DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL Upon a darkened night the flame of love was burning in my breast (St John of the Cross) FATIMA I have a fire in my chest but it doesn’t burn me. (St Jacinta Marto) A HEART ON FIRE WITH THE LOVE OF GOD “For the last eight days I have felt something mysterious in the area of my heart that I cannot understand. The first couple of days I disregarded it, because it gave me only a little trouble. But today is the third day, and this fire has increased, oh so much, as to be almost unbearable. I should need ice to put it out, and it hinders my eating and sleeping. It is a mysterious fire that comes from within, then goes to the outside. It is, however, a fire that does not torment me, rather it delights me, but it also exhausts and consumes me……Jesus, Father, will make you understand everything about it. Great God, how I love You! Oh, how love You!”. (St Gemma Galgani) Let us all desire the grace of a heart fired with love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. You are on fire Oh Lord, and I burn. Oh pain, oh infinitely happy love! Oh sweet fire! Oh sweet flames! And would You wish my heart to become a flame? Oh, I have found the flame that destroys and reduces to ashes! Cease, cease, I cannot withdraw my heart from so much fire. What am I saying…No; rather come Jesus! I will open my heart to You; put Thy Divine fire into it. You are a flame, and let my heart be turned into a flame!....Come then, Oh Jesus! Your heart is a flame and you wish mine to be turned into a flame as well....Jesus, I feel I must die when you are throbbing so in my heart.” (St Gemma)
Our Lady to Sister Josefa Menendez suggesting a prayer to say upon receiving Holy Communion: "oh my Beloved Who art also my God make my heart a flame of pure love for Thee."
