St. Gemma Galgani: How to Love Jesus
A Biography of St. Gemma Galgani
St. Gemma was one of seven children born to the Galgani family in Camigliano in Lucca in the Tuscany region on March 12, 1878. Her parents were Henry Galgani, a well to do chemist, and her mom, Aurelia Landi; both parents were very good catholics. Aurelia was overjoyed when she gave birth to Gemma because she was a girl. For her Gemma would be the little companion that her mom was wanting to receive from Jesus. However Aurelia became ill with turberculosis and understood that Jesus was going to take her to heaven. And, since she would be unable to enjoy her little companion on earth, she wished to take her to heaven with her. She related many stories about heaven and Jesus to Gemma, and taught her many prayers. Gemma being at an early age, and knowing that her mom was going to die and go to heaven, she wanted not to be separated from her. Aurelia was in the final phase of her illness, when Gemma’s was making her confirmation on May 26, 1885 when she was seven. It was at this time that Jesus spoke to Gemma for the first time and said: “Are you willing to give your mother to me?” Gemma said “yes if you will take me too.” Jesus said “no, you must give me your mother willingly, and you must remain with your father for the present time. I am going to take your mother to heaven do you understand? Do you give me your mother willingly? Gemma felt that she was forced to give her consent and this added to her sorrow. Because of Gemma’s excessive grief, her father was worried that he was going to loose both his wife and daughter and thought that Gemma should live with her aunt and uncle temporarily. Gemma’s mom died in September of that year.
There was something about Gemma that those who were in charge of her, could not resist having a special affection for her. She was the favorite of her Father, and he was not ashamed to make this announcement to the entire family which cause Gemma much distress. When her Father came home from work, the first thing he would say is “Where is Gemma?” He liked to spend much time with Gemma and he, trying to show natural affection by giving her a kiss, was immediately turned away. Henry would say, “but I am your Father!” Gemma only insisted that she did not want to be touched by anyone. It was during her stay with her aunt and uncle they also became very attached to Gemma, and plotted to keep her as one of their own children. That ended abruptly when one of her brothers surprised them with a visit and demanded that she return to her father’s house with him.
After returning home Henry arranged for Gemma to attend a school run by the sisters of St. Zita. Gemma was greatly loved in the school, especially by the other girls in her class. Her scholastic abilities were stellar and at examination time she often carried off the highes prizes. At one point she won the illustrious Gold Prize for religious knowledge. It was now time for Gemma receive her first communion in June of 1887. The sisters required, as part the preparation of her first communion, that Gemma remain at the convent with the other aspirants in her class for a 10 day retreat in preparation. Upon hearing this her father adimantly refused, but Gemma knowing how to melt her father’s heart, began to cry. While at the convent for ten days, away from her family, Gemma was in heaven. She made frequent visits to Jesus in the tabernacle in the convent’s chapel and begged him to prepare her for receiving him for the first time. Being much loved by the sisters, one of them visited her at bed time to relate details to her about Jesus’s Passion and Crucifixion. Gemma took the sister’s accounts very much to heart an began to sorrow with great compassion for Jesus in His sufferings. Her desire to comfort Jesus increased to the point where she came down with a high fever the following day. The nuns were very concerned because Gemma’s mother recently passed away from turberculosis and thus notified her Father. However the fever quickly abated and she was allowed to remain. The sister, who visited her at bed time, no longer did so for the remainder of the retreat. Jesus made Himself felt very strongly to her when she received Eucharist for the first time on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, June 19, 1887. This kindled in her heart a desire to completely unite herself to Jesus with the intention of making it permanent. Gemma attended the school for seven years, and Sisters Camilla and Giulia spoke often of Jesus’s Passion which ignited in Gemma’s heart a longing to console Jesus in His Passion.
In 1894 her brother Gino, who was very close to Gemma, fell ill to turberculosis and died in September of that year. Shortly afterward Gemma caught the disease and Henry her father, being upset at loosing Gino, begged God to take him instead. The doctor during her illness forbade her to go to school, and it was at this time that she quit school for good. Gemma recovered, and remaining at home, she spent much time in prayer, and it was at this time she began seeing her guardian angel during his many visits.
