Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/104

 my God  and  Saviour,  with  a humble  mind,  and  with  the deepest affection  of  my heart.

And because  thou  hast  offered thy  whole  self  to  God the Father  on  the  altar  of the  cross,  as  the  price  of  my redemption,  to  redeem  me,  a wretched  sinner,  I too,  O most  loving  Jesus,  offer  to thee  my  whole  self,  whatever I am, and  whatever  I shall be, with  all  that  I have,  or ever  shall  have.

Take, O Lord,  I beseech thee, into  the  hands  of  thy unspeakable mercy,  both  my soul  and  body,  my  senses, words, and  actions. Vouchsafe so to  direct  and  govern me in  all  things,  that  I may ever avoid  all  occasions  of sin,  and  never  fall  into  the snare of  the  malignant  spirit, but may  unceasingly  adhere to thee,  my  Redeemer,  and to thy  commandments;  so that  neither  life,  nor  death, nor any  misfortune,  may  separate me  from  thee.

I pray thee,  O most  loving Jesus, by  that  love  which for our  sake  drew  thee  from the bosom  of  the  supreme Father into  the  Virgin’s womb, supply  the  imperfection of  my  actions,  which,  on my  part,  are  of  little  value and merit,  unless  they  receive a supply of  their  deficiency from thy  perfection.

Unite, I implore  thee,  my most  unworthy  service  with all that  thou  hast  done  and suffered of  thy  most  perfect and unspeakable  love  and obedience; and  vouchsafe  to offer  it  to  the  eternal  Father, together with  the  riches  of the  satisfaction  and  merits  of thy  love,  that  my  want  may be supplied  from  thy  abundance, and  that  I may  obtain through thy  mediation  that grace which  I in  no  way merit of  myself.

I entreat thee  also. O most dear Jesus,  by  thy  holy  incarnation, passion,  and  death, and by  all  that  thou  hast done for  our  salvation,  have mercy on  my  parents,  brothers, sisters,  friends,  and benefactors, living  and  dead; communicate to  them  the merits of  thy  most  precious blood and  passion,  that  by the  assistance  of  thy  grace they may  so  order  their  present life,  as  to  receive  finally in heaven  the  reward  of  life eternal.

O Holy Ghost,  who,  with the Father  and  the  Son,  art the one  and  true  God; man, without thy  inspiration  is nought. Only when  we  are born again  of  water  and  the Holy Ghost  are  we  members of Christ  Jesus,  and  sons  of his  Church,  This  Church thou governest  and  protectest,  makest  fruitful,  and  sanctifiest  by  the  continual  outpouring of  thy  grace  and goodness.