From the writings of Sister Josefa Menendez...

MADELINE SOPHIE BARAT

Words of Saint Madeleine Sophie 

10th June 1923

Daughter, I have come today to tell you how to love, so that love may find no opposition in you.

The basis of love is humility; for it is often necessary to submit and sacrifice our likes and dislikes, our comfort and our self love if we wish to give proof of true love and this act of submission is none other than one of humility, for it is abnegation, self denial, generosity and adoration in one.

In fact to prove this love in something that costs us very much we have to think in this way. 'If it were not for Thee O My God I would not do it. But as it is for Thee, I cannot say no; so I must obey. I do not know why He asks it, but He knows. And, so because of love we humble ourselves and with submission do what we do not understand and do not like, unless with a supernatural love and solely because it is the Will of God.

Daughter, it is by loving that you will change interior resistance and any difficulties that occur into love that is humble, strong and generous. Let them be an act of perpetual adoration of the One Lord and God Who is Master of all souls. Never resist, never question, never falter. Do what He asks of you; say what He wants you to say, without fear or vacillation or omission. He is all Holy and Wisdom itself; Master and Lord and Love. Adieu my child.

10-14th June 1923

Josefa is afraid how she should speak to the Bishop

Jesus:  Why are you afraid? Do you not know that I love you and am watching over you? It is all for souls. They must know Me...they must love Me more.

Children ought to make their Father known. You are My well beloved daughters, specially chosen, that through you I may be revealed and that My Heart maybe glorified. You need not fear, for I am strong and will make you strong. I am Love and will sustain you.

I am Love! My Heart can no longer contain Its devouring flames. I love souls so dearly that I have sacrificed My life for them.

It is that Love that keeps Me a prisoner in the Tabernacle. For nearly 20 centuries I have dwelt there; night and day, veiled under the species of Bread and concealed in the small white Host, bearing through love, neglect, solitude, contempt, blasphemies, outrages, sacrileges....

For love of souls, I instituted the Sacrament of Penance, that I might forgive them, not once or twice, but as often as they need to recover grace. There I wait for them, longing to wash away their sins, not in water, but in Blood.

How often in the course of the ages have I, in one way or another made known My Love for men; I have shown them ardently I desire their salvation. I have revealed My Heart to them. This devotion has been a light cast over the whole earth, and today is a powerful means of gaining souls and so of extending My Kingdom

Now, I want something more, for if I long for the love in response to My own, this is not the only return I desire from souls. I want them all to have confidence in My Mercy, to expect all from My clemency and never to doubt My readiness to forgive.

I am God, but a God of love! I am a Father but a Father full of compassion and never harsh. My Heart is infinitely Holy but also Infinitely wise, and knowing human frailty and infirmity stoops to poor sinners with Infinite Mercy.

I love those who after a first fall come to Me for pardon...I love them still more when they beg pardon for their second sin, and should this happen again, I do not say a million times but a million million times, I still love them and pardon them, and I will wash in My Blood their last as fully as their first sin.

Never shall I weary of repentant sinners, nor cease from hoping for their return, and the greater their distress, the greater My welcome. Does not a father love a sick child with special affection? Are not his care and solicitude greater? So is the tenderness and compassion of My Heart more abundant for sinners than for the just.

This is what I wish all to know. I will teach sinners that the Mercy of My Heart is inexhaustible. Let the callous and indifferent know that My Heart is a fire which will enkindle them, because I love them. To devout and saintly souls I would be the way, that making great strides in perfection, they may safely reach the harbor of eternal beatitude. Lastly, of consecrated souls, priest and religious, My elect and chosen ones, I ask once more, all their love and that they should not doubt Mine, but above all that they should trust Me and never doubt My Mercy. It is so easy to trust completely in My Heart!

12 the June 1923

I want to forgive. I want to reign over souls and pardon all nations. I want to rule souls, nations, the whole world. My peace must be extended over the entire universe, but in a special way over this dear country where devotion to My Heart just took root. O that I myself be its peace, its life and, its Kings. I am wisdom and Beatitude! I am Love and Mercy! I am peace. I shall reign! I will shower my mercies on the world to wipe out its ingratitude. To make reparation for its crimes, I will choose victims who will obtain pardon....for there are in the world many whose desire is to please Me....and there are moreover generous souls who will sacrifice everything they possess, that I use them according to My Will and good pleasure. My reign will be one of peace and love and I shall inaugurate it by Compassion on all: such is the end I have in view and this is the great works of My Love.

I have chosen you (Josefa) as a useless and incapable being so that it may be clearly I who speak, who ask, who sit.

