say? What worthy thanks could I render thee, miserable creature that I am?

Father Segneri says that the most suitable affection for a soul after communion, is the wonder which gives rise to this thought: a God is mine! a God is mine! "What shall I render to the Lord for all that he hath rendered to me?" So said David: and I, what shall I render to thee, O my Jesus, to thee, who, after so many favours, hast given me thyself this morning? Therefore, O'my soul, bless thy God, and thank him with all thy power. And thou, Mary my mother, and you, my patron Saints, my Guardian Angel, and all ye souls who burn with divine love, "come and I will tell you what good things the Lord hath done to my soul." Come, bless and thank my God for me, and admire the wondrous grace which I have received.

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“MY

ACT OF SELF-OFFERING.

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Y Beloved to me, and I to him." (Cant. ii. 16.) If a king were to come and visit a poor shepherd in his hut, what could the shepherd offer him but his hut, such as it is? Since then, O my divine King, Jesus, thou art come to visit this poor house of my soul, I offer thee my house, and my whole self, with my liberty and my will. My Beloved to me, and I to him." Thou hast given thyself all to me, I give myself all to thee. No more, my Jesus, will I be my own; henceforth I wish to belong to thee, entirely to thee, and that all my senses may be so entirely thine, that they may serve only to please thee. And, indeed, what greater plea. sure can one have, said St. Peter of Alcantara, than to please thee, a God most amiable, most loving. and most bountiful? I give up to thee all the powers of

P

my soul, that they may be all and altogether thine. Let my memory serve only to recall thy benefits and thy love; my mind to think of thee alone, who thinkest always of my welfare; my heart to love only thee, my God, my all, and to will only that which thou willest.

:

To thee, then, O my dearest Saviour, I consecrate and immolate all I have, all I am, my senses, my thoughts, my affections, my desires, my tastes, my inclinations, my liberty in a word, I give up my body and soul into thy hands. Receive, O infinite Majesty, this sacrifice made to thee here, by the most ungrateful sinner that ever existed on earth, who now, however, offers and gives himself all to thee. O Lord, do with me and dispose of me according to thy pleasure.

Come, O burning fire, O love divine, and consume in me all there is of me which is not pleasing to thy pure eyes, so that hereafter I may be all to thee, may live only to accomplish thy commandments and thy counsels, thy holy desires and thy good pleasure in all things. Amen.

O most holy Mary! do thou present with thine own hands this my offering to the most Holy Trinity; obtain for me the acceptance of it, and that I may have the grace to be faithful until death. Amen, Amen, Amen.

ACT OF PETITION.

MY soul, what art thou doing now? Thou must not lose a moment of time, for this time is precious, for thou now canst very easily obtain all the graces thou wilt ask.

Seest thou not how lovingly the Eternal Father looks upon thee, now that he beholds in thy heart

his beloved Son, the object of his most tender love? Banish then every other thought, awaken thy faith, open thy heart, and ask whatever thou wilt. Dost thou not hear how Jesus himself says to thee: "What wilt thou have me do for thee? Speak, beloved soul, what doth thou desire of me? I have come in order to make thee rich and happy; ask with confidence, and thou shalt receive everything thou desirest."

Ah! my dearest Saviour, since thou art come to me to fill me with graces, and desirest me to ask them of thee, I ask for no earthly goods, nor riches, nor honours, nor pleasures. Give me, I beseech thee, a great sorrow for all the displeasure which thou hast received from me. Give me a great light to show me the vanity of the world, and how much thou art worthy of being loved. Change my heart, detach it from all earthly affections, and give me a heart perfectly conformed to thy holy will, which seeks after thy good pleasure alone, and aspires to nothing else than to thy holy love.

I do not deserve all this, O my Jesus, but thou deservest it, thou who hast come to dwell in my soul. I ask it through thy merits, through the merits of thy holy Mother, and by the love thou bearest to thy eternal Father.

Here pause for a time, and ask of Jesus some special grace for yourself or your neighbour. Do not forget poor sinners and the souls in purgatory.

Eternal Father! Jesus Christ himself has said to us: "Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it you." (John xvi. 23.) For love of this thy divine Son, who now dwells in my heart, hear me, and grant me what I

now ask.

Objects of my dearest love, Jesus and Mary!' let' me suffer for you, let me die for you; grant that I may belong wholly to you, and never to myself any

more.

Praised and blessed for ever be the most holy Sacrament of the Altar, and blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the most holy Virgin Mary.

I.

AFTER

Aspirations

HOLY

COMMUNION.

NLIGHTEN the eyes of my soul, O Lord,

Ewith the rays of divine faith and wisdom,

that I may ever look on thee as the way, the rule, and example of all my thoughts, words, and actions.

What am I, Lord, or what claim can I have on thy bounty, that thou shouldst thus bestow thy blessings upon me? Yes, thou hast created me for thyself, and mayst thou alone be the rest and centre of my soul.

Good Jesus, my hope and only happiness, I here return thee thanks for all thy sufferings, and beg that I may ever find a place of refuge in thy sacred wounds against the assaults of all my enemies. Imprint the memory of them, I beseech thee, so deeply in my heart that I may ever love thee, and in all my sufferings never forget what thou hast suffered for me.

Take from me all self-love, and grant me a perfect love of thee, that I may hereafter be more devoted to thy service, and suffer nothing to prevent me from a faithful discharge of my duty.

Oh, that I could ever remember thee, ever think of thee, and love thee only! Oh, that my senses were ever shut against vain and sinful objects, and my mind freed from all fruitless solicitude, that I might ever abide in thee! From henceforth I will, with the utmost diligence, seek thee, my only good; my desires shall be fixed on thee alone, and all my actions shall be directed to thy glory.

I resign myself into thy hands, O God, desiring that thy holy will may be done in and by me, both now and for ever. Be thou my instructor, director, and helper, on all occasions, that I may neither do, speak, think, or desire anything but what is according to thy good will and pleasure.

II. Grant thy servant, O Lord, understanding, that he may learn the way of thy commandments, and lay aside all interests but those of heaven.

O sweet Jesus, thou fountain of goodness, direct my steps in thy paths, and teach me to do thy will. Inspire me with courage to take up my cross and follow thee. Disengage my heart from all unprofitable cares and vain affections; and though I dwell among creatures, yet may I ever live in thee and for thee. Grant me true fervour of spirit, and enkindle in my breast the fire of divine love, that I may find no rest but in thee.

How sweet, O Lord, is thy spirit! how pleasant to my ear are the words of thy mouth! Oh, that I could ever be attentive to them, and fulfil thy law. May I die to the world and all its concupiscences, and let the greatness of thy love make all that is earthly appear to me as nothing. Protect me against my enemies, and in all danger come to my defence; make haste to help me, O God, and say to my soul, I am thy health and salvation.