Words of Faith

Revelations of Our Lord to Saints Margaret of Cortona, Bridget of Sweden and Catherine of Siena

Craig Turner

• Publisher: TAN Books
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781618902085
• Topic: Teología y religión
• Subtopic: Denominaciones cristianas

Words of Faith recounts the conversations of God with three great saints: Saint Margaret of Cortona, Saint Bridget of Sweden, and Saint Catherine of Siena. In these pages the deep inner life and the personal relationship with God of these holy women is revealed, offering a blueprint for our own spiritual life.Taken from their own writings or from the writings of those close them, these with God offer an intimate glimpse at the saintly soul's relationship with the Almighty Father. It is at once a model for us as we strive to deepen our Faith and our relationship with God, and a revealing picture of a God who loves us.Words of Faith is the perfect devotional for those who wish to strengthen their Faith after the example of the saints.

Words of Faith

The Blessed

God the Father said to Saint Catherine of Siena: “Fully converted souls would rather delight in the cross with Christ, acquiring it with pain, than to obtain eternal life in any other way.” (CS, 181)

Saint Catherine of Siena was instructed by God the Father about how blessed souls obtain mental peace by accepting God’s will: “No one born passes this life without pain, bodily or mental. Bodily pain My servants bear, but their minds are free, that is, they do not feel the weariness of the pain, for their will is accorded with Mine, and it is the will that gives trouble to man…. They bear everything with reverence, deeming themselves favored in having tribulation for My sake, and they desire nothing but what I desire…. I permit these tribulations through love, and not through hatred. And they who love Me recognize this. Examining themselves, they see their sins, and understand by the light of faith that good must be rewarded and evil punished…. [The blessed] deem themselves favored because I wish to [chastise] them in this life, and in this finite time. They drive away sin with contrition of heart … and their labors are rewarded with infinite good.” (CS, 125–128)

God the Father spoke to Catherine about blessed souls who, in their journey to God, had renounced their own will and desires even to the point of embracing their sufferings: “As their will is not their own, but becomes one with Mine, they cannot desire [anything] other than what I desire. Though they desire to come and to be with Me, they are content to remain, if I desire them to remain, with their pain for the greater praise and glory of My name and the salvation of souls. In nothing are they in discord with My will. But they run their course with ecstatic desire, clothed in Christ crucified…. In as much as they appear to be suffering, they are rejoicing, because the enduring of many tribulations is to them a relief in the desire which they have for death. For often the desire and the will to suffer pain mitigates the pain caused them by their desire to quit the body. These not only endure with patience as I told you they did, but they glory through My name in bearing much tribulation. In this they find pleasure. Not having it they suffer pain, fearing that I do not reward their well-doing, or that the sacrifice of their desires is not pleasing to Me. But when I permit them many tribulations, they rejoice, seeing themselves clothed with the suffering and shame of Christ crucified. If it were possible for them to have virtue without toil they would not want it.” (CS, 180–181)

God the Father said to Catherine: “[The blessed] are conformed so entirely to My will that they cannot desire except what I desire, because their free will is bound in the bond of love in such a way that, time failing them, and dying in a state of grace, they cannot sin anymore.” (CS, 112)

God the Father said to Catherine: “Don’t think that the happiness of the body after the resurrection gives more happiness to the soul. If this were so, it would follow that until they would have their body they would have imperfect happiness. This cannot be, because no perfection is lacking for them. So it is not the body that gives happiness to the soul, but [rather] the soul will give happiness to the body. The soul will give of her abundance and will re-clothe herself on the last day of Judgment in the garments of her own flesh which she has left. As the soul is made immortal, so the body in that union becomes immortal…. Understand that the glorified body can pass through a wall, and neither water nor fire can injure it.” (CS, 112–113)

Chastity

Jesus said to Saint Bridget of Sweden: “Priests who have concubines and celebrate Mass are as acceptable and pleasing to God as were the inhabitants of Sodom whom God submersed in Hell. And even though the Mass, in itself, always is the same and has the same power and efficacy, nevertheless, the kiss of peace that such fornicating priests give in the Mass is as pleasing to God as the kiss by which Judas handed over the Savior of all. Therefore, constantly try as much as possible, with words and deeds—by enticing or rebuking or threatening—to work together with them so that they may endeavor to lead a chaste life, especially since they must touch so very holy a Sacrament, and with their hands, administer it to other faithful Christians.” (BS, 178)

