Page:Prayerbookforrel00lasa 0.djvu/59

 do continually  offend  Him. We should  not  be  content with this,  but  should  grieve  over  all  the  sins,  crimes, sacrileges, and  other  evils  that  are  continually  being committed by  sinners,  since  by  them  God's  name  is  not hallowed, but  dishonored  and  outraged. We should offer up  the  most  precious  blood  in  satisfaction  for  all these evils,  together  with  the  merits  of  the  most  blessed Mother of  God  and  of  all  the  saints. Then we  should beg that  God,  for  the  honor  of  His  holy  name  and  for  the salvation of  souls,  would  raise  up  great  saints  on  the  earth, who are  so  much  needed  in  these  times  of  spiritual  darkness, these  last  days  of  the  world,  as  very  likely  they  are.

St. Teresa  says,  that  the  petition  "Thy  kingdom  come" follows very  naturally  from  the  preceding  one,  since  a father's  kingdom  belongs  to  his  children. "Say, then," she continues,  "to  your  heavenly  Father:  'Since  the world,  the  devil,  and  the  flesh  reign  upon  earth,  do  Thou reign  over  us  as  our  King,  and  destroy  in  our  souls  these kingdoms  of  avarice,  pride,  and  sensuality.'"  In  this petition we  address  Him  as  our  King,  and  beg  Him  to reign  over  us,  and  set  up  His  kingdom  in  our  souls. How many aspirations  may  we  not  make  to  that  effect,  and how much  time  may  we  not  spend  upon  this  petition! But this  is  not  all;  for  we  beg  and  pray  Him  in  this  petition to  establish  His  kingdom  in  other  souls  also,  that all men  may  love  Him. And we  also  pray  that  the  kingdoms of  the  world  may  recognize  the  principles  of  religion and truth  and  justice,  and  the  nations  become  truly Christian. Also that  God's  kingdom,  which  is  the Catholic Church,  may  be  triumphant  in  the  world,  the Vicar of  Christ  delivered  from  his  enemies,  and  all  people recognize the  Catholic  religion  as  the  one  true  faith. Thus we  may  make  this  petition  a  prayer  of  intercession for the  whole  world. Again we  pray  in  this  place  that God would  give  us  His  kingdom,  that  is,  the  kingdom  of heaven — thus  praying  for  our  everlasting  salvation,  and that of  our  neighbor. And finally  we  pray  for  His  second