our holy life, as to escape all danger of pride and vain-glory; who livest and reignest, &c. Amen. III. The Nativity. We give thee thanks, most loving Jesus, because for our sake thou didst choose to be born in a poor stable at midnight, and in the midst of winter to be wrapt in swaddling clothes, laid in a manger, and fed at thy Mother's breasts. Grant, dearest Lord, that we may become like little children, humble and poor in spirit. Grant that we may, like the Magi from the East, seek after thee with diligence, and find thee in the cradle of our hearts, and there adore thee, offering up the gold of charity, the incense of devotion, and the myrrh of mortification. Amen. IV. The Presentation. O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst condescend, together with thy holy Mother, for our example, to be obedient to the law for sin; grant us grace never to be ashamed of thy law, but to labour to fulfil thy commandments, to practise penance for our sins, and to approach thy holy altar with those ardent desires with which holy Simeon received thee into his arms. Amen. V. Jesus found in the Temple. O Lord my God, thou art the only good; thou art the sea of sweetness, and ocean of all perfection. We are confounded when we think how much our souls are moved at the loss of earthly goods, and yet feel so little trouble when we have lost thee by sin. Grant, we beseech thee, that, despising all earthly things, we may sigh only to enjoy the vision of thy glory and beauty in that kingdom, where, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, thou livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen. The Five Sorrowful Mysteries, 1. The Prayer of our Lord in the Garden. O Lord Jesus Christ, who, in the garden of Gethsemane hast taught us, both by word and example, to overcome temptation by prayer; grant, we beseech thee, that, giving ourselves continually unto prayer, we may obtain its abundant fruit; who livest and reignest, &c. Amen. II. The Scourging. O Lord Jesus Christ, who, for our sakes, didst take to thee a human nature, and didst suffer in thy flesh for our example; grant, we beseech thee, that, venerating thy sacred Passion, we may imitate thy blessed life of patience and mortification, and attain at last to the glory of thy resurrection; who livest and reignest, &c. Amen. III. The Crowning with Thorns. O Lord Jesus Christ, King immortal and invisible; grant, we beseech thee, that we who venerate thy crown of thorns here upon earth, may receive from thee the crown of eternal glory in the life to come; who livest and reignest, &c. Amen. IV. Our Lord carrying his Cross. O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast said, "No man can come to me, except he deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me;" grant, we beseech thee, that, venerating thy blessed patience in the carrying of the cross, we may bear all the crosses and trials of this valley of tears, that, being purified by suffering, we may be admitted into thy eternal rest; who livest and reignest, &c. Amen. V. Crucifixion of our Lord. O Lord Jesus Christ, who, of thy infinite charity, didst become, for the sake of sinful man, the scorn of men and the outcast of the people, and didst die for us upon the cross to obtain our relief from eternal shame; grant us, we beseech thee, by the merits of thy most sorrowful crucifixion, and by the glorious intercession of thy most tender Mother, who stood by thee at the cross, the spirit of perfect contrition for our sins, and of a holy death; who livest and reignest, &c. Amen. The Five Glorious Mysteries. I. The Resurrection. O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst descend into hell, and didst rise again the third day from the dead; grant to the souls of the faithful departed thy eternal light and peace; and to us thy servants grace to die each day more and more to ourselves, that we may live wholly unto thee; who livest and reignest, &c. II. The Ascension. O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst descend upon earth to be our sacrifice, and hast ascended into heaven to be our eternal Priest and Advocate; grant us grace, that, being detached from all earthly things, we may in heart and mind thither ascend, whither thou art gone before, and with thee continually dwell; who livest and reignest, &c. Amen. III. The Descent of the Holy Ghost. O Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is given all power in heaven and on earth; send down upon us the Holy Ghost the Comforter, which may guide, support, and purify the souls of thy servants, and of thy whole Church; who livest and reignest, &c. Amen. IV. