A Call To Souls
Hidden in the silence of her convent in Poitiers, France, Sister Josefa Menendez who had left her home in Spain to follow her vocation, became the chosen instrument of Christ's love.
Jesus, His Heart on fire, revealed himself to her, spoke to her, molded her as He pleased, and gave her a share in his work of redemption. Then he entrusted his desires to her, and asked her to transmit them to the world.
The aim of this page is to respond to that appeal, by spreading the message to as many souls as possible.
May they accept and read the message; may they find in it light and strength for each day as it comes; may they become collaborators in this work of love; may they be fuel for the fire that our Lord came to enkindle throughout the whole earth.
According to his desire, may they be a chain of souls whose hearts will be more and more on fire with love, love that trusts and expects everything from Him, so that, aflame with this fire, they will communicate it to the whole world.
NOTICE.
-- In 1923 Christ said that he wanted his words to be made known, and
that his grace would accompany his words and those who made them known.
(June 19, 1923. Way of Divine Love, p. 369). Please help to spread the
writings of Josefa Menendez. Five leaflets, suitable for distribution in
church racks, will be sent free of charge to anyone who requests them.
Please send your request to: editor@atonementbooklets.20m.com --- A free prayer card may also be obtained upon request. --- This website does not give addresses to third parties.
---
"I tell you once more that grace will accompany my words, and those who
make them known. Truth will triumph, and peace will reign over souls
and the world, and my kingdom will come!" (1923, Poitiers, France).
More Precious Than Gold, Part 1, by Josefa Menendez -- Download PDF
The trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, will be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. - 1 Peter 1:7 -- “Gold is purified in the fire. So tribulation purifies and fortifies the soul.” “Gaze well and long on this Heart. It is the Crucible in which the most defiled are purified, and afterwards inflamed with love.” --- Words of Christ to Sister Josefa Menendez. Words of Our Lord about the purification of the soul and related topics.More Precious Than Gold, Part 2, by Josefa Menendez --Download PDF
In June, 1923, Our Lord said: “I tell you once more that grace will accompany My words and those who make them known. Truth will triumph, and peace will reign over souls and the world, and My kingdom will come!” --- "When he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10 ----- Our Lord reveals the secrets of His Heart to Josefa, and to all souls of good will.
A Cup of Cold Water, by Josefa Menendez -- A Cup of Cold Water --- The value of daily actions, offered in union with the actions and merits of Christ. ---- "Write for my souls," He said. "The soul who constantly unites her life with mine glorifies me and does a great work for souls. Thus, if engaged in work of no value in itself, if she bathes it in My Blood or unites it to the work I Myself did during My mortal life, it will greatly profit souls... "I so much want souls to understand this! It is not the action in itself that is of value; it is the intention with which it is done. When I swept and laboured in the workshop of Nazareth, I gave as much glory to My Father as when I preached during My public life.
Three Recommendations, by Josefa Menendez -- Three Recommendations -- Advice Our Lord gave to Josefa and to all souls of good will. How the Church will triumph. = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
A Cup of Cold Water
The Value of Daily Actions "And whoever shall give to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is my disciple, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward." – Matthew 10:42
THE Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31). The same apostle wrote to the Colossians, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Col. 3:17)
In the Scriptures, Christ promised that he would pour out his spirit upon men and women of all conditions (Acts 2:17-18). The wisdom of God can do all things, and remaining itself the same, renews all things, and through nations conveys itself into holy souls, making them friends of God and prophets. (Wisdom 7:27). In 1922 Christ revealed himself to Josefa Menendez, a sister at the convent of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, in Poitiers, France.
"Write for my souls," He said. "The soul who constantly unites her life with mine glorifies me and does a great work for souls. Thus, if engaged in work of no value in itself, if she bathes it in My Blood or unites it to the work I Myself did during My mortal life, it will greatly profit souls, more perhaps, than if she had preached to the whole world, and that, whether she studies, speaks or writes, whether she sews, sweeps or rests, provided first that the act is sanctioned by obedience or duty and not done from mere caprice; secondly, that it is done in intimate union with Me, with great purity of intention and covered with My Blood.
"I so much want souls to understand this! It is not the action in itself that is of value; it is the intention with which it is done. When I swept and labored in the workshop of Nazareth, I gave as much glory to My Father as when I preached during My public life.
