๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ
Today is the feast of St Gertrude the Great. For twenty years Our Lord appeared to Gertrude at least once every day, except for a period of eleven days when He withdrew in punishment for a worldly conversation. Very often He urged her, as His Church urges us all, to come to Him through Mary.
When Gertrude asked Him what she could do to please Him more, Jesus answered: "๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐." In the early years of her conversion, Our Lord said to the Saint: "๐ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐. ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ." And when during a trial Gertrude called upon Jesus to help her; He replied: "๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ." Henceforth Gertrude always begged Mary to prepare her soul for her reception of Holy Communion, during which the Saviour often appeared to her and consoled her.
Once, as the Saint was praying to Jesus to offer His Mother something to make up for her own lack of devotion toward the Blessed Virgin, Our Lord arose, and offering Mary His Sacred Heart, He said: "๐ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐. ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ต, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐. ๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ต๐ณ๐๐น ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ, ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐, ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ด๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ป (St. John, the Beloved Apostle). ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐น๐ฎ๐๐๐น๐, ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐๐๐๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ค๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ต."
And on a similar occasion, Gertrude saw Jesus go up to His Mother with the greatest respect, kneel down before her and, bowing His head, greet her in a most gracious and tender manner.
Once, when Gertrude prayed to Mary to fill her heart with such virtues that God would take pleasure in dwelling in it, Our Lady stooped down and planted in the Saint's heart various symbolic flowers: the rose of charity, the lily of purity, the violet of humility, the sunflower of obedience, and many others, showing thereby how promptly she assists those who invoke her.
The following day the lovely Mother of God appeared to Gertrude, in the presence of the Blessed Trinity, under the form of a dazzling white lily with three splendid leaves. Mary said to the Saint: "๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐, ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฉ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ญ, ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ."
From that day Gertrude frequently greeted Mary with this prayer: "๐ผ โ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐, ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ฆ, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐ ๐, ๐๐๐๐๐โ๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐, ๐๐ ๐คโ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐คโ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐ ๐ค๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ โ๐๐. ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ โ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐ท๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ !"
The Blessed Virgin Mary rewarded Gertrude's fervent devotion on one Feast of the Assumption when she rose from her throne in Heaven and beckoned Gertrude to come next to her place. But Gertrude drew back, exclaiming: "๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐จ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ซ?" Then Our Lady explained that she could use her merits, especially Mary's purity, humility, and charity, and offer them to God to obtain this privilege. Thus, clothed in Mary's merits, the Saint received her Lord in Holy Communion. Finally, in a marvelous vision she saw the glorious Mother of God conducted up to highest Heaven by her Divine Son amid the rejoicing of all the Saints and Angels. Then with her Son's right hand, Mary blessed Gertrude's convent, and the nun saw a gold cross shine over each of her Sisters' heads.
The last of Mary's many touching favors to St. Gertrude occurred at the latter's death: brilliant with splendor, the merciful Virgin Mary came to console her loving handmaid, and bending down, she gently and affectionately supported the dying Saint's head, as the King of Glory with infinite tenderness descended toward His faithful servant and drew her beautiful soul to Himself forever.
When Gertrude asked Him what she could do to please Him more, Jesus answered: "๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐." In the early years of her conversion, Our Lord said to the Saint: "๐ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐. ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ." And when during a trial Gertrude called upon Jesus to help her; He replied: "๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ." Henceforth Gertrude always begged Mary to prepare her soul for her reception of Holy Communion, during which the Saviour often appeared to her and consoled her.
Once, as the Saint was praying to Jesus to offer His Mother something to make up for her own lack of devotion toward the Blessed Virgin, Our Lord arose, and offering Mary His Sacred Heart, He said: "๐ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐. ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ ๐ด๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ต, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ๐๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐. ๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ต๐ณ๐๐น ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ, ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐, ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ด๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ป (St. John, the Beloved Apostle). ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐น๐ฎ๐๐๐น๐, ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐๐๐๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ค๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ต."
And on a similar occasion, Gertrude saw Jesus go up to His Mother with the greatest respect, kneel down before her and, bowing His head, greet her in a most gracious and tender manner.
Once, when Gertrude prayed to Mary to fill her heart with such virtues that God would take pleasure in dwelling in it, Our Lady stooped down and planted in the Saint's heart various symbolic flowers: the rose of charity, the lily of purity, the violet of humility, the sunflower of obedience, and many others, showing thereby how promptly she assists those who invoke her.
The following day the lovely Mother of God appeared to Gertrude, in the presence of the Blessed Trinity, under the form of a dazzling white lily with three splendid leaves. Mary said to the Saint: "๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐, ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฉ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ญ, ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ."
From that day Gertrude frequently greeted Mary with this prayer: "๐ผ โ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐, ๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ฆ, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐ ๐๐ ๐, ๐๐๐๐๐โ๐ก ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐, ๐๐ ๐คโ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐คโ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐ ๐ค๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ โ๐๐. ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ โ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐ท๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ !"
The Blessed Virgin Mary rewarded Gertrude's fervent devotion on one Feast of the Assumption when she rose from her throne in Heaven and beckoned Gertrude to come next to her place. But Gertrude drew back, exclaiming: "๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐จ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ซ?" Then Our Lady explained that she could use her merits, especially Mary's purity, humility, and charity, and offer them to God to obtain this privilege. Thus, clothed in Mary's merits, the Saint received her Lord in Holy Communion. Finally, in a marvelous vision she saw the glorious Mother of God conducted up to highest Heaven by her Divine Son amid the rejoicing of all the Saints and Angels. Then with her Son's right hand, Mary blessed Gertrude's convent, and the nun saw a gold cross shine over each of her Sisters' heads.
The last of Mary's many touching favors to St. Gertrude occurred at the latter's death: brilliant with splendor, the merciful Virgin Mary came to console her loving handmaid, and bending down, she gently and affectionately supported the dying Saint's head, as the King of Glory with infinite tenderness descended toward His faithful servant and drew her beautiful soul to Himself forever.