That I may hunger and thirst continually after thee, and the fulfilment of the glorious promises thou hast made to thy servants; That I may seek thee alone with all the powers of my soul, as thou alone can'st truly satisfy its desires. Glory be to the Father, &c. Psalm LXIV. WHEN, O my soul! will thy God find thee free from the busy thoughts that incessantly beset thee? O were that the case, how readily would he instruct thee, and make known to thee the secrets of his holy love! Yes, he himself would become thy familiar guest, and his presence would be for thee a source of perpetual joy. But, Lord! thou must first come and chase away these distracting fancies, and consecrate my soul to thee alone. Take thou entire possession of it, and suffer not its enemies any longer to molest it. Be thou its supreme Lord and master, and rule all its faculties; for thy government is mild and thy rewards are infinite. What hast thou promised, O Lord! to him who receives thee with an humble love? All that is contained in those sweet and mystic words: he dwelleth in me and I in him. O blessed words! O that my soul could say, he dwelleth in me and I in him!' He is my refuge in all temptations, my comfort under every trial! He is a secure protection against all my enemies; he dwells in me and I in him! What more could infinite liberality give than itself? what more could a poor and empty creature receive than God, the source of all good? O divine being! my life, my joy, the only object of my hopes! Were my inconstant soul once united to thee, or had it once relished the sweetness of thy presence, How dull and tedious would all other com pany appear to me! how insipid the vain enjoyments of this world! How gladly would I adhere to thee! how immoveably would my thoughts rest on thy divine perfections! Grant me then the grace to dwell with thee in spirit, that day and night I may sing thy praises and all my life adore thy mercies. Glory be to the Father, &c. Psalm LXV. THOU art my only hope, O Saviour of men! and thy favour is all things to me. In thee I find the watchfulness of a kind father, and all the tenderness of maternal solicitude. In thee I enjoy the protection of an omnipotent king, and the rare fidelity of a constant friend. From thy bounteous fulness all my wants are supplied, and my utmost desires are ever surpassed by thy beneficence. Thou art my God, O Jesus! and the source of all happiness; what more could I conceive or desire? This is enough for them who love thee; they know the full import of those precious words, my God and my all. O sweet and charming words! not indeed for the worldling who relishes only the gratifications of sense; But to the pious christian they are truly refreshing; they invigorate his mind and light up his soul with joy and peace. O may these blessed words dwell on my tongue, and live forever in my memory! Wherever I am in this changing world, whatever pursuits may engage my attention; Still let the eye of my soul look up to thee, and be fixed on the glory of thy countenance. Still may I wish and long for that happy day, when this blissful vision will be unfolded to my view; When I shall see, and no longer obscurely believe that thou, O Lord! art my God and my all. Glory be to the Father, &c. Ant. Thou hast prepared for us, O Lord! a table against all that trouble us. Hymn. My soul! thou surely now must be Recall thy thoughts that fondly fly Within the dwelling of thy heart, Then he, who now himself bestows, Wondrous Emmanuel! prince of peace! Amen. |