1897 was a very sorrowful year for Gemma because her father died on November 11, at age 53. Following her father’s death was a time of many trials for Gemma. When Henry died those who lived in the home, which were his seven children and two of his sisters became financially destitute. In addition to this, Gemma came down with a spinal disease that left her unable to move except without extreme pain. She was bedridden for almost a full year, and it was at this time Jesus made himself felt very strongly to her, and also she received daily visits from her angel. Gemma suffered greatly from this malady and the Sisters of Charity came at regular intervals to help care for her. Her suffering was extreme, and she began to beg Jesus to heal her. She was almost beginning to despair when one of the women who cared for her lent her a biography of Venerable Gabriel of the Dolors, which she gained much strength from. At this point also one of the Sisters of Charity gave her a novena to Venerable Margaret Mary Alacoque to say for her healing. Gemma fell in love with the small biography of Gabriel of the Dolors. But eventually the lady who lent her the biography required it back and she cried. However that night she received a dream of Venerable Gabriel of the Dolors. When she saw him for the first time she didn’t recognize him but saw that he was wearing a white Passionist Garment. After she understood who he was she remaind silent. Then Gabriel of the Dolors asked her: “Why did you cry when you had to give my biography to the woman who lent it to you? She didn’t answer, and then he said to her, “Be good and I will return soon.” But he didn’t return for many months and during this time she had no releif from her spinal disease. She was considering making a vow to become a sister of Charity, if she were to receive her healing. One night when she felt very ill, she felt a hand on her forehead, and heard a voice saying to her “Gemma, it is ok for you to make a vow, but do not vow yourself to any particular order,” and then he left his Passionist insignia, which was the badge he wore on his garment, next to her on her bed. Then he called her “My Sister” and disapeared.
Several more months had passed with no change in her deplorable condition. Then again on the evening of April of 1899 she felt a hand on her forhead and a voice asking her if she wanted to be heald, and she said yes. Then he asked her to pray with him the novena to Margaret Mary. Every evening he came for nine days to recite the prayers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to Margaret Mary Alacoque. On March 3, 1899, upon wakening Jesus came to her and embraced her and said “I give myself entirely to you, will you be entirely mine?” He also said to her, “My daughter I will be your father and she (Our Lady of Sorrows) will be your Mother.” Immediately following the vision, Gemma was able to rise up on her own weeping for joy. The entire household wept as well, and the news of her healing spread throughout Lucca.
The news of Gemma’s healing reached the ears of the Visitandines who were founded by St. Margret Mary. The nearby convent requested that Gemma visit them to give them a account of all the details. At this point in Gemma’s life, she was desiring to enter a convent because she needed a place where she could pursue her relationship with Jesus in peace. One thing lead to another and Gemma was invited to a retreat with the Visitandines with the understanding that if everything worked out she would be welcome to join the community. Since she was cured through St. Margret Mary’s intercession Gemma thought that becoming a Visitandine was in her future. Jesus tried to warn her that their lifestyle was too easy and because of that this convent wasn’t going to be good for her. The nuns encouraged Gemma with much enthusiasm, but after the retreat they kept putting her entrance off. Them finally they made it impossible for her to join by requesting that she obtain five certificates from five different physicians as proof that she was healed from her illness.
Meanwhile Gemma spent the duration of nights speaking with her gardian angel who had great wisdom concerning Jesus’s Passion and Paradise. In addition to he being a great teacher, he was an exceptional source of protection. He would remain with her all night to protect her from the devil and warned her of dangers of all kinds in advance. Gemma at his time was graced with many ecstasies when she prayed or received communion. Gemma’s Angel foiled the plans of her sister and aunts who were trying to catch her in ecstasies. Any circumstance that Gemma needed to be protected from, her angel warned her in advance which was essential for the protection of her purity. There were many instances when Her angel physically accompanied her home from church when there was no one else to assist her. It was her Angel’s job to prepared her for her great mission which was to be a sharer in the sufferings of Jesus’s Passion. As victim suffer she made restitution for sins and offenses, which obtained special graces that brought about many conversions.