"There are many souls who in the eyes of the world fill important posts, and they give My Heart great glory; this is true. But I have many hidden souls who in their humble labors are very useful workers in My vineyard, for they are moved by love, and they know how to cover their deeds with supernatural gold by bathing them in My Blood. My love goes so far that My souls can draw great treasure out of mere nothing. When as soon as they wake they unite themselves to me and offer their whole day with a burning desire that My Heart may use it for the profit of souls, when with love they perform their duties, hour by hour and moment by moment, how great is the treasure they amass in one day!
"I will reveal My love to them more and more. It is inexhaustible, and how easy it is for a loving soul to let itself be guided by love." (Nov. 30, 1922).
Jesus was silent. Josefa laid down her pen, and for a few instants remained in adoration before Him who thus opened His Heart so widely before her. "Adieu," He said at last, "go back to your work; love and suffer, for love is inseparable from suffering. Abandon yourself to the care of the best of Fathers, and to the love of the tenderest of Partners."
This was ever the lesson dearest to God Our Savior. His Cross is a choice gift, surpassing the most precious of favors. On this First Friday He left it to Josefa, who carried it both day and night.
On Saturday, December 2, she noted simply: "With great difficulty I managed to go to meditation, for my strength is gone." At eight o'clock, however, she was at her post, and Jesus soon joined her.
"Write for souls," He said, as on the preceding day.
Josefa knelt at her small table, and Our Lord spoke, standing beside her.
"My Heart is all love and it embraces all souls, but how can I make My chosen souls understand My special love for them, and how I wish to use them to save sinners and so many souls who are exposed to the perils of the world? For this reason I would like them to know how much I desire their perfection, and that it consists in doing their ordinary actions in intimate union with Me. If they once grasped this, they could divinize their life and all their activities by this close union with My heart, and how great is the value of a divinized day!
"When a soul is burnt up with desire to love, nothing is a burden to her, but if she feels cold and spiritless everything becomes hard and difficult. Let her then come to My Heart to revive her courage. Let her offer Me her dejection, and unite it to My fervor; then she may rest content, for her day will be of incomparable value to souls. All human miseries are known to My Heart, and My compassion for them is great.
"But I desire souls to unite themselves to Me not only in a general way.
I long for this union to be constant and intimate, as it is between friends who live together; for even if they are not talking all the time, at least they look at each other, and their mutual affectionate little kindnesses are the fruit of their love.
"When a soul is in peace and consolation, doubtless it is easier for her to think of Me, but if she is in the throes of desolation and anguish, she need not fear. I am content with a glance. I understand, and this mere look will draw down on her special proofs of my tenderness.
"I will repeat again to souls how My Heart loves them, for I want them to know Me thoroughly, that they may make Me known to those I place in their care.
"I ardently desire My chosen souls to fix their eyes on Me, and never turn them away, and among them there should be no mediocrity, which usually is the result of a misunderstanding of My love. No! it is neither difficult nor hard to love My Heart, but on the contrary, it is sweet and easy. They need do nothing extraordinary to attain to a high degree of love; purity of intention, be the action great or small, intimate union with My Heart, and love will do the rest."
Jesus stopped; then bending down towards Josefa who was prostrate at His feet: "Go," He said, "and have no fear. It is I who cultivate this little flower, that it may not perish! Love Me in peace and joy."
Carrying the Cross at Night
Every night the Master brought Josefa His Cross which He asked her to carry for the soul that was causing Him such sorrow.
"Will you carry My Cross?" He asked her.
And instantly she offered herself to take it from His sacred shoulders.
On Friday, Sept. 8, 1922, towards evening He came "as a poor man hungry and begging," she wrote, thus accurately describing the atmosphere of sad appeal that seemed to envelop His whole person.
"O slake My thirst to be loved by souls, especially to be loved by those I have chosen. That soul is oblivious of My love," he went on. "It is his ingratitude that puts me into this state."
"Then," wrote Josefa, "I begged Him to accept all the little acts done here, the sufferings of the house, and above all the very real desire we all have to comfort and please Him. I asked Him to purify and transform these very little things, and give them some value in His sight.
