Chapter XVI: Part 16

The Fathers of the Church, and the Church herself, exclaim, “O happy fault, that caused the Word to be made flesh, and to dwell among us! O happy transgression, which earned a Redeemer such as this!” We gained more than we lost. Adam and Eve were perfect for a time in the sight of God, but when they fell, they lost all. Then came the redemption, and we were admitted into the Church of God, a fountain so full of graces, by means of the sacraments. Our places were secured in heaven by the blood of the Lamb. What a great gift was that blood of Jesus Christ, poured over our soul! What a glorious wound was that which was cured by so adorable a power! We have hope once more, again we breathe freely in the bright trust of being children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. So that from the time of Adam and Eve, there had been a hope in the human breast that God would come to redeem mankind. Adam and all his children were ever looking and praying for His coming; and now during Advent we are preparing for the coming of Him Who is to rejoice every heart. “Come quickly, O Lord Jesus.”

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Fifth Day.

The children of Adam had to lament the deadly effects of the evil they had committed. As generation followed generation, thicker grew the darkness in the minds and hearts of the people, and farther and farther away did they wander from that eternal Light, which was to guide them to heaven. Thus it is that sin goes on, spreading its painful consequences throughout the world, even long after the evil‐doer is dead and gone. Gradually the world lost all regard for virtue, or for God, until it became so wicked that unless the Redeemer appeared when He did, mankind would have been plunged into absolute barbarism, and worked its own destruction. If I had lived then, what kind of a human being would I have been?—who even now, while enjoying the light of civilization and the freedom with which God has enriched me, am such a poor specimen of a Christian. I who have been made by God, for God, and in the image of God.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Sixth Day.

Our life is a circle. We came from God, and to God we must return. If we have deserted Him we must go back, if our life is to be a success in the end. We can never find repose or lasting satisfaction in anything but God. Until we make Him the end and aim of our life, we shall feel that we are wandering about in the dark. This was the case with the world, which had gone from its Creator; deeper and deeper it sank in the mire of iniquity. We must do as Christ bids us, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” We seek Him by a thorough preparation for His coming, for He will come to meet us, and will be ready to receive us and take us back into His affection. God comes to us repeatedly in life; but we do not know His fulness. Yet it is a sad loss that we are so blind. It is the only real misery in life, that we are meeting God every day, and do not know Him when we meet Him.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Seventh Day.

At length, on the distant horizon, can be discerned the dawn of the Sun that has been so long desired to enlighten the world. The happy Mother of the Messias was to be born before He could come. This is the eve of the feast of the Immaculate Conception; the earth has now a pledge that the coming of the Messias will no longer be delayed, the Son of man is near at hand. The conception of Mary takes place under the direct providence of God; she receives the breath of life from God, without any stain of sin. The feast of the Blessed Virgin’s Immaculate Conception is the most solemn of all those which the Church celebrates during the holy season of Advent. We will, then, honor the feast of the Blessed Virgin with joy. The intention of the feast is not only to celebrate the anniversary of the happy moment in which began, in the womb of the pious Ann, the life of the ever glorious Virgin Mary: but also to honor the sublime privilege by which Mary was preserved from the stain of original sin—which, by the curse of God on our first parents, darkened the souls of all the descendants of Adam and Eve at the very first moment of their conception.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Eighth Day.

The faith of the Catholic Church on the conception of Mary, is this: that, at the very instant when God united the soul of Mary, which He had created with a special regard to the Mother of His divine Son, to the body which it was to animate, this ever blessed soul not only did not contract the stain of that curse which defiles every human soul, but was filled with an immeasurable grace, which rendered it from that moment the mirror of sanctity of God Himself, as far as this is possible to a creature. It was due to His own infinite sanctity that God should suspend, in this instance, the law which His divine justice had passed upon all the children of Adam. The relations which Mary was to bear to the divinity could not be reconciled with her undergoing the humiliations of man’s punishment. She was not only the Daughter of the eternal Father: she was destined also to become the very Mother of the Son, and the Bride of the Holy Ghost. Nothing defiled could be permitted to enter, even for the shortest time, that sacred structure.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Ninth Day.

St. Anselm, a Doctor of the Church, tells us, in his time, when the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception had not yet been declared, that, “It was just that this holy Virgin should be adorned with the greatest purity which can be conceived, after that of God Himself, since God the Father was to give her as her Child that only‐begotten Son, Whom He loved as Himself, as being begotten to Him from His own bosom, and this in such a manner that the self‐same Son of God was by nature the Son of both God the Father, and of this Blessed Virgin. This same Son chose her to be substantially His Mother: and the Holy Ghost willed that in her womb He would operate the conception and birth of Him from Whom He Himself proceeded.” When we remember that Mary is the “Mother of God,” so far from being surprised at the privileges which we see the Church giving her, we approve of all. That the Almighty would shower down upon her the choicest graces of heaven, and by special privileges distinguish her from all the children of God, seems only just. Mary was so surrounded and strengthened by grace that she never committed the least sin during her life.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Tenth Day.

