(Part 1 can be found here)
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| St Gemma's drawings and handwriting |
My Father: You are doing all that you can in order that you may know what is the true will of God. Then, listen to this: Father, on the part of brother Gabriel you have made so many promises. Please then do this. Go to his tomb, where his body is, and command him in the name of obedience:
"Tell me what I must do with in regards to Gemma."
And then, when you come back you will write to me, won't you? I will pray as much as I can. Write soon. I will pray very fervently so that Jesus may give you light in my regard so that you may not be decieved, for charity sake. My God!
I am, poor Gemma.
(In the biogrraphy of Gemma a full account is given of her tender and affectionate devotion to Saint Gabriel Possenti. It was a devotion fruitful in many good works. At the time that these letters were written, Father Germano C.P. was working for the beatification of Saint Gabriel.)
Gemma once more asks for the intercession of Saint Gabriel.
Dear Father,
By this time I am sure that you have once again had the good fortune to pray at the tomb of Venerable Gabriel. How I envy you! I have a great many things to tell you, to be referred to the Saint. First of all, Father, place in his hands the important affair of my soul. Ask him if I can hope to save it. Ask him not to permit me to be decieved, and also not to permit my director to be decieved, in guiding me as he does at present. Kneel and repeat to him that I have all the good will in the world to save this poor soul of mine, at the cost of any suffering, any sacrifice or humiliation whatsoever. Tell him that if I have neglected my soul, to please intercede for me with Jesus. I ought to have acted differently; I ought to have taken greater care of my soul because of Jesus and our Blessed Mother. The hour of repentence ought to have struck long ago for me, where it not that I am so obstinate in my sins. Tell him with all your heart to pray to Jesus not to spare me in the matter of trials. Suffering will uplift me spiritually. By humbling me, it will give me the strength necessary to respond to the grace of Jesus. Tell him that I am resolved to repair all of my past sins, to be obidient.
Oh Father, Father!...beseach him and pray to him like this---Ask him to answer these questions: "Gemma! Whatever will become of her? All these things which she seems to see and hear, from where do they come?"
I stop here because you know well what I would like to add. For the sake of charity, it won't do any harm if you spend a little extra time, even if you have other buisness. Please stay awhile beside Brother Gabriel. Speak to him of me; of all my affairs. Tell him to send Jesus to me continually and that I am longing to be at the feet of Jesus. Tell him to help me to pray better and beg him to make obidience sweet to me and to obtain for me more patience. Take a little love from brother Gabriel and send it to me. There are then two things which I recommend especially to you: First my soul and then all that the future may have in store for me. Father, I have recommended so many things to you, but you will answer me, won't you? I pray that you may be granted much enlightenment in my regard. Bless me.
Poor Gemma of Jesus only.
Gemma's lesson in detachment from earthly things.
My Father: listen to this. Every time that I'm expecting one of your letters, I ask Jesus about it and he tells me: "It is coming." This last time, as soon as your letter arrived, I went to tell Jesus.
"And does he not tell you anything?" He asked. "Oh yes." I replied, "He is constantly recommending me to humble and detached, but then, the Blessed Father!--He never explains what detached means. About being humble, of that the confessor explains, but as for being detached I really do not understand, because I no longer have anything. I do not know what there is from which I can detach myself. I have only Thee, my Jesus."
But Jesus,--Father, do you know what He said? He said to me: "But what about that tooth of Venerable Gabriel? Tell me, my daughter, are you not too much attached to that?"
I was silent for a moment and then began to complain: "But Jesus," I said, almost in tears, "that is a precious relic!"
And Jesus answered rather seriously, "My daughter, it is your Jesus who tells you so, and that should be enough for thee."
And it is true Father, Jesus is right. Sister Maria asked me for it [the relic tooth] in order to show it to the nuns, and when I had given it to her I cried because I wanted to have it always with me. But Jesus, Jesus!-- It is to Him alone that I must be attached! My Father! Pray always for
poor Gemma.
(This tooth was a relic of Venerable Gabriel that had been given to Gemma by Father Germano himself.)
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"You know, oh Jesus how ready I am to sacrifice myself in everything. I will bear every sort of pain for Thee. I will give every drop of my blood to please Thy Heart and to hinder the outrages of sinners against Thee." -St Gemma Galgani
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