not he who so abundantly satisfies their desire with good things, reserve one blessing also for us, who are his children? We have indeed no confidence in our own merits and justice; but because the plentiful redemption of thy Son leaves us not destitute of merits, we offer them first to thee, O merciful Father. Father, look upon the face of thy Christ, in whom thou art well pleased.
Behold also thy elect, our brethren (for we have one and the same Father in heaven), come supplicating thee for us to the throne of thy glory, secure of their own salvation, but anxious for ours. For they desire to have us co-heirs with them, and endeavour to forward us by their prayers and merits to the haven of salvation.
Hear us, O merciful Father, in their regard, who, for the sake of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and the rest of thy beloved, hast more than once promised to be favourable and gracious to others. Therefore, our first petition is,
Hallowed he thy name.
We adore thee, most holy God, because all honour and glory is due to thee alone; and therefore we pray that the honour and love of thy holy name may be always and everywhere spread and advanced by us. We wish and desire that all that we say, do, and think, may be directed only to the glory of thy name. To this, as we are urged by the example, so we desire to be assisted by the aid of the most holy Virgin Mary, who, when chosen to be the mother of the Son of God, magnified not herself, but the Lord, because he had regarded the humility of his handmaid, and had done for her great things, who is mighty, and his name holy.
We learn as much from the holy angels, whose only office and employment is to hallow and praise the name of the Lord. And therefore they sing to thee incessantly. Holy, holy, holy. No sooner was the Saviour born, than they united in singing, Glory to God in the highest. Nor do they now cease to praise God, but excite us by their warnings and inspirations to hallow God also by holy works. So let our light shine, therefore, and our works appear before men, that they who see them may thence be led to glorify God.
2. Thy kingdom come.
We adore thee, O Lord, because thou art the king of highest majesty and power, and hast made us heirs of thy kingdom by thy Son. We beseech thee, therefore, by
