Visits to the Most Holy Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin MaryVisit 18

To the Blessed Sacrament,
My Lord Jesus Christ, etc., page 123.

One day Jesus will be seated on a throne of majesty in the valley of Josaphat; but now, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, he is seated on a throne of love. Did a king, to show his love for a poor shepherd, go and live in his village, how great would be the ingratitude of this peasant did he not often go to visit him, knowing the king’s wish to see him, and that for this purpose he had come to reside there!

Ah, my Jesus, for love of me Thou dwellest in the Sacrament of the Altar. Could I, then, do so, my desire would be to remain night and day in Thy presence. If the angels, O my Lord, filled with astonishment at the love which Thou bearest us, remain always around Thee, it is but reasonable that I, seeing Thee for my sake on this altar, should endeavor to please Thee, at least by remaining in Thy presence, to praise the love and goodness which Thou hast for me: I will sing praise to Thee in the sight of the angels; I will worship towards Thy holy temple, and I will give glory to Thy name: for Thy mercy and for Thy truth.

O God, present in this Most Holy Sacrament, O bread of angels, O heavenly food, I love Thee; but Thou art not, neither am I, satisfied with my love. I love Thee; but I love Thee too little. Do Thou, my Jesus, make known to me the beauty, the immense goodness which I love: make my heart banish from itself all earthly affections, and give place to Thy divine love. To fill me with Thy love, and to unite Thyself all to me, Thou descendest every day from heaven on our altars: it is, then, but just that I should think of nothing else but of loving, adoring, and pleasing Thee. I love Thee with my whole soul, I love Thee with all my affections. If Thou art graciously pleased to make me a return for this love, increase my love; render its flames more ardent; that thus I may always love Thee more, and desire more and more to please Thee.

Ejaculatory prayer. Jesus, my love, give me love!
Spiritual Communion, page 124.
Visit to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

As poor sick persons, who on account of their miseries are abandoned by all, find shelter in the public hospitals; so also do the most miserable sinners, who, although discarded by all, find protection in the mercy of Mary, by whom they are never rejected; for God has placed her in the world as a receptacle and as a public hospital for sinners, as St. Basil of Seleucia gives us to understand.’ Hence St. Ephrem also calls her “the asylum of sinners.” Therefore, my Queen, if I have recourse to thee, thou canst not reject me on account of my sins; nay, even the more wretched I am, the greater is the claim which I have upon thy protection, since God has created thee as the refuge of the most miserable. Therefore to thee I have recourse, O Mary; I place myself under thy mantle. Thou art the refuge of sinners; thou art, then, my refuge, the hope of my salvation. If thou reject me, to whom shall I have recourse?

Ejaculatory prayer. Mary, my refuge, save me!
1 Aperuit De us peccatoribus publicum valetudinarium.”
[From the Naples Edition.]
Prayer of St. Bernard.

O sovereign queen! on thee the Almighty has bestowed the perfection of all graces. Thou art styled full of grace, because the Holy Ghost has given it to thee in its greatest plenitude. We entreat thee to impart to us a portion of the fulness which thou hast received. Remember our necessities, and hear our prayers. Make us partakers of the riches and abundance which thou possessest. All nations call thee blessed; the whole hierarchy of heaven sings thy praises, and we, who are upon earth, cry out to thee. Receive our homage, O full of grace! Mother of God, our sovereign and our queen, the Lord is with thee; make intercession for us.’

Ejaculatory prayer. O Mary! look down upon us, and draw our hearts to God.

The usual prayer, page 125.