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During Month of Souls, Recall Mystic, St. Gertrude the Great
SpiritDaily.com ^ | 11-16-06 | Susan Tassone

Posted on 11/16/2006 7:21:12 PM PST by Salvation

DURING MONTH OF SOULS, A SAINT TO RECALL IS MYSTIC KNOWN AS 'GERTRUDE THE GREAT'

By Susan Tassone

When it comes to rescuing souls in the netherworld, one has to mention the great Saint Gertrude.

This month that is dedicated to the poor souls, let us know quickly that Saint Gertrude was born in Eisleben, Thuringia, in 1256. That's in Germany. As a young girl she was placed in the care of the Benedictine nuns at Rodalsdorf where she became a nun in the same monastery and was elected Abbess.   

St. Gertrude dedicated herself to the pursuit of perfection and gave herself over to prayer and contemplation. She was gifted with high intellectual capabilities along with being able to read and converse in Latin. Her devotion to her literary pursuits were the best and purest kind -- Scripture, the Church Fathers, and other theological works.

St.  Gertrude began to have supernatural visions and mystical experiences at the age of 26.   She received many powerful teachings.

She wrote a series of prayers that became very popular and through her writings helped spread devotion to the Sacred Heart. She meditated on the Passion of Christ which many times brought a flood of tears to her eyes. She had a tender love for Our Lady. Her life and revelations record many conversations with Our Lord where He reveals His great desire to grant mercy to souls and to reward the least good act. 

Gertrude’s heart reached out to all. Her boundless charity embraced rich and poor, learned and simple. It was also manifested in her tenderness and sympathy toward the poor souls in purgatory.  

With regard to suffering, Our Lord said to her, "When man, after applying the remedy for his suffering, patiently bears for love of Me that which he is unable to cure, he gains a glorious prize." 

Regarding frequent communion, Jesus told Gertrude: "Those who have received me often on earth shall be more glorious in Heaven.  At each Communion I increase, I multiply the riches which are to constitute the Christian’s happiness in Heaven!"

Other visions expressed Our Lord’s wishes for people to pray for the souls languishing in purgatory.

Our Lord once showed Gertrude a table of gold on which were many costly pearls. The pearls were prayers for the Holy Souls. At the same time the saint had a vision of souls freed from suffering and ascending in the form of bright sparks in different shapes to heaven.

In another vision, Our Lord told St. Gertrude that he longs for someone to ask Him to release souls from purgatory, just as a king who imprisons a friend for justice‘s sake hopes that someone will beg for mercy for his friend.

Jesus said to St. Gertrude, "I accept with highest pleasure what is offered to Me for the poor souls, for I long inexpressibly to have near Me those for whom I paid so great a price.  By the prayers of thy loving soul, I am induced to free a prisoner from purgatory as often as you move your tongue to utter a word of prayer."

On another day, St. Gertrude asked Our Lord how many souls His Mercy would release from purgatory and He replied that His Loves desires to release all souls from purgatory. He encouraged her to pray with confident assurance and to ask more than she dare for their release.  In other words, Our Lord is telling us to pray and ask BIG, be BOLD! 

 In another vision, St. Gertrude was given the prayer which Our Lord told her would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory every time it is said with love and devotion.

 "Eternal Father, I offer you the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, those in the Universal Church, in my home and in my own family."

 Are 1,000 souls really released from purgatory? 

Theologians tell us we may not be certain of the exact number. But we do know that Our Lord points to the efficacy of our prayers offered up for these suffering souls. A "thousand" souls released could very well mean more than we can count, more than we dare to ask.

St. Gertrude’s Feast Day is November 16.  She is call "Great" because of her love for the Sacred Heart and the beloved souls in Purgatory.

We are told that most souls are released on Christmas Day.  In honor of St. Gertrude add her prayer in your Christmas Cards.  We can give Paradise to the holy souls and swell the ranks of the Church Triumphant. We can ask Our Lord to empty Purgatory on Christmas day. Let us ask more than we dare. Let us be BOLD in our asking. Let us give these suffering friends to Our Lord on His Birthday. 

What a glorious Christmas day in Heaven it will be for everyone.



TOPICS: Catholic; Charismatic Christian; Evangelical Christian; Mainline Protestant
KEYWORDS: catholiclist; gertrudethegreat; saints
For your information and discussion.
1 posted on 11/16/2006 7:21:15 PM PST by Salvation
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To: nickcarraway; sandyeggo; Lady In Blue; NYer; american colleen; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ...
Saint of the Day Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Saint of the Day Ping List.

