SR
Chapter 20VisiteSS.1.20

Visita XX

The Fountain of Mercy

The Blessed Sacrament is the prophetic fountain where the soul is washed, strengthened, and inflamed with love.

In that day, says Zechariah, chapter 13: there will be a fountain open for the house of David and for those who live in Jerusalem, for the washing away of sins. Jesus in the Sacrament is this fountain foretold by the prophet, open to everyone, where we can wash our souls of every stain of sin we pick up day by day, whenever we want. When someone falls into a fault, what better remedy is there than to turn at once to the Most Holy Sacrament! Yes, my Jesus, this is what I intend to do always, knowing that the waters of this fountain of yours don't just wash me, but also give me light and strength to avoid falling, to bear cheerfully the things that go against me, and at the same time, set me on fire to love you. I know that this is why you wait for me to visit you, and that you repay the visits of those who love you with so many graces. My Jesus, come now—wash me from all the faults I have committed today, of which I repent for having displeased you; give me strength not to fall into them again, by giving me a great ardor to love you deeply.

Faithful Friends of the Sacrament

Examples of saints who found their home and joy in the presence of the Eucharist encourage the reader to frequent visits.

Oh, if only one could always stay near you, just as your faithful servant Maria Diaz did—she who lived in the time of St. Teresa and received permission from the bishop of Avila to live in a church gallery, where she kept almost continuous watch before the Most Holy Sacrament, whom she called her neighbor, and she never left except to go to confession and to receive Communion! The Venerable1 Brother Francis of the Child Jesus, a Discalced Carmelite, when he passed through churches where the Sacrament was reserved, could not keep from going in to visit him, saying it was not fitting that a friend, passing by his friend's house, should fail at least to go in, greet him, and say a word to him. But he wasn't content with just one word; he stayed as long as he was allowed before his beloved Lord.

A Heart Created for Love

The soul acknowledges the infinite love of the Eucharistic Lord and resolves to return that love through spiritual communion.

My only and infinite Good, I see that you instituted this Sacrament for this purpose and remain on this altar to be loved by me; for this same purpose you have given me a heart capable of loving you deeply. But then why, ungrateful as I am, do I not love you? Or why do I love you so little? No, it isn't right that a goodness so lovable as you are should be loved so little. At least the love you bear me deserves love in return from me.2 You are an infinite God, and I am a wretched worm. It is little enough that I should die for you, that I should be consumed for you who died for me, placed yourself in the Sacrament for me, and every day for love of me offer yourself entirely on the altars. You deserve to be loved deeply; I want to love you deeply. Help me, my Jesus; help me to love you, and to do what pleases you so much and what you so greatly seek from me. — Giac.3 My beloved is mine, and I am his. Spiritual Communion.

Confidence in the Mother of Mercy

The soul turns to Mary, trusting in her maternal mercy to obtain the grace of conversion and a deeper love for God.

To Mary. My sweetest Queen, most merciful and most lovable—oh, what beautiful confidence Saint Bernard gives me when I turn to you! He says that you don't examine the merits of those who turn to your mercy, but that you offer yourself to help everyone who prays to you: Mary doesn't weigh merits, but shows herself open to the prayers of all.4 So if I pray to you, gracious as you are, you hear me. So listen to what I am asking of you. I am a poor sinner who deserves a thousand hells. I want to change my life. I want to love my God, whom I have so greatly offended. I dedicate myself to you as your slave; I give myself to you, wretched as I am.5 Save, I tell you, the one who is yours and no longer his own. My Lady, have you heard me?6 I hope you have heard me and granted what I asked. — Giac.7 O Mary, I am yours; save me.8

The Blessedness of Serving Mary

A concluding prayer reflecting on Mary's role in the life, death, and salvation of those who trust in her.

A prayer by Abbot Cellense. O most sweet Virgin, you found grace with God because you were preserved from original sin, filled with the Holy Spirit, and conceived the Son of God. You possess all these graces, O most humble Mary, not only for yourself but also for us, so that you may help us in all our needs. And indeed, you already do. You come to the aid of the good, keeping them in grace, and you draw the wicked toward receiving divine mercy. You help the dying, protecting them against the snares of the devil, and you assist them even after death, receiving their souls and leading them to the blessed kingdom. Giac.9 O Mary, blessed is the one who serves you and trusts in you!

Read the original Latin

In illa die, dice Zaccaria, c. 13, erit fons patens Domui David et habitantibus Ierusalem in ablutionem peccatorum. Gesù nel Sacramento è questa fonte predetta dal profeta a tutti aperta, dove possiamo, semprecché vogliamo, lavare l'anime nostre da tutte le macchie de' peccati che alla giornata si contraggono. Quando alcuno commette qualche difetto, che più bel rimedio vi è, che ricorrere subito al SS. Sacramento! Sì, mio Gesù, così propongo di far sempre, sapendo di più che l'acque di questa vostra fonte non solo mi lavano, ma ancora mi danno luce e mi danno forza per non cadere e per soffrire allegramente le cose contrarie, e mi infiammano insieme per amarvi. Io so che a questo fine mi aspettate voi a visitarvi, e con tante grazie ricompensate le visite de' vostri amanti. Gesù mio, via su lavatemi da tutt'i difetti che ho commessi oggi, de' quali mi pento, per avervi disgustato; datemi forza a più non cadervi, con darmi un grande ardore di amarvi assai.

