Day 31

DANBURY CT, 1950

PRAYER BEFORE VISIT

JESUS AT JACOB'S WELL

 

"Jesus, therefore, sat thus by the well." (John 4).
A beautiful sight it was that day―the sight of Our Sweet Redeemer as He sat beside the well, tired from His journey. Gentle and loving, He was waiting there for the Samaritan woman to convert her and to save her.

But now the very same Jesus comes from Heaven down on our altar―this same altar becomes a well of grace. There He waits the whole day long in all His meekness, lingering in our midst. His invitation goes out to all to come and share His company even though it be for only a little while―He wants to draw you to His perfect love.

Jesus speaks from every altar where He dwells in the Most Holy Sacrament and this is what He says; "Why do you keep away from me? Why do you not come close to me? I have come to you in lowliness because I love you, and I want to do you good. What are you afraid of? It is not to judge you that I come down to earth now; but I have come hidden in this Sacrament of love. I want only to be of help to you―to give salvation to every one who comes to me: 'I have come not to judge, but to save the world.' " (John 12).

In Heaven, Jesus is "always living to intercede for us." (Heb. 7). In the Sacrament of the Altar, without interruption, night and day He is taking on Himself the office of our merciful Advocate; He is offering Himself to the Eternal Father as our Victim to obtain mercy and numberless graces for us. Let us understand this well.

Thomas à Kempis says that we should come near to Jesus in this Sacrament; that we should speak to Him at our ease and with no fear―as a friend speaks to the friend he loves; "As a loved one speaks to the one who loves him, as friend to friend."

My hidden King, my Master, I will open my heart to you and I will say: O my Jesus, O you who love souls with such a great love, I know well the wrong that men do you. You love them: and you are not loved. You do good: you receive contempt. You want them to hear your voice: they will not listen. You offer them graces: they refuse to take them.

My Jesus, it is true that I also at one time was among those ungrateful ones who treat you so. Yes, my God, it is only too true, but I want to make up for it now. For the rest of my days I want to do something to make amends for the pain that I have given you; now I want to give you pleasure and joy as far as lies in my power. Tell me, dear Master, what do you want me to do? I want to do it―to do it all and without reservation. Let me know, by means of holy obedience, what it is, and then I hope to do it.

My God, firmly I promise you now, that never any more―from this day forward―will I leave any thing undone, once I know that it is for your greater glory; even though in doing this I should lose everything―my parents, my friends, my reputation, my health, or even my life itself.

O God of my heart, if I lose everything, and in doing so I give joy to you, it will be a happy loss indeed; for such a loss, and such a sacrifice, will have only one aim―to give joy to your loving Heart.

My God, my Supreme Good, you are more lovely than any other good, and to an extent that is boundless: and it is you I love. My heart is only small, and it is poor; but in loving you I join with the great ones who love you―with the Seraphim, with the Heart of Mary, with the Heart of Jesus: and now, my God, I love you with my whole being. I want to love you only; I want to love you always.

Aspiration―O God, I am yours; and you are mine; and you are my God.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me.

A VISIT TO MARY

WATCHFUL MOTHER

Blessed Amadeus tells us: The Most Blessed Virgin, face to face with the Creator, is always interceding for us in prayer that is of mighty power. Mary our Queen, high in heaven, is always in the Divine Presence; there she acts as our advocate praying for us, and her prayer is most powerful with God. "This sweet and gentle Lady," he says, "sees our perils and she looks down on us with a mother's love." She sees our unhappy state, our dangers: with the kindness and love of a mother she is filled with compassion and comes to help us.

My advocate, my most loving Mother, at this very moment you can see the poverty, the needs of my soul. You can see the dangers in which I am placed and you are praying for me. Pray; keep on praying; never cease to pray until you see me safe and thanking you in Heaven.

Your servant Blosius says of you, "After your Son you are the sure hope of all the faithful." Most sweet Mary, after your Son you are the sure salvation of those who are your faithful servants. To be your faithful servant even until death―this is the grace I ask from you today; so that when I reach Heaven I will bless you in the security of never any more being parted from you―safe at your feet as long as God is God.

