Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/160

 ''In like  manner,  enumerate and  invoke  thy  other  Patrons. Then make  thy  prayer  as follows: ''

O most dear  Lord  Jesus Christ, in  union  with  the love with  which  thou  didst recommend and  offer  thyself for our  salvation  to  the  eternal Father  when  dying  on the  cross; and  by  the  example of  the  three  Wise  Men who, soon  after  thy  birth, offered to  thee  with  fervent affection of  heart  the  three mystical gifts;  and  by  the love with which  all  thy  saints and elect  have  ever  pleased thee and  served  thee: I,  an unworthy  sinner,  offer  to thee,  my  God  and  Creator, three small  gifts,  which,  however trivial,  of  supreme  right are due  to  thee  alone: my understanding,  my  memory, and my  will.

I offer thee  my  body  and soul, with  the  state  of  life  to which  thou  hast  vouchsafed to call  me.

I fully and  purely  apply  all my thoughts,  words,  and  actions to  the  greater  glory  of thy  name,  my  own  salvation, and the  edification  of  my neighbour.

From my  heart  I implore thee, most  merciful  Jesus,  by the  tenderness  of  thy  eternal goodness, by  the  love  which procured thy  cry  to  Thy  Father to  be  heard  according to thy  devotion,  and  by  the sweet love  with  which  thou didst so  mercifully  receive the three  Wise  Men  with their gifts; by  all  the  mercy and goodness  thou  hast  displayed towards  the  wretched and the  sinner  from  the  beginning of  the  world  to  this very hour,  I beg  of  thee  to regard  me  also  with  the  eyes of thy  mercy,  and  to  receive favourably my  offering,  however unworthy;  and  so  to guide  me  henceforward  by thy  effectual  grace,  that  all things within  and  around  me may  be  directed  and  ordered to thy  glory,  and  to  my  own and my  neighbour’s  salvation. For my  soul’s  desire  is,  to please  thee  and  be  united  to thee  now  and  for  evermore.

Holy Mary,  Virgin  Mother of God,  confiding  in  the  tenderness of  thy  maternal  heart, unworthy as  I am  to  serve thee, I choose  thee  this  day, in the  presence  of  my  angel guardian and  the  whole  court of heaven,  to  be  my  mother and mistress,  patroness  and advocate; and henceforward I firmly resolve  to  serve  thee faithfully, and  to  be  eternally united to  thee  and  to  thy  Son. I adjure thee,  most  holy  mother, by  the  love  with  which thy Son,  when  at  the  very point of  death,  recommended himself to  his  Father  upon the cross,  but  thee  to  his  dis-