Jesus spoke to Bridget about people who wear provocative clothing and makeup: “The bodies of men and women are being deformed from their natural state by the unseemly forms of clothing that the people are using. And the people are doing this because of pride and so that in their bodies they may seem more beautiful and more lascivious than I, God, created them. And indeed they do this so that those who thus see them may be more quickly provoked and inflamed toward carnal desire. Therefore, know for very certain that as often as they daub their faces with antimony and other extraneous coloring, some of the infusion of the Holy Spirit is diminished in them and the Devil draws nearer to them. In fact, as often as they adorn themselves in disorderly and indecent clothing and so deform their bodies, the adornment of their souls is diminished and the Devil’s power is increased.” (BS, 209)

After being told by the Lord that she would be among the virgins of Heaven, St. Margaret of Cortona was astounded, asking, “Lord, how can this be with one so stained with sin?”

The Lord answered, “Your manifold sufferings shall cleanse your soul from all attraction to sin, and in your suffering and contrition you shall be restored to virginal purity.”

Margaret then exclaimed, “O Christ, my Master, is Mary Magdalene among the virgins in the glory of Heaven?”

Jesus replied: “Except for the Virgin Mary and Catherine the Martyr, there is none among the virgins greater than Magdalene.” (MC, 160–161)

Compassion

God the Father said to Saint Catherine of Siena: “When [a grace-filled person] sees something evidently sinful … he has true and holy compassion, interceding with Me for the sinner and saying with perfect humility: ‘Today it is your turn, and tomorrow it will be mine unless the divine grace preserves me.’” (CS, 217)

God the Father said to Catherine: “[Perfectly converted souls] do not waste time in passing false judgments, either on My servants or on the servants of the world. They are never scandalized by any human murmurings…. They are content to endure anything for My name’s sake. When an injury is done, they endure it with compassion for the injured neighbor and without murmuring against him who caused the injury.” (CS, 217–218)

God the Father said to Catherine: “You should never judge the will of man in anything that you see done or said by any creature whatsoever, either to yourself or to others…. If you should see evident sins or defects, draw the rose out of those thorns—that is to say, offer them to Me with holy compassion. In the case of injuries done to yourself, judge that My will permits this in order to prove virtue in you and in My other servants. Assume that he who acts in this manner does so as the instrument of My will. Remember, too, that such apparent sinners may frequently have a good intention. No one can judge the secrets of the heart of man. That which you do not see you should not judge in your mind, even though it may externally be open mortal sin. See nothing in others but My will, not in order to judge, but with holy compassion.” (CS, 219)

Confession

Jesus told Saint Catherine of Siena that in confession a soul receives the “Baptism of Blood” when the person has contrition of heart and confesses to a priest. The priests, He said, hold the keys of this Blood, and sprinkle it upon the face of the soul. Jesus continued to explain what happens when one does not participate in confession: “If the soul is unable to confess, contrition of the heart is sufficient for this baptism, the hand of My clemency giving you the fruit of this Precious Blood. But if you are able to confess, I wish you to do so. And if you are able to, and do not, you will be deprived of the fruit of the Blood. It is true that in the last extremity, a man desiring to confess and not being able to, will receive the fruit of this baptism.” (CS, 173)

God the Father said to Catherine: “You see, then, that these baptisms [i.e. confession] which you should all receive until the last moment are continual, and though the pains of the Cross were finite, the fruits of them which you receive in baptism, through Me, are infinite.” (CS, 173)

Jesus said to Saint Bridget of Sweden: “When there is a fire in the house, it is necessary to have a vent hole through which the smoke can go out so that the inhabitant may enjoy the warmth. Thus, for everyone who desires to keep My Spirit and My divine grace, frequent confession is useful so that through it, the smoke of sin may escape. For although My divine Spirit is in itself unchangeable, nevertheless it quickly withdraws from the heart that is not guarded by humble confession.” (BS, 132)

An angel told Bridget about the graces Bridget’s son received at death: “This [man’s forgiveness] was done by his mother’s tears and long labors and many prayers. God sympathized with her sighs and gave to her son this grace: namely, that for every sin he committed, he obtained contrition, making a humble confession out of love for God. Therefore those sins have been blotted out.” (BS, 184)

Fra Filippo was a confessor who was afraid to question penitents who hid their sins from him in confession. He asked Saint Margaret of Cortona through her confessor to ask the Lord to advise him about what to do. When Jesus heard her prayer, He said to her: “Tell Fra Filippo in My name that he can safely hear confessions and question his penitents. There are diversities of graces among men. This grace of hearing confessions and questioning penitents is granted to him because of his purity of mind and body.”

