Visits to the Most Holy Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin MaryVisit 17

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

Loving souls can find no greater delight than to be in the company of those whom they love. If we, then, love Jesus Christ much, behold we are now in his presence. Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament sees us and hears us: shall we, then, say nothing to him? Let us console ourselves in his company; let us rejoice in his glory, and in the love which so many enamoured souls bear him in the Most Holy Sacrament. Let us desire that all should love Jesus in the Holy Sacrament, and consecrate their hearts to him; at least let us consecrate all our affections to him. He should be all our love and our whole desire, Father Salesius, of the Society of Jesus, felt consolation in only speaking of the Most Blessed Sacrament; he could never visit it enough. When called to the parlor, on returning to his room, when going about the house, he always profited by these occasions to repeat his visits to his beloved Lord; so much so, that it was remarked that scarcely an hour of the day passed without his visiting him, At length he obtained the favor to die by the hands of heretics while defending the truth of the real presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

Oh, had I but the happiness to die for so noble cause as the defence of this Sacrament, in which, O most amiable Jesus, Thou hast taught us the tenderness of the love which Thou bearest us! But since, my Lord, Thou workest so many miracles in this Sacrament, work this one also: draw my entire self to Thee. Thou indeed desirest that I should be all Thine, and Thou dost also indeed deserve that I should be so. Give me the strength to love Thee with all the affection of my soul. Give the goods of this world to whomsoever Thou willest. I renounce them all: I sigh after and desire Thy love alone; this alone do I now and will always seek. I love Thee, my Jesus; grant me the grace always to love Thee, and grant me this alone.

Ejaculatory prayer. My Jesus, when shall] I really love Thee?
Spiritual Communion, page 124.
Visit to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

My most sweet Queen, how pleasing to me is that beautiful name by which thy devout clients address thee: “Most amiable Mother!” Yes, my Lady, thou art truly and indeed amiable. Thy beauty has captivated thy Lord himself: And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty." St. Bernard says that thy very name is so amiable to thy lovers, that when they pronounce or hear it they are inflamed with a fresh desire to love thee: “O sweet, O pious, O exceedingly amiable Mary! Thou canst not be named without inflaming, neither can thy name be heard without enkindling, the affections of those who love thee.”” It is, then, reasonable, my most ami able Mother, that I should love thee. But I am not satisfied with only loving thee: I desire in the first place on earth, and then in heaven, to be, after God, thy greatest lover. If my desire is presumptuous, it is thou thyself who art to blame, on account of thy amiability, and the special love which thou hast shown me. If thou wert less amiable, my desire to love thee would be less. Accept, then, O Lady, this my desire; and in token that thou hast accepted it, do thou obtain me from God this love for which I ask thee, since he is so well pleased with the love which is borne thee.

Ejaculatory prayer. My most amiable Mother, I love thee much.
[From the Naples Edition.]
Prayer of St. Damian.

O Mother of God! cast upon us one look of compassion. I know that thou art full of goodness, and that thou lovest us in a measure that surpasses all other love. How often dost thou appease the anger of our Judge, when the hand of his justice is raised to strike us? All the treasures of mercy are in thy hands, and thou seekest every opportunity to save miserable sinners and to make them partakers of thy glory. Ah! never cease to interest thyself in our regard, that we may one day arrive at the happiness of seeing Thee in heaven; as the greatest good that we can enjoy, next to that of seeing God, is to see thee, to love thee, and to be under thy protection. Since thy Son desires to honor thee by refusing nothing that thou askest, hear our prayer, and intercede in our behalf.’

Ejaculatory prayer, O Mary! I love thee as the most amiable of the works of God, and place my confidence in thee.

The usual prayer, page 125.