Visita II
The Memorial of Love
Jesus remains in the Eucharist as a perpetual pledge of his love and a memorial for his people.
The devout Fr.1 Nierembergh says that, since bread is a food that is consumed by being eaten and is preserved by being kept, Jesus therefore willed to leave himself on earth under the species of bread, not only to be consumed by uniting himself to the soul of those who love him through holy Communion, but also to be preserved in the tabernacle and make himself present to us, and so remind us of the love he bears us.2 St. Paul says: "He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant" (Phil. 2). 2). But what must we say, then, when we see him taking the form of bread?3 "No tongue is enough," says St. Peter of Alcantara, "to declare the greatness of the love Jesus bears for each of the souls that are in grace. So this most sweet Bridegroom, wanting to leave this life, did not want his absence to cause them to forget him. He left them this most holy Sacrament as a memorial, in which he himself remained, wanting no other pledge between them to keep their memory of him awake than he himself."
A Sinner's Plea
The soul approaches the tabernacle with repentance, seeking forgiveness and the grace to love God deeply.
So then, my Jesus, since you stay shut in this tabernacle to hear the pleas of the wretched who come seeking an audience with you, hear today the plea that the most ungrateful sinner living among all people brings you. I come to your feet in repentance, acknowledging the wrong I have done in displeasing you. So first I want you to forgive me for all the ways I've offended you. Ah, my God, if only I had never displeased you! And then, do you know what I desire? Having come to know how supremely lovable you are, I have fallen in love with you, and I feel a great desire to love you and to please you—but I don't have the strength to do it unless you help me.4 O great Lord, make all of paradise know your great power and your immense goodness; make me, from the great rebel I have been toward you, into a great lover of you. You can do it; you want to do it. Supply all that is lacking in me, so that I may come to love you deeply—at least to love you as much as I have offended you. I love you, my Jesus, above all things; I love you more than my own life—my God, my love, my all. James.5 My God and my all.
Spiritual Communion
A brief pause for the act of spiritual communion.
Spiritual Communion.
The Throne of Grace
Turning to Mary as the mediatrix and throne of grace to seek her intercession for a repentant heart.
To Mary. Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may find mercy in our time of need (Heb. c. 4). Saint Antoninus says that this throne is Mary, in whom God dispenses all graces. O most lovable Queen, if you so greatly desire to help sinners, here is a great sinner who turns to you: help me greatly, and help me soon. — Ejac.6 with St. Augustine. Sole refuge of sinners, have mercy on me.
Praise of the Queen
A final, poetic invocation of Mary's titles and mercy, concluding with a plea for her protection.
A prayer by St. Ephrem. O Queen of the universe, our most kind Lady, you are the only advocate for sinners and the safe harbor for those who have been shipwrecked; you are the consolation of the world, the ransom for the wicked, the joy of the sick, the refreshment of the afflicted, the refuge and salvation of the whole earth.7 O full of grace, enlighten my mind and loosen my tongue to sing your praises, and above all, the angelic canticle so worthy of you.8 I greet you, O peace, O joy, O health and consolation of the whole world. I greet you, O greatest miracle the world has ever seen, paradise of delights, safe harbor for those in danger, fountain of grace, mediatrix between God and men.9 And so,10 with St. Augustine: Sole refuge of sinners, have mercy on me.
Read the original Latin
Dice il divoto P. Nierembergh, che essendo il pane un cibo che si consuma col mangiarsi e si conserva col tenerlo, perciò Gesù si volle lasciare in terra sotto le specie di pane, non solo per esser consumato coll'unirsi all'anima de' suoi amanti per mezzo della santa comunione, ma anche per essere conservato nella custodia e farsi a noi presente, e così ricordarci l'amore che ci porta. Dice S. Paolo: Exinanivit semetipsum formam servi accipiens (Phil. II). Ma che dobbiamo dir poi vedendolo formam panis accipientem? «Niuna lingua è bastante,» dice S. Pietro d'Alcantara, «a poter dichiarare la grandezza dell'amore che Gesù porta a ciascuna delle anime che sono in grazia; e perciò volendo questo sposo dolcissimo partire da questa vita, acciò questa sua assenza non le fosse cagione di scordarsi di lui, le lasciò per memoria questo santissimo Sacramento, nel quale egli stesso rimaneva non volendo che tra ambedue restasse altro pegno per tenere svegliata la memoria ch'egli medesimo.»
