A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom [40]
used on earth as Thou, my innocent and beloved Child!
Alas, my Child, my only consolation, my only joy, how art Thou changed for
me into a source of much bitterness! Where is now the joy I experienced at
Thy birth? Where the delight I had in Thy childhood? Where the honour and
dignity I had in Thy presence? Whither is all gone that could ravish my
heart? Oh sorrow! Oh anguish! Oh bitterness! Oh desolation of heart! truly
is everything transformed into an unfathomable desolation of heart, into a
mortal agony! Alas, Thou Child of mine, how am I so shorn of all love, how
has my heart become utterly disconsolate! Such, and many such words of
lamentation did I utter, because of my deceased Child.
The Servant.--Oh, pure and beautiful Mother, permit me once more to
console my heart in this moment with thy dear Child, my Lord, the Eternal
Wisdom, before the hour of separation comes, before He is snatched away from
us to the grave. Immaculate Mother! however unfathomable thy heart's
affliction way, however strongly it may touch all other hearts, thou didst
yet, methinks, find some pleasure in the affectionate embracing of thy
deceased Child. Oh, pure and gentle Lady, I desire that thou wouldst offer
me thy dear Child, as He appeared in death, on the lap of my soul, so that I
may experience, according to my ability, in spirit and meditation, what thou
didst in thy body. Lord, my eyes are turned to Thee in the most rapturous
joy and in deepest, heart-felt love, such as no only love was ever regarded
with by the beloved. Lord, my soul expands to Thy embrace even as the tender
rose expands to the pure sun's brightness. Lord, my soul stretches out her
arms to Thee with infinite desire. Oh, my loving Lord, with ardent desire I
embrace Thee today, and press Thee to the bottom of my heart and soul, and
put Thee in mind of the loving hour of Thy death, that Thou mayest never
allow it to be lost in me; and I request that neither life, nor death, nor
joy, nor sorrow, may ever separate Thee from me. Lord, my eyes contemplate
Thy dead countenance, my soul kisses again and again all Thy fresh bleeding
wounds, all my senses are fed with this sweet fruit beneath the living tree
of the cross; and it is reasonable, for this person consoles himself with
his innocent life, the other with his great exercises and strict conduct;
the one with this, the other with that; but, as for me, all my consolation,
all my trust, are lodged wholly in Thy Passion, in Thy satisfaction and
merited reward, and therefore, I shall at all times carry Thy Passion
joyfully in the bottom of my heart, and show the image of it outwardly, in
words and deeds, to the utmost of my ability.
Oh, enchanting brightness of eternal light, how art Thou now for me
utterly extinguished! Extinguish in me the burning lust of all vice.
Oh, pure transparent mirror of divine majesty, how art Thou now
defiled! Cleanse away the great stains of my evil deeds!
Oh, beautiful image of paternal goodness, how art Thou befouled and
utterly defaced! Restore the defaced and faded image of my soul!
Oh, Thou innocent Lamb, how wretchedly art Thou used! Amend and atone
for my guilty, sinful life!
Oh, Thou King of all kings, and Lord of all lords, how does my soul see
Thee lying here in so lamentable and ghastly a plight! Grant, that since my
soul now embraces Thee with sorrow and lamentation in Thy dereliction, she
may be embraced by Thee with joy in Thy everlasting glory. Amen.
CHAPTER XX. On The Lamentable Separation of the Grave
The Servant.--Now, tender Lady, put an end to thy sorrow and thy sad
recital, and tell me how thou didst separate from thy Beloved.
Answer.--It was a misery to see and hear. Alas, all was yet
supportable, while I had my Child with me; but when they tore my dead Child
from my blighted heart, from my embracing arms, from my face pressed to His,
and buried Him, what a wailing I set up in that hour would hardly be
believed; and then when it came to the separation, oh, what
Alas, my Child, my only consolation, my only joy, how art Thou changed for
me into a source of much bitterness! Where is now the joy I experienced at
Thy birth? Where the delight I had in Thy childhood? Where the honour and
dignity I had in Thy presence? Whither is all gone that could ravish my
heart? Oh sorrow! Oh anguish! Oh bitterness! Oh desolation of heart! truly
is everything transformed into an unfathomable desolation of heart, into a
mortal agony! Alas, Thou Child of mine, how am I so shorn of all love, how
has my heart become utterly disconsolate! Such, and many such words of
lamentation did I utter, because of my deceased Child.
The Servant.--Oh, pure and beautiful Mother, permit me once more to
console my heart in this moment with thy dear Child, my Lord, the Eternal
Wisdom, before the hour of separation comes, before He is snatched away from
us to the grave. Immaculate Mother! however unfathomable thy heart's
affliction way, however strongly it may touch all other hearts, thou didst
yet, methinks, find some pleasure in the affectionate embracing of thy
deceased Child. Oh, pure and gentle Lady, I desire that thou wouldst offer
me thy dear Child, as He appeared in death, on the lap of my soul, so that I
may experience, according to my ability, in spirit and meditation, what thou
didst in thy body. Lord, my eyes are turned to Thee in the most rapturous
joy and in deepest, heart-felt love, such as no only love was ever regarded
with by the beloved. Lord, my soul expands to Thy embrace even as the tender
rose expands to the pure sun's brightness. Lord, my soul stretches out her
arms to Thee with infinite desire. Oh, my loving Lord, with ardent desire I
embrace Thee today, and press Thee to the bottom of my heart and soul, and
put Thee in mind of the loving hour of Thy death, that Thou mayest never
allow it to be lost in me; and I request that neither life, nor death, nor
joy, nor sorrow, may ever separate Thee from me. Lord, my eyes contemplate
Thy dead countenance, my soul kisses again and again all Thy fresh bleeding
wounds, all my senses are fed with this sweet fruit beneath the living tree
of the cross; and it is reasonable, for this person consoles himself with
his innocent life, the other with his great exercises and strict conduct;
the one with this, the other with that; but, as for me, all my consolation,
all my trust, are lodged wholly in Thy Passion, in Thy satisfaction and
merited reward, and therefore, I shall at all times carry Thy Passion
joyfully in the bottom of my heart, and show the image of it outwardly, in
words and deeds, to the utmost of my ability.
Oh, enchanting brightness of eternal light, how art Thou now for me
utterly extinguished! Extinguish in me the burning lust of all vice.
Oh, pure transparent mirror of divine majesty, how art Thou now
defiled! Cleanse away the great stains of my evil deeds!
Oh, beautiful image of paternal goodness, how art Thou befouled and
utterly defaced! Restore the defaced and faded image of my soul!
Oh, Thou innocent Lamb, how wretchedly art Thou used! Amend and atone
for my guilty, sinful life!
Oh, Thou King of all kings, and Lord of all lords, how does my soul see
Thee lying here in so lamentable and ghastly a plight! Grant, that since my
soul now embraces Thee with sorrow and lamentation in Thy dereliction, she
may be embraced by Thee with joy in Thy everlasting glory. Amen.
CHAPTER XX. On The Lamentable Separation of the Grave
The Servant.--Now, tender Lady, put an end to thy sorrow and thy sad
recital, and tell me how thou didst separate from thy Beloved.
Answer.--It was a misery to see and hear. Alas, all was yet
supportable, while I had my Child with me; but when they tore my dead Child
from my blighted heart, from my embracing arms, from my face pressed to His,
and buried Him, what a wailing I set up in that hour would hardly be
believed; and then when it came to the separation, oh, what