Flower of Devotion

On one occasion, when St. Mechtilde pressed the Child Jesus to her heart in rapture, she felt his heart beat. Three strong blows followed, followed by one weaker one. Because St. Mechtilde was astonished at this, the Child said to her:
“The beats of My heart were not like those of other men, but I have always had such beats from My childhood until My death, and that is why I died so early on the cross. The first blow comes from almighty love My heart, which was so powerful in Me that I overcame all the adversities of the world and all the cruelties of the Jews with a gentle and patient heart. The second blow comes from the wise love with which I have governed myself and all things so gracefully, and in which I have ordered as wisely as possible all things that are in heaven and on earth. The third stroke comes from sweet love, which has penetrated Me so strongly that it has sweetened all the bitterness of this world, and has even made Me so bitter a death for the salvation of men pleasing and very sweet. The fourth weak blow signifies the gentleness and goodness of My Humanity, by which I have been so unspeakably kind and kind to men.”