One of the things I find myself doing at the moment in my Spiritual Life is trying to turn my thoughts, as well as my heart towards God. No easy task. But it really surprises me when I really pay attention to the things I am thinking about what rubbish they often are, it often seems to be like looking into a huge bin. One of the main things worrying and fretting about little things that anyway I can do nothing at all about. I feel God often saying to me , 'I've got this', but not really believing Him, for if I had believed Him I would not be going back and back worrying things to death. Reading the life of St Gemma Galgani recently I see she was in constant conversation with her angel guardian. She said good night to him before she went to sleep and greeted him first thing in the morning. But in the morning she was distracted by her hunger for the Eucharist. What a wonderful way to be distracted. I find chasing after God often like chasing a mouse. .He seems so slippery and fading from view. But I believe God greatly loves me trying. When I catch Him it is the source of all my joy, all my peace, my heaven on Earth..and as the years roll on I find myself catching Him more and more often. Our Lady in Medugorje tells us that she comes to Earth to bring us happiness. How true I have found this in catching the mouse that is God. 'The purpose of my apparitions, dear children, is that you be happy here”, because Our Lady does not come here to deprive us of the joys of life. She wants us to be happy, and only with God can we be happy. She said: “The purpose of my apparitions is that you all be with me in Heaven”. https://mysticpost.com/2018/06/mess...of-the-joys-of-life-she-wants-us-to-be-happy/
http://www.mysticsofthechurch.com/2009/12/st-gemma-galgani-lover-of-jesus.html http://www.stgemmagalgani.com/2008/09/st-gemma-galgani-and-her-guardian-angel.html St Gemma Galgani and her guardian Angel The Miraculous assistance of St Gemma Galgani's guardian Angel Since St Gemma Galgani was called by God to be a soul victim, that is, to suffer for the conversion of sinners, it follows that God would give her extraordinary graces to better accomplish this vocation to which He called her. One of the astounding supernatural graces in the life of St Gemma is extraordinary assistance of her guardian Angel, who was a great help in her sanctification. In “The Life of St. Gemma Galgani”, Venerable Father Germanus C.P. states “Gemma saw her guardian angel with her own eyes, touched him with her hand, as if he were a being of this world, and would talk to him as would one friend to another. “Jesus” she once said “has not left me alone; He makes my guardian angel stay with me always.” Her guardian angel assists her in prayer. Father Germano continues “…He let her see him sometimes raised in the air with outspread wings, with his hands extended over her, or else hands joined in an attitude of prayer. At other times he would kneel beside her. If they were reciting vocal prayers or the Psalms, they did so alternately; if aspirations or prayers from the heart, “they rivaled one another” [these are Gemma’s words] that is, they had a holy rivalry as to whom would say them with more fervor saying ‘Viva Gesu’ or ‘Benedetto di Dio’ and other such beautiful invocations. When it was time for meditation, the angel inspired her with sublimest ideas, and moved her affections so that the result of this holy exercise may be more perfect. The subject of these meditations was, for the most part, the Passion of Our Lord, the angel like a good master, laid open its profound mysteries to her soul. “Look” he would exclaim, “at what Jesus suffered for men. Consider each of these wounds. It is love that has opened them all. See how horrible sin is, since to expiate it, so much pain and so much love have been necessary”. These and other such reflections went straight to the heart of the fervent Gemma” On another occasion she writes: "I was in bed suffering greatly, when on a sudden I became absorbed in prayer. I joined my hands and, moved with heartfelt sorrow for my countless sins, I made an act of deep contrition. My mind was wholly plunged in this abyss of my crime against my God, when I beheld my Angel standing by my bed. I felt ashamed of being in his presence. He instead was more than courteous with me, and said, kindly: "Jesus loves thee greatly. Love Him greatly in return." Then he added: "Are you fond of Jesus' Mother? Salute Her very often, for She values such attention very much, and unfailingly returns the salutations offered to Her; and if you do not sense this, know that She makes a proof of your unfailing trust." He blessed me and disappeared.
