29th Visit to the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin Mary
4 min • Digitized on April 30, 2023
From Visits to the Most Holy Sacrament, by St. Alphonsus de Liguori, page 106
By St. Alphonsus de Liguori
Twenty-ninth visit.
“Behold I stand at the gate and knock.” Apoc. iii. 20.
O most loving Pastor, for the love of thy sheep, thou wast not content with offering thyself once a bleeding victim on the altar of the cross, but didst also wish to conceal thyself in this divine sacrament on the altars of thy church, that thou mightest be always near to us, to knock at the door of our hearts, and thus obtain admission into our souls.
O that I knew how to enjoy thy society, like the spouse in the Canticles, who said, “I sat down under his shadow whom I desired.” Can. ii. 3. Ah! if I loved thee, if I truly loved thee, O my most amiable Jesus, I, too, would desire to remain night and day at the foot of the altar, and, being near thy majesty, veiled under the consecrated species, I would enjoy those delights and that peace which thy lovers feel in thy presence.
Ah! draw me with the odors of thy beauty, and of the infinite love which thou dost display in this sacrament. “Draw me: we will run after thee to the odor of thy ointments.” Can. i. 8. Yes, my Saviour, I shall then renounce all creatures, and all the pleasures ot this world, to run to thee in the holy sacrament.
“As olive plants round about thy table” Ps. cxxvii. 3. Like olive plants, these happy souls, who assist with love before the blessed sacrament, render to God abundant fruits of sanctity.
But O my Jesus, I am ashamed to appear in thy presence so naked and so devoid of virtue. Thou hast commanded that no one shall come to honor thee on the altar without presenting some gift to thee, “Thou shalt not appear empty before me.” Exod. xxiii. 15.
What, then, shall I do? Shall I no more appear in thy presence to visit thee? No; this is not pleasing to thee. Poor as I am, I will come, thou wilt provide me with the gifts which thou dost desire from me. I know that thou dost remain in this sacrament, not only to reward thy lovers, but also to dispense thy favors to the poor.
I adore thee, O King of my heart, O true lover of men, O Shepherd, too much enamored of thy flock: to this throne of thy love I approach to-day; and, having nothing else to offer thee, I present to thee my miserable heart, that it may be wholly consecrated to thy love and service.
With this heart I am able to love thee; with this heart I wish to love thee as much as I can. Draw it, then, to thyself, and bind it entirely to thy will, that henceforth I may be able to say with St. Paul, who was bound with the chains of thy love, “I, the prisoner of Jesus Christ.” Eph. iii. 1.
Unite me, O Lord, entirely to thyself, make me even forget myself, that I may one day lose all things, even myself, to find only thee, and to love thee for ever. I love thee, O my Lord, concealed in this sacrament. I bind and unite myself to thee. Grant that I may find thee, and love thee, and that thou mayest never more depart from me.
Prayer: My Jesus thou alone art sufficient for me.
The Spiritual Communion.
Twenty-ninth visit to the Blessed Virgin.
O charitable queen, thou art styled by thy servants the advocate of sinners. Since, then, thou art employed in defending sinners, who place themselves under thy protection, I fly to thee, and address thee in the language of one of thy most devoted servants.
O loving advocate, exercise thy office in my behalf; undertake my defence. It is true that I have been a rebel to thy beloved Son; but the evil is committed: save me, then, from the dreadful consequence of my rebellion. If thou tell thy divine Son that thou hast taken me under thy protection, I shall be pardoned and saved.
Prayer: O my Mother, my dear Mother, save me.