Our restless spirits yearn for Thee, O Jesu, ever with us stay; Make all our moments calm and bright; Shed o'er the world Thy holy light. Amen. SUNDAY MORNING. The following may be added to your Morning Prayer: O LORD, our God, the Bread of heaven and the Life of the world, I have sinned against heaven and before Thee, and am not worthy to share in the heavenly Food of Thy most holy Feast. But do Thou, of Thy Divine goodness, grant me so to eat Thy Flesh and to drink Thy Blood that I may obtain remission of sins and eternal life; through Thine own perfect merits, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit art One God for ever and ever. Amen. O HEAVENLY FATHER, I am about to draw near this day to the most Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Thy dear Son. Have mercy upon me; have mercy upon me, for I am most unworthy. I deserve only to be cast out of Thy sight as unclean. But, O my God, look not upon my sin, but look upon the Face of Thine Anointed. Thy dear Son hath died that we may have access with boldness unto Thee. Therefore I come. Oh, may I so eat and drink that I may be partaker of the Body and Blood of Christ to the strengthening and refreshing of my soul, and may be one with Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Hear me, and accept me, O most merciful Father, for the sake of the same my crucified Saviour. Amen. "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." Ps. li. 10, "Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my soul after Thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God! When shall I come to appear before the presence of God?" Ps. xlii. 1, 2. O Lord, I desire and long for the Bread of God, which is the Flesh of Christ. I desire and long for the Wine of heaven, which is His precious Blood. O give me a deeper longing for this heavenly Food, and satisfy my soul with Thy goodness; through the same my Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Try as far as possible to keep your mind free from earthly thoughts and cares, and in a fit state for the holy service in which you are going to take part. Try to feel that you are going to meet your Saviour and your King. Offer up little mental prayers from time to time before you reach the Church, such as these: "Thou art my succour: haste Thee to help me." "Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldest come under my roof." "Thy face, Lord, will I seek." "I will wash my hands in innocency, and so will I go unto Thine altar." "Jesu, my Lord, I Thee adore; Oh, make me love Thee more and more." In order to come with a heart free from distrac tions, it is helpful, when possible, to attend an early Communion. This was the custom with Christians from very early times. We know that, quite at the beginning, there were some very sad scandals at the feasts at which the Lord's Supper was celebrated (See 1 Cor. xi. 17-22), and it is probable that, in consequence of this, it was found wise to order that the Sacrament should always be celebrated in the morning. Neither the Bible, nor the Church, lays C down any rule about receiving the Holy Communion fasting, but whatever helps us to be reverent and devout in receiving it is good. We all like to say our private prayers first thing, before all the little cares and distractions of the day come in and claim our thoughts and attention. So too we should be thankful that this most blessed and holy Service should be, when possible, the first great act of the opening day, and that the first food of the opening day should be that of this Sacred Feast. Yet no one's conscience should be troubled, if it be found needful to take some sustenance first. We cannot do better than quote the words of Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Winchester, in his last charge: "Come to early Communion as giving the first of the day, the freshness of the Spirit, the unbrokenness of the heart, to that great Service. But if you cannot come in the early morning, have no scruple about taking ordinary food before you communicate." |