2. Give thyself to me, and it is enough; for besides thee no comfort is available.
Without thee I cannot subsist; and without thy visitation I cannot live;
And therefore I must come often to thee, and receive for the remedy of my soul's health; lest perhaps I faint in the way, if I be deprived of this heavenly food.
For so, O most merciful Jesus, thou wert pleased once to say, when thou hadst been preaching to the people, and curing sundry diseases, I will not send them home fasting, lest they faint by the way. Matthew xv.
Deal now in like manner with me, who hast left thyself in the sacrament for the comfort of thy faithful.
For thou art the most sweet refection of the soul, and he that shall eat thee worthily, shall be partaker and heir of everlasting glory.
It is indeed necessary for me (who am so often falling and committing sin, and so quickly grow slack and faint) by frequent prayers and confessions, and by the holy communion of thy body, to repair my strength, to cleanse and inflame myself, lest perhaps by abstaining for a longer time I fall away from my holy purpose.
3. For the senses of man are prone to evil from his youth; and unless thy divine medicine succour him, man quickly falls to worse.
The holy communion therefore withdraws him from evil, and strengthens him in good.