Part 17
Heart of my God, Thou art for me light, hope, heaven, eternity, all. I thank Thee, sweetest Jesus, for all Thy generosity towards Thy unworthy creature. I scarcely know myself when I feel Thee so near my heart in holy communion. Oh, let that love of Thine fill my heart; do not leave me till Thou grantest me the comfort I hope and claim of Thee. Lord, were I to ask of Thee temporal things, Thou mightest well refuse them, but I ask that which thou Thyself art pleased with—Thy holy love. I cannot love Thee unless Thou grantest me power to do so. Heart of my Jesus, where shall I find Thee if not where Thou art really present—in the Adorable Eucharist? Be Thou blessed a thousand times, my Jesus, Who hast provided so sweet a source of comfort for us poor exiles in this vale of tears. I behold Magdalen approach Thee, her heart full of shame, and I behold her leaving Thee, her heart full of peace and love. I see Augustine filled with the malice of sin, and all at once he becomes one of Thy brightest saints. Is, then, Thy power shortened? No, no, Thou never failest in coming to those who in lowliness of heart cry to Thee for help. Let me, then, O my sweet Jesus, show Thee all my sorrow and reveal to Thee all my need. If I had loved Thee as warmly as I have loved myself and my sins, I would have been a saint long ago. Now once more I return to Thee; let my hope never be confounded.
Prayer.
Be Thou blessed and praised forever, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, hidden under the mystical veil of the consecrated Host! Grant that I may worthily praise Thy ardent love. Thou art all in all to the saints in heaven. Give me Thy grace, that to me also Thy Sacred Heart may become all things, and that I may love and adore Thee in spirit and in truth. Amen.
Nineteenth Day. God is Charity and He Who Lives in Charity Lives in God.
The Heart of Jesus, a great saint has said, is the abode of every virtue, the source of every blessing; always filled with love for us, it is ever ready to receive, to shelter, and to comfort us. O you who are bending under the burden of sorrow or want, or who are forever struggling against temptation, fly to this sweet Heart; there you shall find that God is love, that He is ever attentive, and ever prepared to hear our slightest prayer. Oh, then, merciful Heart of my Jesus, be with me everywhere, even when I do not ask Thee, because then the peril is much greater. Stretch out Thy hand to me and draw me unto Thee. Thou hast told Magdalen that much was forgiven her because she had loved much; but was it not Thyself, sweet Jesus, that gave her such love? Give me the same love, my Jesus, and I shall love Thee as much. Ah, my Jesus, my heart is no longer mine—I give it to Thee without reserve. Let it live for Thee and Thee only; keep it, O Lord, and guard it as Thine own. If the angels rejoice over the returning of the repentant prodigal, wilt Thou not find greater delight in that prodigal’s sincere desire of thanking Thee and loving Thee more and more? I resolve that my heart will henceforward bear Thee company by visiting Thee in Thy tabernacles, and by fidelity to prayer.
Prayer.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, Who in a wonderful Sacrament hast left us a memorial of Thy Passion and a pledge of Thy love, grant us, I beseech Thee, grace so to venerate the mysteries of Thy body and blood, that we may ever feel within us the fruits of Thy redemption, Who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God forever and ever. Amen.
Twentieth Day. The Sacred Heart is a Most Patient Rewarder.
Thou, O sweet Jesus, possessest all wealth and bounty; we know that Thy riches are inexhaustible, and that Thy desire to impart them in Thy generosity is without limit and immeasurable. Thy rewards are always far greater than our merits. For a very slight service, Thou givest so amply that the greatness and depth of Thy rewards will be equal to their duration. Jesus, light of my life, shine on my poor, wretched soul, and plant in it the precious fruits of hatred of sin, deep contrition, and a firm, lasting resolution of amendment. Make this poor heart of mine gladly embrace and bear all the crosses that Thou mayest send me as aids to the attainment of my only end—that of abiding safe in Thy bright home forever, sweet Jesus, with Thee. However great the sufferings of this life may be, we can all have recourse to God, and obtain strength and courage in the thought that Thou, dear Lord, hast been the first of all great sufferers, and that Thou wilt never permit our troubles to exceed our limited strength. Oh, how sweetly and lovingly dost Thou receive the soul who, notwithstanding temptation and trials, hast always served Thee faithfully, and hast persevered to the end in Thy service! O my sweet Love, aid me by Thy grace to bear all afflictions with loving patience, so that I may one day receive my everlasting reward.
Prayer.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, which from all time wast inflamed with love for the glory of Thy heavenly Father, and for our salvation, be Thou praised and blessed forever! Kindle in our hearts that divine fire Thou hast brought upon the earth, and grant that we may never, on our side, oppose it, but that by Thy holy grace it may ever burn there. Amen.
Twenty‐first Day. The Heart of Jesus will Glorify us in Heaven.
My Jesus, when will that moment come, when having followed faithfully the path of crosses and tribulations, I shall hear Thee say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I shall place thee over many. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Oh, the joy the soul will feel when, on reaching heaven, she shall find herself in the company of the angels and saints; of Mary, her good Mother, and shall recognize all her friends and relatives! What joy will it not be to find one’s self safe in port, free from all danger, safe forever in the arms of God! The happiness of heaven once insured is ours forever more; it cannot be lost. There will be no more sorrow nor trouble. Thou, O my sweet Jesus, wilt wipe away all tears from our eyes, and with Thy sweet voice, Thou wilt gladden our hearts. My soul, enter into thyself, and reflect that thou wert made for this glory if thou wilt only struggle to the end. How foolish then is he, who for a brief passing moment of pleasure, would fling away all claim to that glory, which as St. Paul says, “Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man what things God hath prepared for them that love Him.” Take courage, my soul, and do not murmur against those trifling tribulations, which God in His mercy sends for our own true weal. Most loving Jesus, give me grace to welcome them, to embrace them eagerly, and to bear them according to Thy good pleasure, and with sincere resignation to Thy holy will. O my sweet Jesus, grant that I may one day reach that joyful kingdom, there to unite my voice to those of the ever blest ones who, with ceaseless transports of joy, cry out before Thy throne, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts; heaven and earth are full of the glory of Thy majesty.
Prayer.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, Victim of love, consecrated Altar where all sacrifices are completed, Thou art the glory of the Holy Trinity, the joy of the angels and all the blessed, and the unfailing hope of mortals. Be Thou the sole Master of the desires and affections of my heart. O Heart of Jesus, that lovest me so tenderly, make me love Thee fervently in this world, so that I may love Thee eternally in heaven. Amen.
Twenty‐second Day. The Heart of Jesus Opened.
Jesus, even after His death, allowed His sacred side to be opened by a spear‐thrust, in order that we might see with what good‐will He had suffered, and how ardently He was inflamed with love of us, and with desire for our salvation. This opening of the side of Jesus, and the wonderful shedding of blood and water, should fill us with a sweet gladness, tempered with tears of sorrow for our evil. The only time in which we wounded not His Heart was that time in which we had not yet been furnished by nature with that dangerous weapon, our natural liberty, the origin of all our offences against God. He could have deprived us of that free will which has been the instrument by which we have offended Him so often; but no, He comes unto us with all love, disclosing to us all the sweetness of His kind Heart. O my Saviour, Thou never ceasest to renew Thy loving assaults! Thou didst wait on me, yearning to enfold me in Thy divine embrace. O peerless mercy of my Jesus’ Heart, how can I ever repay Thee? Heart of my Jesus, I shall endeavor to prove my love for Thee by atoning as far as is in my power for the many insults offered Thee. I shall adore and love Thee to the utmost of my power, I shall visit Thee, hidden as Thou art in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, and delight in holding sweet converse with Thee. Thy side is open wide: for whom, if not for poor sinners? O my sweet Jesus, I can enter therein at will. In Thy Sacred Heart I can find true sorrow, and contrition for all my ingratitude and thanklessness. Oh, give my heart steadiness and fidelity, that so these resolutions may be effectual and practical.
