First Exercise: The Renewal of Baptismal Innocence

This Exercise is the starting-point of the whole work of St. Gertrude. 'The end which the illustrious Abbess proposes to herself is, as we have said, to assist the soul which has placed itself under her care, up to the moment when it is freed from the trammels of the body, and stands before God, its Judge and its great Reward.

The first need of the soul in this progress towards its last end is that sanctifying grace which was communicated to it by Baptism; and therefore St. Gertrude brings it back, in the first place, to that baptismal font wherein it was regenerated, and whence it drew a divine life. She brings before it the several circumstances which accompanied this divine adoption; and she suggests the acts which should be called forth by the review of the several rites wherewith the Holy Church surrounds the sacramental action itself with such magnificence and such depth of meaning.

How many are there of the faithful who, for want of a due comprehension of these sublime ceremonies, retain only a vague recollection of them, and bestow on them a slight and distracted attention! By using the acts which St. Gertrude here clothes for them with words, they may repair this unhappy forgetfulness, and will revive within them the grace of that august Sacrament of Christian initiation, to which they owe all their rights in the order of salvation, and all the supernatural gifts which are unceasingly flowing down upon them—gifts to which God will add the crown and consummation in the other life, by the manifestation of his sovereign beauty.

If you wish to present to the Lord, at the close of your life, the robe of baptismal innocence without stain, and the seal of the Christian faith whole and unbroken, set apart some time in each year for dwelling on the memory of your Baptism ; and let it be, if possible, about Easter or Pentecost. To perform this Exercise aright, you will excite in yourself an earnest desire to be born again unto God by the holiness of a renewed life, and to enter again into a restored infancy. And you will say :

Go? be merciful unto me and bless me; may he lift up the light of his countenance on me, and have mercy on me. Let my heart praise him in sincerity and truth; let the whole earth of my heart tremble and be moved before the presence of the Lord; may my spirit be recreated and renewed by the Spirit of his mouth; and may that good Spirit bring me forth into the land wherein reigneth justice.

Then repeat the Creed ; beseeching the Lord to enable you perfectly and entirely to renounce Satan, and to uphold you in a right, living, and entire faith to the latest moment of your life.

O LORD God, who art full of mercy and of truth, my Creator and my Redeemer. who hast caused to shine on me the sacred light of thy countenance; who hast redeemed me with the precious Blood of thine only Son, and hast regenerated me by Baptism and by the power of thy Holy Spirit, into hope of everlasting life; enable me, with a sincere heart and in all truth, to renounce the devil, his pomps and his works. Enable me to believe firmly in thee, with a right and fervent faith, having in it the life and the root of good works. Make me to believe in thee, my God and my Creator, through Jesus Christ thy Son, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and by the mighty working of the Holy Ghost. Grant me to cling to thee, and evermore to abide unchangingly in thee, even to the end. Amen.

In memory of the sign of faith which was first of all impressed on you, say :

O HOLY Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, by thy divine and almighty power direct and strengthen my faith; by thy divine wisdom condescend to instruct it and enlighten it; by thy divine goodness vouchsafe to sustain and to perfect it, that at the hour of my death I may be enabled to present it before thee pure and entire, together with the practice and discharge of all virtues. Amen.

In union with the exorcism which was performed in your regard, beseech the Lord that he would deign to enable you, by the might of his Name, fo detect and to overcome all the wiles of the devil ; so that the enemy may never glory in having prevailed against you, but that in every temptation he may retreat baffled and confounded at being repulsed at the very onset.

