St Claude de la Columbiere, confessor of St Margaret Mary Alocoque

ACT of CONFIDENCE

By Saint Claude de la Columbiere

My God, I am so intimately convinced that Thou dost watch over all those that hope in Thee, and that we can want for nothing while we expect all from Thee, that I am resolved to live without anxiety in the future, casting all my care on Thee. "In peace I will sleep and I will rest for Thou hast wonderfully established me in hope." (Ps IV, 9,10) 

Men may turn against me: sickness may take away my strength, and the means of serving Thee; I may even lose Thy grace by sin, but I will never lose my hope. I will keep it even to the last moment of my life, and all the demons in hell shall try in vain to tear it from me. In peace I will sleep and I will rest.

Others may look for happiness from their riches or their talents; they may rely upon the innocence of their lives, the rigour of their penance, the number of their good works, or the fervour of their prayers; but for me, O Lord, my confidence shall be my confidence itself. For Thou hast wonderfully established me in hope.

This confidence has never decieved anyone. No one hath hoped in the Lord and been put to shame. I am sure that I shall be eternally happy, because I hope firmly to be so, and it is from Thee, O Lord, that I hope it. In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; I shall not be confounded forever.

I know that I am frail and changeable; I know the power of temptation against the most firmly based virtues: I have seen the stars of heaven and the pillars of the firmament fall; but not even this can make me fear. As long as I hope, I am safe from every evil, and I am sure of always hoping because I hope for this unchanging hope. For Thou, O Lord, hast wonderfully established me in hope.

In fine, I am sure that I cannot hope too much in Thee; and that I cannot obtain less than I hope for from Thee. Thus I hope that Thou wilt uphold me (and my family) in the greatest dangers, protect me (and my family) in the most violent assaults, and make my weakness triumph over my most formidable enemies. I hope that Thou wilt love me always, and that I also shall love Thee with unfailing love; and to carry my hope at once as far as it can go, I hope for Thee from Thyself, my Creator, both in time and eternity. Amen.

The True Friend Prayer 
by Saint Claude de la Colombiere

Jesus, Thou art the only and the true friend.

Thou knowest my difficulties. Thou takest them upon Thyself. Thou knowest how to transform them for my good. Thou hearest me with goodness when I speak of my afflictions and never dost Thou fail to lighten them.

I find Thee always and everywhere; Thou dost never leave me and, if I am obliged to move, I never fail to find Thee where I go.

Thou dost not tire of listening to me; Thou dost never cease to do me good. I am assured of being loved if I love Thee. Thou dost not need my goods, and Thou dost not become poorer in giving me Thine own.

However wretched I may be, someone more noble, more intelligent, even holier will not steal from me Thy friendship. Death, which tears us away from all our other friends, will serve only to reunite me to Thee. All the disfrace of age, or fortune cannot detach Thee from me. On the contrary, I will never enjoy Thee more fully, Thou wilt never be closer than when everything will seem to fail me.

Thou sufferest my imperfections with admirable patience, even my infidelities. My ingratitude does not hurt Thee, so much so that Thou art always willing to come back, if I desire it.

O Jesus, grant that I may desire it, so that I be all Thine, in time and eternity!