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.