Have mercy on us. Jesus, Splendour of the Father, Jesus, Brightness of eternal Light, Jesus, King of Glory, Jesus, the Sun of Justice, Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, Jesus, whose name is called Wonderful, Jesus, the mighty God, Jesus, the Father of the world to come, Jesus, most patient, Jesus, most obedient, Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Jesus, lover of chastity, Jesus, our love, Jesus, the God of peace, Jesus, the example of all virtues, Jesus, the Father of the poor, Jesus, the Treasure of the faithful, Jesus, the true Light, Jesus, the eternal Wisdom, Jesus, the infinite Goodness, Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Jesus, the Joy of angels, Jesus, the King of patriarchs, Jesus, the Inspirer of prophets, Jesus, the Master of the apostles, Jesus, the Teacher of the evangelists, Spare us, O Lord Jesus. Lord Jesus, deliver us. From the spirit of uncleanness, From everlasting death, From the neglect of thy holy inspirations, Through the mystery of thy most holy incarnation, Through thy divine infancy, Through thy sacred life, Through thy labours and travails, Through thy agony and bloody sweat, Through thy cross and passion, Through thy pains and torments, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord Jesus. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Hear us, O Lord Jesus. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy upon us, O Lord Jesus. Christ Jesus hear us, Christ Jesus graciously hear us. Let us pray O LORD Jesus Christ, who hast said, ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; grant, we beseech thee, to our most humble supplications, the gift of thy divine love, that we may ever love thee with our whole hearts, and never cease from praising and glorifying thy name. Amen. O DIVINE Redeemer, give us a perpetual fear and love of thy holy name, for thou never ceasest to direct and govern by thy grace those whom thou instructest in the solidity of thy love, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen. O GOD, who hast appointed thy only begotten Son the Saviour of Mankind, and hast commanded that he should be called Jesus; mercifully grant that we may enjoy in heaven the happy vision of him whose holy name we venerate upon earth; who, with thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, world without end. Amen. 57 A Prayer in honour of the Childhood of Jesus Christ. O MOST amiable Jesus! who for my love and for my instruction didst vouchsafe to conceal thy eternal wisdom under the weakness and dependence of childhood, I most humbly thank thee for having shewn me, in thy own sacred person, how I should sanctify my youth, and thereby draw a blessing on my future life; I beseech thee, O Lord, to penetrate my heart with thy fear and thy love, that I may profit of the example thou hast left me. Do not permit that a single day or hour of my life should be devoted to any other pursuit than thy service, the great and only end for which I came into the world. O adorable Jesus! since thou art pleased to ask for my heart, take it, I beseech thee, entirely and for ever; model it on thy own sacred heart; inflame it with thy love, and impress it with such a lively horror of sin as may never be weakened; infuse therein the virtues of thy holy youth, thy meekness, innocence, docility, and charity. I desire to honour thy obedience to thy blessed Mother, by constant submission to my superiors. I offer up my prayers in union with thine'; I unite my intentions in all I do to that pure and divine intention, which infinitely exalted even thy least actions whilst thou wert on earth. I particularly devote my studies, and all my exterior occupations, to honour thy laborious and humble employments during thy early age. O divine Jesus, take me, thy unworthy child, under thy protection; preserve me from the dangers and temptations of the world, which is thy enemy, and direct all my thoughts, words, desires, and actions, to thy greater glory. Amen. A Litany in honour of the Child Jesus. LORD have mercy on us. Lord have mercy on us. Christ hear us. Christ graciously hear us. God the Father of heaven, God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Holy Trinity, one God, Child Jesus, Son of the living God, Have mercy on us. Have mercy on us. Child Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, Child Jesus, filled with zeal for the glory of thy Child Jesus, voluntarily subject to thy blessed Mo- Child Jesus, omnipotent in thy weakness, Child Jesus, great in thy humility, Child Jesus, fountain of graces, Child Jesus, furnace of love, Child Jesus, angel of the great council, Child Jesus, star of Jacob, Child Jesus, expectation of the eternal hills, Child Jesus, the divine model of youth, Child Jesus, the mighty-the admirable-the prince Be merciful unto us, Spare us, O Lord Jesus. By thy ineffable incarnation, By thy sacred birth, By thy humility and piety, By thy precious tears, By thy painful circumcision, By thy glorious manifestation, By the labours, sufferings, and humiliations of thy, By thy tender love for youth, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Prayer of St. Bernard-Acts of Faith, &c. 59 Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world. Lamb of God, &c. &c. Let us pray. LORD Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who having been conceived by the Holy Ghost, wert pleased to be born in a stable; to be adored by the heavenly host; to be circumcised; manifested to the Gentiles; presented in the temple; carried into Egypt; brought back to Nazareth; to reveal in part thy eternal wisdom among the doctors at Jerusalem, and to pass thy holy childhood in subjection to thy blessed Mother and reputed Father; permit us little children to come to thee, and forbid us not, that by thy holy grace we may reverence the mysteries of thy sacred youth, with such sincere devotion, as to become conformable to thee in meekness, humility, do cility, and charity, O divine Child, who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen. A devout Prayer of St. Bernard to the Blessed Virgin. REMEMBER, O most pious Virgin! that it has never been heard of in any age, that those who implored thy powerful protection were abandoned by thee. I, therefore, O sacred Virgin, animated with the most lively confidence, cast myself at thy sacred feet, most earnestly beseeching thee to adopt me as thy child, to take care of my eternal salvation, and to watch over me at the hour of death. O do not, Mother of the Word Incarnate! despise my prayer, but graciously hear and obtain the grant of my petitions. Amen. Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity. A plenary indulgence, applicable to the souls in purgatory, may be obtained once a month, by those who daily repeat the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity, and who, on any day of the same month, devoutly confess, communicate, and pray for the intentions of the Church. This indulgence does not extend to England.] A Prayer before the Acts. GIVE us, O Almighty and Eternal God! an increase of faith, hope, and charity; and that we |