The closeness of the tie between Mother and Son gave Mary all the privileges and distinctions which she enjoys. This closeness was to unite the Son of God with Mary, and was to elicit from Him the most tender love and the most filial reverence. All this had been present to the thought of God from all eternity, and the conclusion forces itself upon our mind, that therefore the divine Word had, for His future Mother, a love infinitely greater than that which He bore for all other creatures. Mary’s honor was infinitely dear to Him, because she was to be His Mother, chosen to be so by His eternal and merciful decrees. The Son’s love protected the Mother. She, indeed, in her sublime humility, willingly submitted to whatever the rest of God’s creatures had brought on themselves, and obeyed every tittle of those laws which were never meant for her. “O Mary, O marvellous, mystical creature! O resplendent mote, lost almost to view in the upper light of the supernal fountains! Who can sufficiently abase himself before thee, and weep for the want of love to love thee rightly, thou whom the Word so loved eternally?” (Faber.)

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Eleventh Day.

Mary was conceived without sin, because the eternal Father would not do less for the second Eve than He had done for the first; yet the latter was created, as was also the first Adam, in the state of original justice, which she forfeited by her disobedience. The Son of God would not permit that Mary, from whom He was to take the nature of man, should be deprived of that gift which He had given to Eve. The Holy Ghost, Who was to overshadow Mary, and through whose operation she was to become the Mother of the Incarnate Word, would not permit that foul stain of sin in which we are all conceived to rest even for an instant on His Bride. All men were to contract the sin of Adam. The sentence was universal, the condemnation went out against all the race; but God’s own Mother could not be included. God, Who is the Author of that law; God, Who was free to make it as He willed, had power to save her from its effects; His omnipotence could exempt her, and it was nothing more than proper, even according to our frail reason, that she was exempted.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Twelfth Day.

Certainly God’s omnipotence came into active operation when He created the soul of Mary. When Adam and Eve stood before Him in the garden of paradise, the Lord said to the woman, “Why hast thou done this?” She replied, “The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.” Then God was angry, and turning to the serpent He said, “I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed; she shall crush thy head.” Thus was salvation promised to the human race, under the form of a victory over Satan, and it is to be gained by the woman. The second Eve is to be worthy of the second Adam, conquering Satan and sin. The human race is one day to be avenged, not only by God made man, but also by the woman miraculously exempted from every sin, in whom the primeval creation, which was in justice and holiness, will thus reappear, as though original sin had never been committed. Raise up your hands then, ye children of Adam, and shake off your chains. On this day of the Immaculate Conception the humiliation which weighed you down so heavily is annihilated.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Thirteenth Day.

The dignity of the human race is well portrayed when we see that God so blessed its members. The Lord loves the human race, and was pleased to be called the Son of man. He still loves this guilty earth, since He has deigned to enlighten it with one of the brightest rays of His Mother’s glory. How the world ought to exult on this feast of the Immaculate Conception! The present generation will never forget the enthusiasm with which the entire universe received the tidings of the definition of the dogma. It was an event of mysterious importance, which thus marks this second half of our century, and we shall look forward to the future with confidence. For the Holy Ghost bids us tremble for the days when truths are diminished among the children of men. He would consequently have us look on these times as blessed by God, in which we receive an increase of truth, and an increase both in light and authority. The Church always professed belief in the Immaculate Conception; it is not a new doctrine. She had always kept the 8th of December as the feast of the conception of Mary. Now we add, “Immaculate” Conception.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Fourteenth Day.

There have been no new doctrines added to the dogmas of the Church. People are sometimes scandalized when they hear, from Protestant and infidel sources, that the Church is continually adding to her faith without any warrant from God. Such, however, is not a fact. The present living Church can add nothing to the revelation of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. St. Bernard and the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas, both teach that the Church cannot celebrate the feast of what is not holy. From time immemorial the feast of the Immaculate Conception has been celebrated; it was considered holy then, and is now no new doctrine. The nativity of the same holy Virgin is kept as a solemnity in the Church, because Mary was born full of grace. Therefore, had the first moment of Mary’s existence been one of sin, as that of all the other children of Adam, it never could have been made the subject of reverence by the Church. O Mary, thou bright ray of hope, penetrate our hearts, that we may rejoice in thy motherhood; thou art the dearest, purest, holiest Mother, whom we love most tenderly.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Fifteenth Day.

