Afflication, Temptation, Grief, Infirmity, Poverty and Peril

King Richard III Plantagenet's Personal Prayer *

Most Merciful Lord Jesus Christ: as Thou didst wish to relieve those burdened with sore afflications, to redeem the captives, to free the imprisoned, to bring together those who are scattered, to restore the contrite in heart, to comfort the wretched, and to console those who grieve and mourn, deign to release me from the afflication, temptation, grief, infirmity, poverty and peril in which I am held, and give me aid. Extend Thine arm to me; pour Thy grace over me, and free me from all the distresses and griefs by which I find myself troubled.

Free me, O Lord, by Thy most holy merits, by Thine incarnation, by Thy nativity, by Thy fasting, by Thy labour and suffering, by the blows and by the nailes, by the crown of thorns, by Thy most cruel and unworthy death on the cross.

Thou saidst, O Lord, "It is finished," showing that the labours and griefs which Thou hadst undertaken for us wretches were now completed.

I ask Thee, O most gentle Christ Jesus, to keep me and to defend me from all evil and from my evil enemy, and from all danger, present, past, and to come, and deign to console me by Thy descent into hell, by Thy resurrection, by Thy grace of the Holy Spirit, and by Thy coming in the day of Judgement.

O Lord hear me, by all Thy benefits for which I give and return Thee thanks, because Thou didst make me from nothing, and hast redeemed me by Thy most wonderful love and mercy from damnation to everylasting life. I ask Thee, O Most gentle Jesus Christ to save me from all perils of body and soul, and after the course of this life to bring me to Thee, the living and true God, who livest and reignest, O God, through Jesus Christ the living and true Lord, AMEN.

* From his Book of Hours

The Richard III Foundation, Inc.

Thou wilt not drive me from Thy face

At this time the devil would have me believe that it is impossible that I should be saved, by bringing my sins to my remembrance; but the sight of Thee crucified, O my Jesus, assures me that Thou wilt not drive me from Thy face, if I repent of having offended Thee, and desire to love Thee. Yea, I repent, and I desire to love Thee with all my heart. I detest these accursed pleasures which have caused me to lose Thy grace. I love Thee, O Thou Who art infinitely worthy of love, and I desire ever to love Thee; and the memory of my sins will serve to inflame me the more in the love of Thee, Who hast come to seek me when I fled from Thee. No; I desire to be separated from Thee no more, and never to cease to love Thee, O my Jesus.

O Mary, refuge of sinners, thou who hast so much shared in the sufferings of thy Son in His death, pray to Him, to pardon me, and to give me grace to love Him.

 ~ St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

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