Chapter XXVI
"It is I, it is I"
AND after this our Lord shewed Himself more glorified, as to my sight, than I saw Him before in the Shewing wherein I was learned that our soul shall never have rest till it cometh to Him, knowing that He is fulness of joy, homely and courteous, blissful and very life.
Our Lord Jesus often said: I it am, I it am: I it am that is highest, I it am that you love, I it am that you enjoy, I it am that you serve, I it am that you long for, I it am that you desire, I it am that you meane, I it am that is all. I it am that Holy Church preaches and teaches you, I it am that shewed me here to you. The number of the words passes my wit and all my understanding and all my powers. And they are the highest, as to my sight: for in it is comprehended - I cannot tell, - but the joy that I saw in the Shewing of them passes all that heart may wish for and soul may desire. for that the words be not declared here; but every man after the grace that God gives him in understanding and loving, receive them in our Lord's meaning.
THE THIRTEENTH REVELATION
CHAPTER XXVII
"Often I wondered why by the great foreseeing wisdom of God the beginning of sin was not hindered: for then, I thought, all should have been well." "Sin is necessary - plays a needful part - ; but all shall be well"
AFTER this the Lord brought to my mind the longing that I had to Him before. And I saw that nothing hindered me but sin. And so I looked, generally, on us all, and I thought: If sin had not been, we should all have been clean and like to our Lord, as He made us.
And thus, in my folly, before this time often I wondered why by the great foreseeing wisdom of God the beginning of sin was not hindered: for then, I thought, all should have been well. This stirring of mind was much to be forsaken, but nevertheless mourning and sorrow I made for it, without reason and discretion.
But Jesus, who in this Vision informed me of all that is needful to me, answered by this word and said: It behoved that there should be sin; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.
In this naked word sin, our Lord brought to my mind, generally, all that is not good, and the shameful despite and the utter "bringing to nothing" that He bare for us in this life, and His dying; and all the pains and passions of all His creatures, spiritual and bodily; (for we be all partly brought to nothing, and we shall be brought to nothing following our Master, Jesus, till we be purged, that is to say, till we be fully brought to nothing of our deadly flesh and of all our inward affections which are not very good;) and the seeing of this, with all pains that ever were or ever shall be, - and with all these I understand the Passion of Christ for most pain, and overpassing. All this was shewed in a touch and quickly passed over into comfort: for our good Lord would not that the soul were afraid of this terrible sight.
But I saw not sin: for I believe it has no manner of substance nor no part of being, nor could it be known but by the pain it is cause of.
And thus pain, it is something, as to my sight, for a time; for it purges, and makes us to know ourselves and to ask mercy. For the Passion of our Lord is comfort to us against all this, and so is His blessed will.
And for the tender love that our good Lord has to all that shall be saved, He comforts readily and sweetly, signifying thus: It is truth that sin is cause of all this pain; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.
These words were said tenderly, showing no manner of blame to me nor to any that shall be saved. Then were it a great unkindness to blame or wonder on God for my sin, since He blames not me for sin.
And in these words I saw a marvellous high mystery hid in God, which mystery He shall openly make known to us in Heaven: in which knowing we shall truly see the cause why He suffered sin to come. In which sight we shall endlessly joy in our Lord God.