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Life and Revelations of St Gertrude the Great
OUR LORD revealed that the place on earth where He most delighted to be, after the Blessed Sacrament, was \"in the heart and soul of Gertrude, My beloved.\" Therefore, we do not wonder that among all the most remarkable women Saints of the Church, St. Gertrude is the one who carries the extraordinary title The Great.
The Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great form one of the classics of Catholic writing. And although they would have to be classified as \"mystical literature,\" their message is clear and obvious, for this book states many of the secrets of Heaven in terms that all can understand.
Recorded here are St. Gertrude\'s many conversations with Our Lord, wherein He reveals His great desire to grant mercy to souls and to reward the least good act. In the course of their conversations, He reveals wonderful spiritual \"shortcuts\" that will help everyone in his or her spiritual life. Moreover, the Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great actually open a window onto Heaven, where we can see the specific ways in which prayer, good works and liturgical celebrations on earth have very definite effects in Heaven-among the Saints and Angels and even with God Himself.
The Revelations of St. Gertrude were authorized by Our Lord (pp.536-537) and they have been published in many editions, in various languages; they have inspired both clergy and laity for centuries. Surely the present generation of English-speaking Catholics will profit equally from this new edition of The Life and Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great, who found such high favor with Our Lord that He chose to dwell in her heart in a special manner and to reveal to her many of the intimate secrets of His supernatural love for soul.
The Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great form one of the classics of Catholic writing. And although they would have to be classified as \"mystical literature,\" their message is clear and obvious, for this book states many of the secrets of Heaven in terms that all can understand.
Recorded here are St. Gertrude\'s many conversations with Our Lord, wherein He reveals His great desire to grant mercy to souls and to reward the least good act. In the course of their conversations, He reveals wonderful spiritual \"shortcuts\" that will help everyone in his or her spiritual life. Moreover, the Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great actually open a window onto Heaven, where we can see the specific ways in which prayer, good works and liturgical celebrations on earth have very definite effects in Heaven-among the Saints and Angels and even with God Himself.
The Revelations of St. Gertrude were authorized by Our Lord (pp.536-537) and they have been published in many editions, in various languages; they have inspired both clergy and laity for centuries. Surely the present generation of English-speaking Catholics will profit equally from this new edition of The Life and Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great, who found such high favor with Our Lord that He chose to dwell in her heart in a special manner and to reveal to her many of the intimate secrets of His supernatural love for soul.
592 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1300
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About the author
Gertrude the Great
38 books16 followersGertrude the Great (or Saint Gertrude of Helfta) (January 6, 1256 – ca. 1302) was a German Benedictine, mystic, and theologian. She is recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, and is inscribed in the General Roman Calendar, for celebration throughout the Latin Rite on November 16.
Little is known of the early life of Gertrude. Gertrude was born on the feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 1256, in Eisleben, Thuringia (within the Holy Roman Empire). At the age of four,[1] she entered the monastery school at the monastery of St. Mary at Helfta (with much debate having occurred as to whether this monastery is best described as Benedictine or Cistercian),[2] under the direction of its abbess, Gertrude of Hackeborn. It is speculated that she was offered as a child oblate to the Church by devout parents. Given that Gertrude implies in the Herald that her parents were long dead at the time of writing,[3] however, it is also possible that she entered the monastery school as an orphan.
Gertrude was confided to the care of St. Mechtilde, younger sister of the Abbess Gertrude, and joined the monastic community in 1266.[4] It is clear from her own writings that she received a thorough education in a range of subjects. She, and the nun who authored Books 1 and 3-5 of the Herald, are thoroughly familiar with scripture, the Fathers of the Church such as Augustine and Gregory the Great, and also in more contemporary spiritual writers such as Richard and Hugh of St Victor, William of St Thierry, and Bernard of Clairvaux. Moreover, Gertrude's writing demonstrates that she was well-versed in rhetoric, and her Latin is very fluent.[5]
In 1281, at the age of twenty-five, she experienced the first of a series of visions[6] that continued throughout her life, and which changed the course of her life.Her priorities shifted away from secular knowledge and toward the study of Scripture and theology. Gertrude devoted herself strongly to personal prayer and meditation, and began writing spiritual treatises for the benefit of her monastic sisters.[7] Gertrude became one of the great mystics of the 13th century. Together with her friend and teacher St. Mechtild, she practiced a spirituality called "nuptial mysticism," that is, she came to see herself as the bride of Christ.[8]
Gertrude died at Helfta, near Eisleben, Saxony, around 1302. Her feastday is celebrated on November 16, but the exact date of her death is unknown; the November date stems from a confusion with Abbess Gertrude of Hackeborn.
Little is known of the early life of Gertrude. Gertrude was born on the feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 1256, in Eisleben, Thuringia (within the Holy Roman Empire). At the age of four,[1] she entered the monastery school at the monastery of St. Mary at Helfta (with much debate having occurred as to whether this monastery is best described as Benedictine or Cistercian),[2] under the direction of its abbess, Gertrude of Hackeborn. It is speculated that she was offered as a child oblate to the Church by devout parents. Given that Gertrude implies in the Herald that her parents were long dead at the time of writing,[3] however, it is also possible that she entered the monastery school as an orphan.