ASPIRATION - Mary my Mother, make me yours forever.

My Good, my God, you are already mine; To you I give my heart and all I have: From you I ask for nothing but yourself.

"What have I in Heaven, and besides you what do I desire upon earth? You are the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever." (Psalm 72:62)

PRAYER AFTER VISIT

ETERNAL REST GIVE UNTO THEM, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

30th Visit

DANBURY CT, 1950

PRAYER BEFORE VISIT

VISIT TO JESUS

VEIL OF LOVE

"Why do you hide your face?" (Job 14). Job was afraid because God seemed to hide His face from him. But when Jesus Christ hides His Majesty in the Most Holy Sacrament, it is not to bring fear to our hearts but confidence. He does it only that He might show us His love more clearly; so He comes upon the altar hidden under the species of bread. This is what Novarinus tells us—"When God hides His face in this Sacrament, He makes us see His love."

If the King of Heaven showed us the Splendors of His Glory, who amongst us would be so daring as to come up close to Him in all confidence, and lay bare before Him his feelings and his longings? My Jesus, this Sacrament is indeed a marvelous plan of your love. You have thought out a way of hiding yourself under the appearance of bread, so that whoever wants to find you and to love you on this earth can do so.

The Prophet had very good reason to say that men should lift up their voices, and cry aloud in the whole world to tell of the marvels God's love has invented for us: "Proclaim His inventions among the nations." (Is. 12). O most loving Heart of my Jesus, take to yourself the hearts of all your creatures. Heart full to overflowing; always full, and pouring over like a fountain with the purest waters of love. O devouring fire, set me all aflame; and give me a new life of love and grace! Bring about such a union between you and me that never again will I be parted from you. O open Heart into which souls can enter to find shelter there, receive me into your depths. O Heart, so saddened on the Cross for the sins of the world, give to me deep sorrow for my sins.

Those same deep feelings of love that were in your Heart as you died for me on Calvary, the same are there now in this Divine Sacrament; and so too is your great longing to unite me wholly to yourself. How can it possibly be then, that I will resist your love, and not give myself up entirely to it? O my loved Jesus, wound me, draw me, bind me to yourself; unite me wholly to your Heart—and do it through the merits of your Passion.

Today I am resolved by your grace to give you every possible joy. I will put beneath my feet all human respect; every inclination, every repugnance, and all those likes and dislikes, that can in any way stop me from giving you all possible pleasure. My beloved Master, see to it yourself that I proceed now, and from this day forward, to direct all my works, my feelings and affections, in complete conformity with your Holy Will. O Love of God, put out of my heart all other love. O Mary, my hope, through God there is nothing at all that you cannot do. Get me the grace to be the faithful servant of the pure love of Jesus even unto death. This is my hope. So let it be in time and in eternity.

ASPIRATION - Who shall separate me from the love of Christ.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

 


Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me.

A VISIT TO MARY Visit to Mary

GENTLE POWER

 

St. Bernard bears me witness when he says: "The love of the Mother of God is most powerful and it is most gentle. It abounds as it flows into action to soothe with compassion and to aid with power. In both of these she is equally rich." The charity of Mary cannot be anything else but what it is. It is superabundant and it is very powerful. When it brings solace it comes in rich bounty. When it brings aid it comes in mighty force. O Queen most pure, you are rich in mighty power; you are rich in gentle sweetness. You are able to bring salvation, and you are longing to save each one of us.

This day and for all time I shall pray to you in the words of your devoted servant, Blosius: "O Lady, when I am in battle protect me. When I am feeble give me strength." O Mary most holy, come, be my help always. When I am engaged in combat in the great battle against the powers of hell, if you see me weakening and ready to fall stretch forth your hand; in that moment support me with still more power. Even until my death there are fierce combats that await me; and in all these I must win the victory. My hope, my refuge, my strength, O never let me lose the grace of God. And here is my resolution—always and immediately in danger to fly to you and to say:

ASPIRATION - Help me, Mary; come quickly to my aid.
 
