WE SHOULD SHOW OUR NEEDS TO CHRIST AND ASK HIS
GRACE
THE DISCIPLE
O MOST kind, most loving Lord, Whom I now desire to receive
with devotion, You know the weakness and the necessity which I suffer,
in what great evils and vices I am involved, how often I am depressed,
tempted, defiled, and troubled.
To You I come for help, to You I pray for comfort and relief. I
speak to Him Who knows all things, to Whom my whole inner life is
manifest, and Who alone can perfectly comfort and help me.
You know what good things I am most in need of and how poor I
am in virtue. Behold I stand before You, poor and naked, asking Your
grace and imploring Your mercy.
Feed Your hungry beggar. Inflame my coldness with the fire of
Your love. Enlighten my blindness with the brightness of Your
presence. Turn all earthly things to bitterness for me, all grievance
and adversity to patience, all lowly creation to contempt and
oblivion. Raise my heart to You in heaven and suffer me not to wander
on earth. From this moment to all eternity do You alone grow sweet to
me, for You alone are my food and drink, my love and my joy, my
sweetness and my total good.
Let Your presence wholly inflame me, consume and transform me
into Yourself, that I may become one spirit with You by the grace of
inward union and by the melting power of Your ardent love.
Suffer me not to go from You fasting and thirsty, but deal with
me mercifully as You have so often and so wonderfully dealt with Your
saints.
What wonder if I were completely inflamed by You to die to
myself, since You are the fire ever burning and never dying, a love
purifying the heart and enlightening the understanding. |
That we ought to lay open our necessities to Christ
and to require His Grace
The Voice of the Disciple
O most sweet and loving Lord, whom now I devoutly
desire to receive, Thou knowest my infirmity and the necessity which I
suffer, in what evils and vices I lie; how often I am weighed down,
tempted, disturbed, and defiled. I come unto Thee for remedy, I
beseech of Thee consolation and support. I speak unto Thee who
knowest all things, to whom all my secrets are open, and who alone art
able perfectly to comfort and help me. Thou knowest what good thing I
most stand in need of, and how poor I am in virtues.
2. Behold, I stand poor and naked before Thee,
requiring grace, and imploring mercy. Refresh the hungry suppliant,
kindle my coldness with the fire of Thy love, illuminate my blindness
with the brightness of Thy presence. Turn thou all earthly things
into bitterness for me, all grievous and contrary things into
patience, all things worthless and created into contempt and
oblivion. Lift up my heart unto Thee in Heaven, and suffer me not to
wander over the earth. Be Thou alone sweet unto me from this day
forward for ever, because Thou alone art my meat and drink, my love
and joy, my sweetness and my whole good.
3. Oh that Thou wouldest altogether by Thy
presence, kindle, consume, and transform me into Thyself; that I may
be made one spirit with Thee, by the grace of inward union, and the
melting of earnest love! Suffer me not to go away from Thee hungry
and dry; but deal mercifully with me, as oftentimes Thou hast dealt
wondrously with Thy saints. What marvel if I should be wholly kindled
from Thee, and in myself should utterly fail, since Thou art fire
always burning and never failing, love purifying the heart and
enlightening the understanding. |