My appeal is addressed to all: to those consecrated in religion and to those living in the world, to the good and to the sinners, to the learned and to the illiterate, to those in authority and to those who obey. To each of them I come to say: If you seek happiness you will find it in Me. If riches, I am infinite wealth. If you desire peace, in Me alone is peace to be found. I am Mercy and Love! and I must be sovereign King...

Let him (the Bishop) not be surprised at the kind of  instruments I use, for My power is Infinite and self sufficient. Let him trust Me. I will bless his undertakings.

And now Josefa I shall begin to to speak direct to the world, and I desire that My words be known after your death. As regards to yourself you will live in the most complete and the deepest obscurity, and because I have chosen you as My victim you will suffer, and overwhelmed with pain, you will die! Do not look for rest or alleviation; you will find none, for so have I despaired of things. But My love will uphold you and never shall fail you. (A Note-This death foretold by Our Lord did take place-Sr Josefa died in absolute agony-but praising God)

All My longing is to set souls on fire, those of the entire world. Alas they turn from the flame, but I shall triumph, they will be Mine and I shall be their King. Suffer with Me, that the world may know Me. It is by suffering love will triumph.

13th June 1923

Message for all mankind

"Mankind must know Me. I want man to know my love. Do they know what I have done for them?

"A Father had an only Son. They were rich and powerful, served by devoted retainers and surrounded by all that makes for honour, comfort and pleasure in life, and nothing neither person nor thing was wanting to their good fortune. The Son was all in all the father, and the Father to the Son, and in each found in the other perfect contentment, thought not so as to exclude others, for such noble and generous hearts felt sympathy for anyone in distress, however slight it might be.

Now it came to pass that on of the servants of the good Masterfell ill, and as the danger increased, the only hope of saving her life lay in the application of powerfuremedies and most careful nursing.

But this servant lay at his poor and lonely home. At which the master felt alarm for if left deserted, the man would certainly due, what was to be done? True, a fellow servant could be sent to Minister to him but such service done for gain rather gave no assurance against possible neglect. So moved with compassion the master called his son, and told him of his anxiety. He explained how near death the poor man was and that the most unremitting cave alone could save him.

Like father, Like son! The offer to go Himself to succour the dying man is made at once. He will spare neither trouble, health is firmly reastablished.

The father accepts his son's offer, and willingly allows him to take on the likeness of a servant, that he may serve him who is his slave.

Many months go by, months of anxious watching by the sick bed, till at length health is restored, for nothing has been spared that could not only cure his sickness, but also ensure his complete well-being. And what of the servant? With a heart overflowing with gratitude, he asks what he can do in return for such marvelous charity.

'Go' he said 'seek out My father and with restored health offer yourself to become his most faithful servant in return for his liberality.

Overwhelmed by his obligations, the man stands in humble gratitude before his benefactor and proffers his services gratis; forever. What need has he of remuneration from such a master, who has treated him not as a servant but as a son.

This parable is but a pale image of the love I bear to mankind and of the loving return I look for from them. I will explain it so all men may know My Heart.

"Help Me Josefa: Help Me to let men know how I love them! For this am I come, that they may know that they may never find true happiness except in Me... Suffer Josefa and love, for we two are out to conquer souls.

14th June 1923

Humble yourself to the very ground. Adore your God, to make reparation for the contempt and offenses He receives from the greater part of mankind...Love Him, to make up for their ingratitude. And now write....

Jesus explains the parable

God created man out of pure Love. He placed Him on the earth in circumstances that ensured his happiness until the day of eternal bliss should dawn for him. But to have a right to such felicity he is bound to keep the sweet and wise laws laid down by his Maker.

Man unfaithful to this law, fell greviously sick: Sin was committed by our first parents, and all mankind, their descendants contracted this guilt and lost their right to the perfect beatitude promised them by God; and pain, suffering and death became their lot.

Now God, in perfect bliss, has no need of man or of his services.He is sufficent unto Himself. Infinite is His Glory and nothing can diminish it.

Infinite in power, He is also Infinite in goodness; hence He will not allow man, created out of Love, to perish; instead He met the grave evil of sin with a remedy Infinite in price.

One of the Divine Persons of the Blessed Trinity, assuming human nature, will repair in a godlike manner the evil of the fall.

The Father gives His son, the son sacrifices His glory. He comes to earth not as an all powerful Lord and Master, but in poverty as a servant and as a child. The life He led is known to you all. You know how from the first moment of the Incarnation I submitted to all human afflictions. In My childhood I endured cold, hunger, poverty and persecution.

