Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/273

 out  in  practice  the  good  resolutions  we  have  made. Also, before  the  meditation  is  over,  we  ought  to recommend  to  God  the  souls  in  purgatory,  the  Holy Church, Our  friends  and  benefactors,  and  all  poor sinners, saying  for  this  purpose  a Pater  and  an  Ave, which are  the  most  efficacious  of  all  prayers.



IONSIDER, O my  soul,  that  God  has  given  thee existence, made  thee  after  his  own  image,  without any merit  of  thine,  and  adopted  thee  for  his  own  child in holy  baptism. He has  loved  thee  more  than a father, and  has  created  thee  to  love  and  serve  him in this  life,  that  thou  mayst  eternally  enjoy  him  in paradise. Therefore thou  art  not  created  and  must not live  to  be  happy  here  on  earth,  to  enjoy  riches and authority,  or  to  eat,  drink,  and  sleep,  as  do  the animals, but  only  to  love  thy  God  and  win  thy  eternal salvation.

And thy  Lord  has  given  thee  created  things  for this use,  to  help  thee  to  reach  thy  great  end. O wretch that  I am ! I have thought  of  anything  else rather than  of  my  eternal  end. [ For example, of  this or that  thing. Examine here  to  see  what  is  your  chief vice.]

My Father! for the  love  of  Jesus,  grant  that  I may begin a new  life,  perfectly  holy  and  conformable  to thy  divine  will. [ Here endeavour  to  excite  the  deepest 