The following are entries that Gemma made in 1900 in her diary relating to her Guardian Angel:
TUESDAY, AUGUST 7
Yesterday my guardian Angel promised me that in the evening I would be able to speak with Brother Gabriel. The long-awaited evening arrived. In the beginning I was sleepy, but then an agitation came over me; enough to frighten me. But since Jesus was about to grant me this consolation, either before or after the consolation, He gives me some suffering. Jesus be always blessed.
Still, in undergoing this agitation I saw no one, I mean the devil; it's just that I felt very ill, but it lasted only a short while. Quickly I calmed down; suddenly I felt completely recollected and then almost immediately it happened like usual; my head took off [into ecstacy] and I found myself with Brother Gabriel. What a consolation this was! For obedience I was not allowed to kiss his vestment and so I restrained myself. The first thing I did was ask him why he had stayed away so long without visiting me. He answered that it was my fault. Of this I was sure because I am very bad.
Oh how many beautiful things he told me about the convent, and he said them with such force that it seemed to me his eyes sparkled. On his own, without my asking he said: “Daughter, within a few months, amidst the exultation of almost all Catholics, the new convent will be founded.” “What do you mean in a few months?” I said, "there are still 13 months to go." He responded,” That's a few, and then, smiling, he turned to one side and knelt, clasped his hands, and said: “Blessed Virgin, here on earth is the undertaking for the propagation of the new institute. I beg you to make abundance the celestial gifts and favors to be showered upon all those who take part. Increase their strength; increase their zeal. It will be entirely your gift, oh Blessed Virgin.”
He talked as though Our Lady of Sorrows was standing next to him. I could see nothing, but with such force, with such expression did he say those words that I remained amazed. It seemed like his head also had taken off.
When had finished his prayer I said, "Now, should I speak about Father Germano, but he said no, because . . . I also spoke of my poor sinner for whom I had been praying, he smiled, which is always a good sign. Finally he left me, filled with consolation.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8
Now we come to this morning. A little while after leaving the confessional, thinking to myself, a thought came to me that my confessor made too little of my sins. I was disturbed. To calm me down, my guardian Angel approached. I was in church and he said these words out loud: "But tell me, who do you want to believe, your confessor or your mind?” “Your confessor, who has continuous light and assistance, and who is highly capable, or else yourself who has nothing, nothing, nothing? “Oh what pride!" “What you really want is to become teacher, guide, and director of your confessor!" he said. I did not think about this any further. I made an Act of Contrition and then went to Holy Communion.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9
Today also, after having sustained with the help of God, a battle with the enemy. A very strong one, but my guardian Angel came reproaching me with great severity saying: “Daughter, remember that in failing in any obedience, you always commit a sin. Why are you so reluctant in obeying your confessor? Remember also, there is no shorter or truer path than the one of obedience.”
So why all this today? It was my fault. I would deserve even worse, but Jesus always shows me mercy. Alas, what disgust I experience this evening! Since early morning I have felt so tired, but it's all laziness, and bad will. But still I want to overcome it, with the help of God.
It is Thursday and therefore I feel very strange. On Thursday evenings I always feel this way because: Yes, to suffer, suffer for sinners, and particularly for the poor souls in Purgatory, and in particular for . . . , and I know well why this laziness so early in the day. On other evenings it came upon me a few hours later, but today my guardian Angel told me that tonight Jesus wanted me to suffer two extra hours. At 6 pm it would begin for the souls in Purgatory, and without my confessor's permission. But usually Jesus does not mind and indeed wishes it, and therefore I am free to do it.
Around 9 pm, I began to feel a little ill. I was quick to bed and began to pray, but I had been suffering already for a while. My head ached beyond measure, and any movement I made caused me terrible distress. I suffered the extra time for Mother Maria Teresa who was in Purgatory. It was very painful but in Jesus’s company one would do anything!
