3 hours ago
Fifth Vision, Wherein She Beheld God Inasmuch as He Is Supreme Justice, and Something Yet Higher Still; Whereby She Obtained the Approbation of the Heavenly Judges
Being one day at prayer, I asked of God (not because I doubted or desired in this manner to know more of God), "Wherefore, oh Lord, didst Thou create man, and wherefore, having created him, didst Thou permit so much suffering to be laid upon Thee as was borne by Thy Son because of our sins? For surely Thou mightest have created us with double the amount of virtue we do possess now, and thus couldst Thou have ordained it exceeding well that we should have been grateful and pleasing unto Thee without those sufferings."
Hereupon was I given to understand that the reason wherefore God had done and permitted this was that because in this way His goodness could be more clearly made manifest unto us, and also because it was thus made more suitable unto our needs. Yet did this not suffice me for the full understanding thereof, inasmuch as I knew of a certainty that God could have acted otherwise if He had so pleased.
Another time, when I was exalted in spirit, I perceived that this quest had neither beginning nor end, so that when the soul found itself thus in darkness it instantly desired to turn back; but it was not able, neither was it permitted to advance. And being in this uncertainty and anxiety, I was exalted yet higher still and enlightened that I might behold the ineffable power of God.
Here was seen the will, justice, and goodness of God, and in these virtues I clearly beheld that which I had sought to know. Thus was my soul brought forth out of the darkness wherein it lay upon the earth; for in this illumination it was raised up straight and I stood upon my feet, even upon the tips of my toes, in such bodily agility and renewed life as I had never hitherto experienced. Moreover there came upon me such a fulness of charity, and with so great a joy did I understand that power, will, and justice of God, that not only was I satisfied concerning the questions I had asked, but likewise concerning all creatures, even the demons and the damned, for I felt I was called to save them one and all.
But inasmuch as this was a supernatural thing I cannot show it forth in words, albeit I perfectly understood that God could have saved us in another manner if He had desired. Nevertheless, I could not see how His power and goodness could possibly have been better manifested or more plainly set forth than in this manner. From that time onwards I did feel myself so contented and safe that if I had known of a certainty that I was to be damned, I should on no account have bewailed myself, nor should I for this reason have striven and studied less to worship and honour God than I had done before, so clearly had I understood His justice and the righteousness of His judgments. Wherefore was my soul filled with so great a peace, quietness, and firmness that never do I remember any other so complete; and herein have I continued.
After I had seen the power of God, His will, and His justice, I was uplifted yet higher still, and then I no longer beheld the power and will of God as before. But I beheld a thing as fixed and stable as it was indescribable; and more than this I cannot say, save what I have often said already, namely, that it was all good.
And although my soul beheld not love, yet nevertheless when it saw that indescribable thing it was itself filled with indescribable joy, and it was taken out of the state it was in before and placed in this most great and ineffable state. I know not whether I was at that time in the body or outside it, but it sufficeth to say that all the other visions seemed unto me to be less great than this. In this vision was I granted the mortification of sins and assurance of virtue, whereby I now love things both good and evil, both well and evilly made, for these things do I no longer despise.
I was, therefore, left in great peace and veneration by the heavenly judgments; so that now when I cry, "By Thy judgments, or by Thy judgment deliver me, oh Lord," I say it with as much joy and trust as though I said, "By Thy Passion deliver me, oh Lord." The cause of this is, that I cannot recognise the goodness of God more clearly in a saint or a holy man, or in many, than in one condemned or a multitude of damned. Albeit this profound truth was not shown unto me save once only, it hath never left my memory, nor have I lost the joy thereof. If it were possible that all the things which appertain unto faith should fail me, there would nevertheless remain unto me the true certainty of the supreme God, of His perfect justice and His judgments.
How deep is the meaning of this saying! But all this turneth unto the profit of the blessed, for the soul who hath attained unto a knowledge of the divine judgments and understandeth them, will through this knowledge of God derive profit from all things.
Being one day at prayer, I asked of God (not because I doubted or desired in this manner to know more of God), "Wherefore, oh Lord, didst Thou create man, and wherefore, having created him, didst Thou permit so much suffering to be laid upon Thee as was borne by Thy Son because of our sins? For surely Thou mightest have created us with double the amount of virtue we do possess now, and thus couldst Thou have ordained it exceeding well that we should have been grateful and pleasing unto Thee without those sufferings."
Hereupon was I given to understand that the reason wherefore God had done and permitted this was that because in this way His goodness could be more clearly made manifest unto us, and also because it was thus made more suitable unto our needs. Yet did this not suffice me for the full understanding thereof, inasmuch as I knew of a certainty that God could have acted otherwise if He had so pleased.
Another time, when I was exalted in spirit, I perceived that this quest had neither beginning nor end, so that when the soul found itself thus in darkness it instantly desired to turn back; but it was not able, neither was it permitted to advance. And being in this uncertainty and anxiety, I was exalted yet higher still and enlightened that I might behold the ineffable power of God.
Here was seen the will, justice, and goodness of God, and in these virtues I clearly beheld that which I had sought to know. Thus was my soul brought forth out of the darkness wherein it lay upon the earth; for in this illumination it was raised up straight and I stood upon my feet, even upon the tips of my toes, in such bodily agility and renewed life as I had never hitherto experienced. Moreover there came upon me such a fulness of charity, and with so great a joy did I understand that power, will, and justice of God, that not only was I satisfied concerning the questions I had asked, but likewise concerning all creatures, even the demons and the damned, for I felt I was called to save them one and all.
But inasmuch as this was a supernatural thing I cannot show it forth in words, albeit I perfectly understood that God could have saved us in another manner if He had desired. Nevertheless, I could not see how His power and goodness could possibly have been better manifested or more plainly set forth than in this manner. From that time onwards I did feel myself so contented and safe that if I had known of a certainty that I was to be damned, I should on no account have bewailed myself, nor should I for this reason have striven and studied less to worship and honour God than I had done before, so clearly had I understood His justice and the righteousness of His judgments. Wherefore was my soul filled with so great a peace, quietness, and firmness that never do I remember any other so complete; and herein have I continued.
After I had seen the power of God, His will, and His justice, I was uplifted yet higher still, and then I no longer beheld the power and will of God as before. But I beheld a thing as fixed and stable as it was indescribable; and more than this I cannot say, save what I have often said already, namely, that it was all good.
And although my soul beheld not love, yet nevertheless when it saw that indescribable thing it was itself filled with indescribable joy, and it was taken out of the state it was in before and placed in this most great and ineffable state. I know not whether I was at that time in the body or outside it, but it sufficeth to say that all the other visions seemed unto me to be less great than this. In this vision was I granted the mortification of sins and assurance of virtue, whereby I now love things both good and evil, both well and evilly made, for these things do I no longer despise.
I was, therefore, left in great peace and veneration by the heavenly judgments; so that now when I cry, "By Thy judgments, or by Thy judgment deliver me, oh Lord," I say it with as much joy and trust as though I said, "By Thy Passion deliver me, oh Lord." The cause of this is, that I cannot recognise the goodness of God more clearly in a saint or a holy man, or in many, than in one condemned or a multitude of damned. Albeit this profound truth was not shown unto me save once only, it hath never left my memory, nor have I lost the joy thereof. If it were possible that all the things which appertain unto faith should fail me, there would nevertheless remain unto me the true certainty of the supreme God, of His perfect justice and His judgments.
How deep is the meaning of this saying! But all this turneth unto the profit of the blessed, for the soul who hath attained unto a knowledge of the divine judgments and understandeth them, will through this knowledge of God derive profit from all things.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre