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Chapter 8VisiteSS.1.8

Visita VIII

The Invitation to Intimacy

Jesus invites the soul to approach the Blessed Sacrament with confidence, casting aside fear through his humble presence.

To every soul that visits Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament, he speaks the words he spoke to his sacred bride: "Arise, make haste, my love, my fair one, and come" (Cant.1 1). Soul who visit me, arise—lift yourself up out of your miseries; I am here to enrich you with graces. Make haste and draw close to me; do not fear my majesty, which has humbled itself in this Sacrament to take away your fear and give you confidence. My friend, you are no longer my enemy but my friend, since you love me and I love you.2 My beautiful one, my grace has made you beautiful. And come—come, embrace me; ask me for what you want with great confidence. Saint Teresa used to say that the great King of glory disguised himself under the appearance of bread in the Sacrament, veiling his majesty so that we might have the courage to draw near to his divine Heart with greater confidence.3 So let us draw near to Jesus with great confidence and affection: let us unite ourselves to him and ask him for graces.

Consecration of the Soul

The soul responds to the Eucharistic presence by offering its entire being to God and resolving to live in total love.

What joy should be mine, O Eternal Word made man and present in the Sacrament for me, knowing that I stand before you who are my God—you who are infinite majesty, infinite goodness, and who have such affection for my soul?4 Souls who love God, wherever you are, in heaven or on earth, love him for me as well. Mary, my mother, help me to love him. And you, most loving Lord, make yourself the object of all my love. Take possession of my entire will. Possess me completely. I consecrate my whole mind to you, so that it may always think of your goodness; I also consecrate my body to you, so that it may help me to please you; I consecrate my soul to you, so that it may be entirely yours.5 I would wish, O delight of my soul, that all people knew the tenderness of the love you bear them, so that they all might live only to honor you and please you, as you desire and deserve. May I at least always live in love with your infinite beauty. I want to do everything I can from this day forward to please you. I resolve not to leave undone anything I understand to be pleasing to you, even if it cost me every hardship, the loss of everything, even my life. How blessed I would be if I lost everything to gain you, my God, my treasure, my love, my all! A short prayer.6 Jesus, my love, take me entirely; possess me entirely. Spiritual Communion.

Recourse to the Mother

The devotee turns to Mary, the Mother of God, seeking her intercession and help in loving Jesus more deeply.

To Mary. If anyone is little, let him come to me (Prov. 9:4). Mary calls all the children who need a mother to turn to her as the most loving mother of all mothers. The devout Nierembergh says: The love of all mothers is merely a shadow compared to the love Mary bears for each of us.7 My Mother, mother of my soul, who love me and desire my salvation more than anyone else after God: Mother, show yourself to be a mother.8 A short prayer.9 My Mother, grant that I may always remember you. A prayer by St. Bernard. O sweet, O great, O wholly lovable Mary—no heart can speak your Name without you setting it on fire with your Love; nor can those who love you think of you without feeling themselves strengthened to love you more. O holy Lady, help our weakness. And who is better suited to speak to our Lord Jesus Christ than you, who enjoy his sweetest company so closely?10 Speak, O Lady, speak, for your Son listens to you, and you will obtain whatever is asked of him through you.11 Aspiration.12 O Mary, obtain for me the grace always to turn to you.

Read the original Latin

Ad ogni anima che visita Gesù nel SS. Sacramento egli le dice le parole che disse alla sacra sposa: Surge, propera, amica mea, formosa mea, et veni (Cant. I). Anima che mi visiti, surge, alzati su dalle tue miserie, io son qui per arricchirti di grazie. Propera, accostati a me vicino, non temere della mia maestà che s'è umiliata in questo Sacramento per toglierti il timore e darti confidenza. Amica mea, non mi sei più nemica ma amica, giacché tu mi ami ed io t'amo. Formosa mea, la mia grazia ti ha fatta bella. Et veni, vieni su, abbracciati con me, cercami quel che vuoi con confidenza grande.

Dicea S. Teresa che questo gran Re di gloria perciò si è travestito colle specie di pane nel Sacramento ed ha coverta la sua maestà per dare a noi animo di accostarci con più confidenza al suo Cuore divino. Accostiamoci dunque a Gesù con gran confidenza ed affetto: uniamoci con esso e cerchiamogli grazie.