How thy gentle light gladdens our weary eyes, sweet Mother! Generations had followed generations on this earth of ours; men looked up to heaven through their tears, hoping to see on the horizon the Star which they had been told should disperse the gloomy horrors of the world’s darkness. O thou fair Morning Star, which dost shed thy blessed rays on the sea, and dost bring calm after long stormy night, prepare our eyes, that they may behold the divine Sun which will soon follow in thy path, and give to the world His reign of light. To see Jesus in truth our hearts must be pure; purify them, then, O Mother, especially during this sacred time of Advent, that we, the children of the Church, reflecting on the jealous care wherewith God preserved thee from every stain of sin, because thou wast to be the Mother of His divine Son, might prepare to receive this same Jesus by the most perfect renouncing of every sin, and every attachment to it. Cease not to bless and protect all these that honor thy great privilege of being conceived without sin. May this feast fit us for the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Thou art all beautiful, O Mary, and there is no stain of sin in thee.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Sixteenth Day.

The Church cries out a welcome to the advent of Christ, during this time; making us feel as if we sat in darkness, as if we were as degraded as was man before the coming of the Messias: “O Wisdom,” she cries out, “Who camest forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching in Thy strength from end to end, and sweetly disposing all things, come teach us the way of prudence.” The first title given to Jesus is that of Wisdom, the eternal Wisdom of God, and the source of all wisdom to men for all time. The eternal Word disposes all things sweetly: everything that happens in heaven and on earth is arranged by Him, not unkindly, nor harshly, but sweetly. We invite Him to come and teach us the ways of prudence, because where there is prudence all must be well. Teach me, O Jesus, the lesson of prudence, which will guide me safely to the kingdom of heaven. The prophet Micheas says of the Child to be born in Bethlehem: “His going forth is from the beginning from the days of eternity.” O divine Wisdom, how strong art Thou, in thus reaching Thine ends by means which are infallible though hidden!

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Seventeenth Day.

O Adonai and Leader of the house of Israel, Who didst appear to Moses in the fire of the flaming bush, and didst give him the Law on Sinai, come and save us with a stretched forth arm! O sovereign, almighty Lord, come to redeem us! Heretofore Thou didst show Thyself to Moses in a fiery bush, Thou didst give Thy Law to Thy people amidst thunder and lightning on Mount Sinai; come and redeem us now in the goodness of Thy Heart, in kindness and love. Thy chaste Mother, having heard the emperor’s edict, which obliges her and Joseph, her spouse, to repair to Bethlehem, prepares everything needful for Thy divine birth. She makes ready the humble swaddling‐clothes which are to cover and protect Thee from the cold of that midnight hour. Thus it is that Thou willest to deliver us from the slavery of pride, and to show man that Thy divine arm is never stronger than when he thinks it powerless. Everything is prepared for Thy reception, except our hearts, which still await Thy holy grace, which is to change them, and make them fit temples for Thy abode.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Eighteenth Day.

The expectation of the birth of Our Lord is a fact which is celebrated throughout the Church. The expectation of the world is now at its greatest tension. Nobody knows whether the event of the birth of Christ is going to take place to‐day, or to‐morrow; but soon it will be accomplished. Everything is in readiness; the earth groans for need of the Lord, the holy people pray that they may see the great day; we, too, on this feast, will pray for the coming of the Lord. We wish with all our hearts that the Messias would come. Most just indeed it is, O holy Mother of God, that we should unite in that ardent desire thou hadst to see Him, Who had been concealed for nine months in thy chaste womb; to know the features of the Son of the heavenly Father; to come to that blissful hour of His birth, which will give glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to men of good‐will. Yes, dear Mother, the time is fast approaching, though not fast enough to satisfy thy desires and ours. Make us, O Mary, redouble our attention to this great mystery; complete our preparation by thy powerful prayers for us, that when His hour has come, Jesus may find no obstacle to His entry into our hearts.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Nineteenth Day.

O Root of Jesse, Who standest as the standard of the people, before Whom kings shall not open their lips; to Whom the nations shall pray, come and deliver us: tarry now no more. At length, O Son of Jesse, Thou art approaching the city of Thy ancestors! The ark of the Lord has arisen, and is journeying with the God that is in her to the place of rest. “How beautiful are thy steps, O thou daughter of the Prince,” now that thou art bringing to the cities of Juda their salvation! The angels escort thee, heaven delights in thee, and earth thrills with joy to bear thus upon itself, its Creator and its Queen. Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the invisible God; there did He deign to dwell, Whom even thrones cannot hold, and she bore Him as a light weight. Our hearts, O Mary, are with thee. Like thy royal ancestor, David, “we will enter not into the dwelling, our house, nor go up to bed whereon we lie, nor give sleep to our eyes, nor rest to our temples,” until we have found the place in our hearts for the Lord Whom thou bearest, a tabernacle for this God of Jacob. Then will be silenced the enemies of thy name, and nations will offer thee their prayers.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Twentieth Day.