Gertrude was confided to the care of St. Mechtilde, younger sister of the Abbess Gertrude, and joined the monastic community in 1266.[4] It is clear from her own writings that she received a thorough education in a range of subjects. She, and the nun who authored Books 1 and 3-5 of the Herald, are thoroughly familiar with scripture, the Fathers of the Church such as Augustine and Gregory the Great, and also in more contemporary spiritual writers such as Richard and Hugh of St Victor, William of St Thierry, and Bernard of Clairvaux. Moreover, Gertrude's writing demonstrates that she was well-versed in rhetoric, and her Latin is very fluent.[5]
In 1281, at the age of twenty-five, she experienced the first of a series of visions[6] that continued throughout her life, and which changed the course of her life.Her priorities shifted away from secular knowledge and toward the study of Scripture and theology. Gertrude devoted herself strongly to personal prayer and meditation, and began writing spiritual treatises for the benefit of her monastic sisters.[7] Gertrude became one of the great mystics of the 13th century. Together with her friend and teacher St. Mechtild, she practiced a spirituality called "nuptial mysticism," that is, she came to see herself as the bride of Christ.[8]
Gertrude died at Helfta, near Eisleben, Saxony, around 1302. Her feastday is celebrated on November 16, but the exact date of her death is unknown; the November date stems from a confusion with Abbess Gertrude of Hackeborn.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 7, 2017
(The part of town where I live is named after this Saint - Kerttuli. Also there's St Gertrude's Alley next to the building I live.)
This is a book in two parts: first the biography (with the defence for writing it at the end), then the revelations part, which is the majority of the book. The latter is written in more easy language, and it's first part is written by the saint herself; the rest by other members of the monastery. The revelations are mostly Gertrude's meetings with Jesus, including instructions and truths, many happening during certain festival says. She receives certain blessings and gifts, not only from the Trinity and Mary, but also from certain saints:
St. John the Apostle, St. Gregory The Great, St. Benedict, St. John The Baptist, Sts. Peter & Paul, St Margaret Of Antioch, St. Mary Magdalene, St. James The Great, St. Bernard, St. Augustine, St. Elizabeth Of Hungary, and St. Catherine Of Alexandria.
You often notice how low she thinks of herself, part of the humility, but she receives encouragament from Heaven regularly, enough to make you wish for some too. This is not a quick read book, and I feel that you must be a bit used to writings like this already before starting. I did gain some good instruction from this here and there, and the part about using the Great Psalter was thorough (also some useful prayers I could use).
The last part makes all the reading worthwhile, in my opinion. It's mostly about certain people's deaths and life after, seen through eyes of Gertrude or one of the other monastery people (including the writer of this part, who carefully keeps herself anonymous), plus then there's the visually gloriously end part of St. Gertrude death (including her preparation for it, since she is told about about a year before already).
It's a long book, and you do feel that you've achieved something after you're done. Not for everyone, but definitely a good read for me.
This is a book in two parts: first the biography (with the defence for writing it at the end), then the revelations part, which is the majority of the book. The latter is written in more easy language, and it's first part is written by the saint herself; the rest by other members of the monastery. The revelations are mostly Gertrude's meetings with Jesus, including instructions and truths, many happening during certain festival says. She receives certain blessings and gifts, not only from the Trinity and Mary, but also from certain saints:
St. John the Apostle, St. Gregory The Great, St. Benedict, St. John The Baptist, Sts. Peter & Paul, St Margaret Of Antioch, St. Mary Magdalene, St. James The Great, St. Bernard, St. Augustine, St. Elizabeth Of Hungary, and St. Catherine Of Alexandria.
You often notice how low she thinks of herself, part of the humility, but she receives encouragament from Heaven regularly, enough to make you wish for some too. This is not a quick read book, and I feel that you must be a bit used to writings like this already before starting. I did gain some good instruction from this here and there, and the part about using the Great Psalter was thorough (also some useful prayers I could use).
The last part makes all the reading worthwhile, in my opinion. It's mostly about certain people's deaths and life after, seen through eyes of Gertrude or one of the other monastery people (including the writer of this part, who carefully keeps herself anonymous), plus then there's the visually gloriously end part of St. Gertrude death (including her preparation for it, since she is told about about a year before already).
It's a long book, and you do feel that you've achieved something after you're done. Not for everyone, but definitely a good read for me.
January 15, 2025
If you're looking for a Saint who had an incredible imaginative journey with Jesus Christ, read this. She's also one of the first Saints of the Sacred Heart experience, before St Margaret Mary Alacoque and St. Faustina. Can be read a bit at a time as part of devotions.
August 3, 2018
Will finish this today for sure.
November 16, 2022
Awesome
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews