Prayer to a Confessor

HAIL, holy N., illustrious confessor of Christ, glory and adornment of his holy Church. Thou art the sweet budding rose of charity, the lily of purity, the beaming star of sanctity. Like the morning star in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon at the full, so didst thou shine forth in the splendour of thy virtues. O most blessed N., what thanks dost thou owe to God for all his gifts to thee, in that he chose thee from eternity in his unsearchable wisdom, justified thee freely, and made thee honourable and worthy of his grace; in that he hath delivered thee from all evil and misery in his strong and prevailing love, and hath made all the events of thy life, the evil as well as the good, work together unto thy good and thy salvation. Wherefore I give thanks to thy most loving Creator, and I magnify and extol with thee the omnipotence, the wisdom, and the goodness of the transcendently glorious Trinity, which has deigned to decree and give effect to thy predestination unto so great holiness, and to adorn thee together with himself with a crown of justice in the kingdom of his glory. O blessed N., most holy friend of Jesus, remember me, a miserable sinner, who invoke thee with all the devotion of my heart. I commend to thee my life and my death, and especially my last parting breath; beseeching thee, by that love wherewith thou didst cleave so fast to God and serve him so devoutly, that thou wouldst deign to offer to God in satisfaction for my sins all the mortifications, the austerities, and the penance which thou didst so willingly undertake and so lovingly accomplish for the glory of his Name. Amen.