O Key of David and Sceptre of the house of Israel! Who openest and no man shutteth; Who shuttest and no man openeth; come and lead the captive from prison, sitting in darkness, and in the shadow of death. O Gabriel! blest messenger of heaven, thou camest through closed doors, and didst announce the word “Thou shalt conceive and bear a Son, and He shall be called Emmanuel”! O Jesus, Son of David, heir to his throne and his power, Thou art now passing over, on Thy way to Bethlehem, the land that once was the kingdom of Thy ancestors, but now is tributary to the Gentiles. Not an inch of this ground about Bethlehem, historic for many centuries, but has witnessed the miracles of the justice and mercy of Jehovah, Thy Father, to the people of that Old Covenant which is so soon to end. Before long, when Thou hast come from beneath the virginal cloud which now hides Thee, Thou wilt pass along this same road, doing good, healing all manner of sickness and every infirmity; and yet having not whereon to lay Thy head. Thou art now about to come forth, Thou art now to shine in the midst of this world’s darkness. Open the gates then, with this all powerful Key of David.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Twenty‐first Day.

Orient Splendor of eternal light, and Sun of justice! Come and enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death. O Jesus, bright light from heaven, the brightness of God Himself, the Splendor of the early Sun: we welcome Thee. We need Thy light, for we sit in darkness: all are in darkness who commit sin, and the world is full of sin. Jesus, the great Sun, must rise over this darkness, that it may be dissipated, and a new life may be infused into it; then the angel of darkness will fly away; then will grow the life of light. Nothing prospers in darkness; man sleeps and does not work, plants fade and die; so that, O Light of the splendid Orient, arise in our hearts! We beseech Thee, O God, to remove from us all that resists Thee, so that with a believing heart we may in such a manner bring forth the branches of Thy gifts bestowed on us, that the root of humility may never dry up within us.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Twenty‐second Day.

O King of nations and their desired One, the corner‐stone that joinest the two walls! Come and save man, whom Thou didst form out of slime. O King of peace! Thou wast born before all ages! come by the golden gate; visit those whom Thou hast redeemed, and lead them back to the place from whence they fell by sin. The journey of Our Lord to Bethlehem is nearly over, and our blessed Mother is engrossed entirely in the expectation of the coming of her divine Son. She adores His majesty; she gives thanks for His mercy; she rejoices that she has been chosen for the sublime ministry of motherhood towards the Son of God. Mary longs for that happy day when her eyes will look upon Him, and yet she fears that moment, too. How will she be able to serve her God in His human life? How will she dare to raise Him up in her arms—the King of nations, and she but a humble Virgin? When she reflects that the hour is approaching in which she is to see the Light of the world, her heart almost fails her, for on the one hand she knows that she bears her God, and on the other she is full of love because she is His Mother. Come, then, speedily we beseech Thee, come and save us!

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Twenty‐third Day.

O Emmanuel, Our King and Lawgiver, the expectation of the Gentiles and their Saviour, come and save us, O Lord, Our God! O Jerusalem, city of the great God! lift up thine eyes round about, and see thy Lord, for He is coming to loose thee from thy chains. As Mary and Joseph passed Jerusalem they surely did not omit to visit the Temple of the Lord. This was the first visit which Our Lord paid to His Father’s house. Then was fulfilled for the first time the prophecy of Aggeus. “Great shall be the glory of this last house, more than of the first.” Now was standing in this second Temple the Ark of the New Covenant, greater by far than the Ark of Moses. The angels that lived in the Temple were roused to special prayer on that occasion. Mary and Joseph, when their devotions were ended, hastened on their way in order that they might seek suitable shelter, but they were to be disappointed everywhere. Thus Jesus Christ, the Son of God, comes into the world.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus, Who didst, for the love of us, etc., etc.

Twenty‐fourth Day.

Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem. They knocked at several doors for admittance or for information, but were invariably turned away; for great was the crowd that was going the same way. The rich had their houses engaged; the poor had to look for shelter in any place. Joseph, mindful of Mary, his spouse, was much concerned for her comfort, and he did the best he could. After great industry he at last found a cave where she might have shelter from the open sky, and the darkness and chilliness of the night. This holy eve is indeed full of grace and hope, and we ought to spend it in spiritual communion and joy. Let us enter into the spirit of the Church, and prepare ourselves in all the joy of our hearts to meet the Saviour Who is about to be born to us. Let us dispose our hearts with great simplicity, for to‐morrow we shall see the glory of God. Let us delight in the thought that before we lie down again to rest, we shall see the promised Redeemer born in the solemn midnight: “Sanctify yourselves to‐day, and be prepared, because in the morning you shall see the majesty of God among you.”

