Saint John Vianney (1786-1859)
Patron Saint of Parish Priests (1929)
Memorial, August 4
I love you, O my God. My only desire is to love you, until the last breath of my life. I love you, O infinitely loveable God, and I prefer to die loving you, rather than to live for an instant without you. I love you, O my God, and I desire only to go to heaven, to have the happiness of loving you perfectly. I love you, O my God, and my only fear is to go to hell, because one will never have the sweet solace of loving you there. O my God, if my tongue cannot say at all times that I love you, at least I want my heart to repeat it to you as many times as I breathe. Ah! Do me the grace: to suffer while loving you, to love you while suffering. And, that when I die: I not only will love you, but experience it in my heart. I beg you that the closer I come to my final end, you will increase and perfect my love for you. Amen.