525 part iv: meditations for weekly retreats MEDITATION XVI ON THE PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION 1. Make now a recapitulation of all efforts put into the consideration of the previous meditations and repent, in particular and in general, of any: sins, faults, cases of negligence, and imperfections committed by you throughout your whole life and during your time in the religious state and especially since your last general confession. Make efforts to arouse in your heart the true contrition that comes from the love of God, namely: that you repent of the offences and the failures in doing something not for fear of infernal punishments, not because of the loss of heavenly glory, not out of any other human and natural motive, but rather out of the pure love for Almighty God, the best and greatest Father. Atone, for you have offended the One Who is extremely good, Whom you were to follow with the greatest love; by countless wrongs and evil deeds you have hurt the feelings of the One Who is inexhaustible and infinite Goodness Itself. You have passed over from Him to His enemy, from the One Who created you almost from nothing, from the slime of the earth, so eminent, so noble, and excellent among other created things; He redeemed you with the ransom of His Most Precious Blood, delivered you from the perpetual prison of the infernal enemy to eternal freedom, drew you out from the greatest darkness of ignorance to the light of faith, through which salvation and everlasting life are acquired by good and suitable works of faith. By the powerful force of His grace He drew you out from the harlot Babylon, that is, from the world, to His holy city of Jerusalem, i.e., to the religious life, and here He not merely granted, but overwhelmed you with countless, inexplicable, and immense benefits. 2. Consider that God shall forgive you, someone truly contrite, all evil deeds, faults, and imperfections, and erase them through the Holy Sacrament of Penance. And if you are rightly and well prepared, He shall also remit all punishments that should be inflicted because of sins. In addition, you will also be able to
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