when one word would have sufficed-leave me not without effecting the cure for which thou art come; depart not until thou hast planted on the ruins of my pride and vanity the divine virtues of humility and meekness, so strongly inculcated by the divine example. Teach me, I beseech thee, to walk in thy footsteps; make choice of my heart, to model it after thine, and to adorn it with the solid virtues of charity, patience, compassion for the poor and afflicted, a lively horror of sin, and of all that offends thy divine Majesty. AT THE BLESSING AND LAST GOSPEL. Y God, thou shalt never leave me until thou bless diction which will be the safeguard of thy graces. That the world may know I sincerely love thee, and have had the happiness of receiving thee, I will follow thee, and serve thee faithfully to the last moment of life; but yet, my God, with what diffidence should I make these promises! How often have I promised to be faithful to thy law, and yet, on occasions of trial, how repeatedly have I transgressed! Thou hast given me thy precious body and blood, yet I have ungratefully refused thee the most trifling sacrifices. Thus have I hitherto acted; and what I once did, I may and certainly shall do again, if not supported by thy powerful grace. Yet, notwithstanding my experience of past weakness, I do again promise to keep thy Commandments, to love thee and serve thee with all my heart and soul. Remain with me, O divine Lord, by the influence of thy all-powerful grace; take my whole being, and reign over me so absolutely, that I may never acknowledge any kind of master but thee. May I rather die than forget thy infinite goodness and unspeakable mercies; may these same mercies give thee glory; and may they follow me all the days of my life. (Psalm cvi. 8, xx. 6.) In the strength of the heavenly nourishment I have received, may I walk steadily in the paths of virtue, until I come to that happy region where I shall certainly sing, "Benediction, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honour, and power, and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen." (Apoc. v. 12.) SA Devotions to the Sacred Heart, Especially during the time of Mass. INVOCATIONS. ANCTUARY of the divinity! Abyss of wisdom! Treasure inexhaustible, of whose fulness we have all received! Our peace and our atonement! Fountain of water springing up into everlasting life! In which the Father is well pleased! The propitiation for our sins! Filled with bitterness for our sakes! Sorrowful in the garden, even unto death! Overwhelmed with revilings! Wounded with love! Pierced with a lance! Exhausted of thy blood on the cross! Bruised for our sins! Still outraged by ungrateful men in the most Holy Sacrament of love! Refuge of sinners! Strength of the weak! Comfort of the afflicted! Perseverance of the just! Salvation of them that hope in Thee! Hope of them that die in Thee! Sweet support of those who worship Thee! Our Helper in our many and great tribulations! Delight of all the saints! AN ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS. To thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus! do I devote and offer up my life, thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings. May my whole being be no longer employed, but in loving, serving, and glorifying thee. O Sacred Heart! be thou henceforth the sole object of my love, the protector of my life, the pledge of my salvation, and my refuge at the hour of my death. Justify me, O blessed and adorable Heart, at the bar of divine justice, and screen me from the anger which my sins deserve. Imprint thyself like a divine seal on my heart, that I may never be separated from thee. May my name also be ever engraven upon thee, and may I ever be consecrated to thy glory, ever burning with the flames of thy love, and entirely penetrated with it for all eternity. This is all my desire, to live in thee. One thing have I sought of the Lord, and this will I seek, that I may dwell in the heart of my Lord all the days of my life. Amen. A PRAYER TO THE ETERNAL FATHER. ETERNAL Father, let me offer up unto thy mercy the Sacred Heart of thy well-beloved Son, even as he offered himself up a sacrifice to thy justice. Accept, on my behalf, all the thoughts, sentiments, affections, motions, and all the actions of this Sacred Heart; they are mine, because it was immolated for me; they are mine, because for the future I am resolved to admit nothing into my heart but what hath place in thine. Receive then, Ò God, the merits of this Sacred Heart in satisfaction for my sins, and in thanksgiving for all the benefits conferred upon me. Receive them, O Lord, as so many motives for granting my petitions. Give me, O Lord, for their sake, all the graces I need, but especially the gift of final perseverance. Receive them as so many acts of love, adoration, and praise, which I now offer to thy divine majesty. This Sacred Heart, this Heart alone, can love, honour, and glorify thee as thou deservest. Amen. The faithful are invited to make, at Mass, or at fixed times in the day, according to their opportunities, one or more of the following aspirations of love to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: SACRED Heart of Jesus, I love thee, and desire to love thee more and more! O Heart of Jesus, burning with love of us, inflame our hearts with the love of thee! O Sacred Heart of Jesus, mayst thou be known, loved, and adored throughout all the world! O Heart of my dear Redeemer, may the love of thy friends supply all the injuries and neglects of those who offend thee! ACT OF LOVE BY BLESSED MARG. MARY ALACOQUE. MOST loving Heart of my only beloved, unable to love and glorify thee according to the extent of the desire Thou hast given me, I invite all heaven and earth to assist me, and I unite myself to the burning seraphim, in order to love thee. O heart, burning with love, why dost thou not set heaven and earth on fire with thy pure flame, to consume whatever they contain, that all creatures may breathe only thy love. O make me suffer or die, or at least change my heart entirely, and consume me with thy most ardent fire, that I may love thee perfectly. O divine fire, O most pure flames from the Heart of my only love, burn me without compassion, consume me without resistance. Alas! why dost thou spare me, since I am only fit to burn, and only deserve fire? O Love! O Love of heaven and earth, come into my heart and reduce me to ashes! O devouring fire of the Divinity, come and dissolve me; burn me, consume me in the midst of thy pure flames, which cause those who die in them to live. PRAYER OF ST. GERTRUDE TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS. SACRED Heart of Jesus! living and life-giving fountain of eternal life, infinite treasure of the divinity, glowing furnace of love! Thou art my refuge and my sanctuary. O my adorable and lovely Saviour! consume my heart with that burning fire wherewith thine is ever inflamed; pour down upon my soul those graces which flow from thy love, and let my heart be so united with thine, that our wills may be one, and mine in all things conformed to thine. May thine be the rule alike of my desires and of my actions. Amen. AN ACT OF REPARATION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS. 0 ADORABLE Heart of my God and Saviour! filled with a lively sorrow at the thought of the injuries which thou hast received, and art every day receiving, in the august Sacrament of the altar, I prostrate myself at thy feet, to make thee an act of humble reparation for all thou hast suffered. O, that by my reverence, by my devotion, I could make |