Sunday, November 14, 2021

Biography of Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa


The life and messages of Jesus to Blessed Alexandrina of Balasar, Portugal, have touched many people around the world and made more and more devotees of the Eucharist. His Sanctuary in Balasar is the second most visited in Portugal after the Sanctuary of Fatima. 
Birth: Alexandrina Maria da Costa was born on March 30, 1904 in Póvoa de Varzim. She made her First Holy Communion at age 7 years. She was always a very pure girl, humble and devoted. 
Spinal problems: At the age of 14, on the Easter Saturday in 1918, Alexandrina was at home with her sister Deolinda and another young woman. Some men invaded the place to try to sin against chastity. In defense of her virginity, Alexandrina preferred to throw herself out of the window so as not to fall into sin. Because of that, she got serious back problems that got worse every day. Until she was 19 years old, she still managed to walk with great difficulty to go to church. But the paralysis worsened until April 14, 1925, at age 21, when she was permanently bedridden for the rest of her life. 
Victim for sinners: Alexandrina spent the last years of her life in the bed of her bedroom, in her house. In the beginning, she prayed for her healing and to become a missionary. But in 1928, she saw that her vocation was to be victim for sinners and to share the sufferings of Jesus Crucified. Alexandrina began to offer herself day and night to God as a victim. She prayed and sanctified herself more and more over the years. Despite so much suffering, she was always happy, transmitting peace with her beautiful smile. 
Devotion for the Tabernacles: From her room, Alexandrina worshiped Jesus present in all the Tabernacles on Earth, always trying to keep him company even from there. Jesus asked her it so many times. 
Charity: Despite staying in bed, Alexandrina always helped people who came to her with conversations and trying to get what they needed talking to other people. 
Visions of Jesus: In her bed, Alexandrina started to have visions of Jesus and they happened throughout her life. Sometimes Our Lady also appeared to him. Jesus appeared to him in various ways and made him vent his pains for the sins of humanity. Jesus appeared to him wounded, sometimes glorious, sometimes with his Heart, sometimes in his Passion. Jesus told her messages with repeated appeals and outbursts, but messages of great benefit to those who want to imitate Alexandrina and the victim souls. Jesus always told Alexandrina to continue offering herself for sinners and to console his Heart. 
Living the Passion of Christ: From 1938, every Friday, she lived the sufferings of the Passion of Christ. She had frequent and repeated visions of the Passion where she immersed herself in the sufferings of Jesus and suffered deeply with Him for sinners. She suffered from many pains in her body, but mainly, deep agonies in her soul. 
Phrases of Blessed Alexandrina: She used to say many beautiful phrases after Jesus gave her his messages, phrases of great love and surrender. Here are some: 
- Jesus, I am Your victim. My motto is to suffer, to love and to repair. This room is my Calvary. 
- My Jesus, I'm ready for anything. Do not let me offend You. Don't leave me alone. I give You my heart to serve and love You, to repair Your Divine Heart. I give with all my poor and little strength. 
- Nothing I am. Nothing I have. Nothing I can. Nothing I know. I'm just sin and miseries. 
- Thank you, Jesus, for my cross. Thank you, Blessed Mother. I love my cross and hug it. 
- You are, oh blessed cross, the immense treasure with which Jesus enriched me. I want you, I hug you, I want to be stuck in you and all thorns surrounded! For Jesus, I want to live wounded and on the Altar with Him I want to be always immolated! 
- My dear Jesus, I love You. I adore You. In your Tabernacles, I want to dwell, O my Jesus. 
- Jesus, don't spare my body. Don't spare my soul. But make me spare the pain of your Heart. Spare the souls and bodies from punishment. 
- Jesus, I want to visit you and adore you in your Tabernacles to heal your Wounds that are so alive. I embrace you on the Crucifix. I want to dry your tears. 
- Jesus, place your Heart surrounded by thorns in my Heart when you are most hurt. Jesus, my love, I suffer for your love. I suffer to give you souls. 
