Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/736

 reed and  pierced  with  His  crown  of  thorns. We ask it through  the  torments  He  endured,  when  His  hands and feet  were  cruelly  fastened  to  the  tree  of  the  cross. We ask  it  through  His  vehement  thirst  and  bitter potion of  vinegar  and  gall. We ask  it  through  His dereliction on  the  cross,  when  He  exclaimed:  "My God,  My  God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  Me?" We ask it  through  His  mercy  extended  to  the  good  thief, and through  His  recommending  His  precious  soul into the  hands  of  His  eternal  Father  before  He  expired, saying:  "All  is  consummated." We ask  it through  the  blood  mixed  with  water  which  issued from His  sacred  side  when  pierced  with  a  lance,  and whence a  flood  of  grace  and  mercy  hath  flowed  upon  us. We ask  it  through  His  immaculate  life,  bitter  Passion, and ignominious  death  upon  the  cross,  at  which  nature itself was  thrown  into  convulsions,  by  the  bursting of rocks,  rending  of  the  veil  of  the  Temple,  the  earthquake, and  darkness  of  the  sun  and  moon. We ask it through  His  descent  into  hell,  where  He  comforted the saints  of  the  Old  Law,  and  led  captivity  captive. We ask  it  through  His  glorious  victory  over  death. His triumphant  ascension  into  heaven,  and  through the grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  infused  into  the  hearts of the  disciples  when  He  descended  on  them  in  the form of  fiery  tongues. We ask  it  through  His  awful appearance on  the  Last  Day,  when  He  shall  come  to judge  the  living  and  the  dead. We ask  it  through the compassion  He  bore  thee,  and  the  ineffable  joy thou didst  feel  at  thine  assumption  into  heaven, where thou  art  absorbed  in  the  sweet  contemplation of His  divine  perfections. O glorious  and  ever blessed Virgin,  comfort  the  hearts  of  thy  supplicants, by obtaining  for  us  —. And as  we  are  persuaded