An Act of Abandonment

(By Saint Jane Frances De Chantal.)

I have made some minor alteration to suit the modern English reader.

0 sovereign goodness of the sovereign Providence of my God!

I abandon myself forever to Your arms.

Whether gentle or severe,

lead me henceforth whether You Will;

I will not regard the way through which You Will have me pass,

but keep my eyes fixed upon You,

my God, who guides me.

My soul finds no rest without the arms

and the bosom of this heavenly Providence,

my true Mother, my strength and my rampart.

Therefore I resolve with Your Divine assistance,

0 my Saviour,

to follow Your desires and Your ordinances,

without regarding or examining why You do this rather than that;

but I will humbly follow You

according to Your Divine will,

without seeking my own inclinations.

Hence I am determined to leave all to You,

taking no part therein save by keeping myself in peace in Your arms,

desiring nothing except as You incites me to desire,

to will, to wish.

I offer You this desire, 0 my God,

beseeching You to bless it;

I undertake all it includes,

relying on Your goodness,

liberality, and mercy,

with entire confidence in You,

distrust of myself,

and knowledge of my infinite misery and infirmity.

Amen!

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A Prayer of Thanksgiving to the Trinity (Modified)

O Eternal God! O Eternal Trinity! Through the union of Your divine nature You has made so precious the Blood of Thine only-begotten Son! O eternal Trinity, You are as deep a mystery as the sea, in whom the more I seek, the more I find; and the more I find, the more I seek. For even immersed in the depths of You, my soul is never satisfied, always famished and hungering for You, eternal Trinity, wishing and desiring to see You, the True Light.

O eternal Trinity, with the light of understanding I have tasted and seen the depths of Your mystery and the beauty of Your creation. In seeing myself in You, I have seen that I will become like You. O eternal Father, from Your power and wisdom clearly has given to me a share of that wisdom which belongs to Your Only-begotten Son. And truly has the Holy Spirit, who proceded from You, Father and Son, given to me the desire to love You.

O eternal Trinity, You are my maker and I am your creation. Illuminated by You, I have learned that You has made me a new creation through the Blood of Your Only-begotten Son because you are captivated by love at the beauty of Your creation.

O eternal Trinity, O Divinity, O unfathomable abyss, O deepest sea, what greater gift could You give me then Your very Self? You are a fire that burns eternally yet never consumed, a fire that consumes with Your heat my self-love. Again and again You are the fire who take away all cold heartedness and illuminates the mind by Your light, the light with which You has made me to know Your truth.

By this mirrored light I know You are the highest good, a good above all good, a fortunate good, an incomprehensible good, an unmeasurable good, a beauty above all beauty, a wisdom above all wisdom, for You are wisdom itself, the the food of angels, the fire of love that You give to man.

You are the garment covering our nakedness. You feed our family with Thy sweetness, a sweetness You are from which there is no trace of bitterness. O Eternal Trinity! Amen.

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Act of Thanksgiving to the Trinity, from St. Catherine's Dialogue on Divine Providence
(1347-1380), Doctor of the Church





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