Visits ΤΟ THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT. A Prayer for the Benediction of the Most Holy O divine Redeemer of our souls, who of thy great goodness hast been pleased to leave us thy precious body and blood in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar, I adore thee with the most profound reverence. I humbly thank thee for all the favours thou hast bestowed upon us, especially for the institution of this most holy Sacrament. And as thou art the source of every blessing, I entreat thee to pour down thy benediction this day upon us, and upon all those for whom we offer up our prayers. And that nothing may interrupt the course of thy blessing, I beseech thee to banish from my heart all that displeases thee: pardon me my sins, O my God, since I sincerely detest them for love of thee; purify my heart, sanctify my soul, bestow on me a blessing like that which thou didst grant to thy disciples at thy ascension into heaven; grant me a blessing that may change, consecrate, and unite me perfectly to thee, and may fill me with thy Spirit, and be to me in this life a foretaste of those blessings which thou reservest for thy elect in heaven, All this I beg in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. Acts to be made at the beginning of each Visit to the Most Holy Sacrament. My Lord Jesus Christ, who for the love which thou bearest to men dost remain day and night in this Saciament, full of mercy and of love, inviting, expecting, receiving all them who come to visit thee, I believe that thou art present in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar I adore thee, confessing my own misery and nothingness, and I thank thee for all the mercies which thou hast bestowed upon me, especially for having given me thysel. in this Sacrament, for having given me thy most holy Mother Mary for my advocate, and for having called n to visit thee at this time. I salute thy most loving heart, and I desire to do so for three ends: 1, In thanksgiving for this great gift; 2, To atone for all the injuries thou hast received from thy enemies in this Sacrament; 3, To adore thee in all places in which thou art least honoured and most neglected in the holy Sacrament. O my Jesus, I love thee with all my heart; I am sorry for having hitherto displeased thy infinite goodness; I resolve, with the assistance of thy grace, never more ti offend thee; and at this moment, miserable as I am, I desire to consecrate my whole being to thee. I give thee my will, my affections, my desires, and all that I have. From this day forward do with me, and whatever belongs to me, what thou pleasest; I ask and desire only thy love, the gift of final perseverance, and the perfect accomplishment of thy holy will. I recommend to thee the souls in purgatory, particularly those who were most devout to the blessed Sacrament and to holy Mary; and I recommend to thee all poor sinners. Finally, my dear Saviour, I unite all my affections with those of thy most loving heart; and thus united, I offer them to thy eternal Father, and I beseech him in thy name, and for thy sake, to accept them. Amen. An Act of Spiritual Communion. I believe in thee, O my Jesus, present in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar; I love thee above all things; and I desire to receive thee into my soul. Since I cannot now receive thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace thee, and I unite myself to thee, as if thou wast already there. O, permit me not ever to be separated from thee! O Lord Jesus Christ, let the sweet and consuming force of thy love absorb my whole soul, that I may die for the love of thee, who wast pleased to die for the love of me. O Lord Jesus Christ, true God and man, I humbly adore and invoke thee, now present in the verity of thy flesh and blood, thy body and soul. Would that I could truly contemplate and know thee, that I could love, praise, and glorify thee, even as do the thousands of holy angels who contemplate thee with the highest joy, who know thee, love, praise, and glorify thee perfectly without weariness or interruption. All creatures justly celebrate with praise and thanksgiving that ardent love of thine by which thou didst offer thy innocent and precious body upon the altar of the cross, and didst so lovingly, so graciously, so affectionately leave us in this holy Sacrament the same body, living and immortal, as a remembrance of thy departure, and as a pledge of thine infinite love. Thou, therefore, O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us, and give us peace; and so refresh our souls continually with this spiritual food, that we may never, in life or death, be separated from thee and from thy infinite mercy. Grant me thy grace, O thou who hast given me so plenteous a treasure, even thyself, the Author of grace, in this Sacrament! For what goods shall fail to fall upon him to whom the very Author of good deigns to come as a guest! When thou didst enter into the house of Zaccheus, thou saidst, "This day is salvation come to this house." O, say to my soul, I beseech thee, O Lord, "I am thy salvation!" 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, my 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. Prayer of St. Gertrude to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. O 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 on 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 thy will be the rule alike of my desires and of my actions. Amen. O 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, mayest 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 which thou sustainest! INSTRUCTIONS AND DEVOTIONS FOR CONFESSION. PENANCE is a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ, by means of which the sins we commit after baptism are forgiven, and we receive strength to enable us to avoid sin for the time to come. By this sacrament the sanctifying grace of God, which is poured into our hearts by the Holy Ghost, cleanses the soul from all the stains of sin, restores her to the favour and friendship of God, and renders her holy and beautiful in his sight. This holy and salutary institution is grounded on the words of Jesus Christ: "Amen I say unto you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven" (Matt. xviii. 18), and, "As the Father hath sent me, I also send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them, and he said to them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." (John xx. 21, &c.) In these words Jesus Christ gave to his apostles, and their lawful successors, power and authority to absolve from all sin in those who sincerely repent of their offences. In order to prepare yourself to make a good confession, endeavour in the first place to recommend the matter earnestly to God; frequently and fervently beg his divine grace and assistance; and this more especially, if you have for a long time lived in a habit of sin; in which case it is most proper to prepare yourself by a spiritual retreat for some days, during which time you must seriously enter into yourself. Examine your conscience with care and diligence, yet without too much anxiety and scrupulosity. Consult the table of sins, to assist your memory; and reflect, in particular, on the evil inclinations to which you are most subject, on the places and companies in which you have been, on your usual employment, on the duties of your |