Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/399

 this sickness,  still  blessed  art  Thou. I embrace death to  do  Thy  will,  and  I  repeat,  "  Thy  will,  Thy will  be  done;"  I  only  beg  Thee  to  help  me  all  through this hour. "Have mercy  on  me,  O  God,  according to  Thy  great  mercy." If, then,  Thou  wilt  that  I should  leave  this  earth,  I  declare  that  I  desire  to  die, because thus  Thou  wilt  have  it.

I desire  also  to  die,  in  order  that,  by  the  pain  and bitterness of  my  death,  I  may  satisfy  Thy  divine  justice for  all  my  sins,  through  which  I  have  offended Thee and  deserved  hell.

I desire  also  to  die,  that  I  may  never  more  offend Thee or  cause  Thee  displeasure  in  this  life.

I also  desire  to  die  in  acknowledgment  of  the gratitude which  I  owe  Thee  for  all  the  benefits  and gifts that  Thou  hast  given  me,  contrary  to  all  my own  deserts.

I desire  to  die,  that  I  may  show  that  I  love  Thy will more  than  my  life.

I desire,  if  it  pleases  Thee,  to  die  now,  at  a  time when I  trust  I  am  in  Thy  grace,  in  order  to  be  assured that  I  shall  praise  and  bless  Thee  forever.

I desire,  above  all,  to  die,  in  order  that  I  may  come to love  Thee  eternally,  and  with  all  my  powers,  in heaven;  where  through  Thy  Blood,  O  my  Redeemer, I hope  to  come,  and  to  be  safe  from  ceasing  to  love Thee through  all  eternity. O my  Jesus,  Thou  didst accept the  death  of  the  cross  through  love  of  me;  I accept  death,  and  all  the  pains  which  await  me, through love  of  Thee. Therefore I  say  with  St. Francis,  "  May  I  die,  O  Lord,  through  love  of  Thee, Who,  through  love  of  me,  didst  not  disdain  to  die."

I pray  Thee,  O  my  Saviour,  my  love,  and  my  only Good, by  Thy  holy  wounds  and  Thy  bitter  death make me  to  die  in  Thy  grace,  and  through  Thy Blood suffer  me  not  to  perish. O sweetest  Jesus, suffer me  not  to  be  separated  from  Thee;  suffer  me not  to  be  separated  from  Thee.