Fourth 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.

'For her conversation has no bitterness, nor her company any tediousness." Wisd. viii. 16.

Worldlings feel so happy in the society of a friend, that they lose entire days in his company. They who love not Jesus, experience tediousness in remaining with him in the tabernacle. The saints enjoyed a paradise before the holy sacrament. After her death, St. Teresa said from heaven to one of her religious: "we who rejoice in heaven and you who suffer on earth, ought to be the same in purity and love. And what we do in heaven before the divine essence, you should do on earth before the most holy sacrament." Jesus then, in the adorable Eucharist, ought to be our paradise on earth.

O immaculate Lamb! immolated for us on the cross, remember that I am one of those souls whom thou hast redeemed by so many sorrows, and by so painful a death. Since thou hast given thyself entirely to me, and since thou dost daily offer thyself in sacrifice for me on the altar, grant that thou mayest be for ever mine, and that I may for ever belong entirely to thee. I offer myself to thee without reserve, that thou mayest do with me what thou pleasest. I give thee my will, chain it to thyself with the sweet bonds of thy love, that it may be the eternal slave of thy most holy will. I wish to live no longer for the gratification of my own desires, but for the sole purpose of pleasing thee. Destroy in me whatever is not agreeable to thee. Grant me the grace to think only of pleasing thee, and to desire only what thou dost desire. I love thee O my dear Saviour! with my whole heart. I love thee because thou dost desire to be loved by me: I love thee because thou art worthy of all my love. It grieves me that I do not love thee as much as thou deservest. I would wish to die for the love of thee. Lord, accept my desire: give me thy love. Amen, Amen.

Ejac. O will of my God, I sacrifice myself entirely to thee.

The Spiritual Communion.

FOURTH VISIT TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN.

Prayer of St. Germanus.

O Sovereign Queen! thou art our defence and our joy. Make me worthy to share with thee the happiness which thou enjoyest in heaven. Yes, my refuge, my defence, my strength, my hope, obtain for me, by thy powerful intercession, a place with thee in paradise. Being the mother of God, thou canst obtain it, if thou pleasest. O Mary! thou art all powerful in saving sinners, and, being the Mother of Mercy, thou canst want no inducement to save them by thy intercession.

Ejac. O my Mother and my hope! obtain for me the grace to be devoted entirely to Jesus.

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