PRAYER AFTER VISIT
ETERNAL REST GIVE UNTO THEM, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

29th Visit

DANBURY CT, 1950

PRAYER BEFORE VISIT

A FRIEND AT THE DOOR

 


"I stand at the gate and knock." (Apoc. 5).

Most loving Shepherd, you have laid down your life for your sheep, a Victim on the altar of the Cross. Now you want to be always close by so that you can knock at the door of our hearts and find entrance therein; for this you remain hidden in the Blessed Sacrament on the altars of our Churches. O if I had only the wisdom to find my joy there so close to you.

It was this nearness to her Beloved that gave such joy to the Spouse in the Canticles when she exclaimed, "I sat down in the shadow of Him whom I loved." (Cant. 2). O my Most Beloved, if I only loved you and loved you truly, how I too would be filled with longing desire to remain inseparable from you, night and day at your feet, close to the Tabernacle! There at your very side with your glory and your majesty veiled by the shadow of the Sacred Species, I would find those delights that are divine, and the inexpressible happiness that is found only by the souls that love you.

O draw me to you by the sweet odors of your beauty and by the boundless love opened up to me in this Sacrament. "Draw me. We will run after you in the odors of you ointments." (Cant. 1).

Yes, my Saviour, at last I will turn away from created things and everything that is pleasant on earth, to run to you in the Blessed Sacrament. "As tender olive branches round about your altar." (Ps. 127). Those souls who remain close to Jesus burning with His love are like young olive plants; they bring forth abundant fruits of all the virtues as their offerings to God.

But my Jesus, my soul is naked and empty of virtue; and so I am ashamed to appear before you. It has been decreed that those who come to adore at the altar must not come unless they have a gift to offer; "You shall not appear empty-handed in my sight." (Exod. 23). What then am I to do? Am I not allowed to come before you and to pay you my visit? No; it is not in this way I would please you. But the gift you want from me will be supplied by yourself, because I am very poor. I know this―that you remain in the Blessed Sacrament not only to reward those who love you, but also to give to the needy precious gifts from your own rich store.

So now without any more delay I am going to begin: King of my heart, true Lover of Mankind, I adore you. Today I come beside the throne of your love, for you are the Good Shepherd, and your love for your sheep is exceeding great. I have nothing else to offer, so I give you my own poor heart. I want it to be consecrated all to your love and to your good-pleasure. I can love you with this heart because you made it for yourself―and I want to love you with this heart as much as I possibly can. Take it. Bind it close to your own. And so from this day forward, like your beloved Apostle Paul, I too can proclaim with joy that I am bound with the bonds of your love; "Ego Paulus vinctus Christi." (Eph. 3). "I, Paul, in the bonds of Christ."

Bring about the closest union between yourself and me, my dear Master. Let me forget myself, so that the day will come when I shall lose everything―even my own self: but only to find you and to love you forever. Master, I love you―I love you in the Blessed Sacrament―and I bind myself to you; I want ever to be one with you. My Beloved, let me find you; and when I have found you let me never leave you again.

ASPIRATION - My Jesus, you are all that I need, you alone.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me.

A VISIT TO MARY

THE ROYAL ROAD AND THE VEHICLE

"The Royal Road to the Saviour"―This is the name that St. Bernard gives to Mary: the safe road to the place where the Saviour and salvation are found. The same Saint tells us that she is the vehicle that carries our souls to God. If that is true, O Lady, do not wait for me to walk towards God. Take me in your arms and carry me. If I show resistance then use force with me; but the force that you will use will be the sweet attractions of your love for me. With this same force compel my wayward will to leave created things; and to seek only for God, my Creator, and His Divine Will.


O show what power you have to all Heaven: you―who have done many wonderful things. Show us one more marvel of your mercy―draw entirely to God one who has been very far from Him.

ASPIRATION - Mary, you can make me holy; I hope for this from you.

PRAYER AFTER VISIT

ETERNAL REST GIVE UNTO THEM, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

28th Visit

CONVENT LIFE, 1962   

PRAYER BEFORE VISIT

JESUS, MY GOD AND MY ALL

 

 

God in His love for us has given us His very Son, says St. Paul. After this can we possibly have any fear that He will refuse us any other good thing? "Can it be otherwise but that together with Him He has given us everything?" (Rom. 8). We are all aware that the Eternal Father has given everything He has to Jesus Christ, "The Father has given everything into His hands." (John 13:3).