FRIDAY, AUGUST 10
My guardian Angel said the previous evening that I was allowed to keep the thorns in my head until 5 pm in the afternoon on Friday. It was true, because around that time I began to recollect myself completely. I hid myself in the Franciscan church and there Jesus came to me again to remove them. I was alone the whole time. How He showed me that He loved me! He encouraged me anew to suffer, and He left me in a sea of consolation.
But I must say that many times, Thursday evenings in particular, that I am overcome with such sadness at the thought of having committed so many sins. They all come back to me, and I am ashamed of myself, and I feel afflicted, so afflicted. Even last night, a few hours earlier, this shame came over me, this grief, and I find a little peace only in that bit of suffering Jesus sends me, offering it first for sinners, and in particular for me, and then for the souls in Purgatory.
How many consolations does Jesus give me! In how many ways does he show me His love! And, if I obey, Jesus will not permit me to be in harms way. Thursday evening He promised that on the days when Mrs. Cecilia was away, He would not leave me without my guardian Angel. He gave me my Angel last night, and from then on he has not left me for even a moment.
This I have observed many times, and I have not spoken of it even with my confessor, but today I am telling everything. When I am with other people, my guardian Angel never leaves me. However, when I am with Cecilia Giannini, my Angel immediately leaves me. I mean to say that he does not show himself anymore, except to give me some warnings. The same thing happened today, he never left my side for a minute. If I have to speak, to pray, or to do something, he lets me know.
This thing so astounds me that it obliged me to ask my Angel: “How is it that when Mrs. Cecilia is with me, you never stay around?” He answered like this: “No person other than she knows how to take my place.” “Poor girl,” he added, “you are so little that you always need a guide!”
The Gift of St. Gemma’s Stigmata
It was on June 8th of 1899 after communion, that Jesus told Gemma that he was going to give her a big grace, and to prepare herself. That same day she made a general confession to her spiritual director Monsignor Volpi, and that evening she was rapt in ecstasy, and Our Heavenly Mother appeared to her and her guardian Angel. What immediately followed was that her Guardian Angel requested that she make an act of contrition. Then our Heavenly Mother said: “My son Jesus Loves you very much, and wants to give you a special grace. Do you know how to make yourself worthy of it?” Gemma didn’t know how to reply. Then Our Holy Mother said: “I will be your Mother, will you be my true daughter?” Then she put her mantle around her, and Jesus appeared with all His wounds opened and then flames of fire came from His wounds, and pierced her hands, feet, and heart. She thought that she was going to die, and her knees fell to the floor, but our heavenly Mother supported her, and kept her covered with her mantle. Our Heavenly Mother then kissed her on the forehead, and the vision disappeared. Gemma arose to lie down and notice blood flowing from wounds in on her hands, feet, and side.
The following day she put on gloves and with much difficulty made it to Holy Communion; she could barely walk because of the intense pain from the wounds in her feet. It was the feastday of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the day upon which she received Holy Commuion for the first time. The wounds healed only to reappear again on the following Thursday night at 8pm, and remain until 3pm on Friday. The phenomenon of the Passion repeated itself every week at this time, and she suffered the entire Passion and Crucifixion of Jesus our Savior and Lord.
Nothing signaled its oncoming except recollection of spirit and then an ecstasy. Then red marks showed themselves on the backs and palms of both hands. Under the epidermis, a rent in the flesh was seen to open by degrees; this was oblong on the backs of the hands and irregularly round in the palms. After a little while the membranes burst, and upon her hands were seen marks of the sacred wounds. The diameter of those in the palms was about half an inch, and on the back of the hands the wound was a little more than a half inch long. The wounds passed through the hand and the cavities filled with blood and flowed out. On her feet the wounds were larger in diameter, and they clearly showed that our Saviors feet was fixed to the cross with one large nail. The opening of all these wounds happened in about five or six minutes with tissue separating underneath the skin and then blood breaking the outer membrane. Gemma suffered greatly through the entire passion, her body trembled and convulsed intermittently from the suffering. The wound in her side was seen seldom, and only by a select few women who cared for her. Gemma suffered from this wound, not only near the surface but in the center of her heart. The opening was in the form of a half-moon and its length was two inches long, and its width at the center about a quarter of an inch. From her side there came so much blood that if it wasn’t prevented it flowed onto the floor. The blood from the wounds was a rich color like what you would see from a freshly opened wound. In addition to having the five wounds of the Crucifixion, Gemma also endured all the torments of the Passion. She endure the sweating of blood in Gethsemani, and then the scourging in which deep gashes were imprinted on her body. Many of the wounds from the scourging were one-half inch deep, and twenty-five inches long with much blood flowing out from them. Gemma also endured the Crown of Thorns, and there was seen encircling her head and on top of her head, puncture wounds from which fresh blood flowed. In the twenty hours that the stigmata lasted a very large quantity of blood flow. The bed clothing and mattress that she laid on was entirely soaked. To add to her suffering, Gemma also suffered dislocation of her joints as she hung with Jesus on the Cross.