Her guardian angel guides her in spiritual matters In her Autobiography, Gemma writes “One evening, when I was suffering more than usual, I was complaining to Jesus and telling him that I would not have prayed so much if I had known that He was not going to cure me, and I asked Him why I had to be sick this way. My angel answered me as follows: ‘If Jesus afflicts you in your body, it is always to purify you in your soul. Be good.’ Oh, how many times during my long illness did I not experience such consoling words in my heart! But I never profited by them.” (one can see in these words Gemma’s humility) “From the moment I got up from my sick bed (was cured –editor) my guardian angel began to be my master and guide. He corrected me every time I did something wrong, and he taught me to speak but little, and only when I was spoken to. One day, when those in the house were speaking of some person, and were not speaking very well of her, I wanted to speak up, but the angel gave me a severe rebuke. He taught me to keep my eyes cast down, and one time in Church he reproved me strongly saying to me: ‘Is this the way you conduct yourself in the presence of God?’ And another time he admonished me in this way ‘If you are not good, I will not let you see me anymore’. He taught me many times how to act in the presence of God; that is, to adore Him in His infinite goodness, His infinite majesty, His mercy and in all His attributes” Once, Gemma’s guardian angel ordered her to write the following: 'Remember daughter, that whoever truly loves Jesus speaks little and bears all things. I command thee, on behalf of Jesus, to always refrain from giving your own opinion, unless it is asked; always to prefer silence to upholding your own views. Whenever you have committed a fault, accuse yourself of it at once, and do not wait for others to accuse thee. Give full obedience to your confessor, and to those whom he commands thee to obey; and be always sincere with them. Remember to guard your eyes, and be assured that the eyes that are mortified, shall behold the beauties of heaven.’To humble her, her guardian angel once said to her: “Poor child! How imperfect you are! How much you need others to keep a constant guard over thee. Oh, how much patience I must have with thee.” Concerning this care that the Angel gave her, Father Germano writes- “…Gemma had once been beaten cruelly by the devil during her evening prayer, and being unable to move, the Angel lifted her to her bed, and stood there watching by her pillow.” In her Autobiography she writes: “I recall very well one time I was given a gold watch and chain. Ambitious as I was, I could hardly wait to put it on and go out (an indication, dear Father that my imagination was working on me). I did in fact go out with it on and when I returned home and started to take it off I saw an angel (whom I recognized immediately as my Guardian Angel) who said to me very seriously; “Remember that the precious jewelry that adorns the spouse of the Crucified King can only be thorns and the cross.” I did not even tell my confessor about this. In fact, I tell it now for the first time. These words made me fear, as did the angel himself. But a little later, while reflecting on them without understanding them at all, I made this resolution: I resolve for the love of Jesus, and to please Him, never to wear the watch again, and not even to speak of things that savor of vanity. At the time I also had a ring on my finger. I took it off immediately and from then until now I have not worn such things” Another extraordinary angelic event is the fact that Gemma often sent her guardian angel on errands, to ask Jesus, Mary or St Gabriel Possenti some permission or assistance. Later her guardian angel would return, with such a reply or permission as she requested. The Child Jesus shrine that Gemma would place her letters beneath Angelic Letter Deliveries However, the most unusual angelic errands were the one’s that Father Germano writes about in Gemma’s biography. Gemma would write a letter to him (Father Germano) seeking some spiritual guidance, and then place it in a “Little Manger Shrine” that was in the Gianinni home (her "adopted" family -editor), and because she had no money for stamps, she would request her angel to deliver the letter for her. Father Germanus, living several hundred miles away in Rome at the time, would soon “find” the letter unstamped on his desk, or another such place. (yet another reason for the angelic deliveries was the fact that Father Germanus travelled extensively in his preaching ministry, and Gemma never knew where to reach him) Realizing how unusual this was, Father Germano asked Heaven for a sign that these "angelic deliveries" were it was in accord with God’s Will. Afterwards, while he was staying at the Passionist house in Corneto, Italy, a "young boy" knocked at the door asking for him. Father Germanus answered the door and the boy handed him a letter from Gemma, and ubruptly turned and left without saying a word. Who was the boy and how could Gemma have known that he was visiting at Corneto? He opened the letter and immediately realized that God answered his prayer as to the authenticity of these "angelic" deliveries. On most other occasions when these "angelic letter deliveries" occurred, Father Germanus would simply find Gemma's unstamped letter on his desk when he arrived in his office. After Gemma’s death, he wrote: “I always received the angelic letters faithfully. The fact is unusual … I confess I do not understand it at all....To how many tests did I not I submit this singular phenomenon in order to convince myself that it took place