Prayer.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, Who with incomparable love didst vouchsafe to be crowned with thorns, blindfolded, and struck with a reed, stripped of Thy garments, nailed to the cross, and lifted up thereon between two thieves: to have gall and vinegar given Thee to drink, to be wounded with a spear: I beseech Thee, O Sacred Heart, by all these pains, and by Thy cross and death, to deliver me from all that displeases Thee and in Thy mercy to lead me whither Thou didst conduct the penitent thief. Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Twenty‐third Day. The Heart of Jesus the Source of All Happiness.
There is one thing for which every heart craves, after its own manner. We all long for happiness—that is the one great desire that lives in every soul. Hast Thou not, sweet Jesus, given us that longing? And when Thou hast given so much surely Thou wilt not refuse the accomplishment of this desire also. Tell us, dear Lord, what souls are happy, and we will learn from their example. Let us look at the faces of those who serve Thee, and we will see them growing brighter and brighter as they draw near Thee, and they will tell us. When we love Thee sincerely, then we shall be happy; when we make Thy will the centre around which we move, then we shall be happy; when Thy sweet Heart, hidden under the sacramental species, is more beautiful in our sight than all else, when we shape and mould our lives according to the example of that Sacred Heart, then peace and joy and happiness will be ours. Teach us, sweet Heart of Jesus, from Thy tabernacle, to serve Thee as Thou deservest, to love Thee above all things, to work for Thee bravely and generously, solely because of Thy love and not for Thy gifts. Oh, what happiness may I not promise myself if I but cling to Thy most generous Heart, and use my best endeavors to faithfully serve, adore, and love it. Inflame my heart, O Jesus, with the fire of love with which Thine is ever inflamed. With St. Ignatius I will say, “Jesus, Lord, give to me Thy love and grace divine, and I shall be rich enough.” Henceforth I accept the remainder of my life and all its events, whether bitter or sweet, from Thee; fixing my eyes on the tabernacle alone, I will serve Thee because it is Thy will I should do so. Help me, my Jesus, unto the end; let me find no happiness but in Thee.
Prayer.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, how blessed is he whose only hope and confidence is in Thee, Who alone canst satisfy the yearnings of his heart! Thou art indeed the light of our true heavenly land, the delights of which surpass all that our human senses can experience. Too late have I known Thee, O ancient beauty! Too late have I loved Thee! But if I have begun so late, make me now love Thee perfectly. Amen.
Twenty‐fourth Day. The Love of the Saints for the Heart of Jesus.
What a contrast there is between my conduct and that of Thy saints—between my indifference and their love towards Thy sweet Heart in the Blessed Sacrament! St. John Francis Regis, when worn out with labor, would retire to the church and would there find repose and rest at the feet of Jesus. St. Francis Xavier used to pass the night and take his repose in the sacristy, so as to be near Jesus. Leopold, Duke of Austria, would dismount from his horse, and falling on his knees would adore his Saviour as the procession of the Blessed Sacrament passed him by. It is true that I cannot, nor does Jesus expect me to imitate these bright examples; yet if I have the will and the desire I can do much. Could I not often think of Jesus, lonely in the Blessed Sacrament, waiting and watching for me, His poor creature, to visit Him? Could I not, like St. Alphonsus, visit the Blessed Sacrament every day? Could I not, when I bend my knee before Him, say “Blessed and praised be the Adorable Sacrament of the Altar?” Could I not refrain from useless talk in church? Could I not easily assist at Benediction as often as it takes place in church? All this I could do, O loving Heart of Jesus, if I only cared for Thee, if the love of Thee had taken full possession of my soul. But I am weak, O Jesus, and ever prone to thwart Thy adorable intentions; still I am comforted by the thought that Thou wilt aid and sustain me. This urges me to pray, in fullest hope of obtaining all things conducive to my sanctification here, and my salvation hereafter. Perfect my desires, I implore Thee, and let the example of Thy saints stimulate me to love Thee in the Blessed Sacrament more and more.
