BY THE REV. H. NOLDIN, S.J.
AUTHORISED TRANSLATION FROM THE GERMAN.
REVISED BY THE REV. W. H. KENT, O.S.C
B. Margaret, too, recommends this practice in a letter, as follows: "In regard to the trouble you feel in leading a languishing life in the service of God, what He seems to suggest to me to say to you is that you should not make yourself uneasy; but in order to satisfy Him in this respect all you have to do is to unite all your actions to the Sacred Heart of Our Lord at the beginning of what you do in order to direct your intention at the end to make satisfaction for your defects. For example, if you find you cannot pray as you wish, be satisfied with offering the prayer which Our Lord is offering to God the Father for us in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar, and present His ardent supplications to make amends for your tepidity. Say in each of your actions: "My God, I wish to do or suffer this in the Sacred Heart of Thy Son and according to His holy intentions. I offer Thee His Heart in reparation for all my failings and imperfections." And the divine Saviour Him self repeatedly recommended SS. Gertrude and Mechtilde to make this act of oblation. When the former, despite all her efforts, could not prevent distractions from troubling her, she was greatly distressed, for she feared that prayers so full of distractions could be of no profit. There upon He showed her His Heart, saying: "Behold My Heart, in which the Most Holy Trinity takes delight. I give it to thee, that thou mayst therewith supply all thy shortcomings. Commend all thy actions to it; it will render them perfect in My sight."