St. Joseph of Copertino - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER'V GOOD ODOR OF CHRIST (II COR. 2, 15) These ecstasies and flights were, no doubt, effects of the divine love which burned in the heart of our saint and evidenced the union of his soul with God. Father Jerome Rodriguez, a pious and learned priest of the Society of Jesus, once said after conversing with Joseph: "He is perfectly united to God and his heart is more disposed to this union than powder is to be ignited by the smallest spark." This union was fostered by and found expression in continued prayer; almost without effort the saint raised his spirit to God, whom he found ready to enlighten and inflame him and to draw him towards Himself. It was as if in looking towards heaven he saw the beauty of paradise spread out before his eyes, as he once said to Cardinal Brancati (speaking as of a third person): "It appeared to him as if he were in the midst of a large gallery filled with beautiful and rare objects, and saw in a bright mirror hanging there, at a single glance, the forms of all things and could with certainty pronounce the hidden mysteries which it pleased God to reveal to him while this sublime union lasted." His customary cry was an effect of the inner fire which could not be confined to his breast, but forcibly broke forth from his lips, as he himself said,--though again as of a third person,--" like to powder proceeding from the cannon's mouth, causing a loud report." This great vehemence often raised with the soul the body and any object he happened to have hold of. He even sang and danced during these joyful ecstasies. By reason of his abstraction from earthly things the saint often did not understand what others said to him, or gave answers which plainly showed that he used natural things only as a ladder to mount...