Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/450

 to prepare  for  me  all  the  mercies  that  Thou  hast since employed  towards  me. If, then,  I,  a  most  vile and ungrateful  sinner  who  has  so  much  offended Thee, am  dear  to  Thee,  it  is  but  just  that  Thou shouldst be  dear  to  me, — Thou,  my  God,  Who  art infinite in  beauty  and  goodness,  and  Who  hast  loved me so  much. Ah, would  that  I  had  never  displeased Thee! Now, my  Jesus,  do  I  know  the  wrong  that  I have  done  Thee. O ye  accursed  sins  of  mine,  what have you  done? You have  caused  me  to  sadden  the loving heart  of  my  Redeemer. Thou dost  go  before me with  Thy  cross,  innocent  as  Thou  art,  and  dost invite me  to  follow  Thee  with  mine;  go  forward, then, for  I  will  not  abandon  Thee. If, in  time  past, I have  abandoned  Thee,  I  confess  that  I  have  done wrong. Give me  now  whatever  cross  Thou  wilt, and, whatsoever  it  may  be,  I  will  embrace  it  and  accompany Thee  with  it  even  unto  death:  "  Let  us  go forth  from  the  camp,  bearing  His  reproach." And how, O  Lord,  how  can  it  be  possible  for  us  not  to love  sufferings  and  shame  out  of  love  for  Thee,  since Thou didst  love  them  so  well  for  our  salvation? But since  Thou  dost  invite  us  to  follow  Thee,  it  is our  wish  to  follow  Thee  and  to  die  with  Thee:  give us only  the  strength  to  carry  out  our  desire. This strength we  ask  of  Thee,  and  hope  for  by  Thy  merits. I love  Thee,  O  my  Jesus,  I  love  Thee  with  all my soul,  and  I  will  never  abandon  Thee  more;  too long have  I  gone  astray  from  Thee. Bind me  now  to Thy  cross. If I  have  despised  Thy  love,  I  repent  of it  with  all  my  heart;  and  I  now  prize  it  above  every good. Help me,  O  my  Jesus,  to  be  ever  making  acts of love  towards  Thee,  and  to  depart  out  of  this  life while making  an  act  of  love,  that  so  I  may  arrive  at loving  Thee  without  imperfection  and  without  interruption, and  with  all  my  powers,  to  all  eternity. O Mother  of  God,  pray  for  me. Amen.