She was also told, “If a thousand people should come to confession to him in one day, he must not refuse to hear one of them, nor fail to question anyone whom he has reason to think needs questioning. Sinners often do not confess their sins because, in the blindness of mind which sin brings upon them, they do not see their sin. This is their own fault, since by the evil odor of their lives they have driven Me away, I who am the true light.

“It therefore becomes necessary, My child, that confessors should question sinners concerning their sins. I love the Friars Minor because of this; they have a zeal and holy solicitude for souls, and by their labors [they] bring back many souls to life.”

Our Lord also gave Margaret advice concerning another friar, Benigno. He was in doubt about how frequently he should say Mass. Jesus advised: “Tell Fra Benigno, who is afraid to receive the Sacrament of My Body and Blood too frequently, that I permit him to celebrate frequently. However, before he goes to the altar, have him make a full confession of all his sins and [have him] cast out all disturbances in his soul. I command him to persevere to the end in that compassion for the poor which he now has. It pleases Me very much that he goes out seeking the poor, the sick, and the ailing in their own homes.” (MC, 271–273)

Contrition

Jesus said to Saint Bridget of Sweden: “Come and rise quickly through penance and contrition. Then I will forgive your sins and give you patience and strength to be able to withstand the plots of the Devil.” (BS, 40)

The Virgin Mary said to Bridget: “You should be like a mirror, clear and clean, and like a sharp thorn: a mirror through honest and godly behavior and through good example, but a thorn through denunciation of sinners.” (BS, p. 97)

The Virgin Mary said to Bridget: “Say to my friend the friar, who although you sent his supplication to me, that it is the true faith and the perfect truth that if a person, at the Devil’s instigation, had committed every sin against God and then, with true contrition and the purpose of amendment, truly repented these sins and humbly, with burning love, asked God for mercy, there is no doubt that the kind and merciful God Himself would immediately be as ready to receive that person back into His grace with great joy and happiness as would be a loving father who saw returning to Him His only, dearly beloved son, now freed from a great scandal and a most shameful death. God Himself forgives His servants all their sins if they assiduously repent and humbly ask Him for mercy and they fear to go on committing sins, and, with all the longing of their hearts, desire God’s friendship above all things.” (BS, 169)

Conversion

During the time that Saint Margaret of Cortona was busy with her neighbors’ affairs, she was deprived of her accustomed intimacy with God. She sought Jesus in great sorrow and He answered her, saying: “Margaret, you seek Me among things of the earth, busying yourself with things of this life; therefore when you find Me it is amidst things of the earth. If you wish to seek Me in My Heavenly kingdom, keep your mind fixed on the things of Heaven, and you will find the spiritual comfort you are seeking. For the things of this world prevent you from living the life of the Spirit.”

Margaret replied, “But, Lord, am I not separated from the world and yet I do not serve You?”

Jesus said, “When you are hidden from the world, it is true that interior temptations assail you. Yet it is safer to struggle with these temptations than to seek security in intercourse with the world, for temptation purifies the soul. When your mind is crowded with earthly affairs, the dwelling I have prepared for Myself in your heart is closed against Me.” (MC, 118–119)

The Virgin Mary said to Saint Bridget of Sweden: “Daughter, you must have five inward and five outward things. First outwardly: a mouth clean of all detraction, ears closed to idle talk, modest eyes, hands busy with good works, and withdrawal from the world’s way of life. Inwardly, you must have five things: namely, fervent love for God, a wise longing for Him, the distribution of your temporal goods with [the] right intention and, in a rational way, humble flight from the world, and a long-suffering and patient expectation of My promises.” (BS, 105)

When Bridget was in Jerusalem on pilgrimage, she didn’t know whether it would be better for her to lodge in the monastery of the Franciscans, or to stay at the common hostel as a good example to other pilgrims. The Virgin Mary appeared to her while she was in prayer and said: “In that place on Mount Zion there are two kinds of human beings. Some love God with all their heart. Others want to have God, but the world is sweeter to them than God is. And therefore, so that the good may not be scandalized and so that you may not give an occasion to the lukewarm or [future generations], it is therefore better to reside in the place appointed for pilgrims.” (BS, 194)

Margaret was shown her future place in Heaven, and she had no words to spe...

Table of contents

• Front cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Note to the Reader
• Acknowledgments
• Contents
• The Visionaries
• Words of Faith
• About The Author
• Tan Books