Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/462



EMEMBER, Mary,  that  it  was  never  heard  of, that a sinner  had  fled  to  thy  protection,  and had been  abandoned  by  thee. O Mother of  God, thou prayest  for  all; pray,  then,  for  me,  who  am the  greatest  of  sinners,  and  therefore  have  the greatest need  of  thy  intercession.

Short prayer, etc. — “ Help  me,  Mary! Mary, help me!”

HE blessed  Amadeus  says  that  Mary,  our  most glorious Queen,  remains  continually  in  the  presence of  God,  as  our  advocate,  interposing in our favour the assistance  of  her  prayers,  which  are  all-powerful before him. For, he  continues,  she  sees  our  miseries and our  dangers,  and  in  her  clemency  this  amiable Sovereign has  pity  on  us,  and  comes  to  our  aid  with a mother’s love. O my advocate,  and  my  most  tender mother, it  is  then  true  that  thou  seest  the  miseries  of my  soul,  the dangers  by  which  I am  surrounded,  and that thou  prayest  for  me. Pray, yes,  pray  on,  and do not  cease  to  pray,  until  thou  seest  me  safe  in  paradise, there  occupied  in  praising  thee. The pious Blosius assures  me  that  thou  art,  after  Jesus,  the  sure salvation of  those  who  are  thy  faithful  servants. Ah! the grace  which  I ask  of  thee  to-day  is,  that  thou wilt grant  to  me  the  happiness  to  be  thy  faithful slave until  death,  in  order  that  after  death  I may  go to  bless  thee  in  heaven,  certain  there  to  be  no  more exposed to  stray  away  from  thy sacred  feet,  so  long as God  is  God.