CHAPTER IX.
Last Days and Death of Sister Emmerich.
第九章 艾曼丽修女的最后日子和去世。
On Good-Friday, 1823, Sister Emmerich remarked : "I shall not see another Easter. I am hungering for the Blessed Sacrament. I have been told that, if there is no change, I shall soon die." And shortly before the Feast of Corpus Christi of the same year, the Pilgrim wrote : "Her labors for the Church are now, as she says, so painful and demand such efforts on her part that she thinks her end is approaching ; should she survive this feast, she may hope for a little more time."
1823 年耶稣受难日,艾曼丽修女说:「我再也见不到下一个复活节了。我渴望领圣体。我曾被告知,如果我的身体状况没有改变,我很快就会死去。」同年基督圣体圣血节前不久,朝圣者写道:「正如她所说,她为教会所做的工作现在是如此痛苦,需要她付出如此巨大的努力,以至于她认为她的死亡即将来临;如果她能熬过这个瞻礼的话,她可能会多活一段时间。」
The feast alluded to found her in a most miserable state which, however, did not prevent her having a magnificent vision on the Blessed Sacrament. She feared on account of frequent vomiting, that she should not be able to communicate, and she prayed God in agony not to deprive her of this consolation. Her prayer was graciously heard.
在刚才提到的瞻礼上,她处于极其痛苦的状态,但这并没有阻碍看到一幅有关圣体的宏伟异象。她怕自己频繁呕吐,而不能领圣体,她痛苦地祈求天主不要剥夺她领受圣体的安慰。 她的祈祷被亲切地俯听了。在刚才提到的瞻礼上,她处于极其痛苦的状态,但这并没有阻碍看到一幅壮丽的圣体异象
A sudden change appeared in her, and she was able to receive the Blessed Sacrament. “I saw," she said, "Jesus with Walburga, His beautiful bride, whilst I was so miserable, like a poor worm, and I begged to be a bride like her. Jesus asked me : 'What dost thou desire?’ and I answered suppliantly: 'Ah! grant that I may never offend Thee by any sin !’ — I received no answer, and they withdrew."
她的身体突然发生了变化,能够接受圣体了。她说:「「我看到耶稣和祂美丽的新娘沃尔布加在一起,而我却如此痛苦,像一条可怜虫,我乞求成为一个像她一样的新娘。耶稣问我:『你渴望什么?』我恳切地回答:『啊!让我永远不会因任何罪过而冒犯祢!』——我没有得到回答,他们就走了。」
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圣沃尔布加710-779 是一位盎格鲁-撒克逊本笃会修女和海登海姆修道院的女修道院院长。被认为是盎格鲁-撒克逊帝国西撒克逊天主教国王威塞克斯的理查的女儿,她在天主教和东正教教堂中被尊为圣人。761 年,她的兄弟乌尼巴尔德·冯·海登海姆 (Wunibald von Heidenheim) 去世后,沃尔布加 (Walburga) 接管了海登海姆 (Heidenheim) 男子修道院,这是他大约十年前建立的重要传教基地。不久之后,又增加了一座女修道院。在这座强大的双修道院的领导下,沃尔布加成为基督教欧洲最重要的女性之一。
Sister Emmerich now barely lived. Her sufferings were intensified from month to month, as we see by the Pilgrim's journal:
“She has entered upon a frightful martyrdom for the Church. She is tortured, crucified ! Her throat and tongue are swollen, and she lies as if crushed by woe. — She is suffering for the impenitent. Barbara and Cecilia show her what she must do. She must not grow discouraged. She has imposed these sufferings upon herself; she must endure them till the end……
艾曼丽修女现在已经奄奄一息了。正如我们在朝圣者日记中看到的那样,她的痛苦逐月加剧:
「她为教会走上了可怕的殉道之路。 她受尽折磨,被钉死在十字架上! 她的喉咙和舌头都肿了,她躺着,好像被痛苦压垮了一样。——她为不悔改的人受苦。芭芭拉和则济利亚告诉她该做什么。她不能气馁。这些痛苦是她强加给自己的;她必须忍受这些苦难,直到最后……
Terrible pains in her eyes endured for a Cardinal, render her almost blind. She is ready to succumb, and she groans : ' It strikes like hammers on my eyes!’— She begged for and received some mitigation of her sufferings, but they soon returned. She is, indeed, very ill, and to these eye -troubles are added constant vomiting. She can neither speak nor see ; pain has robbed her of her senses."
