Autobiography

'Autobiographie

Cover page - CEV - 2021
Details of the work
Author	Maria Valtorta
Rédaction	From late February to mid-April 1943
Pages	550
First edition in Italian
Title	Autobiografia
Parution	1969
'Éditeur	Tipografia editrice E. Pisani
Traduction française 1re édition
Titre	Autobiographie
Traducteur	Alain Sauret
Parution	1993
Éditeur	Centro editoriale valtortiano
2nd edition
Parution	2021
Éditeur	Centro editoriale valtortiano
ISBN	978-8879873567

In April 1943, Maria Valtorta, then aged 46 and bedridden for 9 years, completed the story of her life in two and a half months, at the request of her confessor.

The keeping of a diary or autobiographical account is a relatively common act among mystics, and takes us right to the heart of their spirituality. Maria Valtorta's is no exception. It's her first work, except for Cuore di una donna (coeur de femme), a manuscript burnt at the request of Jesus. This autobiography recounts her spiritual path and inaugurates the later series of visions and dictations.

The Blessed Allegra said of this work:

"Maria Valtorta's Autobiography stands out from similar works, even those written by saints. It is powerful and original... It is, moreover, a dramatic book, because drama emerges from things and facts: It is born, I would say, in the character of her mother, who unfortunately had little or nothing of the heart of a wife and mother... Vigorous and very lively style, teeming and colorful, which perhaps exceeds that of the Gospel as it was revealed to me. Pages rich in thoughts and psychological depths, which help us to understand the spiritual physiognomy of the spokeswoman of Jesus: Maria Valtorta."

Its contents

Introduction

"And man awakens to suffering as in their flights eagles seek altitude." (Job 5,7)

What title should we give this true story? The title of a flower. But which flower to choose? In the season of my birth, hawthorn taints the hitherto bare bushes with living snow. Its tiny flowers, as candid as dove feathers lost in flight, caress the reddish-brown thorns of its branches. In some parts of Italy, the wild hawthorn is known as the "Thorn of Christ", and it is said that the Redeemer's crown of thorns was formed by some of its branches, which, while they tortured the Savior's flesh at the time, now host nests that once again resonate with whispers and love.

At the feet of the hawthorn, Lenten flower in its vestments and Christian in its simplicity, smells the sweet violet... A scent more than a flower... the light, yet penetrating scent of a simple, yet tenacious flower that accepts everything provided it lives and blooms.

I'd like to give the story of this life the name of one of these two flowers, in particular that of the violet"

Conclusion

"I arrived at this shore after much suffering. But if suffering was the oar and sail that enabled me to reach you faster, my God, who are Peace, Mercy and Love, then, once again, blessed be suffering! And if, because of suffering, I, who am nothing, have become someone in your eyes, my God, may you be blessed once again for the suffering you have given me as your most beautiful gift.

My soul praises you, O Lord, and exults in you who wanted to look kindly on the nothing that I am and make of it an instrument of good for other nothings like me. Blessed art thou, O Lord, my Savior, who hast freed me from all my enemies, covered me with thy mercy, nourished me with thy love, sustained me, forgiven me, instructed me, comforted me, for thou hast made thyself my friend and my kinsman, my teacher and my physician.

You have granted me to know you for what you truly are, the only true God, and to know the one you sent, Jesus Christ, and for this grace I wish to say thank you, with all the beats of my heart and for all eternity, but it will never be enough, for to know and love you, O God, is such a good that there is no adequate gratitude.

You have allowed me to speak of you to so many of the creatures you have entrusted to me, and because of that too; thank you, my God! For these people, for all those I have loved, known, led, and who have with me ties of blood or simple human brotherhood, I have prayed and suffered, O God, so that all may enter where, trusting in your mercy, I have faith to enter your eternal kingdom. Even now, as I die, I pray for them and once again offer you my life. You, Father, preserve them from the danger of losing you, who are the only true good. I pray for them, Lord, and for all the poor souls who don't know where the sure way is, the true way, the light that never dies.

Oh! Lord, I wish I had thousands and thousands of lives to offer them all to you, holy Father, as a bouquet of holocausts for the good of the world.

You see, O Father, that this is a cry that rises from the depths of my spirit and ascends like incense and an arrow to the feet of your throne, O my God. Do not look, O Lord, at the lowliness of your servant, but look at her desire to love you, look at her generosity in suffering to be a seed of good in hearts that have become sterile. Multiply the beats of my heart, and with each beat add suffering, and with suffering, the strength to suffer. It is to you, holy Father, that I ask for this strength, which only you can give to us miserable creatures.

And because of my hidden sacrifice of every moment, O Father, give me crowds of souls to offer you. Move them and me too into the light, into your light, and, when for us the time is fulfilled, open to us, O God, the gates of your kingdom and the doors of your heart so that for all eternity we may delight in you, all-powerful, eternal, and triune God."

Book summary

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15 - "And man awakens to suffering as in their flights eagles seek altitude" (Job 5:7). This is a true story that could be named after the violet.

Part One

17 - " ... Therefore, I tell you, her sins, her many sins lut are forgiven, since she has shown much love. But he to whom little is forgiven shows little love, (Luke 7:47-48). Why and how she tells her life story - The birth in Caserta and the nurse - Character traits - Moving to Faenza when eighteen months old - Relationship with her parents - Death of her maternal grandfather - Moving to Milan in September 1901.

31 - First encounter.

In nursery school at the age of four and a half, with the Ursulines in Via Lanzone, Milan - First encounter with God and desire to become like Him, crucified for love - Afflicted with whooping cough, she has to leave the Ursuline school.

36 - Ma Pentecôte

At the Marcellines in October 1904 - Success in exams, vices and virtues - The que-beaux-que-beaux fair in Piazza San Ambroise, Milan - Duty and love - Death of her maternal grandmother - First confession on March 18, 1904 - Preparation for Confirmation, celebrated by Cardinal Ferrari on May 30, 1905.

53 - The men who were my friends

Friends of her father, officers and soldiers, and a few others, especially servants - Episode of the troubled schoolgirl. Respect for the innocent. Slow but progressive response to God's call.

65 - Mes amies les choses

Familiarity with animals - Love of flowers, nature and art.

Part Two

71 - "Those who weep are those who know" (Ruysbroeck) It was during Lent that she experienced the main events that marked her life - For her, love and suffering are linked.