_Prayer of St. Bernard._--O sovereign Mistress of Angels and of men, to you do we turn our eyes! We must all appear one day before the Eternal Judge; alas! how shall we dare to present ourselves before Him, loaded as we are with so many sins, and who shall appease His just indignation? No one, O Mother of Mercy, can so assuredly do this but you who loved Him so much, and who were so tenderly loved by Him. Open then, O Mother of Grace, your compassionate ears to our sighs, and the bowels of your mercy to our tears; to you do we run as to our dear Mother. Ah! appease the just indignation of your Divine Son, and restore us to His favour. You do not abhor the sinner, nor do you reject him, however unworthy he may be, if, repentant, he implores your patronage. To you, then, do I have recourse, O my Mother; animate me to hope, sustain my weakness, abandon me not for a single instant, and reconcile me to my Eternal Judge, that I may be able to find mercy at the moment of my death. Amen. _Ejaculation._--_Monstra te esse matrem_--Show me, O Mary, that you are my mother! _Practice._--Whatever contradiction you may meet with this day, accept it with resignation, and with the reflection that _God wills it_. NINETEENTH DAY. MARY, AT THE MARRIAGE OF CANA, TEACHES US THE BEST METHOD OF PRAYER. 'THERE was a marriage,' says St. John, 'in Cana of Galilee, and the Mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited and His disciples.' Let us consider the goodness of our adorable Saviour in not refusing the invitation to the wedding. He had come to redeem and reform man, and therefore would not assume a rigid and austere manner. He was always gentle and courteous, so as to draw men to follow Him. His presence at the wedding was a restraint upon all levity and excesses that so often occur on these occasions. O faithful souls! what modesty must have reigned at these nuptials, in the presence of Our Lord and of the Most Holy Virgin! The failing of the wine was pre-ordained by the Will of God, Who wished, by a miracle, to manifest His power to those assembled, and in particular to His Apostles. The Most Holy Virgin, in her wisdom and prudence, knowing that the wine failed, was moved by the most ardent charity to find an expedient for supplying it. And how does she act? Well aware of the power and goodness of her Divine Son, and of His charity and mercy, she was certain that He would supply what was required, all the more as the married couple were not rich, and she knew He took pleasure in relieving the poor and conversing with them. She turned, therefore, to her Divine Son; and notice well how Our Blessed Lady acted, and what she said: _Vinum non habent_--'They have no wine.' These words imply, 'These good people are poor, and although their poverty is pleasing and dear to You, nevertheless, in itself, it is a misfortune, and is often the cause of confusion before men. You are Omnipotent, and can relieve their wants,