Page:Thecompleteascet02liguuoft.djvu/22

 2. Men esteem  it  a  great  affair  to  gain  a  lawsuit,  to obtain  a  post  of  honor,  or  to  acquire  an  estate. Nothing, however,  that  will    end  with    time   deserves  to  be esteemed  great. Since, therefore,  all  the  goods  of  this world will  one  day  end  in  our  regard,  as  we  shall  either leave them  or  they  will  leave  us,  that  affair  alone  should be esteemed  great,  upon  which  depends  eternal  happiness  or  eternal  misery.

O Jesus,  my  Redeemer,  cast  me  not  away  from  Thy face, as  I  have  deserved! I am  indeed  a  sinner;  but  I am  grieved  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart  for  having offended Thy  infinite  goodness. Hitherto I  have  despised  Thee,  but  now  I  love  Thee  above  all  things. Henceforth Thou  alone  shalt  be  my  only  good,  my  only love. Have pity  on  a  sinner  who  penitently  casts  him self at  Thy  feet,  and  desires  to  love  Thee. If I  have grievously offended  Thee,  I  now  ardently  desire  to  love Thee. What would  have  become  of  me,  if  Thou  hadst called me  out  of  life  when  I  had  lost  Thy  grace  and favor? Since Thou,  O  Lord! hast shown  so  much  mercy to me,  grant  me  grace  to  become  a  saint.

3. Let  us  awaken  our  faith  in  a  heaven  and  a  hell  of eternal  duration:  one  or  other  will  be  our  lot.

O God! how could  I,  knowing  that  by  committing  sin I was  condemning  myself  to  eternal  torments — how  could I sin  so  often  against  Thee  and  forfeit  Thy  grace? Knowing that  Thou  art  my  God  and  my  Redeemer,  how  could I, for  the  sake  of  a  miserable  gratification,  so  often  turn my back  upon  Thee? O God,  I  am  sorry  above  every evil for  having  thus  despised  Thee. I love  Thee  above every good,  and  henceforth  I  will  suffer  the  loss  of  all things rather  than  lose  Thy  friendship. Give me  strength to continue  faithful. And do  Thou,  O  Blessed  Virgin Mary! pray for  me  and  assist  me.