为了一名枢机主教,她的眼睛遭受了可怕的痛苦,使她几乎失明。 她已经准备好屈服了,她呻吟着说:『这就像锤子敲在我的眼睛上一样!』——她请求缓解她的痛苦,她得到了一些减轻痛苦的方法,可是不久痛苦又回来了。她确实病得很重,除了这些眼部问题外,她还不断地呕吐。她既不能说话,也看不见;疼痛使她失去了知觉。」
During the octave of the Immaculate Conception, the Superioress of the Ladies of the Sacred Heart of Amiens, Madam G. Duhayet, wrote to beg Sister Emmerich's prayers for her community. Father Limberg hesitated about reading the letter to her, as she was so ill. He thought it would suffice to mention the intention to her ; but the Pilgrim was of the contrary opinion and persuaded him to communicate to her its contents.
在圣母无染原罪瞻礼期间,亚眠圣母无玷圣心的女修道院院长 G. 杜哈耶女士写信请求艾曼丽修女为她的修会祈祷。林堡神父犹豫着是否给她读这封信,因为她病得很重。他觉得跟她提一下这个意图就够了; 但朝圣者持相反意见,并说服他将信的内容告诉她。
He did so, when she exclaimed : “I have seen that little nun ; she needs spiritual assistance. They do not understand her, but she has a strong and vigorous soul. I love her much, I shall establish a bond of prayer with her." Some days later, she related part of a vision she had had and a symbolical spiritual labor she had performed for the good lady.
林堡神父照做了,这时艾曼丽修女惊呼道:「我见过那个小修女;她需要属灵的帮助。他们不理解她,但她有一个坚强而充满活力的灵魂。 我很爱她,我将与她建立祈祷的纽带。」几天后,她讲述了她所看到的异象的一部分,以及她为这位善良的女士所做的象征性的超性工作。
"I was in a garden with the little nun who was very skilful in sowing seeds. She had a little basket divided into compartments. It contained numbers of neat little bags which held seeds of all the different flowers and plants. Whenever she discovered a new plant, she gathered the seed into one of her little bags; some had a great many, others only a few, and in some the seeds were mixed. We spoke not, but I worked and planted diligently. The garden was laid off in small beds. The nun had worked here and there, but the greater part was still uncultivated, the ground hard. She had no help and sometimes she knew not what to do."
「我和一个擅长播种的小修女在一个花园里。她有一个小篮子,分成几格。篮子里面有许多整齐的小袋子,袋子里装着各种花草的种子。每当她发现一种新植物,她就把种子收进她的一个小袋子里;有些袋子里的植物种子很多,有的袋子里只有很少的种子,还有些袋子里种子是混合的。我们没有交谈,但我勤奋地工作和种植。花园由一些小花坛组成。这位修女在各处干活,但还有大部分地方还没有开垦,土地很坚硬。她没有得到任何的帮助,有时她不知道该怎么做。」
This was Sister Emmerich's last communication, for at Christmas the Pilgrim made the following entry in his journal: ''The invalid, generally bright and joyous on this festival, continues in a dying state, in consequence of her sympathetic sufferings with rheumatic and other sick people. She cannot speak ; she groans and coughs, and is indescribably weak.
