Page:Thecompleteascet02liguuoft.djvu/46

 under thy  protection;  reject  me  not,  as  I  have  deserved. Protect me  and  have  pity  on  me,  a  miserable  sinner. Obtain for  me  the  forgiveness  of  my  sins;  obtain  for  me holy  perseverance,  the  love  of  God,  a  good  death,  and  a happy  eternity. I hope  all  things  of  thee,  because  thou art most  powerful  with  God. Make me  holy,  since  thou hast it  in  thy  power  to  do  so,  by  thy  holy  intercession.

O Mary! in thee  do  I  confide,  in  thee  do  I  place  all   my hopes,  next  to  thy  divine  Son  Jesus.

1. Seeing  men  lost  in   their  sins,  God  was  pleased  to take  pity  on  them;  but  his  divine  justice  required  satisfaction,  and   there  was  no  one  capable  of  making  adequate    satisfaction. On   this  account   he   sent   into  the world his  own  Son,  made  man,  and  loaded   him  with  all our offences:    The  Lord  laid  on  him  the  iniquity,  of  us  all,1 so that  he  might  pay  our  debts,  satisfy  divine  justice, and save  mankind.

O eternal  God! what more  couldst  Thou  have  done to induce  us  to  confide  in  Thy  mercy,  and  to  attract  our hearts to  Thy  love,  than  give  us  even  Thy  own  Son? But how  could  I,  after  all  that  Thou  hast  done  for  me, have been  guilty  of  so  many  offences  against  Thee? O my God! for the  love  of  this  Thy  Son,  have  pity  on  me.

I am  sorry  above  every  evil  for  having  offended    Thee. And though  I  have  grievously  offended  Thee,  I  desire  to love  Thee  with  the  greatest  fervor;  give  me  strength  so to  love  Thee.

2. The  eternal  Father  having  loaded  his  Son  with  all our crimes,  was  not  content  even  with  such  satisfaction from him,  as  would  have  amply  atoned  for  us  all,  but,  as