Ecstasies of St Gemma

Words recorded from St Gemma's ecstasies

(Source for this article is from the book "Portrait of Saint Gemma -A Stigmatic" by Sister Saint Michael)

In two aspects the victim-soul is distinctive, in suf­fering and in prayer. Suffering is not only accepted with resignation, but is desired and, when inspired by God, is sought as a privilege -to participate with Jesus in reparation for the outraged glory of His Father. The mission then of the victim soul is to lead other souls to God.

With chosen souls, victims of divine love, prayer becomes but the overflow of that Love. All petitions made by them have for their primary object the glory of God. Their prayers intermingle with praise, adoration, offerings and oblation.

At the request of Father Germano, such prayers of St Gemma while in ecstasy were preserved by Signora Cecelia Giannini. As the foster mother of Gemma, she was present when Gemma made her Holy Hour in honor of the Agony of Jesus every Thursday between 11:00 and 12:00 P. M. What this privilege meant to her is told in a letter written by her to Father Germano:

"Now while Gemma is writing to you she goes into an ecstasy; if you could have heard the words, so ardent with love! ... It was really a moment of Paradise, but I could not describe it to you because I am incapable; I should need the language of a seraph to repeat all that I hear. If you knew how happy it makes me to be with this angel! ... Now the ecstasies are continual .... " (Cecilia Giannini -St Gemma's "adopted" mother and friend -editor)

Selections from these recorded ecstasies:

Praise
"Jesus on earth-Jesus in Heaven. Behold all that I need! Oh Jesus, who can tell what passes in a heart all burned up with love! Oh Jesus, with what consolation does the knowledge of possessing You inebriate me!

If I felt such consolation this morning when You made me call You Father, Oh, what shall it be when I shall be able to tell You all my joys! Yes, Jesus, You must con­sole this poor little daughter of Yours, Your promised Spouse.

Quick, quick Jesus, replenish me with that spirit that is all fire, and do not leave me until You first give me Your benediction. Jesus, give me strength.

Where are You leaving me, Jesus? All alone in this world that I can find only to be a dismal wasteland!
Thank You, 0 Jesus, Who have made me experience such sweetness though I am ready to be deprived of it and all the pleasures and satisfactions that I can have in this life--if you so will it.

My God! my Jesus, ought I not to be content to be beaten with the scourge of Your own Son? But at times I am not content to have it so and I thank you, Lord, now for giving me these moments of peace, I thank You ... "

Compunction
"Oh, Jesus, why am I not burned up with love for You? Why is it that my heart is not consumed with Love's flame? Why is it that my love does not correspond to Yours? Oh, Jesus, how much time I have lost! How many years I could have loved You and I did not do so. But Your bounty makes me hope to be able to make up for lost time.
What sins! Oh, Jesus, deliver me from their weight! . . . Their number makes me shudder.
I accept, Jesus, all the pains, all the afflictions You will send me. I really deserve so many more. You would be all merciful if You multiplied my pains, my afflictions. In­deed, Jesus, I would kiss Your hand if You would add more. You see Jesus, this pain reaches out to all the fibres of my heart, and serves as a reminder to me not to offend You any more.

My God, dear Jesus, remove whatever of malice may be at the bottom of my offering and then accept it. Do not abandon me, Jesus; take care of my soul...think what You have borne to save it."

Love
"My Jesus! Yes, my Jesus, my loving Lord is that Jesus Who holds me bound with the force of His love. That Jesus Who loves me and feels so sympathetically for me in all my miseries, He is truly Jesus. You see, my God, if You give so many graces, so many gifts, so many favors, to a soul who could compensate You with a good store of virtue, so many benefits might be repaid; but if You give them thus to me, it can only be done by a plea for mercy.
What do you think of it, Jesus? No, no, You will never do me any harm. Whatever You do is well done. But at least grant me the grace to be able to be grateful. Love is truly a recompense for Your benefits, is it not? But I love You anyway. I do not love You just for Your gifts. Not at all! I love You because you are my Jesus.

You love me Jesus, and could I not love You? What wonderful tenderness of a God towards His poor creature! Jesus, when shall I be able to unite myself to You, in order to be no longer seperated from You? Break without delay the chain that unites me to my body, in order that I no longer experience the torment of Your absence.....When will it be, Jesus? Help me, and you shall see that I will finally love You with a love that is sincere, active and very fervent!

