Blessed Anna Caterina Emmerick: Reward and punishment in the other life

Da Paolo Tessione - August 7, 2019

In the following Visions Anna Katharina Emmerich was led by Blessed Nicholas of Flùe. In the year 1819, on the night preceding the 9th Sunday, after Pentecost, the narration of the Gospel relating to the wedding banquet recurs. I saw Blessed Claus, a great old man, with hair like silver encircled by a low shining crown studded with precious stones. He was holding a crown of precious stones, he wore an ankle-length snow-colored shirt. I asked him why instead of herbs he had only a shimmering crown in his hands. He then began to speak, concisely and seriously, about my death and my destiny. He also told me he wanted to lead me to a big wedding party. He put the crown on my head and I soared high with him. We entered a palace suspended in the air. Here I was supposed to be a bride but I was ashamed and scared. I could not realize the situation, I felt in a strong embarrassment. In the palace there was an unusual and wonderful wedding party. It seemed as if I had to take note and see in the participants the representatives of all social conditions and levels of the world, and what they did for good and bad. For example, the Pope would have represented all the Popes of history, the bishops present there, all the bishops of history, etc. At first a table had been set for the religious who were taking part in the wedding banquet. I saw the Pope and the bishops sitting with their pastorals and girded with their vestments. With them many other religious of high and low rank, Surrounded by a choir of Blessed and Saints of their lineage, their progenitors and patrons, who acted on them, judged, influenced and decided. At this table there were also religious spouses of the noblest rank and I was invited to sit among them, as their equal, with my crown. I did it despite being very ashamed. These were not true living and had no crowns. Since I was embarrassed, whoever had invited me acted in my place. The foods on the table were symbolic figures, not earthly food dishes. I understood to whom all things belonged and I read in all hearts. Behind the dining room there were many other rooms and halls of all kinds in which other people entered and stopped. Many of the religious were expelled from the wedding table. They were undeserving of staying because they had mingled with the laity and had served them more than the Church itself. They were first punished then removed from the table and reunited in other rooms near or far. The number of the righteous remained very small. This was the first table and the first hour, The religious left. Then another table was prepared at which I did not sit down but remained among the spectators. Blessed Claus always hovered over me to assist me. A great deal came. of emperors, kings and rulers. They sat down at this second table, which served other great lords. On this table the Saints appeared, with their ancestors. Some regents took information from me. I was amazed and Claus always answered for me. They didn't sit for long. Most of the guests belonged to the same genus and their actions were not good, but weak and confused. Many did not even sit at the table and were immediately led out.

Then the table of a distinguished noble appeared, and I saw among others the pious woman of the family mentioned. Then the table of the rich bourgeois appeared. I can't say how disgusting it was. Most were driven out and with their noble peers they were relegated to a hole full of dung, as in a sewer. Another table appeared in good condition, where old, sincere bourgeois and peasants sat. There were many good people, even my relatives and acquaintances. I recognized among them also my father and my mother. Then the descendants of Brother Claus also appeared, really good and strong people belonging to the straight bourgeoisie. The poor and the lame came, among whom were many devotees, but also bad people who were sent back. I had a lot to do with them. When the banquets of the six tables were over, the Saint took me away. He led me to my bed from which he had taken me. I was very exhausted and unconscious, I couldn't move or wake up, I didn't give any signs, I felt like I was paralyzed. Blessed Claus appeared to me only once, but his visit had a great significance in my life, even if I cannot understand it and I do not know the precise reason for it.