O LORD Jesus Christ, thou great High-

Priest, who by thy precious death hast restored me to life, vouchsafe to breathe on me in the virtue of thy Spirit, and to scatter all the ambushes of the enemy by the efficacious might of thy presence. Break within me all the bonds of Satan; and in thy mercy remove far from me all blindness of heart. Let thy perfect love, O Christ, be to me an assured triumph in every temptation. Let thy sacred humility teach me to avoid all the snares of the enemy. Let thy clear-shining truth be my guide, and enable me to walk before thee with a sincere and upright heart. Finally may the blessing of thy most indulgent mercy ever prevent me, follow me, and keep me, even to the end of my life. Amen. É

You will then make on yourself the sign of the cross, which was made on your forehead and on your breast, saying :

N the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. O sweetest Jesus, my crucified Love, deign thyself to impress the sign of thy cross on my forehead and on my heart, that I may live for ever beneath thy protection. Bestow on me a living faith, that I may fulfil thy heavenly precepts ; enlarge my heart, that I may run in the way of thy commandments; and render me meet to become the temple of God and the abode of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Here implore the Lord Jesus, who is the great High-Priest, to lay on you his hand, that thus you may dwell for ever beneath the shadow of the Most High, and abide under the protection of the God of heaven.

O JESUS, full of love, protect me beneath the shadow of thy hand, and let thy right hand uphold and sustain me. Open to me the doors of thy loving mercy; impress on me the seal of thy wisdom; withdraw me, by the clear shining of thy truth, from all earthly desires; gladden my soul with the sweet fragrance of thy commandments, and enable me to advance in virtue day by day. Amen.

In order to obtain from the Lord the Angel who may be your guide throughout the voyage of life, say :

O JESUS, Prince of Peace, Angel of the great counsel, be ever at my right hand as my leader and my guardian throughout my pilgrimage, that I be not shaken or moved, nor wander far from thee. Vouchsafe to send from heaven thy holy Angel to take charge of me as the minister of thy loving care concerning me, to lead me onwards according to thy good pleasure, to help me to walk in thy ways, and to bring me at length to thee, perfect and complete. Amen.

Welcome the holy Angel, and greet him Saying :

HA) holy Angel of God, guardian of my soul and of my body. By the sweetest Heart of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, take me beneath the shelter of thy faithful and fatherly care, for the love of him whose creature thou art even as I myself, and who put me under thy charge on the day of my Baptism. Help me to cross, unharmed and unsullied, the swollen torrent of this life, until I be admitted to behold, like thee and with thee, that ravishing Face, that beauty of the supreme King, the sight of which infinitely transcends the highest bliss our hearts can conceive. Amen.

Here pray that your mouth may be filed with the salt of wisdom, that through the Holy Ghost the savour of the faith may ever be sweet to your taste.

O SWEETEST Jesus, bestow on me, in thy goodness, the salt of wisdom and the spirit of understanding, unto life everlasting. Amen. Enable me to taste the sweetness of thy Spirit; make me to hunger after thy will; give me to know thy good pleasure, that my service may ever be acceptable unto thee. Amen,

Make the sign of the cross on your ears and on your nostrils, beseeching our Lord to open himself the ears of your heart to hear his law, and to shed throughout your whole being the sweet fragrance of his knowledge.

O JESUS, my tender and loving Shepherd, grant that I, thine unworthy sheep, may always know and follow evermore thy sweetest voice. Grant that, drawn by the sweet fragrance of a living faith, I may bend my steps towards the pastures of everlasting life, wherein I may rest for ever, and for ever behold, O loving Master, the wonders of thy surpassing sweetness.

Take in your hand the cross as a banner of salvation, that you may be conqueror in all your struggles with the enemy, and say :

O JESUS, full of love, place the sign of thy holy cross in my right hand, that ever armed therewith, and encompassed by thy protection, I may boldly advance against all the ambushes of the enemy. Amen. May the allmightiness of God the Father bless me ! May the wisdom of the Son bless me! May the most compassionate charity of the Holy Ghost bless me, and keep me unto everlasting life ! Amen.

You will next turn to the Virgin Mother, that she may obtain for you the complete renewal of your life. You will beseech her, who is the rose worthy of all admiration, to be so your mother that you may become her true daughter by your conduct. You will implore that pearl most pure to cover your soul with the mantle of her chastity, and to preserve you, by the virtue of her sweetest countenance, pure and without spot for her Son, your Lord and King. Beseech her to cause your name to be written amongst those who have obtained the better part in Israel ; : and that your inheritance may be with those who walk in innocency of heart, and set the Lord before them as their one and only End throughout the whole course of their lives.

