He and I - a conversation between Jesus & Gabrielle Bossis

Imprimatur Msgr. Jean-Marie Fortier, Archbishop Sherbrooke, November 14, 1969

Jesus speaking to Gabrielle Bossis:

"Yes, I am Truth. Sin is falsehood, error, darkness. Every form of goodness is truth: the desire for good, work for justice. . ." (January 13, 1944)

 "If you knew what the love of God is, it would be impossible for you not to abandon everything to Him and let yourself be lost to Him." (June 22, 1944)

"If you suffer, I am there to suffer with you. And this is my cross again-- this suffering in your suffering. Share it with Me, for everything depends on oneness. And if you believe in My love, suffering will be sweet to you." (June 28, 1944)

"I need each one of you as though you were the only person in the world, as though the cosmos had been created for you alone, and My love is greater than the cosmos. So let this thought be a strength to you and your smiling calm." (March 6, 1947)


Gabrielle: "Lord, I rack my brains to find ways of loving You and I don't succeed."
Jesus: "I am all simplicity. Love Me simply. When you think about Me, feeling sorry at not being able to do better, you love Me. When you act rather from duty than inclination, you love Me. When you belittle yourself in our own eyes and before others, you love Me. When you want to pray and you deplore the distracts that make your thoughts wander, you love Me. When you hunt for words without being able to express your desires, you love Me. When you forgive a wounding remark; when you give pleasure for the sake of giving Me pleasure; when you cease to think of yourself in order to reach Me; when you attempt to leave everything as though it were the day of your death; when in your thought you join the angels and saints, like one who arrives ahead of time; and when , in the evening you welcome your tomorrow morning that will unite us, you love Me.  It's all different from what you thought you ought to do in order to love Me. Oh, My little girl, simplify yourself sweetly in My Presence, your wide-awake. You know very well that I Am always there." (September 9, 1948)

The Great Exchange

One dark night,

fired with love's urgent longings

- ah, the sheer grace! - 

I went out unseen,

my house being now all stilled.

 In darkness, and secure,

by the secret ladder, disguised,

- ah, the sheer grace! - 

in darkness and concealment,

my house being now all stilled.

On that glad night,

in secret, for no one saw me,

nor did I look at anything,

with no other light or guide

than the one that burned in my heart.

This guided me

more surely than the light of noon

to where he was awaiting me

- him I knew so well - 

there in a place where no one appeared.

O guiding night!

O night more lovely than the dawn!

O night that has united

the Lover with his beloved,

transforming the beloved in her Lover.

Upon my flowering breast

which I kept wholly for him alone,

there he lay sleeping,

and I caressing him

there in a breeze from the fanning cedars.

When the breeze blew from the turret,

as I parted his hair,

it wounded my neck

with its gentle hand,

suspending all my senses.

I abandoned and forgot myself,

laying my face on my Beloved;

all things ceased; I went out from myself,

leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies.

Right now,  I am reading the "Dark Night of the Soul" by St. John of the Cross and discussing it with a friend.  Not knowing much about St. John, I did some research on EWTN's website and found a beautiful series on him by Fr. Thomas Dubay called "The Great Exchange".  I highly recommend his section on disordered attachment.

Also, Leonardo Defillips provides on EWTN a one man musical dramatization of The Life of St. John of the Cross that is worth listening to if you are interested in a more vivid account.

For a written biography on St. John, Ethereal Classics provides a clear account of his life.

Series: The Great Exchange

1. Introduction
2. The Personality of St. John
3. The Experience of God
4. Experiences of God
5. The Great Exchange
6. Disordered Attachments
7. Effects of Disordered Attachments
8. Creation and Christian Contemplation
9. Infused Contemplation
10. The Two Nights
11.The Transforming Union
12.The Transforming Union Continued
13. San Juanist Gems

Spiritual Journey by Fr. Groeschel

Fr. Groeschel describes the spiritual life as a journey to Union with God. He says that no step can be skipped. He challenged me to consider what step I am at.  I think it is important to remember that the spiritual life is a journey.  It is so easy just to rest and not move forward. I think, "I am doing well enough", but this is just an excuse...

Union with God as described by Fr. Groeschel (from EWTN's Audio Archive):

1. The Awakening
2. Growing in Virtue
3. Mature Faith
4. Trust in God
5. Illuminative Way
6. Love of God
7. The Dark Night
8. Union With God

I quoted this earlier this year, but it is relevant every day:

"Many walk for a while in the path of virtue but then are satisfied with the distance they have gone. But grace never says: "Enough!" Others think that they are doing a great deal if they do not slip into evil. Yet that is not enough; for the good man must strive daily to become better. Many a Christian will be surprised on the day of judgment to see himself heavily in debt to God's justice because he did not make use of the great means given him for becoming a great saint! On the path of virtue, not to advance is to go backwards; not to gain is to lose." - The Imitation of Mary