Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/415

 imploring thy  mercy,  and  beseeching  thee  to  take pity and  compassion  on  [him]  in  this [his] present and pressing  affliction  [infirmity,  poverty,  temptation , trouble, or  whatsoever  other  spiritual  or  corporal necessity ].

Hear my  prayers,  O assured  refuge  of  all  afflicted wretches! behold my  tears,  consider  my  sorrows, and remedy  my  distresses; for,  finding  myself encompassed with  very  grievous  calamities  by  reason of my  great  crimes,  I know  not  whither  to  fly  for succour, or  to  whom  I may  make  my  moan,  but  to thee,  my  meek  and  merciful  Saviour,  with  a full  hope and confidence  that  thou,  O my  loving  Redeemer, wilt vouchsafe  to  lend  the  ears  of  thy  ordinary  pity and accustomed  clemency  to  the  humble  petition  of thy  poor  child;  and  by  that  sweetness  which  thy blessed soul  perceived  at  the  time  of  thy  union  with our human  nature,  when,  resolving  with  the  Father and the  Holy  Ghost  to  unite  thy  divine  person  to mortal  flesh  for  man’s  salvation,  thou  didst  send  thy angel to  the  Holy  Virgin  Mary  with  those  happy tidings, and,  clothing  thyself  with  our  human  nature in her  chaste  womb,  remainedst  true  God  and  true man for  the  space  of  nine  months  in  her  sacred  womb.

By the  anguish  thou  enduredst  when,  the  time  of thy  designed  passion  drawing  nigh,  thou  prayedst  to thy  eternal  Father,  that  if  it  might  stand  with  his most divine  providence,  thou  desiredst  that  that bitter chalice  might  pass  away  from  thee; yet  concluding with  a most  perfect  act  of  resignation,  “Not my will,  O heavenly  Father,  but  thine  be  done.”

By the  outrageous  injuries,  shameful,  disgraces, cruel blows,  contumelious  blasphemies,  forged  witnesses, false  accusations,  and  unjust  judgments  which thou, innocent  Lamb,  patiently  enduredst; by  the