“There are others, enlightened in their minds and purged in their affections, who are always panting after eternal things and listen unwillingly to earthly things; these perceive what the spirit of truth says within them.

“Love is a great thing, altogether a great good, which alone makes light everything that is heavy, and carries evenly all that is uneven.  For it bears the burden without being burdened, and makes sweet and tasteful everything that is bitter.  The noble love of Jesus drives on to great deeds, and always excites to the desire of more perfect things.  Love wills to rise upwards, and not to be held back by the lowest things.  Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing is stronger, nothing higher or broader; nothing is more delightful or fuller in heaven or in earth; for love is born of God, and cannot rest except in God, above all created things.”

IV.—­DEVOUT EXHORTATION TO HOLY COMMUNION

The voice of Christ, “Come to Me all who labour and are burdened, and I will refresh you,” says the Lord.  “The bread which I will give you is My flesh for the life of the world.  Receive and consume it; this is My body which will be delivered for you; do this in commemoration of Me.  Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him.  The words which I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”

These are your words, Christ, Eternal Truth, although not given at one time nor written in one place.  Because they are yours, and true, they are all to be received gratefully by me.  They are yours, and you pronounced them; and they are mine also because you uttered them for my welfare.  I gladly accept them from your lips, that they may be more closely buried in my heart.  Words of such kindness, full of sweetness and love, arouse me.  But my own sins frighten me, and my impure conscience repels me from taking hold of such great mysteries.

You bid me come to you trustfully if I would have part with you; and to receive the food of immortality if I wish to obtain eternal life and glory.  “Come to Me,” you say, “all who labour and are burdened, and I will refresh you.”  O sweet and friendly word in the ear of a sinner, that you, my Lord God, invite the destitute and poor to the communion of your most holy Body.

Lord, all things in heaven and in earth are yours.  I desire to offer myself as a willing oblation, and to remain yours in perpetuity.  Lord, in the simplicity of my heart I offer myself to you to-day to be for ever your servant—­offer myself for obedience and for a sacrifice of eternal praise.  Receive me with this holy offering of your precious Body, which I offer to you to-day in the presence of angels, assisting though unseen, that it may be for my welfare and for the welfare of all your people.

The voice of the beloved:  “God does not deceive you; he is deceived who trusts too much to himself.  God walks with the simple, reveals Himself to the humble, gives understanding to the feeble, opens His meaning to pure minds, and hides His grace from the inquisitive and proud.  Human reason is weak and may be deceived, but true faith cannot be deceived.