The Imitation of Christ
Thomas à Kempis
Book Four. An Invitation to Holy Communion
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1. The Great Reverence With Which We Should Receive Christ
2. God's Great Goodness and Love is Shown to Man in This Sacrament
3. It Is Profitable To Receive Communion Often
4. Many Blessings Are Given Those Who Receive Communion Worthily
5. The Dignity of the Sacrament and of the Priesthood
6. An Inquiry on the Proper Thing to do Before Communion
7. The Examination of Conscience and the Resolution to Amend
8. The Offering of Christ on the Cross; Our Offering
9. We Should Offer Ourselves and All That We Have to God, Praying for All
10. Do Not Lightly Forego Holy Communion
11. The Body of Christ and Sacred Scripture Are Most Necessary to a Faithful
Soul
12. The Communicant Should Prepare Himself for Christ with Great Care
13. With All Her Heart the Devout Soul Should Desire Union with Christ in
the Sacrament
14. The Ardent Longing of Devout Men for the Body of Christ
15. The Grace of Devotion is Acquired Through Humility and Self-Denial
16. We Should Show Our Needs to Christ and Ask His Grace
17. The Burning Love and Strong Desire to Receive Christ
18. Man Should Not Scrutinize This Sacrament in Curiosity, But Humbly
Imitate Christ and Submit Reason to Holy Faith
BOOK FOUR
CHRIST'S INVITATION TO HOLY COMMUNION
THE VOICE of CHRIST
Come to Me, all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you.
[Matthew
11:28]
The bread which I will give is My Flesh, for the life of the world. [John 6:52]
Take you and eat: this is My Body, which shall be delivered for you. Do this for
the commemoration of Me. [1st Corinthians 11:24]
He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, abideth in Me, and I in him.
[John
6:57]
The words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and Life." [John 6:64]
The First Chapter
THE GREAT REVERENCE WITH WHICH WE SHOULD RECEIVE CHRIST
THE VOICE of the DISCIPLE
These are all Your words, O Christ, eternal Truth, though they were not all
spoken at one time nor written together in one place. And because they are Yours
and true, I must accept them all with faith and gratitude. They are Yours and
You have spoken them; they are mine also because You have spoken them for my
salvation. Gladly I accept them from Your lips that they may be the more deeply
impressed in my heart.
Words of such tenderness, so full of sweetness and
love, encourage me; but my sins frighten me and an unclean conscience thunders
at me when approaching such great mysteries as these. The sweetness of Your
words invites me, but the multitude of my vices oppresses me.
You command me to approach You confidently if I wish to have part with You,
and to receive the food of immortality if I desire to obtain life and glory
everlasting.
"Come to me," You say, "all you that labor and are burdened, and I will
refresh you." [Matthew 11:28]
Oh, how sweet and kind to the ear of the sinner is the word by which You, my
Lord God, invite the poor and needy to receive Your most holy Body! Who am I,
Lord, that I should presume to approach You? Behold, the heaven of heavens
cannot contain You, and yet You say: "Come, all of you, to Me."
What means this most gracious honor and this friendly invitation? How shall I
dare to come, I who am conscious of no good on which to presume? How shall I
lead You into my house, I who have so often offended in Your most kindly sight?
Angels and archangels revere You, the holy and the just fear You, and You say:
"Come to Me: all of you!" If You, Lord, had not said it, who would have believed
it to be true? And if You had not commanded, who would dare approach?
Behold, Noah, a just man, worked a hundred years building the ark that he and
a few others might be saved; how, then, can I prepare myself in one hour to
receive with reverence the Maker of the world?
Moses, Your great servant and special friend, made an ark of incorruptible
wood which he covered with purest gold wherein to place the tables of Your law;
shall I, a creature of corruption, dare so easily to receive You, the Maker of
law and the Giver of life?
Solomon, the wisest of the kings of Israel, spent seven years building a
magnificent temple in praise of Your name, and celebrated its dedication with a
feast of eight days. He offered a thousand victims in Your honor and solemnly
bore the Ark of the Covenant with trumpeting and jubilation to the place
prepared for it; and I, unhappy and poorest of men, how shall I lead You into my
house, I who scarcely can spend a half-hour devoutly -- would that I could spend
even that as I ought!
O my God, how hard these men tried to please You! Alas, how little is all
that I do! How short the time I spend in preparing for Communion! I am seldom
wholly recollected, and very seldom, indeed, entirely free from distraction. Yet
surely in the presence of Your life-giving Godhead no unbecoming thought should
arise and no creature possess my heart, for I am about to receive as my guest,
not an angel, but the very Lord of angels.
Very great, too, is the difference between the Ark of the Covenant with its
treasures and Your most pure Body with its ineffable virtues, between these
sacrifices of the law which were but figures of things to come and the true
offering of Your Body which was the fulfillment of all ancient sacrifices.
Why, then, do I not long more ardently for Your adorable presence? Why do I
not prepare myself with greater care to receive Your sacred gifts, since those
holy patriarchs and prophets of old, as well as kings and princes with all their
people, have shown such affectionate devotion for the worship of God?
The most devout King David danced before the ark of God with all his strength
as he recalled the benefits once bestowed upon his fathers. He made musical
instruments of many kinds. He composed psalms and ordered them sung with joy. He
himself often played upon the harp when moved by the grace of the Holy Ghost. He
taught the people of Israel to praise God with all their hearts and to raise
their voices every day to bless and glorify Him. If such great devotion
flourished in those days and such ceremony in praise of God before the Ark of
the Covenant, what great devotion ought not I and all Christian people now show
in the presence of this Sacrament; what reverence in receiving the most
excellent Body of Christ!
Many people travel far to honor the relics of the saints, marveling at their
wonderful deeds and at the building of magnificent shrines. They gaze upon and
kiss the sacred relics encased in silk and gold; and behold, You are here
present before me on the altar, my God, Saint of saints, Creator of men, and
Lord of angels!
Often in looking at such things, men are moved by curiosity, by the novelty
of the unseen, and they bear away little fruit for the amendment of their lives,
especially when they go from place to place lightly and without true contrition.
But here in the Sacrament of the altar You are wholly present, my God, the man
Christ Jesus, whence is obtained the full realization of eternal salvation, as
often as You are worthily and devoutly received. To this, indeed, we are not
drawn by levity, or curiosity, or sensuality, but by firm faith, devout hope,
and sincere love.
O God, hidden Creator of the world, how wonderfully You deal with us! How
sweetly and graciously You dispose of things with Your elect to whom You offer
Yourself to be received in this Sacrament! This, indeed, surpasses all
understanding. This in a special manner attracts the hearts of the devout and
inflames their love. Your truly faithful servants, who give their whole life to
amendment, often receive in Holy Communion the great grace of devotion and love
of virtue.
Oh, the wonderful and hidden grace of this Sacrament which only the faithful
of Christ understand, which unbelievers and slaves of sin cannot experience! In
it spiritual grace is conferred, lost virtue restored, and the beauty, marred by
sin, repaired. At times, indeed, its grace is so great that, from the fullness
of the devotion, not only the mind but also the frail body feels filled with
greater strength.
Nevertheless, our neglect and coldness is much to be deplored and pitied,
when we are not moved to receive with greater fervor Christ in Whom is the hope
and merit of all who will be saved. He is our sanctification and redemption. He
is our consolation in this life and the eternal joy of the blessed in heaven.
This being true, it is lamentable that many pay so little heed to the salutary
Mystery which fills the heavens with joy and maintains the whole universe in
being.
Oh, the blindness and the hardness of the heart of man that does not show
more regard for so wonderful a gift, but rather falls into carelessness from its
daily use! If this most holy Sacrament were celebrated in only one place and
consecrated by only one priest in the whole world, with what great desire, do
you think, would men be attracted to that place, to that priest of God, in order
to witness the celebration of the divine Mysteries! But now there are many
priests and Mass is offered in many places, that God's grace and love for men
may appear the more clearly as the Sacred Communion is spread more widely
through the world.
Thanks be to You, Jesus, everlasting Good Shepherd, Who have seen fit to feed
us poor exiled people with Your precious Body and Blood, and to invite us with
words from Your own lips to partake of these sacred Mysteries: "Come to Me, all
you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you." [Matthew
11:28.]
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The Second Chapter
GOD'S GREAT GOODNESS AND LOVE IS SHOWN TO MAN IN THIS SACRAMENT
THE VOICE of the DISCIPLE
Trusting in Your goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I come as one sick to the
Healer, as one hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of life, as one in need to the
King of heaven, a servant to his Lord, a creature to his Creator, a soul in
desolation to my gentle Comforter.
But whence is this to me, that You should come to me? Who am I that You
should offer Yourself to me? How dares the sinner to appear in Your presence,
and You, how do You condescend to come to the sinner? You know Your servant, and
You know that he has nothing good in him that You should grant him this.
I confess, therefore, my unworthiness. I acknowledge Your goodness. I praise
Your mercy, and give thanks for Your immense love. For it is because of Yourself
that You do it, not for any merit of mine; so that Your goodness may be better
known to me, that greater love may be aroused and more perfect humility born in
me. Since, then, this pleases You and You have so willed it, Your graciousness
pleases me also. Oh, that my sinfulness may not stand in the way!
O most sweet and merciful Jesus, what great reverence, thanks, and
never-ending praise are due to You for our taking of Your sacred body, whose
dignity no man can express!
But on what shall I think in this Communion, this approach to my Lord, Whom I
can never reverence as I ought, and yet Whom I desire devoutly to receive? What
thought better, more helpful to me than to humble myself entirely in Your
presence and exalt Your infinite goodness above myself?
I praise You, my God, and extol You forever! I despise myself and cast myself
before You in the depths of my unworthiness. Behold, You are the Holy of holies,
and I the scum of sinners! Behold, You bow down to me who am not worthy to look
up to You! Behold, You come to me! You will to be with me! You invite me to Your
banquet! You desire to give me heavenly food, the Bread of Angels to eat, none
other than Yourself, the living Bread Who are come down from heaven and give
life to the world.
Behold, whence love proceeds! What condescension shines forth! What great
thanks and praise are due You for these gifts! Oh, how salutary and profitable
was Your design in this institution! How sweet and pleasant the banquet when You
gave Yourself as food!
How admirable is Your work, O Lord! How great Your power! How infallible Your
truth! For You spoke and all things were made, and this, which You commanded,
was done. It is a wonderful thing, worthy of faith, overpowering human
understanding, that You, O Lord, my God, true God and man, are contained whole
and entire under the appearance of a little bread and wine, and without being
consumed are eaten by him who receives You!
You, the Lord of the universe, Who have need of nothing, have willed to dwell
in us by means of Your Sacrament. Keep my heart and body clean, so that with a
joyous and spotless conscience I may be able often to celebrate Your Mysteries
and to receive for my eternal salvation what You have ordained and instituted
for Your special honor and as an everlasting memorial.
Rejoice, my soul, and give thanks to God for having left you so noble a gift
and so special a consolation in this valley of tears. As often as you renew this
Mystery and receive the Body of Christ, so often do you enact the work of
redemption and become a sharer in all the merits of Christ, for the love of
Christ never grows less and the wealth of His mercy is never exhausted.
Therefore, you should prepare yourself for it by constantly renewing your
heart and pondering deeply the great mystery of salvation. As often as you
celebrate or hear Mass, it should seem as great, as new, as sweet to you as if
on that very day Christ became man in the womb of the Virgin, or, hanging on the
Cross, suffered and died for the salvation of man.
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The Third Chapter
IT IS PROFITABLE TO RECEIVE COMMUNION OFTEN
THE VOICE of the DISCIPLE
Behold, I come to You, Lord, that I may prosper by Your gift and be delighted
at Your holy banquet which You, O God, in Your sweetness have prepared for Your
poor. Behold, all that I can or ought to desire is in You. You are my salvation
and my redemption, my hope and strength, my honor and glory.
Gladden, then, this day the soul of Your servant because I have raised my
heart to You, O Lord Jesus. I long to receive You now, devoutly and reverently.
I desire to bring You into my house that, with Zacheus, I may merit Your
blessing and be numbered among the children of Abraham.
My soul longs for Your Body; my heart desires to be united with You. Give me
Yourself -- it is enough; for without You there is no consolation. Without You I
cannot exist, without Your visitation I cannot live. I must often come to You,
therefore, and receive the strength of my salvation lest, deprived of this
heavenly food, I grow weak on the way. Once, most merciful Jesus, while
preaching to the people and healing their many ills, You said: "I will not send
them away fasting, lest they faint in the way." [Matthew 15:32]
Deal with me likewise, You Who have left Yourself in this Sacrament for the
consolation of the faithful. You are sweet refreshment to the soul, and he who
eats You worthily will be a sharer in, and an heir to, eternal glory.
