Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/596

 didst draw  down  from  the  bosom  of  the  Eternal  Father the Divine  Word  into  thine  own  pure  bosom. O draw, then, my  heart  to  God; and  with  God  draw  grace into my  heart,  that  I may  ever  bless  thy  Fiat,  and with devotion  cry,  O mighty  Fiat! O Fiat efficacious!

O Fiat to  be  venerated  above  all  Fiats!  ''Ave  Maria. ''

4. Mary,  mighty  Virgin,  thou,  on  thy  Annunciation, wast  found  by  Gabriel  the  archangel  on  thy watch, quick  to  do  God’s  will  and  correspond  with the desires  of  the  august  Trinity  for  man’s  redemption, giving  thy  consent  in  order  to  redeem  the world. Let me,  whatever  happens,  good  or  ill,  turn ever to  my  God,  and  with  resignation  say,  Fiat, fiat mihi  secundum  verbum  tuum  (Be  it  unto  me  according to  thy  word.)  ''Ave  Maria. ''

5. I see  that  thy  obedience,  holiest  Mary,  wrought so close  a bond  between  thy  God  and  thee,  that  all creation never  shall  know  again  union  so  fair  and perfect. (Magis Deo  conjungi  nisi  fieret  Deus, non votuit: “ She  could  not  have  been  more  united  to God  except  by  being  God  herself.” — B.  Albert Magnus.)  My  soul  within  me  faints  to  see  how  sin hath severed  me  from  God. Help me,  then,  gentle Mother, with  true  heart  to  do  fit  penance  for  my sins,  that  thy  own  loving  Jesus  may  yet  once  more live in  me  and  I in  him. ''Ave Maria. ''

6. Beholding,  holiest  Mary,  how  by  reason  of  thy modesty thou  wast  troubled  when  Gabriel  the  archangel stood  before  thee  in  thy  house,  I also  when  I come  before  thee  am  troubled  for  my  monstrous pride; wherefore  do  thou,  in  thy  incomparable humility, “which  brought  forth  God  for  men,  reopened paradise,  and  let  the  captive  souls  go  free from hell  beneath”  (Qute  Deum  hominibus  peperil, paradisum  aperuit, et  animas  ab  inferno  liberavit —