Revelations of St. Bridget/Chapter 24. Select Prayers of St. Bridget
CHAPTER XXIV.
SELECT PRAYERS OF ST. BRIDGET.
I.
Almighty, everlasting God, who didst vouchsafe to be born for us of a most chaste virgin, make us, we beseech thee, serve thee with a chaste body, and please thee by an humble mind.
II.
We pray thee, O most clement Virgin Mary, queen of the world and of angels, to obtain relief for those whom the fire of purgatory tries, pardon for sinners, perseverance in good to the just, and also defend us weak brethren from menacing danger. Through, &c.
III.
O Lord, holy Father, who didst preserve intact in the tomb, the body which thou didst receive from the Virgin Mary for thy Son, and didst raise it incorrupt, preserve, we beseech thee, our bodies clean and immaculate in thy most holy service, and direct our way in this time, that when the great and terrible day of judgment comes, they may be raised to life among thy saints, and our souls eternally rejoice with thee, and deserve to be associated with thy elect.
IV.
Blessed art thou, Mary, mother of God, temple of Solomon, whose walls were golden, whose roof resplendent, whose pavement was laid with most precious stones; whose whole structure was splendid, its whole interior redolent and delightful to gaze upon. In every way art thou like to the temple of Solomon, in which the true Solomon walked and sat, unto which he brought in the ark of glory and the candlestick for light. So art thou, Blessed Virgin, the temple of that Solomon who made peace between God and man; who reconciled the guilty, who gave life to the dead, and delivered the poor from the executioner. For thy body and soul were made the temple of the Deity, wherein was the roof of divine charity, under which the Son of God, going forth from the Father to thee, dwelt joyfully with thee. The pavement of the temple was thy well-ordered life and assiduous exercise of virtues; for no grace was wanting in thee, for all in thee was stable, all humble, all devout, all perfect. The walls of the temple were square, for thou art troubled by no opprobrium, puffed up by no honor, disquieted by no impatience, seeking naught but God’s love and honor. The pictures of thy temple were a constant fire of the Holy Ghost, whereby thy soul was so exalted, that there was no virtue not more ample and perfect in thee than in any other creature. God walked in his temple, when he infused into thy frame the sweetness of his visitation. He rested when the deity was associated to the humanity. Blessed, therefore, art thou O most blessed Virgin, in whom the mighty God became a little child; the ancient Lord became a puny infant; the everlasting God and invisible Creator became a visible creature. Therefore, because thou art most compassionate and most powerful, O Lady, I beg thee to look on me and take pity on me. For thou art the mother of Solomon; not of him who was David’s son, but of him who is the father of David, and the Lord of Solomon, who built that wonderful temple, which truly prefigured thee. For the son will hearken to the mother, and to such and so great a mother. Obtain, then, that the infant Solomon who slumbered in thee, watch with me, so that no sinful delight sting me, that the contrition of my sins be permanent, love of the world be dead within me, my patience persevering, my penance fruitful. For I have no power for me, except one word, and that is: "Mary, take pity!" for my temple is all the contrary of thine; it is darkened with vices, soiled with luxury, eaten by the worms of cupidity, unstable by pride, tottering from the vanity of worldliness. — Lib. iii., c. 29.
V.
Blessed art thou, O my God, my Creator and Redeemer. Thou art the ransom by which we have been redeemed from captivity, by which we are directed to all salutary things, by which we are associated to the unity and trinity. If I blush for my own sloth, yet I rejoice, that thou who didst once die for our salvation, will die no more. For thou art truly he that was before the ages. Thou art he that has power of life and death. Thou alone art good and just. Thou alone art almighty and fearful. Blessed then be thou forever. But what shall I say of thee O blessed Mary, the whole salvation of the world ? Thou art like pointing out suddenly to a friend grieving for it, a lost jewel, whereby his pain is alleviated, his joy increased, his whole mind rekindled with joy. So thou, most sweet mother, didst show to the world its God, whom men had lost, and didst bear him in time who was begotten before time, at whose birth earthly and heavenly things rejoiced. Therefore, O most sweet mother, I beg thee help me, lest the enemy rejoice over me, or prevail against me by his snares. — Lib. iv., c. 75.