BIOGRAPHY of ST GEMMA GALGANI - Get a Free Blog

of Gemma that the conversion of a man who had refused the Last Sacraments, after she and her school
companions had offered prayers on his behalf, increased her mysterious thirst for souls, as it had increased
St. Therese's. Besides, there is no lack of depositions concerning her zeal for souls during her early years.
Thus Sister Julia Sestini attested: 'Gemma suffered because sin was committed. I remember that when she
was only a small child, she used to grieve if one of her companions acted wrongly. . . . She often prayed for
sinners and offered for them the mortifications she used to perform. . . .' But there was one sin in particular
that afflicted her very much, and that was blasphemy. According to Elisa Galgani, on hearing anyone
blaspheme, Gemma used to exclaim immediately: 'My Jesus mercy! Let us pray for that person's soul.' This
statement refers to the time when Gemma lived at Camaiore. Her cousin, Luigi Bartelloni, also deposed
concerning this period of her life : ' She suffered much because of sin, and because of blasphemy especially.'
The reader will remember the conversion of the water-carrier, and her struggle with Divine Justice while she
was in ecstasy on the occasion of her first meeting with Father Germanus. There were many such incidents
in her life. The Devil was filled. with rage at seeing so many souls snatched from hi' grasp. He warned her
that if she continued to interest herself in souls she would pay dearly for it. She did pay dearly for these
victories over the Powers of Darkness, as the reader knows already.
HER ZEAL FOR SOULS INSPIRES HER TO GREATER SACRIFICES
Having chosen her for this mission, her Divine Master continued to inspire Gemma to sacrifice herself more
and more for souls. It need not be said these inspirations had more influence over her than the threats of the
Devil. She wrote to Monsignor Volpi:
‘Tonight I told Jesus that I could bear no more sufferings, and He answered: "My child, I also can put up no
longer with the wicked treatment I receive. There are so many terrible sins being committed just now that I
cannot bear it any longer. But your suffering holds back the chastisement which My Father has prepared for
so many poor sinners. And will you not suffer willingly?" I replied that I would, but that I was afraid that it
would be too much for me. Jesus then said: " Do not fear! If I make you suffer I shall give you strength to
bear it. 0 my child, do you not see that I am helping you more now than before? . . . Look how the world is
treating Me to-day! I am very displeased with those who offend Me." I besought Jesus to have patience, and
to vent His displeasure upon me by making me suffer as much as I could bear.'
Even her Guardian Angel often incited her to suffer on behalf of souls, by recalling to her mind the price
Jesus paid for their salvation. Thus she wrote to Father Germanus :
‘My Guardian Angel said to me yesterday, and repeated it again to-night very sadly: " If you were to see how
much Jesus suffers! If you could see Him!" I then began to grieve, because on other occasions when He was
suffering He came and told me, and I also suffered and it seemed to me that my suffering consoled Him a
little. But He does not come now. I asked him (the Angel) why Jesus suffered more and he answered: "
Because there are so many sins committed!"’
We shall quote here a long extract from a letter Gemma wrote to Father Germanus, which conveys a vivid
idea of the ardor of her zeal for salvation of souls:
‘If you knew, Father, how Jesus is afflicted sometimes! Oh, it is almost too much to bear to see Him like that,
and then how many are there who compassionate Him? Very few, and Jesus is almost always alone. I suffer
very much at seeing Jesus in the midst of such sorrow.
And what is to be done? Am I to see Him in that state and not help Him? At times I am filled with such an
immense desire of suffering all the torments in the world that I cannot but try to find means of making myself
suffer. About eight days ago, immediately after Holy Communion, three resolutions came spontaneously to
my mind, and I made them at once to Jesus. If ever You desire, 0 my God, to take away my life as a
chastisement for my innumerable sins, from this moment I offer it to Thee. I am ready to die when it shall
please Thee. I offer my life to Thee, 0 my God-my life united to the life of Jesus, and my sufferings with His,
only I ask Thee to grant me perfect sorrow for my sins! and. You, 0 Jesus, have often made known to me that
it is Thy Will that I should enter a Convent. Well, if You so desire, I am ready, but I should like to enter only to
suffer for Thee, to love Thee, and to do penance for my great sins, 3rd. 0 Jesus, do You wish me to continue
to live as I am? May You be blessed! Perhaps You prefer me to live in the world, alone, abandoned, and
despised by all? I am prepared. . . . May Thy holy Will be accomplished in every way! I renew these three
resolutions every morning and this pleases Jesus very much. He even reminds me of them if I forget.'
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