Meditation to the Blessed Sacrament
(This is from pages 11 to 13 of the Eucharistic Vigil Prayerbook revised 1990 Edition of the Eucharistic Vigil Association, Columbus, Ohio)
To please me, my dear child, it is not necessary to know much; all that is required is to love me much, to be deeply sorry for ever having offended me, and desirous of being ever faithful to me in the future.
Speak to me now as you would to your dearest friend. Tell me all that now fills your mind and heart. Are there any you wish to commend to me? Tell me their names, and tell me what you would wish me to do for them. Do not fear, ask for much; I love generous hearts, which, forgetting themselves, wish well to others.
Ask me for graces for yourself. Are there not many, and many you would wish to name, that would make you happier, more useful and pleasing to others, and more worthy of my love? Tell me them with humility, knowing how poor you are without them, how unable to gain them by yourself; ask for them with much love, that they may make you more pleasing to me.
With all a child's simplicity, tell me how self-seeking you are, how proud, vain, irritable, how cowardly in sacrifice, how lazy in work, uncertain in your good resolutions . . . and then ask me to bless and crown your efforts. Poor child, fear not, blush not at the sight of so many failings; there are Saints in Heaven who had the faults you have: they came to me, lovingly, they prayed earnestly to me - and my grace has made them good and holy in my sight.
You shall be mine, body and soul - fear not to ask of me, therefore, gifts of body and mind, health, judgement, memory and success - ask for them for my sake - that God may be glorified in all things. I can grant everything... and never refuse to give what may make a soul dearer to me, and better able to fulfill the will of God.
Have you no plans for the future which occupy - perhaps distress your mind? Tell me your hopes - your fears. Is it about your future state? Your position among my creatures? Some good you wish to bring to others? In what shall I help and bless your good will?
And what crosses have you - my dear child? Have they been many and heavy ones? Has someone caused you pain? Woulded your self love? Lay your head upon my breast, and tell me how you have suffered.
Have you felt that some have been ungrateful to you - and unfeeling toward you? Tell me all, and in the warmth of my heart you will find strength to forgive, and even to forget, that they ever wished to pain you.
And what fears have you my child? My providence shall comfort you; never abandon you. Are some growing cold in the interest and love they had for you? Pray to me for them; I will restore them to you if it be better for you and your sanctification.
Have you not some happiness to make known to me? What has happened since you came to me last - to console you, to gladden and give you joy? What was it? a mark of true friendship you received? a success unexpected and almost unhoped for? a fear suddenly taken away from you? And did you not remember the while, that in all it was my will, my love - that has brought all that your heart has been so glad to have? It was my hand, my dear child, that guided and prepared all for you. Look to me now, my child, and say - "Dear Lord, I thank you."
You will soon leave me now 0 what promises can you make me? Let them be sincere ones - humble ones - full of love and the desire to please me. Tell me how carefullyyou will avoid every occasion of sin.
Promise me to be kind to the poor - loving, for my sake - to friends - forgiving to your enemies - and charitable to all ... not in word and actions alone ... but in you very thought. When you have little love for your neighbor, whom you see, you are forgetting me who am hidden from you.
Love all my saints; seek the help of your holy Guardian Angel. Love - above all - my own dear glorious Mother. She is your Mother. O love her - speak to her often, and she will bring you to me - and for her sake I will love and bless you more each day.
Return to me soon...but come with your heart empty of the world, for I have many more favors to give - more than you can know of...bring your heart that I may fill it with many gifts of my love.
May peace be with you!
To please me, my dear child, it is not necessary to know much; all that is required is to love me much, to be deeply sorry for ever having offended me, and desirous of being ever faithful to me in the future.
Speak to me now as you would to your dearest friend. Tell me all that now fills your mind and heart. Are there any you wish to commend to me? Tell me their names, and tell me what you would wish me to do for them. Do not fear, ask for much; I love generous hearts, which, forgetting themselves, wish well to others.
Ask me for graces for yourself. Are there not many, and many you would wish to name, that would make you happier, more useful and pleasing to others, and more worthy of my love? Tell me them with humility, knowing how poor you are without them, how unable to gain them by yourself; ask for them with much love, that they may make you more pleasing to me.
With all a child's simplicity, tell me how self-seeking you are, how proud, vain, irritable, how cowardly in sacrifice, how lazy in work, uncertain in your good resolutions . . . and then ask me to bless and crown your efforts. Poor child, fear not, blush not at the sight of so many failings; there are Saints in Heaven who had the faults you have: they came to me, lovingly, they prayed earnestly to me - and my grace has made them good and holy in my sight.
You shall be mine, body and soul - fear not to ask of me, therefore, gifts of body and mind, health, judgement, memory and success - ask for them for my sake - that God may be glorified in all things. I can grant everything... and never refuse to give what may make a soul dearer to me, and better able to fulfill the will of God.
Have you no plans for the future which occupy - perhaps distress your mind? Tell me your hopes - your fears. Is it about your future state? Your position among my creatures? Some good you wish to bring to others? In what shall I help and bless your good will?
And what crosses have you - my dear child? Have they been many and heavy ones? Has someone caused you pain? Woulded your self love? Lay your head upon my breast, and tell me how you have suffered.
Have you felt that some have been ungrateful to you - and unfeeling toward you? Tell me all, and in the warmth of my heart you will find strength to forgive, and even to forget, that they ever wished to pain you.
And what fears have you my child? My providence shall comfort you; never abandon you. Are some growing cold in the interest and love they had for you? Pray to me for them; I will restore them to you if it be better for you and your sanctification.
Have you not some happiness to make known to me? What has happened since you came to me last - to console you, to gladden and give you joy? What was it? a mark of true friendship you received? a success unexpected and almost unhoped for? a fear suddenly taken away from you? And did you not remember the while, that in all it was my will, my love - that has brought all that your heart has been so glad to have? It was my hand, my dear child, that guided and prepared all for you. Look to me now, my child, and say - "Dear Lord, I thank you."
You will soon leave me now 0 what promises can you make me? Let them be sincere ones - humble ones - full of love and the desire to please me. Tell me how carefullyyou will avoid every occasion of sin.
Promise me to be kind to the poor - loving, for my sake - to friends - forgiving to your enemies - and charitable to all ... not in word and actions alone ... but in you very thought. When you have little love for your neighbor, whom you see, you are forgetting me who am hidden from you.
Love all my saints; seek the help of your holy Guardian Angel. Love - above all - my own dear glorious Mother. She is your Mother. O love her - speak to her often, and she will bring you to me - and for her sake I will love and bless you more each day.
Return to me soon...but come with your heart empty of the world, for I have many more favors to give - more than you can know of...bring your heart that I may fill it with many gifts of my love.
May peace be with you!