In Rome Christ speaks to his bride, blessed Bridget, foretelling to her the day and
manner of her death and ordering what should be done with the books of
revelations. He also says that when he so pleases, there will be many in the world
who will receive them with devotion and who will obtain his grace. The Lord also
makes arrangements concerning the body of his bride and where it ought to be
buried.
It happened five days before the day of the passing of Lady Bridget, the oftenmentioned bride of Christ, that our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to her in front of the
altar that stood in her chamber. He showed himself with a joyful face and said to
her: "I have done to you what a bridegroom usually does, concealing himself from
his bride so that he may be more ardently desired by her. Thus I have not visited
you with consolations during this time; for it was the time of your testing.
Therefore, now that you have already been tested, go forward and prepare
yourself; for now is the time for the fulfillment of that which I promised you:
namely, that before my altar you shall be clothed and consecrated as a nun. And
henceforth you shall be counted, not only as my bride, but also as a nun and a
mother in Vadstena. Nevertheless, know that you will lay down your body here in
Rome until it comes to the place prepared for it. For it pleases me to spare you from
your labors and to accept your will in place of the completed action."
And having turned toward Rome, he said as if making a complaint: "O my
Rome, O my Rome, the pope scorns you and does not attend to my words but
accepts the doubtful in place of the certain. Therefore he shall hear my pipe no
more; for he makes the time of my mercy dependent on his own choice."
Then he said to the bride: "As for you, however: tell the prior to hand over all
these words of mine, in all the revelations, to the brothers and to my bishop, to
whom I shall give the fervor of my Spirit and whom I shall fill with my grace. And
know that when it so pleases me, those human beings will come who, with
sweetness and joy, will receive those words of the heavenly revelations that up until
now have been made to you; and all the things that have been said to you will be
accomplished.
And although my grace has been withdrawn from many because of their
ingratitude, nevertheless others will come who will arise in lieu of them and who
will obtain my grace. But among the very last words of the revelations made to
you, put that common and universal revelation that I gave to you in Naples. For my
judgment shall be carried out on all the nations who do not humbly return to me, as
it has there been shown to you."
However, after these and many other things not written here had been said, the
bride of Christ made mention of and arrangements for some persons living with her
and whom, before death, she said she had seen in God's presence.
After those things had been heard, the Lord added these words: "On the
morning of the fifth day, after you have received the sacraments, call together one
by one the persons who are present and living with you and whom I have just now
named to you and tell them the things that they must do. And thus, amidst these
words and their hands, you will come to your monastery, i.e., into my joy; and your
body will be placed in Vadstena."
Then, as the fifth day approached, at the moment of dawn, Christ appeared to
her again and consoled her. But when Mass had been said and after she had
received the sacraments with very great devotion and reverence, in the hands of the
aforesaid persons she sent forth her spirit.