TRUE DEVOTION TO OUR LADY
By St. Louis-Marie de Montfort
Prayer of Saint Augustine
O Jesus Christ, you are my Father, my merciful God, my great King, my
good Shepherd, my only Master, my best helper, my beloved friend of
overwhelming beauty, my living Bread, my eternal priest. You are my guide to my
heavenly home, my one true light, my holy joy, my true way, my shining wisdom,
my unfeigned simplicity, the peace and harmony of my soul, my perfect
safeguard, my bounteous inheritance, my everlasting salvation.
My loving Lord, Jesus Christ, why have I ever loved or desired anything
else in my life but you, my God? Where was I when I was not in communion with
you? From now on, I direct all my desires to be inspired by you and centered on
you. I direct them to press forward for they have tarried long enough, to
hasten towards their goal, to seek the one they yearn for.
O Jesus, let him who does not love you be accursed, and filled with
bitterness. O gentle Jesus, let every worthy feeling of mine show you love, take
delight in you and admire you. O God of my heart and my inheritance, Christ
Jesus, may my heart mellow before the influence of your spirit and may you live
in me. May the flame of your love burn in my soul. May it burn incessantly on the altar of my heart.
May it glow in my innermost being. May it spread its heat into the hidden
recesses of my soul and on the day of my consummation may I appear before you
consumed in your love. Amen.
We must rid
ourselves of what is evil in us
Our best actions are usually tainted and spoiled
by the evil that is rooted in us. When pure, clear water is poured into a
foul-smelling jug, or wine into an unwashed cask that previously contained
another wine, the clear water and the good wine are tainted and readily acquire
an unpleasant odor. In the same way when
God pours into our soul, infected by original and actual sin, the heavenly
waters of his grace or the delicious wines of his love, his gifts are usually
spoiled and tainted by the evil sediment left in us by sin. Our actions, even
those of the highest virtue, show the effects of it. It is therefore of the
utmost importance that, in seeking the perfection that can be attained only by
union with Jesus, we rid ourselves of all that is evil in us. Otherwise our
infinitely pure Lord, who has an infinite hatred for the slightest stain in our
soul, will refuse to unite us to himself and will drive us from his presence.
Day 16 of 33
From True Devotion To the Blessed Virgin Mary, No. 228 Preparatory
Exercises
During the first week they should offer up all their prayers and acts
of devotion to acquire knowledge of themselves and sorrow for their sins.
Let
them perform all their actions in a spirit of humility. With this end in view
they may, if they wish, meditate on what I have said concerning our corrupted nature,
and consider themselves during six days of the week as nothing but sails,
slugs, toads, swine, snakes and goats. Or else they may meditate on the
following three considerations of St. Bernard: "Remember what you were corrupted seed; what you are a body destined for decay; what you will be food for worms." They will ask our Lord and the Holy Spirit to enlighten
them saying, "Lord, that I may see," or "Lord, let me know
myself," or the "Come, Holy Spirit".
Every day they should say
the Litany of the Holy Spirit, with the prayer that follows, as indicated in
the first part of this work. They will turn to our Blessed Lady and beg her to
obtain for them that great grace which is the foundation of all others, the
grace of self-knowledge.
For this intention they will say each day the Ave
Maris Stella and the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.
Imitation of Christ, by Thomas รก Kempis: Book 2, Chapter 5
Self-consideration
We cannot trust over much to ourselves (Jer. 17:5), because
grace oftentimes is wanting to us, and understanding also. Little light is
there in us, and this we quickly lose by our negligence. Oftentimes too we
perceive not our inward blindness how great it is. Oftentimes we do evil, and
excuse it worse (Psalm 141:4). We are sometimes moved with passion, and we
think it zeal. We reprehend small things in others, and pass over our own
greater matters (Matt. 7:5). Quickly enough we feel and weigh what we suffer at
the hands of others; but we mind not how much others suffer from us. He that
well and rightly considereth his own works, will find little cause to judge
hardly of another.
Litany of the Holy Ghost
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Father all powerful, have mercy on us Jesus,
Eternal Son of the Father,
Redeemer of the world, save us.
Spirit of the Father and the Son, boundless life of
both,
sanctify us.
Holy Trinity, hear us
Holy Ghost, Who proceedest from the Father and the Son,
enter our hearts.
Holy Ghost, Who art equal to the Father and the Son,
enter our hearts.
Promise of God the Father, have mercy on us.