Let us always show our gratitude for the goodness, the mercy, the generosity, of our most loving God. He wanted to make us rich in every good, in every grace; so He has given us Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar: "Through Him you have become rich in every way . . . . so that now there is no grace at all that you do not have."
(1 Cor. 1).

Saviour of the World, Eternal Word made Man, I now know that you are mine, and all mine if I wish it. But is it also true that I am all yours, as you want me to be? Dear Master, do not let it ever happen that the world should witness such a monstrous thing, such an example of ingratitude as this―that you wanted to be all mine, and that I did not want to be all yours.

Let it never happen any more. If it has happened in the past do not let it ever happen again in the future. With all the resolution of which I am capable, today I surrender my whole self to you; I consecrate my life to you―all, my will, my thoughts, my actions, and my sufferings; in time and in eternity.

Look on me now in your loving kindness: I am all yours. I am now a victim dedicated to you; and so I dismiss every creature, and I surrender myself totally into your hands. Now let the flames of your Divine Love consume me. No longer do I want any created thing to share the least part of my heart. The proofs you gave me of your love, even when I did not love you, make me hope that you will most certainly accept me now―for now I love you, and now I unite myself to you.

Now, Eternal Father, I offer you all the virtues, the acts, the affections of the Heart of your beloved Jesus. Accept them from me―for they are mine because He has given them to me; through their merits grant me the graces which Jesus asks of you for me.

With these merits I give you thanks for the very great mercy with which you have treated me. With them too I make satisfaction for all the debts of my sins. Through them I hope for every grace from you―for pardon, perseverance, paradise; and most of all for the highest of all gifts―the gift of your pure love.

It is clear to me already that I am the one who is placing obstacles in the way of all these good things; but you can remedy this too. I beg you to do so in the Name of Jesus Christ. He has promised me, "If you ask the Father anything in my Name He will give it to you." (John 14). So you cannot deny me. Lord, I do not want anything but to love you, to surrender my whole being to you, not to see myself ungrateful as I have been up to this time. O give me your attention, and in your loving kindness hear me. Let this be the day of my complete conversion to you: never again to leave off loving you. I love you, my God, I love you. O Love that is Boundless, my love, I love you―my Heaven, my Good, my Life, my All!

ASPIRATION - My Jesus, my All, you want me and I want you.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

 

 

Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me.

A VISIT TO MARY

THE HARBOR IN TIME OF DISTRESS

O Mary, most sweet and loving Mother, St. Ephrem tells me that you are "The harbor of those in distress" and the one who "Rebuilds the shattered vessel after the storms." St. Bonaventure tells me you are "Our Solace in the midst of suffering," and St. Germanus that you are "Peace in the midst of grief." Great indeed is the solace you bring me when I am afflicted; great is the consolation you give me when I am troubled; great is the strength you give me in temptation if I come to you and ask your aid. Yes, the Saints had good reason indeed to call Mary the harbor of those in distress.

Mary, console me, for you are mine, my Mother. I find myself over-burdened with sin; I lack virtue, and in God's love I am cold. Give me consolation; give me peace. Let the consolation you give me take the form of a new life, a new beginning: a life that will be in all reality pleasing to your Son and to you.

ASPIRATION - Mary, my Mother, change my life: make me different from what I have been. You are able to do it.

PRAYER AFTER VISIT

 

ETERNAL REST GIVE UNTO THEM, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

27th Visit

NUNS WINTER, 1962

PRAYER BEFORE VISIT

EMMANUAL 

 

"There is no nation, however great, that has its gods as close to it as our God is close to us." The Church sings this verse in the Office of the Blessed Sacrament. 

When the pagans heard of God's works of love for us, they said, "O what a good God is this God of the Christians!" The pagans made for themselves gods that suited their fancies. But the history of the nations of the world shows us clearly that among their fables, and among all their gods, none of them ever thought of a god that loved men as much as our true God loves us. 

