Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/448



OD having  given  us  his  own  Son,”  so  reasons St. Paul,  how  can  we  fear  that  he  will  ever refuse us  anything? ” (Rom. viii.)  And  this  all  the more, since  we  know  that  the  Eternal  Father  has  given all things  into  his  hands. (St. John  xiii.)  Let  us,  then, always thank  the  goodness,  the  mercy,  and  the  bounty of our  most  gracious  God,  who  has  been  pleased  to enrich  us  with  every  good  and  every  grace  by  giving us Jesus  Christ  in  the  Sacrament  of  the  Altar. (1 Cor.  i.)  Have  I not  good  reason,  then,  to  think,

O Saviour of  the  world,  O incarnate  Word,  that  thou art mine,  and  if  I desire  it. wholly mine? But can

I say as  truly  that  I am  wholly  thine  as  thou  wouldst have me? Ah! my Lord,  grant  that  the  world  may be no  longer  witness  to  this  injustice  and  ingratitude which I show  thee  by  not  yielding  myself  up  entirely to thee,  according  to  thy  desire.

Ah! let it  be  so  no  more. Let the  future  be something  far  different  from  the  past. To-day with the most  steadfast  resolution  I consecrate  myself all to  thee. I consecrate to  thee  my  life,  my  will, my thoughts,  my  actions,  and  my  sufferings,  while time lasts,  and  eternally. Behold! I am all  thine; like a victim  devoted  to  thee,  I detach  myself  from creatures and  offer  myself  all  to  thee: consume  me with  the  flames  of  thy  divine  love. No! I am unwilling that  creatures  should  any  longer  have  a place in my  heart. The many  marks  of  love  which  thou hast given  me,  even  when  I did  not  love  thee — these make me  hope  with  confidence  that  thou  wilt  accept me, now  that  I do  love  thee  and  give  myself  entirely to thee  through  love.