The way in which the stigmata disappeared was also a wonderful phenomenon to witness. As soon as the ecstasy was over on Friday at 3 pm, the blood immediately ceased to flow from all the wounds. The all of the wounded flesh healed, along with the lacerations, and on the day following not a trace remained of wounds except a whitish mark where the wound was.
The following are additional entries that Gemma made to her diary in 1900:
Friday, August 24
Jesus returned to take back His Crown early saying I had already done a sufficient amount of suffering. However, I wanted to keep it because I wanted to suffer my usual number of hours. He answered: “You are still little, and this is more than enough.” I had suffered continuously for several hours, and for this Jesus gave me much consolation. At a certain point in our discussion, however, I thanked Jesus for the enlightenment He gave my confessor regarding myself. On this point my guardian Angel had tattled on Jesus. Yesterday morning my Guardian Angel told me how Father Germano was enlightened about me and now he had a change of heart. I mentioned this to Jesus without thinking, and Jesus did not know that my Guardian Angel had told me this, and made a serious face. He told me that He did not want my guardian Angel to tattle on him.
While he was speaking in this way, instead of being silent as he usually was when He became serious, I began to feel remorse. Then I began to ask: “Jesus, could you not . . .” He understood me instantly and responded: "Do not be afflicted, my daughter: we will make use of Father Germano soon enough. Do you understand?" "Yes," I answered. And then he repeated these words: "Fear not, because soon we will use him." He raised His hand goodbye and disappeared.
Later in the evening, I went to church for the usual blessing but I felt tired. In fact I truly was, but it is not as I've said many times, true tiredness; it is laziness, and a lack of desire to pray. My guardian Angel whispered in my ear that I should pray even while sitting. At first I could not give in but he insisted a second time, and so for obedience sake I remained sitting. I was pleased about this, since I was unable to stay on my knees.
Last night he also made me understand that when Jesus complains about me because I do not do my meditation, He does not mean Thursday and Friday. He means the other days of the week, because in fact it's true on those two days I never forget. I promised to be more conscientious, and he ordered me to bed, saying I was tired, and I had to sleep. I urged him to stay with me but he made no promise.
"Now then," I said to him, "run to Jesus and plead with Him because tomorrow evening I must go to confession and I need to see him"; and my Angel responded: "And if Brother Gabriel should come instead?” I answered: “That either Jesus or Brother Gabriel, would be fine, however, one way or another I need a visit. Please beg Him to concede me this grace, I need it." "Can you tell me what is it you need to say to Him?” he asked. "As for you," I responded, “Go to Jesus and tell Him everything, and then return and tell me." He nodded yes.
My Angel had spoken to me a few minutes ago about Brother Gabriel and, as always, even just hearing about him brings me so much elated joy, that I could not refrain from exclaiming: "Brother Gabriel! How long I have been awaiting him, and how much I desire to see him!" My angel replied: “It is because you have such a strong desire to see him, that Jesus does not want to satisfy you." Then, laughing, he instructed me that when Jesus came, that I should not let him know that I had such a longing, in which case Jesus would grant my wish more easily. I realized he was kidding, because I know nothing can be hidden from Jesus.
“Show indifference," he repeated, "and you will see that Jesus will send him more often." "I won't be able to do that," I said. “I will teach you. You have to talk like this to Jesus: ‘If he comes, fine, if not, it's all the same.’” And in saying this he laughed heartily.
