Not much is known about the parents and early life of St. Gertrude
the Great. She was born January 6, 1256 in Thuringia
(a part now of modern Germany). She may have been an orphan. Raised in the
Benedictine abbey of Saint Mary of Helfta in Saxony, from age five, Gertrude
was extremely bright and a dedicated student. She excelled in literature and
philosophy. When she was old enough she became a Benedictine nun. At age 26
when she had become too enamored of philosophy, she received a vision of Christ
who reproached her; from then on she studied the Bible and works of the Church
Fathers. Gertrude received other visions and mystical instruction, which formed
the basis of her writings. She helped spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus. Her writings have been greatly praised by Saint Teresa and Saint Francis
de Sales, and continue in print today. She died on November 17, 1302 at the
convent of Saint Mary’s of Helfta of natural causes.
Prayer
of St. Gertrude the Great
Our Lord dictated the following prayer to St.
Gertrude the Great to release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said.
"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious
Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the
world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for
sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family.
Amen."
Our readings today speak of
the rootedness in Christ’s love that
we each must possess to remain rooted in him as a branch to a vine. This rootedness begins with faith, and ends always with works of charity done by means of the very life of God flowing
through us. Our works can thus be of great use both for the world at large both
here and hereafter.
And we can affect the future
of those in the purgatorial process.
May we be generous in our
faith and our works this day! – if only by pausing to say the Prayer of St Gertrude several times to
release thousands of captive souls!
The
Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.
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