Prayer.

O God, Who makest us to rejoice in the yearly expectation of the feast of the redemption: grant that we, who joyfully receive Thy only‐begotten Son as a Redeemer, may behold without fear the same Lord Jesus Christ, coming as our Judge: Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

Special Devotions to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, during the Time of Advent.

The devotion of the forty Hail Marys, which St. Catharine of
Bologna introduced, has been enriched by Pope Pius VII. An
indulgence of forty days is granted to the faithful who recite it
during the month of December.

Daily Prayer.

O Mary, great Mother of Our God, and merciful intercessor for us poor sinners! we throw ourselves humbly at thy feet, and we beg thee by the sacred blood of Thy divine Son, which He has shed for us, and by the prayers of St. Catharine of Bologna, that thou wilt infuse into our hearts the true spirit of devotion in this little exercise and give us the grace to imitate the virtues of that saint, under whose protection we say this prayer. Think not of our unworthiness and our ingratitude, but let us feel the depth of thy great love for us; and in the contemplation of the love with which thou didst consider thy servant Catharine, obtain for us from God the remission of our sins, that we have a cause to expect the grace of God for our salvation. Amen.

Prayer For Each Day.

Let us now take this devotion of this saint of God, Catharine, and every day during this month before Christmas, say a prayer in preparation for the coming of Christ, by reciting forty Hail Marys in honor of the great Mother of God, who was so well prepared to receive the Lord at His birth. We will have sorrow for our sins, for that will purify our souls, which is a necessary quality for the reception of the Lord at His coming.

_The First Ten Hail Marys._

After each Hail Mary say:

“Blessed be the hour, O Mary, in which thou becamest the Mother of Jesus, the Son of God.”

Then consider the great mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, the greatest miracle of God’s mercy, also the great dignity of Mary in the Christian world and in heaven, because she became the Mother of God and yet remained a Virgin.

_The Second Ten Hail Marys._

After each Hail Mary say:

“Blessed be the hour, O Mary, in which thou didst give birth to Jesus, the Son of God.”

Then consider the humility of Mary, the Queen of heaven, who was content with the will of God and became the Mother of God in a lowly stable.

_The Third Ten Hail Marys._

After each Hail Mary say:

“Blessed be the hour, O Mary, in which thou didst nourish and care for the Child Jesus.”

Then consider the solicitude of Mary, with which she looked after the Child Jesus in all the temporal necessities of a newly born infant, when, according to His own will, He was not able to help Himself. She loved that Child, and spent upon it her tenderest care.

_The Fourth Ten Hail Marys._

After each Hail Mary say:

“Blessed be the hour, O Mary, in which thou didst screen Jesus, the Son of God, from the persecution of Herod.”

Consider here that as soon as Jesus was born He became the object of the persecution of men. Herod sought to murder Him, and Mary had to take the Child and flee into Egypt.

Daily Prayer After These Devotions.

Praised be God, that we have undertaken this devotion according to the instruction of St. Catharine. We beg of thee, Mary, Mother of the expected Child, and Queen of angels, that thou deignest to obtain for us especially two graces. First, to really bewail our sins and our past infidelities, and second to attain after our death eternal salvation. We will cry out from the bottom of our heart according to the example of Catharine: “Turn then, Mary, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O blessed, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary!”

Then recite the Litany of the Blessed Virgin.(1)

_V._ Make us worthy to praise thee, O Blessed Virgin, Mother of my God.

_R._ That I may have power against my enemies.

_Let Us Pray._

O God, Who, after the announcement of the angel, didst create a body for Thy divine Son in the bosom of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant us the grace that we, who acknowledge her great privilege, may be assisted by her intercession. We pray Thee, O God almighty, that Thou mayest purify our hearts and consciences by Thy heavenly visitation, that Thy divine Son Jesus Christ, when He shall come with all the saints, may find a fitting habitation prepared for Him. Who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.

Mass for Advent.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Introibo.

O Jesus, the true and infinite sacrifice, I adore Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, and I make an offering of Thy sacred body, which Thou didst deliver for us unto death on the cross, and Thy sacred blood, which Thou didst shed for our sins, in union with the priest who is about to say Mass. Eternal and merciful Father, the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as Our Father! With the priest I offer Thee a pure, holy, immaculate sacrifice, the sacred bread of eternal life, the chalice of salvation, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, Thy Son. Deign to accept it, and be merciful to me a sinner. In the spirit of humility and with a contrite heart, I acknowledge, O my God, that I have sinned often and grievously in thought, word, and deed, through my most grievous fault. I know I have been guilty, and I beg pardon of Thee, O heavenly Father, through Thy infinite mercy, through the infinite merits of Jesus Christ, and through the intercession of all the saints. Amen.

