Visit to Mary.
My Lady, St. Bernard calls thee, 'the ravisher of hearts.' He says, that thou goest about stealing hearts by the charms of thy beauty and goodness. Steal also my heart and will: I give them wholly to thee; offer them to God with thine own.
Mary, thou dost so much desire to see this thy Son Jesus loved; if thou lovest me, this is the grace I ask of thee, and which thou must procure for me; obtain for me a great love for Jesus Christ, and not to love any other than Him. Thou obtainest from Him all that thou dost wish; listen to me, then, pray for me and comfort me; bind me in such a manner to Jesus that I shall no longer be able to leave off loving Him. Obtain for me also a great love towards thee, who art of all creatures the most loving, the most lovely, and the most loved by God. — I rely greatly on thy compassion, and I love thee my Lady; but I love thee only a little: ask. thy God to give me a greater love; for to love thee is a grace which God grants only to those whom thou dost wish to be saved. Live Jesus our love, and Mary our hope !
EJACULATION:
Sweet heart of Mary be my salvation.
Pope Pius IX., by decree of the S. Congr. of Indulgences, dated Sept. 30, 1S52, granted to the faithful:
I. The Indulgence of three hundred days, every time they say with contrition, and devotion the, above ejaculation.
II. The Plenary Indulgence, once a month, to all who say it daily devoutly for a month; provided that, after Confession and Communion, they visit a church or public oratory, and pray there according to the mind of His Holiness.
Most holy Immaculate Virgin and my Mother Mary, to thee who art the Mother of my Lord, the Queen of the world, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I have recourse to day, I, who am the most miserable of all. I worship thee, O great Queen, and I thank thee for all the graces which thou hast hitherto granted me; and especially I thank thee for having delivered me from hell, which I have so often deserved. I love thee most amiable Lady; and for the love which I bear thee, I promise always to serve thee, and to do all that I can that thou mayest also be loved by others. I place all my hopes in thee, and I confide my salvation to thy care; accept me for thy servant, and receive me under thy mantle, O Mother of Mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, do thou deliver me from all temptations, or rather obtain me strength to triumph over them until death. Of thee I ask the true love of Jesus Christ; through thee I hope to die a good death. My Mother, by the love which thou bearest to God, I beseech thee to help me always, but especially at the last moment of my life; leave me not until thou seest me safe in heaven, blessing thee, and singing thy mercies for all eternity. Amen.
(His Holiness Pius IX, grants an indulgence of three hundred days, as often as the above prayer is recited with a contrite heart, before a picture or image of the Blessed Virgin. Those who recite it every day for a month may gain a plenary indulgence on any one day, at choice, on the ordinary conditions.)