Ray of heavenly light, have mercy on us
Author of all good, have mercy on us
Source of heavenly water, have mercy on us
Consuming fire, have mercy on us
Ardent charity, have mercy on us
Spiritual unction, have mercy on us
Spirit of love and truth, have mercy on us
Spirit of wisdom and understanding, have mercy on us
Spirit of counsel and fortitude, have mercy on us
Spirit of knowledge and piety, have mercy on us
Spirit of the fear of the Lord, have mercy on us
Spirit of grace and prayer, have mercy on us
Spirit of peace and meekness, have mercy on us
Spirit of modesty and innocence, have mercy on us
Holy Ghost, the Comforter, have mercy on us
Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, have mercy on us
Holy Ghost, Who governest the Church, have mercy on us
Gift of God, the Most High, have mercy on us
Spirit Who fillest the universe, have mercy on us
Spirit of the adoption of the children of God, have
mercy on us
Holy Ghost, inspire us with horror of sin.
Holy Ghost, come and renew the face of the earth.
Holy Ghost, shed Thy light in our souls.
Holy Ghost, engrave Thy law in our hearts
Holy Ghost, inflame us with the flame of Thy love.
Holy Ghost, open to us the treasures of Thy graces
Holy Ghost, teach us to pray well.
Holy Ghost, enlighten us with Thy heavenly
inspirations.
Holy Ghost, lead us in the way of salvation
Holy Ghost, grant us the only necessary knowledge.
Holy Ghost, inspire in us the practice of good.
Holy Ghost, grant us the merits of all virtues.
Holy Ghost, make us persevere in justice.
Holy Ghost, be Thou our everlasting reward.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Send us Thy Holy Ghost.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
pour down into our souls the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
grant us the Spirit of wisdom and piety.
V. Come, Holy Ghost! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful,
R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.
Let Us Pray. Grant, O, merciful Father, that Thy
Divine Spirit may enlighten, inflame and purify us, that He may penetrate us
with His heavenly dew and make us fruitful in good works, through Our Lord
Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, liveth
and reigneth forever and ever.
R. Amen.
Litany of the Blessed
Virgin Mary (Litany of Loreto)
Lord, have mercy on us,
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us Holy Mother of God, pray for
us.
Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.
Mother of Christ, pray for us.
Mother of divine grace, pray for us.
Mother most pure, pray for us.
Mother most chaste, pray for us.
Mother inviolate, pray for us.
Mother undefiled, pray for us.
Mother most amiable, pray for us.
Mother most admirable, pray for us.
Mother of good counsel, pray for us.
Mother of our Creator, pray for us.
Mother of our Saviour, pray for us.
Mother of the Church, pray for us.
Virgin most prudent, pray for us.
Virgin most venerable, pray for us.
Virgin most renowned, pray for us.
Virgin most powerful, pray for us.
Virgin most merciful, pray for us.
Virgin most faithful, pray for us.
Preparation for Consecration, pray for us.
Mirror of justice, pray for us.
Seat of wisdom, pray for us.
Cause of our joy, pray for us.
Vessel of honor, pray for us.
Singular vessel of devotion, pray for us.
Mystical rose, pray for us.
Tower of David, pray for us.
Tower of ivory, pray for us.
House of gold, pray for us.
Ark of the covenant, pray for us.
Gate of Heaven, pray for us.
Morning star, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Help of Christians, pray for us.
Queen of angels, pray for us.
Queen of patriarchs, pray for us.
Queen of prophets, pray for us.
Queen of Apostles, pray for us.
Queen of martyrs, pray for us.
Queen of confessors, pray for us.
Queen of virgins, pray for us.
Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Queen conceived without Original Sin, pray for us.
Queen assumed into Heaven, pray for us.
Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us.
Queen of peace, pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let Us Pray.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto us Thy
servants, that we may rejoice in continual health of mind and body, and by the
glorious intercession of Blessed Mary, ever virgin, may be delivered from
present sadness, and enter into the joy of Thine eternal gladness. Through
Christ Our Lord.
Amen.
Ave Maris Stella
Hail, O Star of the ocean,
God's own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin,
gate of heav'nly rest.
Taking that sweet Ave,
which from Gabriel came,
peace confirm within us,
changing Eve's name.
Break the sinners' fetters,
make our blindness day,
Chase all evils from us,
for all blessings pray.
Show thyself a Mother,
may the Word divine,
born for us thine Infant
hear our prayers through thine.
Virgin all excelling,
mildest of the mild,
free from guilt
preserve us meek and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,
make our way secure
till we find in Jesus, joy for evermore.
Praise to God the Father,
honor to the Son,
in the Holy Spirit,
be the glory one.
Amen.
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