by St. Thomas Aquinas
O most blessed and most sweet virgin Mary, mother of God, filled with devotion, daughter of the most high King, mistress of Angels, mother of all believers, today I commend to thy tender heart all my deeds, my thoughts, my wishes, my desires, my speech, my activities, my whole life, and my final end. That through thy prayers they may be disposed towards good, according to the will of thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; that thou may be to me, O my most holy lady, helper and consoler against the wickedness and snares of the ancient enemy and against all my enemies.
From thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, graciously obtain for me the grace with which I will be able to resist the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and to always have a firm intention to sin no more. And I beg thee, my most holy Lady, to obtain for me true obedience and true humility of heart, that I may truly acknowledge that I am a wretched and frail sinner and powerless not only to do anything good, but also to resist the continual battles without the grace and help of my Creator and thy holy prayers. Obtain for me also, O my sweetest Lady, perpetual purity of mind and body so that I may serve thee and thy beloved Son in thy order with a pure heart and a chaste body. Obtain for me from Him a willing poverty with patience and tranquility of mind, so that I may sustain the labors of this same order and that I may work for the salvation of myself and others.
Obtain for me also, O sweetest of Ladies, true charity, with which I may love thy most holy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, with all my heart: and after Him, thee, above all things; and my neighbor in God and on account of God. And so I may rejoice in my neighbour's good and sorrow in his evil, and hold no one in contempt, nor judge rashly, nor exalt myself in my heart over anyone. Make me, O Queen of Heaven, to fear thy Son and to equally love Him always in my heart; and of such benefits granted to me, not by my merits, but by those granted by His kindness, may I always give thanks. And of my sins, may I make a pure and sincere confession with true repentance that I may gain His mercy and grace. I pray, also, that at the end of my life, O gate of heaven, and advocate of sinners, that thou permitteth not thy unworthy servant to deviate from the holy Catholic faith; but by thy great devotion and mercy come to my aid and defend me from the evil spirits: and by the blessed and glorious passion of thy Son and through thy own intercession, received in hope, obtain through Him pardon from my sins. And as I die in His and thy love, guide me in the way of safety and salvation. Amen.
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O beatissima et dulcissima virgo Maria, mater Dei, omni pietate plenissima, summi regis filia, domina Angelorum, mater omnium credentium in sinum pietatis tuae commendo hodie et omnibus diebus vitae meae corpus meum et animam meam, omnesque actus meos, cogitationes, voluntates, desideria, locutiones, operationes, omnemque vitam, finemque meum: ut per tua suffragia disponantur in bonum, secundum voluntatem dilecti filii tui domini nostri Iesu Christi: ut sis mihi, o domina mea sanctissima, adiutrix et consolatrix contra insidias et laqueos hostis antiqui, et omnium inimicorum meorum.
A dilecto filio tuo domino nostro Iesu Christo mihi impetrare digneris gratiam cum qua potenter resistere valeam tentationibus mundi, carnis et Daemonis, ac semper habere firmum propositum ulterius non peccandi; sed in tuo et dilecti filii tui servitio perseverandi. Deprecor te etiam, domina mea sanctissima, ut impetres mihi veram obedientiam et veram cordis humilitatem, ut veraciter me agnoscam miserum ac fragilem peccatorem et impotentem non solum ad faciendum quodcumque opus bonum, sed etiam ad resistendum continuis impugnationibus, sine gratia et adiutorio creatoris mei, et sanctis precibus tuis. Impetra mihi etiam, o domina mea dulcissima, perpetuam mentis et corporis castitatem: ut puro corde et casto corpore, dilecto filio tuo et tibi in tuo ordine valeam deservire. Obtine mihi ab eo voluntariam paupertatem cum patientia et mentis tranquillitate, ut labores eiusdem ordinis valeam sustinere, et pro salute propria et proximorum valeam laborare.
Impetra mihi etiam, o dulcissima domina, caritatem veram, qua sacratissimum filium tuum dominum nostrum Iesum Christum toto corde diligam: et te post ipsum super omnia; et proximum in Deo et propter Deum. Sicque de bono eius gaudeam, de malo doleam, nullumque contemnam, neque temerarie iudicem, neque in corde meo alicui me praeponam. Fac etiam, o regina caeli, ut dulcissimi filii tui timorem pariter et amorem semper in corde meo habeam; et de tantis beneficiis mihi, non meis meritis, sed ipsius benignitate collatis, semper gratias agam: ac de peccatis meis puram et sinceram confessionem, et veram paenitentiam faciam, ut suam consequi merear misericordiam et gratiam. Oro etiam, ut in fine vitae meae, caeli porta et peccatorum advocata, me indignum servum tuum a sancta fide Catholica deviare non permittas; sed tua magna pietate et misericordia mihi succurras, et a malis spiritibus me defendas: ac benedicta filii tui gloriosa passione, etiam in tua propria intercessione spe accepta, veniam de peccatis meis ab eo mihi impetres, atque me, in tua et eius dilectione morientem, in viam salvationis et salutis dirigas. Amen.
Coronation of the Virgin, by Fra Angelico.
Tempera on panel, 1434-35; Musée du Louvre, Paris.
