Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/452

 speak to  us,  and  say: Christians,  why  do  you  fly from my  presence? Why will  you  not  come,  why will you  not  draw  near  to  one  who  loves  you  so tenderly,  and  who  humbles  himself  to  remain  in  this place for  your  sake? What do  you  fear? I am not come to  judge  you,  but  I am  hidden  in  this  Sacrament of Love  only  to  do  good,  and  to  save  every  one  who will have  recourse  to  me. " I came not  to  judge  the world,  but  to  save  the  world.”  ( John  xii.  47.)

Let us  then  be  persuaded,  that  as  Jesus  Christ  in heaven  “ is  always  living  to  make  intercession  for  us*’ (Heb. viii.); so  in  the  Sacrament  of  the  Altar  he  is fulfilling,  night  and  day,  the  office  of  our  advocate, offering himself  as  a victim  to  his  eternal  Father  to obtain  for  us  mercy  and  graces  without  number. Hence the  devout  A-Kempis  says  that  we  ought  to pray  to  Jesus  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament  as  one  speaks to a beloved  friend: “ As  lover  speaks  to  one  beloved, as friend  to  friend.”

O then,  O my  Lord  and  King,  hidden  in  this Sacrament, since  thou  dost  invite  me  to  converse with thee,  I will  open  my  heart  with  confidence,  and speak. O my Jesus,  ardent  lover  of  souls,  I know too well  the  injustice  and  ingratitude  of  men towards thee. Thou lovest  them,  and  they  do  not love thee: thou  dost  confer  benefits  on  them,  and they return  thee  insults: thou  wouldst  have  them hear thy  voice,  and  they  will  not  listen: thou  dost offer graces,  and  they  refuse  them. Ah! my Jesus, I, too,  have  been  once  among  the  number  of  these ungrateful souls. O my God,  it  is  only  too  true. But I desire  to  amend,  and  I wish  to  compensate  for the injuries  I have  done  thee,  by  doing  all  I can  to please  thee  for  the  remainder  of  my  life. Tell me,