这是艾曼丽修女的最后一次谈话,因为在圣诞节期,朝圣者在他的日记中写下了以下内容:「在这个节日里,病人通常是欢快和喜乐的,但由于她对风湿病人和其他病人的同情,她继续处于垂死的状态。她不能说话,不停地呻吟和咳嗽,身体虚弱的难以形容。
A young person was shown her who had procured for herself a very showy breast-pin. To shield her from the danger to which her vanity exposes her, Sister Emmerich has to endure in her neck and breast as many different pains as the goldsmith gave blows and cuts in making the pin. She had to pray also for such as approach the Sacraments on these feasts out of mere custom and laden with sins of frivolity."
艾曼丽修女在神视中看到一个年轻人弄到一枚非常华丽的胸针。为了保护这年轻人,使他免受虚荣心带来的危害,艾曼丽修女不得不忍受她的脖子和胸部的各种疼痛,就像金匠在制作别针时的敲砸和打击一样。她还必须为那些仅仅出于习俗而在这瞻礼上领受圣事并充满轻浮罪过的人祈祷。」
January 6, 1824. — “She has began the New- Year very miserably, fever, cramps, rheumatism, but still she is actively employed in spirit for the Church and the dying. Once she said : ‘The Pope has laid his terrible burden upon me. He was very ill. He suffered so much from the interference of Protestants ! I heard him say once that he would rather be executed before St. Peter's than tolerate such encroachments longer. The See of Peter must be free ! ' "
1824 年 1 月 6 日。——「新年伊始,她的病情非常严重,发烧抽筋、风湿,但她仍然积极地为教会和临终者服务。有一次她说:『教宗把他可怕的重担放在了我身上。他病得很重,新教徒的干涉让他受了很大的苦!我曾听他说过,他宁愿在圣伯多禄大殿前被处决,也不愿再忍受这种侵犯。 伯多禄圣座必须是自由的! 』」
January 9, 1824. — " Her confessor thinks her mission will soon end, for she exclaimed earnestly in vision : 'I can undertake no new labors ! I have reached the goal ! ‘ "
1824 年 1 月 9 日——「她的告解神师认为她的使命很快就要结束了,因为她在异象中恳切地说:『我不能承担新的工作了!我已经抵达终点!』」
January 10th — “She sighs and groans with pain. She writhes like a worm, or like one stretched on a rack. She remarked to Father Limberg, ’Hitherto I suffered for others;
now I am suffering for myself.' With a dying voice she calls upon the name of Jesus. ’"
1 月 10 日——「她痛苦地叹息和呻吟。她像蠕虫一样扭动,或者像一个在刑架上被拉扯的人。她对林堡神父说:『迄今为止,我是替他人受苦;现在我是为自己受苦。』她用垂死的声音呼求耶稣的圣名。」
January 11th — "To-day she said : ‘The Christ-Child brought me many pains this Christmas, and He came again last night with many more.'"
1 月 11 日——「今天她说:『这个圣诞节,基督圣婴给我带来了许多痛苦,而他昨晚又带来了更多的痛苦。』」
January 12th — " What pen can describe her terrible suffering ! Her stifled groans and sighs to God, her broken entreaties to Him for help (she who used to endure the greatest pains in silence) declare it. Dr. W — says we may expect her death at any hour, and she herself often asks to confess. She has explained to Father Limberg how to dispose of her little effects. Inflammation of the bowels has set in, in consequence of her constant coughing and vomiting. Day and night she sits swaying and groaning with pain, her expression sweet and patient, perfectly resigned to the frightful rigor of her martyrdom. This state is only interrupted by frequent swoons and death-like sweats."
