Prayers of Saint Alphonsus
by Saint Alphonsus Liguori
Doctor of the Church
1759
Prayer to Obtain Final Perseverance
Eternal Father, I humbly adore and thank
Thee for having created me, and for having redeemed me by means of
Jesus Christ. I thank Thee for having made me a Christian by giving
me the true faith, and by adopting me for Thy child in holy Baptism.
I thank Thee for having given me time for repentance after my many
sins, and for having, as I hope, pardoned all my offenses against
Thee. O Infinite Goodness! I thank Thee also for having preserved me
from falling again as often as I should have done if Thou hadst not
held me up and saved me. But my enemies do not cease to fight
against me, nor will they until death, that they may again have me
for their slave; if Thou dost not keep and help me continually by Thine assistance, I shall be wretched enough to lose Thy grace anew.
I therefore pray Thee, for the love of Jesus Christ, to grant me
holy perseverance till death. Thy Son Jesus has promised that Thou
wilt grant us whatever we ask for in His name. By the merits, then
of Jesus Christ, I beg of Thee for myself, and for all those who are
in Thy grace, the grace of never more being separated from Thy love,
but that we may always love Thee in this life and in the next.
Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for
me.
Amen
Prayer to Jesus Christ to
Obtain His Holy Love
My crucified Love, my dear Jesus! I
believe in Thee, and confess Thee to be the true Son of God and my
Savior. I adore Thee from the abyss of my own nothingness, and I
thank Thee for the death Thou didst suffer for me, that I might
obtain the life of Divine grace. My beloved Redeemer, to Thee I owe
all my salvation. Through Thee I have hitherto escaped Hell; through
Thee have I received the pardon of my sins. But I am so ungrateful
that, instead of loving Thee, I have repeated my offenses against
Thee. I deserve to be condemned, so as not to be able to love Thee
any more. But no, my Jesus, punish me in any other way, but not in
this. If I have not loved Thee in time past, I love Thee now; and I
desire nothing but to love Thee with all my heart. But without Thy
help I can do nothing. Since Thou dost command me to love Thee, give
me also the strength to fulfill this Thy sweet and loving precept.
Thou has promised to grant all that we ask of Thee: 'You shall ask
whatever you will, and it shall be done unto you'.
Confiding, then, in this promise, my dear Jesus, I ask, first of
all, pardon of all my sins; and I repent, above all things, because
I have offended Thee, O Infinite Goodness! I ask for holy
perseverance in Thy grace till my death. But, above all, I ask for
the gift of Thy holy love. Ah, my Jesus, my Hope, my Love, my All,
inflame me with that love which Thou didst come on earth to
enkindle!
For this end, make me always live in conformity with Thy holy will.
Enlighten me, that I may understand more and more how worthy Thou
art of our love and that I may know the immense love Thou has borne
me, especially in giving Thy life for me. Grant, then, that I may
love Thee with all my heart and may love Thee always, and never
cease to beg of Thee the grace to love Thee in this life; that
living always, and dying in Thy love I may come one day to love Thee
with all my strength in Heaven, never to leave off loving Thee for
all eternity.
O Mother of beautiful love, my advocate and refuge, Mary, who art of
all creatures the most beautiful, the most loving, and the most
beloved of God, and whose only desire it is to see Him loved! Ah, by
the love thou barest to Jesus Christ, pray for me, and obtain for me
the grace to love Him always, and with all my heart! This I ask and
hope for from thee.
Amen
Prayer to obtain Confidence in the Merits of Jesus Christ
and in the Intercession of Mary
Eternal Father, I thank
Thee for myself, and on behalf of all mankind, for the great mercy
that Thou hast shown us, in sending Thy Son to be made man, and to
die to obtain our salvation; I thank Thee for it, and I should wish
to offer Thee in thanksgiving all that love which is due for such an
inestimable benefit. By His merits our sins are pardoned, and Thy
justice is satisfied for the punishment we had merited; by these
merits Thou dost receive us miserable sinners into Thy grace, while
we deserve nothing but hatred and chastisement, Thou dost receive
men to reign in Paradise. Finally, Thou hast bound Thyself, in
consideration of these merits, to grant all gifts and graces to
those who ask for them in the name of Jesus Christ.
I thank Thee also, O
Infinite Goodness, that, in order to strengthen our confidence,
besides giving us Jesus Christ as our Redeemer, Thou hast also given
us Thy beloved daughter Mary as our advocate; so that, with that
heart full of mercy which Thou hast given her, she may never cease
to succor by her intercession any sinner who may have recourse to
her; and this intercession is so powerful with Thee that Thou canst
not deny her any grace which she asks of Thee.
Hence it is Thy will that
we should have a great confidence in the merits of Jesus, and in the
intercession of Mary. But this confidence is Thy gift, and it is a
great gift which Thou dost grant to those only who ask Thee for it.