"I do not look at the act itself, I look at the intention," He replied. "The smallest act, if done out of love, acquires such merit that it gives Me immense consolation. I want only love, I ask for nothing else."
Others besides Josefa had a share in this ransom: there were at that time at the convent in Poitiers several sisters who by their acceptance of illness or infirmity were closely united to Our Lord crucified. Speaking of them Our Lord said on Sept. 13:
"Many are willing to entertain Me when I visit them with consolation. Many receive Me with joy in Holy Communion, but few welcome Me when I visit them with My Cross. When a soul is stretched on the cross, and is surrendered to My will, that soul glorifies me, and consoles Me, and is very close to Me."
He then made His meaning clearer still: "It is because of the sufferings of My religious that that sinner has not fallen lower still; but yet more must be undergone for his conversion. When he has come back to Me, Josefa," He added, so that she might not lose sight of her mission, "I will tell you the secret of My love for souls, for I want them all to know how great it is."
Days and nights passed during which Josefa had no relief from her sufferings of soul or body.
"Be not dismayed," said Our Lord to her on Sept. 21, "for that soul will not be lost. He will soon be returning to My Heart, but when a soul is to be saved, much suffering is needed."
This none knew better than Josefa. The devil set himself against her in furious assaults, as if he had guessed the redemptive character of her suf-ferings for the soul he thought to have securely in his clutches. Descents into hell were added to the other painful afflictions she underwent, and night after night the Cross of Jesus lay heavy on her shoulder. On Sept. 25, after a more than usually painful night, Our Lord manifested Himself to her. His Heart had no wound and was transfused with light and beauty.
He said, "See! that soul has come back to Me and has allowed grace to triumph. O love Me, and refuse Me nothing to obtain for Me the love of many other souls."
Who on reading this account can doubt that the lost sheep is ever the best loved-- the prodigal son the most eagerly sought and the most tenderly received?
But Our Lord did not allow Josefa any long respite. Her mission ceased neither day nor night, since souls are in peril, and the world is full of sin. Such is the lesson He seems to be teaching us through her.
Saints' Quotes
Saints' Quotes
Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell
Four Last Things
All for the Glory of God
The apostle Paul wrote, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31). Our Lord gave a practical lesson about this passage to Josefa in 1922:
On Tuesday, June 14, Jesus the all beautiful came. He bore in His hands the Crown of Thorns, and He asked Josefa with an expression of mildness: "Will you comfort Me?"
She assented at once, and He continued: "I want you to work at bringing back to Me a much-loved soul. Direct your attention and offer all you do for him. Often present My Blood to the Father. Kiss the ground, in reparation for this outraged Blood, trampled underfoot by the souls I so dearly love. If you obtain leave, I will tell you all you can do for him."
Then He laid out a plan for days of oblation:
"When you awake, enter at once into My Heart, and when you are deep down in It, offer My Father all your actions united to the beating of My Heart. Unite all your actions to Mine, so that it will no longer be you, but I, that act in you." (Galatians 2:20)
"During Mass, present this soul that I want to save to My Father, so that He may pour over him the Blood of the Victim that is about to be immolated.
When you go to Holy Communion, offer the divine wealth you then possess to pay that soul's debt.
During your prayer, place yourself beside Me in Gethsemane, share My anguish, and offer yourself to My Father as a victim, ready to endure all that your soul is able to bear.
When you take your food, think that you are giving Me that alleviation, and do the same whenever you take pleasure in anything whatsoever.
Do not be separated from Me, even for one instant. Often kiss the ground. Do not omit to make the Stations a single day. If I need you, I will tell you.
Look solely to My will in all you do, and accomplish it with the greatest submission.
Humble yourself profoundly, but always joining confidence and love to your humility.
Do everything out of love, and do not lose sight of what I suffered for souls.
During the night you will rest in My Heart. Mine will hearken to the beats of yours, which will stand as so many acts of love and desire. Thus you will bring back to Me that soul that so offends Me."
I asked Him to be indulgent with me, if one or other of these points is not done exactly as He wishes, for I am very weak.
In the evening, during my adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, He came with bleeding hands and feet, and looking up to heaven, He said: "Offer My Father the divine Victim and the Blood of My Heart for that soul."