It is indeed necessary for me, who fall and sin so often, who so quickly
become lax and weak, to renew, cleanse, and inflame myself through frequent
prayer, confession, and the holy reception of Your Body, lest perhaps by
abstaining too long, I fall away from my holy purpose. For from the days of his
youth the senses of man are prone to evil, and unless divine aid strengthens
him, he quickly falls deeper. But
Holy Communion removes him from evil and
confirms him in good.
If I am so often careless and lax when I celebrate or communicate, what would
happen if I did not receive this remedy and seek so great a help? Although I am
neither fit nor properly disposed to celebrate every day, yet I will do my best
at proper times to receive the divine Mysteries and share in this great grace.
This, indeed, is the one chief consolation of the faithful soul when separated
from You by mortality, that often mindful of her God, she receives her Beloved
with devout recollection.
Oh, wonderful condescension of Your affection toward us, that You, the Lord
God, Creator and Giver of life to all, should see fit to come to a poor soul and
to appease her hunger with all Your divinity and humanity! O happy mind and
blessed soul which deserves to receive You, her Lord God, and in receiving You,
is filled with spiritual joy! How great a Master she entertains, what a beloved
guest she receives, how sweet a companion she welcomes, how true a friend she
gains, how beautiful and noble is the spouse she embraces, beloved and desired
above all things that can be loved and desired! Let heaven and earth and all
their treasures stand silent before Your face, most sweetly Beloved, for
whatever glory and beauty they have is of Your condescending bounty, and they
cannot approach the beauty of Your name, Whose wisdom is untold.
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The Fourth Chapter
MANY BLESSINGS ARE GIVEN THOSE WHO RECEIVE COMMUNION WORTHILY
THE VOICE of the DISCIPLE
O LORD my GOD, favor Your servant with the blessings of Your sweetness that I
may merit to approach Your magnificent Sacrament worthily and devoutly. Lift up
my heart to You and take away from me this heavy indolence. Visit me with Your
saving grace that I may in spirit taste Your sweetness which lies hidden in this
Sacrament like water in the depths of a spring. Enlighten my eyes to behold this
great Mystery, and give me strength to believe in it with firm faith.
For it is Your work, not the power of man, Your sacred institution, not his
invention. No man is able of himself to comprehend and understand these things
which surpass even the keen vision of angels. How, then, shall I, an unworthy
sinner who am but dust and ashes, be able to fathom and understand so great a
mystery?
O Lord, I come to You at Your command in simplicity of heart, in good, firm
faith, with hope and reverence, and I truly believe that You are present here in
this Sacrament, God and man. It is Your will that I receive You and unite myself
to You in love. Wherefore, I beg Your mercy and ask that special grace be given
me, that I may be wholly dissolved in You and filled with Your love, no longer
to concern myself with exterior consolations. For this, the highest and most
worthy Sacrament, is the health of soul and body, the cure of every spiritual
weakness. In it my defects are remedied, my passions restrained, and temptations
overcome or allayed. In it greater grace is infused, growing virtue is
nourished, faith confirmed, hope strengthened, and charity fanned into flame.
You, my God, the protector of my soul, the strength of human weakness, and
the giver of every interior consolation, have given and still do often give in
this Sacrament great gifts to Your loved ones who communicate devoutly.
Moreover, You give them many consolations amid their numerous troubles and lift
them from the depths of dejection to the hope of Your protection. With new
graces You cheer and lighten them within, so that they who are full of anxiety
and without affection before Communion may find themselves changed for the
better after partaking of this heavenly food and drink.
Likewise, You so deal with Your elect that they may truly acknowledge and
plainly experience how weak they are in themselves and what goodness and grace
they obtain from You. For though in themselves they are cold, obdurate, and
wanting in devotion, through You they become fervent, cheerful, and devout.
Who, indeed, can humbly approach the fountain of sweetness and not carry away
a little of it? Or who, standing before a blazing fire does not feel some of its
heat? You are a fountain always filled with superabundance! You are a fire, ever
burning, that never fails!
Therefore, while I may not exhaust the fullness of the fountain or drink to
satiety, yet will I put my lips to the mouth of this heavenly stream that from
it I may receive at least some small drop to refresh my thirst and not wither
away. And if I cannot as yet be all heavenly or as full of fire as the cherubim
and seraphim, yet I will try to become more devout and prepare my heart so that
I may gather some small spark of divine fire from the humble reception of this
life-giving Sacrament.
Whatever is wanting in me, good Jesus, Savior most holy, do You in Your
kindness and grace supply for me, You Who have been pleased to call all unto
You, saying: "Come to Me all you that labor and are burdened and I will refresh
you."
I, indeed, labor in the sweat of my brow. I am torn with sorrow of heart. I
am laden with sin, troubled with temptations, enmeshed and oppressed by many
evil passions, and there is none to help me, none to deliver and save me but
You, my Lord God and Savior, to Whom I entrust myself and all I have, that You
may protect me and lead me to eternal life. For the honor and glory of Your name
receive me, You Who have prepared Your Body and Blood as food and drink for me.
Grant, O Lord, my God and Savior, that by approaching Your Mysteries frequently,
the zeal of my devotion may increase.
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The Fifth Chapter
THE DIGNITY OF THE SACRAMENT AND OF THE PRIESTHOOD
THE VOICE of the BELOVED
Had you the purity of an angel and the sanctity of St. John the Baptist, you
would not be worthy to receive or administer this Sacrament. It is not because
of any human meriting that a man consecrates and administers the Sacrament of
Christ, and receives the Bread of Angels for his food. Great is the Mystery and
great the dignity of priests to whom is given that which has not been granted
the angels. For priests alone, rightly ordained in the Church, have power to
celebrate Mass and consecrate the Body of Christ.
The priest, indeed, is the minister of God, using the word of God according
to His command and appointment. God, moreover, is there -- the chief Author and
invisible Worker to Whom all is subject as He wills, to Whom all are obedient as
He commands.
In this most excellent Sacrament, therefore, you ought to believe in God
rather than in your own senses or in any visible sign, and thus, with fear and
reverence draw near to such a work as this. Look to yourself and see whose
ministry has been given you through the imposition of the bishop's hands.
