Explanation of the Offering

Part I - The Soul Presents Itself
before the Divine Trinity

The first part of this prayer is imploratory, addressed to each one of the Three Divine Persons.

To the Father, in the first place, the soul, calling Him from the abyss of its nothingness, considering itself in all its misery before that Divine Majesty that exists eternally, declares itself to be nothing more than a "vile worm" that does not merit the attention of that Divine Majesty but, on contemplating, through grace, the laudable desire of offering itself in union with His "beloved Son, in Whom He is well pleased" (Mk. I:11) as a victim to His Justice, it dares to prostrate itself before His Sovereign Presence, and say to Him: "Permit this vile worm of the earth to call upon thee, in witnessing the Offering of its soul." Here filial confidence predominates.

Then the soul addresses the Second Divine Person, the Word Incarnate, with Whom it wishes to identify itself through the sharing of His Victimhood, and that is why, on addressing Him, a most intimate trust and special love prevails in its expression, for it says to Him: "Most Beloved Jesus." And since the incentive that Jesus awakens in it is the Redemption, in which the soul wishes to co-participate, it calls Him: "Redeemer" of my soul, "Who art our Mediator between Heaven and earth, from the beginning and forever and ever, Who art always crucified (in the Eucharist) for love of us."

Here the soul considers Jesus as He dwells among the children of men: real and truly present. . living! although hidden, in the Eucharist. A GOD MADE MAN, and that is why its confidence is fraternal and it says: "disdain not Thy miserable brother who now traverses the rugged pathways of the world."

As if it were to say: O, You. . .Who have made yourself like me, so that I might not restrain myself from approaching You, You Who were man without ceasing to be God, come, You Who lived on the earth as I live, come and together, let us go before the Throne of the Divinity, to merit to be heard, since without You, nothing would induce me to do so. Come! And place Yourself before me, as you were "the firstborn of every creature," according to the expression of the Apostle (Col. I:15-18)

And finally, the Third Divine Person, the Holy Ghost, is addressed with ardent cries that that Divine Spirit Who proceeds simultaneously from the Father and the Son, may come to confirm in it the grace that inspires it, and thus fill it with its most soothing unction. And that is why, on addressing this Divine Person, the soul says: "Come into my heart so that, united with Thee, we may present ourselves before the Divine Justice of Thine own Being."

And, to confess its faith in a single God, the soul concludes: "O Most Blessed Trinity, do not cast me away from Thy presence."

Here again the soul feels itself possessed of that reverence that is due the Divine Essence, before which it must prostrate itself with humility.

Explanation. Part II.

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