1 月 12 日——「用什么样的笔墨能够描述她可怕的痛苦呢!她向天主发出窒息的呻吟和叹息,她向上主寻求帮助的断断续续的恳求(她过去一直以沉默忍受了极大的痛苦)证明了这一点。韦塞纳医生说她随时都会死去,她自己也经常要求临终告解。她已经向林堡神父解释了如何处理她的少量财产。由于她不断的咳嗽和呕吐,肠道发炎了。她日夜坐在那里,痛苦地摇晃着呻吟着,但她的表情甜美而耐心,对殉难的可怕折磨完全逆来顺受。这种状态只是被频繁的昏厥和死亡般的出汗打断。」
January 15th — "She said to-day with trembling earnestness : ‘The Child Jesus brought me great suffering after His Circumcision when He had fever caused by His wound. He told me all His own and His Mother's sufferings, their hunger and thirst. He told me everything. — They had only a little crust of dry bread. He said to me : " Thou art Mine ! Thou art My bride ! suffer what I suffered ! Ask not why ; it is life and death !"
1 月 15 日——「今天她颤抖着恳切地说:『小耶稣受割损礼后,因伤口炎症引起发烧,给我带来了极大的痛苦。圣婴耶稣告诉我祂自己和祂的母亲的痛苦,他们的饥饿和干渴。祂把一切都告诉了我。——他们只有一小块干面包。祂对我说:『你是我的!你是我的新娘!受我所受的苦吧!不要问为什么;这是生死攸关的事!』
— I know not how long I shall have to suffer, nor how, nor where. I am handed over blindfolded to a terrible martyrdom, I know not whether I shall live or die. It is as when we say in prayer, I abandon myself to God! May His secret will be done in me ! — But I am calm and resigned. I have many consolations in my pains. Even this morning I was very happy.’— Then she inquired: 'What is the date? Ah ! I should soon have finished the Life of Jesus but now I am in a miserable state !' "
——我不知道我还要忍受多久痛苦,也不知道如何受苦,也不知道应在哪里受苦。我被蒙着眼睛交给一个可怕的殉道,我不知道我是生还是死。就好像我们在祈祷中说,我把自己交给天主!愿祂的奥秘旨意在我身上完成!——但我很冷静並交托。在我的痛苦中,我有很多安慰。即使是今天早上我也很开心。』——然后她问:『今天是几号?啊! 我很快就要完成耶稣的生平的叙述了,但现在我处于一个很悲惨的状态!』」
January 16th — " The Pilgrim sat by her bedside a few moments to-day ; but she spoke not, moved not save in convulsive pain, her hands quivering incessantly, her pitiful groans heard by day and by night. One cannot restrain his tears at such a spectacle ! Her eyes are closed, her face wears the solemn impress of untold sufferings. The confessor thinks she has gangrene ; the doctor gives no hope. ‘Judging humanly,’ he says, ' she may die at any instant.' When the Pilgrim asked him if there was room for hope, he shook his head gravely. Her condition is heartrending."
1 月 16 日——「朝圣者今天在她的床边坐了一会儿;但她没有说话,除了抽搐的痛苦,她的双手也不停地颤抖,她可怜的呻吟声日夜都能听到。这震惊的景象使看到的人无法抑制自己的眼泪!她的眼睛闭着,脸上带着难以形容的痛苦和庄严的表情。告解神父认为她得了坏疽;医生没有办法。『从人的角度来看,』韦塞纳医生说,『她随时都有可能死去。』当朝圣者问医生是否还有希望时,他沉重地摇了摇头。她的情况令人心碎。」
January 18th — "Just the same. To the question, 'Are you patient?’ she answered by a sweet smile of thanksgiving to God breaking over her countenance through the terrible gravity of pain and weakness. There are frequent, nay constant changes in her state, though all do not perceive it. She said to the Vicar Hilgenberg this morning, although no bells were ringing : ' What sweet bells ! They are ringing for to-day's festival.' " (Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.)
