From the closing paragraph of "The Voices of Gemma Galgani"

Long ago, four decades before the bells of St Peter's pealed to recognize Gemma's canonization--the highest honor the Church may bestow--she had been told the following in advance. In March 1901, Gemma wrote to Monsignor Volpi, as he had ordered her to do whenever she experienced anything unusual, informing him that Jesus had just visited her in ecstasy and said: 
"Daughter of mine, the truth you need to know, you already know; as for the monsignor, it is not yet time for him to know, but the time will come when he will know. As­sure him that it is I, Jesus, who speaks with you and that in a few years by my doing you will be a saint. You will perform miracles and you will receive the highest honors of the altar." 

This presentiment did not sit well with Father Germano, who excised the passage from his printed version of Gem­ma's letters. Upon learning so explicitly from her celestial bridegroom that such a wondrous future awaited her, she may have been far less shocked or chagrined than her confessor proved to be. For less than three months earlier, on December 22, 1900, the Saturday before Christmas, as she slept peacefully, Gemma had been consoled by a dream in which "...almost fifty boys and girls--like little angels, it seemed to me, 
surrounded my bed in prayer, all with lighted candles in their hands." 

Influenced no doubt by prior warnings from Father Germano, to whom she wrote of this event, she expressed her fears that the dream might be a diabolic trick meant to feed upon her sinful tendency toward vainglory.  Then again, maybe Gemma Galgani knew all along that one day she would become "Saint Gemma"?

(Taken from the closing paragraph of the book "The Voices of Gemma Galgani" by Rudolph M. Bell and Christina Mazzoni, Univ. of Chicago Press, 2003)

"Fire! Fire in my heart! This morning it is burning...... Dear Jesus, I love you so much! I shall endeavor always to love You; I shall live to love You; I shall die to love You!" ....Give me wings oh Jesus, so I can fly to Your throne! St Gemma Galgani -June, 1902

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Im truly moved in spirit, hearing the life of Saint Gemma Galgani. I set out to research for a Saint for my daughter's studies, I came away with Saint Gemma, from now will be known by my children.
Thank you for sharing.
Best Regards,
Mrs R.

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