The Exercises of Saint Gertrude

This little volume may be regarded as a Supplement to the Prayers of St. Gertrude (and St. Mechtilde). The list of the devoted admirers of these writings would be long and imposing. We might place at its head the name of the seraphic St. Teresa, who, we are told by Father Bibera, her confessor, had taken St. Gertrude as her mistress and guide. Louis of Blois Bpeaks of her, in his Monile Spitiuale, in terms of rapturous enthusiasm. Ianspergius, as we have already seen, translated the documents which contain the revelations and teachings of the Saint into Latin. 8t. Francis of Sales never speaks of her but with devout admiration. Cornelius a Lapide, in his commentaries on the holy Scriptures, calls her a consummate mistress of the meaning of the Holy Spirit. It would be easy to carry on this list through several pages; we will close it with the judgment of the holy and wise M. Olier, as we find it in his unpublished works: "St. Gertrude," says that man of God, "by reason of her simplicity and profound humility, induced our Lord to treat -her in a manner altogether singular, and to enrich .her with his best gifts. Her writings tend always to unite the soul to Jesus Christ, and differ in this respect from many works of contemplation, which rather withdraw the soul from its application to the holy Humanity of our Lord." The pious and learned Father Faber has brought out, with bis characteristic sagacity, the advantages of that form of spirituality which gives the soul breadth and liberty, and so produces in many persons effects which some modem methods fail of producing: "No one," says he, "can be at all acquainted with the old-fashioned Benedictine school of spiritual writers, without perceiving and admiring the beautiful liberty of spirit which pervades and possesses their whole mind. It is just what we should expect from an order of such matured traditions. St. Gertrude is a fair specimen of them. She is thoroughly Benedictine. A spirit of breadth, a spirit of liberty that is the Catbolie spirit; and it was eminently the badge of the old Benedictine ascetics. Modem writers for the most part have tightened things, and have lost by it instead of gaining. By frightening people, they have lessened devotion in extent; and by overstraining it, they have lowered it in degree." (All for Jesus)