Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/455

 Saints,  and  she  will  certainly  obtain  grace  for  you. Are you  troubled? Call on  Mary,  the  consoler  of the  unhappy,  and  you  will  certainly  be  comforted.

“ Remember, O most  compassionate  Virgin,”  St. Bernard  exclaims,  “ that  it  never  was  heard  that  any one has  sought  for  refuge  under  thy  protection, without obtaining  relief!”

Cultivate carefully, then,  in  your  heart,  this  devotion to the  blessed  Mother  of  God,  and  be  sure  that  Mary will obtain  for  you  great  graces  in  return  for  the little acts  of  love  and  homage  which  you  offer  to  her. In particular,  do  not  neglect  those  devotions  which are so  well  approved  and  so  generally  practised  by devout  Catholics,  such  as  the  visits  to  the  Blessed Virgin, the  Litany,  and  the  Rosary.

[These visits usually  follow  immediately  after  those  to  the  Blessed Sacrament (page  421). They are  made  by  kneeling  down  before  the altar of  the  Blessed  Virgin  in  the  Church,  or  before  any  image  of hers,  in  whatever  place  it  may  be,  and  making  use  devoutly  of  the following reflections  and  prayers. Those who  cannot  always  have access to  the  Church,  will  do  well  to  keep  a small  image  for  this purpose in  some  retired  part  of  the  house.]

FERTILE source  of  blessings  which  it  is  our  great happiness to  possess,  is  Mary,  our  Mother,  so  rich in goods  and  graces,  Bays  St.  Bernard,  that  there  is  not a man in  the  world  who  does  not  participate  in  them. We all  receive  of  her  fulness. God himself  has  filled