So I also repeated the phrase, but I understood that he was having fun. He then ordered me to bed, saying I had to stay alone that night, because if he stayed I would never get to sleep, and he left.
It's true, when he is around I do not sleep. He teaches me so many things about Heaven and the night passes quickly, very quickly. But the other night it was not like that: he left me alone and we did not speak and I slept. Although I did awaken several times, but immediately he said: “Sleep, otherwise I'm going away for real.”
At one point I heard loud thunderclaps, very loud, and I was afraid. He came and made himself visible and blessed me once again and I went back to sleep.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 31
In the morning I ran to receive Holy Communion, but I could not say anything. I just remained in silence because of the pain in my head impeded me. My God, I cannot believe how much I am lacking in this! Jesus held back nothing on my behalf while I instead, in order not to suffer, avoid making even the slightest movement. What would you say about this my Jesus, of my laziness and ill will?
All morning I did nothing but rest. Day came and effortlessly I flew to Jesus. He lifted the thorns and asked if I had suffered much. "Oh, my Jesus," I exclaimed, "the suffering begins now because you go away. Yesterday and today, I took much pleasure because I felt so close to You; but from now on, until You return, it will truly be a continuous suffering for me." I implored him "Come, my Jesus, come more often: I will be good, I will always obey everyone. Make me happy, Jesus." I suffered as I spoke this way because little by little Jesus was leaving me.
Finally after a short while He left me alone, once again, in the usual state of abandonment. Toward evening I went to confession and my confessor believing that I was not feeling well because I had been suffering some, ordered me to go to bed as soon as I entered my room. He ordered me to sleep, without speaking with my guardian Angel because sometimes we would talk for hours on end. I went to bed but I could not fall asleep out of a curiosity I had. I wanted to ask my guardian Angel so many things, and I waited for him to speak on his own, but no way! All he told me was: “go to sleep,” several times. Finally I fell asleep.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
This morning on his own he awakened me early and said that today I would have an answer. “How?” I asked. “You will see,” he said, laughing.
Who would have imagined that my beloved Mother would come to see me? I wasn't even thinking about it because I believed my bad conduct wouldn't allow it; but She took pity on me and in a short time I felt recollected; following this recollection, as so often happened, my head took off. I found myself (I thought) with Our Lady of Sorrows. What happiness in those moments. How dear to pronounce the name Mamma! What sweetness I felt in my heart in those moments! Let whoever is able to, explain it. It seemed to me, after a few minutes of commotion, that She took me in her lap and made me rest my head on Her shoulder, keeping me there a while. My heart in that moment was filled with happiness and contentment; I could desire nothing more. "Do you love no one but Me?" She asked from time to time. “Oh no,” I answered, "I love someone else even more than You."
“And who is that?” She asked, pretending not to know. I said: “It's a person who is most dear to me, more than anything else. I love Him so much that I would give up my life this very instant. Because of Him I am no longer concerned about anything.” “But tell me who He is,” She asked impatiently. I responded “If You had come the evening before last, You would have seen Him remaining with me. But You see, He comes to me very rarely while I go to him every day, and I would go to Him even more often if I could. But do you know, my dear Mother, why He does this?” I said, “It is because He wants to see whether, at so great a distance I might become capable of not loving Him anymore.” “Instead, the further away He is, the more I feel drawn to him.” She repeated: “Please tell me who He is.” “No, I won't tell you,” I responded. “You should see, my dear Mamma, how His beauty resembles yours. Your hair is the same color as His.” As my Mama was holding me She said, "But, My daughter, who are you talking about?” And I exclaimed loudly: "Don't you understand? I'm talking about Jesus. About Jesus," I repeated even more loudly. She looked at me, smiling, and She hugged me tightly.” Go ahead and love Him. Love Him very much, but love only Him.” “Don't be afraid,” I said, “no one in the world shall receive my affection, only Jesus." She hugged me again and it seemed like She kissed me on the forehead; I awoke and found myself on the floor, with the crucifix nearby.
