Page:Thecompleteascet02liguuoft.djvu/35

 ing, "I  will  henceforth  serve  a  master  who  will  never forsake  me." Let us  detach  ourselves  from  present  goods before death  tears  us  away  from  them. What folly  it  is to  expose  ourselves  to  the  danger  of  losing  our  souls,  for the sake  of  some  attachment  to  this  miserable  world, from which  we  shall  soon  have  to  depart;  for  soon  it  will be said  to  us  by  the  minister  of  God,  "  Go  forth,  Christian  soul,  out  of  this  world!" '

O my  Jesus,  that  I  had  always  loved  Thee! How many offences  have  I  been  guilty  of  against  Thee! Teach me  how  to  correct  my  disorderly  life,  for  I  am willing  to  do  whatever  Thou  pleasest. Accept of  my love,  accept  of  my  repentance,  in  which  I  love  Thee more than  myself,  and  crave  Thy  mercy  and  compassion.

3. Reflect  that  you  cannot  remain  forever  in  this world. You must  one  day  leave  the  country  in  which you now  reside;  you  must  one  day  go  out  from  the house in  which  you  now  dwell  to  return  to  it  no  more. Think that  many  before  you  inhabited  the  same  room  in which  you  are  at  present  reading;  that  they  slept  in  the same bed  in  which  you  are  accustomed  to  sleep;  and where are  they? gone into  eternity. The same  will  hap pen to  you.

Make me  sensible,  O  God,  of  the  injustice  I  have  been guilty of  in  turning  my  back  upon  Thee,  my  sovereign good; and  grant  me  the  sorrow  to  bewail  my  ingratitude as I  ought. O that  I  had  died  rather  than  ever  offended Thee! Suffer me  not  to  live  any  longer  ungrateful  for the love  which  Thou  hast  shown  me. My dear  Redeemer, I love  Thee  above  all  things,  and  I  desire  to  love  Thee to the  best  of  my  power  during  the  remainder  of  life. Strengthen my  weakness  by  Thy  grace;  and  do  thou, Mary, Mother  of  God,  intercede  for  me.