Page:ThePathToHeaven.djvu/569

 being, " a little  lower  than  the  angel." Thou dost  sustain me  every  moment,  lest  I  should  fall  back  into  my original  nothingness. When I  was  lost  in  my  sin,  thou, the co-equal  Son  of  the  eternal  Father,  didst  give  thyself for me,  taking  upon  thee  my  feeble  nature,  that  thou mightest suffer  in  my  stead. Oh, what  bitter  sufferings didst thou  undergo  for  me  in  the  garden  and  on  the cross! [Here  pause  awhile  to  meditate  briefly  on  some principal sufferings  of  our  Lord,  especially  such  as  may  in any  way  resemble  your  own;  for  instance,  loss,  or  ingratitude of  friends,  calumnies,  reproaches,  desolation  of  spirit, &c.] O my  bountiful  and  most  loving  Lord,  can  it  be that  such  excess  of  love  should  not  move  me  to  such poor return  as  I  can  make  thee! Yes, Lord,  I  will  love thee, because  thou  didst  first  love  me. I will  try  to  love thee, as  thou  hast  commanded,  with  all  my  heart,  all  my mind,  all  my  soul,  and  all  my  strength. I protest  before thee, that  henceforth  neither  tribulation,  nor  distress,  nor persecution, nor  life,  nor  death,  nor  any  created  thing, shall be  able  to  separate  me  from  thee,  my  beginning  and my end. Quench, then,  by  thy  Holy  Spirit,  all  love  of  the world and  of  myself  which  still  reigns  within  me;  enable me to  bear  thy  sweet  yoke,  that  I  may  learn  of  thee  to be  meek  and  humble  of  heart. Pierce my  soul  with  a deep  sense  of  my  own  wretchedness,  that  so  I  may  learn to esteem  others  better  than  myself.

O meek  and  humble  Heart  of  my  Jesus! O Heart  of love,  teach  me  to  love  thee. Be henceforth  the  moving principle of  my  heart;  shape  all  its  desires  and  inactions according  to  thine  own,  till  at  length  it  comes  to be  absorbed  in  the  abyss  of  pure  love  for  all  eternity. Amen.

O Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus! living and  life-giving  fountain of  eternal  life,  infinite  treasure  of  the  divinity, glowing furnace  of  love! Thou art  my  refuge  and  my sanctuary. O my  adorable  and  lovely  Saviour! consume my  heart  with  that  burning  fire  wherewith  thine is ever inflamed;  pour  down  on  my  soul  those  graces