Wednesday, May 20 : Saint Gertrude of Helfta

Towards You, Life of my soul, Towards you my heart turns Than a force of ardent love Melted into one desire. If it goes towards some other outside of You, Let him immediately be lifeless. (…) You are fertile Pearl, wealth of humanity, Worker of infinite knowledge, Master of infinite patience, Advisor of infinite wisdom, Guardian of infinite devotion, Friend of infinite loyalty. You are sweet Flavor of total intimacy, Caress of infinite delicacy, Tenderness of infinite goodness, Love of infinite ardor, Embrace of infinite sweetness, Jealousy of infinite purity. (…) I prefer you to all creatures, For You I renounce all pleasures, For you I face all adversities. And of all this it does not matter to me to be praised, except from You alone. For, of all this, as of all good, You are the sap: I proclaim it with my heart and with my lips. Under the impulse of your ardor, I unite the momentum of my piety By the virtue of your prayer, So that the purity of this divine union, Where every rebellious instinct will be dissipated, Lead me to the summit of supreme perfection. (…) Gertrude immediately experienced the benefit of her prayer and, as she finished it, she saw that the face of her soul appeared more brilliantly illuminated by the divine light and that the knowledge of God was of a more savory taste to her.

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team