The Raccolta (1857)/Prayers for every Day in the Week, with Three "Ave Maria," etc.
84.
PRAYERS FOR EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, WITH THREE "AVE MARIA," ETC.
Pope Pius VII. of holy memory, at the prayer of the Chapter of the Basilica of St Mary in Cosmedin here in Rome, by a Rescript of the S. Congr. of Indulgences, dated June 21, 1808, kept in the Archivium of the said Basilica, granted—
i. The Indulgence of 300 days, once a day, to all the faithful who, with contrite hearts, say the following prayers to our Blessed Lady, extracted from the spiritual works of the sainted Bishop Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori, each on that day of the week to which it has been assigned, together with three Ave Maria, with the intention of making her some reparation for the many blasphemies which have been, and are daily uttered against her, not only by unbelievers, but even by bad Christians.
ii. The Plenary Indulgence, once a month, to all who say these prayers, with three Ave Maria, daily for a whole month, with the intention above named, on any one day when, after having Confessed and Communicated, they shall pray to God for the Holy Church, &c.
PRAYER FOR SUNDAY.
See, Mother of my God, at thy feet a wretched sinner, who has recourse to thee, and puts his trust in thee. I am not worthy that thou shouldst even cast thine eyes upon me; yet well I know that thou, beholding Jesus thy Son dying for sinners, dost thyself yearn exceedingly to save them. O Mother of Mercy, look on my miseries and have pity. Men say thou art the refuge of the sinner, the hope of the desperate, the aid of the lost: be thou then my refuge, hope, and aid. It is thy prayers which must save me. For Jesu's tender love be thou my help, reach forth thy hand to the poor fallen wretch who cries to thee for succour. I know that thy heart delights to aid the sinner when thou canst; help me, then, thou who canst. My sins have forfeited the grace of God and my own soul. Behold, me in thy hands; O tell me what to do that I may regain my Saviour's grace, and lo, I do it. My Saviour bids me go to thee for help; He wills that I should seek thy tender pity's refuge, that so, not thy dear Son's merits only, but thine own prayers too, may unite to save me. To thee, then, I have recourse: pray thou to Jesus for me; and make me know and feel what thou canst do for one who trusts in thee. Be it done unto me according to my hope. Amen.
Then say three Ave Maria to the Blessed Virgin Mary, in reparation for the blasphemies uttered against her.
PRAYER FOR MONDAY.
Most holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, I who was once the slave of Satan now dedicate myself to thy service for ever; wherefore, to honour and to serve thee while I live, I give thee all myself. Accept me for thy willing servant, nor cast me from thee as I merit. Mother, in thee I set all my hope. All blessing and thanksgiving be to God, who in His mercy giveth me this trust in thee. True it is that once I was miserably fallen in sin. But for Jesu's merits, and by thy prayers, I hope God pardoned me my sins. Yet it is not enough, my Mother, to be forgiven, whilst the thought appals me that I may still lose the grace of God. Danger is ever nigh; the devil sleeps not; temptations fresh assail me. Protect me, then, my Sovereign Mistress; help me in the assaults of hell. O never, never let me sin again, or offend Jesus thy Son. No never, never more suffer me to lose my soul, heaven, and my God, by sin. For this one grace I ask thee, Mary; this I desire; this may thy prayers obtain me. Such is my hope. Amen.
The three Ave Maria as before.
PRAYER FOR TUESDAY.
Holiest Mary, Mother of Goodness, Mother of Mercy, when I reflect upon my sins and upon the moment of my death, trembling and confusion then possess me wholly. My sweetest Mother, in the Blood of Jesus, in thy intercession are my hopes. Comforter of the sad, abandon me not at my death-agony; fail not to console me in that great affliction. If even now I am so appalled by remorse for sin committed, the danger of a relapse and strictness of thy judgents, how will it be with me then? Mother, before death o'ertake me, gain for me great sorrow for my sins, a true amendment and constant fidelity to God in all my life that yet remains to me. And when indeed mine hour is come, then do thou, Mary, be my hope, be thou mine aid in the anguish wherein my soul will be overwhelmed; when the enemy sets before my face my sins, O comfort me then, that I may not despair. Obtain for me at that moment to invoke thee often, that with thine own sweet name and thy most holy Son's upon my lips, I may breathe forth my spirit. This grace thou hast granted to many of thy servants: let me not fail of this my hope and my desire.
The three Ave Maria as before.
PRAYER FOR WEDNESDAY.
Mother of God, most holy Mary, how oft by sin have I merited hell! Ere now the judgment had gone forth against my first mortal sin, hadst not thou in thy tender pity stayed awhile God's justice, and then drawn me on by thy sweetness to take confidence in thee. And O, how very oft in dangers which beset my steps my feet had well nigh gone, when thou, loving Mother that thou art, didst preserve me by the graces thou by thy prayers didst win me. My Queen, what will thy pity and thy favours still avail me, if in my wilfulness I perish in the flames of hell? Hear thou yet once again. True though it be that once I loved thee not, now, next to God, I love thee before all. Wherefore henceforth for ever suffer me not to turn away contemptuous from thee and from that God who through thee hath granted me so many mercies. Lady most worthy of all love, let it not be that I thy child hate thee and curse thee for ever racked in endless torments. What! thy servant, thy child, damned to hell-fire who loves thee? Canst thou bear to see it? O Mary, say not so!—say not I ever can be lost! Yet lost am I assuredly if I abandon thee. But where is he who will have heart to leave thee? Who ever can forget the love which thou hast ever borne me? No: impossible it is for him to perish who hath recourse to thee; and who with loyal heart commits himself to thee. Only save me from myself, my Mother, or I am lost! Let me but cling to thee! Save me, my hope! save me from hell; and before hell itself, save me from sin, which alone gives hell its terrors.
The three Ave Maria as before.
PRAYER FOR THURSDAY.
Queen of Heaven, sitting enthroned above the nine choirs of angels nighest to God, from this vale of tears I, poor sinner, hail thee, praying thee in thy love to turn on me those gracious eyes of thine. See, Mary, see the dangers wherein I dwell, and shall ever dwell whilst I live upon this earth. I may yet lose my soul, paradise, and God. In thee. Lady, is my hope. I love thee; and I sigh after the time when I shall see thee and praise thee in heaven's courts. O Mary, when will come that blessed day that I shall see myself safe at thy feet? When kiss that hand so oft outstretched to minister to me graces? Alas, too true it is, my Mother, that in my life I have ever been an ingrate; but when I reach heaven's haven, there will I love thee every moment of a whole eternity, and make thee reparation in some sort for my ingratitude by ever blessing and praising thee. Thanks be to God for that He hath vouchsafed me such trust in Jesu's Precious Blood and in thy powerful intercession. For this heaven thy true lovers have ever hoped, nor has any one of them been defrauded of his hope. No: neither shall I be deceived of mine. O Mary, pray to thine own Son Jesus, and I will pray Him too, by all the merits of His Passion, to strengthen and increase this hope.
The three Ave Maria as before.
PRAYER FOR FRIDAY.
Mary, of all creation noblest, highest, purest, fairest, holiest work of God! O that all men knew thee, loved thee, my Queen, as thou deservest to be loved! Yet great is my consolation, Mary, that there are blessed souls in heaven's courts, and just souls still on earth, whose hearts thou leadest captive with thy beauty and thy goodness. But above all I joy in this, that our God Himself loves thee alone more than all men and angels. I too, loveliest Queen, I, miserable sinner, dare to love thee, mean though my love be; I would I had a greater love, a more tender love: this thou must gain for me, since to love thee is the surest mark of predestination, and a grace which God vouchsafes the children of salvation. Then too, my Mother, when I reflect upon the debt I owe thy Son, I see that his love for me demands in return an immeasurable love. Do thou, who desirest nothing else than to see him loved, pray that I may obtain this grace—a great love of Jesus Christ. Obtain it, thou who obtainest from God what thou wilt. Not goods of earth, nor honor, nor riches do I covet, but that which thine own heart desires most—to love my God alone. Oh can it be that thou wilt not aid me in a desire so acceptable to thee! Impossible! even now I feel thy help, even now thou prayest for me. Pray Mary! pray; and never cease to pray, till thou dost see me safe in paradise, sure of possessing and loving my God and thee, my dearest Mother! for ever and ever. Amen.
The three Ave Maria as before.
PRAYER FOR SATURDAY.
Mary most holy, on the one hand I see the graces thou hast obtained for me; and on the other, the ingratitude I have shown thee. The ingrate is unworthy of all favours; yet not for this will I distrust thy mercy. Great Advocate, have pity on me. Thou, Mary, art the stewardess of every grace which God vouchsafes us sinners, and therefore did He make thee mighty, rich, and kind, that so thou mightest succour us. Behold me now, then, then, willing my salvation: in thy hands I place it; to thee I here consign my soul. I will to be of those who are thy special servants ; cast me not, then, away. Thou goest up and down seeking the wretched, to console them. Cast not away, then, this poor wretched sinner who has recourse to thee. Speak for me, Mary; thy Son grants what thou askest. Take me beneath thy shelter, and it is enough ; because with thee to guard me I fear no ill. No, not my sins; because thou wilt obtain God's pardon for them: no, nor yet devils; because thou art far mightier than hell: no, nor my Judge Jesus Christ; for at thy prayer He will lay by His wrath. Protect me, then, my Mother; obtain for me pardon of my sins, love of Jesus, holy perseverance, good death, and paradise. Too true, I merit not these graces; yet do thou only ask them of our God, and lo, they shall be mine. Pray, then, to Jesus for me. Mary, my Queen, in thee I trust; in this trust I rest, I live; in this trust I hope to die. Amen.
The three Ave Maria as before; then the Litanies, it being Saturday, for which there is the Indulgence, as at p. 157.
85.
PRAYER, " MOTHER OF GOD," ETC., WITH THE " SALVE REGINA" THREE TIMES, ETC.
The same Pope Pius VII., in his desire that all the faithful should by means of various devotional exercises have recourse with confidence to most holy Mary, praying her to obtain for us grace to live as becometh good Christians, and so obtain everlasting salvation, granted, by a decree of the S. Congr. of Indulgences of May 16, 1821 —
1. The Indulgence of 300 days, once a day, to all who, with contrite heart and with devotion, say the following prayer with the Salve Regina three times.
ii. The Plenary Indulgence to all who practise this pious exercise once a day for a month, on any one day in that month when, after Confession and Communion, they visit some church or public oratory, and pray to God accord- ing to the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.
The prayer prescribed, "Mother of God," &c., is the same as that above for Wednesday, p. 183. The Salve Regina