For God has worked a mighty prodigy of love by which He remains hidden on our altars. Here with us He lives, a companion who never leaves us night or day. It would seem that He did not want to be absent from us even for a moment and all this to show His love for those who adore Him, and to bestow on them His precious graces. "He has made a memorial of His wonderful works." (Ps. 110). 

My most sweet Jesus, you have worked the most mighty of all miracles to satisfy this intense longing of yours to stay with us and to be at our side always. How then can it be that men will fly from your presence? How can they live away from you for so long a time? Or come to visit you so very seldom? How can they grow so weary when they spend a quarter of an hour with you that they seem to think it is an age? How long-suffering, my Jesus, is your patience! Yes, I quite understand, my Master: your patience is great indeed, because your love for men is great indeed. It is this, and this alone, that makes you dwell, ever and always, among those who are so ungrateful. 

All your perfections, my God, are boundless so your love is boundless too. In the past I have numbered myself among those ungrateful ones but in the future O never let it happen any more. Give me a love that will try to correspond to what you deserve, and to my own duties to you. There was indeed a time when I too grew weary in your presence; it was because I did not love you, or because my love for you was altogether too little. But if you will only give me the grace to love you with a really great love, then never again will I grow weary though I spend whole nights and days at your feet in the Most Holy Sacrament. 

Eternal Father, to you I offer your own Son, Jesus. Accept Him from me, and for the sake of His merits give me such a burning and tender love for the Blessed Sacrament that, wherever I may be, I may turn in spirit to the church where Jesus dwells; filled with the thought of His love; filled with the yearning for the time to come once more when I can rest in His presence. 

ASPIRATION - My God, for the sake of Jesus, give me a love that is really great for the Most Blessed Sacrament. 

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me. 

A VISIT TO MARY

THE TOWER OF DAVID 

 

In the Sacred Canticles the Holy Spirit speaks of the Tower of David in these words, "It is built with bulwarks. A thousand shields hang from its walls―the complete armour of the strong." Mary is the Tower of David. It is built with mighty strength; its powerful defences are beyond number; so are the arms and the supplies it affords to all who seek protection within. 

Most holy Mary, St. Ignatius the Martyr tells me that you are a "most powerful fortress for all those engaged in war"―a bastion of mighty strength for all those who are fighting in the battle. I am facing the assaults of my enemies; their attacks never cease; they are trying to wrest from me the grace of God and to deprive me of your protection, O My dearest Lady. But you are my fortress. You do not think it unworthy of you to come to the help of those who trust you in the combat. St. Ephrem tells me that you are "she who battles for those who trust in her." Do battle for me then and defend me for in you I put all my hope, all my trust. 

ASPIRATION - Mary, Mary, your name is my defense. 

PRAYER AFTER VISIT

ETERNAL REST GIVE UNTO THEM, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

26th Visit

DANBURY CT, 1953

PRAYER BEFORE VISIT

THE CANTICLE OF LOVE

"City of Sion, be of great joy! Give voice to your songs of praise. Great is the One who is in your midst: He is the Holy One of Israel." (Is. 22). How great our joy should be; how great our hopes; and how great our love; when we know that here in our own city, in our own church, close to our own home, the Holy One, God Himself, dwells in the Blessed Sacrament―yes, God Himself, whose presence gives joy exceeding great to the Saints in Heaven: God who is Love Itself!

St. Bernard tells us "He imparts love. But this is not all: He is Love―Love Itself. "God is Love."

 

But here in this Sacrament, my dear Jesus, I can hear you making your sad complaint: "I came as your guest and you refused to welcome me." To do good to us you came to earth to be our Guest, and we had no welcome for you. Ah! yes, my Master, you are right; and one of those ungrateful ones who left you forsaken was myself; I did not even come to visit you. O punish me in any other way you will, but please do not punish me by depriving me of your presence; this is the punishment I deserve, but I will correct the rudeness of my manners, and my want of courtesy towards you. From today forward I want to visit you often and I want to spend as much time as I can in your company.

O my gentle Saviour, make me faithful to you now, and inspire others by my example to keep you company in the Most Holy Sacrament.

