Book IV, Chapter VIII

Of the Oblation of Christ on the Cross, and of the Resignation of Ourselves

The Voice of the Beloved.

1. As I willingly offered myself to God, my Father, for thy sins, with my hands stretched out upon the cross, and my body naked, so that nothing remained in me which was not turned into a sacrifice, for to appease the divine wrath; even so must thou willingly offer thyself to me daily in the mass, for a pure and holy oblation, together with all thy powers and affections, as heartily as thou art able. What do I require more of thee, than that thou endeavor to resign thyself entirely to me? Whatsoever thou givest besides thyself, I regard not; for I seek not thy gift, but thyself.

2. As it would not suffice thee, if thou hadst all things but me; so neither can it please me, whatever thou givest, as long as thou offerest not thyself. Offer thyself to me, and give thy whole self for God, and thy offering will be accepted. Behold, I offered my whole self to the Father for thee, and have given my whole body and blood for thy food, that I might be all thine, and thou mightest be always mine; but if thou wilt stand upon thy own bottom, and wilt not offer thyself freely to my will, thy offering is not perfect, nor will there be an entire union betwixt us. Therefore, before

all thy works, thou must make a free oblation of thyself into the hands of* God, if thou desire to obtain liberty and grace; for the reason why so few become illuminated and internally free, is because they do not wholly renounce themselves* My sentence stands firm — Unless a man renounce all, he cannot he my disciple» (Luke 14) If therefore thou desirest to be my disciple, offer up thyself to me with all thy affections.

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