Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/238



O most holy  Father! by that immeasurable  love  by which  thou  hast  granted  to  us to  be  called  and  to  be  the  sons of God,  from  the  bottom  of my  heart  I beseech  thee  mercifully to  pardon  my  neglect hitherto to  render  thee  the honour and  filial  love  which I owe to  my  most  loving  Father; instead  of  which  I have often and  deeply  offended thee by  my  sins,  and  by  my sins  have  very  often  driven thee shamefully  out  of  my heart,  in  which  it  was  thy right to  dwell,  as  thou  dwellest  in  heaven,  thy  throne.

O most merciful  Father! look upon  the  face  of  Christ thy Son,  and  have  mercy upon me. I beseech thee,  in union  with  that  infinite  love with which  thou  hast  from all eternity  begotten  thy  Son to be  coequal  with  thee,  and hast willed  him  at  the  predestined time  to  become  man for us; I beseech  thee,  by the  power  of  that  most  ample satisfaction,  which  the same thy  most  beloved  Son and our  sinless  brother  Jesus Christ has  made  to  thee  for me, graciously  to  accept  in atonement  for  all  my  sins  and failings, the  most  ardent  love of that  divine  heart,  together with that  most  appropriate praise and  honour  which,  with the greatest  humility,  he  rendered to  thee.

O most tender  Father! with all  the  affection  of  my heart,  I entreat  thee  not  to punish  me  because  I have not hallowed  thy  most  holy name with  its  rightful  religious worship,  honour,  and reverence; nay, have  often treated it  with  contumely, and have  many  times  so shamefully  disgraced,  by  my unworthy  conduct,  the  Christian name  which,  by  thy grace, I bear.

O Father most  high! vouchsafe, I beseech thee,  to  accept, in  atonement  for  all  my faults,  the  perfect  holiness  of life  of  thy  most  dear  Son; in which,  for  the  three  and thirty years  and  upwards  that he lived  upon  earth,  he  never ceased to  glorify  thy  blessed name, and  to  praise  and  sanctify it  by  so  many  signs  and miracles, words  and  works.

O Father of  mercies! I beseech thee most  mercifully  to forgive  me  for  having  never, with becoming  ardour  and