“The Apostle had a magnificent rational[1] on his breast, to indicate his prerogative of having reposed on the bosom of Jesus during the last Supper. The words, In principio erat verbum, were written on it in letters of living gold, to show the marvelous virtue of the words contained in his Gospel. Then St. Gertrude said to our Lord: “O most loving Lord, why is Thy beloved one manifested to a creature so unworthy as I am?” Our Lord answered: “I have done this that he may be united to you by a special friendship; and as you have no apostle, I have appointed him to be ever your faithful advocate with Me in heaven.” “Teach me, then, my sweetest Lord,” she replied, “how can I show my gratitude to him?” Our Lord answered: “If any person says a Pater noster daily in honor of this Apostle, reminding him of the sweet fidelity with which his heart was filled when I taught this prayer, he will not fail to obtain for whoever prays thus the grace of persevering faithfully in virtue, even to the end of his life.”
This Apostle also appeared to the Saint as she assisted at matins, on his Feast, when she applied with a special fervour to her usual exercises. Gertrude then recommended some of the religious of whom she had charge very fervently to him; he received her prayer very lovingly and said: “I am like my master in this—that I love those who love me.” The Saint inquired: “What grace, then, and what benefit, can I hope for, who am so unworthy, on your dear Feast?” “Come,” he replied; “come with me, thou elect one of my Lord, and let us repose together on the sweetest bosom of the Lord, in which all the treasures of beatitude lie hidden.” Then, taking her up in spirit, he presented her to our loving Saviour; and having placed her on His right side, he placed himself on the left, and reposed there. Then he exclaimed, pointing reverently to the bosom of Jesus: “Behold, this is the Saint of saints, who draws to Himself all that is good in heaven and on earth!”
She then inquired of St John why he placed himself on the left hand, and had given the right to her. He replied: “it is because I have become one spirit with God, and am able to penetrate where flesh cannot enter; but you are not yet able to penetrate into such high things, because you are still in the flesh. I have therefore placed you at the opening of the Divine Heart, from whence you may drink in all the sweet consolations which flow from it with such impetuous abundance, that it is capable of satisfying all who desire to taste thereof.” Then, as she felt the constant pulsations of the Divine Heart, and rejoiced exceedingly thereat, she said to St. John: “Beloved of God, didst not thou feel those pulsations when thou wert lying on the Lord’s Breast at the Last Supper? “Yes, he replied; “and this with such plentitude, that liquid does not enter more rapidly into bread than the sweetness of those pleasures penetrated my soul, so that my spirit became more ardent than water under the action of a glowing fire.”
“And why,” she inquired, “have you neither said nor written anything of this for our edification?” He replied: “Because I was charged with instructing the newly formed Church concerning the mysteries of the uncreated Word, that those truths might be transmitted to future ages, as far as they would be capable of comprehending them, for no one can comprehend them entirely; and I deferred speaking of these Divine pulsations until later ages, that the world might be aroused from its torpor, and animated, when it had grown cold, by hearing of these things.” Then, as she contemplated St. John reposing upon the bosom of the Lord, he said to her: “I now appear to you in the same form as when I lay on the bosom of my beloved Lord and only Friend at the Last Supper; but if you wish it, I will obtain for you the favour of beholding me in the form in which I now enjoy the delights of heaven.” And as she desired this favour very ardently, she beheld an immense ocean within the Heart of Jesus, in which St. John appeared to float with ineffable joy and perfect freedom; and she learned that the Saint became so filled and inebriated with the torrent of pleasure which he tasted in God, that a vein came from his heart, whereby he poured forth the sweet waters of the Divinity—that is to say, his instructions, and above all, his Gospel—over the face of the earth.”
