Before I was left by the Most Holy Voice, I said, “O Most Divine One, now that you are speaking often again, they will say that this is not good. Because Father Berti363 told me that he had convinced them that now You, O Most Divine One, speak very sporadically.” He replied:
“I do as I wish. I have shown that I come every day or do not come for dozens of days, nor do you fill those voids with words of your own. And this is a lesson for them. I have done everything to convince them. But it is as was written: ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we sang a dirge, but you did not mourn.’364 But these are not pages for them. Indeed, I order you to remove them from here and make them into a separate notebook to be given in the manner and to the persons I indicated to you. They have received what was needed to obtain the approval of Jesus’ Work. The rest is a treasure which one must merit in order to possess it. And there is someone who has deserved it because of having done our Will in regard to you with perfect charity and with no pretension about his work in relation to you. And there is also another reason involving Divine Providence which originates this order.”
I felt so loved, so blessed, because of the return of Mary of Lourdes, who came yesterday (from 5 p.m. on and so... powerfully that I was out of my senses, as Marta can testify) that I asked about the event at St. Paolino’s365 and Mary’s words last night: “If they have faith, I will work wonders of grace,” and the Most Divine One replied:
“In the Fourth Book of Kings, chapter seven, verse nineteen the following is stated about the one on whose arm the king leans: ‘Even if the Lord were to open sluice gates in heaven, how could what you say ever come to pass?’366 I say that there are many who, even if the Lord made sluice gates for graces in heaven and by way of miracles to pour them upon the earth, there would be many who would go on saying, ‘Can this be? No.’ Miracles presuppose faith. God gives the sign. He manifests Himself. It is a continuous epiphany to summon spirits to faith, hope, and charity, to God. But He then leaves you free to believe or not believe. I tell you, though, that the river of graces ready to flow forth, if men set up a barrier against it with their incredulity, is turning elsewhere. That is why the Most Blessed Woman establishes the condition ‘if they have faith’ in order to promise to ‘work wonders of grace.’ The hour of grace comes and pauses to wait. But if man does not invite it - ‘Stay with us’ - it passes on and does not return.”367
363 See note 201.
364 Matthew 11:17, Luke 7:32.
365 The writer’s parish in Viareggio, where some felt they had noticed an extraordinary sign in the statue of Mary Immaculate.
366 2 Kings 7:19 (in the Vulgate, 4 Kings).
367 We omit 108 handwritten pages containing fourteen of the Lessons on Paul’s Letter to the Romans.