Flower of Devotion

St. Mechtilde saw St. John the Evangelist resting on the breast of Jesus Christ in rapture, and a host of saints surrounded the Lord and praised Him and St. John. Then the saint asked the Lord to teach her how to praise Him for such a disciple. And the Lord answered,
“You shall praise me first for his noble family, for St. John is born of illustrious parents, and no other under heaven was nobler than this birth. Secondly, that I had called him from his wedding feast to my apostolate. Thirdly, that he deserved to see My Face on Mount Tabor before others. Fourthly, that he was worthy to rest on my breasts at the last supper. Fifthly, that he had a depth of discernment before others, for which he deserved to describe the prayer I said on the Mount of Olives to the people (in his Gospel). Sixthly, that out of a special love I commanded him from the Cross to take care of My Mother. Seventhly, because after My resurrection I enlightened him with an extraordinary recognition that he alone had come to know Me before the others, and while the other disciples came to know Me with great difficulty, he immediately said, “This is the Lord!” Eighthly, that, by a separate proof of My kindness, I revealed My mysteries to him when I was writing the book of secret revelation. By divine inspiration, he was worthy to say: “In the beginning was the Word, that mystery which neither any prophet nor anyone else knew before him. Ninth, that he drank poison for My Name’s sake. Tenth, that in My name He performed many signs and raised the dead. Eleventhly, that I have so sweetly visited him, and to My delight have invited him and his brethren. Twelfthly, that I have led him with splendor from this earthly misery into eternal joys, free from the pains of the flesh.”