SUPPLICATION

Behold, O Lord, prostrate at Thy feet, him who hath made so little account of Thy gifts and of Thy chastisements… Woe is me! Hadst Thou not, O my Jesus, taken pity upon me, many years ago should I have been in that loathsome furnace, where so many sinners like myself shall burn for ever.

Ah, my Redeemer! How could I ever again offend Thee? Let it not be so, O Jesus, my Life; rather, send me death. And since Thou hast begun the work, bring it to completion. Since Thou hast drawn me forth from the mire of my sins, and so lovingly invitest me to love Thee, grant now that all the time Thou shalt give me may be spent in Thy service.

How greatly would the damned desire but one day, one hour, of that time which Thou dost now grant me!… And what shall I do? Shall I continue to squander it upon things that displease Thee?…

No, my Jesus, suffer it not, for the sake of the merits of Thy most Precious Blood, which until now hath delivered me from hell. I love Thee, O Sovereign Good; and because I love Thee, I grieve that I have offended Thee, and I purpose never more to offend Thee, but to love Thee for ever.

Thy Blood and Thy death, O my Jesus, are my hope. Thou hast died to deliver me from eternal death. And who, O Lord, hath had greater part in the merits of Thy Passion than this miserable sinner, who so many times deserved hell?… Permit me not to continue ungrateful for the many graces which Thou hast bestowed upon me.

In delivering me from hell, Thou didst will that I should not burn in its everlasting flames, but in the sweet fire of Thy love. Help me, then, that I may accomplish Thy designs. Had I been in hell, I could not have loved Thee.

But since now I may love Thee, I desire to love Thee… I love Thee, O Infinite Goodness; I love Thee, my Redeemer, Who hast loved me so greatly. How could I have lived so long forgetful of Thee? I thank Thee exceedingly, O Lord, that Thou hast not forgotten me. Hadst Thou done so, I should now be in hell, or else I should have no sorrow for my sins.

This sorrow of heart for having offended Thee, this desire which I feel to love Thee exceedingly—these are gifts of Thy grace, which sustaineth and giveth me life… Thanks be to Thee, O my God.

I hope to consecrate to Thee the remainder of my life. I renounce all things, and desire henceforth to think only of serving Thee and pleasing Thee. Impress deeply upon my soul the remembrance of the hell which I deserved, and of the grace which Thou hast granted me; and suffer me not, by turning away from Thee once more, to condemn myself again to the torments of that prison…

Thou art, then, O my God, the Sovereign Good, the Infinite Good; and I, of my own free will, have so often lost Thee?… I knew that by my sins I offended Thee and forfeited Thy grace, and yet I committed them!… Ah, Lord! Were I not assured that, nailed to the Cross, Thou didst die for me, I should not dare to ask for, nor hope to obtain, Thy pardon!…

O Eternal Father! Look not upon me; look upon Thy beloved Son, Who pleadeth for me. Hear Him, and forgive me.

Many years ago I deserved to behold myself in hell, without hope of ever loving Thee or recovering the grace I had lost. From the depths of my heart, O my God, I am sorry for the offenses I have committed against Thee, by renouncing Thy friendship and despising Thy love for the vile pleasures of the world… Would that I had died a thousand times rather!… How could I have been so blind and so foolish?…

I thank Thee, O Lord, for giving me time in which to repair the evil I have done. Since by Thy mercy I am not in hell, and may yet love Thee, I desire to love Thee, O my God. I will no longer delay my sincere and steadfast conversion.

I love Thee, O Infinite Goodness; I love Thee, my Life and my Treasure, my Love and my All… Remember always, O Lord, the love which Thou hast borne me; and remind me of the hell in which I ought now to be, that this thought may kindle within me the fire of Thy love, and move me to repeat a thousand times that I truly love Thee…

Queen and Mother of us all, Most Holy Mary, pray to Jesus for me, and obtain for me the gifts of perseverance and divine love.

O Mother of God, pray for this repentant sinner! Thy intercession hath delivered me from hell. Deliver me also from sin, the only cause which can bring upon me a new condemnation.

O Mary, our Queen, our Hope, and our Mother, if I were in hell, I could not love Thee either!…

But now I love Thee, my Mother, and I hope that I shall never cease to love Thee and my God. Help me, and pray to Jesus for me.

Amen.

TAKEN FROM: PREPARATION FOR DEATH, BY ST. ALPHONSUS MARIA DE LIGUORI