gone forth from his mouth be revoked or fail. Vouchsafe, O eternal Father, to increase in me this hope and trust which I give into thy merciful keeping, until I see thee in thy unfading eternity, and hope is lost in fruition. Amen.
LOVE OF GOD.
It was revealed to St. Gertrude that when a soul which loves God turns to him with ardent affection and desire, if it were possible, to make reparation to him for all the insults and affronts whereby his honour is outraged, and expresses to him all its yearning tenderness, his anger is appeased, and he spares the world of sinners. For one loving soul obtains more from God for all the faithful living and departed than ten thousand who are cold and unloving.
O My God, most
worthy object of
my love, my supreme
and infinite Good, I
love thee and will
love thee for ever and
ever; I embrace thee
with all the affections
of my heart, with the
strong embrace of
love, for thou art my
sweetest and much-desired Good, thou
my perennial peace
and sweetness, thou
the sufficing portion
of my soul. O thou
most gentle, most
ravishing, most beloved Lord, thou art
the life of my soul,
thou the jubilee of
my heart, my God,
my Love, the chosen
One of all my vows.
I love thee, O my
sweetness, my joy, my
delight; I love thee
with all my soul and
with all my strength,
but, alas, not as I
ought, not as I would.