Chapter 54: Prayer composed by the Saint

Gkutrttde having been bled some time after the Fast, she was frequently heard uttering these words : " O King, of all kings the most excellent ! O illustrious Prince ! " with others of a similar import ; and as she recollected herself one morning in the place where she usually prayed, she said to God : " 0 most loving Lord ! what wilt Thou that I should do with these words which so often present them- selves to my mind and my lips ? " Then our Lord showed her a golden collar, composed of four parts, which He held in His Hands. But as the Saint did not know what these four parts signified, He made known to her in spirit that the first part represented the Divinity of Christ; the second, the Soul of Christ ; the third, every faithful soul whom He had espoused in His own Blood ; and the fourth, the pure and immaculate Body of Christ. She knew also that the reason why the faithful soul was placed in this collar, be tween the Soul and the Body of Jesus Christ, was to show with what indissoluble love the Saviour had united the faithful soul to His own Body and Soul. And suddenly she was inspired with these words, in a rapture, at the sight of this collar :

Prayer.

" Thou art the life of my soul ! May all the desires of my heart be united to Thee by Thy burning love ! may they languish and die whenever they turn to any object apart from Thee ; for Thou art the beauty of all colours, the sweetness of all taste, the fragrance of all odours, the harmony of all sounds, the charm of all embraces ! In Thee is the voluptuousness of delight ; from Thee flows forth a torrent of love ; to Thee are all drawn by Thy powerful attractions ; and by Thee all receive the sweet influences of love ! Thou art the overflowing Abyss of the Divinity ! 0 King, greater than all kings ! supreme Emperor, sovereign Prince, peaceful Ruler, faithful Protector! Thou art the vivifying gem of human nobility with the noblest sentiments ! * Thou art a Worker full of skill; a Master full of clemency ; a Counsellor full of wisdom ; a Defender full of kindness ; a Friend most faithful ! Thou art the sweet savour of all delights ! 0 gentle caresser, whose touch imparts healing ! O ardent Lover, sweet and chaste Spouse ! Thou art the Spring- flower of unchanging beauty ! 0 loving Brother, beautiful Youth, joyful Companion, liberal Host, careful Administrator ! I prefer Thee to every creature ; for Thee I renounce all pleasures ; for Thee I seek all adversity ; and in all this I desire only Thy glory. My heart and lips testify that Thou art the quickener of all good. I unite, by the merit of Thy love, the fervour of my devotions to the virtue of Thy prayers, so that by the power of this Divine union I may be raised to the highest perfection, and all rebellious movements may be calmed within me."

All these sentences seemed like so many brilliant stones separately enchased in the gold of this collar. On the fol lowing Sunday, as Gertrude assisted at the Mass at which she was to communicate, and recited this prayer with much devotion, she perceived that our Lord was pleased with it, and she said to Him : " 0 most loving Lord ! since I per ceive that these words are so agreeable to Thee, I will advise as many persons as I can to offer it to Thee devoutly, as a precious collar of pearls." Our Lord replied: "No one c;m give Me what is Mine; but whoever recites it devoutly shall feel his knowledge of Me increase, and shall receive light from My Divinity, which shall be showered down on him by the efficacy of these words ; even as they who hold a plate of polished metal to the sun behold therein the re flection of its light." The Saint immediately felt the effect of these words, for as soon as she had recited this prayer

" Nemo mihi dat, quod meum est."

she perceived that the surface of her soul * became radiant with Divine light, and she found an increase of sweetness and pleasure in Divine things.