Divine love is a dew that fertilizes

“In aestu temperies: dulce refrigerium.”

Divine Love fertilizes the good desires, the holy purposes, and the good works of our souls, and these are the flowers and fruits which the grace of the Holy Ghost produces. O holy and Divine Spirit, I will no longer live to myself. I will spend all these days that remain to me of life in loving and pleasing Thee.

I. Divine Love is a dew that fertilizes the soul. Thus does the Holy Church teach us to pray: May the infusion of the Holy Ghost cleanse our hearts, and fertilize them by the inward sprinkling of his dew. Love fertilizes our good desires, our holy purposes, and the good works of our souls; these are the flowers and the fruits which the grace of the Holy Ghost produces. Love is also called dew, because it cools the heat of bad desires and temptations. Hence the Holy Ghost is also called refreshment in the excess of heat, and solace in our grief. In aestu temperies; dulce refrigerium.

O Holy and Divine Spirit, I will live no longer to myself; the days which may remain to me of life, I will spend entirely in loving and pleasing Thee. On this account I beseech Thee to grant me the gift of prayer. Come, Thou, into my heart, and teach me to pray as I ought. Give me strength not to neglect prayer in the time of dryness and weariness; and give me the spirit of prayer; that is, the grace of praying to Thee in such a manner, and of offering Thee such prayers as may be most acceptable to Thee.

II. This dew descends into our hearts in the time of prayer. A quarter of an hour’s prayer is sufficient to appease any passion of hatred or of inordinate love, however ardent it may be: He brought me into the cellar of wine, he set in order charity in me-(Cant. ii. 4). Holy meditation is this cellar of wine, where love is set in order, to love God above all things, and our neighbours as ourselves. He who loves God loves prayer; and he who loves not prayer will find it morally impossible to overcome his passions.

I was lost by my sins, O my God, but I now see from the favour which Thou hast shown me, that Thou desirest my sanctification and salvation; and I certainly desire to become holy, that I may please Thee, and love more ardently Thy infinite Goodness. I love Thee, my sovereign Good, my Love, and my All; and because I love Thee, I give my whole self to Thee. O Blessed Virgin Mary, protect me.