Thy grace. Thy divine succour, Thy consolation, to bear them up. They need Thy comfort to refresh their souls, Thy rod and Thy staff to comfort them.
Take from them all excess of fear, that they be not overwhelmed with fear. Call them not till their full work is finished, their pardon sealed in heaven, their repentance of sins perfected, their faith triumphant. Thou knowest their pains of body, their distress of spirit, for Thou hast borne both in Thine own person on the Cross. Stretch out Thine hand to save. As Thou wast strengthened in Thine own agony by Thine Angels, so send Thine Angels to minister to them on their beds. As they are now fastened to their cross of death, accept their prayers, and consider the sorrows of their souls; blot out their sins, wash them in the fountain of Thine own blood, redeem them from the pains of eternal death, take them unto Thyself, that they may stand before Thee with great joy in Thine own kingdom for ever.
If, too, there are any afflicted among my flock, any in distress of mind, any widows, or desolate persons, grieving over departed friends, or any in great temporal distress, grant that I may be able, as sent by Thee, to console them with the conso-