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V. Through thee, O Virgin Mary, may we obtain salvation,

R. From the wounds of Christ.

V. O holy Jesus, grant me to obtain, through thy mother,

R. The crown of victory.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Station Fourteenth.

THE BODY OF JESUS IS BURIED.

Consider, O my soul, how the body of Jesus was wrapped in spices, and laid in a new tomb. With what honour dost thou receive Jesus thy Redeemer daily, either sacramentally or spiritually? or art thou always endeavouring to be, as it were, a new tomb for the reception of Jesus, bright with the beautiful ornaments of virtue?

Ant. I am counted among them that go down to the pit; I am become as a man without help, free among the dead. O good Jesus, I come here with the women to thy tomb, sorrowing and lamenting that hitherto I have shewn myself so unworthy; confirm and establish the kingdom of thy grace in my heart.

Lord have mercy, &c.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

V. My flesh shall rest in hope.

R. Thou wilt not give thy holy one to see corruption.
V. Arise, O Lord, and help me.

R. And deliver me from my sins.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Commendation.

Look down, O Lord, we beseech thee, upon this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ did not refuse to be delivered into the hands of wicked men, and to endure the torment of the cross; who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer on the holy Winding-Sheet of Christ's Body.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst leave the marks of thy passion on the holy winding-sheet, in which thy most sacred body was wrapped by Joseph when taken down from the cross; mercifully grant, that through thy death and burial we may be brought to the glory of the resurrection; who livest and reignest, &c.

[graphic]

he Rosary of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary.

THE devotion called the Rosary consists of fifteen "Pater noster's" and Gloria's," and one hundred and fifty "Ave Maria's," divided into three parts; each containing five "Decades," or tens; a decade consisting of one "Pater," ten "Aves," and a "Gloria." To each of these Decades is assigned one of the principal mysteries of the life of our Saviour, or his Blessed Mother, as matter of meditation, whereon the mind is to exercise itself whilst at prayer, and therefore it is prefixed to every Decade.

The fifteen mysteries, as we have said, are divided into three parts, viz. five joyful, five sorrowful, and five glorious mysteries. Now, the method consists in raising corresponding affections in the will during the recital of each Decade, such as the devotion of each one may suggest: for example, in the first part, sentiments of joy for the coming of our Redeemer; in the second, of compassion for the sufferings of our Lord, and contrition for our sins, which were the occasion of them; in the third, of thanksgiving for the exaltation and glory of our Saviour and his Blessed Mother, hoping, through the merits of his passion, and her intercession, to be made partakers of their glory. To assist the mind in this exercise, a short meditation and prayer is usually given to be used before and after each Decade. In order to say the Rosary well, we must not be satisfied with merely pronouncing the words of the prayers, or with a vague and general reflection on the mysteries; but endeavour to acquire the habit of reciting them with great attention and reverence, at the same time dwelling in a vivid manner upon the different mysteries. In order to do this the better, it is sometimes the custom, in addition to the short meditation on the mystery, which is usually read before the recital of each Decade, and which contains, either expressed or understood, a prayer for the particular virtue to which it has relation, to subjoin a short ejaculation in reference to the subject of the mystery, which may be inserted after the holy name of Jesus in the "Hail Mary's;" or to divide the

N

meditation into ten points, one for each "Ave." Both these methods will be found in this book.

Before beginning the Rosary, it is customary to make the sign of the cross, and say:

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

Credo in Deum, &c.

Gloria Patri, &c.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, &c.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

After the fifth mystery, in each of the three divisions, is said the "Salve Regina."

And at the end of the whole, this prayer:

Hear, O merciful God, the prayer of thy servants; that we who meet together in the society of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, may, through her intercession, be delivered by thee from the dangers that continually hang over us; through the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Three methods of saying the Rosary are here given:

1. With a meditation and prayer on each mystery, which is that commonly used in England.

2. With a meditation and an ejaculation to be inserted after the holy name of JESUS in each "Ave;" and a prayer, which may be taken from those given at p. 150.

3. By adding before each "Ave" one of the ten points into which the meditation is broken up. These, or something of a like kind, may also be advantageously used with the meditation and prayer in the First Method.

Lastly, we may observe that the reading of the meditation, ejaculation, or prayer, are only pious practices to assist in the more devout recitation of the Rosary, which consists essentially in the recitation of the vocal prayers while the mind dwells upon the subject of the mystery. The whole Rosary may even be recited in the contemplation of any one of the mysteries in which we may feel more devotion; and in such case the indulgences attached to the Rosary would be gained; always, of course, in proportion to the greater devotion and perfection with which the office was recited.

N.B. The "Pater," "Credo," "Ave," "Gloria Patri," and "Salve Regina," will be found in Latin and English at pp. 21, 22.

FIRST METHOD.

The Five Joyful Mysteries.

I. The Annunciation.

Let us contemplate, in this mystery, how the angel Gabriel saluted our Blessed Lady with the title, "Full of grace," and declared unto her the Incarnation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Our Father. Ten Hail Mary's. Glory be to the Father, &c.

Let us pray.

O Holy Mary, Queen of Virgins; through the most high mystery of the Incarnation of thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein our salvation was begun, obtain for us, through thy most holy intercession, light to understand the greatness of the benefit he hath bestowed upon us, in vouchsafing to become our Brother, and giving thee, his own beloved Mother, to be our Mother

also. Amen.

II. The Visitation.

Let us contemplate, in this mystery, how the Blessed Virgin Mary, understanding from the angel that her cousin St. Elisabeth had conceived, went with haste into the mountains of Judea to visit her, bearing her Divine Son within her womb, and remained with her three months.

Our Father. Ten Hail Mary's. Glory be, &c.

Let us pray.

O Holy Virgin, most spotless mirror of humility; by that exceeding charity which moved thee to visit thy holy cousin St. Elisabeth, obtain for us, through thine intercession, that our hearts being visited by thy Divine Son, and freed from all sin, we may praise and give thanks to him for ever. Amen.

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