Gemma is adopted by the Giannini Family
While living at her father’s house, Gemma was unprotected from unwanted person’s who increasingly made their presence known to satisfy their curiosity regarded her Passion ecstasies. The Passionist arranged for her to meet the Giannini family who were benefactors of the Passionist order. Matthew Giannini of Lucca adopted Gemma into his family of twelve children, his wife, and sister. They provided the protection and care she needed, especially during her Passion ecstacies on Thursday’s and Fridays. Gemma was well loved, and she was like a daughter to Cecilia, the sister of Matthew. In the meantime, her new confessor Father Germano, worked dilligently, to try to get Gemma received into a Passionist convent. Gemma attemped to make arrangements to spend a retreat with the Passionist convent sisters in Corneto, but due to false information supplied to the prioress of the convent, her admittance was refused. The second option for Gemma was to wait for the completion of a convent that was in the planning stages in Lucca. However, its undertaking met several setbacks. Jesus, who was looking out for Gemma, informed her that if the convent wasn’t established in a years time that He was going to take her to Heaven. Jesus also made the suggestion that Father Germono go directly to the Pope, who was Pope Pius X at the time, for permission. Father Germano failed to moved forward with this request, and Gemma came down with a mysterious illness shortly after. She was moved into a private room in a separate building, and died on Holy Saturday, April 11, 1903. She died at age 25. The Passionist immediately claimed her as one of their own, and clothed her in their habit immediately after her death as Gemma predicted. There have been multitudes of miracles procured by her intercession.
Taking Up the Practice of How to Love Jesus
Jesus said to Gemma when He first began speaking to her that He wanted her to love Him, but she didn’t know how. Gemma, who took this seriously, went to her confessor Monsignor Volpi and asked him “How do I love Jesus.” His response to her was, “It’s like reading and writing; the more you do it the better you get.” Gemma wasn’t convinced, and took upon herself to find out. The following are some of her ideas on how to love Jesus.
In taking up the practice of learning how to love Jesus, the first thing we do is give Jesus our Heart; and this is what He is desiring of us most. What Jesus wants us to do after we give Him our heart is to take possession of Him. Though He is the King of Kings and author of all life, such a task may at first seem like an enormous undertaking, but this is something He wants and therefore He will make His capture easy. We capture the Heart of the great King by luring him in by inviting him in with the promise of much love. Once received into our heart, lavish upon him lots of love and gifts, and before long the capture will be made complete. When the Divine Lover allows us to take possession of Him, he does so with the anticipation of hearing resolutions and commitments from us. Furthermore He is expecting that we have made the decision to give ourselves to Him completely. In giving ourselves to Him in this way, He in turn gives the whole Himself to us totally, in a bond which is call espousal. Espousal is true Love with Jesus in His Love, which is permanent. What is next is for us to learn is the language of this Love, which is to please Jesus. So long as we take special care to love and please Him, we will always continue to grow in His Love. It is in sincerely desiring to please Jesus that He reveals Himself to us and we then discover how wonderful He is. The discovery that we will make is that He is genuine and sincere in His kindness, understanding, forgiveness, patience, and every other positive characteristic that makes a person lovable. He is surprisingly humble and will often times deal with us on our level; and our cares and difficulties are a matter of concern to Him. Our Love in comparison to His love is small, weak, and fault-ridden, but this doesn’t bother Him. What He holds in high esteem is that He is in relationship with a passionate and courageous lover.