Behold, you have been made a priest, consecrated to celebrate Mass! See to it
now that you offer sacrifice to God faithfully and devoutly at proper times, and
that you conduct yourself blamelessly. You have not made your burden lighter.
Instead, you are now bound by stricter discipline and held to more perfect
sanctity.
A priest ought to be adorned with all virtues and show the example of a good
life to others. His way lies not among the vulgar and common habits of men but
with the angels in heaven and the perfect men on earth. A priest clad in the
sacred vestments acts in Christ's place, that he may pray to God both for
himself and for all people in a suppliant and humble manner. He has before and
behind him the sign of the Lord's cross that he may always remember the Passion
of Christ. It is before him, on the chasuble, that he may look closely upon the
footsteps of Christ and try to follow them fervently. It is behind him -- he is
signed with it -- that he may gladly suffer for God any adversities inflicted by
others.
He wears the cross before him that he may mourn his own sins, behind him,
that in pity he may mourn the sins of others, and know that he is appointed to
stand between God and the sinner, never to become weary of prayer and the holy
offering until it is granted him to obtain grace and mercy.
When the priest celebrates Mass, he honors God, gladdens the angels,
strengthens the Church, helps the living, brings rest to the departed, and wins
for himself a share in all good things.
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The Sixth Chapter
AN INQUIRY ON THE PROPER THING TO DO BEFORE COMMUNION
THE VOICE of the DISCIPLE
When I consider Your dignity, O Lord, and my own meanness, I become very much
frightened and confused. For if I do not receive, I fly from Life, and if I
intrude unworthily, I incur Your displeasure. What, then, shall I do, my God, my
Helper and Adviser in necessity? Teach me the right way. Place before me some
short exercise suitable for Holy Communion, for it is good to know in what
manner I ought to make my heart ready devoutly and fervently for You, to receive
Your Sacrament for the good of my soul, or even to celebrate so great and divine
a sacrifice.
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The Seventh Chapter
THE EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE AND THE RESOLUTION TO AMEND
THE VOICE OF THE BELOVED
Above all, God's priest should approach the celebration and reception of this
Sacrament with the deepest humility of heart and suppliant reverence, with
complete faith and the pious intention of giving honor to God.
Carefully examine your conscience, then. Cleanse and purify it to the best of
your power by true contrition and humble confession, that you may have no
burden, know of no remorse, and thus be free to come near. Let the memory of all
your sins grieve you, and especially lament and bewail your daily
transgressions. Then if time permits, confess to God in the secret depths of
your heart all the miseries your passions have caused.
Lament and grieve because you are still so worldly, so carnal, so passionate
and unmortified, so full of roving lust, so careless in guarding the external
senses, so often occupied in many vain fancies, so inclined to exterior things
and so heedless of what lies within, so prone to laughter and dissipation and so
indisposed to sorrow and tears, so inclined to ease and the pleasures of the
flesh and so cool to austerity and zeal, so curious to hear what is new and to
see the beautiful and so slow to embrace humiliation and dejection, so covetous
of abundance, so niggardly in giving and so tenacious in keeping, so
inconsiderate in speech, so reluctant in silence, so undisciplined in character,
so disordered in action, so greedy at meals, so deaf to the Word of God, so
prompt to rest and so slow to labor, so awake to empty conversation, so sleepy
in keeping sacred vigils and so eager to end them, so wandering in your
attention, so careless in saying the office, so lukewarm in celebrating, so
heartless in receiving, so quickly distracted, so seldom fully recollected, so
quickly moved to anger, so apt to take offense at others, so prone to judge, so
severe in condemning, so happy in prosperity and so weak in adversity, so often
making good resolutions and carrying so few of them into action.
When you have confessed and deplored these and other faults with sorrow and
great displeasure because of your weakness, be firmly determined to amend your
life day by day and to advance in goodness. Then, with complete resignation and
with your entire will offer yourself upon the altar of your heart as an
everlasting sacrifice to the honor of My name, by entrusting with faith both
body and soul to My care, that thus you may be considered worthy to draw near
and offer sacrifice to God and profitably receive the Sacrament of My Body. For
there is no more worthy offering, no greater satisfaction for washing away sin
than to offer yourself purely and entirely to God with the offering of the Body
of Christ in Mass and Communion.
If a man does what he can and is truly penitent, however often he comes to Me
for grace and pardon, "As I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of
the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live"; [Ezekiel
33:11]
I will no longer remember his sins, but all will be forgiven him.
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The Eighth Chapter
THE OFFERING OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS; OUR OFFERING
THE VOICE of the BELOVED
As I offered Myself willingly to God the Father for your sins with hands
outstretched and body naked on the cross, so that nothing remained in Me that
had not become a complete sacrifice to appease the divine wrath, so ought you to
be willing to offer yourself to Me day by day in the Mass as a pure and holy
oblation, together with all your faculties and affections, with as much inward
devotion as you can.
What more do I ask than that you give yourself entirely to Me? I care not for
anything else you may give Me, for I seek not your gift but you. Just as it
would not be enough for you to have everything if you did not have Me, so
whatever you give cannot please Me if you do not give yourself.
Offer yourself to Me, therefore, and give yourself entirely for God -- your
offering will be accepted. Behold, I offered Myself wholly to the Father for
you, I even gave My whole Body and Blood for food that I might be all yours, and
you Mine forever.
But if you rely upon self, and do not offer your free will to Mine, your
offering will be incomplete and the union between us imperfect. Hence, if you
desire to attain grace and freedom of heart, let the free offering of yourself
into the hands of God precede your every action. This is why so few are inwardly
free and enlightened -- they know not how to renounce themselves entirely.
My word stands: "Everyone of you that doth not renounce all that he
possesseth, cannot be My disciple." [Luke 14:33]
If, therefore, you wish to be My disciple, offer yourself to Me with all your
heart.
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The Ninth Chapter
WE SHOULD OFFER OURSELVES AND ALL THAT WE HAVE TO GOD, PRAYING FOR ALL
THE Voice of the DISCIPLE
All things in heaven and on earth, O Lord, are Yours. I long to give myself
to You as a voluntary offering to remain forever Yours. With a sincere heart I
offer myself this day to You, O Lord, to Your eternal service, to Your homage,
and as a sacrifice of everlasting praise. Receive me with this holy offering of
Your precious Body which also I make to You this day, in the presence of angels
invisibly attending, for my salvation and that of all Your people.
