Visit XVI

Oh, if men would always have recourse to the Blessed Sacrament to seek a remedy for their ills, surely they would not be so miserable as they are! Isaiah wept: Numquid resina non est in Galaad; aut medicus non est ibi? (Ier. VIII, 22). Gilead, a mountain of Arabia rich in aromatic balms, is a figure of Jesus Christ who has prepared in this Sacrament all the remedies for our ills. Why, then, the Redeemer seems to say, do you complain, O children of Adam, of your ills, when you have in this Sacrament the physician and the remedy for every ill of yours? Venite ad me omnes... et ego reficiam vos (Matth. XI, 28). I wish, then, to say to you with the sisters of Lazarus: Ecce quem amas infirmatur (Io. XI, 3). Lord, I am that miserable one whom you love; my soul is so wounded by the sins I have committed. Divine Physician, I come to you so that you may heal me; you can and you will heal me: Sana animam meam, quia peccavi tibi.

Draw me entirely to yourself, my sweetest Jesus, by the most lovable attractions of your love. I love being bound to you more than being made lord of all the earth. I desire nothing else in the world but to love you. I have little to give you, but if I could have all the kingdoms of the world, I would wish for them only to renounce them all for love of you. I renounce to you, then, what I can: all my relatives, all my comforts, all my pleasures, even spiritual consolations. I renounce to you my freedom, my will. To you I wish to give all my love. I love you, O infinite goodness; I love you more than myself, and I hope to love you for eternity. -- My Jesus, I give myself to you; accept me, for pity's sake.

Spiritual Communion.

To Mary

My Lady, you said to St. Bridget: Quantumcumque homo peccet, si ex vera emendatione ad me reversus fuerit, statim parata sum recipere revertentem; nec attendo quantum peccaverit, sed cum quali voluntate venit. Nam non dedignor eius plagas ungere et sanare, quia vocor et vere sum mater misericordiae. If, then, you can heal me and desire to heal me, behold, I have recourse to you, O heavenly Physician; heal the many wounds of my soul. With one word that you speak to your Son, I shall be healed. -- O Mary, have pity on me.

Prayer of St. Peter Damian:

O holy Virgin, assist those who implore your aid. Turn to us. What, because you have been exalted almost to the divine, have you forgotten men? Ah, certainly not! You well know in what dangers you have left us and the miserable state of your servants. No, it does not befit so great a mercy as yours to forget so great a misery as ours. Turn to us with your power, for he who is powerful has given you omnipotence in heaven and on earth. Nothing is impossible to you, since you can raise even the despairing to hope of salvation. The more powerful you are, the more merciful you ought to be.

O Mary, you can make me a saint; from you I hope for it.