Ave Maria Meditations
Oh my Savior, Word of God, how can I doubt that You are coming to earth to save and sanctify me? Why do I not go to You with complete love and confidence, when You have spare nothing to show me Your infinitely merciful love? Your incarnation, Your infant tears, Your humble hidden life, Your apostolate, Your miracles, Your sorrowful passion and death, all Your precious blood poured out: shall they not be enough to make me believe in Your love, to open my heart in the most complete confidence?
With this confidence, O my Jesus, I will resume my way and begin again my poor efforts. During this advent You invite me to a greater recollection, to a greater interior and exterior silence so that I may be able to hear Your voice and prepare for Your coming. Help me then, to quiet my continual chatter about useless things, the discordant voices of nature, self-love, sensitiveness, the distracting prattle of my fantasies, imaginations, thoughts and useless preoccupations.
Yes, You teach me that interior silence exacts detachment from self and from creatures, exacts interior and exterior mortification. For love of You, I will mortifying my curiosity: of my eyes, ears, thoughts, and imagination. I also want to silence my passions and, therefore, I resolve to be more generous in the practice of corporal notification. Oh Eternal Word, my Savior, draw all my powers to Yourself; fasten my interior gaze upon Yourself, so that I shall no longer see or hear anything or anyone but You alone, Eternal Word of my Eternal God!
+Fr. Gabriel of St Mary Magdalene
