strength; and follow thy steps, because thou hast vouchsafed to die for me. And how can I do this, except by thy aid? Let my soul adhere to thee, for it depends upon thee for all its strength. And now, O Lord my Redeemer, I adore thee as the true God; I trust in thee, I hope in thee, and, with what longings I am able, I sigh for thee; oh, help my imperfection! I bow myself wholly down before the glorious Symbols of thy Passion, with which thou hast wrought my salvation. In thy Name, O Christ, I adore the royal standard of thy victorious Cross. On my knees, I adore and glorify, O Christ, thy Diadem of Thoms, the Nails that were red with thy Blood, the Lance that was plunged in thy sacred Side, thy Wounds, thy Blood, thy Sepulchre, thy glorious and triumphant Resurrection and Glorification.
For by all of them is exhaled to me the odour of life. By their life-giving odour raise my spirit, O Lord, again from the death of sin. Preserve me by their power from the artifices of Satan, and strengthen me, that the yoke of thy commandments may become sweet to me, and the burden of the Cross, which thou biddest me bear after thee, may be light to the shoulders of my soul.
For what is my strength, that, according to thy precept, I should endure with unsubdued spirit all the manifold afflictions of the world? Are my feet like hart’s feet, that I should be able to follow thee in thy swift course through the thorns and rugged paths of thy sufferings?
But hear my voice, and lower upon thy servant that sweet Cross, which to them that lay hold of it is the Tree of Life. I hope that I shall run cheerfully, and carry after thee unweariedly that Cross which proceeds from my enemies.
Place, I say, upon my shoulders that most divine Cross, whose breadth is Charity, whose length is Eternity, whose height is Omnipotence, and whose depth is unsearchable Wisdom. Fasten to it my hands and my feet, and make thy servant all-conformable to thy Passion, O Lord!
