Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/658



O Mother of  mercy! I pray that, through  thee,  I may have access  to  thy  Son; and that he,  who  through  thee was given  to  us,  may  also receive us  through  thee. May thy incorruption  excuse  in  his sight the  guilt  of  our  corruption; and  may  thy  humility that is  so  pleasing  to  God, obtain pardon  for  our  vanity and pride.

May thy  abundant  charity cover the  multitude  of  our sins, and  thy  glorious  fruitfulness confer  on  us  fruitfulness in  merits. O our Lady, recommend  us  to  thy Son! O our Mediatress,  reconcile us  to  thy  Son! O our Advocate, plead  for  us  to  thy Son!

By the  grace,  O blessed Lady, which  thou  hast  merited by  him  who  is  Mercy, whom thou  hast  brought forth, obtain  for  us  that  he who,  by  thy  mediation,  vouchsafed to  become  partaker  of our  infirmity  and  misery,  may also, by  thy  intercession,  make us partakers  of  his  goodness and glory,  Jesus  Christ  thy Son our  Lord,  who  is  above all blessed  for  ever.

O inviolate and  for  ever blessed! O illustrious and  incomparable Mary,  Virgin  Mother of  God,  and  most  acceptable Temple  of  God,  Shrine of the  Holy  Ghost,  Gate  of  the Kingdom of  Heaven,  through whom, next  after  God,  lives all the  world! Incline, O Mother  of  Mercy,  thy  bountiful ears  to  my  unworthy supplications, and  be  in  all things a kind  and  gracious helper to  me,  a most  miserable sinner.

O John! most blessed  friend and intimate  associate  of Christ,  who  by  the  same  our Lord Jesus  Christ  wert  chosen a virgin,  both  beloved more than  the  rest,  and  beyond all  others  experienced in heavenly  mysteries,  for thou becamest  his  most  illustrious Apostle  and  Evangelist; thee,  too,  I invoke,  together with  Mary  the  Mother of the  same  Lord  Jesus Christ our  Saviour,  that  with her thou  wouldst  vouchsafe to give  me  thy  help.

O Mary and  John,  ye  two celestial gems! O ye two shining lamps,  divinely  burn-