Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/321



The first  thing  I beg  of  thee,  O heavenly  Father, is the  greater  honour  and  glory  of  thy  name. I rejoice with  all  my  soul  that  in  thyself  thou  art infinitely happy,  infinitely  glorious,  and  that  thou art eternally  adored,  praised,  and  glorified  by  all  thy angels and  saints. But, alas! O Lord, how  little  art thou known  in  this  miserable  world ! how little  art thou loved  here! how little  art  thou  served! How is thy  name  blasphemed  all  the  day,  even  by  those who call  themselves  Christians! How many  millions of souls,  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  though  made  to thy  own  image  and  likeness,  and  redeemed  by  the precious blood  of  thy  only  Son,  live  and  die  in  infidelity, error,  and  vice,  to  the  great  dishonour  of  thy holy name. O when shall  so  great  an  evil  be remedied! O that I could  do  anything  to  remedy it! O that I could  worthily  promote  the  honour and glory  of  thy  name ! O that I could  make  it known  to  all  nations! O that, like  the  blessed  in heaven,  we  were  all  happily  united  in  praising,  blessing, and  loving  thee ! But this  must  be  the  work of thy  grace,  O Lord: and  this  grace  I beg  of  thee this day,  that  so  both  I and  all  the  world  may  ever adore, praise,  and  love  thee; and  not  only  in  words, but much  more  in  our  actions,  show  forth  the  glory of thy  name.

Heaven is  the  seat  of  thy  eternal  kingdom,  O Lord,  where  thou  livest  and  reignest  for  ever. But whilst we  are  here  in  this  mortal  life,  thy  kingdom  is within  us, as  long  as  thou  reignest  within  our  souls, by thy  grace  and  by  thy  love. I earnestly beg  both for myself  and  for  all  others,  a share  in  thy  eternal kingdom, that  we  may  there  be  witnesses  of  thy