2 posted on 11/16/2006 7:22:40 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Saint Gertrude The Great
3 posted on 11/16/2006 7:23:41 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation
When I contemplate the lives of saints like Saint Gertrude, I am really struck by how mediocre my prayer life is. I am going to try to do better.

I hadn't heard of her prayer, and will try to pray it at every opportunity!

4 posted on 11/16/2006 7:26:50 PM PST by Miss Marple (Lord, thank you for Mozart Lover's son's safe return, and look after Jemian's son, please!)
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To: Salvation

You might want to ask the religion mod to fix the title. :)


5 posted on 11/16/2006 7:27:04 PM PST by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
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To: sageb1

I check with him/her.


6 posted on 11/16/2006 7:30:08 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Miss Marple

**. "Eternal Father, I offer You the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus Christ, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, those in the Universal Church, in my home, and in my family."
Amen.**

This one?


7 posted on 11/16/2006 7:33:34 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All
Litany of St. Gertrude the Great

Litany of St. Gertrude the Great

This very old litany is from St. Benedict's Manual (1875), which had taken it over in a translation from some early German source not now ascertainable.

Antiphon: Lord Jesus! in union with that love which drew Thee down upon earth, and caused Thee to fulfill the work of our Redemption, I offer Thee this prayer.

Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us,
All ye holy Choirs of Angels,Pray for us,
All ye Saints and Elect of God, Pray for us,
Saint Gertrude, Pray for us,
Thou chaste virgin, Pray for us,
Thou beloved daughter of the Heavenly Father, Pray for us,
Thou chosen bride of Jesus Christ, Pray for us,
Thou temple of the Holy Ghost, Pray for us,
Thou joy of the Holy Trinity, Pray for us,
Thou fragrant flower in the hand of Jesus Christ, Pray for us,
Thou ever-blooming spring flower, Pray for us,
Thou rose without thorns, Pray for us,
Thou chaste dove without the stain of sin, Pray for us,
Thou earthly seraph, Pray for us,
Thou living sanctuary, Pray for us,
Thou strong protection of all who venerate thee, Pray for us,

Jesus Christ, Spouse of Saint Gertrude, Have mercy on us,
Through her humility, Through her charity, Have mercy on us,
Through her untiring patience, Have mercy on us,
Through the ardent love she bore Thee, Have mercy on us,
Through the delight with which Thou didst dwell in her heart, Have mercy on us,
Through the love Thou hast for her, Have mercy on us,
Through the love with which Thou hast chosen her from eternity, Have mercy on us,
Through the love with which Thou didst so sweetly attract her to Thyself, Have mercy on us,
Through the love with which Thou so delightfully didst unite her to Thyself, Have mercy on us,
Through the love with which Thou so complacently dwelt in her heart, Have mercy on us,
Through the love with which Thou didst end her life with a happy death, Have mercy on us,
Through the love with which Thou hast conferred on her eternal life, Have mercy on us,
Through the love with which Thou lovest and rejoicest all the Blessed, Jesus Christ, Have mercy on us,

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us.

R. Pray for us, O holy virgin Saint Gertrude:
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. O Lord Jesus, by the love Thou didst bear to the virginal heart of Saint Gertrude, and by which Thou hast promised that no sinner, who would honor and love her, should die a sudden and unprovided death: grant me, I beseech Thee, this grace, and let me so love Thee, and repent of my sins, that with faith and confidence I may expect a happy death.

O God, Who in the heart of the holy virgin Gertrude didst provide for Thyself a pleasing abode: through her merits, do Thou cleanse from our hearts every stain of sin, and grant that we may enjoy fellowship with her for evermore. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. R. Amen.

Prayer Source: Kyrie Eleison — Two Hundred Litanies by Benjamin Francis Musser O.F.M., The Magnificat Press, 1944


8 posted on 11/16/2006 7:36:43 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Religion Moderator

I just realized that I misspelled 'Gertrude'. Could you please fix it?

Thanks.


