Our Lord and Saviour lifted up His voice and said with incomparable majesty: "Let all men know that grace comes after tribulation. Let them know that without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. Comprehend that, in conformity to the increase in works, the measure of charisms justly increases. Let nobody deceive themselves: this is the only true stairway to paradise, and outside the Cross there is no road through which one may climb to Heaven."

When I heard these words, a strong impetus came over me to place myself in the middle of the town square so that I might say in a loud voice to people of every age, sex, status and life condition: "Hear, O people; hear, all types of people: on behalf of Christ and with words taken from His own lips, I advise you: Grace is not acquired without suffering afflictions; one must perform good works and more good works so as to acquire the intimate participation of the divine nature, the glory of the children of God and the perfect beauty of the soul."

That same impetus urged me to proclaim the beauty of divine grace; it anguished me and made me sweat and yearn. It seemed like my soul could no longer be detained in the prison of the body, but that it had to break the prison and, free and alone, with more agility, it was to go throughout the world, giving a voice to this acclaim:

"If only mortals would know how great is grace, how beautiful, how noble, how precious; how many riches it hides within itself, how many treasures, joys and delights! Without doubt they would employ all their diligence, goals and sleepless nights in searching for pains and afflictions. They would wander throughout the world in search of annoyances, infirmities and torments, instead of good adventures, in order to attain the inestimable treasure of grace. This is the reward and the ultimate goal of constancy and suffering. No one would complain about his Cross or her labors that luck may hand them, if they would come to know the scales on which they are weighed so as to be distributed to men."

PRAYER

Our God, who impulsed Saint Rose of Lima to distance herself from the life of the world for Love of You, and to consecrate herself only to You, in austerity and penitence, grant us, through her intercession, that we know how to follow, in this world, the path that leads us to the true life, so that we come to enjoy the torrent of Your delicacies in Heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit and is God, for ever and ever. Amen.