The practice of the love of Jesus Christ - 104

"Charity endureth all things"

HE THAT LOVES JESUS CHRIST WITH A STRONG LOVE DOES NOT CEASE TO LOVE HIM IN THE MIDST OF TEMPTATIONS AND DESOLATIONS

I. But, I repeat, the most efficacious and the most necessary of all remedies against temptation, is that remedy of remedies, namely to pray to God for help, and to continue praying as long as the temptation continues. Almighty God will frequently have decreed success, not to the first prayer, but to the second, third, or fourth. In short, we must be thoroughly persuaded that all our welfare depends on prayer: our change of life depends on prayer; our victory over temptations depends on prayer; on prayer depends our obtaining Divine love, together with perfection, perseverance, and eternal salvation. There may be some who, after the perusal of my spiritual works, will accuse me of tediousness in so often recommending the importance and necessity of having continual recourse to God by prayer. But I seem to myself to have said not too much but far too little. I know that day and night we are all assailed with temptations from the infernal powers, and that Satan lets slip no occasion of causing us to fall. I know that, without the Divine help, we have not strength to repel the assaults of the devils; and that therefore the Apostle exhorts us to put on the armour of God: Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness (Eph. vi. 11, 12). And what is this armour with which St. Paul warns us to clothe ourselves in order to conquer our enemies? Behold in what it consists: By all prayer and supplication, praying at all times in the spirit, and in the same watching with all instance (Eph. vi. 18). This armour is constant and fervent prayer to God, that He may help us to gain the victory. I know, moreover, that in every page of the Holy Scriptures, both in the Old and New Testament, we are repeatedly admonished to pray: Call upon me, and I will deliver thee (Ps. xlix. 15). Cry to me and I will hear thee (Jer. xxxiii. 3). We ought always to pray and not to faint (Luke xviii. 1). Ask, and you shall receive (Matt. vii. 7). Watch and pray (Mark xiii. 33). Pray without ceasing (1 Thess. v. 17). So that I think, far from having spoken too much on prayer, I have not said enough.

II. I would urge it on all preachers to recommend nothing so much to the people as prayer; on confessors, to insist on nothing so earnestly with their penitents as prayer; on spiritual writers, to treat of no subject more copiously than on prayer. But it is a source of grief to my heart, and it seems to me a chastisement of our sins, that so many preachers, confessors, and authors speak so little of prayer. There is no doubt that sermons, meditations, communions, and mortifications are great helps in the spiritual life; but if we fail to call upon God by prayer in the moment of temptation, we shall fall, in spite of all the sermons, meditations, communions, penances, and virtuous resolutions. If, then, we really wish to be saved, let us aways pray, and commend ourselves to Jesus Christ, and most of all when we are tempted; and let us not only pray for the grace of holy perseverance, but at the same time for the grace to pray always. Let us, likewise, take care to recommend ourselves to the Divine Mother, who, as St. Bernard says, is the dispenser of graces: "Let us seek for graces, and let us seek them through Mary." For the same Saint assures us that it is the will of God, that not a single grace should be dealt to us except through the hands of Mary: "God has willed us to receive nothing that has not passed through the hands of Mary."

O Jesus, my Redeemer, I trust in Thy Blood, that Thou has forgiven me all my offences against Thee; and I fondly hope to come one day to bless Thee for it eternally in Heaven: The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever. I plainly see now that I have over and over again fallen in times past from the want of entreating Thee for holy perseverance. I earnestly beg Thee at this present moment to grant me perseverance: Never suffer me to be separated from Thee. And I propose to make this prayer to Thee always; but especially when I am tempted to offend Thee. I indeed make this resolution and promise; but what will it profit me thus to resolve and promise if Thou dost not give me the grace to run and cast myself at Thy feet? By the merits, then, of Thy Sacred Passion, oh, grant me this grace, in all my necessities to have recourse to Thee. O Mary, my Queen and my Mother, I beseech thee, by thy tender love for Jesus Christ, to procure me the grace of always fleeing for succour, as long as I live, to thy blessed Son and to thee.