THE FOLLOWING OF CHRIST

BY THOMAS A KEMPIS
Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur, 1941

------Book 4------

CHAPTER 17: OF AN ARDENT LOVE AND VEHEMENT DESIRE TO RECEIVE CHRIST

The Voice of the Disciple.

WITH great devotion and ardent love, with all affection and fervor of heart, I desire to receive Thee, O Lord, as many Saints and devout persons, who were most pleasing to Thee in holiness of life and in the most burning devotion, have desired Thee when they communicated.

O my God, Eternal Love, my whole good and never-ending happiness, I desire to receive Thee with the most vehement desire and most worthy reverence that any of the Saints have ever had, or could experience.

2. And although I am unworthy to possess all those sentiments of devotion, nevertheless I offer Thee the whole affection of my heart, as though I alone had all those highly-pleasing and inflamed desires.

Yet whatever a pious mind can conceive and desire, all these with the greatest reverence and most inward fervor I present and offer Thee.

I desire to reserve nothing for myself, but freely and most willingly to immolate to Thee myself and all that is mine.

O Lord my God, my Creator and Redeemer, I desire to receive Thee this day with such affection, reverence, praise, and honor, with such gratitude, worthiness, and love, with such faith, hope, and purity, as Thy most holy Mother, the glorious Virgin Mary, received and desired Thee, when, to the Angel announcing to her the mystery of the Incarnation, she humbly and devoutly answered: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to Thy word."

3. And as Thy blessed precursor, the most excellent amongst the Saints, John the Baptist, in Thy presence rejoicing, leapt through joy of the Holy Ghost whilst he was yet enclosed in his mother's womb; and afterwards seeing Jesus walking among men, humbling himself exceedingly, with devout affection, said: "The friend of the Bridegroom, who standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth with Joy for the voice of the Bridegroom;" so I also wish to be inflamed with great and holy desires, and to present myself to Thee from my whole heart.

Wherefore I here offer and present to Thee the joys of all devout hearts, their ardent affections, their ecstasies, supernatural illuminations, and heavenly visions; together with all the virtues and praises that are or shall be celebrated by all creatures in Heaven and earth, for myself and all such as have been recommended to my prayers; and thus by all Thou mayst be worthily praised and glorified forever.

4. Receive my vows O Lord my God, and my desires of infinite praise and boundless blessing, which, according to the multitude of Thine unspeakable greatness, are most justly due to Thee.

These I render, and desire to render Thee every day and every moment of time; and I invite and entreat all the Heavenly Spirits, and all the Faithful, by prayers and affections, to render with me thanksgiving and praise.

5. Let all peoples, tribes, and tongues praise Thee, and magnify Thy holy and most sweet Name, with the highest jubilation and ardent devotion.

And may all, whoever reverently and devoutly celebrate Thy most high Sacrament, and receive it with full faith, at Thy hands deserve to find grace and mercy, and humbly to pray for me, a sinner.

And when they shall have obtained their wished-for devotion and blissful union, and shall retire from Thy sacred heavenly table fully comforted and wonderfully refreshed, let them vouchsafe to remember me, a poor creature.

Practical Reflections and Prayer as in the preceding chapter.

HOME----------------------------------CATHOLIC CLASSICS

www.catholictradition.org/Classics/christ5-17.htm