1 “Gloria Deo, Pax Hominibus - Glory to God, Peace to men”.
2 “My children, for whom I am again in labor until Christ be formed in you” (Gal 4:19).
3 In a copy of the 1932 printed booklet, Fr. Alberione corrected by his own hand this expression with “Appunti di meditazioni ed istruzioni del P. Maestro” (Notes of meditation and instructions of the Primo Maestro). On the meaning of the term “appunti” - “notes” cf. DFin 4 and DFin 220.
Seen and approved for printing.
Alba, 11 February 1932
Ab. Molino Vic. Gen.
1 Soul of Christ, make me holy.
Body of Christ, be my salvation.
Blood of Christ, let me drink your wine.
Water flowing from the side of Christ, wash me clean.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
Kind Jesus, hear my prayer;
hide me within your wounds
and keep me close to you.
Defend me from the evil enemy.
Call me at my death
to the fellowship of your saints,
that I may sing your praise with them
through all eternity. Amen.
This prayer is usually placed at the start of the booklet Spiritual Exercises by St. Ignatius. For its history, see Enciclopedia Cattolica, I, 1341f.
Our Way, our Truth, our Life divine - O Jesus, our Lord!
On ev'ry path as Light you shine - O Master adored!
Lead us so we shall fulfill,
Through our faith and works, your will.
We praise and bless you, / Our hope confess you!
In love we sing, / Eternal King, / O Master adored!
Your word we'll keep with all our might - O Jesus, our Lord!
The battle of the cross we'll fight - O master adored!
Docile to your Church we'll be,
By your truths led joyously.
We praise and bless you, / Our hope confess you!
In love we sing, / Eternal King, O Master adored!
Not much information on the origin of this hymn is available. In a Recueil de motets, edited by Edmond Gabriel, Paris, 1913, p. 23, found in a library in Piedmont, O Via, Vita, Veritas is attributed to a certain Benz. We, however, have the testimony of Fr. Paolino Mrcellino Gilli on the adoption of the hymn in the Society of St. Paul: “Perhaps I can tell you when the famous orientation to Christ, Way, Truth and Life began... The spark, as I remember, broke out one beautiful Sunday towards the end of 1922 or the start of 1923... Well, on Sundays after lunch we used to go for walks, then go to study for an hour and another hour of catechism class; at four o'clock there used to be the singing of the Vespers. That time, we were just coming back from the walk, rather, we were still along Piazza Savona, when someone came to tell us to go back in a hurry because there was something new to learn. In effect, that day we did not have study period or class of catechism, but a lesson in music: Fr. Robaldo spent the afternoon to teach us the hymn, 'O Via, Vita, Veritas.' Where they might have found it I do not know; but we learned it and from then on it became the hymn of every moment; and not only the hymn: I can say that, from that moment, everything was brought towards that direction: the visit, prayers, spiritual work, personal formation (mind, will, heart), etc. Everything was measured up on Christ, Way, Truth and Life (Interview by don Giovanni Roatta with Fr. Paolo Marcellino Gilli, in Camminiamo anche noi in novità di vita, no. 21, March 1976, pp. 20-21. Cf. G. ROATTA, in L'eredità cristocentrica di don Alberione, op. cit., p. 195).
1 PRAYER OF ST. AUGUSTINE
Wherein are asked intimate knowledge and the following of Jesus Christ.
Lord Jesus, would that I know me, that I knowyou,
nothing else may I desire but you.
You may hate me but let me love you.
Let me do everything for you.
Humiliate me, but let me exalt you.
Let me not think of anything else but you.
Mortify me but let me live in you.
All that happenes let me receive from you.
Persecute me, but let me follow you,
and desire ever to follow you.
Flee from me, but let me take refuge in you,
so I may deserve to be defended by you.
Fear for me, but let me fear you,
that I may be among those chosen by you.
Distrust me, but let me put my trust in you.
Would that I may want to obey for your sake.
To nothing let me be attached but to you,
and let me be poor for you.
Watch over me that I may love you.
Call me that I may see you,
and in eternity enjoy you. Amen.
The extract Latin text of this prayer can be seen in Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, 1952, no. 88.
2 In the printed text the words between square parentheses are skipped.
3 The prayer is not listed among those with indulgences.