#69 St. Paul - Suffering Opens Heaven - Persecutions from Slander and Envy gain us the most Merits - "Friends of the Cross" will Suffer Persecution

Visit of St. Paul the Apostle – Suffering opens Heaven and marks our place in Glory – the Persecution caused by Slander and Envy is Highly Meritorious – How best to suffer this type of persecution – Marie-Julie Jahenny and the “Friends of the Cross” will suffering a 'double persecution' because this mission is a 'double work'

Ecstasy of August 12, 1878

“May the Peace of the Lord be in your soul and your spirit, and with all the friends of God. I am Saint Paul. I come to say a word on behalf of Our Lord before the entry of your Holy Novitiate.

Look first at our Lord on the Cross, and this glance will lead us to suffer. Let us meditate on the Sorrows of a God, and we will suffer bravely the trials of life.

God was the last of men by shame, by the ignominy, by insults. Why would we not wish to suffer? Do we wish to be above the Divine Master?

It is not only the pains of life that opens for us the door of heaven and mark our place in glory. He who does not suffer is not the disciple of God, and does not know Him. We are esteemed to be treated as His favoured ones.

If we are chained by the authority of men, if we can not leave, let us be silent. An hour will come, when we will speak to the authority of this land, which is not that of (or not by ) the authority of man. (Note: the bishop who approved her, Fournier of Nantes was dead by this time, after which Marie-Julie Jahenny was persecuted by the diocese and forbidden to receive the sacraments. This phrase by St. Paul saying a time will come to speak to 'the authority of this land' could indicate a warning to the current reigning bishop who was permitting the persecution due to slander and envy as we see in the next sentences....)

It is a thousand times better to be silent and suffer all things, (by those) who speak, with envy and jealousy. These two ways of persecution are horrible in God's eyes, the eyes of One who sees everything.

I prefer, I would rather have been chained for Jesus Christ, than to have been delighted to be ravished up to Heaven. There, however, was the joy, happiness without suffering, without alteration, it was perfect joy, but I did not suffer anything and I did not merit anything. (Observe: St. Paul's transports to Heaven gave him heavenly joy and he did not suffer, but in this joy without suffering he did not gain merits!)

Our adorable Lord, in the designs of His infinite Mercy, also wants us to be stoned at the hands of treacherous language. The slanderous tongue is more dangerous than a double-edged sword, because the blow of the sword can be cured or relieved, because it only extends to the depth and width of the blade, while the stroke of language extends everywhere. In one day, it will spread around the world, and who can stop it? (Note: this explains why God sees the sins of slander and envy as 'horrible' because they do so much more damage than a physical injury, hence, suffering these things silently without complaints grants great merits.)

Our Father the Creator is pleased to test us in different ways, friends tried, but friends of God.

When God wants to do a solid work, especially when He wants to establish the Friends of the Cross (I.e. Marie-Julie Jahenny's mission?) who worked from the beginning and are determined to work until the end, the persecution must be greater, because it is a double work.

Our Lord, choosing friends of the Cross, requires that the blows are deeper because the work will be more beautiful. The more disciples, the more suffering. It is the sign of a great work. It is a sure sign. Do not be afraid! ...”

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Notes: these last encouraging words are not only directed to Christians in general, but it seems in a particular way to Marie-Julie Jahenny and those entrusted to spread devotion to her Great Work of the Cross, which will come after that of the Sacred Heart and will be the work of the restoration of the Church and the world in France and beyond. It is through the Cross that the Victory will be gained after the chastisements. As Heaven told her, the Great Monarch to come will write everywhere 'In hoc signo vinces' as a sign of Heaven's miraculous intervention on his behalf:

May 11, 1877: "The Cross will defeat the greatest heroes (of the enemy). They will bring it to the face of the enemy and it will give them the victory ... You Christians, who will spend a terrible moment, take the Cross for support ... When the elected King and Saviour of France has seen the triumph of France, he will write everywhere “in hoc signo vinces;” by this sign you will conquer! (i.e. The sign given to Emperor Constantine.) France will be under the banner of the Sacred Heart, the Cross and Mary."

And again:

October 27, 1887. The Sacred Heart to Marie-Julie Jahenny:

“Blessed Margaret Mary was chosen to publish the glory of My Sacred Heart, and you, you are chosen to publish the glory of My Cross. She is the victim of My Sacred Heart, you are the victim of My Cross. The Work of My Cross is beautiful and grand, it will quickly follow the Work of the Sacred Heart.”

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What is the "Novitiate of the Holy Cross"? - How to Love the Cross

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#64 Revelations of the Life of St. Titus - The Secret of Sanctification

St. Titus, bishop and martyr, appears to Marie-Julie Jahenny - gives an account of his apostolate. He teaches us to observe his life: sanctification can only come through the Cross, through trials, sufferings and persecution.

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Ecstasy date July 8, 1878:

“I am holy Titus, a disciple of the great St. Paul ... I have come to say a word before you enter the Holy Novitiate. (i.e. the Novitiate of the Love of the Cross, the mission to be entrusted to Marie-Julie Jahenny.)

