1OUR LORD revealed that the place on earth where He most delighted to be, after the Blessed Sacrament, was "in the heart and soul of Gertrude, My beloved." Therefore, we do not wonder that among all the most remarkable women Saints of the Church, St. Gertrude is the one who carries the extraordinary title The Great. The Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great form one of the classics of Catholic writing. And although they would have to be classified as "mystical literature," their message is clear and obvious, for this book states many of the secrets of Heaven in terms that all can understand. Recorded here are St. Gertrude's many conversations with Our Lord, wherein He reveals His great desire to grant mercy to souls and to reward the least good act. In the course of their conversations, He reveals wonderful spiritual "shortcuts" that will help everyone in his or her spiritual life. Moreover, the Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great actually open a window onto Heaven, where we can see the specific ways in which prayer, good works and liturgical celebrations on earth have very definite effects in Heaven-among the Saints and Angels and even with God Himself. The Revelations of St. Gertrude were authorized by Our Lord (pp.536-537) and they have been published in many editions, in various languages; they have inspired both clergy and laity for centuries. Surely the present generation of English-speaking Catholics will profit equally from this new edition of The Life and Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great, who found such high favor with Our Lord that He chose to dwell in her heart in a special manner and to reveal to her many of the intimate secrets of His supernatural love for soul.