Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/448

 we beheld  Him,  and  esteemed  Him  not"  (Isa.  liii. 2).  But  the  more  I  see  Thee  so  disfigured,  O  my Lord,  the  more  beautiful  and  lovely  dost  Thou  appear to  me.  And  what  are  these  disfigurements  that I  behold  but  signs  of  the  tenderness  of  that  love which  Thou  dost  bear  towards  me?  I  love  Thee, my  Jesus,  thus  wounded  and  torn  to  pieces  for  me; would  that  I  too  could  see  myself  torn  to  pieces  for Thee,  like  so  many  martyrs  whose  portion  this  has been!  But  if  I  cannot  offer  Thee  wounds  and blood,  I  offer  Thee  at  least  all  the  pains  which  it  will be  my  lot  to  suffer.  I  offer  Thee  my  heart;  with this  I  desire  to  love  Thee  more  tenderly  even  than  I am  really  able.  And  who  is  there  that  my  soul should  love  more  tenderly  than  a  God,  Who  has  endured scourging  and  been  drained  of  His  blood  for me? I love  Thee,  O  God  of  love! I love  Thee,  O Infinite  Goodness! I love  Thee,  O  my  Love,  my All! I love  Thee,  and  I  will  never  cease  to  say, both in  this  life  and  in  the other,  I  love  Thee,  I  love Thee, I  love  Thee. Amen.

Our sins, our  evil  thoughts,  were  the  wicked  thorns  which  pierced the  head  of  Jesus  Christ.

sinful thoughts  of  men! it was  you  that pierced the  head  of  the  Redeemer. Yes, my Jesus,  by  our  criminal  consent  to  sin  we  have formed Thy  crown  of  thorns. I now  detest  this compliance with  sin,  and  abhor  it  more  than  death or any  other  evil. To you,  O  thorns,  consecrated with the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  I  again  turn  with an humble  heart;  ah,  pierce  this  soul  of  mine,  make it always  sorrowful  for  having  offended  so  good  a God. O my  afflicted  Saviour! O King  of  the  world! to what  do  I  see  Thee  reduced? I behold  Thee  a