Chap. XIII That a Devout Soul Ought to Desire With Her Whole Heart to Be United to Christ in the Sacrament
The Voice of the Disciple.
1. Who will give me, O Lord, to find thee alone, that I may open my whole heart to thee, and enjoy thee as my soul desireth; and that no one may now despise me, nor any thing created move me or regard me; but thou alone mayest speak to me, and I to thee; as the Beloved is wont to speak to his Beloved, and a friend to banquet with his friend.
This I pray for, this I desire, that I may be wholly united to thee, and may withdraw my heart from all created things; and by the holy communion, and often celebrating, may more and more learn to relish heavenly and eternal things.
Ah! Lord God, when shall I be wholly united to thee, and absorpt in thee, and altogether forgetful of myself:
Thou in me, and I in thee; and so grant us both to continue in one.
2. Verily thou art my Beloved, the choicest amongst thousands, in whom my soul is well pleased to dwell all the days of her life:
Verily, thou art my peace-maker, in whom is sovereign peace and true rest; out of whom is labour and sorrow, and endless misery:
Thou art in truth, a hidden God, and thy counsel is not with the wicked; but thy conversation is with the humble and the simple.
Oh! how sweet is thy spirit, O Lord, who, to shew thy sweetness towards thy children, vouchsafest to feed them with the most delicious bread which cometh down from heaven!
Surely, there is no other nation so great, that hath their God so nigh to them, as thou our God art present to all thy faithful; to whom, for their daily comfort, and for the raising up their hearts to heaven, thou gavest thyself to be eaten and enjoyed.
3. For what other nation is there so honoured as the Christian people!
Or what creature under heaven so beloved as a devout soul, into whom God cometh, that he may feed her with his glorious flesh?
Oh! unspeakable grace! Oh! wonderful condescension! Oh! infinite love, singularly bestowed upon man!
But what return shall I make to the Lord for this grace, and for so extraordinary a charity?
There is nothing that I can give him that will please him better, than if I give up my heart entirely to God, and unite it closely to him.
Then all that is within me shall rejoice exceedingly, when my soul shall be perfectly united to my God:
Then will he say to me, If thou wilt be with me, I will be with thee; and I will answer him: Vouchsafe, O Lord, to remain with me, and I will willingly be with thee.
This is my whole desire, that my heart may be united to thee.