sician of my soul, who givest me thy body and blood in this blessed sacrament, as a sovereign medicine for all my infirmities? Dispel the darkness of ignorance from my understanding by thy heavenly light; drive away the corruption and malice of my will by the fire of divine love and charity; strengthen my weakness with heavenly fortitude; subdue in me all evil passions, particularly that which is most deeply rooted in me; stand by me henceforward in all my temptations, that I may never more be overcome; and grant me that I may rather die a thousand deaths than live to offend thee mortally.

O my Jesus, thou art infinitely rich, and all the treasures of divine grace are locked up in thee! These treasures thou bringest with thee when thou dost visit us in this blessed sacrament, and thou takest an infinite pleasure in opening them to us, to enrich our poverty. This it is that gives me confidence to present thee now with my petitions, and to beg of thee those graces and virtues which I stand so much in need of. Oh, increase and strengthen my belief of thy heavenly truths; and grant that henceforward I may ever live by faith, and be guided by the maxims of thy Gospel. Teach me to be poor in spirit, and take off my heart from the love of these transitory things, and fix it upon eternity: teach me, by thy divine example, and by thy most efficacious grace, to be meek and humble of heart, and in my patience to possess my soul. Grant that I may ever keep my body and soul chaste and pure; that I may ever bewail my past sins, and by a daily mortification, restrain all irregular inclinations and passions for the future. Teach me to love thee, to be ever recollected in thee, and to walk always in thy presence; teach me to love my friends in thee, and my enemies for thee, grant me grace to persevere to the end in this love, and so to come one day to that blessed place where I may love and enjoy thee for ever.

Have mercy also on my parents, friends, and benefactors, and on all those for whom I am bound to pray,

Have

that we may all love thee and faithfully serve thee. mercy on thy whole Church, especially on the clergy and religious men and women, that all may live up to their callings, and sanctify thy name. Give thy grace and blessing to all princes and magistrates, and to all Christian people; convert all unbelievers and sinners, and bring all strayed sheep back to thy fold; particularly have mercy on N and N, &c.

O blessed Virgin, Mother of my God and Saviour, recommend all these my petitions to your Son. O all ye angels and saints, citizens of heaven, unite your prayers with mine: you ever stand before the throne, and see him face to face whom I here receive under veils; be ever mindful of me, and obtain from him, and through him, that with you I may bless him and love him for ever. Amen.

Short Exercise for the Holy Communion.

Act of Faith.

O my Jesus, I believe, because thou hast said it, that thou art present in soul, body, and divinity in the consecrated Host. I believe, for thou art truth itself. believe that when I communicate I receive that same incarnate Jesus who was born, died, and rose again; that Jesus who now sits at the right hand of God the Father, and who, at the end of the world, will come clothed with majesty and glory to judge the living and the dead.

Act of Adoration.

What art thou doing, O my soul? upon what art thou thinking? In a few moments God will come into thee! O God, I humble myself deeply, and adore thee! I adore thee, O dear Jesus, in the sacrament. O blessed Virgin, O ye angels, ye saints, and ye souls that love

God, adore my Jesus with me, supply, I beg of you, my deficiencies; obtain for me a lively faith and deep reverence, now that I am so soon to receive the Lord Jesus. Oh, how unfit art thou, O my soul, to meet that God who is about to visit thee! But he comes to illuminate and strengthen thee, to give thee a living pledge of that glory which is prepared for thee in paradise. Enlarge thy heart, increase thy confidence, and know that thou wilt obtain as much as thou dost desire. Thy Jesus is omnipotent; he can give thee every good, and that by only opening his hand. Thy Jesus is thy Father; he loves thee so much that he will endue thee with every grace, if thou wilt only seek for it, and if thou wilt live thereby.

Act of Love.