The voice of Your Eternal Father speaks to me, "This is My Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 17). In you the Great Almighty Father finds His boundless joy. And I, a poor thing of no worth dwelling in this valley of tears am to find my delight in you also! O Fire all-consuming, put an end to that love of created things that still lingers in me; because it is these, and these only, that can make me unfaithful to you and deprive me of your possession. You can do it. You wish to do it. You can make me clean. You have done much for me; do this one thing more: put out of my heart every particle of love that is not for you. Here and now I surrender myself completely to you; I dedicate all the rest of my life to the love of the Most Holy Sacrament. You, my Jesus in the Sacrament, will now be my comfort―my love all my life long; and in the moment of my death. Then you will come to be my Viaticum; then you will bring me to the Kingdom of the Blessed.

Amen. Amen.

This is my hope; and so let it be.

ASPIRATION - My Jesus, when shall I see your beautiful Face?

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me.

A VISIT TO MARY

THE BRIDGE OF GOD

 


Mary, my Mother most holy, St. Germanus calls you "The power that supports our weakness." In you we will find the remedy for all our sickness; in you our weakness will find strength.

St. Bonaventure calls you "The gate of Liberty"―In you we have the door through which we go forth from the slavery of sin. He also calls you "The safe resting place of men"―so in you too we find peace and security. St. Lawrence Justinian calls you "The comforter of our pilgrimage"―you bring relief to us in our sufferings. St Bonaventure calls you "The Throne of the Grace of God:" so to sum up all, in you we find God's grace and God Himself. St. Proclus tells us you are "The bridge by which God comes down to man"―our sins have separated us from God but happily for us, Mary is the bridge by which He passes when He comes to dwell in our souls by His grace.

ASPIRATION - Mary, you are my strength, my liberty, my peace; and my salvation.

PRAYER AFTER VISIT 

ETERNAL REST GIVE UNTO THEM, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

25th Visit

ST. MEINRADS, 1948

PRAYER BEFORE VISIT

THE SCHOOL OF OBEDIENCE 

St. Paul praises the obedience of Jesus to His Father, "He became obedient even to death." (Phil. 2). In this Sacrament Jesus goes further: not only to His Father is He obedient, but He becomes obedient to man; obedient not only to death, but obedient to the end of the world.


In obedience to the voice of man the King of Heaven comes from Heaven to the altar. He remains upon the altar to continue to practise obedience to men. Isaias puts the words on His lips: "Ego autem non contradico, "Whatever is asked of me, I never refuse to obey." (Is. 10). He remains motionless: He may be exposed in the Monstrance, or He may be shut up in the tiny Pyx; He may be carried to our homes, and through the streets; He may be given in Communion to those who are holy, or to the sinner.


St. Luke tells us Jesus obeyed Mary and Joseph while He was on earth; in the Blessed Sacrament He is obedient to every priest―"I never refuse to obey."


Now, Most Loving Heart of Jesus, let me speak to you―It is from you that all the Sacraments have come, but especially this Sacrament of Love. I want to give you as much honor and glory as you have given to your Eternal Father in every church in which you dwell―I know that, while you are on this altar, you love me with the same burning love with which you loved me when your life went out in bitter grief on the Cross. O Heart of Jesus, give light to those who do not know you that they may learn to know how beautiful you are. Through your merits set free from Purgatory, or at least give some relief to the souls that suffer there; for they love you and will love you in eternity.


For myself―united in this hour with all souls that love you on earth and in Heaven―I adore you, I love you, I thank you. O Heart that is without stain, purify my heart from all unruly clinging to creatures, and fill it with your holy love; O Most Sweet Heart, take possession of all my heart so that from today forward it may be all your own; so that forever I may say "Who shall separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3). O heart Most Holy, on my heart engrave the bitter sorrows that you bore for so many years, and with such great love, for me. So that, at the sight of them, I may from this day forward have a deep longing to bear all the pains of this life for love of you―or at the very least I may suffer them in patience. O Heart of Jesus most humble, give me a share in our own humility; O heart most gentle, give me a share in your own meekness. Take from my heart everything that does not please you; turn it all to yourself: so that I will not want or wish for anything at all but what you yourself want. To sum up everything―Let me live only to obey you, only to love you, only to give you joy. I know well that I owe everything to you: that my debts to you are very great. Little indeed it will be if I can wear myself out and use up my life for you.