The hell

Of hell, Anna Katharina had the following vision: When I was gripped by many pains and ailments I became truly cowardly and sighed. God maybe he could have given me just a quiet day. I live as in hell. I then had a severe rebuke from my guide, who said to me:
"To make sure you don't compare your condition like this anymore, I really want to show you hell." So it led me to the far north, on the side where the earth becomes steeper, then more distant from the earth. I got the impression that I had come to a terrible place. Descended through the paths of an ice desert, in a region above the Earth's hemisphere, from the northernmost part of the same. The road was deserted and as I walked it I noticed that it was getting darker and icier. Just remembering what I saw I feel my whole body tremble. It was a land of infinite suffering, sprinkled with black spots, here and there coal and thick smoke rose from the ground; everything was wrapped in a deep darkness, like an eternal night ”. The pious nun was subsequently shown, in a fairly clear vision, how Jesus, immediately after his separation from the body, descended into Limbo. Finally I saw Him (the Lord), proceeding with great gravity towards the center of the abyss and approaching hell. It had the shape of a gigantic rock, illuminated by a terrible and black metallic light. A huge dark door served as an entrance. It was truly frightening, closed with bolts and incandescent bolts that stimulated a feeling of horror. Suddenly I heard a roar, a hideous scream, the gates were opened and a terrible and sinister world appeared. This world corresponded precisely to the exact opposite of that of heavenly Jerusalem and the countless conditions of beatitudes, the city with the most diverse gardens, full of wonderful fruit and flowers, and the houses of the Saints. All that appeared to me was the opposite of bliss. Everything bore the mark of curse, of pain and suffering. In heavenly Jerusalem everything appeared modeled by the permanence of the Blessed and organized according to the reasons and relationships of the infinite peace of eternal harmony; here instead everything appears in discrepancy, in disharmony, immersed in anger and despair. In heaven you can contemplate the indescribable beautiful and clear buildings of joy and adoration, here instead the exact opposite: innumerable and sinister prisons, caves of suffering, curse, despair; there in paradise, there are the most wonderful gardens full of fruit for a divine meal, here hateful deserts and swamps full of sufferings and pains and all the most horrible imaginable. To love, contemplation, joy and bliss, temples, altars, castles, streams, rivers, lakes, marvelous fields and the blessed and harmonious community of Saints, the mirror is replaced in hell opposed to the peaceful Kingdom of God, the rending, eternal disagreement of the damned. All human errors and lies were concentrated in this same place and appeared in countless representations of suffering and pain. Nothing was right, there was no reassuring thought, like that of divine justice.

Then suddenly something changed, the doors were opened by the Angels, there was a conflict, escapes, insults, screams and complaints. Single angels defeated whole hosts of evil spirits. Everyone had to recognize Jesus and worship. This was the torment of the damned. A large number of them were chained in a circle around the others. At the center of the temple was an abyss shrouded in darkness, Lucifer was chained and thrown in as a black vapor rose. Such events occurred following certain divine laws.
If I am not mistaken I felt that Lucifer will be released and his chains removed, fifty or sixty years before the 2000s AD, for some time. I felt that other events would happen at certain times, but that I have forgotten. Some damned souls had to be released to continue to suffer the punishment of being led into temptation and exterminate the worldly. I believe that this happens in our age, at least for some of them; others will be released in the future ".

On January 8, 1820 in Mtinster, Overberg gave chaplain Niesing of Diilmen a tower-shaped jar containing relics for Anna Katharina, who left Miinster for DUlmen with the jar under her arm. Although Sister Emmerich knew nothing of Overberg's intention to send her the relics, she saw the chaplain return to Dtilmen with a white flame under his arm. He later said, “I was amazed at how it didn't burn, and I almost smiled when I saw that he walked without noticing the light of the rainbow-colored flames at all. At first I saw only these colored flames, but when he approached my house I also recognized the jar. The man passed my house and continued on. I could not receive the relics. I was truly sorry that he had brought them to the other side of town. This fact made me very uneasy. The next day Niesing gave her the jar. He was very happy. On 12 January he told the “pilgrim” about the vision on the relic: «I saw the soul of a young man approaching in a form full of splendor, and in a garment similar to that of my guide. A white halo shone on his head and he told me that he had overcome the tyranny of the senses and consequently had received salvation. The victory over nature had taken place progressively. As a child, despite his instinct telling him to tear the roses, he did not do it, so he began to overcome the tyranny of the senses. After this interview I went into ecstasy, and I received a new Vision: I saw this soul, like a thirteen year old boy, busy with various games in a beautiful and large amusement garden; he had a bizarre hat, a yellow jacket, open and tight, which went down to his trousers, on the sleeves of which near his hand was a fabric lace. The pants were tied very tightly all on one side. The laced part was of another color. The knees of the trousers were colored, the shoes were tight and tied with ribbons. The garden had pretty trimmed hedges and many huts and playhouses, which were round inside and quadrangular on the outside. There were also fields with many trees, where people worked. These workers were dressed like the shepherds of the convent's crib. I remembered when I leaned over them to look at them or fix them. The garden belonged to distinct people who lived in the same important city as that child. In the garden it was allowed to stroll. I saw the children jumping happily and breaking red and white roses. The blessed youth overcame his instincts despite the fact that the others put large rose bushes in front of his nose. At this point this blessed soul told me: “I learned to overcome myself through other difficulties:
among the neighbors was a girl of great beauty, my playmate, I loved her with great innocent love. My parents were devoted and learned a lot from the sermons and I, who was with them, had often heard first of all in church how important it was to watch over temptations. Only with great violence and overcoming myself was I able to avoid the relationship with the girl, as it was later for the renunciation of roses ". When he finished speaking I saw this virgin, very pretty and blooming like a rose, heading for the city. The beautiful house of the child's parents was located in the large market square, it was quadrangular in shape. The houses were built on arches. His father was a wealthy merchant. I reached the house and saw the parents, and other children. It was a beautiful family, Christian and devoted. The father traded in wine and textiles; he was dressed in great pomp and had a leather purse hung at his side. He was a big fat man. The mother was also a strong woman, she had thick and wonderful hair. The young man was the eldest of the children of these good people. Outside the house stood carriages loaded with goods. In the center of the market was a marvelous fountain surrounded by an artistic iron grate with dotted figures of famous men; in the center of the fountain stood an artistic figure pouring water.

