the love of Jesus Christ. He has promised that Thou wilt grant to him who prays in His Name whatever he asks of Thee. If I continue to pray to Thee in this way, I shall certainly be saved; but if I neglect so doing, I shall certainly be lost. Most holy Mary, obtain for me this great gift of prayer, and also that I may persevere in recommending myself constantly to God, and also to thee, who dost obtain from God whatever thou wiliest.
Recite the Steps of Our Saviour's Childhood, page, 377.
March 25th.
TO JESUS, KING OF LOVE.
The Son of God wished to present Himself under the form of a sweet little child, that thus He might the more readily and the more forcibly draw to Himself the love of man. Little children of themselves are loved at once, and to see them and to love them is the same thing. With this view the Eternal Word chose first to be seen among men as an infant, that He might conciliate to Himself the love of all mankind.
O Divine Word, become man for me, though I behold Thee thus humbled and become a little Infant, yet I confess and acknowledge Thee for my Lord and King, but a King of love. My dearest Saviour, since Thou hast come down upon earth and clothed Thyself with our miserable flesh in order to reign over our hearts, I beseech Thee come and establish Thy reign in my heart also, which was once, alas! ruled over by Thine enemies, but is now, I hope, Thine, as I desire that it may be always Thine, and that from this day forth Thou mayest be its only Lord. Other kings reign by the strength of arms, but Thou comest to reign by the power of love; and therefore Thou dost not come with regal pomp, nor clothed in purple and gold, nor adorned with sceptre and crown, nor surrounded by armies of soldiers. Thou wast born in a stable — poor and