O Lord, upon Your altar of expiation, I offer You all the sins and offenses I
have committed in Your presence and in the presence of Your holy angels, from
the day when I first could sin until this hour, that You may burn and consume
them all in the fire of Your love, that You may wipe away their every stain,
cleanse my conscience of every fault, and restore to me Your grace which I lost
in sin by granting full pardon for all and receiving me mercifully with the kiss
of peace.
What can I do for all my sins but humbly confess and lament them, and implore
Your mercy without ceasing? In Your mercy, I implore You, hear me when I stand
before You, my God. All my sins are most displeasing to me. I wish never to
commit them again. I am sorry for them and will be sorry as long as I live. I am
ready to do penance and make satisfaction to the utmost of my power.
Forgive me, O God, forgive me my sins for Your Holy Name. Save my soul which
You have redeemed by Your most precious Blood. See, I place myself at Your
mercy. I commit myself to Your hands. Deal with me according to Your goodness,
not according to my malicious and evil ways.
I offer to You also all the good I have, small and imperfect though it be,
that You may make it more pure and more holy, that You may be pleased with it,
render it acceptable to Yourself, and perfect it more and more, and finally that
You may lead me, an indolent and worthless creature, to a good and happy end.
I offer You also all the holy desires of Your devoted servants, the needs of
my parents, friends, brothers, sisters, and all who are dear to me; of all who
for Your sake have been kind to me or to others; of all who have wished and
asked my prayers and Masses for them and theirs, whether they yet live in the
flesh or are now departed from this world, that they may all experience the help
of Your grace, the strength of Your consolation, protection from dangers,
deliverance from punishment to come, and that, free from all evils, they may
gladly give abundant thanks to You.
I offer You also these prayers and the Sacrifice of Propitiation for those
especially who have in any way injured, saddened, or slandered me, inflicted
loss or pain upon me, and also for all those whom I have at any time saddened,
disturbed, offended, and abused by word or deed, willfully or in ignorance. May
it please You to forgive us all alike our sins and offenses against one another.
Take away from our hearts, O Lord, all suspicion, anger, wrath, contention,
and whatever may injure charity and lessen brotherly love. Have mercy, O Lord,
have mercy on those who ask Your mercy, give grace to those who need it, and
make us such that we may be worthy to enjoy Your favor and gain eternal life.
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The Tenth Chapter
DO NOT LIGHTLY FOREGO HOLY COMMUNION
THE VOICE of the BELOVED
You must often return to the source of grace and divine mercy, to the
fountain of goodness and perfect purity, if you wish to be free from passion and
vice, if you desire to be made stronger and more watchful against all the
temptations and deceits of the devil.
The enemy, knowing the great good and the healing power of Holy Communion,
tries as much as he can by every manner and means to hinder and keep away the
faithful and the devout. Indeed, there are some who suffer the worst assaults of
Satan when disposing themselves to prepare for Holy Communion. As it is written
in Job, this wicked spirit comes among the sons of God to trouble them by his
wonted malice, to make them unduly fearful and perplexed, that thus he may
lessen their devotion or attack their faith to such an extent that they perhaps
either forego Communion altogether or receive with little fervor.
No attention, however, must be paid to his cunning wiles, no matter how base
and horrible -- all his suggestions must be cast back upon his head. The wretch
is to be despised and scorned. Holy Communion must not be passed by because of
any assaults from him or because of the commotion he may arouse.
Oftentimes, also, too great solicitude for devotion and anxiety about
confession hinder a person. Do as wise men do. Cast off anxiety and scruple, for
it impedes the grace of God and destroys devotion of the mind.
Do not remain away from Holy Communion because of a small trouble or vexation
but go at once to confession and willingly forgive all others their offenses. If
you have offended anyone, humbly seek pardon and God will readily forgive you.
What good is it to delay confession for a long time or to put off Holy
Communion? Cleanse yourself at once, spit out the poison quickly. Make haste to
apply the remedy and you will find it better than if you had waited a long time.
If you put it off today because of one thing, perhaps tomorrow a greater will
occur to you, and thus you will stay away from Communion for a long time and
become even more unfit.
Shake off this heaviness and sloth as quickly as you can, for there is no
gain in much anxiety, in enduring long hours of trouble, and in depriving
yourself of the divine Mysteries because of these daily disturbances. Yes, it is
very hurtful to defer Holy Communion long, for it usually brings on a lazy
spiritual sleep.
How sad that some dissolute and lax persons are willing to postpone
confession and likewise wish to defer Holy Communion, lest they be forced to
keep a stricter watch over themselves! Alas, how little love and devotion have
they who so easily put off Holy Communion!
How happy and acceptable to God is he who so lives, and keeps his conscience
so pure, as to be ready and well disposed to communicate, even every day if he
were permitted, and if he could do so unnoticed.
If, now and then, a man abstains by the grace of humility or for a legitimate
reason, his reverence is commendable, but if laziness takes hold of him, he must
arouse himself and do everything in his power, for the Lord will quicken his
desire because of the good intention to which He particularly looks. When he is
indeed unable to come, he will always have the good will and pious intention to
communicate and thus he will not lose the fruit of the Sacrament.
Any devout person may at any hour on any day receive Christ in spiritual
communion profitably and without hindrance. Yet on certain days and times
appointed he ought to receive with affectionate reverence the Body of his
Redeemer in this Sacrament, seeking the praise and honor of God rather than his
own consolation.
For as often as he devoutly calls to mind the mystery and passion of the
Incarnate Christ, and is inflamed with love for Him, he communicates mystically
and is invisibly refreshed.
He who prepares himself only when festivals approach or custom demands, will
often find himself unprepared. Blessed is he who offers himself a sacrifice to
the Lord as often as he celebrates or communicates.
Be neither too slow nor too fast in celebrating but follow the good custom
common to those among whom you are. You ought not to cause others inconvenience
or trouble, but observe the accepted rule as laid down by superiors, and look to
the benefit of others rather than to your own devotion or inclination.
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The Eleventh Chapter
THE BODY OF CHRIST AND SACRED SCRIPTURE ARE MOST NECESSARY TO A FAITHFUL
SOUL
THE VOICE of the DISCIPLE
O most sweet Lord Jesus, how great is the happiness of the devout soul that
feasts upon You at Your banquet, where there is set before her to be eaten no
other food but Yourself alone, her only Lover, most desired of all that her
heart can desire!
