Have you carefully Have you given way to any evil temper-pride, passion, vanity, envy, hatred, &c. ? Have you spoken evil of any one, or unnecessarily of other persons' faults? Have you striven against your besetting sins? avoided all dangerous occasions of sin? Are you endeavouring to make advances in the spiritual life, -in holiness, love of God, and superiority to the world, and not only abstaining from actual sin? Are you using the necessary means of a holy life,—prayer, meditation, and the reading of the word of God and devout books? (Whenever you find that you have been guilty of any sin, note it, with its aggravating circumstances, in order to make full confession of it when you next go to confession.) Having carefully examined yourself, and called to mind your faults, recollect the chief sins of your past life also, and make an act of contrition for all. 5. An Act of Contrition. O Father of mercies! who desirest not the death of sinners; look upon me, a miserable sinner, according to the multitude of thy mercies. I acknowledge and confess, and am heartily sorry for all the sins of my past life, and of this day in particular. I cast myself at thy feet, and beseech thee to cover all my sins with that infinite love with which thou hast loved us from all eternity. I grieve from the bottom of my heart that I have been so ungrateful to thee for thy benefits, and have so often offended thee, my God and my chief good. Spare me, I beseech thee, by the death and love of Jesus Christ thy Son; and mercifully forgive me whatsoever sins I have this day, or heretofore, committed against thee, my neighbour, or myself. (Here you may say the 50th Psalm, or any other act of penance.) 6. A Resolution of Amendment. O Almighty God! I firmly resolve, here in thy presence, and before the whole company of heaven, to live more exactly in conformity to thy will, and to the rule of thy commandments, hereafter. I resolve to keep a more strict watch over myself; to correct my faults and evil habits; to attend more diligently to my duties; and to avoid more carefully all sin, and all temptations and occasions of sin. But without thy assistance, O Lord, there is no strength in man. Thou, therefore, who makest me to will that which is good, give me also the power to perform it. Give what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt, that I may live soberly, righteously, and piously in this world, and praise thee for ever with thy saints in the world to come. Despise not, O Lord, my petitions, for thine infinite mercies' sake, but accept this my evening sacrifice, and let it ascend as incense in thy sight. And you, my holy patrons, pray for me. Thou first, O holy Virgin, mother of my God; thou too, my angel guardian; and ye, my chosen patrons, N. and N., and all ye heavenly citizens, angels, and saints, who praise God unceasingly, even while we sleep; take me under your protection, and commend me to God; that I may be protected from all the snares of our enemies, who are ever ready to hurt us while we sleep. 7. Intercession. O Lord God, grant us an increase of faith, hope, and charity. Root out from among us all sin and vice, infidelity, dissensions, and erroneous opinions. Reprove the wandering; correct the unbelieving; shew to all in schism the light of thy grace, and restore them to the unity of thy Church. Preserve the pastors and rulers of thy Church, and all kings, princes, and rulers in the same, from all adversities, both of mind and body. Give to all sinners true repentance. Preserve the just in righteousness; establish all their thoughts, words, and works for good. Confirm all who are dedicated to thy name in their holy resolutions. Have mercy upon all, O Lord. Give food to those who labour; comfort those who are oppressed with sorrow; heal the sick; supply the necessities of the needy; give a safe return to all who travel, whether by land or sea; grant liberty to the captive; and consolation to all women labouring with child. Forgive all who have sinned with me, or whom I have led into sin. Repay a hundred-fold with good all whom I have injured, offended, or scandalised. Direct in the way of salvation all my relations and friends [my parents, brothers, sisters, &c.]; all who pray for me, all who have commended themselves to my prayers, all who think kindly of me. Hear them, O Lord, when they cry unto thee in any tribulation. Bestow perpetual charity both on us and on our enemies. May all be filled with patience, kindness, and mercifulness. May envy, hatred, and all bitterness, be put away. Have mercy, also, O merciful Father, on all who sleep in Christ, especially on [my parents], and those with whom I have been familiarly acquainted. Eternal rest give to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. O eternal Father, I beseech thee, by the life and death of thy beloved Son, and by the bowels of thy mercies, grant that I may persevere unto the end in good works, and die in thy grace. O good Jesus, I beseech thee, by the love of the eternal Father, and by the last words with which thou didst commend thy Spirit to him upon the cross, receive my soul at my last hour. O Holy Spirit, have mercy on me, and by thy holy inspiration strengthen me always, but especially at the hour of my death. O most holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on me now and at the hour of my death. Amen. On getting into bed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ crucified, I lay me down to rest; may he bless, govern, and preserve me, and bring me to everlasting life. Amen. Composing yourself to sleep. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. I will sleep in peace, and take my rest. ANOTHER FORM OF EVENING PRAYER. In the name of the Father, &c. Blessed be the holy and undivided, &c. Our Father, &c. Hail, Mary, &c. I believe, &c. O eternal, infinite, and almighty God, whose glory the heaven of heavens cannot contain; look down on thy unworthy servant, prostrate at the feet of thy mercy, and humbly confessing to thee, in the sight of all thy holy angels and blessed saints, the sinfulness and vanity of my life, and especially the transgressions of this day. I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Here examine diligently what sins you may have fallen into this day, by thought, word, deed, or omission; and humbly confessing them, proceed thus: Of these, and all my other sins, now or at any former time committed, I most sincerely repent, and am heartily sorry for every thought, word, and deed, by which I have displeased the eyes of thy glory, and provoked thy wrath and indignation against me; especially for my disobedience to so holy a law, and extreme ingratitude to so gracious and bountiful a God. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity. Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. I beseech thee, O Lord, to hear me, and have mercy upon me. And I beseech the blessed Mary ever Virgin, the blessed Michael the Archangel, the blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me. May Almighty God have mercy on me, forgive me my sins, and bring me to life everlasting, through Christ our Lord. Amen. May the almighty and merciful Lord grant me pardon, absolution, and remission of all my sins. Amen. And now, O most gracious Benefactor, I praise and magnify thy holy name for thy great and innumerable benefits, proceeding purely from thy bounty, and intended wholly for my good; particularly for preserving me this day in the midst of so many dangers incident to my condition, and delivering me from the many calamities and miseries which are due to my sins. Thou art my Creator, O my God, and kind Protector; thou art the ultimate end of my being, and supreme perfection of my nature. Under the shadow of thy wings is perpetual repose, and from the light of thy countenance flows eternal joy and felicity. To thee be glory and honour, to thee adoration and obedience, from all thy creatures for ever. Amen. And since thou hast ordained the day to labour, and the night to take our rest, as I praise thee for the blessings of the day, so I implore thy protection during this night. Let the eyes of thy providence watch over me, and thy holy angels pitch their tents about me; that being safely delivered from all dangers, and comfortably refreshed with moderate sleep, I may the better be enabled to perform the employments of my calling and state of life, and faithfully persevere in the discharge of the duties of thy service; and so daily advance to new victories over my passions, and to a more perfect observance of thy commandments: till, having passed my days in thy fear, I may end them in thy favour, and rejoice with thee for ever in thy heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and only Saviour; who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen. Prayer for the Dead. O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of thy servants departed the remission |