Visit XV

Ignem veni mittere in terram, et quid volo nisi ut accendatur (Luc. XII, 49).

Ven. Fr. Francesco Olimpio, a Theatine, used to say that there is nothing on earth that more vividly enkindles the fire of divine love in the hearts of men than the Blessed Sacrament of the altar. For this reason the Lord showed himself to St. Catherine of Siena in the Blessed Sacrament as a furnace of love, from which poured forth torrents of divine flames that spread over the whole earth; and the saint was astonished that all men could live without burning with love for so great a divine love toward men. My Jesus, make me burn for you; grant that I may think of nothing, sigh for nothing, desire nothing, seek nothing but you. Oh, how happy I would be if this holy fire of yours possessed me entirely, and as my years are consumed it would happily consume in me all earthly affections!

O divine Word, O my Jesus, I see you entirely sacrificed, entirely annihilated and destroyed for love of me upon the altar. It is right, then, that as you sacrifice yourself as a victim of love for me, I should consecrate myself entirely to you. Yes, my God and my supreme Lord, I sacrifice to you today my whole soul, my entire self, my whole will, my whole life. I unite this poor sacrifice of mine with the infinite sacrifice that your Son, my Savior, Jesus, once offered of himself to you, O Eternal Father, on the cross, and that he offers to you so many times each day upon the altars. Accept it, then, through the merits of Jesus, and grant me the grace to repeat it every day of my life and to die sacrificing myself entirely for your honor. I desire the grace granted to so many martyrs of dying for your love. But if I should not be worthy of so great a grace, at least, my Lord, grant me to sacrifice my life to you with all my will, embracing that death which shall be given me by you. Lord, this grace I desire; I wish to die with the desire of honoring you and of giving you pleasure; and from this moment I sacrifice my life to you and offer you my death, whatever it may be and whenever it may come. -- My Jesus, I wish to die to give you pleasure.

Spiritual Communion.

To Mary

Permit me to call you also, my sweetest Lady, with your St. Bernard, Tota ratio spei meae; and to say with St. John Damascene: Totam spem meam in te collocavi. You must obtain for me the pardon of my sins; you, perseverance until death; you, deliverance from purgatory. Those who are saved all obtain salvation through you; therefore you, O Mary, must save me. Quem vis salvus erit. Wish, then, to save me, and I shall be saved. But you save all those who invoke you. Behold, I invoke you and say to you: O salus te invocantium, salva me.

Prayer of the same St. Anselm:

Help us, O most merciful Lady, without looking at the multitude of our sins. Remember that our Creator took human flesh from you, not to condemn sinners but to save them. If you had been made Mother of God only for your own advantage, it might be said that you cared little whether we were saved or damned; but God clothed himself with your flesh for your salvation and for that of all men. Of what use would it be to us that you are so powerful and so glorious if you do not make us partakers of your happiness? Help us and protect us; you know what need we have of your assistance. We commend ourselves to you; grant that we may not be lost, but that we may serve and love eternally your Son Jesus Christ.

O Mary, you must save us.