Page:ThePathToHeaven.djvu/555

 with the  love  of  thee. O amiable  Queen,  I  also,  unworthy as  I  am,  I  also  love  thee;  but I love  thee  too  little: I desire to  love  thee  more  tenderly and  more  generously, for to  love  thee  is  one  of  the  marks  of  predestination. I ask thee  not  for  the  good  things  of  the  world,  its  riches, its honours,  or  its  pleasures;  I  beseech  thee  to  obtain  for me the  grace  to  love  thy  Son  with  all  the  fervour  of  my heart,  and  to  consecrate  myself  entirely  to  his  honour  and thine. O Mary,  O  my  Mother,  cease  not  to  pray  for  me, until thou  seest  me  secure  of  possessing my  God,  of  loving him and  loving  thee  for  ever  and  ever. Amen.

Oh, that  I  had  the  heart  of  all  the  angels  and  all  the saints, to  love  Mary  as  they  love  her! Oh, that  I  had  at my  disposal  the  life  of  all  mankind,  that  I  might  consecrate it  whole  and  entire  to  the  glory  and  the  service  of this  most  amiable  Mother! Oh, that  I  could  engrave  on all  hearts  and  on  all  lips  the  lovely  name  of  Mary,  that name so  powerful,  which  constitutes  the  delight,  the  security, the  happiness  of  all  who  utter  it  with  a  sweet  confidence and  a  holy  joy!

O Mary,  conceived  without  sin,  pray  for  us,  who  have recourse to  thee.

O holy  Virgin,  my  august  Queen,  obtain  for  me  from thy divine  Son  the  peace  which  he  left  as  a  heritage  to his  disciples. The world  knows  it  not;  it  resides  only  in souls  that  are  sanctified  by  grace. Obtain for  me,  I  beseech thee,  grace  to  maintain  this  peace  with  God,  by  my fidelity  in  keeping  his  law;  with  my  superiors,  by  my  submission, obedience,  and  respect;  with  my  equals,  by  meekness, patience,  and  charity;  with  myself,  by  the  practice of all  virtues:  so  that  it  may  be  poured  forth  also  upon my relations,  friends,  and  all  mankind. Obtain for  me grace  to  live  on  earth  in  the  peace  of  innocence,  that  at the  last  I  may  be  found  worthy  of  that  ineffable  peace which the  blessed  enjoy  in  heaven. Amen.

O Mary,  most  sweet,  most  amiable,  and  most  glorious, thy name  cannot  be  uttered  in  the  secret  of  the  heart