Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/334



“ I have found  the  Heart  of  my  King,  my  brother,” my kind  friend  Jesus. “ What more  can  I desire  in heaven  or  on  earth  ? ”

" My son, give  me  thy  heart”  Perfect  resignation and  entire  conformity  to  the  divine  will,  is  the  most grateful  and  most  acceptable  sacrifice  that  a man  can possibly  offer  to  God  out  of  his  own  stock  and treasure.  God  sets  so  high  a value  and  esteem  upon this  holocaust  of  our  heart,  that  it  is  this  very  one thing  precisely  he  demands  of  us: “ My  son , give  me thy  heart.”  God  does  not  need  the  gifts,  no  matter how  precious,  which  we  offer: what  he  most  regards is  the  heart.  Our  heart  cannot  be  divided  and  he satisfied.  The  heart  of  man  is  a narrow  bed; it cannot  contain  any  besides  God  alone.  Had  we  a thousand  hearts,  we  ought  to  offer  them  all  to  God, and  look  upon  it  as  but  little  in  regard  of  what  we stand  indebted  to  him.  The  love  of  God  consists not  in  words,  but  in  actions. Jesus Christ,  speaking himself of  the  love  he  bore  his  Heavenly  Father, says: “ That the  world  may  know  that  I love  my Father,  and  that  as  the  Father  hath  given  me  commandment, so  do  I.  Arise,  let  us  go  hence.”  ( John xiv.  31.)  Where  was  it  he  went  ? To suffer  death on a cross. Behold the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus! Adore and  imitate.

Heart of  Jesus,  you  sought  me  when  I fled  from you; will you  fly  from  me  now  that  I seek  you?