through a supernatural intervention! And yet none of my tests ever failed; and thus I was convinced again and again that in this, like in many other extraordinary things in her life, Heaven was delighted in amusing itself, as it were, with this innocent and dear maiden.” Her Guardian angel corrects her Father Germanus writes "When necessary, her guardian Angel knew how to show severity. She one day told me this in the following words "My Angel is a little severe, but I am glad of it. During the last few days, he corrected me as often as three or four times a day". Gemma writes "Yesterday while at table I raised my eyes and saw my Angel looking at me with frightening severity. Later, when I went to my room, Oh my God, how angry he was! I looked at him, but lowered my eyes immediately. He said "Are you not ashamed to commit such faults in my presence?" He cast such severe looks at me! And I did nothing but cry and recommend myself to my God and to my Blessed Mother, that they might take me away, because I could not bear it much longer. Every now and then he repeated "I am ashamed of you." I prayed also that others might not see him so angry; for if they did, no one would come near me....I did not have courage to say a word to him, for whenever I raised my eyes, he was looking at me severely.... Yesterday evening I found it impossible to sleep, and at last at about 2:00am I saw him approach. He put his hand on my forehead saying "Sleep my poor child", then he disappeared." Her love for her guardian angel Her spiritual director Father Gemanus writes- "Gemma, seeing the great charity her angel lavished upon her, loved her angel immensely, and his name was always on her tongue as well as in her heart." ‘Dear Angel’ she would say ‘I love you so!’ ‘And why’ the Angel asked. ‘Because you teach me how to be good, and to keep humble, and to please Jesus'." Compiled from various sources including "The Autobiography of St Gemma Galgani" , and also "Gemma Galgani -A Child of the Passion" by Philip Coghlan CP, and also "The Life of Saint Gemma Galgani" by Venerable Father Germanus C.P. "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!" ".....Can You see that as soon as the day breaks I think of You? As evening comes, I am near You.....I am near You at every moment.......I love You, Jesus....." -St Gemma Galgani -June, 1902
I love this Padraig. Especially our dear God making you feel like you are chasing a mouse. Awesome when you feel you have momentarily caught Him. My favourite description for our beloved Jesus is when He said in the Gospel, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem how many times have I longed to gather you under My wings like a mother hen; but you would not." This absolutely took my legs, and to this day, I love to ask Jesus to hide me under His wing. I love to think about the soft feathers under a mother hens wing to snuggle up to. And no matter the storm around us, it feels so safe and warm and loved. Stay hidden when evil abounds under the wing of our most lovable, adorable, doting God and Saviour. It is simply awesome. Just last Sunday we attended a Divine Mercy devotion in a Church near here. The Priest decided to bring to our attention the gift God offers us when He covers us with His Precious Blood. After the Chaplet while the Priest was wearing the cloak he wears for Benediction, he asked us to come up one at a time, where he placed the cloak around us; Yes, he took the cloak off and put it on each of us in turn. We were able to kneel right in front of Eucharistic Jesus in the Monstrance and thank Him. For me it felt like Jesus had given me a hug. I felt like Jesus had put me under His mighty wing. I am still dancing with joy interiorly. God bless this Priest. Our awesome Thrice Holy, Mighty perfect God, goes to the ends of the earth to find ways to get our attention. And He is all love and beauty and joy. For you it is a mouse just now, for me it is a chicken and has been since the day I heard the Gospel where Jesus said this. Our God has a great sense of humour. Bless Him. Praised be our Most Holy God.
Isn't it wonderful Julia how the Holy Scripture picks one piece of Scripture and causes His light to shine on it sometimes for our whole lives. It is as though God had written a line specially for ourself. One story I remember about Adoration is what happened to the Diocese of Los Angeles a few years back. Things were very bad there in all kinds of levels, crime , drug taking and within the Church itself. They started Eucharistic Adoration and it changed the entire city. So much so that there was a revival of Adoration right across the USA and the world in a similar was it spread in Paris and France in the 1800's. Sometimes I get so hungry for Church but they are all closed in the evening . But then I remember that God is in the Tabernacle of my heart.and I recall the Great Jewish Prayer , the Shema.
"Father, be quite content, for now I have given myself entirely into God's hands; I have surrendered myself totally to His Divine Will. I seek Jesus, but only that He may hep me to do His most Holy Will. So, also, I have learned another thing: in my spirit I no longer go seeking or thinking, and I live in silence and peace of heart. Oh, what great joy there is in remaining totally united to His Most Holy Will! His pleasure only; that is enough." (from The Life of St. Gemma Galgani, Chapter 22, by her Spiritual Director Ven. Fr. Germanus) St. Gemma - another exemplar of living in the Divine Will.
Though I fall far short, to...no longer go seeking or thinking, and [to] live in silence and peace of heart would bring me great joy. Safe in His Most Holy Will!
