Act of Love and Desire before Holy Communion #1

Oh, that I could love Thee, Jesus,

as if I had knelt at Thy feet

and felt the touch of Thy hand on my brow,

and heard Thy gentle voice

that uttered absolutions

and gave encouragement to the sick

and the unfortunate.

Oh, that I could love Thee,

as the poor of Galilee loved Thee,

as Mary Magdalen loved Thee,

as Saint Peter and Saint John,

the beloved disciple,

loved Thee, as she, who knew Thee best,

Thy blessed Mother,

loved Thee, and, most of all, O Lord,

as Thou hast loved me.

Let me at least love Thee

with all my heart and soul and mind and strength.

And let my love be worthy of the name,

showing itself by confidence,

by generosity, by sacrifice,

acknowledging cheerfully

that all Thy dispensations are best for me,

counting no cost when I work for Thee,

Giving up gladly what is dear to me

when Thou dost ask it,

when it will to serve Thee better

and to further the interests of Thy Sacred Heart.

Dispose of me, O Lord, as Thou pleasest;

for from henceforth I am entirely Thine.

I offer Thee all that I am and all that I have.

I shall labour and suffer for Thy glory,

for the salvation of others,

and for my own sanctification.

Come, my Jesus,

crucified for love of me.

Come, dear Jesus,

in the sacrament of Thy love,

and be Thou all mine,

as I desire to be all Thine.

O blessed Virgin, my tender Mother,

who didst obtain from thy divine Son a wonderful miracle

at the wedding-feast at Cana,

behold my misery and the need I have of thy assistance;

obtain for me of Jesus a prodigy of His almighty power,

that my coldness and tepidity may be changed into ardent charity.

Amen.