He repeated the same words three times. I told Him of my desire to comfort Him and to carry out all He had explained to me.
"Do not be over-anxious; you possess My Heart for all I ask you to do." (June 14, 1921. Poitiers, France)
The Value of Good Desires
"Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble; you will prepare their heart, you will cause your ear to hear." --Psalms 10:17
"Those souls must come back to Me without further delay. Pray hard that they may allow grace to penetrate them. Although you can do no more than desire to see Me loved, this is already much. It relieves My Heart. For this longing is love. Offer yourself for those souls, that love may pierce them through and through."
I prayed to Him for all those souls, begging of Him to make many of them know the goodness of His Heart and love Him.
"It pleases Me to see you famished for My love and burnt up with longing to see Me loved. That by itself is consolation to My Heart. Yes, pray for the souls of which I have given you charge. A few more sacrifices, and they will return to Me."
On Saturday, Nov. 20, He came to her, as a beggar, destitute and asking for love. Many little wounds were lacerating His Heart.
"Tell Me, would you not attempt the impossible to comfort Me, Josefa? Share with Me for a moment the bitterness of My heart."
Then helpless distress seemed to overpower my soul. He was still there, and gradually His Heart lit up, and all His wounds disappeared.
"Listen," He said, "I want you to give Me souls. Only love in all you do is required. Suffer because you love, work because you love, and above all abandon yourself to love. When I let you feel anguish of spirit and great loneliness, suffer in love. I want to make use of you, as a tired man uses a stick to lean upon. I want to possess you, to consume you entirely, but all in great sweetness, so that enduring a martyrdom of love, you thirst to suffer more."
Our Lord Seeks Victims
On Oct. 27, 1920, Our Lord told Josefa Menendez, in France: “I shall make of you a victim, for you must resemble Me if you are to be My Bride, and can you not see what I am like?”
On Dec. 18, 1920, He said: “I use your helplessness to save souls, Josefa; I want you to be the victim of this Heart. Do not refuse Me anything; comfort Me when I need comfort, and remember that I spared nothing to prove My love for you.”
On June 30, 1921, Our Lord appeared to Josefa after communion and showed her the wounds in His hands and feet, and taught her to discover the invisible wound of love. “Look at My wounds,” He said. “Adore them; kiss them; they were caused not by souls, but by love.” She was mute, not knowing what to say. He repeated, “Yes, they are caused by the love I have for souls, a love of compassion for sinners. Ah! Did they but know.” He continued: “The greatest reward I can give a soul, is to make her a victim of My love and mercy, rendering her like Myself, who am the divine Victim for sinners.” (Way of Divine Love, p. 103).
On Nov. 25, 1921, Our Lord showed her His Heart surrounded by flames, and He said: “See how My Heart is consumed with love for souls! You, too, must burn with desire for their salvation. I want you to go deep into this heart today, and to make reparation with It. Yes, we must repair,” He repeated. “I am the great Victim, and you are a very little one, but if you are united to Me, My Father will listen to you.” (p. 123).
On Feb. 11, 1923, Our Lord told her: “I need victims to repair the bitterness inflicted on My Heart and to relieve My sorrow. How great is the number of sins committed! How many the souls that are lost!” (p. 233)
On March 2, 1923, Our Lord said to her: “My Cross is heavy. That is why I come here to rest, and to give a share of it to each of My well-beloved souls. My Heart is in search of victims to lead the world to love, and I find them here.” [the convent in Poitiers, France]. (Way of Divine Love, p. 249)
On June 12, 1923, Our Lord said: “To make reparation for the crimes of the world, I will choose victims who will obtain pardon, for there are in the world many whose desire is to please me, and there are moreover generous souls who will sacrifice everything they possess, that I may use them according to My will and good pleasure.” (p. 354).
"The Way of Divine Love, the Message of the Sacred Heart to the World," by Josefa Menendez, Sister of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 1890--1923. This book is more than an account of extraordinary graces granted to a humble soul. It is the message that Our Lord wants made known to the world. It is truly a spiritual classic. Approved by Pope Pius XII. 506 pgs. Soft cover. $3.50 + $4.00 shipping.
J.M.J. Book Co.,
P.O. Box 15,
Necedah, WI 54646 --- Tel. (608) 565-2516
