nor flattery move me, neither the world deceive me, nor Satan assail me. Grant me grace to purge my memory, to bridle my tongue, to restrain my eyes, to keep under my senses. I would bewail my past iniquities; and resist my temptations in time to come; let me correct my sinful inclinations; and labour after fitting virtues. Grant me, good Lord, love of Thee, hatred of myself, earnestness for my neighbour, contempt of the world. Let me strive to obey superiors, to help inferiors, serve my friends, envy no man. Let me keep in mind, O Jesu, Thy precept and example, by loving my enemies, suffering wrong, doing good to those that persecute me, praying for those that falsely speak evil against me. Let me overcome love of pleasure by self-denial, covetousness by freely giving, heat of temper by gentleness, lukewarmness by piety. Make me prudent in counsel, steadfast in danger, patient in adversity, humble in prosperity. Grant me, O Lord, to be fixed and attentive in prayer, temperate in food, diligent in duty, firm in purpose and resolve. Let me be careful to keep inward holiness, outward modesty, exemplary conversation, and a well-ordered life. Let me ever watch to tame nature, to cherish grace, to keep Thy law, to work out my salvation. Let me follow after holiness by sincere confession of sin, by devout communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, by continual recollection of mind, and pure intention of heart. Let me learn from Thee, O God, how slight and little is all that is earthly, how great and real all that is heavenly, how short are all things temporal, how lasting all that are eternal. Grant me, O Lord, to be prepared for death, to stand in awe of Thy judgment, to escape hell, to attain to paradise. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 51. Intercession for the necessities of others. O Lord, Whose bowels of mercy are open to all, Who willest not that any should perish, but wouldest have all men to be saved, and therefore didst for all suffer death, and institute this Sacrament: grant, I beseech Thee, concord and innocency of life to priests; peace and quiet to kings and princes; chastity to virgins; continency to those dedicated to God; integrity to the married; mercy to the penitent; perseverance to the righteous; to sinners, and to me a miserable sinner, pardon; to widows and orphans, protection; support to the poor; a safe return to travellers; consolation to those in sorrow; to all faithful Christians, the quick and the dead, grace and everlasting life. Amen. 52. Thanksgiving. O all ye Saints of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; O ye Angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord; O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord; ye whom God maketh glad with the light of His countenance, praise Him and magnify Him for me for ever. O all ye servants of God, whose memory we celebrate on earth, vouchsafe to remember me before the throne of God, Whom I bless and praise; and give thanks, for that He has called you, and prevented you with the blessings of His goodness. May I, like you, obtain grace and pardon now, and perfect union with God hereafter. Amen. Thursday. PREPARATION. 54. Admiration. I heard Thy voice, O Lord: Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. O Saint of Saints, behold Thou bowest Thyself down to me; Thou art willing to be with me; Thou invitest me to Thy banquet; Thou wouldest give me heavenly Food, and the Bread of Angels to eat; there is none else surely but Thou Thyself, the living Bread, That didst come down from heaven, and givest life to the world. dost 55. Praise. O God, the invisible Creator of the world, how wonderfully dost Thou deal with us! How sweetly and how graciously Thou order all things for Thine elect, to whom Thou offerest Thyself to be received in this Sacrament! Rejoice, O my soul, and give thanks to God for so noble a gift, for such singular comfort, left thee in this valley of tears. 53. Conclusion. O God, Whose mercies are numberless, and the treasure of Whose goodness is infinite, we give thanks to Thy most gracious Majesty for all the gifts bestowed upon us, ever beseeching Thy merciful loving-kindness; that as Thou grantest their petitions to them that call upon Thee, so, never leaving us, Thou may-me, but the multitude of mine est dispose the same towards the attainment of everlasting rewards, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 56. Fear. My sins make me afraid, O Lord; and an impure conscience keeps me back from approaching so great Mysteries. The sweetness of Thy words provokes offences weighs me down. Who am I, O Lord, that I should presume to draw nigh unto Thee ? How shall I dare to come to Thee, who am not conscious of any good in myself, whereupon I may | Angels, art present in the presume? How shall I bring Sacrament of the Altar Thee into my house, that What I cannot understand have so often offended Thy I confidently commend t most gracious face, before Thee, the almighty God which Angels and Arch- Thou dost not deceive me angels stand with reverential O my God. And if Thy awe, and which holy and works were such that human righteous men do fear? reason could easily comprehend them, they would be called neither wonderful no unspeakable. O how admirable is Thy working, O Lord, how mighty is Thy power, how unspeakable Thy truth! For Thou didst speak, and all things were made and this has been done, which Thou Thyself didst command. 57. Contrition. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned; have mercy upon me, forgive me. What can I do for my sins, but humbly confess and bewail them, and unceasingly entreat Thy favour and propitiation? Graciously hear me, O my God, I beseech Thee. All my sins displease me exceedingly I will never commit them any more: I do grieve for them, and will grieve as long as I live. Forgive me my sins, for the sake of Thy holy Name. Behold I commit myself to Thy mercy, I resign myself into Thy hands. Do Thou likewise burn up and consume with the fire of Thy love, all my faults and offences, which I have committed from the day whereon I first could sin until this hour; blot out all the stains of my sins; cleanse my conscience from all offence, and restore to me Thy grace again, which I lost by sinning, fully pardoning me all, and receiving me mercifully to the kiss of peace. 