Page 6 - VOWS AND ACT
P. 6

Let  me  be  like  you  in  suffering,  and  so  I  ask  from  you  the
            grace  to  suffer  gladly  for  your  sake,  and  to  overcome  all
            excessive seeking of my own comfort. May the adornments of
            this  unworthy  bride  of  yours  be  Humility,  Chastity,  Charity,
            Poverty,  Obedience.  My  dear  Spouse,  do  with  me  what
            pleases you most. Let this singular grace be the first link in the
            chain that will bind me to you through repeated acts of virtue,
            of  self-denial  and  pious  deeds.  I  have  no  fear,  since  I  am
            Jesus’  bride.  Yes,  I  am  wholly  yours.  What  have  I  done  for
            you, Lord, that you should choose me from among so many,
            more worthy than myself, and raise me to the sublime rank of
            a bride of yours? What shall I give you in return? I beg of you,
            keep me steadfast in your noble Heart; grant that I may live
            only through you and for you. My God, my joy is so great that I
            am here at a loss for words. My silence will make manifest to
            you  the  desire  of  my  heart.  O  Dominus  meus  et  Deus  meus!
            (My Lord and my God) Grant me holy perseverance, and that

            will make me fully happy. Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! I love you, but
            as I love you too little, I want to love you so much! I beg of you,
            my  supreme  Good,  grant  that  I  may  die  to  the  world  and  to
            myself that I may live for you alone.
                  O Mary, delight of Virgins, to you I commend my Purity.
            Guard it and keep it pure of any stain. Dear St Aloysius, be a
            faithful advocate to me; present my offering to Jesus and Mary
            with your own prayer that they may be pleased with it,
                  In te Domine speravi, non confundar in aeternum.
            (In you, Lord, I have hoped. Let me never be confounded.)

                               Hail, Jesus and Mary.


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