This confidence, then, in the Blood of Jesus Christ, and in the
patronage of Mary, I beg of Thee, through the merits of Jesus and
Mary. To Thee, also, my dear Redeemer, do I turn; it was to obtain
for me this confidence in Thy merits that Thou didst sacrifice Thy
life on the Cross for me, who was worthy only of punishment.
Accomplish, then, the end for which Thou hast died; enable me to
hope for all things, through confidence in Thy Passion. And thou, O
Mary, my mother, and my hope after Jesus, obtain for me a firm
confidence, first in the merits of Jesus thy Son, and then in the
intercession of thy prayers,-----prayers which are
all-powerful in gaining all they ask!
O my beloved Jesus! O sweet
Mary! I trust in Thee. To Thee do I give my soul; Thou doth love it
so much, have pity on it, and save it.
Amen
Prayer to Obtain the Grace of Being Constant in Prayer
O God of my soul, I hope in
Thy goodness that Thou hast pardoned all my offenses against Thee,
and that I am now in a state of grace. I thank Thee for it with all
my heart, and I hope to thank Thee for all eternity. I know that I
have fallen, because I have not had recourse to Thee when I was
tempted, to ask for holy perseverance. For the future, I firmly
resolve to recommend myself always to Thee, and especially when I
see myself in danger of again offending Thee. I will always fly to
Thy mercy, invoking always the most holy names of Jesus and Mary,
with full confidence that when I pray Thou wilt not fail to give me
the strength which I have not of myself to resist my enemies. This I
resolve and promise to do. But of what use, O my God, will all these
resolutions and promises be, if Thou dost not assist me with Thy
grace to put them in practice; that is, to have recourse to Thee in
all dangers? Ah, Eternal Father! Help me, for the love of Jesus
Christ; and let me never omit recommending myself to Thee whenever I
am tempted. I know that Thou dost always help me when I have
recourse to Thee; but my fear is, that I should forget to recommend
myself to Thee, and so my negligence will be the cause of my ruin,
that is, the loss of Thy grace, the greatest evil that can happen to
me. Ah, by the merits of Jesus Christ, give me grace to pray to
Thee; but grant me such an abundant grace that I may always pray,
and pray as I ought!
O my Mother Mary, whenever
I have had recourse to thee, thou hast obtained for me the help
which has kept me from falling! Now I come to beg of thee to obtain
a still greater grace, namely, that of recommending myself always to
thy Son and to thee in all my necessities. My Queen, thou obtainest
all thou dost desire from God by the love thou bearest to Jesus
Christ; obtain for me now this grace which I beg of thee,-----namely,
to pray always, and never to cease praying till I die.
Amen
Prayer to be said Every Day,
to Obtain the Graces Necessary for Salvation
Eternal Father, Thy Son
hast promised that Thou wilt grant us all the graces which we ask
Thee for in His name. In the name, therefore, and by the merits of
Jesus Christ, I ask the following graces for myself and for all
mankind. And, first, I pray Thee to give me a lively faith in all
that the holy Roman Church teaches me. Enlighten me also, that I may
know the vanity of the goods of this world, and the immensity of the
infinite good that Thou art; make me also see the deformity of the
sins I have committed, that I may humble myself and detest them as I
ought and, on the other hand, show me how worthy Thou art by reason
of Thy goodness, that I should love Thee with all my heart. Make me
know also the love Thou hast borne me, that from this day forward I
may try to be grateful for so much goodness. Secondly, give me a
firm confidence in Thy mercy of receiving the pardon of my sins, holy
perseverance, and, finally, the glory of Paradise, through the
merits of Jesus Christ and the intercession of Mary. Thirdly, give
me a great love towards Thee, which shall detach me from the love of
this world and of myself, so that I may love none other but Thee,
and that I may neither do nor desire anything else but what is for
Thy glory. Fourthly, I beg of Thee a perfect resignation to Thy
will, in accepting with tranquility sorrows, infirmities, contempt,
persecutions, aridity of spirit, loss of property, of esteem, of
relatives, and every other cross which shall come to me from Thy
hands. I offer myself entirely to Thee, that Thou mayest do with me
and all that belongs to me what Thou pleasest. Do Thou only give me
light and strength to do Thy will; and especially at the hour of
death help me to sacrifice my life to Thee with all the affection I
am capable of, in union with the sacrifice which Thy Son Jesus
Christ made of His life on the Cross on Calvary. Fifthly, I beg of
Thee a great sorrow for my sins, which may make me grieve over them
as long as I live, and weep for the insults I have offered Thee, the
Sovereign Good, Who art worthy of infinite love, and Who hast loved
me so much. Sixthly, I pray Thee to give me the spirit of true
humility and meekness, that I may accept with peace, and even with
joy, all the contempt, ingratitude, and ill-treatment that I may
receive. At the same time, I also pray Thee to give me perfect
charity, which shall make me wish well to those who have done evil
to me, and to do what good I can, at least by praying, for those who
have in any way injured me. Seventhly I beg of Thee to give me a
love for the virtue of holy mortification, by which I may chastise
my rebellious senses and cross my self-love; at the same time, I beg
Thee to give me holy purity of body, and the grace to resist all bad
temptations, by ever having recourse to Thee and Thy most holy
Mother. Give me grace faithfully to obey my spiritual Father and all
my Superiors in all things. Give me an upright intention, that in
all I desire and do I may seek only Thy glory, and to please Thee
alone. Give me a great confidence in the Passion of Jesus Christ,
and in the intercession of Mary Immaculate. Give me a great love
towards the most Adorable Sacrament of the Altar, and a tender
devotion and love to Thy holy Mother. Give me, I pray Thee, above
all, holy perseverance, and the grace always to pray for it,
especially in time of temptation and at the hour of death.
