this desire he indeed proved how great his love was for us. I have a baptism, said he, wherewith I am to be baptized, and how am I straitened until it be accomplished. Si. Luke xii. 50. I must be baptized with the baptism of my own blood, to wash away the sins of men, and how am I dying with the desire of my bitter passion and death! My soul, lift up thine eyes, and behold thy Lord hanging upon a disgraceful cross; behold the blood which trickles down from his wounds; behold his mangled body, all inviting thee to love him. Thy Redeemer in his sufferings would have thee love him at least through compassion. O Jesus, thou didst not refuse me thy life and precious blood, and shall I refuse thee any thing that thou requirest of me? No, thou hast given thyself to me without reserve, I will give myself to thee in like manner.
III. St. Francis of Sales speaking of these words of the Apostle: The charity of Christ presseth us, 2 Cor. v. 14. says: “Knowing that Jesus Christ being true God has loved us even to the laying down of his life for us, and this upon a cross, do we not feel our hearts as it were in a press, forcibly straitened, and love expressed from them by a violence which is the more powerful as it is the more amiable And he adds: “ Why therefore do we not cast ourselves upon Jesus Christ crucified, to die on the cross for the love of him who has willingly died upon the cross for the love of us? I will adhere to him, should we say, and will never abandon him, I will die with him and be consumed in the fire of his love. My Jesus has given himself entirely to me, and I will give myself entirely to him. I will live and die upon his bosom; neither life nor death shall ever separate me from him. O eternal love! my soul seeks thee and espouses thee for ever.” Mary, mother of God, obtain that I may belong entirely to Jesus Christ.