The Priest Ascends The Altar.

O ye saints whose relics are kept on the altar, and all ye saints and servants of God in heaven, let me unite with thee in praising, loving and adoring Our God in the Sacrament of the Altar! Pray for all those who are assembled here; pray that we may be heard and that we ourselves cry out, “Lord, have mercy on us! Christ, have mercy on us! Lord, have mercy on us!” Amen.

Gloria.

Glory to God in the highest! Glory, praise, and adoration to the Most High, the one true God, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be for all eternity. Lord God, upon Thee I place all my trust. Save me from every danger, and keep me from every evil. The eyes of all are upon Thee, O Lord, and Thou givest them food; Thou fillest all that there is with Thy benediction. I praise thee, also, O Mary, Mother of God, and thank thee for all that I owe thee. Who is it Whom we adore in the Blessed Sacrament but Jesus, thy Son, Who took flesh and blood from thee! What a joy must not thy heart experience when thou seest so many devout worshippers surrounding the throne of the majesty of Jesus, hidden in the consecrated bread on our altars! Do thou also, O dear Mother, sing with us the praises of that Jesus, for Whose coming we are preparing during Advent. Amen.

Collects.

Give us, O God, the grace daily to feel the advent of Our Lord upon our altars, as we expect Him to be born in our hearts at Christmas‐time. Grant that we may also be prepared to meet Him, the Judge, at the end of time, and may find Him propitious; through the same Jesus Christ Our Lord. O God, Who didst leave with us, under the consecrated species, a memory of Thy sufferings, give us the grace that by our ardent faith we may adore Thee in this Holy Sacrament, and become worthy fruits of Thy holy Passion and death. Amen.

Epistle.

Accept, O God, this holy sacrifice in thanksgiving for the institution of the Blessed Sacrament. For in possessing the Blessed Sacrament we possess heaven and earth, our cares are taken away, and we have Jesus, Who cries continually to us: “Come to Me, all you who are heavily laden, and I will refresh you.” My dear Jesus, make me worthy to praise Thee with all the angels and elect in Thy kingdom. Let me serve Thee worthily here on this earth, so that I may one day share Thy glory in heaven. Amen.

Gospel.

Jesus, divine Physician of our souls! how can we sufficiently thank Thee for having become man, and for having dwelt among men? To perpetuate Thy coming, Thou hast remained on our altars in the Holy Sacrament. Thou hast preached the Gospel to us poor creatures, and hast made us acquainted with the secrets of heaven. Oh, that we would always listen to Thy Word, and apply it to our life, regulating all our actions on the principles of divine wisdom manifested therein! Let Thy holy Gospel and Thy holy teaching be a light to our lives in the darkness in which we walk, on account of our prejudices, passions, and evil inclinations, and when we take this light for our guide, we are sure that we will come happily to the end for which we were created. Amen.

Credo.

I believe in one God, and in three divine persons in that Godhead. I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only‐ begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made; consubstantial with the Father by Whom all things were made, Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man! He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father: and He is to come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead: of His kingdom there shall be no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son: Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified: Who spoke by the prophets. And one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Offertory.

I adore Thee, O my God, and in union with the priest, offer Thee this sacrifice for Thy honor and glory, in thanksgiving for all the benefits conferred upon myself and upon the world; and in satisfaction for my many sins, and the sins of other men. Accept, O Lord, of this holocaust, which is no other than Thy divine Son, at once made Priest and Victim, offering and offered, and apply His saving merits to my needy soul. Be comforted, O my heart, Jesus sacrifices Himself for thee. Amen.

Lavabo.

O my Jesus, would that I could take Thee to witness of the holiness of my life and the innocence of my heart! But it is in Thy mercy only that I place all my hope; my consolation is in meditating on Thy promises to the penitent heart, and Thy faithfulness in performing them. Confounded at all that I have committed to this day, and encouraged by the favors Thou hast bestowed upon me, I can but promise to correspond better with Thy graces than I have hitherto done. I will purify myself more and more with the tears of penance; I will bless Thee as I do this day, and I will sing of the wonders of Thy power and of Thy mercy. Amen.

Orate Fratres.

The creature can offer nothing to the Creator that can be worthy of His acceptance. I unite myself, therefore, to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Who alone can merit anything in my behalf. I desire nothing but through Him and with Him. I have no wish beyond Him. O God of mercy, I seek nothing but Thy love! Graciously accept of the sacrifice of my heart and my whole self and may it, like the sacrifice of Jesus, be pleasing to Thee and unite us to Him. Amen.

