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BLESS Thee, and give thanks to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, Pattern of humility and mighty Teacher of eternal truth, for the example of Thy stupendous humility, and for the light of Thy hidden wisdom, shown forth to men, at Thy going up to Jerusalem with Thy parents for the Feast; what time Thou didst offer for us to God the Father sacrifices of holy prayer and praise, and didst sit humbly, as a boy of twelve, in the midst of the Doctors, hearing them and discreetly asking them questions, fixing upon Thyself the attention of all who beheld Thee.

I praise Thee, and I magnify with the deepest devotion Thy Holy Name, for the reverent obedience which Thou didst show to Thy parents who long time sought Thee, and at length found Thee; in that Thou, the King of Heaven, renouncing straightway Thine own Will, didst humbly submit Thyself to their authority; and, although they did not understand the saying which Thou spakest unto them, yet didst go down with them from Jerusalem to Nazareth, and didst there show Thyself the most obedient of sons to the best of Mothers.

O most sweet Jesus, most loving of sons, mirror of holiness and of every virtue, teach me, I pray Thee, to subdue the perverseness of my will; cheerfully to bow to the advice of my elders; devoutly to visit the Temple of God; diligently to hear and declare Thy Word; to venerate the Doctors of the Church; to obey my superiors