but now I love thee above every good, and am sorry with my whole heart for having offended thee, and will never more forsake thee even until death. I embrace thee with all the affection of my soul, and desire to live and die in thy embraces. O do not abandon me, withdraw not thy grace from me. Nor do thou, my advocate and protectress, Mary, abandon me, cease not to intercede for me.

MEDITATION VII.

SATURDAY,

Jesus dies upon the Cross in the presence of his afflicted Mother,

As soon as Jesus arrived on mount Calvary, the appointed executioners strip him again of his garments and throw him down upon the cross. Jesus stretcheth forth his hands and offers to his Eternal Father the great sacrifice of himself for the salvation of

men.

Behold, they seize their hammers, and driving large nails through his sacred hands and feet, fasten him to the cross, and leave him there to die. O man, O man! how canst thou behold thy God upon such an infamous gibbet, dying for the love of thee, and yet not love him?

Jesus hanging on the cross! See the last

appearance of the Lord of the universe on the earth! Behold the proof of God's love for us! St. Francis of Paula, contemplating Jesus on the cross, was accustomed to exclaim: "O God of love! O God of love! O God of love!" Never will any one be able to explain or understand the greatness of the love shown to us by God in being pleased to die for us his miserable and ungrateful creatures.

And yet, knowing this, I have disregarded thy love and have renounced thy grace. But thy blood is my hope. I am sorry above every evil, my beloved Jesus, for having turned my back upon thee; I love thee with my whole soul, I love thee above all things; and I promise thee that from this day forward I will love no other but thee.

Approach, my soul, humbled and softened, approach the cross, on which thy dying Lord is hanging. Kiss that altar on which he is pleased to die in sacrifice for thee, spent with torture, thy very Creator himself. Bathe thyself in the blood which flows from his sacred feet; wash out with it all thy sins, and hope from it all good. My dear Jesus, I desire to be no longer my own, but thine, and wholly thine. Say to me what thou desirest of me, and I will indeed accomplish it. I hope all from thy bounty. And from thy protection also, O Mary my mother, do I hope for all good things.

172

Thanksgivings after Mass,

FOR EVERY DAY IN THE WEEK.

THANKSGIVING I.

SUNDAY.

My beloved Jesus, I adore thee now present within my breast under the humble appearances of bread and wine, and I cast myself at thy sacred feet, to pour forth to thee my thanks for thy great bounty in having been pleased to come to visit me, a wretched sinner, who have so often expelled thee from my soul.

When, my Redeemer, I reflect on the sins of my past life, I would willingly die of sorrow for them. I give thee thanks for having afforded me the opportunity of making amends for the evil which I have done. Hitherto I have disregarded thy love; but! now I love none but thee, nor seek to please any other but thee. Deus meus et omnia. Henceforth thou alone shalt be my only good, the only object of my love. O love of my soul, I desire to give myself entirely to thee; and if I am not able to do this as I ought, do thou draw me to thyself. Trahe me post te......in odorem ungentorum tuorum. O Word incarnate, O God of love for man, by

thy sweet and powerful attractions detach me from all worldly affections, and draw me wholly to thy holy love! Grant that I may be able truly to say: Quid mihi est in cœlo? et a te quid volui super terram? Deus cordis mei et pars mea Deus in æternum. O my Jesus, be thou the sole master of my whole heart, of my whole will; so that I may will nothing but what thou willest, seek nothing but what is agreeable to thee, and be pleased with nothing but what is well pleasing to thee. Deus cordis mei et pars mea Deus in æternum. Let others chose what they will in this world, thou alone shalt be for ever my only portion.

Of myself I can do nothing, but by thy grace I shall be able to do all things: Omnia possum in eo qui me confortat. Thou hast promised to listen to those who pray to thee: Petite et accipietis. Behold the graces which I now ask of thee: grant me holy perseverance, give me thy love, and I ask for nothing more. O my Jesus, through the merits of thy bitter passion, I beseech thee to hear me. Mary, thy prayers can effect every thing, pray to Jesus for me. O my Mother, for the love of thy Son hear me.

THANKSGIVING II.

MONDAY.

O my divine Shepherd, thou hast descend

ed from heaven to save me, the lost sheep, and I have again turned away from thee to my own perdition. Erravi sicut ovis qua periit; quære servum tuum. Ps. cxviii. 176. I hope, O my Jesus, that thou hast pardoned me my many offences against thee; but if as yet thou hast not forgiven me, forgive me now that thou art come into my soul. I am sorry with my whole heart for having hitherto so often disregarded thy grace; I now esteem it above every good, and rather than lose it, I would sacrifice my life a thousand times. What can it avail me to live in this world devoid of thy grace.

My beloved Redeemer, thou hast died for all in order that none should live for themselves, but only for thee who hast given thy life for them: Pro omnibus mortuus est Christus, ut et qui vivunt jam non sibi vivant, sed ei qui pro ipsis mortuus est. 2 Cor. v. 15. I have hitherto lived for myself, forgetful of thee; henceforth I will live only for thee, who hast died for me: I will forget all things else that I may think only of thee, and love only thee who hast so loved me. That I may do this,

help me by thy grace, which I confidently hope to obtain according to thy promise: Si quid petieritis in nomine meo, dabo vobis. Jo. xiv. 14. Through the merits therefore of thy bitter passion, I ask for it and hope to obtain it.