1 月 18 日 — 「还是老样子。对于:『你有耐心吗?』这个问题,她报之以一个感谢天主的甜美微笑,这微笑冲破了因痛苦和虚弱产生的可怕的凝重的表情。她的状态经常变化、甚至是持续性的变化 ,尽管大家都没有察觉到。今天早上,尽管没有钟声响起,她还是对代理司铎希尔根贝格说,:『多么悦耳的钟声!它们正在为今天的庆节敲响。 』」(耶稣圣名的庆节。)
January 20th — The Vicar and the Pilgrim were conversing on the nature of Sister Emmerich's sufferings, but at a distance where she could not possibly hear, when she exclaimed in a broken voice, ' Ah ! do not praise me ! It makes me worse !' Father Limberg says she has used these words several times since yesterday (1)."
1 月 20 日 — 代理司铎和朝圣者正在谈论艾曼丽修女所受的痛苦的本质,但他们离得很远,在她不可能听到的距离以外,她用破碎的声音喊道:『啊! 不要赞扬我!这会让我更糟!』林堡神父说,从昨天开始,她已经说了好几次这样的话了。(1)」
(1) On the 20th of January, Father Limberg wrote to Sister Soentgen, as follows : "As I know the interest you feel in your old companion, Sister Emmerich, I take the liberty of informing you of her present condition- The inflammation of the eyes from which she had been suffering for months was allayed about Christmas, when she was attacked by a violent cough that so weakened and wasted her that she seems but skin and bone. She cannot now last long, If God does not prolong her life miraculously. Eight days ago Dr. Wesener declared from the state of her pulse that she might die at any moment. Thank God, she has had up to the present the grace to endure with patience ! Pray, nevertheless, for your afflicted fellow-sister that the will of God may be done In her ; that He may be glorified by the trial to which He subjects her ; and that she may persevere to the end. . .Have the kindness to acquaint her cousin Bernard Emmerich of her state, that he may redouble his prayers for her.''
(1) 1 月 20 日,林堡神父写信给索恩根修女,内容如下:「我知道你对你的老朋友艾曼丽修女很感兴趣,所以我冒昧地告诉你目前她的状况——几个月来她一直忍受眼睛的炎症带来的痛苦,在圣诞节时得到了缓解,但在圣诞节后,她突然剧烈的咳嗽,使得她变得虚弱和憔悴,看起来只剩下皮包骨了。如果天主不奇迹般地延长她的生命,她就活不了多久了。八天前,韦塞纳医生查看她的脉搏后宣布她随时可能死去。感谢天主,直到现在,她仍然有忍耐的恩宠!尽管如此,你们要为这位受苦的修女祈祷,愿天主的旨意在她身上成就;因上主赐予她的考验而归光荣与天主;愿她能坚持到最后……请把她的情况告诉她的表弟伯纳德,好让表弟为她加倍祈祷。
January 21st—" She grows worse daily. She moans and the death-rattle sounds day and night. She can scarcely hear. Her countenance expresses gravity mingled with peace; it is truly awe- inspiring. Seldom, excepting when in absolute need of assistance, does she stammer a few almost unintelligible words in a hollow voice. Her back from constantly lying on it is covered with sores; if turned on her side, she begins to suffocate. The Pilgrim gives her morning and evening St. Walburga's oil. Sometimes when taking it she exclaims faintly, '0 how sweet!’ She never sleeps, but rests in a half-reclining posture, groaning and breathing heavily, her eyes constantly closed."
1 月 21 日——「她的病情一天比一天更严重。她日夜呻吟,死亡的号角声不绝于耳,她几乎听不见周围的声音了。她的表情凝重而安详,这真是令人敬畏。除非在绝对需要帮助的时候,她才结结巴巴地用空洞的声音说几句几乎听不懂的话。她的背上因长期躺着,长满了疮;如果将她翻转侧身,她就会窒息。朝圣者早上和晚上都会给她圣沃尔布加的圣油。有时服用圣油的时候,她会有气无力地叫道,『哦,真甜!』她从不睡觉,半卧着休息,呻吟着,喘着粗气,她的眼睛总是闭着。」
January 22-26. — “Her sufferings are the same. She has no hope of life. She sent for her brothers and their children, also for her nephew, the student at Minister. Though she can say but a few words to them, yet she wishes them to remain by her a little while, a thing she never did in any former illness, even apparently mortal. When her brother's second son, a fine young peasant, took leave of her this morning, she told him, as her confessor says, in an unusually distinct tone to lead a good life and to keep God ever before his eyes. After that she requested that her relations would not come again to see her."