ASPIRATION - O Heart of Jesus, you are the God of my heart and you alone.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION 

 

Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me.

A VISIT TO MARY 

THE HEAVENLY ARK

 

The Ark in which Noe escaped the universal Deluge is a figure of Mary. St. Bernardine calls her "The Ark in which we escape shipwreck." She is the heavenly ark in which we find shelter while on earth and so escape the shipwreck of everlasting loss. But Esecius says that Mary gives shelter which is superior to that of the Ark of Noe because it is more universal, has greater strength, and is more kindly. With Noe only a few men and beasts found shelter: Mary receives all who seek protection under her mantle and she saves them all. How unhappy our lot would be if we had not Mary! And yet, with all this many still are lost. Why is this? O Mother, it is because they do not go to you: nobody could be lost ever if he asked your help.

ASPIRATION - Most Holy Mary, may we all have recourse to you, and always!

PRAYER AFTER VISIT

 

ETERNAL REST GIVE UNTO THEM, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

24th Day

catholic preschool, 1964

PRAYER BEFORE VISIT

THE MYSTERY OF FAITH

"Truly you are a hidden God." (Is. 15).

The truth of these words is shown forth in the adorable mystery of the Most Holy Sacrament more than in any other work of Divine Love. For here our God is hidden indeed. The Eternal Word hid His Divinity when He took flesh and became Man on this earth. But He hid His Humanity also when He dwelt with us in this Sacrament. St. Bernard tells us that He comes under the form of bread to show how tenderly He loves us: "The Divinity lies hidden. The Humanity lies hidden: we can see nothing but the expression of His deepest love."

My loving Redeemer, in the presence of your exceeding great love for men I am overwhelmed, and I do not know what to say to you. It has come to this, that you have hidden your Majesty, and you have veiled your Glory; your Divine Life itself seems to have been brought to nothing; and while you dwell on the altar you have no other object in view than to love men and to try to make known to them your exceeding great love for them.

Great Son of God, what kind of recognition do they offer you in return? O Jesus, O Great Lover, let me say it―your love for men is altogether excessive. For you seem to put their welfare even before your own glory; and you knew all the time the contempt to which your loving efforts would expose you. It is clear―and well you knew it beforehand―that the majority of men do not adore you. They do not recognise you in this Sacrament for what you are.

O I know too well that these very same men, whom you love, many times have even trampled on the Consecrated Host; they have cast it to the ground, thrown it into the water, and into the fire. But what is more extraordinary still is this―the manner of acting of the majority of those who believe in you: where we would expect them to make reparation by their loving reverence for such great insults; when they come into the Church they offend you still more by their want of reverence, or they leave you forsaken on the altar―sometimes even without the sanctuary lamp or the ornaments that should be there.

My most sweet Saviour, how I wish that I could wash with my tears and even with my blood those unhappy places where the burning love of your heart in this Sacrament has been so dishonoured. If this is not given to me, at the very least I now make up my mind to visit you frequently, O my God, so that I may adore you as I adore you today. In this way I shall pay you back at least something to make reparation for the contempt which you receive from men in this Most Divine Mystery.

Eternal Father, please accept from me this poor reverence offered to you today by me―the least of men. It is offered in reparation for the injuries done to your Son in this Sacrament. Please accept it in union with the infinite honour that Jesus pays you, nailed to the Cross―the honour that He still continues to pay you every day in this Sacrament. O Jesus, O Holy Sacrament! If only all men would burn with love for you in this the most holy of all the Sacraments!

ASPIRATION - O loving Jesus, make me know you, make me love you.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

 

Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me.

