Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/251

 my God! accept this  oblation,  in  union  with  the sacrifice which  Jesus  offered  thee  on  the  cross,  and in union  with  the  early  consecration  which  his  blessed Mother made  of  herself  to  thee  in  the  Temple.

First Point. — Consider  attentively,  that  as  one  of  the chief ends  for  which  Jesus  gives  himself  to  us  in  the holy Communion,  is  to  unite  us  to  himself,  and  to make  us  one  with  him,  those  who  communicate  are much more  strictly  bound  than  all  others  to endeavour  to  resemble  their  Redeemer. St. Thomas says, that  in  the  Holy  Eucharist  Jesus  Christ  applies his most  sacred  body  like  a seal  on  the  heart  of  man, to revive  that  adorable  image  of  the  Divinity  to which  we  were  created; and  to  transform  his creatures into  himself,  by  imprinting  on  the  soul  the image of  his  adorable  perfections,  and  infusing  into the heart  abundant  graces  to  imitate  his  virtues. To become a perfect  imitation  of  Jesus  Christ,  you should conform  your  judgment,  your  opinions,  your ideas, your  heart,  feelings,  and  all  your  affections,  to those  of  your  divine  Lord; thinking  and  reasoning like Jesus,  and  judging  of  all  things  here  below  as he  judged  of  them. The thoughts  of  Jesus  were always directed  to  God,  or  bent  on  something relative to  the  glory  of  God. How do  you  act  in this  respect? Have you  ever  reflected  on  the benefit and  even  necessity  of  banishing  idle  or useless  thoughts? Are you  convinced,  that  to repress  those,  and  substitute  a frequent  and respectful recollection  of  God,  would  be  the  best guard you  could  have  against  those  thoughts  of vanity  or  pride  which  are  so  common  and  so  sinful