MY ARMOR.
“The spouse of the King is terrible as an army set in array; She is like to a choir of music on a field of battle.” Canticles vi. 3; vii.
“Put you on the armor of God that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil.” Ephesians vi. II.
With heavenly armor am I clad to-day;
The hand of God has thus invested me.
What now from Him could tear my heart away;
What henceforth come between my God and me?
With Him for Guide, the fight I face serene;
Nor furious fire, nor foe, nor death, I fear.
My enemies shall know I am a queen,
The spouse of God, most high, most dear.
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This armor I shall keep while life shall last;
Thou, Thou, hast given it Me, my King, my Spouse!
My fairest, brightest gems, by naught on earth surpast,
Shall be my sacred vows.
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My first dear sacrifice, O Poverty,
Thou shalt go with me till my dying hour.
Detached from all things must the athlete be,
If he the race would run, and prove his power
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Taste, worldly men! regret, remorse and pain,
The bitter fruits of earthly, vain desire;
The glorious palms of Poverty I gain,
I who to God alone aspire.
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“Who would My heavenly Kingdom have from Me,
He must use violence,” so Jesus said.
Ah well then! Poverty my mighty lance shall be,
The helmet for my head.
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The pure white Angels’ sister now am I;
My vow of Chastity has made me so.
Ah, how I hope one day with them to fly!
Meanwhile to daily combat must I go.
For my great Spouse, of every lord the Lord,
Struggle must I, with neither truce nor rest;
And Chastity shall be my heavenly sword.
To win men’s souls to Jesus’ breast.
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O Chastity,my sword invincible!
To overcome my foes thou hast sufficed;
By thee am I — O joy ineffable! —
The Spouse of Jesus Christ.
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The proud, proud angel, in the realms of light,
Cried out, rebellious: “I will not obey!”
But I shall cry, throughout earth’s dreary night,
“With all my heart, I will obey alway!”
With holy boldness all my soul is steeled,
Against hell’s wild attacks I bravely dart;
Obedience is my firm and mighty shield,
The buckler on my valiant heart.
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O conquering God! no other prize I seek,
Than to submit with all my heart to Thee;
Of victories th’ obedient man shall speak
Through all eternity.
If now a soldier’s weapon I can wield,
If valiantly like him the foe I face,
I also long to sing upon the field,
As sang the glorious Virgin of all grace.
Thou mak’st the chords to vibrate of Thy lyre.
That lyre, O Jesus! is my loving heart;
To sing Thy mercies is that heart’s desire.
How sweet, how strong, how dear, Thou art.
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With radiant smile, Thou Spouse, my heart’s Delight,
I go to meet all foes from hell’s dark land;
And singing I shall die, upon the field of fight,
My weapons in my hand.
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March 25, 1897.
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