58. Faith. I believe and confess, that Thou, my God, the Saint of Saints, Creator of all, and Lord of the 59. Hope. Trusting in Thy goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I draw near sick to my Saviour, hungry and thirsty to the fountain of life, needy to the King of heaven, a servant to his Lord, a creature to the Creator, desolate to my tender Comforter: hoping that spiritual grace will be bestowed upon me in this Sacrament, that the virtue which my soul has lost shall be renewed, that beauty which sin has deformed shall come back again, and my heart and my body shall be kept pure and spotless. 60. Affection. O my Beloved, grant me to leave all my loved ones for the sake of Thee, to love Thee only above all things, and to keep Thee to myself in life and in death for my friend. To be without Thee how grievous a torment, and to be with Thee is a sweet paradise! O good treasure! O good exceeding all good! O my God, and my All! For him who understands, enough has been said; to him who loves, it is a pleasant thing to repeat the same again. Do Thou purify, make glad, enlighten, and quicken my spirit with all its powers, to the end that it may cleave unto Thee with the fulness of joy. 61. Desire. Behold, O Lord, in Thee is all I can and ought to desire. Thou art my salvation and my redemption, my hope and my strength, my honour and my glory. I do long to receive Thee now with devotion and reverence. I desire to bring Thee into my house; that with Zaccheus I may obtain to be blessed by Thee, and to be numbered among the children of Abraham. My soul desires to be nourished with Thy Body and Blood, my heart longs to be united with Thee. Turn not Thy face away from me; do not delay Thy visitation; withdraw not Thy consolation. Come, O Lord, come to Thy poor servant, and make him glad; come, and satisfy me with Thy presence. As long as this is not given there will be no fulness of joy. 62. Supplication. O most blessed grace, which makest the poor in spirit rich in virtue, come, descend upon me; fill me now with Thy consolation, let not my soul fail, because of the dryness of my feelings. O Lord God, I beseech Thee, prevent Thy servant with the blessings of Thy sweetness, that worthily and with devotion I may come to Thy exceeding great Sacrament. Lift up my heart in Thee and to Thee, and cast heaviness and sluggishness me. away from me. Whatever is wanting to me, do Thou, O good Jesu, most holy Saviour, lovingly and graciously supply for Grant to Thy poor suppliant, sometimes at least, to feel in the Holy Communion, if it be but a little portion of the cordial affection of Thy love; that my faith may become more strong; my hope in Thy goodness be increased; and that charity once perfectly kindled within me, after the tasting of the heavenly Manna, may never decay. 63. Prayer. Thou hast compassion upon all, O Lord and hatest nothing that Thou hast made. Remember how frail is our substance; for Thou art our Father and our God be not angry with us for ever, and shut not up Thy tender mercies in displeasure. We humbly present our prayers before Thy face, O Lord, trusting not in our own righteousness, but in Thy manifold and great mercies. Take away from us our iniquities; and mercifully kindle in us D Thursday. THANKSGIVING. O my O my Whom is 65. Admiration. Beloved, the choicest among thousands, in Whom my soul is well pleased to dwell all the days of its life! peacemaker, in highest peace and true rest! O hidden God, Whose speech is with the humble! O unspeakable grace; O wonder the fire of the Holy Ghost. Take away our hearts of stone; and give us an heart of flesh, which may love and adore Thee, delight in Thee, follow Thee, and enjoy Thee. We pray Thy mercy, O Lord, that Thou wouldest vouchsafe to look favourably on Thy family awaiting the service of Thy sacred Name; and that the desire of none may be in vain, nor their petitions void, do Thou sug-ful in Thy condescension ; gest to us such prayers, as O boundless love, singularly Thou mayest delight graci- bestowed upon my soul! ously to hear and answer. Jesu, how great is the sweetness in Thy banquet; and how sweet would it be to me to pour out tears in Thy presence, from pure inward affection, and like pious 64. Direct your intention. I desire to offer up the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ (to celebrate Mass and to consecrate the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord) according to the rites of the Holy Catholic Church; to the praise of almighty God, and of the Church triumphant, for my own benefit, and the benefit of the whole Church militant and expectant, for all who have commended themselves to my prayers, in general and in particular, and for the welfare of the whole state of the Catholic Church. Amen. Joy with peace, amendment of life, space for true repentance, the grace and comfort of the Holy Ghost, perseverance in good works, a contrite and humbled heart, and a happy consummation of my life, the almighty and merciful Lord grant me. Amen. Magdalene wash Thy feet with my tears. Surely in Thy sight, and in the sight of Thy holy Angels, my whole heart ought to be inflamed and to weep for joy. O how great a Lord have I received; how beloved a guest have I brought under my roof; how faithful a friend have I accepted; how fair and noble a spouse do I embrace. O good Jesus, let heaven and earth, with all their attire, keep silence before Thy face. O my soul abide in secret, and enjoy Thy God; for Thou hast Him, Whom the whole world cannot take away from Thee. 66. Praising. O sweetest Saviour, let all people, tribes and tongues, praise Thee, and magnify Thy holy and |