OF LOVE TO DIE. February 25, 1895

Canticle to the Holy Face. Dear Jesus! ‘tis Thy Holy Face Is here the start that guides my way; They countenance, so full of grace, Is heaven on earth, for me, to-day. And love finds holy charms for me In Thy sweet eyes with tear-drops wet; Through mine own tears I smile at Thee, And in Thy griefs my pains forget. How gladly would I live unknown, Thus to console Thy aching heart. Thy veiled beauty, it is shown To those who live from earth apart. I long to fly to Thee alone! 18 Thy Face is now my fatherland, — The radiant sunshine of my days, — My realm of love, my sunlit land, Where, all life long, I sing Thy praise; It is the lily of the vale, Whose mystic perfume, freely given, Brings comfort, when I faint and fail, And makes me taste the peace of heaven. Thy face, in its unearthly grace, Is like the divinest myrrh to me, That on my heart I gladly place; It is my lyre of melody; My rest — my comfort — is Thy Face. My only wealth, Lord! is thy Face; I ask naught else than this from Thee; Hid in the secret of that Face, The more I shall resemble Thee! Oh, leave on me some impress faint Of Thy sweet, humble, patient Face, And soon I shall become a saint, And draw men to Thy saving grace. So, in the secret of Thy Face, Oh! hide me, hide me, Jesus blest! There let me find its hidden grace, Its holy fires, and, in heaven’s rest, Its rapturous kiss, in Thy embrace! August 12, 1895.

‘Thou Hast Broken My Bonds, O Lord’ (Psalm CXV.7.) For a Postulant, on her entrance-day into Carmel. Thou, Jesu! on this day my earthly bonds hast broken. In Mary’s Order old, my soul true goods shall find; And if to-day: “farewell” my quivering lips have spoken 19 To those who loved me best, so dear, so true, so kind, Thou, Lord, wilt be to them far more than I could be; And Thou wilt deign to win some sinful souls through me. Jesu! on Carmel I shall dwell — Thy love has called Thy child to that oasis fair; There I desire to serve Thee well, To love Thee there, and then to die, There! yes, my Jesu, there! O Jesu! on this day, Thy love my prayer has granted; Before Thy altar throne hereafter ‘tis my part Calmly to wait for heaven, — all pain to bear undaunted, — And, lifting to the rays of Thy white Host my heart, Within that fire of love all self to burn away, And, like a seraph blest, to serve Thee night and day. Ah, Jesu! ‘twill be mine — to dwell, One day, with Thee on high, in heaven’s bright mansions fair There evermore to love Thee well, To love Thee, and no more to die, There! yes, my Jesu, there! August 15, 1895.