To me it would be happiness, indeed, to shed tears in Your presence from the
innermost depths of love, and like the pious Magdalen to wash Your feet with
them. But where now is this devotion, this copious shedding of holy tears?
Certainly in Your sight, before Your holy angels, my whole heart ought to be
inflamed and weep for joy. For, hidden though You are beneath another form, I
have You truly present in the Sacrament.
My eyes could not bear to behold You in Your own divine brightness, nor could
the whole world stand in the splendor of the glory of Your majesty. In veiling
Yourself in the Sacrament, therefore, You have regard for my weakness.
In truth, I possess and adore Him Whom the angels adore in heaven -- I as yet
by faith, they face to face unveiled. I must be content with the light of the
true faith and walk in it until the day of eternal brightness dawns and the
shadow of figures passes away. When, moreover, that which is perfect shall have
come, the need of sacraments shall cease, for the blessed in heavenly glory need
no healing sacrament. Rejoicing endlessly in the presence of God, beholding His
glory face to face, transformed from their own brightness to the brightness of
the ineffable Deity, they taste the Word of God made flesh, as He was in the
beginning and will remain in eternity.
Though mindful of these wonderful things, every spiritual solace becomes
wearisome to me because so long as I do not plainly see the Lord in His glory, I
consider everything I hear and see on earth of little account.
You are my witness, O God, that nothing can comfort me, no creature give me
rest but You, my God, Whom I desire to contemplate forever. But this is not
possible while I remain in mortal life, and, therefore, I must be very patient
and submit myself to You in every desire.
Even Your saints, O Lord, who now rejoice with You in the kingdom of heaven,
awaited the coming of Your glory with faith and great patience while they lived.
What they believed, I believe. What they hoped for, I hope for, and whither they
arrived, I trust I shall come by Your grace. Meanwhile I will walk in faith,
strengthened by the example of the saints. I shall have, besides, for comfort
and for the guidance of my life, the holy Books, and above all these, Your most
holy Body for my special haven and refuge.
I feel there are especially necessary for me in this life two things without
which its miseries would be unbearable. Confined here in this prison of the body
I confess I need these two, food and light. Therefore, You have given me in my
weakness Your sacred Flesh to refresh my soul and body, and You have set Your
word as the guiding light for my feet. Without them I could not live aright, for
the word of God is the light of my soul and Your Sacrament is the Bread of Life.
These also may be called the two tables, one here, one there, in the treasure
house of holy Church. One is the table of the holy altar, having the holy Bread
that is the precious Body of Christ. The other is the table of divine law,
containing holy doctrine that teaches all the true faith and firmly leads them
within the veil, the Holy of holies.
Thanks to You, Lord Jesus, Light of eternal light, for the table of Your holy
teaching which You have prepared for us by Your servants, the prophets and
Apostles and other learned men.
Thanks to You, Creator and Redeemer of men, Who, to declare Your love to all
the world, have prepared a great supper in which You have placed before us as
food not the lamb, the type of Yourself, but Your own most precious Body and
Blood, making all the faithful glad in Your sacred banquet, intoxicating them
with the chalice of salvation in which are all the delights of paradise; and the
holy angels feast with us but with more happiness and sweetness.
Oh, how great and honorable is the office of the priest, to whom is given the
consecration of the Lord of majesty in sacred words, whose lips bless Him, whose
hands hold Him, whose tongue receives Him, and whose ministry it is to bring Him
to others!
Oh, how clean those hands should be, how pure the lips, how sanctified the
body, how immaculate the heart of the priest to whom the Author of all purity so
often comes. No word but what is holy, none but what is good and profitable
ought to come from the lips of the priest who so often receives the Sacrament of
Christ. Single and modest should be the eyes accustomed to looking upon the Body
of Christ. Pure and lifted up to heaven the hands accustomed to handle the
Creator of heaven and earth. To priests above all it is written in the law: "Be
ye holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy."
Let Your grace, almighty God, assist us, that we who have undertaken the
office of the priesthood may serve You worthily and devoutly in all purity and
with a good conscience. And if we cannot live as innocently as we ought, grant
us at least to lament duly the wrongs we have committed and in the spirit of
humility and the purpose of a good will to serve You more fervently in the
future.
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The Twelfth Chapter
THE COMMUNICANT SHOULD PREPARE HIMSELF FOR CHRIST WITH GREAT CARE
THE VOICE of the BELOVED
I AM the Lover of purity, the Giver of all holiness. I seek a pure heart and
there is the place of My rest.
Prepare for Me a large room furnished and I with My disciples will keep the
Pasch with you.
If you wish that I come to you and remain with you, purge out the old leaven
and make clean the dwelling of your heart. Shut out the whole world with all the
din of its vices. Sit as the sparrow lonely on the housetop, and think on your
transgressions in bitterness of soul.
Everyone who loves prepares the best and most beautiful home for his beloved,
because the love of the one receiving his lover is recognized thereby.
But understand that you cannot by any merit of your own make this preparation
well enough, though you spend a year in doing it and think of nothing else. It
is only by My goodness and grace that you are allowed to approach My table, as
though a beggar were invited to dinner by a rich man and he had nothing to offer
in return for the gift but to humble himself and give thanks.
Do what you can and do that carefully. Receive the Body of the Lord, your
beloved God Who deigns to come to you, not out of habit or necessity, but with
fear, with reverence, and with love.
I am He that called you. I ordered it done. I will supply what you lack. Come
and receive Me.
When I grant the grace of devotion, give thanks to God, not because you are
worthy but because I have had mercy upon you. If you have it not and feel rather
dry instead, continue in prayer, sigh and knock, and do not give up until you
receive some crumb of saving grace.
You have need of Me. I do not need you. You do not come to sanctify Me but I
come to sanctify you and make you better. You come to be sanctified and united
with Me, to receive new grace and to be aroused anew to amend. Do not neglect
this grace, but prepare your heart with all care, and bring into it your
Beloved.
Not only should you prepare devoutly before Communion, but you should also
carefully keep yourself in devotion after receiving the Sacrament. The careful
custody of yourself afterward is no less necessary than the devout preparation
before, for a careful afterwatch is the best preparation for obtaining greater
grace. If a person lets his mind wander to external comforts, he becomes quite
indisposed.
Beware of much talking. Remain in seclusion and enjoy your God, for you have
Him Whom all the world cannot take from you.
