Visit XXXI

Oh, what a beautiful sight it was to see our sweet Redeemer on that day when, weary from his journey, he sat all gentle and loving upon a well, waiting for the Samaritan woman to convert and save her! Iesus ergo sedebat sic super fontem (Io. IV). Just so, it seems, he himself at present sweetly lingers with us all day long, having come down from heaven upon our altars as upon so many fountains of grace, waiting and inviting souls to keep him company, at least for some time, so as to draw them thereby to the perfect love of him. From all the altars where Jesus dwells in the Sacrament it seems that he speaks and says to all: Men, why do you flee from my presence? Why do you not come and draw near to me who love you so much and who remain here so humbled for your good? What fear do you have? I have not come now to the earth to judge; rather I have hidden myself in this Sacrament of love only to do good and to save everyone who has recourse to me: Non... veni ut iudicem mundum, sed ut salvificem mundum (Io. XII, 47).

Let us understand, then, that just as Jesus Christ in heaven is semper vivens ad interpellandum pro nobis (Hebr. VII, 25), so in the Sacrament of the altar he continually exercises night and day the compassionate office of advocate for us, offering himself as victim to the Eternal Father to obtain for us innumerable mercies and graces. Therefore the devout Thomas a Kempis said that we should approach and speak to Jesus in the Sacrament without fear of punishment and without constraint, but as to a beloved friend: Sicut solet loqui dilectus ad dilectum, amicus ad amicum.

Since, then, you permit me this, allow me, O my hidden King and Lord, to open my heart to you with confidence and say to you: O my Jesus, O lover of souls, I well know the wrong that men do you. You love them and are not loved in return; you do good and receive contempt; you wish to make them hear your voice and they give you no hearing; you offer your graces and they refuse them. Ah, my Jesus, is it true that I too once joined with these ungrateful ones in so displeasing you? O God, it is all too true; but I wish to amend and I wish to make up in the days that remain to me of life for the displeasure I have given you, by doing all I can to please you and to give you joy. Tell me, Lord, what you desire of me; I wish to do it all without reserve. Make it known to me through holy obedience, and I hope to accomplish it. My God, I resolutely promise you never to leave undone anything that I henceforth understand to be of greater pleasure to you, even though it should cost me the loss of everything -- relatives, friends, esteem, health, even life. Let all be lost, so long as I give pleasure to you. Happy loss, when all is lost and sacrificed to content your Heart, O God of my soul. I love you, O supreme good, more lovable than every other good; and in loving you I unite my little heart with all the hearts with which the Seraphim love you. I unite it with the Heart of Mary, with the Heart of Jesus. I love you with my whole being, and you alone I wish to love, and always you alone I wish to love. -- My God, my God, I am yours and you are mine.

Spiritual Communion.

My good, my God, you are already mine;

I give you my heart and my entire self.

From you I wish nothing other than you.

Quid... mihi est in caelo, et a te quid volui super terram?... Deus cordis mei et pars mea Deus in aeternum (Ps. LXXII, 25-26).

To Mary

Bl. Amadeus says that our most blessed Queen Mary continually stands before the divine presence, acting as our advocate and interceding with her prayers, which are most powerful with God: Adstat beatissima Virgo vultui conditoris, prece potentissima semper interpellans pro nobis. For, he adds, she sees our miseries and our dangers, and the clement Lady with a mother's love has compassion on us and comes to our aid: Videt enim nostra discrimina, nostrique clemens ac dulcis domina materno affectu miseretur. So then, my advocate and my most loving Mother, at this very hour you see the miseries of my soul, you see my dangers, and you are praying for me? Pray, pray, and never cease praying until you see me safe, thanking you in paradise. Tu post Unigenitum tuum certa fidelium salus. The devout Blosius tells me that you, O sweetest Mary, after Jesus are the sure salvation of those who are your faithful servants. Ah, this is the grace I ask of you today: grant me the fortune of being your faithful slave until death, so that after death I may come to bless you in heaven, certain of never again having to be separated from your holy feet for as long as God is God. -- O Mary, my Mother, grant that I may always be yours.

O Mary, you are the tower of David, which holds a thousand defenses for the benefit of those who have recourse to you. Sicut turris David collum tuum, quae aedificata est cum propugnaculis; mille clypei pendent ex ea, omnis armatura fortium (Cant. IV, 4). You, then, O my Mother, are the strongest defense of those who are in battle. Oh, what assaults, my Lady, my enemies continually make upon me to deprive me of the grace of God and of your protection! But you are my fortress and my hope. You do not disdain to fight for those who trust in you, whence St. Ephrem calls you: Propugnatrix confidentium in te. O Mary, defend me and fight for me, who trust so greatly in you.

Mary, Mary, your name is my defense.