I observed to her that ordinarily the Doctors explained this passage otherwise, and that according to them, the Saviour pronounced these words, as man, because he feared death naturally; and as chief of the elect, of those who are feeble as well as those who are strong; so as not to discourage the weak who dread death and present to all a salutary example. Catherine responded: "The actions of the Redeemer are so fruitful in instruction that by carefully meditating on them, each one finds the nourishment best suited to his soul's salvation. The weak can find consolation in our Saviour's prayer; but the strong and more nearly perfect soul should derive encouragement from it, and this would be impossible without the explanation that I have given you. It is more profitable to present several meanings, so that each individual may adopt the one most appropriate to the souls necessities." I kept silent and simply admired the grace and wisdom she had received from God.
I found also another explanation of these words in the manuscripts that Brother Thomas, Catherine's first Confessor, left concerning her. She said during one of her ecstacies, that the cause of our Saviour's sadness and bloody sweat in the Garden of Olives, was the foresight of so many souls failing of participation in the fruits of his Passion. But as he loved justice, he added: "Not my will but thine." Without that, said she, all men would have been saved, for it is impossible that the will of the Son of God should remain ineffectual. Which agrees perfectly with what the Apostle said to the Hebrews: Exauditus est pro sua reverentia (Heb. v. 7) The Doctors commonly apply this passage to the prayer in the Garden of Olives
She also told me on this subject that the dolora suffered by
