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 And I  recommend  myself  to  thee,  O  Mary,  refuge of  sinners  and  Mother  of  God.

Saviour of  the  world,  I  return  thanks  for  myself and  for  all  the  faithful,  my  brethren,  for having called  and  admitted  me  to  live  in  the true faith  taught  by  the  holy  Catholic  Church. " My God,"  I  will  say  to  you  with  St.  Francis  de  Sales, "great and  numberless  are  the  benefits  Thou  hast bestowed  on  me,  and  for  which  I  return  Thee  my most  heartfelt  thanks;  but  how  can  I  sufficiently thank  Thee  for  having  enlightened  me  with  the  light of  faith?  O  Lord,  I  tremble  when  I  compare  my  ingratitude with  the  greatness  of  Thy  benefits.  My Lord,  I  thank  Thee,  as  much  as  I  am  able,  for  this great  gift  of  faith,  and  I  pray  Thee  to  make  its beauties  known  to  all  men.

O Mother  of  God,  increase  my  faith.

Our hope of  salvation,  and  of  receiving  the  means  necessary  for  its attainment, must  be  certain  on  God's  part. The motives  on  which this certainty  is  founded  are  the  power,  the  mercy,  and  the  truth of God;  and  of  these  the  strongest  and  most  certain  motive  is  God's infallible  faithfulness  to  the  promise  which  He  has  made  to  us, through the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  save  us,  and  to  give  us  the graces necessary  to  our  salvation. This promise  is  conditional;  it depends  on  our  actively  corresponding  to  God's  grace  and  praying. He who  prays  is  certainly  saved.

ternal Father,  I  thank  Thee  for  myself,  and on behalf  of  all  mankind,  for  the  great  mercy that Thou  hast  shown  us,  in  sending  Thy  Son to be  made  man,  and  to  die  for  our  salvation;  I  thank