Lastly, I recommend to Thee the Holy Souls
of Purgatory, my relatives and benefactors; and in an especial
manner I recommend to Thee all those who hate me or who have in any
way offended me; I beg of Thee to render them good for the evil they
have done, or may wish to do me. Finally, I recommend to Thee all
infidels, heretics, and all poor sinners; give them light and
strength to deliver themselves from sin. O most loving God, make
Thyself known and loved by all, but especially by those who have
been more ungrateful to Thee than others, so that by Thy goodness I
may come one day to sing Thy mercies in Paradise; for my hope is in
the merits of Thy Blood and in the patronage of Mary.
O Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for
me! So I hope; so may it be!
Amen
Aspirations and Thoughts
 O God! Who knows what fate
awaits me?
I shall be either eternally happy or eternally miserable.
Of what worth is all the world without God? Let all be lost, but let
not God be lost.
I love Thee, my Jesus Who didst die for me! Would that I had died
before I ever offended Thee!
I will rather die than lose God.
Jesus and Mary, Thou art my hope.
My God, help me, for the love of Jesus Christ! My Jesus, Thou alone
art sufficient for me!
Suffer me not to separate myself from Thee.
Give me Thy love, and then do with me what Thou pleasest.
Whom shall I love, if I love not Thee, my God?
Eternal Father, help me, for the love of Jesus! I believe in Thee, I
hope in Thee, I love Thee!
Here I am, O Lord; do with me what Thou wilt!
When shall I see myself altogether Thine, my God?
When shall I be able to say to Thee, My God, I can lose Thee no
more?
Mary, my hope, have pity on me!
Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me!
Lord, who am I, that Thou shouldst desire to be loved by me?
My God, I desire Thee alone, and nothing more.
I desire all that Thou dost will, and that alone.
Oh, that I might be annihilated for Thee, Who wast annihilated for
me!
Towards Thee alone, my God, have I been ungrateful!
I have offended Thee enough, I will no longer displease Thee.
If I had died then, I could not have loved Thee any more.
Let me die before again offending Thee.
Thou hast waited for me that I might love Thee. Yea, I will love
Thee.
I consecrate the remainder of my life to Thee.
O my Jesus, draw me entirely to Thyself!
Thou wilt not leave me; I will not leave Thee.
I hope that we shall always love each other, O God of my soul!
My Jesus, make me all Thine before I die!
Grant that when Thou shalt come to judge me, I may see Thee with a
benign countenance.
Thou hast done more than enough to oblige me to love Thee. I love
Thee, I love Thee!
Deign to accept the love of a sinner who has so often offended Thee.
Thou has given Thyself all to me; I give myself all to Thee.
I desire to love Thee exceedingly in this life that I may love Thee
exceedingly in the next.
Teach me to know Thy great goodness, that I may love Thee very much.
Thou lovest those that love Thee. I love Thee, do Thou also love me.
Give me the love Thou requirest of me. I rejoice that Thou art
infinitely happy.
Oh that I had always loved thee, and had died before I had offended
Thee.
Grant that I may overcome all things to please Thee.
I give Thee my whole will; dispose of me as thou pleasest.
My pleasure is to please Thee, O Infinite Goodness!
I hope to love Thee for all eternity, O eternal God!
Thou art omnipotent; make me a Saint.
Thou didst seek me while I was flying from Thee; Thou wilt not drive
me away now that I seek after Thee.
I thank Thee for giving me time to love Thee. I thank Thee, and love
Thee!
Let me give myself entirely to Thee this day, punish me in any way,
but deprive me not of the power of loving Thee.
I will love Thee, my God, without reserve.
I accept all sufferings and all contempt, provided I may love Thee.
I desire to die for Thee, Who didst die for me.
I wish that all could love Thee, Who didst die for me.
I wish that all could love Thee as Thou meritest.
I wish to do everything that I know to be Thy pleasure.
I care more to please Thee than for all the pleasures of the world.
O holy will of God, Thou art my love! O Mary, draw me entirely to
God!
O my Mother, make me always have recourse to thee; it is for thee to
make me a Saint; this is my hope.
Amen
|
