In a troubled time when the Church is attacked from all sides, both from without and within, mystical voices like that of Marie Lataste come to remind us of a profound and immutable truth: the Catholic Church, founded by Christ, will never perish. This simple young woman, a Religious of the Sacred Heart, was favored with extraordinary mystical graces, not for her own glory, but to strengthen souls in faith, in fidelity, and in love for the suffering Church. In this twenty-fifth letter, she transmits to us a striking word, heard from the Savior Himself. A powerful word, full of tenderness and strength, which shows us how much Our Lord watches over His Church, as a faithful Spouse watches over his bride, even in the fiercest of storms.
Monsieur le Curé,
I once heard the voice of the Savior Jesus pronounce these words:
"I will remember my covenant with the Church for all ages of ages.
The Church is my spouse; the cross is our marriage bed. It is on the cross that I begot my children by the shedding of my blood; it is on the cross that the womb of the Church became fruitful by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
She is beautiful, my spouse, and I am always near her to support and console her; she would suffer too much from my absence if I were to withdraw from her.
Like her Spouse, she is the target of persecution. Satan rises from beneath the feet of the Church; he arms her own children against her to tear her breast, and the unnatural children of my spouse listen to the voice of Satan.
She raises her voice and turns her tear-filled eyes toward me. No, I will not permit her enemies to prevail.
It will be but an imperceptible dust cast upon her face; she will wash it with the water of her tears, and her beauty, having become more radiant, will captivate even her enemies."Such are the words pronounced by the Savior Jesus.
Deign to receive, I pray you, Monsieur le Curé, the homage of my most profound veneration and my entire submission.
I have the honor to be,
Monsieur le Curé, Your very humble and very obedient servant,
Marie. Mimbaste, 10 November 1843."
Through this letter, we grasp how much the Church is loved by her divine Spouse. Yes, she is wounded, persecuted, even betrayed by her own children, but she remains beautiful in the eyes of Christ. She is His bride, sanctified by the blood of the cross, sustained by the Holy Spirit, and never abandoned. This is a powerful reminder for us today: let us yield neither to discouragement nor to fear. However dark the moment, the Church stands firm because Christ is with her. And at a time when so many seek to soil her, to make her fall, she will triumph, not by human strength, but by the fidelity of God. May the tears of the Church wash away the dust of trial, and may her beauty shine forth in the eyes of the world, as a living testimony to the promise of Our Lord.