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| Pilgrims at Lourdes Compassionate Lord Jesus, grant them eternal rest!
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"Jesus, therefore, sat thus by the well." (John 4).
A beautiful sight it was that day―the sight of Our Sweet Redeemer as He sat beside the well, tired from His journey. Gentle and loving, He was waiting there for the Samaritan woman to convert her and to save her.
But now the very same Jesus comes from Heaven down on our altar―this same altar becomes a well of grace. There He waits the whole day long in all His meekness, lingering in our midst. His invitation goes out to all to come and share His company even though it be for only a little while―He wants to draw you to His perfect love.
Jesus speaks from every altar where He dwells in the Most Holy Sacrament and this is what He says; "Why do you keep away from me? Why do you not come close to me? I have come to you in lowliness because I love you, and I want to do you good. What are you afraid of? It is not to judge you that I come down to earth now; but I have come hidden in this Sacrament of love. I want only to be of help to you―to give salvation to every one who comes to me: 'I have come not to judge, but to save the world.' " (John 12).
In Heaven, Jesus is "always living to intercede for us." (Heb. 7). In the Sacrament of the Altar, without interruption, night and day He is taking on Himself the office of our merciful Advocate; He is offering Himself to the Eternal Father as our Victim to obtain mercy and numberless graces for us. Let us understand this well.
Thomas à Kempis says that we should come near to Jesus in this Sacrament; that we should speak to Him at our ease and with no fear―as a friend speaks to the friend he loves; "As a loved one speaks to the one who loves him, as friend to friend."
My hidden King, my Master, I will open my heart to you and I will say: O my Jesus, O you who love souls with such a great love, I know well the wrong that men do you. You love them: and you are not loved. You do good: you receive contempt. You want them to hear your voice: they will not listen. You offer them graces: they refuse to take them.
My Jesus, it is true that I also at one time was among those ungrateful ones who treat you so. Yes, my God, it is only too true, but I want to make up for it now. For the rest of my days I want to do something to make amends for the pain that I have given you; now I want to give you pleasure and joy as far as lies in my power. Tell me, dear Master, what do you want me to do? I want to do it―to do it all and without reservation. Let me know, by means of holy obedience, what it is, and then I hope to do it.
My God, firmly I promise you now, that never any more―from this day forward―will I leave any thing undone, once I know that it is for your greater glory; even though in doing this I should lose everything―my parents, my friends, my reputation, my health, or even my life itself.
O God of my heart, if I lose everything, and in doing so I give joy to you, it will be a happy loss indeed; for such a loss, and such a sacrifice, will have only one aim―to give joy to your loving Heart.
My God, my Supreme Good, you are more lovely than any other good, and to an extent that is boundless: and it is you I love. My heart is only small, and it is poor; but in loving you I join with the great ones who love you―with the Seraphim, with the Heart of Mary, with the Heart of Jesus: and now, my God, I love you with my whole being. I want to love you only; I want to love you always.
Aspiration―O God, I am yours; and you are mine; and you are my God.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
Jesus, I believe you are in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you; I want you to come to me. Come into my heart; I embrace you; O never depart from me.
Blessed Amadeus tells us: The Most Blessed Virgin, face to face with the Creator, is always interceding for us in prayer that is of mighty power. Mary our Queen, high in heaven, is always in the Divine Presence; there she acts as our advocate praying for us, and her prayer is most powerful with God. "This sweet and gentle Lady," he says, "sees our perils and she looks down on us with a mother's love." She sees our unhappy state, our dangers: with the kindness and love of a mother she is filled with compassion and comes to help us.
My advocate, my most loving Mother, at this very moment you can see the poverty, the needs of my soul. You can see the dangers in which I am placed and you are praying for me. Pray; keep on praying; never cease to pray until you see me safe and thanking you in Heaven.
Your servant Blosius says of you, "After your Son you are the sure hope of all the faithful." Most sweet Mary, after your Son you are the sure salvation of those who are your faithful servants. To be your faithful servant even until death―this is the grace I ask from you today; so that when I reach Heaven I will bless you in the security of never any more being parted from you―safe at your feet as long as God is God.
Aspiration―Mary my Mother, make me yours forever.
My Good, my God, you are already mine; To you I give my heart and all I have: From you I ask for nothing but yourself.
My advocate, my most loving Mother, at this very moment you can see the poverty, the needs of my soul. You can see the dangers in which I am placed and you are praying for me. Pray; keep on praying; never cease to pray until you see me safe and thanking you in Heaven.
Your servant Blosius says of you, "After your Son you are the sure hope of all the faithful." Most sweet Mary, after your Son you are the sure salvation of those who are your faithful servants. To be your faithful servant even until death―this is the grace I ask from you today; so that when I reach Heaven I will bless you in the security of never any more being parted from you―safe at your feet as long as God is God.
Aspiration―Mary my Mother, make me yours forever.
My Good, my God, you are already mine; To you I give my heart and all I have: From you I ask for nothing but yourself.
"What have I in Heaven, and besides you what do I desire upon earth? You are the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever." (Psalm 72:62)
Prayer After Each Visit
Alphonsus Liguori's Little Visits―1745
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