9 posted on 11/16/2006 8:11:14 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Salvation

My grandmother, God rest her extremely wild Irish Catholic soul, was named after St. Gertrude. :)


10 posted on 11/16/2006 8:18:44 PM PST by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
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To: Salvation

please sign me up thanks


11 posted on 11/16/2006 8:46:25 PM PST by 8thChild
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To: Miss Marple

Miss Marple,

May I recommend The Magnificat? It is a "lay" version of the Liturgy of the Hours with morning prayer, the prayers of the Mass, and evening prayer. There are daily meditations by Saints and plently of neat things to do for the change in liturgical seasons. The subscription costs $40 per year and there are 14 editions (one extra for Lent and Advent). I have used it for 6 years and have 4 gift subscriptions I support. All of these folks tell me it is the best gift I could give. It will do wonders for your prayer life and really gets you into the flow of the liturgical year which is sadly missing in our Post Vatican II age.

http://www.magnificat.net/

Click USA

Frank


12 posted on 11/17/2006 7:07:24 AM PST by Frank Sheed (Tá brón orainn. Níl Spáinnis againn anseo.)
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To: Salvation

Susan Tassone has written a number of works on the Poor Souls in Purgatory. I was sent one free after making a purchase from a Catholic bookshop on-line. It is a 30 day novena for the Poor Souls in Purgatory and the final day is a prayer called "the Heroic Act." In this prayer, one offers ALL our indulgences we receive here on earth to the Sacred Heart in order to allow His mother to free souls from Purgatory. I have been "re-dedicating" myself to this apostolate every day for over 3 years. The number of souls we release from Purgatory pray for us unceasingly. What a beautiful way to give of ones time here on earth! The Heroic Act is followed by a Litany and I repeat that nightly too.


13 posted on 11/17/2006 7:12:44 AM PST by Frank Sheed (Tá brón orainn. Níl Spáinnis againn anseo.)
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http://myarmoury.com/books/item.php?ASIN=159276052X

http://www.fisheaters.com/prayingforthedead.html


14 posted on 11/17/2006 7:20:43 AM PST by Frank Sheed (Tá brón orainn. Níl Spáinnis againn anseo.)
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To: Frank Sheed

thanks for that link - I had been meaning to order Magnificat for a long time but never got around to it until you posted the link.


15 posted on 11/17/2006 7:24:44 AM PST by Nihil Obstat (viva il papa - be not afraid)
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To: Frank Sheed

Frank, this Novena sounds wonderful. Thanks for educating all of us.


16 posted on 11/17/2006 7:25:28 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Nihil Obstat

My sister takes her Magnificat to work. Instead of doing the "lunch clatch" with the other employees and listening to gossip, she stays at her desk and reads the Magnificat. She has had at least 3 employees walk up to her over the years, take out their Magnificat and a smile erupts spontaneously between both parties.

It is a magnificent devotion and you will not regret it. I caution that it is habit forming!

F


17 posted on 11/17/2006 7:35:35 AM PST by Frank Sheed (Tá brón orainn. Níl Spáinnis againn anseo.)
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To: Salvation

And thank you for ALL you do! Oremus!


18 posted on 11/17/2006 7:37:03 AM PST by Frank Sheed (Tá brón orainn. Níl Spáinnis againn anseo.)
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To: All
American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

November 16
St. Gertrude
(1256?-1302)

Gertrude, a Benedictine nun in Helfta (Saxony), was one of the great mystics of the 13th century. Together with her friend and teacher St. Mechtild, she practiced a spirituality called "nuptial mysticism," that is, she came to see herself as the bride of Christ. Her spiritual life was a deep personal union with Jesus and his Sacred Heart, leading her into the very life of the Trinity.

But this was no individualistic piety. Gertrude lived the rhythm of the liturgy, where she found Christ. In the liturgy and Scripture, she found the themes and images to enrich and express her piety. There was no clash between her personal prayer life and the liturgy.

Comment:

Gertrude's life is another reminder that the heart of the Christian life is prayer: private and liturgical, ordinary or mystical, always personal.

Quote:

"Lord, you have granted me your secret friendship by opening the sacred ark of your divinity, your deified heart, to me in so many ways as to be the source of all my happiness; sometimes imparting it freely, sometimes as a special mark of our mutual friendship. You have so often melted my soul with your loving caresses that, if I did not know the abyss of your overflowing condescensions, I should be amazed were I told that even your Blessed Mother had been chosen to receive such extraordinary marks of tenderness and affection" (Adapted from The Life and Revelations of Saint Gertrude).



19 posted on 11/16/2007 7:37:35 AM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: All

Eternal Father,
I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus,
in union with the Masses said throughout the world today,
for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory,
for sinners everywhere,
for sinners in the Universal Church,
those in my own home and within my family.
Amen.
Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great, that the following prayer would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was extended to include living sinners which would alleviate the indebtedness accrued to them during their lives.


20 posted on 04/29/2010 10:49:07 PM PDT by Salvation ( "With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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