Vigils Reading

A reading from “The Spiritual Exercises” of

ST GERTRUDE THE GREAT

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Pray to the Lord, the King of kings himself, that he may accept you in the

militia of love and teach you to take upon yourself the pleasant yoke and light

burden so that you may follow your Lord with your cross, clinging to your God

with undivided love; and say this with prayer and verse:

You, Lord, are my hope, my keeper, and my refuge: you are with me in

every tribulation. O God, cherishing love, anyone who is found to be strong and

quick in the work of your love – that one truly will stand in the presence of your

royal face at all times… O queen of queens, charity, make me, for the sake of your

glory, bound to you by oath in the new militia of cherishing you. Teach me to set

my hand to strong things and, in you and through you, quickly and unweariedly

to go about and fulfill most faithfully the business of your cherishing-love. Gird

my thigh with the sword of your Spirit, most mighty one and make me put on

virility in my mind so that in all virtue I may act viriliously and energetically;

and, inseparably with you, I may persevere, well strengthened in you, with an

unconquerable mind.

May all my vigor become so appropriated to your charity and my senses so

founded and firm in you that, while of the fragile sex, I may, by virtue of a

rational soul and virile mind, attain to that kind of love which leads to the

bridal-couch of the interior bed-chamber of perfect union with you. Now, O

love, hold and possess me as your own, for already I no longer have – if not in

you – either spirit or soul.