Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/113

 of thy  children  on  earth,  behold  thy  prodigal  but repentant child,  who  returns  to  thee  penetrated  with regret for  ever  having  sought  to  shake  off  that  yoke which thou  thyself  has  pronounced  to  be  sweet  and light. (Matt. xi.  30.)  Pardon  me,  O my  divine Benefactor, for  thou  knowest  the  clay  of  which  I am formed; thou  rememberest  that  I am  but  dust. (Psalm c.  11, 14.)  Forget  my  criminal  abuse  of  thy mercies, for  the  sake  of  him  in  whose  name  I dare  to address  thee  as  my  Father,  my  Friend,  and  only happiness. Oh, give  me  thy  divine  spirit,  that  spirit of love  and  adoption,  which  will  cause  me  to  have recourse to  thee  in  all  my  necessities. Give me  a docile,  obedient,  and  submissive  heart,  that  thy supremely just  and  adorable  will  may  be  the  rule  of all  my  actions. But above  all,  O divine  Lord,  give me the  bread  of  life,  the  food  of  immortality — give me him  in  whom  thou  wert  always  well  pleased (Matt. iii.  17): that,  being  instructed  by  thy  wisdom and thy  word,  I may  never  deviate  from  the  respect and love  due  from  a child  to  the  best  and  most indulgent of  fathers.

AMB of  God,  who  takest  away  the  sins  of  the world, let me  not  be  excluded  from  a share  in thy  universal  mercies*  Cleanse  and  purify  my  soul; adorn it,  I entreat  thee,  with  those  virtues  which will render  me  less  unworthy  of  participating  in  the food of  angels.

O adorable Jesus,  I am,  it  is  true,  wretched  and unworthy; but hast  thou  not  avowed  thyself  the die Father  of  the  poor? and shall  not  that  endearing title encourage  me  to  recur  to  thee,  as  to  my  Father, and the  best  of  friends? Yes, my  God,  I will  go  to