1/28 Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Book of Heaven
1/10/11 – Vol. 10

Continuing in my usual state, as I was praying my always lovable Jesus to dissolve the obstacles which prevented these reunions, and to manifest to us the way which best pleased Him, blessed Jesus came for a little while and told me: “My daughter, the point which I most care about and which I cherish the most is to detach the priest perfectly from his family. Let them give everything they have to their families, keeping for themselves only that which is personal. And since they (priests) are to be maintained by the Church, justice demands that things must end up there where they come from – that is, everything which they may have must serve to maintain themselves and to expand the works for my glory and for the good of the people. Otherwise, I will not render the peoples generous toward them; not only this, but they themselves will separate from their families with their bodies, but not with their hearts; and therefore, a thousand avidities…, who can make more profit…, and huffiness among them if one is assigned a more lucrative position than someone else, so as to be able to give to their families…. They themselves will see, in practice, how many evils will come if they touch this most essential point. How many disunions, jealousies, rancors, and the like…

I am content with having fewer of them, rather than having this work, so much wanted by Me, ruined. Ah! my daughter, how many Hananiahs [Jer. 28] will come out! And how well they will know how to defend, to support, to excuse this so well-liked idol of interest. Ah! only with those who consecrate themselves to Me do I have this misfortune – that instead of caring about Me, about my honor and my glory, and about the sanctification which befits their state, they use Me only as a cover, while their purpose is to care about their families and grandchildren. Ah! it is not so for those who give themselves to the world; rather, they try to strain their families; and if they cannot pull, they arrive at denying their own parents. But when the priest does not occupy himself only with my glory, and with the offices pertaining to the priestly ministry alone, he is nothing but a dislocated bone which gives pain to Me, pain to himself, and pain to the people, and renders his vocation a frustrated one. And since when a bone is not in its place it always gives pain, and by not participating in the humors of the body, with time withers and it is necessary to sever it because of its uselessness, as much as because it gives pain to the other members – the same with priests: when they do not occupy themselves with Me alone, being like a bone dislocated from my body, they become withered, because they do not participate in the influence of my grace. And I hold them and hold them, but if I see their hardness, I cast them away from Me. And do you know where? Into the deepest hell.”

Then He added: “Write this; let them tell the father to whom I entrust this mission for priests to remain firm on this point, and to make it untouchable. Tell him also that I want him on the cross – always crucified with Me.”