Visits to the Most Holy Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin MaryVisit 27

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

The holy Church sings in the Office of the Most Blessed Sacrament: “There is no other country, however great, whose gods are nigh it as our God is nigh to us.” * When the Gentiles heard how far our God carried his works of love, they exclaimed: Oh, how good a God is this God of the Christians! And, indeed, although the Gentiles imagined their gods according to their own caprices,— yet, if you read history, you will never find in all their fables, and among the many gods they invented, that they went so far as even to imagine a god as enamoured of men as is our true God;-who, to show his love for his adorers, and to enrich them with graces, has worked such a prodigy of love as to become their constant companion, and to remain night and day concealed on their altars, seeming as if he knew not how to separate himself from them, even for a moment: He hath made a remembrance of His wonderful works.’

Thou, then, my most sweet Jesus, hast been pleased to work the greatest of Thy miracles in order to satisfy the excessive desire which Thou hast to remain always near and present to us. Why, then, do men fly from Thy presence? And how can they live for so long a time at a distance from Thee, or visit Thee so seldom? How is it that when in Thy presence they get so weary that a quarter of an hour appears an age? Oh, patience of my Jesus, how great art Thou! Yes, my Lord, I understand Thee; Thy patience is great, because the love Thou bearest to men is great: and this it is which, so to say, forces Thee to dwell always in the midst of creatures so ungrateful.

Ah, my God, who, because Thou art infinite in perfections art also infinite in love, permit not that I should for the future be, as I have hitherto been, of the number of these ungrateful ones. Grant me a love equal to Thy merits and to my own obligations. At one time I also was weary in Thy presence, either because I loved Thee not, or because I loved Thee too little; but if by Thy grace I am enabled to love Thee much, I shall no longer find it tedious to remain even for whole days and nights at Thy feet in the Most Holy Sacrament. O Eternal Father, I offer Thee Thine own Son himself; accept him for me, and through his merits give me so ardent and tender a love towards the Most Blessed Sacrament, that, constantly turning towards some church in which he dwells, I may think of, and desire with longing anxiety, the time when I may be able to go and entertain myself in his presence.

Ejaculatory prayer. My God, for the love of Jesus, give me a great love towards the Most Blessed Sacrament!

Spiritual Communion, page 124.
Visit to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mary is that tower of David, of which the Holy Ghost says in the sacred Canticles: It is built with bulwarks; a thousand bucklers hang upon it, all the armor of valiant men.’ A tower built with a thousand fortresses, and containing a thousand shields and weapons, for the benefit of those who have recourse to it. Thou art, then, according to an expression of St. Ignatius, martyr, O most holy Mary, a most powerful defence for all those who are engaged in battle.” Oh, how constantly are my enemies attacking me, in order to deprive me of the grace of God and of thy protection, my most dear Lady! But thou art my strength. Thou, indeed, dost not disdain to battle for those who trust in thee; for St. Ephrem calls thee “the bulwark of all who confide in thee.”³ Do thou, then, defend and fight for me, who have such great hope and confidence in thee.

Ejaculatory prayer. Mary, Mary, thy name is my defence!
{From‘the Naples Edition.]

My queen! thou hast said to thy servant St. Bridget, that as often as a man sins, if he returns to thee with sincere repentance, thou wilt receive him and restore him to the friendship of God that thou dost not consider the greatness of his crimes, but the sincerity of his repentance; and that thou art ever ready to apply a cure to his wounds, because thou art in reality, as in name, the Mother of mercy.⁴ Since, therefore, thou rejectest no sinner who approaches thee with a sincere detestation of his crimes, and since thou hast both the power and the will to heal him, behold, I present myself before thee, and beseech thee to apply thy celestial remedies to the deep wounds of my soul. Thy Son can refuse thee nothing: entreat him, then, to pardon me and to grant me his love.*

Ejaculatory prayer. O Mary! my hope, I expect all through thee.
The usual prayer, page 125.