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Full Description
Gertrud the Great (1256-1302) entered the monastery of Helfta in eastern Germany as a child oblate. At the age of twenty-five she underwent a conversion that led to a series of visionary experiences. These centered on "the divine loving-kindness," which she perceived as expressed through and symbolized by Christ's divine Heart. Some of these experiences she recorded in Latin "with her own hand," in what became book 2 of The Herald of God's Loving-Kindness.
Books 1, 3, 4, and 5 were written down by another nun, a close confidant of the saint, now often known as "Sister N." Book 5 details the sickness, deaths, and afterlife fates of various Helfta nuns, novices, and lay brothers, as witnessed by Gertrud in her visions. It also describes Gertrud's preparations for her own death and her predictive visions of her ultimate glorification in heaven. The Herald concludes with Sister N.'s personal account of her presentation of the whole book to the Lord at Mass, the welcome he gave it, and the privileges he attached to it.
The Book of Special Grace, which mainly records the visions of Mechtild of Hackeborn, was probably compiled by Gertrud herself with the help of Sister N. Parts 6 and 7 recount the deaths of the abbess Gertrud and of Mechtild, her younger sister. As many passages overlap, sometimes verbatim, with corresponding chapters in book 5 of The Herald, a translation has been included for purposes of comparison.
Contents
CONTENTS
List of Abbreviations xi
Introduction xiii
THE HERALD OF GOD'S LOVING-KINDNESS
Prologue 3
Chapter 1: The Glorious Death of the Reverend Lady G, Abbess, of Sweetest Memory 5
Chapter 2: The Soul of E., Compared to a Lily by the Lord 29
Chapter 3: The Soul of G., Who Was Devoted to the Blessed Virgin 31
Chapter 4: The Blessed Death of Mechtild the Chantress of Pious Memory 37
Chapter 5: The Souls of the Sisters M. and E. 53
Chapter 6: The Soul of S., Whose Place in the Lord's Bosom Was Predicted 57
Chapter 7: The Happy Death of M of Blessed Memory 61
Chapter 8: The Soul of M., Who Was Helped by the Prayers of Her Friends 65
Chapter 9: The Souls of G. and S., on Whom the Lord Conferred Similar Blessings 69
Chapter 10: S., Who Died with a Burning Desire 75
Chapter 11: The Soul of Brother S., Who Was Consoled at His Death for His Kindliness 79
Chapter 12: The Soul of Brother H., Who Was Rewarded for His Loyalty 81
Chapter 13: The Soul of Brother John, Who Was Raised Up for His Faithful Labors 85
Chapter 14: The Soul of Brother Th, Who Gave Thanks for His Blessings 87
Chapter 15: How Devout Prayer Helped the Soul of Brother F. 89
Chapter 16: A Soul Aided by the Suffrages of the Church Through Her Prayers 91
Chapter 17: The Liberation of the Souls of Relatives of the Community 95
Chapter 18: The Power of the Great Psalter 97
Chapter 19: A Soul Helped by the Great Psalter 99
Chapter 20: That a Reward, Offered Up, Is Increased 103
Chapter 21: The Reward of a Good Will 105
Chapter 22: The Punishment of Disobedient Murmurers 107
Chapter 23: How Her Desire for Death Was Incited 111
Chapter 24: Preparation for Her Final Journey 115
Chapter 25: Love's Arrow 117
Chapter 26: Keeping Safe the Soul's Preparations 119
Chapter 27: Her Death Anticipated 121
Chapter 28: Consolation by the Lord and the Saints 129
Chapter 29: Firm Promises and Privileges Bestowed by the Lord 131
Chapter 30: Sweet Repose 135
Chapter 31: Recompense Offered the Virgin Mary 141
Chapter 32: Her Death Foreshadowed 143
Chapter 33: The Commendation of This Book 149
Chapter 34: The Acceptability of This Book 151
Chapter 35: The Offering of This Book 153
Chapter 36: Conclusion 155
The Mass Personally Sung in Heaven by the Lord Jesus for a Certain Virgin Called Trutta While She Was Still Alive 157
THE BOOK OF SPECIAL GRACE, PART SIX
Chapter 1: The Life and Death of the Venerable Lady Abbess Gertrud 171
Chapter 2: The Service of Twelve Angels 177
Chapter 3: That Christ Stood Proxy for Her 179
Chapter 4: Her Happy Passing 183
Chapter 5: The Same Subject Continued 185
Chapter 6: The Hour of Her Most Happy Passing 187
Chapter 7: The Greetings Given That Most Blessed Soul 191
Chapter 7A: On Her Sister's Soul, and That the Souls of the Blessed Offer to God All the Words Recited for Them 193
Chapter 7B: Her Sister's Soul , and That Human Desire Lives on after Death 195
Chapter 8: A Vision of Her on Her Month's Mind 197
Chapter 9: The Anniversary of the Same Lady Abbess 201
THE BOOK OF SPECIAL GRACE, PART SEVEN
Chapter 1: The Last Days of the Blessed Sister Mechtild, Glorious Virgin, Nun at Helfta 207
Chapter 2: Her Summoning by the Lord Jesus Christ 209
Chapter 3: She Is Divinely Warned to Be Anointed 211
Chapter 4: Each of the Saints Gave Her All the Fruitfulness of Their Rewards When She Was Anointed 213
Chapter 5: Her Devout Intention and Her Huge and Fervent Desire for All 217
Chapter 6: That the Blessed Virgin Mary Accepted from Her the Care of the Community, Entrusted Into Her Hands 219
Chapter 7: The Prayers Recited by the Sisters at the Sick Woman's Bed 221
Chapter 8: Christ Greets That Blessed Soul in an Inconceivable Way 225
Chapter 9: The Holy Trinity and the Saints Greet Her Soul 229
Chapter 10: Drawing Her with His Breath, in a Wonderful Way Jesus Christ Makes That Soul Fit for Future Glory 231
Chapter 11: Her Flight and Her Welcome Within the Divine Heart 233
Chapter 12: The Saints' Joy and the Increase of Their Merit 235
Chapter 13: How to Pray to God Through the Merits of This Virgin 237
Chapter 14: The Utility of Offering Christ's Merits and Those of the Saints for Souls at the Offertory 239
Chapter 15: No Christian Soul Entered Hell on the Day of Her Passing 241
Chapter 16: God's Praise Should Be Sought above All Things and Rendered with Single-Minded Intention 243
Chapter 17: The Name of This Book, That Is, "Of Special Grace," and Its Utility 247
Chapter 18: An Assurance for Those Celebrating Her Funeral Rites 249
Chapter 19: Our Lord Jesus Christ Loves His Own and Chastises Them 251
Chapter 20: The Blessed Soul of Count B Our Founder 253
Chapter 21: God's Extraordinary Love for the Soul of Blessed Sister Mechtild 257
Chapter 22: This Soul to Some Extent Compared to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Her Virtues 259
Scriptural Index 261
