Thirty-first Visit.

From St. Alphonsus Liguori, Visits to the Most Holy Sacrament (New York: Catholic Publication Society, 1870). Wording reflects its time. Public domain; the text is given word for word as printed.

Oh! how delightful to behold our Redeemer "weary with his journey," and, full of sweetness and love seated on the fountain, waiting for the Samaritan to convert and save her. "Jesus, therefore, sat thus on the well." John iv. 6. With equal sweetness and love, he descends every day from heaven, and remains with us on our altars, as on so many fountains of grace, expecting and inviting souls to keep him company, at least for some time, in order to draw them to his perfect love. From every altar on which he is present in the holy sacrament he seems to say to all: Christians, why do you fly from my presence? Why do you not come and draw near to one who loves you so tenderly, and who, for your sake, remains in such a state of humiliation? Why do you tear me? I am not come to judge you; but I am hidden in this sacrament of love to save all who have recourse to me. "I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." John xii. 47.

Let us, then, be persuaded, that as Jesus Christ in heaven is "always living to make intercession for us," (Heb. vii. 25,) so, in the sacrament of the altar, he is night and day fulfilling the office of our advocate, offering himself a victim to his eternal Father, to obtain for us mercy and numberless graces. Hence, the devout A-Kempis says, that we ought to speak to Jesus in the holy sacrament as to a beloved friend, without restraint or fear of chastisement. "Sicut solet loqui dilectus ad dilectum, amicus ad amicum."

Since, then, O my hidden King and Lord, thou dost invite me to speak to thee, permit me to open my heart to thee with confidence, and to say, O my Jesus, O enamored of souls, I well know the injustice and ingratitude of men to thee. Thou lovest them, and art not loved; thou dost confer benefits, and, in return, dost receive insults. Thou dost desire to speak to them, and they do not listen to thee; thou dost offer thy graces, and they refuse them. Ah, my Jesus, I, too, have been once among the number of these ungrateful souls. O God! it is too true. But I desire to amend, and, by doing all in my power to please thee, I wish to compensate, during the remainder of my life, the insults I have offered to thee. Tell me, O Lord, what thou dost wish from me: I will do it without reserve. Make thy will known to me by means of holy obedience, and I hope to do it. My God, I firmly promise never to omit any act which I know to be pleasing to thee, though the performance of it should cost me the loss of all things, of relatives, friends, character, health, and even life. Let all be lost, provided thy will be done. Happy loss, when all is sacrificed to content thy heart, O God of my soul. I love thee, O sovereign good, amiable above every good; and in loving thee, I unite my little heart with all the hearts of the seraphim. I unite it with the heart of Mary and with the heart of Jesus. I love thee with my whole soul: thee only do I wish to love now and for ever.

Ejac. My God, my God, I am thine, and thou art mine.

The Spiritual Communion.

THIRTY-FIRST VISIT TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

O Mary, thou art the tower of David, and therefore, art able to defend those who take refuge under thee. Protect all who are engaged in the contest. I experience continual assaults from my enemies, who are striving to deprive me of the grace of God, and to withdraw me from thy protection. But thou art the fortress and the bulwark of our hope; thou dost not disdain to fight in behalf of those who trust in thee. O Mary, defend me, then, against all my enemies, and fight my battles for me, because I rely with confidence on thee.

Ejac. O Mary, thou art my protectress.

My Jesus, my sovereign good, thou art mine: I give thee my heart and my whole being; from thee I wish for nothing but thyself.

"For what have I in heaven? and, beside thee, what do I desire upon earth?.....Thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever." Ps. lxxii. 25, 26.

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