"As the flesh is nourished by food, so is man supported by prayers"

St Augustine

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"The supreme perfection of man in this life is to be so united to God that all his soul with all its faculties and powers are so gathered into the Lord God that he becomes one spirit with him, and remembers nothing except God, is aware of and recognises nothing but God, but with all his desires unified by the joy of love, he rests contentedly in the enjoyment of his Maker alone."

St Albert the Great

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"It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come."

Thomas á Kempis

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Blessed Henry Suso (1295 - 1366) Dominican and German mystic
 

A LITTLE BOOK OF ETERNAL WISDOM (cont)
 

by Blessed Henry Suso

THE THIRD PART

On Friday, or at Vespers

Ah, my Lord, remember,

1. How the sharp spear was thrust into Thy divine side;

2. How the purple blood ran out;

3. How the living water gushed forth;

4. And with what bitter toil Thou didst garner me up;

5. And how generously Thou didst ransom me;

Loving Lord! may Thy deep wounds shelter me from all my enemies; Thy living water cleanse me from all my sins; Thy rose-coloured blood adorn me with all graces and virtues. Tender Lord! May the praise Thou didst so bitterly win bind me to Thee! The ransom Thou didst so freely pay unite me eternally with Thee.

Oh, thou chosen consolation of all sinners, Ho, thou sweet Queen, remember today.

1. How thou didst stand under the cross, and how, as thy Son hung dead above thee, thou didst cast on Him many a look of misery;

2. How affectionately His arms were received by thee;

3. With what fidelity pressed to thy blood-stained face;

4. His bleeding wounds, His dead and ghastly features, were by thee kissed again and again;

5. How many a death-wound thy heart then received;

6. How many a fervent unfathomable sigh burst from thee;

7. How many scalding tears thou didst shed;

8. Thy miserable words were so full of sorrow;

9. Thy most gracious figure was so steeped in affliction;

10. Thy woeful heart was without consolation from all mankind.

Oh, pure Lady, on this account forget not to be a constant protectress of my whole life, and my faithful guide. Turn thy eyes, thy mild eyes, at all times, with compassion on me. Watch over me like a mother in every temptation. Protect me faithfully against my enemies, protect me beneath thy tender arms. Let thy faithful kissing of His wounds be to me as a tender reconciliation with Him; Let the wounds of thy heart obtain for me a cordial repentance of my sins; Thy fervent sighing procure for me a constant yearning; And let thy bitter tears soften my hard heart; Be thy lamentable words even as a renunciation to me of all voluptuous speeches; Thy weeping form as a casting away of all dissolute conduct; Thy disconsolate heart as a despising of all perishable affections.