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 praise thee  without  hinrance! when thou  dismissest  thy  servant  in  peace,  that he may  purely  serve  thee!

But before  I go  hence  and be no  more,  I desire  at  least to begin,  with  all  the  strength of my  soul,  to  offer  to  thy divine Majesty  in  this  valley of tears  the  sacrifice  of  praise; that henceforth  I may  praise thee for  ever  and  ever.

Therefore I thank  thee  infinitely, because  thou  hast from eternity  vouchsafed  to think  of  me  so  lovingly,  and in time  to  create  me  to  thy Image, and  when  the  fulness of time  was  come,  to  redeem me with  the  Blood  of  thy  only Son; to spare  me  so  often when I sinned,  and  so  often to recall  me  out  of  the  darkness of  sin  into  thy  marvellous light.

But what  return,  O Lord Jesu, shall  I make  thee  for thy toilsome  Life  and  most bitter Death,  for  so  often vouchsafing to  feed  me  with thy own  Body  and  Blood,  and for all  that  thou  hast  done for me,  O beloved  Spouse  of my  soul!

The deep  of  my  own  nothingness and  misery  calls  on the  deep  of  thy  infinite  goodness and  charity  with  the voice of  the  Five  outpourings of thy  Wounds. In them  is all  my  hope  and  my  confidence; by  them,  and  by  the infinite ocean of  thy  mercy that flows  from  them,  it  is that;  though  miserable, naked, and poor,  I can  come  to thee  securely; for  thou  art rich towards  all,  and  hast  no need  of  my  goods. Gladly will I receive  at  thy  hand  the chalice, bitter  though  it  be, of salvation  which  thou  givest  me  to  drink; and  will drink it  with  thee,  because thou first  drankest  it  all  for me, when  thou  thirstedst  so vehemently  for  my  salvation. I will call  too  on  the Name of the  Lord,  and  will  sacrifice to  him  the  sacrifice  of praise.

For this,  who  is  there  that can give  me  most  closely  to embrace  thee  with  all  the affection of  the  heavenly Court, of  all  the  Angels  and Saints, and,  more  than  all,  of thy  most  holy  Mother,  that I may praise  thee  and  glorify thee with  the  voice  and  affection of  them  and  of  all  creatures?

Receive, O Lord,  for  a holocaust my  heart,  which  I now  offer  entirely  to  thee. I also give  my  eyes,  to  see  thee alone, and  all  things  in  thee; my ears,  to  hear  thy  Word; my mouth,  or  rather  my  tongue and my  lips,  to  be  filled with thy  praise,  and  to  sing forth thy  glory  and  thy  greatness all the  day  long; my hands,  to  be  stretched  forth to heaven  in  prayer,  or  to  my neighbour  in  almsgiving,  and for the  fulfilment  of  thy  commandments; my  feet,  to  be  directed into  the  way  of  peace: