Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/659

 ing before  God! chase away with your  bright  beams  the clouds of  my  sins! For ye are  the  twain  to  whom,  for the merit  of  your  most  pure virginity, the  only  - begotten Son of  God  confirmed  the  privilege of  his  love  while  hanging on  the  Cross,  in  saying to one  of  you: Woman,  behold thy  son! and then  to  the other: Behold thy  Mother!

Therefore, in  the  sweetness of so  sacred  a love  as  that  by which  you  were  then,  by  the Lord’s mouth,  joined  together as mother  and  son,  I,  a most miserable sinner,  this  day  recommend to  both  of  you  my body  and  my  soul; that  every hour and  moment  of  my  life you may  vouchsafe  to  be,  both inwardly and  outwardly,  my constant  guardians,  and  my gracious  intercessors  with God. Implore, for  me,  I beseech you,  the  salvation  both of my  body  and  my  soul.

Cause, I beseech  you,  cause by your  glorious  prayers,  that the Holy  Spirit,  the  perfect Giver of  all  graces,  may  vouchsafe to  visit  my  heart,  and dwell in  it; and  so  cleanse me from  all  filthiness  of  sin, so beautify  and  adorn  me  with holy virtues,  as  to  cause  me to  stand  perfect,  and  to  persevere to  the  end  in  the  love of God  and  of  my  neighbour; and,  this  life  ended, to bring  me  to  the  joys  of  his Elect; even the  same  most gracious Paraclete,  who,  with the Father  and  the  Son,  lives and reigns  world  without  end. Amen.

O Holy Mary,  Lady  mine! I recommend myself,  soul  and body, to  thy  blessed  trust  and special custody,  and  to  the bosom of  thy  mercy,  this and every  day,  and  at  the hour of  my  death: I commit to thee  all  my  hope  and  consolation, all  my  distresses  and sorrows, my  life  and  my  life’s end, that  by  thy  most  holy intercession, and  by  thy  merits, all  my  works  may  be  ordered and  disposed  according to thy  will  and  the  Will  of  thy Son.

O most sweet  Mother  of Jesus! Virgin Mary,  my  patroness! full of  the  bowels  of mercy,  help  me,  a wretched sinner, before  a sudden  and unforeseen death  overtake me; that I may  not  pass out of  this  world  suddenly and unprepared. Pray for me, blessed  Virgin  Mary,  for the most  bitter  Passion  and Death of  thy  only  Son  our Lord Jesus  Christ,  that  I may pass out  of  this  world  reconciled to  Him,  in  detestation of all  sin,  in  the  renunciation of  the  devil  and  all  his works, with  true  contrition, with sincere  and  humble  confession, penitence,  and  satis-