87. Act Of Desire

My soul, the happy hour is arrived;
Jesus comes to dwell in my poor heart.
Behold the King of heaven,
thy Redeemer and thy God,
coming to thee;
prepare thyself to receive Him with love;
say to Him with the most ardent desire:
Come, O my Jesus,
come to me:
I desire to receive Thee,
before Thou dost give Thyself to me,
I desire to give Thee my miserable heart;
accept it,
come and take full possession of it.
Come, my God, make haste;
do not delay.
I would wish to receive Thee 
with that love with which the most holy and loving souls,
with which Immaculate Mary received Thee.
With their Communion I unite this Communion of mine.
Most holy Virgin, my Mother, Mary, 
behold I am going to receive Thy Son.
I would wish to have thy heart,
and the love with which thou didst communicate:
give me this morning thy Jesus, 
as thou gavest Him 
to the shepherds and to the Magi.
I wish to receive Him from thy most pure hands; 
tell Him that I am thy servant, 
and that I am devoted to thee; 
and when He comes to me, 
He will look on me with a more loving eye, 
and will unite Himself more closely to me.