_Prayer of St. Gertrude to the Sacred Heart of Mary._--O Immaculate Heart of Mary, I have nothing to offer you that is worthy of you; yet how many thanks should I not render you for all the favours that you have obtained for me from the Heart of Jesus! What reparation should I not offer you for my languor during Divine service! I would wish to render you love for love: the only good that I possess is the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which you have yourself given to me. I offer you, then, this treasure of infinite value--I can do nothing more, and nothing less do you merit from me. Accept, then, this gift, which is so dear to you; and nothing more do I desire except that you will deign to accept, also, my poor heart. Amen. _Ejaculation._--Mother of Good Counsel, pray for me. _Practice._--Make a sincere act of contrition for the time that you have spent away from God. FOURTH DAY. FIDELITY OF MARY IN FOLLOWING THE CALL OF GOD. LET us consider in this meditation the punctual care with which Mary always followed her vocation. God had uttered in her ears, or rather in the interior of her heart, the words of the psalm: _Audi Fili, inclina aurem tuam, et obliviscere populum tuum, et domum patris tui et concupiscet rex decorem tuum-- 'Hearken, my child, incline thine ear to Me; forget thy people and thy father's house, and the King shall desire thy beauty_.' Ponder attentively these words: '_Hearken, child_'--_Audi Fili_. They imply that, in order to hear well, it is necessary to listen, first, very attentively--'_inclina aurem tuam_;' it is to the humble alone that God deigns to make known His Will. '_Forget thy people and thy fathers house, and the King will greatly desire thy beauty_.' This is as if He would say, do not confine thyself to listening to the word of inspiration, and abasing thyself in order that thou mayest understand it, but further strip thy heart of all affection for thy country and thy relations, and then I shall be delighted with thy beauty. O, holy and Divine seed which our Lord sows in the hearts of so many! And yet how many there are who hear the Divine call, without making one step to leave their country and go whither God calls them! Diligence is taken to examine and consider attentively whether the inspiration comes from God, or from the enemy of all good, or if it be the deception of self-love; and meanwhile, through our own fault, the Divine vocation fails in its effect. I do not wish to condemn the considerations which ought to be made in order to discern well the nature of the inspiration. By no means; but after having made your examen with simplicity, in the presence of God, and recognised His voice, go forth quickly and enter the land which He points out to you. Listen no longer to so many discourses and reasonings suggested by the spirit of the world, because procrastination under such circumstances exposes you to very serious dangers. Do not, then, lull yourself to