EVENING SIGH - 9th Day

Happy sheep, for you the divine shepherdess will remove the thorns of the road.

THE CONSOLER OF THE AFFLICTED

Mary is very much like her Son Jesus in this;  being the mother of Mercy she experiences great joy when she is able to help and console sinners.  Bernadine de Bustis tells us that Mary's desire to bestow favors on everybody is so intense that it is greater than our wish to receive them:  "Her wish to dispense gifts to you and to do you good is greather than your wish to receive her gifts."
  

Evening Sigh—Hail, our Hope!

PATRONAGE PRAYER

To be Said Each Day to Obtain Mary's Powerful Patronage

O Virgin Immaculate and Most Holy, my Mother Mary—the Mother of my Lord, the Queen of the World, the Advocate, the Hope, the Refuge of Sinners,—to you I come to seek your help today—I, who am the most in need of all. 
I bow in reverence before you, O Great Queen, and I thank you for the great graces you have given me until now, but especially because you have saved me from the punishments of hell which I have deserved so many times.
I love you, Most Lovely Lady, and because I love you so much I promise to be your faithful servant always, and to do all I can to make you loved by others,  In you I place all my hopes, all my salvation.
O Mother of Mercy, accept me for your servant and shield me under your mantle;  because you are great and powerful with God deliver me from all temptations, or better still get me the grace to conquer them even until death.
From you I ask for the true love of Jesus Christ;  through you I hope to die a good death.  O My Mother, I pray you by the love you have for God to give me your help at all times, but most of all at the last moment of my life;  do not leave me until you see me safe in Heaven blessing you and singing your mercies for ever.  Amen.  This is my hope.  So let it be.

VESPERS