GEMMA GALGANI'S GAME WITH HER GUARDIAN ANGEL

Gemma Galgani, the Tuscan mystic, who lived from 1878 to 1903, had a rare privilege in that she saw and spoke with her Guardian Angel as though the winged chap were her peer. Her Angel was her mercury. She gave him questions and he went back to Heaven and presented them to Our Lord, Our Lady and the Saints, and then brought back Their answers to Gemma. 

This gift of having the highest level of intimate familiarity one can have with a Guardian Angel in this life has been enjoyed by relatively few souls, such as St Frances of Rome. Frances's Guardian Angel beamed with happiness when she uttered the Holy Name of Jesus. 

But t'was Gemma Galgani who kept up a youthful competition with her guardian angel as to which of them could say the Holy Name with the most love. Gemma died when she was only 26 and there are many moments of joyful youthfulness throughout her mystical life. 

Gemma's life and works were hallmarked with the Name of Jesus. Her letters contain the Holy Name 1475 times, and her autobiography has 181 mentions of the Holy Name. And in the transcipts kept of Gemma's ecstasies the Holy Name is recorded 1,982 times. 

This December, like last, my posts are dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus as a means of preparing for Christmas. I wrote an apologia of sorts for last December's blogging, and I hope to write one this month, but I am rather consumed with re-writing two chapters of my book on Padre Pio. 

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The Life of Gemma Galgani may be purchased here. Tis a biography written by Father Germanus who was her spiritual director.