- Jesus, you call me to carry the Cross and I will go. Come with me. I only ask for your help and help of the Blessed Mother. 
- Jesus I love you. I wanna Love You. Give me ways to love you. I always want to be in the school of love. Give me limitless confidence. 
- Blessed Mother, don't abandon me, don't let me grieve Jesus. Help us to carry our cross with the greatest love, the greatest perfection. 
- Jesus, I'm your victim, always your victim. I wish you everything you want. All for the salvation of souls. I want to live only for you and for souls. 
- Thank you Jesus, thank you Blessed Mother. Thank you on Earth and thank you in Heaven. 
- Jesus, increase the love in me, only love. 
Feeding only on the Eucharist: Alexandrina spent the last 13 years of her life feeding only on the Eucharist. She asked Jesus to be able to die on a Thursday, a day dedicated to the Holy Eucharist, and on a Marian feast for the love of Our Lady. Her wish was granted: she died on October 13, 1955, a Thursday, aged 51, and also the anniversary of the last apparition of Our Lady in Fatima, and now also the day of her liturgical feast. 
Death and veneration: On October 12, 1955: Alexandrina said: 
- I want the Heaven. I don't regret leaving Earth! All darkness of the soul is over. All sufferings of the soul are over. For me, everything is the sun, it's life, it's everything, it's God! 
At 15:00, Before receiving the Extreme Unction, she asked for forgiveness from her mother, sister, Confessor, Pastor, Doctors, cousins, friends and the servant. And she said: 
- I suffered everything in this life for souls. I consumed myself. I grinded myself in this bed. I gave my blood for souls. I forgive everyone, I forgive, I forgive. They were instruments for my good. Jesus, forgive the whole world! 
After Extreme Unction, Alexandrina exclaimed: 
- I'm so glad to go to Heaven! What clarity! It's all light! Darkness has disappeared!  
And she prayed: 
- Oh Jesus, oh love, oh Divine Spouse of my soul, in life, I just tried to give you the greatest glory, I want at the time of my death, to make you an act of resignation. My beloved Jesus, if in this act I give greater glory to the Holy Trinity, I gladly submit to your eternal plans. I only want to implore, from your mercy, your Reign of love, the conversion of sinners, the salvation of the dying and relief of the souls of Purgatory. My God, as I always consecrated my life to you, I now offer you the end of it, resignedly accepting death, accompanied by the circumstances that give you greater glory. Afterwards, Alexandrina then received, in angelic calm, the Sacrament of the Eucharist and said to the people present: - Don't cry, because I will go to Heaven. Don't cry, because I will go to Heaven! 
On October 13, 1955: At 6 am, she said: 
- My God, I love you! I'm all your! 
In the morning, at 8 o'clock, she received the last Communion. This morning, she was visited by several people and told a group: 
- Don't sin! The world is worthless. This says it all. Pray the Rosary every day. 
She said for a visit: 
- Goodbye, to Heaven! 
At 11 am she said to the Doctor: 
- I'm very happy because I'm going to Heaven. 
At 11:35 am, Alexandrina asked them to pray the Office of Agony. She kissed the Crucifix and the Medal of Our Lady of Sorrows in the hands of her spiritual director, Father Mariano Pinho. And she prayed: 
- Holy Trinity, in your Heart I commend my spirit... 
Alexandrina smiled sweetly and surrendered her soul to God... It was 19:52 minutes. Later, thousands of people passed in front of her body and kissed her.  
Beatification: Alexandrina Maria da Costa was beatified on April 25, 2004 and devotees eagerly await her canonization. The messages Jesus gave to Blessed Alexandrina of Balasar were many. The messages of Jesus to Blessed Alexandrina are a strong invitation to all to console Him for the sins of the world today and for more devotion to the Eucharist. Everyone can accept these messages for themselves and imitate Blessed Alexandrina in her immense love and adoration.