This delightful, inspiring meditation, from the Marian Fathers, suggests how a conversation with Jesus might go if you
were to meet Him in person. Written more than 25 years before the recent secular bestseller, "Conversations with
God," this piece is not intended to be "trendy" but is a meditation for use during a visit to Jesus present in the Holy
Eucharist kept in the Tabernacle of any Catholic Church. However, I've found this simple, informal piece a helpful
prayer tool anywhere. As the Lord said, "when you pray, go into a room by yourself, shut the door, and pray to your
Father who is there in the secret place; and your Father who sees what is secret will reward you." Matthew 6:6.
It is not necessary, my child, to know much in order to please
me much; it is enough that you love me fervently. Speak here
to me, then, as you would speak to your most intimate friend,
to your mother, your sister, or brother.

So, you want to ask me to do something for someone? Tell
me who. Is it your parents, your brothers, your friends? Tell
me what you want me to do for them now. Ask much, very
much: do not hesitate to ask. I love generous hearts who
somehow can come to forget themselves to look after the
needs of others.

Speak sincerely to me then, of the poor you would console, of
the sick you see suffering, of the strayed you yearn to see
return to the right path, of those absent friends you want at
your side again. Say at least one word for each, the ardent
word of a friend. Remind me that I have promised to listen to
every petition that rises from the heart, and is not a prayer for
those whom your heart especially loves such a prayer?

And for you: do you need a particular favor? Make a list, as it
were, of your needs, and come and read it in my presence.
Tell me frankly that you are prone to anger, that you love
sensuality and pleasure, that you are perhaps too proud,
variable, negligent, selfish. . . Ask me to come to the help of
those efforts, many or few, which you undertake to free
yourself from these faults. Please, do not be ashamed, poor
soul. There are in Heaven so many saints who had these
same defects; but they prayed humbly, and little by little they
saw themselves free from them.

Do not hesitate to ask me for spiritual and material things; for
health, memory, success in your work, enterprises and
studies. All these I can give -- and I do give -- as long as they
do not hinder, but rather assist your sanctification. Precisely
today, what do you need? What can I do for you? If only you
knew how much I would like to help you!

Do you have, right now, some project in mind? Tell me
everything in detail. what preoccupies you? What are you
thinking? what do you want? What do you want me to do for
your parents, your brothers, your sisters, your children, your
superiors? What would you want to do for them?

And for me, do you feel an attraction for my glory? Do you not
want to do something for those friends whom you love so
much, but who perhaps live seprated from me?

Tell me what in particular attracts your attention today, what
you desire most ardently and what means you have of
obtaining it? Tell me if your plans are not working, and I will
tell you the causes of your difficulties. Do you not want to
interest me in your quest? My child, I am the Lord of hearts,
and I move them wihtout violating their freedom, to wherever I
please.

Are you perhaps sad or in bad humor? Tell me, tell me, you
inconsolable soul, tell me your sorrows in their details. Who
wounded you? Who hurt your pride? Who has mistreated
you? Come close to my Heart, and find in it a refreshing
balm for the wounds in yours. Then you will confess that, like
me, you forgive everything, you forget everything. In
appreciation, you will receive my consoling benediction.

Are you perhaps afraid? Do you feel in your soul those vague
stirrings of sadness which, however unjustified, can be so
tearing? Throw yourself in the arms of my Providence. I am
with you. I am at your side. I see everything. I hear
everything. I shall not abandon you for one moment.

Do you feel perhaps ignored by someone who loved you
once but who now may have forgotten you without cause?
Pray for them and I will bring them back to you if they are not
obstacles to your salvation.

And don't you perhaps have some joy to communicate to me?
Why don't you let me share it with you, as you would with a
friend?

Tell me what has consoled and gladdened your heart since
yesterday, since you lasted visited with me. Perhaps you
have had an agreeable surprise; perhaps you have had grave
doubts or suspicions dissipated, or you have received good
news -- a letter, or perhaps a gesture of love. Maybe you have
overcome some difficulty, or come out of a trying situation. All
this is my work. I have obtained this for you. Why not show
me your gratitude and say, as a child would to a parent,
"Thank you, Father, thank you." Gratitude brings forth new
gifts since benefactors, as you know, like to see themselves
appreciated.

Do you not have a promise to make me? I read, you know,
the bottom of hearts. People are easily deceived, but not God.
Speak to me, then, honestly; do you not have firm intentions
of avoiding the occasion of sin? Of denying yourself that
object that harmed your soul? Of avoiding that book or movie
or television program that excited your imagination in a sinful
way? Of steering clear of that person who disturbed the
peace in your soul?

Will you be kind to that person who, because he offended
you, you have regarded as an enemy?

And now, my child, return to your work, to your office, to your
family, to your studies -- but do not forget these fifteen
minutes of intimate conversation we have had in the privacy
of the sanctuary. Keep as much as possible, silence,
resignation, modesty, charity toward your neighbors. Love
and honor my Mother, who is also your Mother. And please
come again tomorrow with an even more fervent heart, to
unite it to mine. In it you will find every day new love, new
gifts, new consolation. Here I await you. . . .
Updated and modified slightly from an article in the Marian Helpers Bulletin, Jan-Mar 1971 issue, Ass'n of
Marian Helpers, Marian Fathers, Stockbridge, MA. The text is believed to be in the public domain, free for
anyone to copy; any complaint to the contrary should be directed to the webmaster of this site.
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