Giacché dunque, mio Gesù, voi ve ne state chiuso in questa custodia per sentire le suppliche de' miserabili che vengono a cercarvi udienza, oggi sentite la supplica che vi dà il peccatore più ingrato che vive tra tutti gli uomini.
Io vengo pentito a' vostri piedi, avendo conosciuto il male che ho fatto in disgustarvi. Prima dunque voglio che mi perdoniate quanto vi ho offeso. Ah mio Dio, non vi avessi mai disgustato! E poi sapete che voglio? Io avendo conosciuta la vostra somma amabilità, mi sono innamorato di voi e mi sento un gran desiderio di amarvi e di compiacervi: ma non ho forza di farlo se voi non m'aiutate. Fate, o gran Signore, conoscere a tutto il paradiso la vostra gran potenza e la vostra immensa bontà; fatemi diventare da gran ribelle che sono stato a voi, un grande amante di voi; voi lo potete fare; voi lo volete fare. Supplite a tutto quello che in me manca, acciocché io arrivi ad amarvi assai, almeno ad amarvi tanto quanto vi ho offeso. V'amo, Gesù mio, sopra ogni cosa: v'amo più della vita mia, mio Dio, mio amore, mio tutto.
- Giac. Deus meus et omnia. La comunione spirituale.
A Maria. Adeamus cum fiducia ad thronum gratiae, ut misericordiam inveniamus in tempore opportuno (Hebr. c. 4). Dice S. Antonino che questo trono è Maria, in cui Dio dispensa tutte le grazie. O Regina amabilissima, se desiderate voi tanto di aiutare i peccatori, ecco un gran peccatore che ricorre a voi: aiutatemi assai ed aiutatemi presto. - Giac. con S. Agost.
Unicum refugium peccatorum, miserere mei.
Orazione dello stesso S. Efrem. O regina dell'universo, nostra buonissima Signora, Voi siete l'unica avvocata de' peccatori, il porto sicuro di chi ha fatto naufragio; siete la consolazione del mondo, il riscatto de' cattivi, l'allegrezza degli infermi, la ricreazione degli afflitti, il refugio, la salute di tutta la terra. O piena di grazia, illuminate il mio intelletto, sciogliete la mia lingua per cantare le vostre lodi e principalmente il cantico angelico sì degno di Voi. Vi saluto, o pace, o gioia, o salute e consolazione di tutto il mondo. Vi saluto, o maggior miracolo, che nel mondo mai sia stato, paradiso di delizie, porto sicuro di chi è in pericolo, fontana di grazia, mediatrice di Dio e degli uomini. Giac. con S. Agostino: Unicum refugium peccatorum, miserere mei.
Notes
- 1 ↩Italian «P.» is the conventional abbreviation for Padre (Father); the sentence is split from the name Nierembergh in the next unit.
- 2 ↩«specie di pane» rendered as the Eucharistic term «species of bread». «custodia» rendered as «tabernacle» for the reserved Sacrament (not merely a generic container).
- 3 ↩Latin tag «formam panis accipientem» deliberately echoes Phil 2:7 «formam servi accipiens»; rendered in parallel English rather than left untranslated.
- 4 ↩somma amabilità rendered as 'how supremely lovable you are' (devotional sense of supreme lovableness/attractiveness to love, not mere social amiability).
- 5 ↩Citation fragment left as in the source; Giac. is an abbreviated attribution, not expandable from this section alone.
- 6 ↩Source 'Giac.' is treated as abbreviated Italian Giaculatoria (ejaculatory prayer), matching the section-label pattern used elsewhere in this work; confirm against the printed edition if a personal name was intended.
- 7 ↩salute can mean health, healing, or salvation; rendered as 'salvation' in this Marian title-list sense, parallel to refuge.
- 8 ↩cantico angelico points to the angel's greeting (the Hail Mary / Ave Maria).
- 9 ↩mediatrice kept as 'mediatrix', the traditional Marian title; the Italian genitive phrase is rendered as 'between God and men' for clear English.
- 10 ↩Source is the bare abbreviation 'Giac.'; most plausible expansion in this closing aspiration is Giacché ('since' / 'so then'), introducing the Augustine line in s7.
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