Aspirations of Cardinal Bona

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I beg of you, dearest Savior, come and reign over my heart. Far from me forever be all other loves but You, my supreme God. Burn me with the fire of thy beauty, O sovereign of my heart; to You, I sacrifice all, even my inmost being.

Jesus, Lord of my heart, mighty and strong, all hail! O Savior, reign absolutely over this heart of mine. Oh! How happy I am to think that thy reign can have no end. Thousands of hearts have loved You tenderly, thousands of heart will cherish you in time to come. Would that they were all united with mine to love and cherish you as you deserve. Would that I could make thee sought for and loved by all the sons of Adam, Lord who are all lovable!

Triumph, my love, my beginning, and my all! I want thee only, desire You alone! My joy, my great joy is that you oh God, a God that is good, perfect, immeasurable, infinite, just, wise, powerful. I love You for Your own sake, and I rejoice in your favors for the sole reason that they are yours! Pause I throw myself into your arms, Jesus, with all the fervor of my soul. I sing for joy that all the angels and saints adore and praise you. Oh! That I could love you in proportion as thou art lovable! But since this is impossible for any creature, let me at least love thee as much as I can and ought. Fill my soul with your love, my God, so that I may die in its embrace, wholly devoured and burnt up in its flame. How much I repent having loved anything else but thee! Oh! Would that I might have my life over again, and drown it in thy love!

Sweet life of my soul, let my heart faint away in You! What else can I desire in heaven, what else can I desire in heaven, what else can I seek on earth, but you? I have asked of You one favor alone, and it is all that I shall seek, Lord, at your hand: to dwell in thy house all the days of thy life. May my last breath be a sigh of love. May I die of your love, my God. May my life, if it did not begin with love, at least end in it; and let my last act be an act of love.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.