WITH ALL HER HEART THE DEVOUT SOUL SHOULD DESIRE
UNION WITH CHRIST IN THE SACRAMENT
THE DISCIPLE
LET it be granted me to find You alone, O Christ, to open to
You my whole heart, to enjoy You as my soul desires, to be disturbed
by no one, to be moved and troubled by no creature, that You may speak
to me and I to You alone, as a lover speaks to his loved one, and
friend converses with friend.
I pray for this, I desire this, that I may be completely united
to You and may withdraw my heart from all created things, learning to
relish the celestial and the eternal through Holy Communion and the
frequent celebration of Mass.
Ah Lord God, when shall I be completely united to You and
absorbed by You, with self utterly forgotten? You in me and I in You?
Grant that we may remain so together. You in truth are my Beloved,
chosen from thousands, in Whom my soul is happy to dwell all the days
of her life. You are in truth my pledge of peace, in Whom is the
greatest peace and true rest, without Whom there is toil and sorrow
and infinite misery.
You truly are the hidden God. Your counsel is not with the
wicked, and Your conversation is rather with the humble and the
simple.
O how kind is Your spirit, Lord, Who in order to show Your
sweetness toward Your children, deign to feed them with the sweetest
of bread, bread come down from heaven! Surely there is no other people
so fortunate as to have their god near them, as You, our God, are
present everywhere to the faithful, to whom You give Yourself to be
eaten and enjoyed for their daily solace and the raising of their
hearts to heaven.
Indeed, what other nation is so renowned as the Christian
peoples? What creature under heaven is so favored as the devout soul
to whom God comes, to feed her with His glorious Flesh? O unspeakable
grace! O wonderful condescension! O love beyond measure, singularly
bestowed upon man!
What return shall I make to the Lord for this love, this grace
so boundless? There is nothing I can give more pleasing than to offer
my heart completely to my God, uniting it closely with His. Then shall
all my inner self be glad when my soul is perfectly united with God.
Then will He say to me: "If you will be with Me, I will be with you."
And I will answer Him: "Deign, O Lord, to remain with me. I will
gladly be with You. This is my one desire, that my heart may be united
with You." |
That the devout soul ought with the whole heart to
yearn after union with Christ in the Sacrament
The Voice of the Disciple
Who shall grant unto me, O Lord, that I may find
Thee alone, and open all my heart unto Thee, and enjoy Thee as much as
my soul desireth; and that no man may henceforth look upon me, nor any
creature move me or have respect unto me, but Thou alone speak unto me
and I unto Thee, even as beloved is wont to speak unto beloved, and
friend to feast with friend? For this do I pray, this do I long for,
that I may be wholly united unto Thee, and may withdraw my heart from
all created things, and by means of Holy Communion and frequent
celebration may learn more and more to relish heavenly and eternal
things. Ah, Lord God, when shall I be entirely united and lost in
Thee, and altogether forgetful of myself? Thou in me, and I in
Thee;(1) even so grant that we may in like manner continue together in
one.
2. Verily Thou art my Beloved, the choicest among
ten thousand,(2) in whom my soul delighteth to dwell all the days of
her life. Verily Thou art my Peacemaker, in Whom is perfect peace and
true rest, apart from Whom is labour and sorrow and infinite misery.
Verily Thou art a God that hidest Thyself, and Thy counsel is not with
the wicked, but Thy Word is with the humble and the simple. O how
sweet, O Lord, is Thy spirit, who that Thou mightest manifest Thy
sweetness towards Thy children, dost vouchsafe to refresh them with
the bread which is full of sweetness, which cometh down from heaven.
Verily there is no other nation so great, which hath its gods drawing
nigh to them, as Thou, our God, art present unto all Thy faithful
ones,(3) unto whom for their daily solace, and for lifting up their
heart unto heaven, Thou givest Thyself for their food and delight.
3. For what other nation is there so renowned as
the Christian people? Or what creature is so beloved under heaven as
the devout soul to which God entereth in, that he may feed it with His
glorious flesh? O unspeakable grace! O wonderful condescension! O
immeasurable love specially bestowed upon men! But what reward shall I
give unto the Lord for this grace, for charity so mighty? There is
nothing which I am able to present more acceptable than to give my
heart altogether unto God, and to join it inwardly to Him. Then all
my inward parts shall rejoice, when my soul shall be perfectly united
unto God. Then shall He say unto me, "If thou wilt be with Me, I will
be with thee." And I will answer Him, "Vouchsafe, O Lord, to abide
with me, I will gladly be with Thee; this is my whole desire, even
that my heart be united unto Thee." |