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I must love Him!
Did you love me Jesus, King of heaven, Lord of angels,
Master of all worlds- did you set your heart on ME?
What? did you love me from of old, and
in eternity choose me to yourself?
Did you continue to love me as the ages rolled on?
Did you come from heaven to earth that you might win me to be
your spouse, and do you love me so that you do not leave me
alone in this poor desert world; and are you this very day
preparing a house for me where I shall dwell with you forever?
A very wretch, Lord, I should prove had I no love to you!
I MUST love you- it is impossible for me to resist you.
The Thought That You Love Me Has Compelled My Soul To Love You.
Me! me! what was there in me- could you see beauties in me?
I see none in myself; my eyes are red with weeping, because
of my blackness and deformity; I have said even to the sons
of men, "Look not upon me, for I am black."
And do you see beauties in ME?
What a quick eye must you have, no, rather it must be that you have
made my eyes to be your looking-glass, and so you see yourself in me,
and it is your image that you love; surely you could not love me.
That ravishing text in the Canticles, where Jesus says to the spouse,
"You are all fair my love, there is no spot in you."
Can you imagine Christ saying that to you? And yet he has said it,
"You are all fair my love, there is no spot in you."
He has put away your blackness, and you stand in his sight as perfect
as though you had never sinned, and as full of loveliness as though
you were what you shall be, when made like unto him at last.
Oh brothers and sisters, some of you can say with emphasis,
"Did he love me, then I must love him."
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