In My life of labour, how often humiliation and contempt were meted out to the carpenter's son. How often after a hard day's work we, My foster father and I found that we had earned hardly sufficient to support us...and this I continued for thirty long years.Then, foregoing the sweet company of My Mother, I devoted Myself to the task of making My Father known. I went about teaching men that God is Love.

I went about doing good to bodies as well as souls; to the sick I gave back their health; the dead I raised to life; and to souls?

Ah! to souls I restored liberty...that liberty which they had lost through sin..,and I opened to them the gates of their everlasting home, heaven.

Then came the hour when to win salvation for them the Son of God willed to surrender life itself.

And how did He die! Was He surrounded by friends? Acclaimed as a benefactor? Blessed ones, you know that the son of God did not will to die thus. He who had preached nothing but love was the victim of hatred.....He who had brought peace to the world was treated most cruelly. He who came to bring men freedom was imprisoned, bound, ill-used, calumniated, and finally died on a Cross between two thieves condemned, abandoned, abject and despoiled of everything.

It was thus He surrendered Himself for mans salvation. It was thus He accomplished the work for which He had voluntarily left His Father's glory. Man was sick and wounded and the Son of God came down to him. He not only restored fallen man to life, but earned for  him both strength and power to acquire in this life the treasures of eternal beatitude.  

And what was man's response? Did he, like the grateful servant offer his minutrations gratis..and renounce any other but His Master's interests?

16th June 1923

Behold this Heart; It is that of a Father, and is consumed with Love for His sons; would that they knew it!

Some have truly known Me, and urged by love, have ardently desired to make an ardent sacrifice of themselves to My service, which is that of My Father. They begged to be told the greatest thing they could do for Him, and My Father answered thus: 'Leave your home, give up your possessions and having surrendered self, come follow Me, and do whatever I tell you.'

Others moved by all that the Son of God had done for their salvation, offered themselves to Him, endeavouring with good will to make a return for His goodness, by working for His interests, but without entire reunciation of their own.

To these My Father says: 'Observe the law which the Lord your God has given you. Keep His Commandments, and erring neither to the left nor right, live in the peace which belongs to faithful servants.

There are others again who have little understanding of God's great Love, yet they have an upright will and live under the law, but without love.

These servants have not volunteered to carry out all God's orders. Yet. a slight indication of His will is often enough to enlist their service, since they are men of good will.

There are yet others who submit to their God, not so much through love as through self interest, and only fulfill the law as is far as is necessary to ensure their salvation

Yet, do all men offer God their service? Are there any who through ignorance of the great love of which they are the object, make no response to all that the Son of God as suffered for them?

Alas! There are many who know and despise it. ..but a far greater number are entirely ignorant of it.

I will speak in the first place to those who do not know Me. My sons who from infancy have lived apart from your Father, come, I will tell you why you do not know Me...for once you realize the affection I bear you, you will not resist My Love.

It is often the case that those brought up far from their parents have little affection for them; but when by chance the sweet love of father or mother is manifested to them, there awakens a keener appreciation of this warm devotion than is found in those who have never left home.

To you, who not only do not love, but hate and persecute Me; I say Why this hatred?' 'What have I done to deserve persecution at your hands?' There are many who have never asked themselves this question. Today when I ask it they will perhaps say: 'we do not know'. Behold, I will answer for you.

If from childhood you have never known Me, it is because no one has ever taught you about Me, and as you grew up, nature was already developing in you, love of pleasure and enjoyment, a longing for wealth a freedom.

Then came the day when you first heard of Me, and how to live according to My will; that to do so you must love and bear with your neighbour, respect his rights and his goods, and gain a mastery of your own nature, in a word, live subject to a law. Hitherto, subject only to your own natural inclinations, if not to your passions, not knowing even what law, there was question. To you I say, it is to be wondered at that you should protest, should wish to enjoy life, to be free, and to be a law unto yourself?

In this lies the beginning of your hatred and persecution of Me. But I, your Father, love you and even as I see your blind revolt, My Heart is filled with tenderness for you.

So the years in which you led this life sped by, and they were perhaps many. Today I can no longer restrain My love for you, and the sight of you at war with your best friend compels Me to enlighten you as to who I am.

Dearly loved son, I am Jesus, which name signifies Saviour! Why else are My Hands transfixed with nails which fasten them to a Cross? On it for love of you, I died. My Feet are wounded, My Heart wide open, riven by the lance after death....Thus do I stand before you that you may know who I am and what My law is-But do not fear, My law is one of Love... and in knowing Me you will find peace and joy. it is sad to live as an orphan: Come, My sons: Come to your Father.