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. O Lord Jesus Christ, who, when the work of her perfection was accomplished, didst call to thyself the soul of thy most holy Mother, and didst not suffer her body to see corruption; grant us, we beseech thee, the desire of perfection, and daily to purify ourselves more and more from all our faults and imperfections; so that at the hour of death we may be found worthy to pass to the blessed vision of thy glory; who livest and reignest, &c. Amen. V. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast said, "In my Father's house are many mansions, I go to prepare a place for you;" grant us, we beseech thee, so to copy in our lives the holy virtues of thy blessed Mother, that, through her glorious intercession with thee, we may attain the place prepared for us in thy kingdom from the foundation of the world; who livest and reignest, &c. Amen. Salve Regina, &c.; Hail holy Queen, &c. Let us pray. O God, whose only-begotten Son, by his life, death, and resurrection, hath laid open to us the rewards of everlasting life; grant, we beseech thee, that pondering in our hearts these Mysteries in the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they set forth, and obtain what they promise; through the same our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. A SHORT PARAPHRASE OF THE LITANY OF LORETTO. Kyrie eleison. Lord God the Father, have mercy upon us. upon us. Christe audi nos. our prayers. Christe exaudi nos. petition. Christ, our anointed Priest, hear these Christ, our anointed King, hear our Pater de cœlis Deus, miserere nobis. O God the Father, of heaven, have mercy on us. Fili Redemptor mundi Deus. O God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. Spiritus Sancte Deus. O God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. Sancta Trinitas unus Deus. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. Sancta Maria. Holy Mary, by thy name of sweetness, after the name of Jesus most venerable, pray for us. Sancta Dei Genetrix. Holy Mother of God, from whose own flesh was formed God's sacred body, pray for us. Sancta Virgo Virginum. Holy Virgin of virgins, as the lily amongst horns, so is my beloved among the virgin daughters; pray for us. Mater Christi. Mother of Christ, of the Anointed One, thou didst stand by the altar of the cross; pray for us. Mater Divinæ gratiæ. Mother of Divine grace, by thee did grace come down from heaven; pray for us. Mater purissima. Mother most pure, exempted from all stain of sin; pray for us. Mater castissima. Mother most chaste, without all sting of concupiscence; pray for us. Mater inviolata. Mother inviolate; Mother, yet ever Virgin; pray for us. Mater intemerata. Mother undefiled by any the slightest breath of evil; pray for us. Mater amabilis. Mother most amiable, thou art the Mother of incarnate love; pray for us. Mater admirabilis. Mother most admirable, for God himself could form no greater Mother than his own; pray for us. Mater Creatoris. Mother of our Creator, at thy virgin breast He who sustains the world was nourished; pray for us. Mater Salvatoris. Mother of our Saviour; thou of whom was formed that very blood that hath redeemed the world; pray for us. Virgo prudentissima. Virgin most prudent, taught by Heaven, the whilst thou didst keep silence and ponder in thy heart; pray for us. Virgo veneranda. Virgin most venerable; thou whom all generations shall call blessed; pray for us. Virgo prædicanda. Thou who art worthy that thy glory should be extolled and celebrated through the whole world; pray for us. Virgo potens. Virgin most powerful, by thy prayers omnipotent with God; pray for us. Virgo clemens. Virgin most merciful; who can declare thy love for souls redeemed by Jesus' Blood?-pray for us. Virgo fidelis. Virgin most faithful; for thy love was strong as death, as thou didst stand by the cross of Jesus, faithful to the last; pray for us. Speculum justitia. Mirror of justice; for who so perfectly reflects the image of Jesus as his holy Mother?-pray for us. Sedes sapientiæ. Seat of wisdom, since in thy arms the Eternal Wisdom of the Father was enthroned; pray for us. Causa nostræ lætitiæ. Rainbow of peace, and of good tidings of great joy to a storm-tossed world; pray for us. Vas spirituale. Spiritual vessel "full of grace," from thee all grace hath issued forth; pray for us. Vas honorabile. Vessel of honour and election, formed of the purest gold, fit for the service of the King of Heaven; pray for us. Vas insigne devotionis. Vessel of singular devotion, after whose form each vessel of election must be fashioned; pray for us. Rosa mystica. Mystical rose, exhaling the sweet odour of all virtues, yet circled by the thorns of tribulation; pray for us. Turris Davidica. Tower of David, built against the |