Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/499



DIVINE and  adorable  Jesus! Saviour of  mankind, I most humbly  adore  thee,  and  beseech  thee  to penetrate  my  soul  with  the  most  lively  gratitude  for that infinite  love,  which  brought  thee  from  heaven  to suffer  and  die  for  me. O do not  permit  that  I should ever be  one  of  the  ungrateful  number  who  forget  thy sufferings, or  think  of  them  with  indifference. Ah! where should  I be  for  all  eternity,  if  thou  hadst  not loved me  better  than  thy  own  life? Should not  thy bitter sufferings  fill  my  heart  with  compassion  and sorrow, since  they  were  occasioned  by  my  sins? Yes, my  adorable  Saviour! divine Victim  of  my  sins! I will at  least  think  of  thee,  who  hast  never  forgotten me. I will live  for  thee,  who  didst  not  refuse  to  die for me. I now most  fervently  offer  to  thee,  in  union with the  oblation  of  thyself  on  the  cross,  the  sacrifice of my  whole  being. I desire to  accompany  thee  in spirit  through  all  the  stages  of  thy  sufferings,  and  to commemorate  them  by  the  most  sincere  sentiments of gratitude  for  thy  love,  and  sorrow  for  my  sins  and those of  the  world. Adorable Jesus! overwhelmed with sorrow  for  my  sins  in  the  Garden  of  Olives! give me  the  grace  of  sincere  contrition  and  perfect conformity to  thy  holy  will; teach  me,  by  thy wonderful patience  in  the  midst  of  the  most  cruel insults, the  virtue  of  meekness; let  thy  profound humiliations, when  thou  wert  crowned  with  thorns, and clothed  with  a purple  garment,  animate  me  to conquer  my  pride,  and  despise  sincerely  the  opinion of the  world; associate  me  to  the  hippy  few  who followed thee  to  Mount  Calvary,  and  beheld  thee crucified. Thou didst  end  thy  life,  O merciful  Jesus!