The Dialogue

How this soul wondering at the mercy of God, relates many gifts and graces given to the human race.

THEN this soul, as it were, like one intoxicated, could not contain herself, but, standing before the face of God, ex claimed, " How great is the Eternal Mercy with which thou coverest the sins of Thy creatures ! I do not wonder that Thou sayest of those who abandon mortal sin and return to Thee, ' / do not remember that you have ever offended Me.1 Oh, ineffable Mercy ! I do not wonder that Thou sayest this to those who are converted, when Thou sayest of those who persecute Thee, ' I wish you to pray for such, in order that I may do them mercy.' Oh, Mercy, who proceedest from thy Eternal Father, the Divinity Who governest with thy power the whole world, by Thee were we created, in Thee were we re-created in the Blood of Thy Son. Thy Mercy preserves us, Thy Mercy caused Thy Son to do battle for us, hanging by His arms on the wood of the Cross, life and death battling together ; then life confounded the death of our sin, and the death of our sin destroyed the bodily life of the Immaculate Lamb. Which was finally conquered ? Death ! By what means ? Mercy ! Thy Mercy gives light and life, by which Thy clemency is known in all Thy crea tures, both the just and the unjust. In the height of Heaven Thy Mercy, shines that is, in Thy saints. If I turn to the earth, it abounds with Thy Mercy. In the darkness of Hell Thy Mercy shines, for the damned do not receive the pains they deserve ; with Thy Mercy Thou temperest Justice. By

76 THE DIALOGUE OF ST. CATHERINE

Mercy Thou hast washed us in the Blood, and by Mercy Thou wishest to converse with Thy creatures. Oh, Loving Madman ! Was it not enough for Thee to become Incarnate, that Thou must also die ? Was not death enough, that Thou must also descend into Limbo, taking thence the holy fathers to fulfil Thy Mercy and Thy Truth in them ? Because Thy goodness promises a reward to them that serve Thee in truth, didst Thou descend to Limbo, to with draw from their pain Thy servants, and give them the fruit of their labours. Thy Mercy constrains Thee to give even more to man, namely, to leave Thyself to him in food, so that we, weak ones, should have comfort, and the ignorant commemorating Thee, should not lose the memory of Thy benefits. Wherefore every day Thou givest Thyself to man, representing Thyself in the Sacrament of the Altar, in the body of Thy Holy Church. What has done this ? Thy Mercy. Oh, Divine Mercy ! My heart suffocates in thinking of thee, for on every side to which I turn my thought, I find nothing but mercy. Oh, Eternal Father ! Forgive my igno rance, that I presume thus to chatter to Thee, but the love of Thy Mercy will be my excuse before the Face of Thy loving-kindness."