ashes as it were bread, and to mingle my drink with weeping. Grant me, O Lord, that my meat may be henceforth to do Thy will, Who givest us to drink of Thy pleasures as out of a river; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 6. Envy.-Ps. cxxx, GOD OD so loved the world that He gave His Onlybegotten Son, to the end that all that believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Thou, O God, makest Thy sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and rainest upon the just and the unjust; and I am consumed with envy because it is well with others. I, who would that all should happen to me according to my wish, am troubled at the prosperity of my neighbour. Pardon, O most merciful Father, whatsoever sins I have hitherto committed in this respect, for great is Thy mercy. Grant that I may from this moment put on, as the beloved of God, bowels of mercy, kindness, meekness, and, above all things, charity, which is the bond of perfectness. Hear me, O God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 7. Sloth.-Ps. cxliii. HEN shall I begin, O WHE God, to love and praise Thee with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and all my strength, Who hast loved us with an everlasting love, and betrothed us to Thyself for eternity. My soul, alas, has slept through weariness: Woe is me, that I have hitherto been lukewarm in Thy service, so that I may well fear lest Thou shouldest spue me out of Thy mouth. Spare me, O God; enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified. I stretch forth my hands unto Thee my soul gaspeth unto Thee as a thirsty land. Hear me, O Lord, and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint; let Thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness, and raise me up again for Thy Name's sake: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Lord, make me ever mindful of my infirmities and back. slidings, that I may be more watchful and more importunate for grace in time to come. O Lord, grant that the Adversary of souls may never find me off my guard, nor from under Thy protection. Obtain for me, O Jesus, the grace of mortification and self-denial; the grace of true humility and the fear of God. Give me, O God, such a true sorrow for my sins, as shall enable me to embrace all the necessary means, how bitter soever, for rooting them out of my soul. O most powerful Advocate, I put my cause in Thy hands; let Thy Blood and merits plead for me; and, by Thy mighty intercession, procure me a tull discharge of my sins. O that we may not sin, knowing that we are Thy children. Make me, O God, ever mindful of my infirmities and my backslidings, that I may be more watchful, and more importunate for giace in time to come. O say unto me, as Thou didst unto Moses, I have pardoned thee. Who can understand his MOST merciful Lord, and most loving Redeemer, grant me, I pray Thee, by Thy holy Death to receive Thy Body and Thy Blood with true faith, living hope, and perfect charity, that I may be able to feel, with a pure and hearty devotion, how great was Thy love and tender mercy, when Thou at Thy last supper didst institute and give unto us this most Holy Sacrament, whereby we continually renew the memory of Thy redeeming Death. Grant that my heart may be cleansed from every sin, grant me by Thy grace perfect contrition, that truly grieving, I may show the wounds I have received to Thee and to Thy minister. Grant me to receive Thy healing medicine, that I may now unto in this time of peace, whilst yet Thou callest me, escape from the snares of the powers of evil. Give me a firm purpose of amendment, that I may live unto Thee in holiness and righteousness, and not myself, so that I may communicate at Thy holy Tabie to the benefit of my soul. I tremble, O God, at the severity of the judgment which Thon hast pronounced by the mouth of Thine Apostle against the unworthy communicant, and knowing myself to be indeed unworthy to receive Thee under my roof, I pray Thee by.Thy grace Thyself to make me worthy. Thou, Who art all holy, hallow me: make me a temple fit for Thyself, that I may rejoice in Thy presence, and thirsting no more for temporal things, may be refreshed with the streams of Thine inexhaustible grace, and may bring forth fruit pleasing unto Thee; Who livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen. Prayer to the Holy Ghost for Light. LORD our God, Who hast bidden us ever to pray, and art ready to grant whatsoever things we ask according to Thy will, hear me, trembling and troubled in this great darkness of sin, and show me the light of Thy salvation; stretch forth Thine hand to me, and deliver me from the depths of error. Though I am indeed oppressed, O Lord, and in thick darkness and obscurity, neverth less I adore Thee the true Light. Thee I desire with my whole heart, earnestly beseeching Thee that Thou wouldst illumine my soul, lighten my mind, and fill my heart with the brightness of Thy mercy, that I may perfectly know my sins and faults, and confess them with a true sorrow and contrition of heart before Thee and Thy Priest, with full intention of amendment, to Thy honour and glory, and to the salvation of my soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. FATHER of mercies, what have I given Thee in return for all Thy love? Nothing but sins, iniquities, and ingratitude. Would that I had never offended Thee, and might never offend Thee again henceforth. Against Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight. I grieve with my whole heart for my sins, secret and open, for by them I have offended Theė, Who art the highest good, Who art infinitely perfect, and worthy of all love. I grieve that I have sinned against Thee, my Creator, my Redeemer, my God. I repent that I have ever sinned. grieve that I have dared to offend Thee. Humbly, O God, I ask pardon. I detest and hate all my sins which I have committed from my childhood up to this hour. I detest them above all other hateful things, on account of their foulness, on account of the punishment due to them, on account of the loss they have brought upon my soul, and on account of my ingratitude to Thy goodness. Especially, O God, I hate all.... by which I have displeased Thee, and done evil in Thy sight, Who if there were neither heaven nor hell, nor reward nor punishment, art still most worthy to be loved and served with all honour and devotion, and never to be offended on account of Thy supreme goodness and perfection. Pardon me, O God, Who willest not the death of a sinner. I purpose indeed henceforth earnestly to endea vour not to offend Thee. I purpose carefully to avoid all sins and occasions of sin, and especially I will confess that, and do penance for it. I will serve Thee better, O my God. For Thy sake I forgive all who have offended or injured me. I ask pardon of all those whom I have grieved, offended, hurt, injured, despised, or grudged, and desire to make them amends. And since none of these things, O God, can atone for the evil I have done, I offer unto Thee, as a propitiation for my sins, the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ. Pardon, O most merciful Father, a prodigal returning to Thee; receive me into Thy grace, and suffer me never to fall away from it. O good God, would that I could prefer death to sin. Help Thou my weakness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. RECEIVE my confession, most merciful Lord Jesu, and spare me. I, a sinner, am not worthy so much as to name Thee; for I have sinned against Thee again and again, by my fault, by my own fault, by my own very great fault. Behold, I kneel before Thee, O God, O infinitely merciful Saviour. I am ashamed, and blush to lift my face to Thee, for my transgressions are manifold, and are become a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear. Be Thou, O most merciful Jesu, pitiful to me, a sinner. Rebuke me not in Thine indignation; cast me not away from Thy presence, for Thou hast said, I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live. Receive me, I pray Thee, returning unto Thee penitent and with a contrite heart. Thou art my Saviour and my God, and I am Thy servant, though unworthy and a sinner. Spare me, O Lord Jesu, Who didst die upon the Cross for sinners. For to whom shall I fly save unto Thee, Who art my hope and my salvation. If Thou rejectest me, who will receive me; to whom shall I go for help; who else will wash away my sins. Have |