to Thee, and to all to whom Thy disposal has subjected me. O Thou, Who wast baptized by John, and in my infancy didst baptize me: cleanse me by confession and penitence, from all my pollutions. O Thou, Who didst work miracles, wonders, and healings on the bodies and souls of men: heal Thou the sickness of my soul. O Thou, Who didst teach truth, mercy, and righteousness: make Thou my heart to delight in what Thou teachest. O Thou, Who didst fast for me: make me to abstain from all sin for love of Thee. O Thou, Who wast hungry for me : make me truly to hunger after Thee, Who art the true Bread. O Thou, Who wast wearied for me: strengthen Thou and refresh the weariness of my soul. O Thou, Who didst feed Thine Apostles with Thy Body and Thy Blood: feed Thou my soul with Thy holy Flesh, and satisfy me with Thy sweetness. O Thou, Who wast delivered up for me: deliver not Thou up my soul to its ene mies. O Thou, Who wast bound for me : loosen Thou the bonds of my sins. O Thou, Who wast mocked for me: deliver me from the mockings of devils. O most sweet LORD, Who alone of men wast without sin, and yet scourged for sinners deliver me from the scourges which my sins have deserved. O most merciful LORD, Who wast crowned with thorns for my sake: take away from me the thorns of my unsubdued passions. O most kind LORD, Who didst bear Thy Cross upon Thy Holy Shoulders make me to follow Thee, and to bear my cross after Thee. O Thou, Who wast lifted up that Thou mightest draw all men unto Thee: draw Thou me unto Thee. O all pitying LORD, Who didst suffer Thy Body to be wounded by the nails and with the spear: hide me in Thy Wounds. O Good Shepherd, Who didst lay down Thy life for Thy sheep suffer not my sinful soul to perish and die. : O most mighty LORD, Who after Thou hadst conquered death, didst gladden Thy disciples by Thy Presence, and didst stablish their hearts in the faith of Thy holy Resurrection: gladden Thou me by Thy Presence, and strengthen my heart in the hope of rising to eternal life. Our FATHER, &c. Blessed and praised for evermore be JESUS, Who hath saved us by His Blood! PSALM LXXXVIII. 1, 9, 13. Domine Deus. O LORD GOD of my salvation, I have cried day and night before Thee: O let my prayer enter into Thy Presence, incline Thine ear to my calling. My sight faileth for very trouble: LORD, I have called daily upon Thee, I have stretched forth my hands unto Thee. Unto Thee have I cried, O LORD and early shall my prayer come before Thee. Glory be to the FATHER, &c. As it was in the beginning, &c. SATURDAYS BETWEEN SEPTUA- "Love is the fulfilling of the Law." Rom. xiii. 10. AN EXERCISE OF CHARITY. 1. Towards God. O Charity, O my GOD, give me understanding, and I shall learn Thy Commandments; whether Thou speakest by epistle or by Thy creatures unto my heart. For whatsoever I learn to my salvation, Thou, ever most present with me, teachest me with most inward love, O Health and Medicine of my soul! And how great is the love wherewith Thou teachest me, who am nothing before Thee! Dost Thou need my goods, that Thou shouldst with such free love present me with so many good things, and with Thy Charity? For Thou, O Eternal FATHER, so lovedst the world as to give Thine Only Begotten SON. So didst Thou love me, O most merciful JESU, SON of GOD, as to give Thy life unto death for me. And can Thy commands and Thy counsels be grievous unto me? I will love Thee, then, O GOD, my Strength! O how good is it for me to hold me fast by Thee! What then shall be able to separate me from Thy Charity? Can tribulation, or distress, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or persecution, or the sword? For Thy love is strong as death; and many waters, so I trust, shall not be able to quench Thy Charity; that fire, which Thou camest to send on the earth, and which Thou willest earnestly to be enkindled. Amen. 2. Towards Man. O Charity, my GOD, I believe in Thee, and I hope in Thee, and with my whole heart I love Thee, and my neighbour for Thy sake. For by this shall all men know that we are Thy disciples, if we have love one towards another. This Thou saidst is a commandment like unto the greatest. For he that loveth his neighbour hath truly fulfilled the law; and he that loveth not abideth in death. If then we ought, above all things, constantly to have mutual charity among ourselves, I will from henceforth, even for ever, to cherish this virtue above all things, and to be Thy disciple; to judge no one; to sadden no one by word or deed; but to solace, to help, to be forward to honour all men, to love all men in Thee, and to do unto all men, even to the lowest, what I would do to Thee, O most loving JESU! For Thou hast said, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another as I have loved you." Since therefore Thou didst deign to lay down Thy life for us, yea, for me, so ought I to desire not only to give up wealth or convenience, but, if necessary, to lay down my life also for my brethren. But give me, O JESU! to love, not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth; that whatsoever I would that men should do unto me, I may do unto them or rather, unto Thee; for with what measure ; |