Sunday 17th June

Let us return to the souls who persecute Me because they do not know Me. I want to tell them who I am and what they are.

I am your God and your Father, your Creator and your Saviour. You are creatures, bought at the price of My Love and Heart's Blood, which I shed to free you from slavery and the tyranny of sin.

You have souls great and immortal, destined for eternal happiness, wills capable of all good, hearts made both to give and receive affection.

The thirst for contentment and love can never be appeased by earthly and fleeting gains, which will always leave you hungry and unsatisfied. Perpetual conflicts, sadness, anxiety and affliction will still be your portion.

If you are poor and have to earn a living by work, the miseries of life will embitter you; you will be hostile to your employers and may even wish them ill, that like yourself, they may experience the hard grind of daily toil.

Fatigue, disgust, even despair will weigh heavily on your spirits, for the way is rough and in the end comes death. O how greatare these calamities, when viewed from a human stand point. But I come to show you life under a different aspect.

All of you who are deprived of this worlds goods and obliged to labour for your daily bread under a master, reflect that you are not slaves but created for the freedom of eternity.

All you whose cravings for affection is unsatisified, remember that you were made to love that which is eternal, not that which passes with time. You who love your homes and labour to support your families and provide them with comforts and happiness, do not forget that though death will one day sever every tie, this is only for a time.

You who serve a master, and owe him respect, love, care for his interests, hard work and fidelity, forget not that he is your master only for the short span of a life time.  How soon this will all pass away and give place to an eternity where you will no longer be workers but reign as kings, forever and ever.

Your soul created by a loving Father who bears you a limitless and eternal affection, will find one day in the bliss of Heaven prepared for you a final answer to all your aspirations.

There every labour will be rewarded. There, you will find your family for whom you worked so hard on earth.

There you will live eternally for earth is but a passing shadow, Heaven will never pass away. There you will be united to your God and Father. O if you but knew how great is the beatitude that awaits you.

Perhaps you will answer Me; 'I have no faith, nor do I believe in a future happiness.' Have you no faith? Then how is it that you persecute Me? Why do you rebel against My laws, and war against those who love Me? And since you desire freedom for yourself, why not grant it to others?

You say you do not believe in a future life? Tell Me, are you perfectly contented here and do you never feel a yearning for that which is not possible to achieve here below? If after seeking for enjoyment, you succeed in obtaining it, does it satisfy your cravings? If after pursing riches, you at last possess them, have you ever enough? If you feel the need of affection and one day find it, are you not soon tired of it?

None of these things are what you long for, and here below you will never obtain all that your poor heart desires. Your craving is peace; not the peace of this world, but that of the children of God; and how do you expect to find it in the midst of rebellion?

That is why I have come to show you where true peace and happiness are to be found, and where you can shake the thirst that for so long has consumed you.

Do not rebel when I tell you that all these things are to be found in accomplishing My law. Do not fear this word law for My law is no tyranny but a law of Love, because I am your God and your Father.

Listen while I explain this law to you and the kind of Heart that imposes it on you; a Heart that you do not know and so often wound. You pursue Me to give Me death while I seek you out to impart Life. Which of us will prevail? And will your souls continue to harden themselves against Me who had laid My life for you and given you all My Love?

Josefa writes

His wounds were open and from them issued flames. In one hand He carried the Crown of thorns and the nails with the other. He held up His Cross and said:

"Josefa are you willing to listen to My desires? See My wounds! O! that I could draw in all sinners! Yes into these wounds many sinners must be drawn this night...Take My Cross, My Crown and the Nails...I go in search of sinners and I shall enlighten them when they are on the point of falling into the bottomless pit, that they may find their way home.I cannot any longer constrain My love for them...love so strong must triumph over their callousness, O yes they must love Me! I want to be their King. Let us draw them all into My wounds.. I go in search of them, and when I have found them I will come back and take My Cross. Suffer for me Josefa! But wait before I go, let Me sink the arrow of purifying love into you.. for pure you must be, like all those who are My victims. 

18th June 1923

He appeared as one begging, Josefa wrote. I cried out, Lord what has happened? Why art Thou like that? I renewed my vows with fervour, and He replied 'Comfort Me, for I must give up a priest's soul, a soul consecrated to Me!"

"O no, that is not possible, dear Lord. Remember what Thou didst say about sinners".

Jesus: "Look though, and see the state to which he has reduced My Heart. I am about to leave Him to his own efforts."

Josefa: I was so grieved to see His Heart covered with wounds and above all to think that a poor sinner was to be given up and I implored Him to be mindful of His Mercy and Love.

"If you can bear the pain" He replied "that soul causes Me, I will entrust his soul to you."

