Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/763

 found veneration  and  tender  confidence. Thou art  the most hidden  saint  and  particularly  the  patron  of  those  who serve God  with  the  greatest  purity  of  intention  and  fervor of devotion. O thou  model  and  guardian  of  pure  souls, who hast  given  us  so  illustrious  an  example  of  purity,  unselfish devotedness  to  duty,  fidelity,  humility,  patience, obedience, and  trust  in  divine  Providence,  be  moved  with the confidence  I  place  in  thy  intercession,  and  obtain  for me the  grace  to  practise  every  virtue  which  will  make  me pleasing  to  God.

I thank  God  for  the  signal  favors  He  has  bestowed  upon thee, and  I  beg  through  thy  intercession  grace  to  imitate thy virtues. In union  with  all  those  who  have  ever  been most devoted  to  thee,  I  now  dedicate  myself  to  thy  service, beseeching thee,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ,  Who  vouchsafed to  love  and  obey  thee  as  a  son,  to  become  a  father to me,  and  to  obtain  for  me  the  filial  respect,  confidence,  and love of  a  child  toward  thee. O powerful  advocate  of  all Christians! whose intercession,  as  St.  Teresa  assures  us, has never  been  found  to  fail,  deign  to  intercede  for  me  now, and to  obtain  for  me  the  particular  object  of  this  novena. [Specify it.]  Present  me,  O  great  saint,  to  the  adorable Trinity, with  Whom  thou  hadst  so  glorious  and  so  intimate a correspondence. Obtain that  I  may  never  efface  by  sin the sacred  image  according  to  the  likeness  of  which  I  was created. Beg for  me  that  my  divine  Redeemer  may  enkindle in  my  heart,  and  in  all  hearts,  the  fire  of  His  love and infuse  therein  the  virtues  of  His  adorable  infancy. His purity, simplicity,  obedience,  and  humility. Obtain for me likewise  a  lively  devotion  to  thy  virgin  spouse,  and protect me  so  powerfully  in  life  and  death  that  I  may  have the happiness  of  dying  as  thou  didst,  in  the  friendship  of my  Creator,  and  under  the  immediate  protection  of  the Mother of  God.

GLORIOUS St.  Joseph,  chosen  by  God   to  be  the reputed father  of  Jesus,  the  most  pure  spouse  of Mary  ever  Virgin,  and  the  head  of  the  Holy  Family,  and