2. “A bundle of myrrh is my Beloved to me; He shall abide between my breasts.”—Cant. i. 12. The myrrh plant when pricked sends forth tears, and a healthful liquor from the wounds. Before His Passion, our Jesus determined to pour forth His divine blood from His wounds in so painful a way, to give it afterwards all to us for our salvation in this bread of life. Come, then, O my beloved bundle of myrrh, O my enamored Jesus; Thou art indeed a subject of grief and pity to me, when I consider Thee all wounded for me on the cross; but then, when I receive Thee in this Most Sweet Sacrament, Thou becomest, indeed, to me more sweet and delicious than a bunch of the choicest grapes can be to one who is parched with thirst: “A cluster of cypress my love is to me, in the vineyards of Engaddi.”—Cant. i. 13. Come, then, to my soul, and revive and satiate me with Thy holy love. Ah, what sweetness do I feel in my soul at the thought, that I have to receive within myself that same Saviour [pg 627] of mine Who for my salvation was pleased to be drained of all His blood, and sacrificed on a cross! “He shall abide between my breasts.” No, my Jesus, nevermore will I drive Thee hence; and Thou shalt nevermore have to leave me. I am determined ever to love Thee, and to be always united to and closely bound up with Thee. I will always belong to Jesus, and Jesus will be always mine; forever, forever, forever “He shall abide between my breasts.”
Act Of Thanksgiving.
My God and Lord, I thank Thee for the grace which Thou hast this morning bestowed upon me, of coming to dwell in my soul; but I would wish to thank Thee in a manner worthy of Thee and of the great favor which Thou hast done me. But what do I say? how can such a miserable creature as I am ever worthily thank Thee?
Father Segneri says that the feeling most becoming a soul who communicates is that of wondering astonishment at the thought, and to repeat, “A God is united to me; a God is mine!” David said, “What shall I render to the Lord for all the things that He hath rendered to me?”—Ps. cxv. 12. But I! what return shall I make to Thee, my Jesus, Who, after having given me so many of Thy good things, hast this morning, moreover, given me Thyself? My soul, bless, then, and thank thy God as best thou canst. And thou, my Mother Mary, my holy advocates, my guardian angel, and all ye souls who love God, “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what great things He hath done for my soul.”—Ps. lxv. 16. Come and bless and thank my [pg 628] God for me, admiring and praising the truly great graces which He has granted me.
Act Of Oblation.
“My Beloved to me, and I to Him.”—Cant. ii. 16. Should a king go to visit a poor shepherd in his hut, what can the shepherd offer him other than his whole hut, such as it is? Since, then, O Jesus, my divine King, Thou hast come to visit the poor house of my soul, I offer and give Thee this house and my entire self, together with my liberty and will: “My Beloved to me, and I to Him.” Thou hast given Thyself all to me; I give myself all to Thee. My Jesus, from this day forward I will be no longer mine; I will be Thine, and all Thine. May my senses be Thine, that they may only serve me to please Thee. And what greater pleasure, says St. Peter of Alcantara, can be found than that of pleasing Thee, most amiable, most loving, most gracious God? I at the same time give Thee all the powers of my soul, and I will that they shall be all Thine; my memory I will only use to recall to mind Thy benefits and Thy love; my understanding I will only use to think of Thee, Who always thinkest of my good; my will I will only use to love Thee, my God, my all, and to will only that which Thou willest. My most sweet Lord, I offer, then, and consecrate to Thee this morning all that I am and have,—my senses, my thoughts, my affections, my desires, my pleasures, my inclinations, my liberty, in a word, I place my whole body and soul in Thy hands.
Accept, O infinite majesty, the sacrifice of the hitherto most ungrateful sinner Thou hast ever had [pg 629] on earth; but who now offers and gives himself all to Thee. Do with me and dispose of me, O Lord, as Thou pleasest.
Come, O consuming fire, O divine love! and consume in me all which is mine, and which is displeasing in Thy most pure eyes, so that from henceforward I may be all Thine, and may live only to execute, not Thy commands and counsels alone, but all Thy holy desires and good pleasure also. Amen.
O most holy Mary, do thou present this offering of mine to the most Blessed Trinity with thine own hands; and do thou obtain their acceptance of it, and that they may grant me the grace to be faithful unto death. Amen, amen, amen.
Act Of Petition.