that Thou hast given me. I would now sacrifice to Thy Glory in the Highest Heavens even that which is as Thyself to me on earth. EXPLANATION. even see, the Eternal Glories of Heaven. Nothing so hinders the Spiritual life, as too great attachment to sensible helps and comforts from creatures, even from those who are most At the Last Supper like GOD. The soul that JESUS said to His Dis- seeks to attain perfecciples, "If I go not away, tion, and has left all the Comforter will not earthly ties to follow come unto you; but if I JESUS in His Life of depart, I will send Him sacrifice and loneliness, unto you." And ten has none so dear to her days after the Ascension as he who guides her on the HOLY GHOST was her way to JESUS. And poured out and He she may be called to taught them all things," surrender even this most and revealed more of precious Gift, to sacriJESUS, than when JE- fice, it may be with SUS was present with them. Sacrifice is GOD's appointed means of approach to Himself, and of obtaining His Gifts. He gave His only SON as a Sacrifice for us. He often asks us to give Him that which we possess, and is most precious to us, that we may obtain that which we possess not, and cannot trembling hands and tearful eyes, JESUS to JESUS, as He offered Himself to GOD in His most perfect Sacrifice to redeem the world for the Glory of His FATHER! PRAYER. O my God, my JESUS, give me Grace to will all that Thou willest, even at Thy Call to re sign him who is as Thy Own Voice to me, trust ing that Thy Love will supply in Thyself that which was as Thy Sweet Presence to me, and I shall find Thee closer than Thou ever hast been, till Thou bring me to Thy still sweeter Presence in Heaven. Amen. MEDITATION XII. ones of GOD do not therefore fear death. Some still live, who are dead, living the true life of Grace by which they have destroyed the life of nature. These also possess GOD. There are not many such on earth; for to learn this living death is the work of a lifetime, and GOD takes away the soul that has learnt to live it. When the corn is ripe, JESUS IS LAID IN THE it is gathered in. SEPULCHRE. WOULD not, O my I GOD, fear the utter destitution and annihilation of death, for it will be to my soul the possession of Thyself, and that is sufficient for me! EXPLANATION. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His Saints." The bodies of such lie in darkness awaiting their new life; but their souls possess GOD. The holy The life of our Blessed LORD on earth, was this continual living death, and produced no visible results, till after He had left it. His Uncreated Splendour, His Heavenly Glory, hidden in the Womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary His Sacred Humanity hidden through thirty years of His Life, in the Stable, and the Carpen Tomb a great mystery of Light-the annihilation of the creature in GOD, and for GOD, the great mystery of Resurrection and Glory. PRAYER. ter's shop at Nazareth O my God, my own And He still carries on His work of regenerating, recreating the world by those who like them are crucified with Him, buried with Him, "always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus." Death is a great mystery of Life-the dark en throned in the dazzling brightness of Thy Eternal Glory, I pray Thee, guide me, as I would follow Thee in this Thy Way of the Cross, crucified, dead to all but Thee. Uphold me in this life of death, enlighten me in this dark night of my earthly life, that I may trust Thee, though I see Thee not, know that Thou art near, though I feel Thee not. And do Thou so bring me through the shadows of faith, that I may attain to the Blessed Vision of Thyself, the Living and Eternal Sun of Righteousness. Amen. SHORT LITANIES ON THE SUFFERINGS OF JESUS. I. "Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me) to do Thy Will, O God." -Heb. x. 7. BY LITANY. Y Thy first thought of saving lost man, THER, By Thy parting from the Glories of Heaven, By Thy taking upon Thyself our nature, By Thy deep humiliation, By Thy coming to fulfil the Will of the FA THER, By Thy straitening till all was accomplished, By Thy continual remembrance of Thy Passion, By Thy hidden life on earth, By all Thy unknown sorrows, From shrinking from a life of self-sacrifice, From all self-will and selfishness, From all desires that emanate from self, Our FATHER, &c. Blessed Jesus, deliver me. Most merciful Jesus, save and deliver me. II. "Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."—Isa. liii. 4. LITANY. BY Thy Holy Incarnation, By Thy deigning to dwell with sinners, By Thy first sight of human woe, By Thy first feelings of sadness, By Thy first meeting roughness and rudeness, By Thy first touch of pain, By Thy first act of dependence, From self-indulgence and self-pleasing, III. Most merciful Jesus, &c. Blessed Jesus, deliver me. "For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."-Heb. xii. 3. |