I am He to Whom you should give yourself entirely, that from now on you may
live, not in yourself, but in Me, with all cares cast away.
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The Thirteenth Chapter
WITH ALL HER HEART THE DEVOUT SOUL SHOULD DESIRE UNION WITH CHRIST IN THE
SACRAMENT
THE VOICE of the DISCIPLE
Let it be granted me to find You alone, O Christ, to open to You my whole
heart, to enjoy You as my soul desires, to be disturbed by no one, to be moved
and troubled by no creature, that You may speak to me and I to You alone, as a
lover speaks to his loved one, and friend converses with friend.
I pray for this, I desire this, that I may be completely united to You and
may withdraw my heart from all created things, learning to relish the celestial
and the eternal through Holy Communion and the frequent celebration of Mass.
Ah Lord God, when shall I be completely united to You and absorbed by You,
with self utterly forgotten? You in me and I in You? Grant that we may remain so
together. You in truth are my Beloved, chosen from thousands, in Whom my soul is
happy to dwell all the days of her life. You are in truth my pledge of peace, in
Whom is the greatest peace and true rest, without Whom there is toil and sorrow
and infinite misery.
You truly are the hidden God. Your counsel is not with the wicked, and Your
conversation is rather with the humble and the simple.
O how kind is Your spirit, Lord, Who in order to show Your sweetness toward
Your children, deign to feed them with the sweetest of bread, bread come down
from heaven! Surely there is no other people so fortunate as to have their god
near them, as You, our God, are present everywhere to the faithful, to whom You
give Yourself to be eaten and enjoyed for their daily solace and the raising of
their hearts to heaven.
Indeed, what other nation is so renowned as the Christian peoples? What
creature under heaven is so favored as the devout soul to whom God comes, to
feed her with His glorious Flesh? O unspeakable grace! O wonderful
condescension! O love beyond measure, singularly bestowed upon man!
What return shall I make to the Lord for this love, this grace so boundless?
There is nothing I can give more pleasing than to offer my heart completely to
my God, uniting it closely with His. Then shall all my inner self be glad when
my soul is perfectly united with God. Then will He say to me: "If you will be
with Me, I will be with you." And I will answer Him: "Deign, O Lord, to remain
with me. I will gladly be with You. This is my one desire, that my heart may be
united with You."
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The Fourteenth Chapter
THE ARDENT LONGING OF DEVOUT MEN FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST
THE VOICE of the DISCIPLE
How great is the abundance of Your kindness, O Lord, which You have hidden
from those who fear You!
When I think how some devout persons come to Your Sacrament with the greatest
devotion and love, I am frequently ashamed and confused that I approach Your
altar and the table of Holy Communion so coldly and indifferently; that I remain
so dry and devoid of heartfelt affection; that I am not completely inflamed in
Your presence, O my God, nor so strongly drawn and attracted as many devout
persons who, in their great desire for Communion and intense heart love, could
not restrain their tears but longed from the depths of their souls and bodies to
embrace You, the Fountain of Life. These were able to appease and allay their
hunger in no other way than by receiving Your Body with all joy and spiritual
eagerness. The faith of these men was true and ardent -- convincing proof of
Your sacred presence. They whose hearts burn so ardently within them when Jesus
lives with them truly know their Lord in the breaking of bread.
Such affection and devotion, such mighty love and zeal are often far beyond
me. Be merciful to me, O sweet, good, kind Jesus, and grant me, Your poor
suppliant, sometimes at least to feel in Holy Communion a little of the
tenderness of Your love, that my faith may grow stronger, that my hope in Your
goodness may increase, and that charity, once perfectly kindled within me by
tasting heavenly manna, may never fail.
Your mercy can give me the grace I long for and can visit me most graciously
with fervor of soul according to Your good pleasure. For although I am not now
inflamed with as great desire as those who are singularly devoted to You, yet by
Your grace I long for this same great flame, praying and seeking a place among
all such ardent lovers that I may be numbered among their holy company.
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The Fifteenth Chapter
THE GRACE OF DEVOTION IS ACQUIRED THROUGH HUMILITY AND SELF-DENIAL
THE VOICE of the BELOVED
You must seek earnestly the grace of devotion, ask for it fervently, await it
patiently and hopefully, receive it gratefully, guard it humbly, cooperate with
it carefully and leave to God, when it comes, the length and manner of the
heavenly visitation.
When you feel little or no inward devotion, you should especially humiliate
yourself, but do not become too dejected or unreasonably sad. In one short
moment God often gives what He has long denied. At times He grants at the end
what He has denied from the beginning of prayer. If grace were always given at
once, or were present at our beck and call, it would not be well taken by weak
humankind. Therefore, with good hope and humble patience await the grace of
devotion.
When it is not given, or for some unknown reason is taken away, blame
yourself and your sins. Sometimes it is a small matter that hinders grace and
hides it, if, indeed, that which prevents so great a good may be called little
rather than great. But if you remove this hindrance, be it great or small, and
if you conquer it perfectly, you shall have what you ask. As soon as you have
given yourself to God with all your heart and seek neither this nor that for
your own pleasure and purpose, but place yourself completely in His charge, you
shall find yourself at peace, united with Him, because nothing will be so sweet,
nothing will please you so much as the good pleasure of His will.
Anyone, therefore, who shall with simplicity of heart direct his intention to
God and free himself from all inordinate love or dislike for any creature will
be most fit to receive grace and will be worthy of the gift of devotion. For
where the Lord finds the vessel empty He pours down His blessing.
So also the more perfectly a man renounces things of this world, and the more
completely he dies to himself through contempt of self, the more quickly this
great grace comes to him, the more plentifully it enters in, and the higher it
uplifts the free heart.
Then shall he see and abound, then shall his heart marvel and be enlarged
within him, because the Hand of the Lord is with him and in the hollow of that
Hand he has placed himself forever. Thus shall the man be blessed who seeks God
with all his heart and has not regarded his soul in vain. Such a one, receiving
the Holy Eucharist, merits the grace of divine union because he looks not on his
own thoughts, nor to his own comfort, but above all devotion and consolation to
the glory and honor of God.
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The Sixteenth Chapter
WE SHOULD SHOW OUR NEEDS TO CHRIST AND ASK HIS GRACE
THE VOICE of the DISCIPLE
O most kind, most loving Lord, Whom I now desire to receive with devotion,
You know the weakness and the necessity which I suffer, in what great evils and
vices I am involved, how often I am depressed, tempted, defiled, and troubled.
