Confessions (Barnes & Noble Library of Essential Reading) Book

An excellent book, in line with the gospel accounts of the crucifixion of Our Lord. It helps me to appreciate more what Jesus did for us and to love him more. Aside from the first few chapters, full of descriptions of buildings, scenery, etc., it is very interesting and inspiring of deep love. Many of the details and explanations are very intriguing. My only "complaint," for lack of a better word, is that Mary is continually spoken of as fainting, or almost fainting (which is probably because I had previously read another mystic's account which said on the contrary that she was very much outwardly strengthened... but is not my say- such was the vision granted to Anne Catherine Emmerich!

For any who might shy away from contemplation of the crucifixion, on account of how awful it was, Anne Catherine says:
"We ought, indeed, to be ashamed of that weakness and susceptibility which renders us unable to listen composedly to the descriptions, or speak without repugnance, of those sufferings which our Lord endured so calmly and patiently for our salvation. The horror we feel is as great as that of a murderer who is forced to place his hands upon the wounds he himself has inflicted on his victim. Jesus endured all without opening his mouth; and it was man, sinful man, who perpetrated all these outrages against one who was at once their Brother, their Redeemer, and their God. I, too, am a great sinner, and my sins caused these sufferings. At the day of judgment, when the most hidden things will be manifested, we shall see the share we have had in the torments endured by the Son of God; we shall see how far we have caused them by the sins we so frequently commit, and which are, in fact, a species of consent which we give to, and participate in, the tortures which were inflicted on Jesus by his cruel enemies. If, alas! we reflected seriously on this, we should repeat with much greater fervor the words which we find so often in prayer-books: 'Lord, grant that I may die, rather than ever willfully offend thee again by sin.'" p.177

On Our Lord's great Love for us:
"The day was beginning to dawn- the day of his Passion, our Redemption- and a faint ray penetrating the narrow vent-hole of the prison, fell upon the body of the holy and immaculate Lamb, who had taken upon himself the sins of the world. Jesus turned towards the ray of light, raised his fettered hands, and, in the most touching manner, returned thanks to his Heavenly Father for the dawn of that day, which had been so long desired by the prophets, and for which he himself had so ardently sighed from the moment of his birth on earth, and concerning which he had said to his disciples, 'I have a baptism wherewith I am to be baptized, and how am I straitened until it be accomplished?...' I was quite overwhelmed with feelings of love and compassion when I looked upon him thus welcoming the first dawn of the great day of his Sacrifice, and that ray of light which penetrated into his prison might, indeed, be compared to the visit of a judge who wishes to be reconciled to a criminal before the sentence of death which he has pronounced upon him is executed." p.177-178

On Confidence at the time of death:
"Jesus then offered to his Eternal Father his poverty, his dereliction, his labours, and, above all, the bitter sufferings which our ingratitude had caused him to endure in expiation for our sins and weaknesses; no one, therefore, who is united to Jesus in the bosom of his Church must despair at the awful moment preceding his exit from this life, even if he be deprived of all sensible light and comfort; for he must then remember that the Christian is no longer obliged to enter this dark desert alone and unprotected, as Jesus has cast his own interior and exterior dereliction on the Cross into this gulf of desolation; consequently he will not be left to cope alone with death, or be suffered to leave this world in desolation of spirit, deprived of heavenly consolation." p. 288-289

Jesus' regard and love for his Holy Mother:
At his resurrection, Jesus "showed [his mother:] his wounds; and Mary prostrated to kiss his sacred feet; but he took her hand, raised her, and disappeared." p. 361

On Thanksgiving after Holy Communion:
Judas "left [after receiving Holy Communion from our Lord:] without praying or making any thanksgiving, and hence you may perceive how sinful it is to neglect returning thanks either after receiving our daily food, or after partaking of the Life-Giving Bread of Angels." p.85