Prayer.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thou art the source of the joy and holiness of the saints, and from Thy fulness we receive all that we can have or wish for in heaven and on earth. Through Thy charity, and through that of the heart of Thy holy Mother, I beseech Thee to bestow on me the sweet peace of charity, and to make my heart ever yielding and obedient to the impulses of Thy divine grace. Amen.
Twenty‐fifth Day. The Agony of the Heart of Jesus.
The Heart of Jesus is filled with terror at the sight of the torments that await Him. He seems to forget what He is and why He came into this world. He prostrates Himself on the ground, and beseeches His Father to remove from Him, if possible, the chalice of suffering which He sees in store for Him. His agony is so intense that He is covered with a sweat of blood, which oozes out in great drops and trickles down to the ground. O my soul, hast thou ever beheld a sight like this? Only Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has loved man, has suffered like this. O my Jesus, my sweet Jesus, Thou hast willingly suffered the divine vengeance which should have fallen on me. What more couldst Thou have done for me? Surely if our hearts are human, if there is one fibre of pity or gratitude in our souls, the memory of Thy agony would never be obliterated. By Thy presence on the altar, Thou has made me acknowledge the enormity of my sins. Thou hast compelled me to own that my sins have, as far as they could, reacted every scene in Thy Passion. And yet do I linger under the shadow of Thy tabernacle? Do I weep over the wounds I have made in Thy body? Oh, no, dear Jesus! I have forgotten Thee, and like the Jews, with Thy blood on my hands, I have eaten and made merry. O tender Heart of Jesus, let it be so no more. Let my heart be filled with sorrow on account of my iniquities. Let my repentance be like Magdalen’s; then I shall be happy and I shall be saved, because Thou wilt never despise a truly contrite heart. O loving Jesus, make my heart so just, so upright, and so conformable to Thy Heart, that between Thee and me there may be nothing to offend Thee.
Prayer.
I adore Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, suffering in the Garden of Olives. It is I who deserve all the pains Thou endurest, for I am the cause of them. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, through Thy sorrow my soul finds consolation, and by Thy agony my death is made sweet. Give me a contrite and humble heart, that can participate in Thy pains and sorrows. Teach me how to offer up the prayer of suffering and patience. Amen.
Twenty‐sixth Day. The Heart of Jesus in the Tabernacle.
The home of Jesus is the tabernacle. Our dear Lord and Saviour dwells among the poor as well as among the rich. He lives in the noisy, crowded city, as well as in the lonely, quiet country; in magnificent cathedrals, as well as in the poorest churches and the most dilapidated chapels. There He remains, that all may be able to come to His dwelling‐place, to lay before Him all their wants, to converse with Him and to obtain from Him all the graces they need, whether for soul or body. Can we imagine anything more loving or generous? The soul that truly loves Jesus need not go far to find Him. He can be found in every church in which the Blessed Sacrament is kept, and there the King of kings, Our Lord and Saviour, is content to remain, shut up in a tabernacle of wood, with no one to keep Him company. Well has He been called a “Prisoner of love.” O sweet Heart of Jesus, because Thou art always with us, we forget Thee; because we are accustomed to Thy continual presence we heed it no more. Because Thou never leavest us, we grow tired of Thee and value Thee not. O loving Heart of Jesus, what ingratitude! Yet surely it ought not to be difficult to visit Thee and to converse with Thee. How many afflictions, how many troubles of mind and body, are there to tell Thee; how many graces and blessings to supplicate; how many sins and transgressions are there to weep for; how many acts of love and thanksgiving to be poured forth for all Thy numberless mercies; how many petitions ought to ascend for the conversion of those who neither know nor love Thee! O compassionate Jesus, grant that we may ever remember Thee in Thy loving Sacrament, and let Thy dear words ever sound in our ears: “Come to Me, all you that labor and are heavily burdened, and I will refresh you.”
