Visit VII

Ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus, usque ad consummationem saeculi (Matth. XXVIII, 20).

This loving shepherd of ours, who gave his life for us his sheep, did not wish in dying to separate himself from us. Behold me, he says, beloved sheep, always with you; I have remained for you on earth in this Sacrament; here you find me whenever you wish, to help you and console you with my presence; I will not leave you until the end of the world, as long as you are upon the earth. -- The Spouse wished, said St. Peter of Alcantara, to leave his bride some company during this long absence, so that she would not remain alone; and therefore he left this Sacrament, in which he himself remained, for he was the best company he could leave her.

My most courteous Lord, my most lovable Savior, today I visit you at this altar; but you return my visit with far greater love when you come into my soul in Holy Communion. Then you not only make yourself present to me, but you make yourself my food; you unite yourself entirely and give yourself entirely to me, so that I can then say in truth: My Jesus, now you are all mine. Since, then, you give yourself entirely to me, it is right that I give myself entirely to you. I am a worm and you are God. O God of love! O love of my soul, when shall I see myself entirely yours in deeds and not merely in words? You can do this; increase in me confidence through the merits of your Blood, so that I may without fail obtain this grace from you, of seeing myself, before I die, entirely yours and no longer my own. You hear, O Lord, the prayers of all; hear today the prayer of a soul that wishes to love you truly. I wish to love you with all my strength; I wish to obey you in all that you desire, without self-interest, without consolations, without reward. I wish to serve you out of love, only to give you pleasure, only to please your Heart, which is so passionately in love with me. My reward shall be to love you. O beloved Son of the Eternal Father, take my freedom, my will, all that is mine, my entire self, and give me yourself. I love you, I seek you, I sigh for you, I want you, I want you, I want you. -- My Jesus, make me entirely yours.

Spiritual Communion.

To Mary

Our most lovable Lady, the whole Church calls you and salutes you as Spes nostra -- our Hope. You, then, who are the hope of all, be also my hope. Tota ratio spei meae, St. Bernard called you, and he said to you: In te speret qui desperat. So I too wish to say to you: My Mary, you save even those who despair; in you I place all my hope. -- Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me.

Prayer of the same St. Bernard:

O Queen, it is of you that is spoken when it is said: Who is she that rises like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun? You came into the world, O Mary, as the shining dawn, heralding with the light of your holiness the coming of the Sun of justice. The day on which you appeared in the world may well be called a day of salvation, a day of grace. You are fair as the moon, for as there is no planet more like the sun, so there is no creature more like God than you. The moon illumines the night with the light it receives from the sun, and you illumine our darkness with the splendor of your virtue; but you are more beautiful than the moon, for in you there is found neither stain nor shadow. You are bright as the sun -- I mean that Sun who created the sun. He was chosen among all men, and you were chosen among all women.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus.