Page:Prayerbookforrel00lasa 0.djvu/1062



ETERNAL God! Whose adorable  Majesty  was  so imperfectly  honored  by  the  sacrifices  of  the  Old  Law, we rejoice,  from  the  bottom  of  our  hearts,  in  the  homage Thou didst  receive  from  Thy  beloved  Son,  on  His  presentation in  the  Temple. Sacrifice and  sin-offering  had  ceased  to please  Thee ;  they  were  no  longer  agreeable  in  Thine  eyes — when, behold! He came,  in  Whom  from  eternity  Thou  wert well pleased,  to  offer  Thee  that  Victim  of  adoration  which Thine infinite  Majesty  expected — that  Sacrifice  of  expiation which Thy  justice  required — that  Victim  of  thanksgivings which Thy  benefits  deserved — and  that  Host  of  impetration to which  Thy  mercy  had  reserved  the  most  precious  favors. But, Lord,  the  glorious  advantage  of  presenting  Thee  a Victim  worthy  of  Thy  greatness  was  not  confined  to  that  propitious moment. From the  rising  to  the  setting  of  the  sun, there is  now  offered  to  Thy  name  a  clean  oblation. In all parts of  the  earth,  at  this  moment,  that  holy,  innocent,  undented oblation  is  presented  to  Thee,  which  must  always ascend before  Thee  as  an  odor  of  sweetness. Oh, permit  us, then, to  unite  an  unreserved  oblation  of  our  whole  being, and a  fervent  renewal  of  our  vows,  to  the  first  oblation  which Jesus offered  in  the  Temple,  and  also  to  all  the  Masses  now going on  throughout  the  world. We most  humbly  beg  of Thee  to  accept  this  Victim,  infinitely  greater  than  any  favors we could  ask,  as  a  powerful  motive  for  granting  us  the  intentions of  this  novena. O most  happy  Virgin! from whom the Almighty  first  received  a  Victim  worthy  of  Himself,  let us not  be  excluded  from  a  share  in  the  graces  which,  through thee, have  been  granted  to  the  world. Since we  are  so  often in possession  of  that  same  sacred  Victim,  which  thou  didst present to  God,  obtain  for  us  a  share  in  that  ardent  love  which consumed thy  pure  soul — in  that  spirit  of  sacrifice  which