Last night, after having written the letter which I hope will be delivered to you today - and I ask God to illuminate you to interpret it, placing yourself in the condition we are in, isolated here, in need of clarification which only you can give, and very, very disappointed with your sibylline reply on the 6th, which really surprised and saddened us - I sank into a very painful sopor. How I suffer now when they come! Especially if I have to fight against the sopor because there are people and all the rest! I came out of it with the first light of dawn. I at once set to praying, and Jesus came.
Jesus has used this time of, shall we say, a public pause for private instruction of his poor Maria. I indicate the part of it which Jesus wants me to. The rest is my secret and always remains with me. This morning He responds to my reflections, pervaded by discouragement about how poorly I am understood, as follows:
“Even the best people commit faults. There is nothing perfect but God. And yet men have wanted to find imperfections even in Me, and I could say they have systematically attached meanings different from the true ones to every action by Me. For this reason I gave you the teaching ‘Do not judge.’805 Consider, soul of mine, that man are so deficient and - even without so desiring, but, rather, feeling repugnance - so imbued with pride that they arrogate to themselves the right to attribute to God actions which in reality are willed by them and not by God - actions which, if they were truly willed by Me, in view of their unjust nature and deleterious consequences, would justify men in criticizing God.
When will men understand and firmly believe that God is Goodness, Patience, Justice, and Love, even in the smallest matters?”
I remain pensive after this lesson. I then dare to repeat a question - I, who hate to ask Jesus questions. I like to leave Him free to instruct me as and regarding whatever He pleases. But Father Pennoni806 insisted, the last time, too, in this connection. If it were someone else, I would pass over it, but since it’s him....
Jesus smiles - with a good, but serious smile - and says:
“If those people are truly religious, in the certainty that their four loved ones who died tragically passed away in the grace of God they ought to find relief for their highest pain. I say highest. (Write very clearly.) Human pain is more brutal in its suffering and wrests moans even from the saints. This (write slowly, but clearly) always ought to be considered by those who listen to the outbursts of survivors and whose mission it is to console.
“The highest pain is spiritual pain. Most intense in those who are not dead to the spirit because they have nourished themselves for many years with spirit. They join to human affliction over having lost aid or affection the pain of uncertainty over the eternal fate of those lost. No. In this case, it is not the case. Let pain be soothed in the certainty of a blessed reunion.
“However, tell the one who wanted this reply not to be an inept pilot, a ship’s master (go slowly, but write clearly) who forgets the most elementary norms of navigation. A soul upset by a tragic shock is comparable to a ship caught by a heavy storm. It needs to be assisted and lightened, without imprecating against its incapacity for emerging from the tempest so as to enter into calmer waters. Now, what kind of pilot or ship’s master would be the one able only to block the poor ship even more with theoretical maneuvers which are not always exact and sometimes harmful, especially in certain cases? If, instead of furling the sails, he were to open them all, wouldn’t he place the poor ship even more at the mercy of the wind? If, instead of lightening it to make it flee more swiftly, he were to weigh it down, saying, ‘This way it will remain steadier,’ wouldn’t he decree a shipwreck? The same happens with souls in a storm. They must be lightened; they must be understood in their reactions and their needs. Their disorientation must not be augmented with unjust condemnations.
Oh, how readily and promptly people condemn! And wasn’t I condemned over and over as a demon?807 It is easy to say, ‘You are possessed.’ But, instead, isn’t the one who accuses possessed in sinning against charity and justice?
“Take Me, your Master, once again as an example. Martha and Mary, unsettled by pain, reproached Jesus for not having come as promptly as they had wished to prevent Lazarus’ death. Did I reproach them? No, I caressed and comforted them.808 I am able to understand and sympathize with unsettled souls. Learn.
“Perhaps the one who has you seek this reply will further ask what can be done to bring relief to that poor soul in a storm. Oh, it’s very easy! By asking to suffer to relieve its suffering and restore peace and light to it. To take on the burdens of others, to place oneself on the crosses of others to unburden others of this weight and remove them from their crosses. I did so. Do so yourselves.
“And that’s enough for now. Rest in my peace and put to sleep the suffering of Jesus over so many human sins and failings, singing my Mother’s lullaby809 like a little bird that is happy over the lovely sun. You’ve got the sun - Me. I bless you.”
My note. Father Pennoni spoke to me about this case on that ill-omened November 8th. For thirtytwo days Jesus remained silent in this regard. Only this morning did He speak.
805 Matthew :1; Luke 6:37.
806 See note 797.
807 John 7:20.
808 John 11:20-34. The comfort given the sisters is more obvious, however, in the episode involving Lazarus’ resurrection in Maria Valtorta’s work on the Gospel.
809 Given on November 28. See note 795.