This is from Therese's "Act of Oblation to Merciful Love," from the Story of a Soul. She asked permission of her Mother Superior to make a total offering of herself to the Mercy of Jesus. By this sacrifice of her entire self—body and soul—she hoped to save many souls by obtaining Christ's mercy for them through her suffering.
"O my God! Most Blessed Trinity, I desire to love you and make you loved, to work for the glory of Holy Church by saving souls on earth and liberating those suffering in purgatory. I desire to accomplish your will perfectly and to reach the degree of glory you have prepared for me in your kingdom. I desire, in a word, to be a saint, but I feel my helplessness and I beg you, O my God! To be yourself my sanctity!
"Since you loved me so much as to give me your only son as my savior and my spouse, the infinite treasures of his merits are mine. I offer them to you with gladness, begging you to look on me only in the face of Jesus and in his heart burning with love…
"I want to console you for the ingratitude of the wicked, and I beg of you to take away my freedom to displease you. If through weakness I sometimes fall, may your divine grace cleanse my soul immediately, consuming all my imperfections like the fire that transforms everything into itself…
"After Earth's exile, I hope to go and enjoy you in heaven, but I do not want to lay up merits for heaven. I want to work for your love alone with the one purpose of pleasing you, consoling your sacred heart, and saving souls who will love you in eternity.
"In the evening of this life, I shall appear before you with empty hands, for I do not ask, Lord, to count my works. All our justice is stained in your eyes. I wish, then, to be clothed in your own justice and to receive from your love the eternal possession of yourself. I want no other throne, no other crown but you, my beloved!"
Concluding Prayer Prayed Each Day:
O Lord, You have said: Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven; grant us, we beg You, so to follow, in humility and simplicity of heart, the footsteps of the Virgin blessed Thérèse, that we may attain to an everlasting reward. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment