Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/773



Jesus! by that  wound  which  Thou  didst  suffer  in  Thy shoulder from  the  carriage  of  Thy  cross,  have  mercy, I entreat  Thee,  on  those  who  have  a  life-long  cross  to  bear, as also  upon  such  as  have  secret  sorrows  which  only  Thou canst know. May the  memory  of  Thy  painful  cross-bearing  give  them  strength  to  carry  theirs  with  courage and fidelity  to  the  end,  and  may  the  thought  of  that  secret suffering Thou  didst  endure,  teach  them  to  sanctify  their hidden sorrows  that  they  may  be  fruitful  for  Thy  glory. Amen. — From The  Voice  of  the  Sacred  Heart.

It is  said  —  (it  is  God  Who  has  spoken): "His elect  shall  not  labor  in  vain Though  sorrow  on  earth  be  their  portion   Their  "fruit  shall  forever  remain."

By sorrow  and  dire  contradiction, God would  life  to  mankind  impart, And His  last  sad  plaint  when  dying Was the  cry  of  a  broken  Heart.

There is  strength  in  each  toil  and  struggle  — In the  brave  heart's  inward  strife,  — In the  chill  of  seeming  failure,  — For these  are  the  seeds  of  life.

Each heart-ache  endured  for  Jesus Has gone  up  and  told  its  tale, And though  upon  earth  deemed  fruitless, With Him  —  shall  it  not  prevail?

Oh! because his  soul  hath  labored He shall  see  a  long-lived  seed, In the  promise  of  Truth  eternal For Whom  the  will  is  the  deed.