H^ Mary, Queen of Compassion, through whom the life-giving remedy hath come unto us; Virgin and Mother of the Divine Infant, thou, by whom hath come unto us the Son of the everlasting Light, he who sheds his perfumes over Israel. In thy Son thou art become the true Mother of all those of whom this one only Son of thy womb hath not abhorred to become the brother. Wherefore I beseech thee, by his love, receive me, all unworthy as I am, into thy maternal arms. Aid and sustain my faith, preserve and enlighten it; be within me a principle of renewal and of fidelity, thou who art my only and most loving Mother. May I be encompassed during this mortal life with thy tender and most compassionate care; and do thou receive me into thy maternal bosom at the hour of my death. Amen,

In memory of the holy chrism, make the sign of the cross on your breast and between your shoulders, saying :

Geant me, O ray Jesus, ever to bear on my shoulders, for love of thy love, the yoke so easy and the burden so light of thy commandments; and to preserve lovingly on my breast the mystery of thy sacred faith as a bundle of myrrh, so that thou mayest ever be to me the Crucified, fixed for evermore in my heart. Amen.

Reflecting on the name which was then given to you, say :

O SWEETEST Jesus, write my name beneath thine own in the book of life. Say to my soul, “ Thou art mine; I am thy salvation. I have known thee and acknowledged thee; thou shalt no more call thyself the forsaken, but thy name shall be my delight is in her, and thine inheritance shall be with me in the land of the living.”

Represent to yourself the moment in which you were plunged into the sacred font, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Eus Fountain of life, give me to drink of that living water which gushes forth from thee, that, having tasted of thee, I may thirst evermore after thee alone. Plunge me all into the depths of thy loving mercy. Baptise me into the holiness of thy precious death. Renew me in that blood wherewith thou hast redeemed me. Wash out, in the water which flowed from thy most holy side, all the stains wherewith I have defiled my baptismal innocency. Fill me with thy Spirit, and take entire possession of me in purity of soul and of body. Amen.

Recall to mind the holy chrism wherewith you were anointed on coming forth from the water, and ask our Lord that the unction of his Spirit may teach you all things.

O HOLY Father, who, through thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ, hast regenerated me with water and the Holy Ghost, grant me this day perfect and entire remission of all my sins, and vouchsafe to seal me with the anointing of thy Spirit unto everlasting life. Amen. May thy peace be with me evermore. Amen.

Say in memory of the white robe wherein you were clothed :

O JESUS, Sun of Justice, clothe me with thyself, that I may be enabled to live according to thee. Enable me henceforward to keep the robe of my baptismal innocence in all its whiteness and in its unsullied holiness, so that I may present it at thy judgment-seat without spot, and be arrayed therewith in life everlasting. Amen.

Think of the taper which was put into your hand, and pray for interior light :

O JESUS, thou unfailing Light, kindle within me evermore the glowing lamp of thy love, and teach me how to keep my baptism pure and without reproach, that I may appear with humble confidence when I am summoned to thy divine espousals, and be accounted worthy to enter into the joys of the life that never ends, and see thee, O thou true Light, and gaze upon the beauty of thy divine countenance. Amen.

Recalling to mind tne communion thou didst receive of the life-giving Body and Blood of the Lamb without spot, say :

O JESUS Christ my Lord, may thine adorable Body and thy precious Blood preserve my body and my soul unto everlasting life. Amen. May thy peace be with me! O Jesus, thou true Peace, may I have evermore abounding peace in thee; so that through thee I may attain to that peace which passeth all understanding, amidst which I shall behold thee in everlasting gladness. Amen.

In this communion, pray that your life may be entirely hidden with Jesus Christ in God, that at the hour of your death you may be found complete in him.

