Page:ThePathToHeaven.djvu/221



In thee,  O  Jesus,  do  I  place  all  my  hope,  because  thou alone art  my  salvation,  my  strength,  my  refuge,  and  the foundation of  all  my  happiness;  and  were  it  not  for  the confidence I  place  in  thy  merits,  and  in  the  precious  blood wherewith thou  didst  redeem  me,  I  would  not  presume to partake  of  this  banquet. Encouraged by  thy  goodness, I  come  to  thee  as  a  poor  and  infirm  sheep  to  its shepherd; as  a  sick  man  to  his  physician;  as  a  condemned criminal to  his  powerful  intercessor:  that,  as  the  true shepherd of  my  soul,  thou  mayest  strengthen  me;  heal me, as  my  physician;  and,  as  my  merciful  advocate,  deliver me  from  the  sentence  of  sin  and  death. I, who  am an  abyss  of  nothing,  invoke  thee,  who  art  the  abyss  of all  goodness;  for  though  my  sins  are  innumerable,  and very grievous,  yet  they  are  but  light  and  trivial  when compared to  thy  boundless  mercy,  and  the  infinite  ransom of  thy  blood. Have pity,  therefore,  on  me,  O  Jesus, and save  me,  for  thou  forsakest  none  that  put  their trust in  thee.

How strong  was  the  force  of  thy  love,  my  dear  Redeemer, when,  being  about  to  depart  out  of  this  world  to thy  eternal  Father,  thou  providedst  for  us  this  divine banquet, enriched  with  all  heavenly  sweetness. It was through the  wonderful  effects  of  thy  divine  goodness that thou  didst  humble  thyself  to  such  an  excess  for  our redemption, as  to  take  upon  thee  the  infirmity  of  our nature. And is  it  not  through  an  infinite  excess  of  thy love, that  thou  hast  left  us  thy  body  and  blood  for  the food and  nourishment  of  our  souls;  that,  as  thou  didst unite thyself  to  our  humanity,  so  we  might  here  be  made partakers of  thy  divinity? In return  for  this  thy  infinite love, I  desire  to  love  thee,  O  Lord  Jesus,  who  art  my only  comfort  in  this  place  of  banishment,  the  only  hope of my  infirm  soul,  and  my  happiness,  above  all  else  that I can  enjoy. Make me  to  love  thee,  my  God,  with  my whole  heart,  with  my  whole  soul,  with  all  my  mind,  and