Thee the whole affection of my heart, as if I alone had all these most ardent longings.
Yea, and all that a dutiful mind can conceive and desire, do I, with the deepest reverence and most inward affection, offer and present unto Thee.
I desire to reserve nothing to myself, but freely and most cheerfully to sacrifice unto Thee myself and all that is mine.
O Lord my God, my Creator, my Redeemer, I desire to receive Thee this day, with such affection, reverence, praise, honour, gratitude, worthiness, and love, with such faith, hope, and purity, as Thy most holy mother, the glorious Virgin Mary, received and desired Thee, when to the angel who declared unto her glad tidings of the mystery of the incarnation she humbly and devoutly answered, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to Thy word."
3. And as Thy blessed forerunner, the most excellent among the saints, John Baptist, rejoicing in Thy presence, leaped for joy of the Holy Ghost, whilst he was yet shut up in his mother's womb; and afterwards seeing Jesus walking among men, humbled himself very greatly, and said with devout affection, "The friend of the bridegroom that standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the voice of the bridegroom;" in like manner I also wish to be inflamed with holy desires, and to offer myself up to Thee from my whole heart.
Wherefore also I offer and present unto Thee the triumphant joys, the fervent affections, the ecstasies, the supernatural illuminations and celestial visions of
