The practice of the love of Jesus Christ - 007

VII.-HOW DESERVING JESUS CHRIST IS OF OUR LOVE ON ACCOUNT OF THE LOVE HE HAS SHOWN US IN HIS PASSION.

I. St. Bonaventure says there is no devotion more fitted for sanctifying a soul than meditation on the Passion of Jesus, Christ; hence he advises us to meditate every day upon the Passion, if we would advance in the love of God. “If you would make progress, meditate daily on the Passion of the Lord; for nothing works such an entire sanctification in the soul as the meditation of the Passion of Christ.” And before him St. Augustine, as de Bustis relates, said that one tear shed in memory of the Passion is worth more than fasting weekly on bread and water. Wherefore the Saints were always occupied in considering the sorrows of Jesus Christ: it was by this means that St. Francis of Assisi became a seraph. The Seraphic Saint was one day found shedding tears and crying out with a loud voice. Being asked the cause, “I weep,” he replied, “over the sorrows and ignominies of my Lord; and what causes me the greatest sorrow is, that men, for whom He suffered so much, live in forgetfulness of Him.” And on saying this he wept the more, so that this gentleman began also himself to weep.

O Jesus, bring continually to my remembrance, I beseech Thee, all that Thou hast suffered for me, so that I may never more forget to love Thee. O cords that bound my Jesus, bind me to Jesus; thorns that crowned my Jesus, pierce me with the love of Jesus; nails that transfixed my Jesus, nail me to the Cross of Jesus, that I may live and die united to Jesus. O Blood of Jesus, inebriate me with His holy love! O death of Jesus, make me die to every earthly affection!

Pierced feet of my Lord, I embrace you! Deliver me from hell which I have deserved. My Jesus, in hell I could no more love Thee, and yet I desire to love Thee always. Save me, my dearest Saviour; bind me to Thyself, that I may never again lose Thee. O Mary, refuge of sinners and Mother of my Saviour, help a sinner who wishes to love God, and who recommends himself to you: succour me for the love you bear to Jesus Christ.

II. When St. Francis heard the bleating of a lamb, or saw anything which reminded him of the Passion of Jesus, he immediately shed tears. On one occasion, being sick, he was told to read some pious book. “My book,” he replied, ” is Jesus crucified.” Hence he did nothing but exhort his brethren to be ever thinking of the Passion of Jesus Christ. Tiepoli writes: “He who becomes not inflamed with the love of God by looking on Jesus dead upon the Cross, will never love at all.”

O Eternal Word, Thou hast spent three-and-thirty years in labours and fatigues; Thou hast given Thy life and Thy Blood for man’s salvation; in short, Thou hast spared nothing to make men love Thee; and how is it possible that there should be those who know this, and yet do not love Thee? O God, among these ungrateful ones I also may be numbered! I see the wrong I have done Thee; O my Jesus have pity upon me! I offer Thee this ungrateful heart-ungrateful, it is true, but penitent. Yes, I repent above every other evil, O my dear Redeemer, for having despised Thee! I repent, and I am sorry with my whole heart.

O my soul, love a God Who is bound like a criminal for thee; a God scourged like a slave for thee; a God made a mock king for Thee; a God, in short, dead upon a Cross, as the vilest outcast for thee! Yes, my Saviour, my God, I love Thee, I love Thee!