unspeakable Banquet, wherein with Thy Son and the Holy Ghost, Thou art to Thy Saints true light, full contentment, everlasting joy, and perfect happiness. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

WH

HO will give me, O Lord, to find Thee alone, That I may open my whole heart to Thee, and enjoy Thee as my soul desireth; that nothing created may affect me any longer; but that Thou alone mayest speak to me and I to Thee : as one that loves is wont to speak to him whom he loves, and he that is loved, to respond to his friend. This I desire, this I pray for, that I may be wholly united to Thee, and may withdraw my heart from all created things, and by a holy communion with Thee may more and more learn to relish heavenly and eternal things.

When shall I, O Lord, be wholly united and absorbed in Thee, and altogether forgetful of myself? Thou in me, and I in Thee; and so grant us both to continue in one. Verily, Thou art my Beloved, the choicest among thousands, in whom my soul is well pleased to dwell all the days of her life. Verily Thou art He in whom is sovereign peace and true rest out of whom is labour and sorrow, and endless misery. Thou art in truth the hidden God, whose counsel is not with the wicked, but with the simple and the humble.

Oh, how sweet is Thy Spirit, O Lord, who to show Thy sweetness towards Thy children, vouchsafest to feed them with this precious Bread from

heaven! Surely there is no other nation so great, and none to whom God is so nigh, as He is here present to us in this Sacrament, for our daily comfort, and for the raising up of our minds and hearts to heaven. And what creature in heaven or on earth is so honoured or so beloved, as the devout soul into whose inmost being God Himself comes, that He may feed her with His gracious flesh. Oh, the unspeakable grace, the wonderful condescension, the infinite love so singularly bestowed upon man in this Sacrament!

But what return can I make for this inestimable gift? Behold, nothing will please Thee better than if I give myself up wholly to Thee, and unite myself closely with Thee. Then will all that is within me rejoice exceedingly; then wilt Thou say to me, If thou wilt be with me, I will be with thee; and I will answer, Vouchsafe, O Lord, to remain with me, and I will willingly be with Thee for my one desire is to be wholly united to Thee.

SWEETEST Lord Jesu, how great a sweet

0 ness have they, who, with a true and sin

cere devotion, feast with Thee in this Banquet, where Thou alone art set before them: Thou who art more to be desired than all the desires of the heart! And to me it would indeed be delightful to pour out my soul in Thy presence, and with the whole affection of my heart, like the devout Magdalen, to wash Thy feet with my

tears.

But where is this devotion?

Where is this

shedding of tears? Surely in Thy sight, and in that of Thy holy Angels, my whole being ought to be inflamed with love, and weep for joy? For I have Thee here, truly present in this Sacrament, though hidden under another form : since to behold Thee in Thine own divine brightness is what mine eyes could not endure, nor could the whole world subsist in the splendour of the glory of Thy Majesty.

And since it is out of condescension to my weakness that Thou art hidden under the forms of this Sacrament, my devotion ought not to be less lively if I lack in them the visible manifestation of Thy presence. And therefore when I call to mind those who come to this Sacrament with the utmost fervour and devotion, I am confounded at my own coldness; and I grieve and lament that I should approach so tepidly to Thy Table should remain so frozen and without feeling; so little drawn to Thee, or set on fire by Thy presence.

Oh for the ardent faith of those who truly know their Lord in the breaking of bread, whose heart burns when Jesus is with them! Alas, such affection, such love and fervour, are often far from me!

But be Thou merciful to me, O Good Jesu, sweet and loving Saviour; and vouchsafe me, Thy poor and needy servant, sometimes at least, to feel in Thy holy Communion some little of this cordial affection, that my faith may be strengthened and my hope in Thy goodness increased; and that my love being once perfectly

kindled, and having tasted the Manna of heaven, may never again decay.

OST sweet and loving Lord, Thou knowest

M°

my weakness: by what evils I am surrounded; how often I am oppressed and troubled how often tempted and overcome. To Thee turn for remedy, to Thee for help and comfort; to Thee I speak who knowest all things, to whom all within me is manifest, and who alone canst perfectly help and comfort me. Thou knowest the things of which I stand most in need, and how poor I am in virtues.

Behold, before Thee I stand, poor and naked, begging Thy mercy and imploring Thy grace. Inflame, therefore, my coldness with the fire of Thy love; enlighten my blindness with the brightness of Thy presence. Teach me to look with indifference upon all earthly things, and for Thy sake to bear with perfect patience all things grievous and afflicting. Suffer me not any more to wander upon earth, but lift up my heart to Thee in heaven. Be Thou my only sweetness from henceforth and for evermore; for Thou only are my meat and my drink, my love and my joy, my delight and my full contentment.

Oh, that with Thy presence Thou wouldst inflame and transform me into Thyself, that I might be made one spirit with Thee by the grace of internal union, and by the melting of an ardent love. Suffer me not, I beseech Thee, to go away hungry and thirsty, but deal with me in Thy mercy as Thou hast often dealt with Thy Saints. And what marvel, if I should be wholly set ou

fire by Thee and should die to myself, since Thou art a fire always burning and never decaying, a love purifying the heart and enlightening the understanding.

GOD, my everlasting love, my whole good,

and never-ending happiness, gladly would I receive Thee with the most vehement desire and most worthy reverence which any of the Saints have ever had, or could possibly experience. And although I am unworthy to have all these feelings of devotion, yet I offer Thee the whole affection of my heart as if I alone had them all. Yea, and whatsoever a pious mind can conceive and desire, all this with the greatest reverence and most inward affection I desire to offer and lay before Thee. Nothing do I wish to reserve to myself; but freely and most willingly do I offer Thee myself and all that is mine.

Vouchsafe, then, to receive, O Lord God, this my wish and desire of giving Thee infinite praise and blessing, which according to the greatness of Thine unspeakable Majesty are most justly due to Thee. These I render, and desire to render, every day and every moment of my life; and with my prayers I invite and entreat all the heavenly Spirits and all the faithful on earth to join with me in giving Thee praise and thanks unceasing.

Let all peoples, and tribes, and tongues praise Thee, and magnify Thy great and holy Name! And may all who reverently and devoutly celebrate this Thy most adorable Sacrament and receive it with faith, find grace and mercy at Thy