I suffered a martyrdom of persecution everywhere on earth. I was roughly led by the great St. Paul. I lived in the desert for 33 years. I left early, leaving everything behind me, to follow the path that led me to this dreadful solitude. In the solitude of the desert you are not exempt of the pains and tests than when you live in the middle of the world.

I preached the holy doctrine of the Gospel under the dictation of the great St. Paul. I went through the cities and towns. I announced to the people the Word of God. I have been pursued, beaten, stoned by the obstinate people who looked upon God's Word like (it was) the word of Hell.

I lived on earth without money and without money, covered in miserable clothes, armed with my staff and my Cross. These were all my riches and my treasure.

I was, by obedience, subject to all that the great St. Paul demanded of my will. It was not until after his preaching that I announced the Word of God. Every day, it gathered us under its wings and taught us the great doctrine of God. Having preached and travelled the world, I suddenly felt inspired to leave the solitude and evangelical preaching, but I consulted with the great St. Paul, as I consulted him in everything, and he said, "No, the disciples must preach the holy Christian doctrine!"

So I obeyed and I was sent by St. Paul into the midst of the Luciferians (I.e, those influenced by Satan) where he himself had long preached. So I preached the love of the Cross of Jesus Christ. But I was overwhelmed with reproaches and insults. I remained on the pavement of th e streets, day and night, while I preached, because the people had a horror of us. I heard repeatedly in my ears that the Doctrine of God was foolish.

I suffered, I endured all pains, but I did not reject It. It was during the last years that I acquired the great love of the Divine Perfection, because I was becoming more and more exposed
to all contradictions. God then poured into my heart all kinds of benefits and He brought me into the depths of His ultimate secrets.

Meanwhile, I felt more and more the weight of my mission that overwhelmed me. I found no more taste. (I.e, the mission was distasteful.) Everything was more bitter for me than when I had experienced joy on entering. On leaving the Luciferians, I heard three times a voice saying to me: “Leave the preaching of the Gospel and the Cross. You will preach to a people as stubborn
as this one.” This frightened me a lot and shook me in the deepest parts of the soul. I consulted St. Paul again: "Stay still,” he said, “the time has not come. You are just starting to taste the suffering."

I was in fearful torment that God alone knew. I followed the orders of St. Paul and I embarked to another city just as hostile to God, the Gospel and the Cross. Upon entering the city, I heard once more the same voice that spoke to me. This divine voice floored me. I fell with my forehead on the pavement and asked God for His enlightenment to recognize Him. At once I saw an angel dressed in white who carried in his hand a white banner and showed me a gold writing on which I read: “You have preached enough on the doctrine of God and the Cross to this stubborn people, you will become a Bishop and will preach to another population as pagan as the first.”

When I read this sign, I became calm and I was reassured. The light showed me that God was calling me to this place. I consulted St. Paul again and he replied: "I had the same vision at the same time. You will go by the light of the Cross in the middle of this wild and obstinate people."

I lived in the city of Afra (in Crete) there from which came St. Chaffre, the ascetic hermit. In this large population I found great obstacles. I was consecrated bishop of this city at an advanced age and I lived there 19 years and 10 months where I finished my career. I had great persecution and  ribulation in this city. Every day during my preaching, they surrounded me with murmurs and curses. But God reserved a punishment for this ungrateful city. For a short time later, he sent many plagues, that soon put to death most of the population.

Moreover, in that city, I had enemies, my brothers, who have deserted me and reproached my solitude and called me a tramp and rider. (i.e he was even persecuted by his fellow priests). But God allowed that my holiness was made known and radiant. Most of my brothers in the priesthood became blind or became disabled in the most necessary members (of the body).

After the pain and had visited my brothers, God sent me to rescue them, and it was the saliva in my mouth that opened the eyes of my persecutors and revived their paralysed limbs. That is how I left (or overcame) the tests that were known only to God.

After these wonders, I preached the Doctrine of God and the Cross, and I converted many souls and went to God. My body rested in this town, but not in full, one part was translated in the
solitude by the great St. Paul.

(St. Titus's Lesson:) There is no way more necessary for us to comply with the example of our Divine Master than (by) the persecution of men. That is where I gained all, that raised me to the height of divine perfection. My whole life was gall and vinegar despite the divine pleasures. God has made me a martyr of interior trials and external sufferings, through the graces of the Cross I was detached from the earth and perfected ...”

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Notes: the traditional biography of St. Titus (by the 'Friends of Marie-Julie'): Saint Titus was a  isciple of St. Paul who met him during his third voyage (55-58 AD) to Ephesus on the Aegean Coast. Having accompanied St. Paul in several of his apostolic missions, whom St. Paul calls his brother and his beloved disciple, Titus settled in Crete, appointed by the Apostle as Bishop of the island. This is where St. Paul wrote him a letter, which the liturgy gives us several extracts, especially on Christmas Day. He has the title of Confessor of the Faith, as he did much for the evangelization of the  Mediterranean. His name is often associated with that of St. Timothy, another travelling com anion of Paul named Bishop of Ephesus (now Turkey). He died a martyr for his opposition to the pagan cult of Diana.

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