The following is an excerpt from Cora Evans’ “Selected Writings” which is a collection of her diary entries from June of 1947 to March of 1949. Her book is available here. The selection is from Spetember of 1948. 

September 8, 1948

 . . . We are caretakers of our living tabernacles. We either open or close the doors of self when we are hidden in the vale of tears, which is like a curtain over the tabernacle door. When we brush aside the curtain of darkness, better to be alone with God in our tabernacle of self, we must first forgive all souls who have harmed us in soul and body, for they are tabernacles too. Some tabernacles are soiled; others are dusty, while others are covered with mold, but He does not ask us to enter there— all He asks is for us to keep one tabernacle clean and free for Him, he will take care of the rest. Thank You, Jesus. 

Even though I wander into the shadows of death, Thou wilt be my everlasting Host, all the eternal shall seek Thee most, for art Thou not the sacred host? Oh love eternal, Oh love sublime—bless the interior symbolic heart of mine. Dress it in gold, gems, and myrrh, that from its essence of my love in Thee I may understand that—living or dead—I am an eternal tabernacle in Thy eternal caress. 

September 16, 1948

I asked Our Lord about Father Pio,¹ was he brokenhearted about the false news about him? Jesus bowed His head in sorrow, and I was pierced with a dreadful pain in my heart (mystical pain in His Heart). I offered the pain in reparation for the many wrongs and misstatements against Father Pio. Jesus asked me to come closer to His Heart in the virtue of trust. To this I answered, “I would try.” 

September 23, 1948

As I stood gazing upon the shaft of light, its immensities overwhelmed and frightened me. There in its path of gentleness I felt the pain of quiet recollection of that which was sin within me being quenched in the delight of this light of unspeakable wonder. The eyes of my soul could not find the end of the shaft and I wondered, where did it begin and what was it purpose? I could not see through it nor did I care to venture too near it; I was delightfully pleased just to gaze in wonder and astonishment upon its beauty. Where was fear in my soul—I felt none; neither did I feel hindrance, torment, or disturbance. All was a communication of sense in gladness, brightness, and interior peace which could melt away, [yet] somehow I perceived it was something everlasting. 

Suddenly my soul understood the great beam of silken light was a visible manifestation of the grace of mercy. 

The shaft of light at its end was heart-shaped. The point removed caused the outline of its shape to resemble the letter M, then I understood, through the grace of God, this was a visible something which really had no form, but in order to manifest a state of nothing to my soul I was given the grace to see the gift of mercy in this light and form . . . while in speechless wonderment I gazed upon the gift of mercy. 

Ecstasy continued: As she (the Blessed Mother) spoke these words, I was taken in bilocation to a room where knelt our Holy Father.² Somehow I knew he was in the midst of great prayer in reparation for the sins of the world. He was on his knees and bent over on his elbows; in this position he continually kissed the floor with this prayer before each kiss of humility, “Mercy, Our Lady of Mercy, have mercy on my children.” After I had watched at least a hundred repeated kisses and listened to the same ejaculation, I noticed our Holy Father was greatly fatigued, and my pity went out to him—wishing I could do something for him. Suddenly, there before our Holy Father stood Jesus Himself, dressed in the majesty of a bishop. His look was stern as though searching over the earth with a gaze of terrible indignation. Jesus put His right foot forward—[invisible to the gaze of our Holy Father, who] repeatedly kissed the Savior’s foot. For a moment I sensed that Holy Father knew in a moment’s rapture of his soul that Jesus was there before him. 

September 30, 1948

Today is the birthday of the Little Flower into Heaven, and Saint Aloysius had assured me I would see her sometime this week. I have seen the Little Flower about ten times in the past six years. When I was before the Little Flower, I asked her to teach me how to pray these simple words as she would say them in all the beautiful meaning of love, “I love you, Jesus.”

1 Saint Pio (Pius) of Pietrelciana, O.F.M. Cap (1887–1968), Capuchin Catholic priest, known as Padre Pio and recognized for his bearing the stigmata. Canonized June 16, 2002.

2 Pope Pius XII, who served as pope from March 2, 1939 until his death in 1958. The cause for his canonization is under way.

This has been an excerpt of Cora Evans' writings taken from her book "Selected Writings" available here.