taken therefrom occasion to offend Thy infinite majesty, proud sinner that I was? Ah, Lord, I see why it is; I did not know how to bear an affront patiently, because I did not know how to love Thee. If I had loved Thee truly, it would have been sweet and pleasing to me. But since Thou dost promise pardon to him who repents, I repent with all my heart of all the faults of my whole life — a life so unlike Thine. But I desire to amend; and therefore I promise Thee to be willing to suffer patiently from this day forward all the contempt which I shall meet with for Thy love, O my Jesus! Who wast so much despised for the love of me. I understand that humiliations are precious mines from which Thou d rawest eternal treasures to enrich souls. I deserve far greater humiliations and reproaches for having despised Thy grace; I deserve to be trampled on by the devils. But Thy merits are my hope. I will change my life, and will no longer displease Thee; henceforth I will seek for nothing but Thy divine pleasure. For the future I will love Thee only; I desire that my heart should belong to Thee alone. Ah, take possession of it, and keep it forever, that I may be always Thine, and Thou mayest be always mine; that I may love Thee; and that Thou mayest love me forever. Yes, this is my hope, O my God! always to love Thee and always to be loved by Thee. I believe in Thee, Infinite Goodness; I hope in Thee, Infinite Goodness; I love Thee, Infinite Goodness; I love Thee and I will always say: I love Thee, I love Thee, I love Thee. O Mary, help me always to love God.
Recite the Steps of Our Saviour's Childhood, page 377.
