O my soul, what art thou doing? The present is no time to be lost: it is a precious time, in which thou canst receive all the graces which thou askest. Seest thou not the eternal Father, Who is lovingly beholding thee? for within thee He sees His beloved Son, the dearest object of His love. Drive, then, far from thee all other thoughts; rekindle thy faith, enlarge thy heart, and ask for whatever thou willest.
Hearest thou not Jesus Himself Who thus addresses thee: “What wilt thou that I should do to thee?”—St. Mark x. 51. O soul, tell me what dost thou desire of Me? I am come for the express purpose of enriching and gratifying thee; ask with confidence, and thou wilt receive all.
Ah! my most sweet Saviour, since Thou hast come into my heart in order to grant me graces, and [pg 630] desirest that I should ask Thee for them, I ask Thee not for the goods of the earth—riches, honors, or pleasures; but grant me, I beseech Thee, intense sorrow for the displeasures I have caused Thee; impart to me so clear a light, that I may know the vanity of this world, and how deserving Thou art of love. Change this heart of mine, detach it from all earthly affections; give me a heart conformable in all things to Thy holy will, that it may seek only for that which is more pleasing to Thee, and have no other desire than Thy holy love: “Create a clean heart in me, O God.”—Ps. l. 12.
I deserve not this; but Thou, my Jesus, deservest it, since Thou art come to dwell in my soul: I ask it of Thee through Thy merits, and those of Thy most holy Mother, and by the love which Thou bearest to Thy eternal Father.
Here pause, to ask Jesus for some other particular grace for yourself and for your neighbors. Do not forget poor sinners, or the souls in purgatory.
Eternal Father, Jesus Christ Himself, Thy Son, has said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it you.” For the love, then, of this Son, Whom I now hold within my breast, do Thou graciously hear me and grant my petition.
My most sweet loves, Jesus and Mary, may I suffer for you, may I die for you; may I be all yours, and in nothing my own! May the Most Blessed Sacrament ever be thanked and praised! Blessed be the holy and immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary!
Acts Of The Love Of God.
1. My God, my sovereign good, would that I had always loved Thee!
2. My God, I detest the time in which I loved Thee not.