Prayer.
I adore Thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, the joy, the satisfaction, and the supreme Ruler of all hearts. With the same loving kindness that led Thee to take the hand of St. Thomas, and carry it Thyself into Thy side, make my heart seek no joy but in Thee, O Sacred Heart. May my heart be ever subject to Thy gentle sway, for out of Thee it will find but labor and tribulation, and all the consequences of its unhappy bondage. Amen.
Twenty‐seventh Day. The Heart of Jesus is My Hope.
In the Heart of Jesus we live, and move, and have our being. O Jesus, Thy care of me is so wise and gentle, that nothing can harm me so long as I leave myself in Thy hands. I know the trials which Thou sendest me are irksome, that my passions goad me on to rise up against Thee, and the demon also whispers in my ear, “Thou hast Jesus no longer, He has abandoned thee for aye.” But no, never will I lose my hope in Thee; I shall not be affrighted; remembering the loving lessons Thy Heart has taught me, I will fear no evils. Too powerful in the strength, my God, that comes to me from the assurance that Thou, sweet Love, rulest my life and art a sharer in all my sorrow. No, I will not fear, for Thou art with me. With Jesus, my God, by my side, my hope acquires new strength. I have with me a Father Who loves me and Who is ever intent on blessing me. My eyes behold Thee not, yet through the wondrous agency of Thy grace, Thou art near to me at every place and at every moment. Be Thou then, sweet Jesus, my comforter, my delight, my crown. My senses will murmur, it is true, my passions will arise in rebellion, but fortified by Thy grace and strength, I will fight against sin with a fortitude invincible. Aid me then, O divine Heart, for Thou art my only hope. Let me rest and repose on Thy bosom and forget my wanderings. Let me learn that there and there only, I am in my true home, where alone I can be happy.
Prayer.
O most compassionate Jesus! Thou alone art our salvation, our life and our resurrection. We implore Thee, therefore, do not forsake us in our needs and afflictions, but by the agony of Thy most Sacred Heart and by the sorrows of Thy immaculate Mother, succor Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy most precious blood. Amen.
Twenty‐eighth Day. All Graces Come from the Heart of Jesus.
All virtues are found in the Heart of Jesus. His Heart is the furnace of divine love, always burning with the fire of the Holy Spirit, purifying, kindling, and transforming into Himself all who yield themselves to Him, or who wish to be His. “My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.” I will extol Thee, O God, my King, and I will bless Thy name forever. Since all good flows from Thy most sweet Heart, O Jesus, I should not attribute to myself anything of the good I may have done, nor regard with self‐ satisfaction the gifts of God, but ascribe all to Him, and return all to their original source, which is the Heart of Jesus. Place all your sins in the Heart of Jesus. Through that Heart you should ask for grace and pardon, and praise and bless Him for all His mercies. I acknowledge, O my God, Thy supreme dominion over me, and all created things. I bow down before Thy infinite sanctity, perfection and excellence, which entitle Thee to the fullest love, service, and praise of all Thy creatures. In Thy presence I protest my detestation of my countless sins, with which I have outraged Thy love, and deeply repentant, I implore of Thee a full pardon. Open wide Thy Heart of love, and let stream on my heart all the full sympathy of Thine. I know Thou canst not trust me, as I am ever prone to break my word and betray Thee. Hence I need all Thy care, all Thy grace to persevere in the good resolutions Thou formest in my soul. O sweet Virgin Mother of my Jesus, help me to praise and bless the Lord for all the benefits He has bestowed on me, and for all those He will grant for all eternity.
Prayer.
My sweet Jesus, I give Thee my soul, my body, and my will, resigning myself in all and forever to Thy most holy grace. Do with me what Thou pleasest. Make me ever love Thee in this life and in the next; do this, and then dispose of me and of everything I have as Thou wilt. Tell me what Thou askest of me; for with Thy grace I will execute it, be it what it may. Amen.
Twenty‐ninth Day. The Heart of Jesus the Source of Sanctity.