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 invites me,  but  the  multitude of  my  offences weighs me  down.

Thou commandest  me to  approach  to  Thee  with confidence, if  I  would have part  with  Thee; and to  receive  the  food of immortality,  if  I  desire to  obtain  life  and glory everlasting. " Come to  Me,"  Thou  sayest, "all you  that  labor  and are  burdened,  and  I will  refresh  you"  (Matt xi.  28). O sweet  and amiable word  in  the  ear of a  sinner,  that  Thou,  O Lord  my  God,  shouldst invite the  poor  and  needy to the  communion  of Thy  most  sacred  body! But who  am  I,  O  Lord, that I  should  presume to come  to  Thee? Behold the heaven  of  heavens cannot contain  Thee;  and Thou sayest,  "Come  you all  to  Me." What means this most  loving  condescension, and  so friendly  an  invitation? How shall  I  dare  to  approach,  who  am  conscious to  myself  of  no good  on  which  I  can  presume? How shall  I  introduce Thee  into  my house,  who  have  oftentimes  provoked  Thine  indignation? The angels and the  archangels  stand with reverential  awe;  the saints and  the  just  are afraid; and  Thou  sayest, "Come you  all  to  Me." Unless Thou,  O  Lord, didst say  it,  who  could believe it  to  be  true? And unless  Thou  didst command it,  who  would dare attempt  to  approach?

Behold, Noe,  a  just man, labored  a  hundred years in  building  the  ark, that he  with  a  few  might be preserved;  and  how shall I  be  able  in  the  space of one  hour  to  prepare myself to  receive  with reverence the  Maker  of the  world? Moses, thy servant, thy  great  and special friend,  made  an ark  of  incorruptible  wood, which he  also  covered with the  most  pure  gold, that he  might  deposit therein the  Tables  of  the Law; and  shall  I,  a rotten  creature,  presume so easily  to  receive  Thee, the Maker  of  the  law  and the Giver  of  life? Solomon, the wisest  of  the  kings  of Israel,  employed  seven years in  building  a  magnif-