1 月 22 日至 26 日 ——「她的痛苦也是一样。她没有活下去的希望。她派人去找她的兄弟和他们的孩子,还有她的侄子,明斯特的学生。虽然她只能对他们说几句话,但她希望他们能在她身边多呆一会儿,这是她以前生病时从未做过的事情,甚至是明显的病危的时候。 今天早上,当她哥哥的次子,一位很好的年轻农民向她告别时,正如她的告解神父所说,艾曼丽修女用一种异常清晰的语气告诉她的侄子,要善度一生,让天主永远在他的眼前。从那以后,她要求她的亲戚不要再来看她了。」
January 27th — “Sister Emmerich is more dead than alive, scarcely able to swallow the Walburga oil the Pilgrim offered her. Her cheeks glow with fever, her hands are deathly white, and the stigmata shine like silver through the parched skin. She wishes to die as a religious, so in the afternoon she begged Madam Hackebram, through her confessor, to be present as her Superioress, the representative of her former community, when Extreme Unction would be administered.
1 月 27 日——「艾曼丽修女与其说是活着不如说是死了,她几乎无法吞咽朝圣者给她的沃尔布加圣油。她的脸颊因发烧而发红,她的双手是死人一般的苍白,圣伤像白银一样透过干燥的皮肤闪闪发光。艾曼丽希望以修女的身份死去,所以在下午,她通过她的告解神师请求哈克布拉姆夫人代表她的女修道院院长,也就是她生前所在修会团体的代表出席她的终傅圣事仪式。
She received the Sacrament calmly, in full consciousness, and sent the Chaplain, Father Niesing, and Madam Hackebram to Dean Rensing to ask pardon in her name for any offence she might have given him, although involuntarily and unwillingly. They fulfilled their commission. But the Dean still absents himself."
她在神志完全清醒的情况下平静地领受了终傅圣事,并派主任司铎、尼辛神父和哈克布拉姆夫人去伦辛院长那里,如有任何冒犯院长的地方,敬请原谅。尽管他们不情愿,但他们还是去完成了使命。可是伦辛院长本人还是缺席了。」
January 31st — "She speaks now only to her confessor and an occasional word to her niece."
February 1st — The Pilgrim visited her in the evening and found her breathing with great difficulty. Suddenly she seemed to recollect herself. The evening bells were ringing for the morrow's feast, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin."
1 月 31 日——「她现在只和她的告解神父说话,偶尔对她的侄女说几句话。」
2 月 1 日——「朝圣者晚上拜访她,发现她呼吸困难。突然间,她似乎回过神来。 傍晚的钟声正在为明天的瞻礼,圣母的取洁礼而敲响。」
February 2d — "To-day she whispered softly : ‘It is a long time since I felt so well. The Mother of God has done so much for me ! I have been sick eight days, have I not ? I know nothing of what has been going on. what has the Mother of God not done for me ! She took me with her, and I wanted to stay with her.’ Then, as if reflecting, she said with raised finger : ‘Hush ! I dare not tell all !' She is ever on her guard against praise ; it makes her suffer more."
2 月 2 日——「今天,她轻声说道:『我已经很久没有感觉这么好了。圣母为我做了这么多!我已经病了八天了,不是吗?还有什么圣母没有为我做的呢!她带着我一起走,我想和她在一起。』然后,仿佛在沉思,竖起手指说:『嘘!我不敢全说出来!』她总是对赞美保持警惕;因为赞美使她更加痛苦。」