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 more reason  to  hope  than  to  fear. O blood of  Jesus! thou art  all  my  hope.

But this  blood,  as  it  inspires  us  with  confidence,  also obliges us  to  give  ourselves  entirely  to  our  Blessed  Redeemer. The Apostle  exclaims,  Know  you  not  that  you are not  your  own? For you  are  bought  with  a great  price.

Therefore, O my  Jesus,  I cannot  any  longer,  without injustice, dispose  of  myself,  or  of  my  own  concerns,  since Thou hast  made  me  Thine  by  purchasing  me  through Thy death. My body,  my  soul,  my  life  are  no  longer mine; they  are  Thine,  and  entirely  Thine. In Thee alone, therefore,  will  I hope. O my God,  crucified  and dead for  me,  I have  nothing  else  to  offer  Thee  but  this soul, which  Thou  hast  bought  with  Thy  blood;  to  Thee do I offer  it. Accept of  my  love,  for  I desire  nothing but Thee,  my  Saviour,  my  God,  my  love,  my  all. Hitherto I have shown  much  gratitude  towards  men;  to  Thee alone have  I,  alas! been most  ungrateful. But now  I love  Thee,  and  I have  no  greater  cause  of  sorrow  than my having  offended  Thee. O my Jesus,  give  me  confidence in  Thy  Passion;  root  out  of  my  heart  every  affection that  belongs  not  to  Thee. I will love  Thee  alone, who dost  deserve  all  my  love,  and  who  hast  given  me  so much  reason  to  love  Thee. And who,  indeed,  could  refuse to  love  Thee,  when  they  see  Thee,  who  art  the beloved of  the  Eternal  Father,  dying  so  bitter  and  cruel a death for  our  sake? O Mary, O Mother  of  fair  love,  I pray  thee,  through  the  merits  of  thy  burning  heart,  obtain for  me  the  grace  to  live  only  in  order  to  love  thy Son, who,  being  in  himself  worthy  of  an  infinite  love, has chosen  at  so  great  a cost  to  acquire  to  himself  the