away from my heart every affection that might possibly hinder me from loving thee, and cause, by thy powerful grace, that all my love may be for thee, my crucified lover.

Now that the last moment of his mortal existence is drawing nigh, Jesus collects the last efforts of his weak and exhausted spirits, and, in a dying voice, commends his soul into the hands of his eternal Father. He offers himself once more as a victim to the divine justice for the salvation of men; he bows his languid head in token of the profound submission with which he accepts death; he shuts his divine eyes, and between the arms of the cross gives up the ghost. Jesus is dead! After so many and such cruel tortures, being satiated with reproach and ignominy, and drowned in an ocean of suffering― Jesus dies! The loving Jesus, consumed no less by the atrocity of his pains than by the fire of his love, dies! Oh! which of us who has to live can wish to live for aught than solely to love our Jesus? Which of us, who has to suffer, would not wish to suffer for the love of Jesus? Who will refuse to stand at the foot of the cross, to contemplate and love his beloved crucified, to lament the sins that made him die, and die of grief for Jesus, and with Jesus? Jesus dies for our sins: who will be so cruel, so inhuman, as to renew his death by sinning again? This most loving shepherd dies, to give his life for his dear sheep, who will be so ungrateful as to take no share in his sorrows, in his death? Who at the sight of a God dead of love and sorrow, can give himself up a prey to the foolish pleasures of the world, to vanities, frivolities, and sin? Ah, my Jesus, Calvary will be for the future my sojourn; thy death shall be the continual subject of my reflections, my feelings, and my tears. At the death of Jesus, the sky is darkened, the sun eclipsed, the earth quakes, the mountains split open,

the veil of the temple is rent, all nature seems convulsed with desolation at the sight of a God dying. And thou, my soul, wilt thou be insensible to so sad and fearful a spectacle? Will not thy heart also heave and burst with tenderness and sorrow? Look upon the lifeless and torn body of thy dead Saviour, and know for once what an evil sin is, since it has done this deed. What a blessing Paradise is, which has cost such a price! What is thy own worth and value, since so much has been given for thy redemption? Oh, what a crying injustice wilt thou be guilty of if thou continuest to love the devil, the world, and sin, instead of this God, dead upon the cross for thee? Oh, how monstrous must be thy hardness of heart, if thou be not moved to compassion and tears at such a sight! Consider well, my soul, that the devil has not died for thee, the world has not shed one drop of blood for thee; therefore not to them, but to him who did this for thee, dost thou belong. Jesus thou oughtest to love, for Jesus thou oughtest to live, Jesus' servant thou oughtest to be. this moment.

Resolve to be so

O Jesus, crucified and dead for the love of me, thou alone art infinitely amiable and worthy of all love. I do not intend to love the world any more; I do not wish to love creatures; I wish to love only thee, who hast loved me so excessively. Thee I choose for the sole and eternal object of my whole love. I wish to think always of thee, of thee suffering and dying for my sake. To thee shall I raise up my sighs, to thee shall I breathe my affections, to thee shall I direct my desires, nor shall this heart of mine ever long but for thee, to whom I now offer and consecrate it. I am resolved never more, dear Jesus, to offend thee, never more to displease thee. Oh, how it grieves me to have lived so long, forgetful of thee, a stranger to thee, an enemy to thee, who hast loved me with a love

so boundless! I do not deserve to live any longer; but if thy goodness deigns to prolong my life, it shall all be employed in loving thee, in meditating on thy sufferings, in bewailing my sis. Here, O Jesus, is my soul; since it has been dearly purchased by thee, make it to be thine forever, and do not let me ever again abandon it to the devil and to sin, which I hate and detest above all evils, and never shall commit, even at the peril of my life.

PIOUS PRACTICE.

OOK often on your crucifix, kiss lovingly and

your heart. Consecrate yourself to-day to meditating in a more particular manner on the death Jesus endured for your sake. Abstain from some useless diversion, and sacrifice it to Jesus. When going to rest, think in what state you would wish to be found at the hour of death, and if you be not in that state now, try to regain, as soon as possible, the grace and friendship of Almighty God, and ask of Jesus, through the merits of his painful death, to give you the grace of a holy death.

INDEX.

ABSTINENCE, days of .

A.

ACTS of contrition, faith, hope, and charity
before communion

of reparation to the Holy Virgin
of consecration to the Holy Virgin
of filial reverence to the Holy Virgin
of dedication to the Holy Virgin

of morning and evening devotion to the Holy Virgin
in honor of the month of the Holy Virgin
ALOYSIUS, ST., devotion to

six Sundays of

B.