 1683, after a life which had edified the whole
Order. Mother Greffier recommended her specially to the prayers of Sister
Margaret.
After some time the latter told
her superior that our Lord had made known to her that this soul was most dear
to Him on account of her love and fidelity in His service, and that an ample recompense
awaited her in Heaven when she should have accomplished her purification in Purgatory.
The Blessed Sister saw the
departed in the place of expiation. Our Lord showed her the sufferings which
she endured, and how greatly she
was relieved by the suffrages and good works which were daily offered for her
throughout the whole Order of the Visitation. During the night from Holy
Thursday to Good Friday, whilst Sister Margaret was still praying for her, He
showed her the soul of the departed as placed under the chalice which contained
the Sacred Host on the altar of repose. There she participated in the merits of
His agony in the Garden of Olives. On Easter Sunday, which that year fell on
April 18, Sister Margaret saw the soul enjoying the commencement, as it were,
of eternal felicity, desiring and hoping soon to be admitted to the vision and possession of
God.
Finally, a fortnight after, on
May 2, Sunday, Feast of the Good Shepherd; she saw the soul of the departed as
rising sweetly into eternal glory, chanting melodiously the canticle of Divine
Love.
Let us see how Blessed Margaret
herself gives the account of this last apparition in a letter addressed on the
same day, May 2, 1623, to Mother de Saumaise at Dijon:”Jesus for ever! My soul
is filled with so great a joy that I can scarcely restrain myself. Permit me,
dear Mother, to communicate it to your heart, which is one with mine in that of
our Lord. This morning, Sunday of the Good Shepherd, on my awaking, two of my
good suffering friends came to bid me adieu. To-day the Supreme Pastor receives
them into His eternal fold with a million other souls. Both joined this multitude
of blessed souls, and departed singing canticles of joy. One is the good Mother
Philiberte Emmanuel de Montoux, the other Sister Jeanne Catherine Gacon. One
repeated unceasingly these words: Love triumphs, love rejoices in God; the
other, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, and the Religious who live and
die in the exact observance of their rules. Both desired that I should say to you
on their part that death may separate souls, but can never disunite them. If
you knew how my soul was transported with joy! For whilst I was speaking to
them, I saw them sink by degrees into glory like a person who plunges into the
vast ocean. They ask of you in thanksgiving to the Holy Trinity one Laudate and
three times Gloria Patri. As I desired them to remember us, their last words
were that ingratitude is unknown in Heaven,”