Josefa worries about whether souls respond to His message.

"Have no fear Josefa. You know what happens when a volcano erupts? So great is the force of the flowing lava, that it is capable of removing mountains and destroying them. Do we then need to be told that a devastating power has been unloaded? Such will be My words, accompanied by grace; a strength that will conquer even the most obdurate by love.

Society becomes perverted, when those in authority do not act according to truth and justice. But if the ruling power knows how to govern, the majority will see and follow the light, though no doubt some will still fail to keep straight.

I tell you once more that grace will accompany My words and those who make them known. Truth will triumph and peace will reign over souls and the world, and My Kingdom will come!

Come My sons, and hear what your Father asks of you as proof of your love. You know that in a well regulated army discipline must be maintained, just as in a house-hold there must be established customs. So in the great family of Jesus Christ there must be law, albeit a law of love.

In the order of nature sons are not recognized as such unless they bear their Father's name; so My sons bear the name of Christian given them at their birth in Baptism. All  who bear this name are My sons, and as such have a right to Your Father's Estate.

I realize that you do not know Me or love Me, but rather detest and persecute Me. On My part I love you with an infinite tenderness, and I want you to know also this heritage which is yours by right and know also the means to acquire it.

Believe in My Love and My Mercy. You have sinned against Me; I forgive you. You have persecuted Me. I love you. You have wounded Me both by word and deed; Still I wish to do you good and to let you share all My tenderness.

Do not imagine that I am ignorant of your state of soul. I know that you have despised My Grace, perhaps even profaned My sacraments. yet you have from Me a full pardon.

If then you would be happy in this world and at the same time secure your eternal salvation, do as I tell you.

If you are poor, do the work that necessity forces on you with submission and remember that I, too lived for thirty years in subjection to the self same law, for I was needy and poor. Do not consider your master as tyrants. Banish all hatred from your hearts. Never wish them ill, but further their interests and be faithfult o them.

If however you possess this worlds goods and employ pay them a just wage, and show them both gentleness and kindness. If you have an immortal soul, so have they, and if you abound in wealth it is not for your sole comfort and enjoyment, but that you may administer it wisely and practice charity to your neighbour.

Both employer and employed must accept the law of labour with submission, acknowledging a Supreme Being over all created things, who is both your God and Your Father.

As God, He demands of you the accomplishment of His divine Law.

As your Father, he asks you to accept His commandments in a spirit of filial piety.

Thus, when you have spent a week in the pursuit of work, business or sport, He claims but one half hour, that you may fulfill your Sunday duty. Is this excessive?

Go on then to Your Father's House where day and night He awaits your coming, and as Sundays and holidays recur, give Him the homage of this half hour by assisting at the Mystery of Love and Mass, that is, Holy Mass. Tell Him about everything: about your families, your children, your business, your desires. Lay at His feet your sorrows, difficulties and sufferings. Believe in the interest and Love with which He listens to your prayer.

You may perhaps say to Me 'I have not entered a Church for so many years that I have forgotten how to hear Mass.' Do not be afraid of that account. Come spend this half hour with Me. Your conscience will tell you what to do, and be docile to its voice... open your soul wide to grace and it will inspire you. Gradually it will teach you how to act in a given circumstance, how to treat your family, what to do in regard to your business. How to bring up your children, love those who depend on you and honor those in authority over you. It may make you feel that such and such ...a concern must be given up...such a friendship relinquished, or such a meeting avoided.

Man was not created to live forever here below. He was made for eternity. If then he is immortal, he should live, not for the passing things of time but for that which will never die. Youth, wealth, wisdom, human glory, all that is nothing, it will  all end with this life! God only will endure forever,

The world is full of hate, races are in perpetual conflict with one another, so are nations, and even individuals, and all this is due to the decay of faith. Only let faith reign once more over the world and peace and charity will return to it.

Faith in no way impedes civilization and progress. The more it is rooted in individuals and peoples, the more wisdom and learning increase, for God is Infinite wisdom and knowledge. But, whenever faith is completely lacking, peace, civilization and true progress likewise vanish...for God is not in war..and in their place comes enmities, clash of opinions, class wars, and within man himself, rebellion of passing against duty. All that is noble in humanity is exchanged for revolt, insubordination and warfare.

Let yourself be convinced by faith and you will be great. Let yourself be ruled by faith and you will be free; live by faith and you will escape eternal death.

To Josefa:

Adieu: You know that I expect reparation and love from you all. Love is proved by deeds, so let all your works prove your love.

Be messengers of Love in things great and small. do all for Love.

Live by Love."

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.