Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/585

 without spot,  O glorious  Mary,  full  of  grace,  and Mother of  my  God,  Queen  of  Angels  and  of  men,  I humbly  venerate  thee  as  Mother  of  my  Saviour,  inasmuch as  he  has  taught  me  by  the  esteem  he  has  for thee, and  by  his  respect  and  submission  towards thee, what  honours  and  what  homage  I ought  to render  thee,  deign,  I beseech  thee,  to  accept  this Novena which  I consecrate  to  thee. Thou art  the  secure refuge  of  penitent  sinners,  and  I therefore  may rightly have  recourse  to  thee; thou  art  the  Mother of Mercy,  and  therefore  thou  canst  not  but  be  melted into tenderness  by  my  miseries;  thou,  after  Jesus Christ, art  all  my  hope; thou  canst  not,  then,  but  be pleased  with  the  tender  confidence  which  I have  in thee. Make me  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son,  that  I may  be  able  to  say  with  confidence,  shew  thyself  to be  a Mother.

EHOLD me  at  thy  most  holy  feet,  O immaculate Virgin. I rejoice with  thee  exceedingly  that  from all eternity  thou  hast  been  chosen  to  be  the  Mother  of the  Eternal  Word,  and  been  preserved  from  original sin. I thank and  bless  the  most  holy  Trinity  for having enriched  thee  with  these  privileges  in  thy  conception; and  I humbly  implore  thee  to  obtain  for me grace  to  overcome  those  sad  effects  which  original sin has  wrought  in  me. Ah, do  thou  enable  me  to conquer  them,  and  never  more  to  cease  to  love  my God.