What Jesus doesn’t want is for us to share our hearts with anything else. He is possessive and perhaps even jealous; and He wants all the love that comes from our heart. However, He is willing to work with us, but we must work toward forsaking all the other “loves” in our life. He wants to be the only person, place, or thing of our desire. In this regard what Jesus doesn’t like to hear from us is that “I will do the best that I can.” What he really wants to hear is: “With my love I am going to make you very happy.” Furthermore what Jesus loves is that we have fallen in love with everything he ever said, and all His works. And in addition to this, we must strongly abhor what He hates which is sin. When Jesus and His love abides in our heart, the fruit of our love is that we will tell Him many times a each day that we love Him. He thoroughly delights and anticipates the love that comes from our heart, and each of His children has a love that is unique and specific. He wants to receive a copious amount of love from us, and especially love that is to be lavished upon Him Crucified. Remember that when He was on the Cross, this was the time that he was most rejected, and abandoned. A visit with Him at this time with an outpouring of our love, He never forgets. If Jesus, seems to be “in hiding,” in your relationship with Him practice loving Him in this way, and he will soon make Himself known. Those who take up the practice of How to Love Jesus can enjoy access to His Sacred Heart, the lock to the door of which He breaks Himself in the Immaculate Heart of Mary for his children who love Him. Here are some of Gemma’s maxims to live by:
Making Ourselves Irresistible to Jesus
To make ourselves irresistible to Jesus can be best understood by first understanding what it is about our Precious Mother that makes Him love Her so much. And, upon encountering our Precious Mother, we need not go too far into a relationship with Her when we discover Her Love. What make’s Mary’s love beautiful is that it pours forth from a Heart of a person who is the culmination of every perfect virtue. Furthermore, Her Love has a beauty, that originates from the beauty of the Person of Mary, where there are no created things beautiful enough to compare it to. Her love far exceeds every beautiful thing in our earthly existence. The Love from her heart is the culmination of everything that is beautiful in Jesus’s Love, which has the richness of the most prodigious beauty that comes from paradise alone. These are the reasons why Jesus Loves His mother so much. As children of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which is the Cathedral of Love, we live our lives from within Mary’s Heart. We begin by placing ourselves there and take up this devotion that ensures that we remain always in Her Heart. The longer we remain in the Immaculate Heart of Mary the more we will be formed by the Immaculate Heart of Mary and our Precious Mother’s Love. This is a wonderful place for Jesus to fall in love with us. We, as her children, imitate Our Precious Mother in virtue and then while remaining within her heart, our hearts become saturated by Our Mother’s Beautiful Love. Her Love is Herself in us which makes us irresistible to Jesus. This special sign of Her Love in us is so irresistible to Jesus that he is willing to break all the rules for any individual, at His mother’s request, just to receive love from that child. Furthermore, while living in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we love Jesus with a Love that is most familiar to Him and most adored by Him. There is no better way to love Jesus than with His Mother’s Love, this is why choosing a life within Mary’s Heart is to our great advantage. Furthermore for any individual to live full-time in Our Mother’s Precious Love there isn’t anything more wonderful on this side of Heaven.
A Prayer to St. Gemma for Her Intercession
My dearest St. Gemma
You became what you adored,
and whos life became,
the loveliest expression of Jesus’s Love;
an innocent Virgin,
with a heart full of His Divine Love,
willing to suffer the torments of His Passion,
so that no one will be left out,
from the ineffable Life in Jesus’s Love,
in the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
where the Joys of Heaven abound.
My dearest Gemma,
who has great sway with the Heart of Jesus,
I ask you to make certain
that I not remain unchanged and disaffiliated.
Obtain for me the grace to surrender,
my whole life and heart to Jesus,
and be at my side in Jesus’s Love,
as my intercessor,
to make Jesus’s Love known and felt in my heart.
And, I promise to make His Life and Love,
an uninterrupted pursuit of my life,
so that together we may experience,
the joys of Heaven with Jesus and His Mother,
In the Cathedral of Love. Amen.
Presenting Sufferings to Jesus through St. Gemma
My dearest St. Gemma,
I approach your Golden Heart of Divine Love,
with my offering of suffering,
for you to present to Jesus.
In addition to your heart being Golden,
because of the torrent of graces,
obtained through suffering the Passion,
it is beautifully predisposed to compassionate love,
to satisfy the sufferings of Jesus’s Most Sacred Heart.
Gemma I ask that with your Heart of Gold,
to make a special gift of my suffering to Jesus,
that will bring comfort and consolation,
to His Heart so afflicted with sorrow.
Furthermore, my most dear Gemma,
ask Jesus on my behalf for the favor of .
I join the exalted love in my heart,
to yours for Jesus and His Precious Mother
so that they may be forever praised,
In the Cathedral of Love. Amen.