Oh chi potesse starvi sempre vicino, come faceva quella vostra serva fedele Maria Diaz che visse a tempo di S. Teresa ed ebbe licenza dal vescovo d'Avila di abitare nella tribuna d'una chiesa dove quasi di continuo assisteva avanti il SS. Sacramento ch'ella chiamava il suo vicino, e non usciva di là se non per andare a confessarsi e comunicarsi! Il Ven. fra Francesco del Bambino Gesù carmelitano scalzo passando per le chiese dove stava il Sacramento non poteva astenersi di entrar a visitarlo, dicendo non esser conveniente che un amico passando avanti la casa del suo amico non vi entri almeno a salutarlo e dirgli una parola. Ma egli non si contentava di una parola, se ne stava sempre quanto più gli era permesso avanti il suo amato Signore.

Unico mio ed infinito bene, io vedo che voi a questo fine avete istituito questo Sacramento e ve ne state in questo altare per essere amato da me; voi a questo fine mi avete dato un cuor capace d'amarvi assai. Ma perché poi io ingrato non v'amo? o v'amo così poco? No, non è giusto che sia amata poco una bontà così amabile, come siete voi. Almeno l'amore che mi portate merita altro amore da me. Voi siete un Dio infinito ed io un verme miserabile. È poco che io muoia per voi, che mi consumi per voi che siete morto per me, vi siete posto nel Sacramento per me, ed ogni giorno per amor mio vi sacrificate tutto sugli altari. Voi vi meritate d'essere amato assai, io vi voglio amare assai.

Aiutatemi, Gesù mio, aiutatemi ad amarvi, ed a far quello che tanto piace a voi e che tanto cercate da me. - Giac. Dilectus meus mihi et ego illi. La comunione spirituale.

A Maria. Regina mia dolcissima, pietosissima, amabilissima, oh che bella confidenza mi dà S. Bernardo, quando io ricorro a voi! Dice che voi non andate esaminando i meriti di chi ricorre alla vostra pietà, ma che vi offerite ad aiutar tutti coloro che vi pregano: Maria non discutit merita, sed omnibus se exorabilem praebet. Dunque se io vi prego, cortese voi mi ascoltate. Sentite dunque che cosa vi prego. Io sono un povero peccatore che merito mille inferni. Io voglio mutar vita. Voglio amare il mio Dio che ho tanto offeso.

Mi dedico a voi per ischiavo, a voi mi dono misero qual sono. Salvate, vi dico, chi è vostro e non più suo. Signora mia, mi avete inteso? Spero che mi avete inteso ed esaudito. - Giac. O Maria, tuus sum ego, salvum me fac.

Orazione dello stesso Abbate Cellense. O dolcissima Vergine, Voi avete trovata la grazia appresso Dio, perché siete stata preservata dalla macchia originale, ripiena di Spirito Santo, ed avete conceputo il Figliuolo di Dio. Voi avete tutte queste grazie, o umilissima Maria, non solo per Voi, ma ancora per noi, affinché ci assistiate in tutti i nostri bisogni. E ben già Voi lo fate. Voi soccorrete i buoni, conservandoli nella grazia, ed i cattivi, riducendoli a ricevere la divina misericordia. Voi aiutate i moribondi, proteggendoli contro l'insidie del demonio, e gli aiutate anche dopo la morte, ricevendo l'anime loro e conducendole al regno beato. Giac. O Maria, beato chi vi serve ed in Voi confida!

Scripture echoes

  1. Zech.13.1On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
  2. Zech.13.1On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
  3. Song.2.16My beloved is mine, and I am his — the one who grazes among the lilies.

Notes

  1. 1Italian 'Ven.' is the conventional abbreviation for Venerabile (Venerable), the title of a candidate for beatification; the name continues in s4.
  2. 2Italian 'altro amore' literally 'another/further love'; rendered as reciprocal 'love in return,' which matches the force of merita...da me.
  3. 3Source abbreviation “Giac.” is left as printed. In Italian Bibles Giac. usually means James (Giacomo), but the next sentence is the Vulgate of Song of Songs 2:16; the label may be corrupt or a mis-expansion of a Canticle citation.
  4. 4Italian pietà rendered as mercy (Marian compassion), not English piety. The embedded Latin (Maria non discutit merita, sed omnibus se exorabilem praebet) is translated in place as Bernard’s maxim; discutit ≈ weigh/scrutinize; se exorabilem praebet ≈ makes herself open to entreaty.
  5. 5Italian «per ischiavo» (prosthetic i after «per») is the consecration sense of «schiavo»—slave/bondservant, not mere hired servant.
  6. 6«inteso» can mean understood or heard; rendered as heard to match the petitioning context and the following «esaudito» (granted).
  7. 7Abbreviated source attribution in the print tradition; left unexpanded.
  8. 8Source shifts into Latin for this petition; English keeps the traditional consecration cadence without pseudo-KJV diction.
  9. 9Abbreviated author or source attribution in the Italian edition (cf. prior section '- Giac.'); left unexpanded.

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