Heart of my Jesus, Thou knowest what is wanting in me: Thou knowest that without Thee I can do nothing. Thou knowest my weakness: have [pg 252] pity on me, give me humility, purity of heart, love, and conformity to Thy holy will, strength against my bad habits, remission of my sins, and grace nevermore to commit them. Amen.
Fourteenth Day. The Heart of Jesus Asks for Our Hearts.
“My child, give Me thy heart.” Oh, let me print on my memory such a phrase of love! “My child!” Oh, how sweet it sounds when uttered by the lips of a God! He wishes to dwell in our hearts, not for a certain time, but forever; not as a guest only, but as its Master and its Lord. Jesus says the heart He asks of me is mine: “Give Me thy heart,” instead of claiming it as His right, as a matter of strictest obligation, since all that I am and have comes from Him. Oh, why should it be so difficult for me to yield up my heart to that sweet Lord Who so endearingly says, “My child, give Me thy heart”? The name of friend being insufficient to tell all Thy love, O dear Jesus, Thou dost employ the loving name of child to sweetly compel me to grant Thy fond request. Why is it, my Jesus, that Thou wishest my love? Why dost Thou, by every means, try to gain, by permission, that love which is Thine by every right and title? Oh, how many years Thou hast followed me, and I ever fled away from Thee! How hardened my heart was! It is true I have often returned to Thee for a little while, and Thou didst welcome me, and gave me Thy very self as my food. But too soon I fled away from Thee again. O my dearest Jesus, what favors and benefits I have abused! Pardon me, sweet Jesus: behold me at last here at Thy feet, never to leave Thee more. Take my heart, [pg 253] sweet Lord, and clasp it tightly to Thy Sacred Heart even to the hour of my death; never let me stray from Thee again.
Prayer.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, with my whole soul I adore Thy impulses of goodness and mercy towards sinners, the effects of which I have most singularly experienced! Thy loving kindness is so desirous of mercy, that it threatens to show no mercy to him who is not merciful. And what mercy can I exercise towards my neighbor? What can be compared to those mercies I have received, and every day receive from Thee? O Heart of Jesus, loving fountain of mercy, teach me to know and worthily imitate Thy mercy. Amen.
Fifteenth Day. The Heart of Jesus at the Hour of Death.
The life of man passes away as a shadow. Time passes by as a swift flowing river, bearing on its bosom, onward to the grave, old and young, rich and poor, without any distinction. Oh, how happy is he who has laid up treasures in heaven, who has gathered for himself a hoard of merit before God. Happy, a thousand times happy, is he who in that dread hour can turn to God with all confidence, and feel God present in his heart. O my sweet Jesus, I will cling to the hope that Thou wilt forget all my past iniquities, and remember only Thy love. O merciful Jesus, who would not hope from Thee a mercy without end? It is true Thou art a God of justice and purity, and Thou seest in me sins beyond [pg 254] compare. But yet can it be that the same God, Who every instant of my life yearns to be near me, Who begs so pleadingly for my heart: can it be that He will condemn me to hell? Oh, no, tender Heart of my Jesus! it will never be so if I am truly sorry. My sweet Jesus will never abandon me, if with a truly repentant heart, I have recourse to Him. Why should I fear death when I look upon my God agonizing in the throes of death? His death was to help me in my dying hour, so that seeing the pain that I have inflicted I might bear mine without complaint. O sweet Heart of Jesus, I offer Thee my death. I am willing to suffer all the pains Thou wishest to send me. Let me suffer as much as Thou pleasest, only let me die clasped close to Thy loving Heart.
Prayer.