A VISIT TO MARY

THE SEA OF GRACE

My most gentle Lady, in the midst of the fears I sometimes experience about my eternal salvation, I feel a great sense of confidence when I appeal to you and when I think of you. On the one hand, my Mother, you have a wealth of graces at your disposal―"A sea of graces" is what St. John Damascene calls you. St. Ephram tells me you are 'The spring from which grace and consolation flow'."


On the other hand, St. Bonaventure tells me that your eagerness to help me is so great that I cause you pain when I do not ask you for what I need. My Mother and my Queen, you are rich, you are wise, you are gentle; I understand that you know my soul's wants better than I know them myself; you love me better than I love myself. This is the grace I ask today―the grace you know my soul needs most. I will be happy if you ask this grace from God for me.

ASPIRATION - My God, give me the graces which Mary asks of you for me.

PRAYER AFTER VISIT

ETERNAL REST GIVE UNTO THEM, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. AMEN.

23rd Day

CUBAN MISSAL CRISIS, 1962

PRAYER BEFORE VISIT

JESUS HIMSELF IS HERE!

 

Great are the fatigues, many are the dangers that multitudes of Christians have faced to visit the places in the Holy Land―those places where Our Most Loving Saviour was born, where He suffered, and where He died.
 
For us there is no need to make a long voyage―no need to face great dangers: this same Lord of Glory is our neighbor. He dwells in the church which is only a few steps away from our own house. St. Paulinus tells us that pilgrims who brought away a little dust from the Crib, or from the Holy Sepulchre in which Jesus was buried, thought that this was a very wonderful thing. With what burning love then should we visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament when we can do this without any fatigue and without any danger. There this same Jesus awaits us in person.

A nun to whom God gave a special love of the Blessed Sacrament wrote a letter and among other thoughts expressed in it are the following: "I have come to see that all the good things that are mine have come to me from the Most Holy Sacrament; to Jesus in this Sacrament I have given and consecrated myself completely. I see numberless graces that were never given because this Divine Sacrament was not approached; I see that Our Savior in this Sacrament has an intense desire to distribute His graces. O Holy Mystery! O Sacred Victim! Where else does God give us such a deep knowledge of His power if it is not in this Host? Surely this Host contains in itself everything that God has ever done for us. There is no need for us to envy the Blessed who are in Heaven: on earth we have the very same Lord; but here the marvels of His love are greater. Do what you can to persuade others to devote themselves completely to the Most Holy Sacrament. I am overwhelmed at the thought of what this Sacrament means and that is why I speak in this way: of the Most Holy Sacrament I can never cease to speak―its claims on our love are so great. For the sake of Jesus in this Sacrament I know not what I can do." It is thus the letter ends.

O Seraphim, you who burn with such sweet flames of love before that God who is both yours and mine―though it is not for your love but for mine that this King of Glory lingers here―O Angels of Love, let me burn too. Inflame me with your fiery darts so that, in His presence, the flames of your love and of mine may ascend together.

O my Jesus, give me to understand what a tremendous thing is your love for men; so that in the presence of this great love, my longing to love you more and to give joy to you will always grow more ardent. O God of Boundless Love, I want to love you always; I want to please you only.


ASPIRATION - My Jesus, I believe in you, I hope in you, I love you; I love you and I give myself to you.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me.

A VISIT TO MARY

THE MOTHER OF ORPHANS

 

 

O Virgin most loving, you are named by St. Bonaventure "The Mother of Orphans." St. Ephram proclaims you "The Receiver of Orphans," that is, the one who welcomes the orphan. Who are these unhappy orphans? They are non others than poor sinners who have lost God, their Father. Most holy Mother, I have lost my Father; you are my Mother. I come to you and you will welcome me. In my great misfortune I call on you for help and you will aid me. 

Will you leave me in my grief? No; for this is what Innocent III says to me about you, "Who has ever called on her and did not receive her kindly help?" And indeed who ever prayed to you without being both heard and helped? Was anybody ever lost after pleading with you? The only one that is lost is the one that does not go to you. My Queen, if you wish to save me, then help me to invoke you and to confide in you always.
 

ASPIRATION - O most holy Mary, give me confidence in you.

PRAYER AFTER VISIT
 

ETERNAL REST GIVE UNTO THEM, O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. AMEN.