Quale gioia dee essere la mia, o Verbo Eterno fatt'uomo e sacramentato per me, sapendo che sto innanzi a voi che siete il mio Dio, siete una maestà infinita, una bontà infinita che tanto affetto avete per l'anima mia? Anime che amate Dio, da dove vi trovate, in cielo o in terra, amatelo ancora per me. Maria madre mia, aiutatemi ad amarlo. E voi, amantissimo Signore, fatevi l'oggetto di tutti gli amori miei. Impadronitevi di tutta la mia volontà. Possedetemi tutto. Io vi consacro tutta la mia mente, acciocché pensi sempre alla vostra bontà; vi consacro anche il mio corpo, acciocché mi aiuti a darvi gusto; vi consacro l'anima mia, acciocché sia tutta vostra. Vorrei, o diletto dell'anima mia, che tutti gli uomini conoscessero la tenerezza dell'amore che loro portate, acciocché vivessero tutti solo per onorarvi e darvi gusto, come voi desiderate e meritate.

Viva almeno io sempre innamorato della vostra bellezza infinita. Io voglio fare quanto posso da oggi avanti per gradirvi. Propongo di non tralasciare qualsivoglia cosa che intenda essere di vostro gusto, mi costasse ogni pena, il perdere ogni cosa, anche la vita. Beato me, se perdo tutto per fare acquisto di voi, mio Dio, mio tesoro, mio amore, mio tutto! - Giac. Gesù, amor mio, pigliatemi tutto, possedetemi tutto. La comunione spirituale.

A Maria. Si quis est parvulus veniat ad me (Prov. IX, 4). Chiama Maria tutt'i fanciulli che hanno bisogno di madre a ricorrere a lei come madre la più amorosa di tutte le madri. Dice il divoto Nierembergh: L'amore di tutte le madri è un'ombra a rispetto dell'amore che Maria porta a ciascuno di noi. - Madre mia, madre dell'anima mia, che m'ami e desideri la mia salute più d'ogni altro dopo Dio; Madre, monstra te esse matrem. Giac. Madre mia, fate ch'io mi ricordi sempre di voi.

Orazione dello stesso S. Bernardo. O dolce, o grande, o del tutto amabile Maria, non può pronunziarsi il vostro Nome da un cuore, senza che Voi l'accendiate del vostro Amore; né possono quelli che v'amano pensare a Voi, senza sentirsi confortare a più amarvi. O santa Signora, aiutate la nostra debolezza. E chi è più atto a parlare al nostro Signor Gesù-Cristo che Voi, la quale godete sì da vicino la sua dolcissima conversazione? Parlate, parlate, o Signora, perché il vostro Figlio vi ascolta, ed otterrete quanto da Voi gli sarà dimandato. Giac. O Maria, ottenetemi la grazia ch'io sempre ricorra a Voi.

Scripture echoes

  1. John.1.1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
  2. Phil.3.8But more than that—indeed, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost everything and consider it all rubbish, so that I may gain Christ.
  3. Prov.9.4Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! To him who lacks sense she says,
  4. Prov.9.4Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! To him who lacks sense she says,

Notes

  1. 1sacra sposa rendered as sacred bride (the soul/Church as spouse of Christ in Song of Songs imagery).
  2. 2amica mea kept as my friend to preserve the Italian amica/nemica contrast; Song diction often uses my love/my beloved.
  3. 3Italian specie is rendered as Eucharistic 'species' (the appearances of bread); coverta is older Italian for 'covered'.
  4. 4Italian sacramentato names Christ as given and present under the sacramental species; rendered as 'present in the Sacrament' to keep Eucharistic specificity without archaic 'sacramented'.
  5. 5darvi gusto is the Italian devotional idiom of giving God pleasure or satisfaction; rendered 'please you' rather than a more archaic 'give you delight'.
  6. 6Italian heading abbreviation Giac. = Giaculatoria (ejaculatory prayer / brief aspiration). Rendered as a plain section label rather than the older technical term 'Ejaculation.'
  7. 7Source spelling 'Nierembergh' retained (likely Juan Eusebio Nieremberg). 'a rispetto di' rendered as 'compared with'.
  8. 8'salute' rendered as 'salvation' (spiritual sense). Closing Latin petition 'monstra te esse matrem' (Alma Redemptoris Mater) rendered in plain English.
  9. 9'Giac.' expanded as the Italian heading 'Giacculatoria' (ejaculatory / short prayer), matching the surrounding Visite section labels.
  10. 10Italian conversazione here means intimate companionship/communion, not mere talk; rendered as company.
  11. 11quanto da Voi gli sarà dimandato can mean either whatever you ask of him or whatever is asked of him by/through you; the instrumental/mediating reading is preferred in Marian intercession context.
  12. 12Source abbreviation Giac. = Giaculatoria (short aspiratory prayer); expanded for readability.

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