pressed it on her head with so much violence, that the thorns entered on all sides. She felt the wounds sensibly after the vision, as she herself informed me. Then the Lord said; "I am all-powerful, and if I have allowed this scandal to occur, I can cause it to cease instantly. Complete the work that you have commenced, yield not to Satan who would prevent thee; I will give thee a manifest victory over him; all that he has prepared against thee, shall turn to his shame and thy glory." The servant of God remained filled with consolation and with courage.
However, Lapa, her mother, became acquainted with the reports that the sick women had spread among the Sisters; and being quite certain of the innocence of her daughter, she, indignant at the attempts of Andrea, and in great anger said to Catherine: "How often have I begged thee to leave that wicked woman ! this is the recompense that she bestows on thee, dishonor before all the Sisterhood; if thou serve her again, if thou even approach her, I will no longer call thee my child !" This was a new snare of the demon for arresting Catherine; but she, on hearing her mother, kept silent a moment; and then approaching and kneeling before her, she humbly said to her: "My beloved Mother, does the ingratitude of men prevent God from daily exercising his mercy towards sinners ? did not our Saviour, accomplish the salvation of the world on the Cross, without heeding the insults offered him ? You are so kind dear mother, and you know very well that were I to abandon that sick person, no one would take care of her, and she would die for want of assistance; would we not indeed become the cause of her death ? She is deceived by Satan, but God may enlighten her and lead her to acknowledge her error."