Preface.

Lift up, O Lord, do Thou Thyself lift up my heart to Thee! Take from it all unholy thoughts, all earthly affections! Lift it wholly up to heaven, where Thou art worthily adored, and to the altar, where Thou art about to manifest Thyself to me. My life is but one continual succession of Thy mercies; let it be one continual succession of thanksgivings. And as Thou art now about to renew the greatest of all sacrifices, is it not meet that I should burst forth into expressions of heartfelt gratitude? Suffer me, then, to join my feeble voice with the voices of all the heavenly spirits, and in union with them, say, in a transport of joy and admiration: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! Amen.

Consecration.

Bow down your body and soul in solemn adoration; make an act of faith in the real presence of your Saviour’s body and blood, soul and divinity, under the sacramental veils. Offer your whole self to Him, and through Him to His Father; beg that your heart and soul may be happily changed into Him.

Elevation Of The Host.

(_Here the bell is rung thrice._)

Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary, which didst truly suffer and was immolated on the cross for man, Whose side was pierced, and from which flowed water and blood; may we have a foretaste of Thee in the last agony of death. O kind, O loving One, Jesus, Son of Mary, have mercy on me! Amen.

Elevation Of The Chalice.

Saviour of the world, save us, for by Thy cross and by Thy blood Thou hast redeemed us! Help us, we beseech Thee, O Our God! Amen. Have mercy on me, dear Jesus, and grant that Thy blood may not be shed in vain for me, I humbly beseech Thee. Amen.

Pater Noster.

Our Father, Who reignest in heaven, come and reign in my soul; come and sanctify it by Thy presence; come and subject it to Thy holy will, and render it obedient to the inspirations of Thy grace. Extinguish in my heart every feeling of hatred and revenge; forgive me, as I forgive. Grant me such wisdom and such strength that I may triumph over all temptations. Deliver me from all those evils which oppress me, and under which I groan, being burdened. I come to Thee as a child to his father to be fed; as a subject to his prince to be protected; as one afflicted to his only succor, to be consoled and comforted. Amen.

Agnus Dei.

In saying to Thy apostles, “Peace I leave to you, My peace I give to you,” Thou hast promised, O Lord, to all Thy Church, that peace which the world cannot give—peace with Thee, and peace with ourselves. Let nothing, O Lord, ever interrupt this holy peace; let nothing separate us from Thee, to Whom we heartily desire to be united, through the Blessed Sacrament of peace and reconciliation. Let this food of angels strengthen us in every Christian duty, so that we nevermore yield under temptations, or fall into common weaknesses.

Domine, Non Sum Dignus.

God can only be worthy of receiving God; how, then, can a soul so sinful as mine merit so great a happiness! But Thou, O Lord, regardest not Thy greatness, but Thy mercy. Thou willest that I come to Thee, as one sick to a physician who can heal him; as one poor to his rich lord who can assist. O God of love, behold at Thy feet the poorest, the most infirm of Thy creatures. Unite me to Thyself, and I shall become rich and whole in Thy sight. Work, I beseech Thee, this miracle, worthy of Thy omnipotence and charity.

Act Of Spiritual Communion.

_For Those Who do not Intend to Communicate._

O my most loving Saviour, since I cannot have the happiness of receiving Thee this day, suffer me to gather up the precious crumbs that fall from Thy table, and to unite myself to Thy divine Heart by faith, hope, and charity. I confess I do not deserve the children’s bread; but I venture humbly to declare that, away from Thee, my soul is dried up with thirst, and my heart cast down with faintness. Come, then, into me, O my divine Jesus! come into my mind, to illuminate it with Thy light; come into my heart, to enkindle in it the fire of Thy love, and to unite it so intimately with Thine own, that it may be no more I that live, but Thou that livest in me and reignest in me forever.

Last Gospel.

O eternal Word, speak to my soul, which adores Thee in profound silence! Thou Who art the great Creator of all things, abandon not, I beseech Thee, Thine own creature! be Thou my life, my light, and my all! O Light eternal! enlighten me as to this present life, and in the life to come. Reign in me as in Thine own inheritance; for Thou, O Lord, hast made me; Thou hast redeemed me. May I ever be Thine!

After Mass.

Accept, O most gracious God, this, our service; whatever, by Thy grace, we may have performed with diligence, in Thy clemency regard; and what we have done with negligence, mercifully pardon, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen. May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, descend upon us now, and remain with us forever. Amen.

To Be Said Throughout Advent.

