[Illustration: THERESE NEUMANN, Famous Catholic Stigmatist who
inspired my 1935 pilgrimage to Konnersreuth, Bavaria--see neumann.jpg]
Blood flowed thinly and continuously in an inch-wide stream from
Therese's lower eyelids. Her gaze was focused upward on the spiritual
eye within the central forehead. The cloth wrapped around her head
was drenched in blood from the stigmata wounds of the crown of
thorns. The white garment was redly splotched over her heart from
the wound in her side at the spot where Christ's body, long ages
ago, had suffered the final indignity of the soldier's spear-thrust.
Therese's hands were extended in a gesture maternal, pleading;
her face wore an expression both tortured and divine. She appeared
thinner, changed in many subtle as well as outward ways. Murmuring
words in a foreign tongue, she spoke with slightly quivering lips
to persons visible before her inner sight.
As I was in attunement with her, I began to see the scenes of
her vision. She was watching Jesus as he carried the cross amidst
the jeering multitude. {FN39-4} Suddenly she lifted her head
in consternation: the Lord had fallen under the cruel weight. The
vision disappeared. In the exhaustion of fervid pity, Therese sank
heavily against her pillow.
At this moment I heard a loud thud behind me. Turning my head for
a second, I saw two men carrying out a prostrate body. But because
I was coming out of the deep superconscious state, I did not
immediately recognize the fallen person.
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