O Incarnate Word,
Thou hast given Thy Blood and Thy Life
to confer on our prayers that power by which,
according to Thy promise,
they obtain for us all that we ask.
And we, O God, are so careless of our salvation,
that we will not even ask Thee for the graces
that we must have if we should be saved!
In prayer Thou hast given us the key
of all Thy Divine treasures;
and we, rather than pray,
choose to remain in our misery.
Alas! O Lord, enlighten us,
and make us know the value of prayers,
offered in Thy name and by Thy merits,
in the eyes of Thy Eternal Father.
I consecrate to Thee this my book;
bless it, and grant that
all those into whose hands
it falls may have the will to pray always,
and may exert themselves to stir up others
also to avail themselves
of this great means of salvation.
To thee also do I recommend my little work, O Mary,
great Mother of God:
patronize it,
and obtain for all who read it the spirit of prayer,
and of continual recourse
in all their necessities to thy Son,
and to thee, who art the Dispenser of graces,
the Mother of mercy,
and who never leavest unsatisfied him
who recommends himself to thee, O mighty Virgin,
but obtainest from God
for thy servants whatever thou askest.