O my Jesus, O my love, God of my soul, how good art thou, how lovely, how worthy to be loved! O my God, I love thee with all my soul, with all my heart, with all my mind, and with all my strength. I love thee much, for thou art the sole object of my desires, my beginning, and my end. Oh, would that I had a thousand tongues to bless and praise thee! Oh, would that I could proclaim thy holy name throughout the world, that thou mightest be known and loved! O God, would that I were melted by thy love! would that I could bless, thank, and love thee with the love of the holy Virgin, and more than all creatures ! I love thee, my Jesus, my treasure, my Father, my life, my hope, my paradise. Spouse of my soul, I love thee, because thou art worthy of being loved, for thou art God. O God, would that I were all love, and loved none other but thee. Thou, my soul, wert created by God to love him; love him then. Thou, my heart, canst not find peace and safety out of God; strip thyself of every earthly affection, and thou shalt receive God. O Mother of holy love, obtain for me the grace of loving God!

How canst thou, O my soul, dare to receive a God of

infinite purity, majesty, sanctity, into an abyss of vice, ingratitude, and sin? Dost thou not recollect the evils thou hast done to thy God? Ah, thou hast been much more cruel to Jesus than Calvary! For thou hast crucified him again as often as thou hast mortally sinned.

Act of Desire.

Come, divine food, to nourish my soul! Come, furnace of charity, to inflame me. Come, heavenly shepherd, to guard me. Come, my Father, my spouse, my treasure, my life, my peace. Come, thou sole end of all my hopes. Come, light of my soul, consoler of the afflicted. Come, the expected of all nations.

Come, thou desire of the holy Father, joy of angels, delight of heaven, bliss of the saints. Come, my paradise, come, for I have desired thee, I have wished for thee. Come, that thou mayest inflame me with love. Come, do not delay, lest I faint. Come, then, my Jesus.

Holy Virgin, I draw nigh to receive your and my Jesus. From your hands I expect him; offer him to me as thou didst manifest him to the shepherds, to the magi, and to holy Simeon; prepare me to receive him with love; give him to me now, and pray to him that he will fill me with his choicest blessings.

After Holy Communion.

Behold, my desires are satisfied, my hunger is satiated; my God has come to visit me; Jesus has entered into me; I am no longer my own, but now I belong to Jesus. Oh, infinite goodness of God, to enter the heart of one so vile and unworthy as myself! My soul, on what thinkest thou? Lo! thou art sanctified by Jesus, and transformed into Jesus. Thou and He are one. Oh, true and wonderful union! My soul, art thou yet silent?

Dost thou not speak with thy God, whom thou hast within thee? Ah, unite all the affections of thy spirit, hide thyself in the sacred heart of thy Jesus, adore him and say: Thou art welcome, O dear Lord! Oh, how have I longed for this hour! But, alas, my sins have often caused thee to renew thy passion and death. Lord, what dost thou find in me but earthly love? O my God, art thou come to dwell with me? I could say to thee with St. Peter, Depart from this sinful soul, for she is not worthy to contain a God. "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" Go take up thine abode in some purer and more fervent soul than mine. But, no! my well-beloved, depart not from me, for if thou goest away I am lost. O God, my hope, I will not leave thee. I unite thee to my heart, and will live and die with thee. O Mary, O ye holy angels, ye saints, ye souls that love God, lend me your affections, that I may thus become a worthy companion of my Jesus.

Acts of Thanksgiving.

Know that thy Re

What art thou doing, my soul? deemer really abides in thee. This is not the hour for idleness or distraction; is the time to ask for all those graces that thou standest in need of from the living and true God who dwells within thee.

The heavens are now open, the blessed Trinity regard thee with looks of love, since thou hast in thy bosom the object of their delight, Jesus Christ. Supplicate Mary, the angels, the saints, thy advocates with God, to obtain thee every grace. Do not, my soul, lose a moment of this precious time; treat of the important affair of thy eternal salvation alone. My soul, thou hast within thee an omnipotent Lord, a living Father, a faithful God. Ask and trust, he will enlarge thy heart, strengthen thy faith; he begins to give thee graces, heavenly graces, worthy of God to give.

My dear Redeemer, since thou art come to me, and