O JESUS, full of love, thou sweetest guest of my soul, may thine exquisite and ravishing union with me be to me to-day the remission of all my sins, the satisfaction for all my negligences, and my return to the life I had lost. May it be my everlasting salvation, the healing of my soul and of my body, the enlargement of my love, my renewal in virtue, and the establishment of my life in thee for evermore.

May this thy coming unto me work in me a perfect liberty of spirit, the cleansing of my whole life, and a noble generosity in all good works; may it be to me the shield of my patience, the triumph of humility, the stay of confidence, my consolation in sadness, and an effectual aid towards final perseverance. May it be to me the armour of faith, the firmness of hope, the perfection of charity, the accomplishment of thy commandments, the renewal of my mind, my entire sanctification in thy truth, and the crown and consummation of my life in a perfect dedication to thee.

May it be within me the source of all virtues, the end of all sin, the increase of all good, and the everlasting covenant of thy love; so that my body alone may linger in this place of exile, and the whole energy of my soul be there where thou art, my heritage beyond all price; and that at the close of my life I may throw off the bitter husk and shell of this body, and possess that sweetest fruit which I shall taste evermore when I gaze upon the flashing radiance of thy supreme Divinity in the mild star of thy glorified humanity, giving forth ever new splendours; when thy sweetest countenance, fairer than fairest roses, shall communicate to me a new being by its transcendent beauty; when I shall be set free from the weariness of this life, and take my place with joy at thine everlasting feast; when I shall exult with gladness amidst the riches of thy love, even as a bride amidst the raptures of the king her spouse. Amen.

Now renew within your soul the grace of Confirmation. O JESUS, King most triumphant, most exalted High-Priest, confirm and strengthen me with that power of thine which nothing can resist. O mighty Warrior, gird on me the sword of the Spirit; that through thee I may ever triumph over the countless ambushes and snares of the devil. Amen.

And then you will end with this prayer :

O LORD God, thou art not only my

Creator, but also my Redeemer, renew thy Holy Spirit within me this day. Write my name, as that of a child new-born, amongst thy people of adoption; that, being admitted amongst the children of the promise, I may exult in that I have received by grace what I had not, could not have, by nature.

Make me strong in faith, joyful in hope, patient in my tribulations, glad in praising thee, fervent in spirit, faithful and devout in serving thee, my Lord, my God, and my true King; and give me to abide with thee and to watch with thee to the latest moment of my life; and then mine eyes shall behold with ecstasy the very reality of the things I now believe and hope for; then shall I see thee as thou art, then shall I see thee face to face. Then wilt thou make me like unto thee, O my Jesus! Then the gazing on the beauty of thy countenance will be my everlasting joy, and my untroubled, unending rest! Amen ! Amen ! Amen!

May the faithful God, the true Amen, which knoweth neither pause nor interruption, condescend to excite within me a thirst for that beloved Amen of which he is the source; may he render sweet to my taste that sweetest - Amen wherewith he doth ever nourish his friends; may he make me perfect in the blessedness of that Amen wherewith he completeth and endeth all things; may he grant me to enjoy for evermore the delights of the ravishing and eternal Amen who will show me after this exile, according to my sure hope, the true Amen, Jesus, the Son of God, who alone Sufficeth unto him that loves; who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, is the source of all good things, and who despiseth nothing that he hath made. Amen ! Amen ! Amen !

In this last prayer commend to the gracious care of our Lord your faith and your baptismal innocence, which his grace has just renewed within you.

MY sweetest Jesus, keep in the sanctuary of thy Heart, so full to overflowing of goodness, the purity of my baptismal innocence and the solemn engagements of my faith, that they may be kept in safety beneath thy faithful care, and that I may present them to thee whole and undefiled at the hour of my death. Grave on my heart the seal of thy sacred Heart, that I may live according to thy good pleasure; and that, after this exile, I may come to thee with gladness, without obstruction or delay. Amen.