I shall remember always your kindness, Oh Jesus. And, this rememberance will stimulate my love.....this Divine flame; I shall keep it always in my heart. Oh Jesus, it is you alone that I wish to love! I no longer belong to myself. I am Yours."

Temptation
"Oh, Jesus, why do You leave me alone at these moments ... You were there? It can't be true that You were there . . . I looked for you so many times and I never saw You ...
Do you ask me if I shall be sincere? Why? ... I knew him....I knew him right away, just who he was. Yesterday I knew it was he ... (the devil) . . .

You wish me to be sincere and obedient? I understand you ... I shall go, yes; (to Confession -editor) I did not give in to him one bit -but Jesus he resembled You so . . . Do not let him take on Your appearance-make him show himself as he is . . . if not, sometime I will think he is You . . .
What else do you wish? When I have confessed all, will You return to tell me that You are pleased with me?

Oh my God, aid me! Do not give any more permissions to that ugly enemy of mine. Otherwise if You do wish it, You must give me more strength, if not....."

Loving Resignation
"You are an abyss of Love-I am an abyss of iniquity. Oh God, Oh God! I am overcome-My Mother, how joyful I am-Your love is so powerful.....Jesus, Jesus, my heart dilates -sustain me!....

And why do I contend so with Your love? It makes me suffer, oh Jesus, but what does that matter? You are the center of my life. Now let me tell You something, Jesus. You are indeed mighty but, nevertheless, for all Your greatness, my soul can make You more exalted. Yes, Jesus, it is true!-You see, Jesus, my soul can make You more noble because in its misery You triumph by Your mercy.

You are so kind as to remain with me, Jesus-but my mind is too insensible to give thought to You....What happy moments I pass with You! You are an abyss of love!

I value all Your favors, but I know my weakness. Oh, what a beautiful hour we have passed together-from the same chalice to which Your lips have approached I wish also to drink.

I thank you, Jesus, Who holds me thus upon the Cross. Increase my sufferings -do you think I call upon You some­times because I want You to ease my sufferings? ... Indeed, if I must stay in this world and not suffer, I tell you, let me die now!"

Petition to the Blessed Mother
"Notice how I spend my days and nights? Be touched with compassion; tell it to Jesus, tell it to Him, my only hope. If you do not listen to me must I then despair? See:
Jesus has given my soul to you; I, on the other hand, have delivered up my heart to you. Do you not see how afflicted is this heart?

I have many persons to recommend to you. And, I would like to have Jesus make me known to all the world for what I am. In this way, they would ask for my prayers no longer. A favor, Mother, a favor: Jesus is very irritated against sinners. Tell Him to avenge Himself, not on them, but on me. This too: I must recommend a soul who is very dear to you ... Oh! surely then it will not fear to appear before Jesus. I am not mentioning his name to you for fear of having an argument with Jesus as it has happened so many times. One thing more: my confessor wishes you to for­tify my body . . . And then . . .

Mother, you must re-establish peace between Jesus and me. Many times you have been able to restrain Jesus when He was on the point of abandoning me. Come be­tween Jesus and me. Oh my Mother, reconcile me with Him, and assure Him that I shall be more obedient.

I have noticed all, noticed all. Mother of mercy, go seek Jesus, and bring Him back to me. My Mother, do not abandon me ... Find Jesus, make Him return ... My Mother, my good Mother, make me better. My Mother, my good Mother, make me pure. This is what I desire ardently, and what I need extremely."

Self-Oblation
"Why do You keep me here on earth? How I yearn for that moment in which I shall unite myself forever to You! Jesus, You are making me suffer: I must tell You: You place these thoughts in my mind, and then it is thus that You treat me.

But what do You want, Jesus? Do You believe that I am waiting for Your request in order to give You my life? It is Yours: I have offered it to You already. What do You desire, Jesus? That I offer it again as a victim for my faults and for those of sinners? Hurry, my life is in Your hands ... It is Yours ... It is Yours...If I had a hundred lives, I would give them all to You, but I have only one...I am disposed to all, to all. Do You believe that You are imposing a sacrifice on me by asking for my life? It is a favor for me...."

(Source for this article is from the book "Portrait of Saint Gemma -A Stigmatic" by Sister Saint Michael)

Click here for a larger collection of St Gemma's Ecstasies
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“Oh, if all were to know how beautiful Jesus is, how loving He is! They would all die of love. And yet, how is it that He is so little loved? Oh, it is time lost to be with creatures! Our heart is made to love one thing only, our great God.” -St Gemma Galgani