Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/451



The wounds of  Jesus  are  wounds  which  soften  the  hardest  hearts and inflame  the  most  frozen  souls.

H, my  Jesus,  what  was  it  that  nailed  Thy  Hands and Thy  Feet  to  this  wood  but  the  love  Thou didst bear  to  men? Thou, by  the  pain  of Thy  pierced  Hands,  wast  willing  to  pay  the  penalty due to  all  the  sins  of  touch  that  men  have  committed; and, by  the  pain  of  Thy  Feet,  Thou  wast  willing  to pay  for  all  the  steps  by  which  we  have  gone  our  way to offend  Thee. O my  crucified  Love,  with  these pierced Hands  give  me  Thy  benediction! Oh, nail this ungrateful  heart  of  mine  to  Thy  Feet,  that  so  I may  no  more  depart  from  Thee,  and  that  this  will of mine,  which  has  so  often  rebelled  against  Thee, may remain  ever  steadily  fixed  in  Thy  love. Grant that nothing  else  but  Thy  love,  and  the  desire  of pleasing  Thee,  may  move  me. Although I  behold Thee suspended  upon  this  gibbet,  I  believe  Thee  to be  the  Lord  of  the  world,  the  true  Son  of  God,  and the Saviour  of  mankind. For pity's  sake,  O  my Jesus,  never  abandon  me  again  at  any  period  of  my life;  and  more  especially  at  the  hour  of  my  death,  in those  last  agonies  and  struggles  with  hell,  do  Thou assist me,  and  strengthen  me  to  die  in  Thy  love. I love Thee,  my  crucified  Love,  I  love  Thee  with  all my heart.

Saviour of  the  world,  O  my  Jesus,  behold  to what  Thy  love  for  men  has  at  length  reduced Thee! I thank  Thee  that  Thou  hast  been willing, Thou,  Our  God,  to  lose  Thy  life  that  we might  not  lose  our  souls. I thank  Thee  for  all  men, but especially  for  myself. And who  is  there  more than I  that  has  reaped  the  fruits  of  Thy  death? I,