At the four corners of the market there were small buildings like sentry boxes. The city, which appeared to be in Germany, was situated in a three-menda area; on one side it was surrounded by a moat, on the other a fairly large river flowed; it had seven churches, but no towers of significant importance. The roofs were sloping, pointed, but the front of the boy's house was quadrangular. I saw the latter come to an isolated convent to study. The convent was located on a mountain where grapes grew and was about twelve hours from the paternal city. He was very diligent and very fervent and trusting towards the Holy Mother of God. When he did not understand something from the books, he spoke to the image of Mary saying: "You taught your Child, you are also my mother, teach me too!" So it happened that one day Mary appeared to him personally and began to teach him. He was entirely innocent, simple and easygoing with her and did not want to become a priest out of humility, but was appreciated for his devotion. He remained in the convent for three years, then fell seriously ill and died at the age of twenty-three. He was also buried in the same place. An acquaintance of his prayed a lot at his grave for several years. He was unable to overcome his passions and often fell into sins; he placed great trust in the deceased and prayed for him without interruption. Finally the soul of the young man appeared to him and told him that he should make public a circular sign on his finger formed by a ring, which he had received during his mystical marriage with Jesus and Mary. The acquaintance should have made this vision known, and the related interview so that everyone, after having found the mark on his body, was convinced of the truthfulness of this vision.
The friend did so, and made the vision known. The body was exhumed and the existence of the sign on the finger was found. The deceased young man was not sanctified, but the figure of St. Louis clearly reminded me.

The soul of this young man took me to a place similar to the heavenly Jerusalem. Everything seemed bright and diaphanous. I reached a large square surrounded by beautiful and shiny buildings where, in the center, there was a long table covered with indescribable courses. I saw arches of flowers emerge from the four buildings in front of them that reached the center of the table, on which they joined, crossing and forming a single adorned crown. Around this wonderful crown I saw the names of Jesus and Mary glisten. The bows were packed with flowers of many varieties, fruit and shining figures. I recognized the meaning of everything and everything, as that nature had always been within me, as indeed in all human creatures. In our earthly world this cannot be expressed in words. Further away from the buildings, on one side only, there were two octagonal churches, one dedicated to Mary, the other to the Child Jesus. In that place, near the luminous buildings, the souls of blessed children hovered in the air. They wore the clothes they had when they were alive and I recognized many of my playmates among them. Those who died prematurely. The souls came to meet me to welcome me. First I saw them in this form, then they took on bodily consistency as they had really been in life. Among everyone I immediately recognized Gasparino, Dierik's little brother, a mischievous but not bad boy, who died at the age of eleven following a long and painful illness. He came to meet me and, guiding me, explained everything to me, I was amazed to see the rude Gasparino so fine and beautiful. When I explained to him my wonder at having arrived in this place, he replied: "You do not come here with your feet but with your soul". This observation gave me a lot of joy. Then I enumerated some memories and said to me: “Once I sharpened your knife to help you without your knowledge. Then I overcame my instincts to my own advantage. Your mother gave you something to cut, but you couldn't do it because the knife was not sharp, so you despaired and cried. You were afraid your mother would scold you. I saw and said, “I want to see if the mother cries; but then overcoming this low instinct I thought: “I want to sharpen the old knife”. I did it and I helped you, it benefited my soul. Once, when you saw how other children were playing roughly, you no longer wanted to play with us saying that those were bad games, and you went to sit on a grave crying. I came after you to ask why, you told me that someone had sent you away, giving me the opportunity to make me think and, overcoming my instincts, I stopped playing. This also brought me a good profit. Another memory about our games is when we threw fallen apples at each other, and you said we shouldn't have. My response, that if we hadn't done it others would have provoked us, you said "we should never give others a chance to provoke us and make us angry," and you didn't throw any apples, so I did and drew from them. profit. Only once did I throw you against a bone and the sorrow of this action stayed in my heart.

