Page:Prayerbookforrel00lasa 0.djvu/596

 purity and  fervor. In union  with  all  those  who  have  ever been most  devoted  to  thee,  I  now  dedicate  myself  to  thy service, beseeching  thee,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ,  Who vouchsafed to  love  and  obey  thee  as  a  son,  to  become  a  father to me,  and  to  obtain  for  me  the  filial  respect,  confidence, and love  of  a  child  toward  thee. O powerful  advocate  of all  Christians! whose intercession,  as  St.  Teresa  assures  us, has never  been  found  to  fail,  deign  to  intercede  for  me  now, and to  obtain  for  me  the  particular  object  of  this  novena. [Specify it.]  Present  me,  O  great  saint,  to  the  Adorable Trinity, with  Whom  thou  hadst  so  glorious  and  so  intimate a correspondence. Obtain that  I  may  never  efface  by  sin the sacred  image  according  to  the  likeness  of  which  I  was created. Beg for  me  that  my  divine  Redeemer  may  enkindle in my  heart,  and  in  all  hearts,  the  fire  of  His  love,  and  infuse therein the  virtues  of  His  adorable  infancy,  His  purity,  simplicity, obedience,  and  humility. Obtain for  me  likewise a lively  devotion  to  thy  virgin  spouse,  and  protect  me  so powerfully  in  life  and  death  that  I  may  have  the  happiness of dying  as  thou  didst,  in  the  friendship  of  my  Creator,  and under the  immediate  protection  of  the  Mother  of  God.

For making a  novena  in  honor  of  St.  Joseph,  an  indulgence  of 300  days,  -on  each  day,  and  a  plenary  indulgence  during  the novena or  on  any  one  of  the  eight  days  following  it. — Pius IX., Nov. 28, 1876.

REAT St.  Joseph,  thou  generous  depositary  and dispenser of  immortal  riches,  behold  us  prostrate at thy  feet,  conjuring  thee  to  receive  us  as  thy  servants and as  thy  children. Next to  the  sacred  hearts  of Jesus  and  Mary,  of  which  thou  art  the  faithful  copy, we acknowledge  that  there  is  no  heart  more  tender, more compassionate,  than  thine. What, then,  have we to  fear,  or,  rather,  for  what  should  we  not  hope, if thou  dost  deign  to  be  our  benefactor,  our  master, our model,  our  father,  and  our  intercessor!

Refuse not,  then,  the  favor  we  ask  of  thee,  O  powerful protector! We ask  it  of  thee  by  the  love  thou  hast  for