Ant. The Holy Ghost shall come down upon thee, O Mary: fear not: thou shalt bear within thy womb the Son of God. Alleluia.

_V._ O Lord, hear my prayer.

_R._ And let my cry come unto Thee.

_Let Us Pray._

O God, Who wast pleased that Thy Word should take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and didst make it known unto her by the message of an angel; grant that we, Thy suppliants, who truly believe her to be the Mother of God, may through her intercession find help with Thee. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Litany for Christmas.

(_For Private Devotion Only._)

Glory be to God on high. _And peace on earth to men of good will._ We praise Thee. _We bless Thee._ We adore Thee. _We glorify Thee; we give Thee thanks for Thy great glory._ Lord God, heavenly King, Father almighty. _Lord Jesus Christ, the only‐begotten Son._ Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, Who takest away the sins of the world, _Have mercy on us._ Who takest away the sins of the world, _Hear our prayers._ Who sitteth at the right hand of the Father, _Have mercy on us._ For Thou only art holy, _Thou only art Our Lord._ Thou only, O Jesus Christ, art most high, together with the Holy Ghost, in the glory of God the Father. _Amen._ Blessed Jesus, true God and man, born in the form of a helpless infant. _Praise and glory be to Thee forever._ Blessed Jesus, Who, having the heavens for Thy throne, didst yet choose a poor stable for Thine abode. _Praise and glory be to Thee forever._ Blessed Jesus, Who, being God incomprehensible, wast pleased, in love to us, to be wrapped up in swaddling‐clothes and laid in a manger. _Praise and glory be to Thee forever._ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He hath visited and wrought the redemption of His people. _And hath raised up a horn of salvation to us in the house of David His servant._ As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who are from the beginning. _Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us._ To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember His holy testament. _The oath, which He swore to Abraham our father, that He would grant to us._ That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve Him without fear. _In holiness and justice before Him all our days._ Through the bowels of the mercy of Our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us. _To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace._

Glory be to the Father, etc.

_Let Us Pray._

O eternal God, Father almighty, Who in compassion to lost man didst send Thine only Son to become His Redeemer from that unhappy state; grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who are here assembled to acknowledge the mercy of this time, may find the benefit of it in our souls, in the pardon of all our sins. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, etc.

Crown of the Twelve Stars, Or Rosary of the Immaculate Conception.

Let us praise and bless the most Holy Trinity, for having shown to us the Virgin Mary clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and with a mysterious crown of twelve stars upon her head.

_R._ Forever and forever. Amen.

Let us praise and bless the divine Father, for having chosen her as His daughter.

_R._ Amen. Our Father, etc.

Praised be the divine Father, for having predestined her to be the Mother of His divine Son.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, etc.

Praised be the divine Father, for having preserved her from all sin in her conception.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, etc.

Praised be the divine Father, for having adorned her with the highest gifts in her nativity.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, etc.

Praised be the divine Father, for having given her St. Joseph as a most pure spouse and companion.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.

Let us praise and bless the divine Son, for having chosen her for His Mother.

_R._ Amen. Our Father, etc.

Praised be the divine Son, for having become incarnate in her womb, and for having remained there nine months.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, etc.

Praised be the divine Son, for having been born of her, and for having given her the milk wherewith to nourish Him.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, etc.

Praised be the divine Son, for having been pleased in His childhood to be educated by her.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, etc.

Praised be the divine Son, for having revealed to her the mysteries of the redemption of the world.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.

Let us praise and bless the Holy Ghost, for having taken her for His spouse.

_R._ Amen. Our Father, etc.

Praised be the Holy Ghost, for having revealed to her for the first time His name of Holy Ghost.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, etc.

Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose operation she was at once Virgin and Mother.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, etc.

Praised be the Holy Ghost, through Whose power she became the living temple of the most Holy Trinity.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, etc.

Praised be the Holy Ghost, by Whom she was exalted in heaven above all creatures.

_R._ Amen. Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.

For the holy Catholic Church, for the propagation of the faith, for peace among Christian princes, and for the extirpation of heresies, let us say

The Salve Regina.

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eye of mercy towards us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O clement, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary.

_V._ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

_R._ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Novena In Preparation for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.(2)

An indulgence of three hundred days each day; plenary once on the
feast, or during the octave. Applicable to the dead. (Pius VII.).

_To be Said Every Day._

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle within them the fire of Thy love.

_V._ Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created.

_R._ And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

_Let Us Pray._

O God, Who hast taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, grant to us in the same spirit to relish what is right, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Prevent our actions, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thy inspiration, and further them by Thy continual help: that every prayer and work of ours may begin from Thee, and by Thee be happily ended, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the same spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Preparatory Prayer.

(_To be Said Every Day._)