To You I come for help, to You I pray for comfort and relief. I speak to Him
Who knows all things, to Whom my whole inner life is manifest, and Who alone can
perfectly comfort and help me.
You know what good things I am most in need of and how poor I am in virtue.
Behold I stand before You, poor and naked, asking Your grace and imploring Your
mercy.
Feed Your hungry beggar. Inflame my coldness with the fire of Your love.
Enlighten my blindness with the brightness of Your presence. Turn all earthly
things to bitterness for me, all grievance and adversity to patience, all lowly
creation to contempt and oblivion. Raise my heart to You in heaven and suffer me
not to wander on earth. From this moment to all eternity do You alone grow sweet
to me, for You alone are my food and drink, my love and my joy, my sweetness and
my total good.
Let Your presence wholly inflame me, consume and transform me into Yourself,
that I may become one spirit with You by the grace of inward union and by the
melting power of Your ardent love.
Suffer me not to go from You fasting and thirsty, but deal with me mercifully
as You have so often and so wonderfully dealt with Your saints.
What wonder if I were completely inflamed by You to die to myself, since You
are the fire ever burning and never dying, a love purifying the heart and
enlightening the understanding.
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The Seventeenth Chapter
THE BURNING LOVE AND STRONG DESIRE TO RECEIVE CHRIST
THE VOICE of the DISCIPLE
With greatest devotion and ardent love, with all affection and fervor of
heart I wish to receive You, O Lord, as many saints and devout persons, most
pleasing to You in their holiness of life and most fervent in devotion, desired
You in Holy Communion.
O my God, everlasting love, my final good, my happiness unending, I long to
receive You with as strong a desire and as worthy a reverence as any of the
saints ever had or could have felt, and though I am not worthy to have all these
sentiments of devotion, still I offer You the full affection of my heart as if I
alone had all those most pleasing and ardent desires.
Yet, whatever a God-fearing mind can conceive and desire, I offer in its
entirety to You with the greatest reverence and inward affection. I wish to keep
nothing for self but to offer to You, willingly and most freely, myself and all
that is mine.
O Lord God, my Creator and my Redeemer, I long to receive You this day with
such reverence, praise, and honor, with such gratitude, worthiness and love,
with such faith, hope, and purity as that with which Your most holy Mother, the
glorious Virgin Mary, longed for and received You when she humbly and devoutly
answered the angel who announced to her the mystery of the Incarnation: "Behold
the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word." [Luke
1:38]
Likewise as Your blessed precursor, the most excellent of saints, John the
Baptist, gladdened by Your presence, exulted in the Holy Ghost while yet
enclosed in the womb of his mother, and afterward seeing Jesus walking among
men, humbled himself and with devout love declared: "The friend of the
bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth with joy because of the
bridegroom's voice," [John 3:29]
even so I long to be inflamed with great and holy desires and to give myself to
You with all my heart.
Therefore I offer and present to You the gladness of all devout hearts, their
ardent affection, their mental raptures, their supernatural illuminations and
heavenly visions together with all the virtues and praises which have been or
shall be celebrated by all creatures in heaven and on earth, for myself and all
commended to my prayers, that You may be worthily praised and glorified forever.
Accept, O Lord my God, my promises and desires of giving You infinite praise
and boundless benediction, which in the vastness of Your ineffable greatness are
justly due You. This I render and desire to render every day and every moment of
time, and in my loving prayers I invite and entreat all celestial spirits and
all the faithful to join me in giving You praise and thanks.
Let all people, races, and tongues praise You and with the greatest joy and
most ardent devotion magnify Your sweet and holy name. And let all who
reverently and devoutly celebrate this most great Sacrament and receive it in
the fullness of faith, find kindness and mercy in You and humbly pray for me, a
sinner. And when they have received the longed-for devotion and blissful union,
and, well consoled and wonderfully refreshed, have retired from Your holy, Your
celestial table, may they deign to remember my poor soul.
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The Eighteenth Chapter
MAN SHOULD NOT SCRUTINIZE THIS SACRAMENT IN CURIOSITY, BUT HUMBLY IMITATE
CHRIST AND SUBMIT REASON TO HOLY FAITH
THE VOICE of the BELOVED
Beware of curious and vain examination of this most profound Sacrament, if
you do not wish to be plunged into the depths of doubt. He who scrutinizes its
majesty too closely will be overwhelmed by its glory.
God can do more than man can understand. A pious and humble search for truth
He will allow, a search that is ever ready to learn and that seeks to walk in
the reasonable doctrine of the fathers.
Blest is the simplicity that leaves the difficult way of dispute and goes
forward on the level, firm path of God's commandments. Many have lost devotion
because they wished to search into things beyond them.
Faith is required of you, and a sincere life, not a lofty intellect nor a
delving into the mysteries of God. If you neither know nor understand things
beneath you, how can you comprehend what is above you? Submit yourself to God
and humble reason to faith, and the light of understanding will be given you so
far as it is good and necessary for you. Some are gravely tempted concerning
faith and the Sacrament but this disturbance is not laid to them but to the
enemy.
Be not disturbed, dispute not in your mind, answer not the doubts sent by the
devil, but believe the words of God, believe His saints and prophets and the
evil enemy will flee from you. It is often very profitable for the servant of
God to suffer such things. For Satan does not tempt unbelievers and sinners whom
he already holds securely, but in many ways he does tempt and trouble the
faithful servant.
Go forward, then, with sincere and unflinching faith, and with humble
reverence approach this Sacrament. Whatever you cannot understand commit to the
security of the all-powerful God, Who does not deceive you. The man, however,
who trusts in himself is deceived. God walks with sincere men, reveals Himself
to humble men, enlightens the understanding of pure minds, and hides His grace
from the curious and the proud.
Human reason is weak and can be deceived. True faith, however, cannot be
deceived. All reason and natural science ought to come after faith, not go
before it, nor oppose it. For in this most holy and supremely excellent
Sacrament, faith and love take precedence and work in a hidden manner.
God, eternal, incomprehensible, and infinitely powerful, does great and
inscrutable things in heaven and on earth, and there is no searching into His
marvelous works. If all the works of God were such that human reason could
easily grasp them, they would not be called wonderful or beyond the power of
words to tell.
The End
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