Page:Jesuit Education.djvu/654

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JESUIT EDUCATION

of all your actions: trust in God, as if all success depended on him, nothing on yourself; but work, as if you had to do all and God nothing." In the Ratio Studiorum the teachers are admonished "frequently to pray for their pupils."[1] The Jesuit Sacchini has a special chapter on the importance of the teacher's prayer,'[2] and exhorts him to recommend his disciples daily to Christ, and to invoke for them the intercession of the Blessed Mother of God, of the Guardian Angels and of the patrons of youth. Father Jouvancy[3] tells the teacher never to go to class without having said a fervent prayer, if possible in the Church before the Blessed Sacrament. He suggests a beautiful prayer which is almost wholly drawn from Scripture: "Lord Jesus, thou hast not hesitated to meet the most cruel death for these children; thou lovest them with an unspeakable tenderness; thou wouldst that they were led to thee (Mark 10, 14). Yea, whatever is done to one of these thy least brethern, thou wilt consider as done to thee (Matth. 25, 40): I beg and implore thee, 'keep them in thy name whom thou hast given me;' 'they are thine', 'sanctify them in truth' (John 17, 6. 9. ii. 17). 'Give thy words in my mouth' (Jerem. 1, 9), open their hearts that they may begin to love and fear thee. 'Turn away thy face from my sins' (Psalm 50, 11), and let not thy mercy be hindered through my faults. Give me the grace to educate these children, whom thou hast entrusted to me, with prudence, piety and firmness, to thy glory, which is all I ask." Truly, this is praying in the

  1. Reg. com. mag. cl. inf. 10.
  2. Paraenesis, art. 15.
  3. Ratio Docendi, ch. I, art. 1.