Suspended in the air we approached the table placed in the market receiving a quality of food in relation to the tests passed and we could taste it only by virtue of what we understood. Then a voice rose: "Only those who can understand these dishes can taste them." The dishes were for the most part flowers, fruit, shiny stones, figures and herbs, which had a different spiritual substance from what they physically have on earth. These dishes were surrounded by a completely indescribable splendor and were contained on plates immersed in a wonderful mystical energy. The table was also occupied by crystal glasses with pear-shaped figures, in which I once contained the medicines One of the first courses consisted of wonderfully dosed myrrhs From a golden bowl emerged a small chalice, the lid of which had a pommel and on the same a small crucifix and end. Around the margin were bright letters of a blue violet color. I could not remember the inscription which I only met in the future. From the bowls the most beautiful bunches of myrrh came out in yellow and green pyramidal shape that went right into the goblets. This myrrh appeared as a set of leaves with bizarre flowers like cloves of immense beauty; above was a red bud around which stood out a beautiful blue-purple. The bitterness of this myrrh gave a wonderful and strengthening aroma to the spirit. I received this dish because I secretly, in silence, carried so much bitterness in my heart. For those apples that I did not pick to throw them at others, I had the enjoyment of bright apples. There were many of them, all together on one branch.

I also received a dish in relation to the hard bread that I had shared with the poor, in the form of a piece of hard bread but shiny as a multicolored crystal that was reflected on the crystalline plate. For avoiding the rude game, I received a white suit. Gasparino explained everything to me. So we went closer and closer to the table and I saw a pebble on my plate, as I had in the past in the convent. Then I was told that before I died I would receive a suit and a white stone, on which was a name that only I could read. At the end of the table, love for one's neighbor was reciprocated, represented by clothes, fruit, compositions, white roses and all white, with dishes with wonderful shapes. I cannot describe it all in the right way. Gasparino told me: "Now we want to show you our little crib too, because you have always liked to play with cribs". So we all went towards the churches, immediately entering the church of the Mother of God in which there was a permanent choir and an altar on which all the images of the life of Mary were exposed; around you could see the choirs of the worshipers. Through this church one reached the crib placed in the other church, where there was an altar with a representation of the Lord's birth and all the images of his life up to that of the Last Supper; as I had always seen it in the Visions.
At this point Anna Katharina stopped to warn the "pilgrim" with great anxiety to work for his salvation, to do it today and not tomorrow. Life is short and the Lord's judgment is very severe.

Then he continued: «I reached an elevated place, I had the impression of going up to a garden where so much magnificent fruit was displayed, and some tables were richly adorned, with many gifts on them. I saw coming from all parts souls that hovered around. Some of these had taken part in world activity with their studies and work, and helped others. These souls, as soon as they arrived, began to scatter in the garden. Then they showed up one after the other, to receive a table and take their reward. In the center of the garden stood a half-round pedestal in the shape of stairs, filled with the finest delights. In front and on both sides of the garden, the poor were pressing and demanding something by showing books. This garden had something similar to a beautiful door, from which a street could be glimpsed. From this door I saw coming a procession made up of the souls of those present who formed a row on two sides, to welcome and welcome the arrivals among whom was the blessed Stolberg. They moved in an orderly procession and had flags and wreaths with them. Four of them carried on their shoulders a litter of honor, on which the Saint was lying half reclining, it seemed that they carried no weight. The others followed him and those who awaited his arrival had flowers and wreaths. One of these was also on the head of the deceased, intertwined with white roses, pebbles and sparkling stars. The crown was not placed on his head, but hovered over it, remaining suspended. At first these souls appeared to me all similar, as it was for the children, but then it seemed that each one had its own condition, and I saw that they were those who with work and teaching had led others to salvation. I saw Stolberg hovering in the air on his litter, which disappeared as he approached his gifts. Behind the half-round column an Angel appeared while on the third step of the same, full of precious fruit, vases and flowers, an arm came out and handed the surrounding people an open book. The Angel received in turn surrounding souls, books, in which he marked something and placed them on the second step of the column, on his side; then he gave the souls large and small writings, which, passing hand by hand, expanded. I saw on the side where Stolberg was, many small writings scrolled by. These seemed to me to have been a testament to the heavenly continuation of the earthly work of such souls.

Blessed Stolberg received, from the "arm" that emerged from the column, a large transparent plate, in the center of which appeared a beautiful chalice and around this grape, small loaves, precious stones and crystal bottles. The souls drank from the bottles and enjoyed everything. Stolberg divided everything, one by one. The souls communicated with each other by holding out their hands, finally all were led higher to thank the Lord.
After this vision my guide told me that I had to go to the Pope in Rome and induce him to pray; he would have told me everything I should have done. '