"God gives us some things, as the beginning of faith, even when we do not pray. Other things, such as perseverance, he has only provided for those who pray."

St Augustine

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"O Lord, my God, who will seek you with simple and pure love, and not find that you are all one can desire, for you show yourself first and go out to meet those who seek you? "

St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church

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"Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise. "

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 Tuesday, or at Tierce

Tender Lord!

1. Thy blooming body pined and withered away on the cross;

2. Thy weary and tender back leant uneasily against the hard wood;

3. Thy heavy frame painfully gave way;

4. All Thy limbs were covered with sores;

5. Thy heart endured it lovingly. Lord, be Thy withering a re-blooming to me for ever. Thy uneasy leaning my spiritual rest. Thy giving way, my powerful support. All Thy wounds must heal mine, and Thy loving heart inflame mine with fervour.

Sweet Lord!

1. First in Thy mortal agony Thou wast mocked with scornful words;

2. And with contemptuous gestures;

3. Thou wast utterly annihilated in their hearts;

4. Thou didst continue under it steadfast;

5. And didst pray to Thy Father for them lovingly;

6. Thou, the innocent Lamb, wast numbered with the guilty;

7. Thou wast condemned and reviled by the thief on Thy left;

8. But wast invoked by him on the right;

9. Thou forgavest the latter all his sins;

10. Thou didst unlock for him the gates of paradise.

Beloved Lord! teach me, Thy servant, to bear with firmness every ignominious word, every scornful gesture, and all sorts of contempt for Thy sake, and lovingly to excuse my enemies before Thee. Ah, Thou infinite good, behold, this day I offer up, before the eyes of Thy heavenly Father, Thy innocent death for my guilty life. Lord, with the thief I cry out to Thee: Remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom! Condemn me not for my evil deeds, forgive all my sins, undo for me the gates of the heavenly paradise!