Page:Thecompleteascet01grimuoft.djvu/484

 us remember  that  time  is  given  us  not  to  be  spent  unprofitably,  but  to  be  employed  for  God,  and  in  acquiring merits for  eternity. St. Bernardine  of  Sienna  used  to say  that  a  moment  of  time  is  of  as  much  value  as  God, because in  each  moment  we  can  gain  his  friendship,  or greater  degrees  of  grace.

O my  God,  may  the  patience  with  which  Thou  hast  borne  me be  forever  blessed. Thou hast  given  me  time  to  love  Thee,  and I have  spent  it  in  offending  and  displeasing  Thee. Were I  now to die,  with  what  heartfelt  pain  should  I  end  my  life,  at  the thought of  having  spent  so  many  years  in  the  world,  and  of having  done  nothing. Lord, I  thank  Thee  for  still  giving  me time  to  repair  my  negligence,  and  so  many  lost  years. O my Jesus! through the  merits  of  Thy  Passion  assist  me. I do  not wish to  live  any  longer  for  myself,  but  only  for  Thee,  and  for Thy love. I know  not  how  much  of  life  remains,  whether  it  is long  or  short;  but  were  it  a  hundred  or  a  thousand  years,  I  wish to spend  them  all  in  loving  and  pleasing  Thee. I  love  Thee, O my  Sovereign  Good,  and  I  hope  to  love  Thee  for  eternity. I do  not  wish  to  be  ever  again  ungrateful  to  Thee. I will  no longer  resist  Thy  love,  which  has  so  long  called  me  to  be  entirely Thine. Shall I  wait  till  Thou  abandon  me,  and  call  me  no more?

Mary, my  mother,  assist  me,  pray  for  me,  and  obtain  for  me perseverance  in  my  resolution  to  be  faithful  to  God.

Whosoever loves  God,  loves  solitude;  there  the  Lord communicates himself  more  familiarly  to  souls,  because there he  finds  them  less  entangled  in  worldly  affairs,  and more detached  from  earthly  affections. Hence, St. Jerome  exclaimed:  "O  solitude,  in   which   God  speaks