examination of the heart 396 less that you will not offer yourself wholly to the divine love in order to obtain the whole God? Shall you continue to do your own will to your own destruction, instead of fulfilling the orders of the One Who offers you His love along with salvation? Will you not leave all things, so that you may find all things? Will you not deny yourself, that you may gain yourself and Him who created you? O truly profitable love of God! By it you attain Him Who is loved! O, it is truly good to love the infinite One and to be loved by the infinite One! O love insatiable, sweet, firm, generous, peaceful, laudable, and unlimited! Allow me to experience You, allow me to taste You, allow me to always seek You; to burn always with Your ardor and never to be consumed; to thirst for You always and to never be satiated! O God! Bring about that one day at last, by truly loving You and serving You out of pure love, I may sing loudly forever in the most blessed region of Your vision the sweetest song of love: “I found Him whom my soul loves. I held Him, and would not let Him go” (cf. Cant 3:4). 3. “go in peace” (Lk 7:50). Consider that, having defended the repentant sinner from the cutting remarks of pharisaic tongues, our Savior also liberated her from the seven demons (to be understood as seven principal sins), and finally let her go in peace and provided for her safety in the future. No differently did things work out for you today. For what else did you bring to the divine table besides countless sins? And behold, from there you return freed from them, as if from cruel chains. What did your heart bring besides bitterness? And behold, already it has been filled with sweetness. You went there wrapped in the darkness of many defects; you come back clothed with the sun as if with a mantle. You went to Holy Communion agitated by an internal struggle; after receiving it, you were filled with the sweetest peace. Oh, what thanks will you give to God for such a great gift? Love Him wholeheartedly, love Him perfectly, and love Him very loyally! [f.126v]
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