Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/331

 themselves incur  thy  displeasure!

Into thy  hands  I commit myself and  all  that  I have, especially the  end  for  which I live, that  thou  mayest  dispose of  me,  in  time  and  in eternity,  as  a thing  entirely thy own,  as  thou  pleasest and determinest  to  be  for thy greater  glory.

Lastly, I offer  thee  however and  whatever  I best can, but  chiefly  the  life,  passion, and  blood  of  our  Lord Jesus Christ,  in  thanksgiving for all  the  blessings  of  body and soul  which  I have  hitherto, or  shall  hereafter  receive from  thee; especially the charity  with  which  thou hast loved  me  from  all  eternity, and  for  obtaining  the gift of  perseverance,  that  I may  be  inseparably  united  to thee.

This very  act,  in  all  its parts, with  all  that  they  implicitly  contain,  I wish  confirmed  whenever  I make  any of the  signs  which  I have already or  may  hereafter  resolve upon; nay,  every  time that any  creatures  are,  or can  be  produced  by  thee; whenever I draw  my  breath, and lastly,  as  often  as  it  can possibly or  imaginably  be  repeated or  multiplied,  and  this purely for  love  of  thee,  and for all  conceivable  ends  that are holy  and  good.

What I have  said,  O Lord, I wish said,  done,  accepted, and confirmed,  with  the  utmost permissible  fruit,  affection, and  effect.

The exercise  of  this  act once in  the  day  in  its  longer form is  sufficient, particularly in the  morning,  and  before  or after  Mass;  but  it  should  be very  often  repeated  at  the  set signals, as this  may  be  effected without difficulty  by  the  mere mental direction  to  it  of  a single  thought, and  also  by saying. O Jesus! or, O my God  and  my  all! 

''For recommending  in  the morning  our  actions  and  all  things  to  God,  and uniting  them  to  the  merits of  Christ. ''

With my  whole  heart  I praise  thee  and  thank  thee, O Lord my  God,  for  creating me to  thy  own  image  when I was nothing,  that  I might be capable  of  enjoying  the eternal and  supreme  good, that is,  thyself. And when I was a lost  child  of  wrath, under sentence  of  the  eternal curse, thou  redeemedst  me notwithstanding  by  the  force of thy  immeasurable  love,  by thy  most  holy  life  and  passion, thy death  and  precious  blood.

Since, then,  it  is  from  thy hand alone  that  I receive  all the good  that  I possess,  I cheerfully  offer  it  in  return, and also  my  whole  self,  to  the