not help frequent distractions arising from human frailty
whilst in choir, she said to herself: What possible use
can these indevout prayers be ? It would be wiser not
to say them at all. She was about to leave the choir,
but at that moment Christ appeared to her, holding His
Heart in both hands. " See," He said to her, " I place
My loving Heart before thine eyes, that thou mayst com-
mission it to accomplish all that thou canst not of thyself
perform; then nothing will be wanting to it in My sight."
At this the saint was much amazed; she thought it would
be derogatory to the sacred Heart to supply her defi-
ciencies. But Our Lord said to her: " If thou hadst a
beautiful voice, and delightedst in singing, wouldst thou
not be displeased if one whose voice was poor and weak
would not allow thee to take her part ? So My Heart
earnestly desires that thou wouldst, by sign if not by
word, make Me thy substitute, to do perfectly what thou
£anst do but imperfectly." What a happy and com-
forting doctrine is this ! It is indeed an easy method of
filling up what is lacking to our devotion. Wherefore, if
we are distracted at Mass and feel but little devotion, we
will say to Our Lord: O sweet Jesus, I grieve from the
bottom of my heart that I am so distracted at my
prayer:^; I beseech Thy sacred Heart to supply what is
wanting to them.
