How Gertrude the Great Commits Herself to God

Gertrude of Helfta: Book III
Chapter 56 from Book III—“Why Life and Death Were One and the Same for Her”—helps to explain Gertrude’s character very well.[footnoteRef:1] Much of what she learns and communicates to the reader are lessons in humility and in serving God. For instance, in Chapter 6, Gertrude struggles with her role in the Mass: she feels her unworthiness even to watch the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and wants to bow down to the floor—and yet she hears Christ call to her and tell her that the greatest service she can do is not to grovel at the floor and declare her own unworthiness but rather to be of utility to God and unite her reception of the Eucharist with His intentions so that His grace may flow out to even more souls. She learns that true humility does not always mean acting unworthy but simply being a true servant of God. [1: Gertrude of Helfta. The Herald of Divine Love.1Translated by Margaret Winkworth. Classics of Western Spirituality,Paulist Press, 1993, 223.]
In Chapter 56 this lesson is really explained in the context of life and death. Gertrude is sick for a long time yet never asks God if her sickness is going to cause her die or if she might get better. It is as though she is completely indifferent to the outcome because she is so concentrated and focused on the task at hand, which is loving God, serving Him and doing His will. In other words, she is truly working on knowing, loving and serving God in this world—and when she does that, there is no room for other thoughts, cares or concerns. Her focus is entirely where it should be: serving Christ and submitting to His will. Whatever He wills is what He wills—and there is no concern for it being good or bad because of course it will always be good, since He is a good God and can do no evil.
Understanding this, Gertrude submits herself fully to Him. Yet, she idly wonders why she never wonders whether she might get sick and die or get better and be healthy again. She hears God tell her that the reason she never wonders this is that she is completely in love with God, just as a bride is in love with a groom: she follows him, delights in talking to him, and never asks what flower he might give her to make into a garland but instead is satisfied with whatever flower he hands her and when it is given her she immediately sets about making it into a garland. She trusts her groom and does not doubt or question him. She has set aside her will fully and is intent on living in him and through him.
Thus it is with Gertrude. In this chapter, it is seen that she gives herself wholly to God and does not ask for anything else. It does not matter if he should end her life or prolong it because she has already given it back to him and He may do with it as he chooses. God says: “Whether it pleases me to restore her health, or whether I end her life on earth immediately, she will surely take it as one and the same, because she commits herself with full confidence to my fatherly care.”[footnoteRef:2] Gertrude is entirely committed to God, and that is the nature of her character: she has reserved nothing for herself and her only struggle is in fighting the idle moments when her own self and will re-appear to distract her from God’s will. But God is there to remind her that she is His, that she has given herself to Him, and that there is nothing to worry about. She lives to serve His will—and whatever His will is for her is fine. Thus, she does not worry about living or dying. This is why she is considered a holy saint: she has no attachments to this world. [2: Gertrude of Helfta. The Herald of Divine Love.1Translated by Margaret Winkworth. Classics of Western Spirituality,Paulist Press, 1993, 223.]
Bibliography
Gertrude of Helfta. The Herald of Divine Love.1Translated by Margaret Winkworth.
Classics of Western Spirituality,Paulist Press, 1993. ISBN: 978080913332