Visit XXII

The Bride of the sacred Canticles went about seeking her beloved, and not finding him she asked: Num quem diligit anima mea vidistis? (Cant. III, 3). At that time Jesus was not on earth; but now, if a soul that loves Jesus goes seeking him, she always finds him in the Blessed Sacrament. Ven. Fr. Master Avila used to say that among all the sanctuaries he could neither find nor desire a sanctuary more lovable than a church where the Blessed Sacrament is kept.

O infinite love of my God, worthy of infinite love! Oh, how could you, my Jesus, bring yourself to humble yourself so far that, to linger with men and to unite yourself to their hearts, you humbled yourself even to hiding beneath the appearances of bread? O Incarnate Word, you have been supreme in humbling yourself, because you are supreme in loving. How can I not love you with my whole being, knowing how much you have done to win my love? I love you greatly, and therefore I prefer your pleasure to every interest of mine, to every satisfaction of mine. My delight is to give delight to you, my Jesus, my God, my love, my all. Kindle in me a great hunger to be continually in the presence of you in the Sacrament, and to receive you and keep you company. I would be ungrateful if I did not accept so sweet and gracious an invitation. Ah, Lord, destroy in me all attachment to created things. You wish that you alone, my Creator, should be the object of all my sighs, of all my love. I love you, O most lovable goodness of my God. I ask nothing of you but yourself. I do not seek my own pleasure; I seek and am content with your pleasure alone. Accept, my Jesus, this good desire of a sinner who wishes to love you. Help me with your grace; grant that I, a miserable slave of hell, may from this day forward be a happy slave of your love. -- I love you, my Jesus, my good, above every good.

Spiritual Communion.

To Mary

My sweetest Lady and my Mother, I am a base rebel against your great Son; but repentant I come to your compassion so that you may obtain for me pardon. Do not tell me that you cannot, for St. Bernard calls you the minister of pardon: Ministra propitiationis. It is also your part to help those who are in danger, for St. Ephrem calls you: Opitulatrix periclitantium -- the helper of those in peril. My Lady, who is more in danger than I? I have lost God; I was certainly condemned to hell; I know not whether God has yet pardoned me; I may lose him again. But you can obtain everything for me, and from you I hope for every good: pardon, perseverance, paradise. I hope to be one of those in the kingdom of the blessed who will most praise your mercies, O Mary, being saved through your intercession. -- Misericordias Mariae in aeternum cantabo, in aeternum cantabo. Amen, amen.

Prayer of the same William of Paris:

O Mother of God, your benignity has never scorned any sinner, however enormous his sins, who commended himself to you. Can it be that the Church falsely or in vain calls you its Advocate, the refuge of the wretched? May it never be that my sins should prevent you from fulfilling the great office of compassion that is yours, by which you make yourself the mediatrix of peace, the only hope, the surest refuge of the wretched. May it never be that the Mother of God, who brought forth for the benefit of the whole world the fountain of mercy, should deny her compassion to any poor soul who has recourse to her. Your office is to be the peacemaker between God and men. Let your great compassion, then, move you to succor me, for it is far greater than all my sins.

My dear Mother, you must save me.