Chapter IV: Front Matter (4)

I firmly believe, O my divine Jesus, that thou art really present in the blessed sacrament of the altar. I believe that it contains thy body and blood, accompanied by thy very soul and divinity. I acknowledge these truths; I believe these wonders; I adore the power that has wrought them, the same power that said: "Let there be light, and light was made." I submit my senses and reason to thy divine authority. I praise and glorify thy infinite goodness, which hath prepared this heavenly banquet for the food and nourishment of my soul. Blessed be thy name for ever. Accept my homage; accept, O my God, my most hearty thanks. But what am I, that thou shouldst work such wonders for my sake? How shall such a filthy sinner as I am, presume to approach thee, who art the inexhaustible source of infinite purity and sanctity? How shall I venture to lift up my eyes to heaven, much less to receive thee within my breast? {108} I tremble at the sentence of thy apostle: "Whosoever shall eat this bread or drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord;" [1 _Corinthians_ ii.] for I acknowledge myself to be nothing but dust and ashes; a poor, miserable worm of the earth, subject to many vices, and void of all virtue and merit. Alas! my life has been nothing but sin and misery. I have nothing to confide in but thy boundless mercy; nor should I ever presume to approach thy sacred table, and partake of the bread of angels, were I not encouraged by thy infinite goodness, and excited by thy own most pressing invitations. It is therefore in thy mercy, which is above all thy works, that I put my whole trust; and since thou art pleased to call me to this divine banquet, behold I come to it, like Magdalen, to be happily united to thee, and to lay down all my sins at thy feet, to be cancelled by thy precious blood. I come to commemorate thy sufferings, as thou thyself hast ordained. I come, as one sick, to the Physician of Life; as one blind, to the Light of eternal Glory; as one poor, needy, and distressed, to the King of heaven and earth. To thee I expose all my wounds, that they may be healed. To thee I fly for protection, hoping that thou wilt be to me a Saviour, and that thou wilt wash away every sin that may defile me. Remove my blindness, relieve my necessities, and clothe me with grace, that I may receive the adorable sacrament of thy body and blood with such reverence and humility, such contrition and devotion, such purity and faith, as may be for thy honour and glory, and the salvation of my soul. {109} I am not worthy, O Lord, to receive thee; alas, I am not! but thou canst, if thou wilt, make me worthy: say but the word, then, and my soul shall be healed. Thou hast heretofore said to the leper in the gospel, "I am willing; be thou healed;" and he was immediately cured of his disease. My soul is covered with an universal leprosy: heal me then, O my Saviour, in like manner; cleanse my soul from its stains; remove from it all guilt; extinguish in it every evil disposition; adorn it with the necessary virtues, and make it a fit abode for thy reception. May the body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlasting.

Another Prayer.

Who is he whom thou art about to receive? O my soul, be still and attentive. Who is he thou art going to receive? Thy God! thy Redeemer! who, for love of thee, shed torrents of blood during his agony in the garden of Gethsemani! who for love of thee, suffered his sacred head to be pierced with a crown of thorns, and his virginal flesh to be rent and torn at the pillar with whips and scourges! who, for love of thee, suffered himself to be clothed in a purple garment, and derided as a mock king, with a reed for his sceptre! who, for love of thee, suffered his sacred hands and feet to be fastened with gross nails to the wood of the cross! in fine, who, for love of thee, hung thereon, in the most ignominious manner, between two thieves, suffering for the space of three hours the most excruciating pains and tortures! and at last expired for thy redemption! {110} After such stupendous instances of thy love for man, who can refuse a return of love to thee, Lord Jesus? I love thee, O my God! and ardently wish, that as every breath I draw is an increase of my life, so it may be of my love for thee, till at last I love thee as thou thyself requirest, "with my whole heart, with my whole soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength;" for thou art the God of my heart, and the life of my soul; thou art my treasure, my joy, my comfort, my support, my strength, my armour, my defence, my only hope and comfort in this place of banishment and vale of tears, and the supreme object of my happiness in heaven.

As the wearied stag pants after the fountains of water, so does my soul languish after thee, the ocean of all sweetness; it thirsts after thee with the most vehement desire, and longs to drink plentifully of those fountains which issue from the inexhaustible source of thy infinite goodness for my comfort and refreshment. O sweet Jesus! permit me now to experience the multitude of thy tender mercies. Have compassion on me and save me, for thou never forsakest such as place their hope in thee. {111} Purify my heart with the fire of divine love, that it may this day become a fit abode for thy reception; O come and make it thy dwelling-place for ever. I am sorry, and will be sorry as long as I live, for having ever offended thy infinite goodness; forgive me, dear Lord, my past trespasses, and be thou my keeper for the time to come, that I may never more offend thee.

Hail, saving victim, who for me and all mankind was offered on the cross! Hail, precious blood flowing from the wounds of my crucified Lord, and washing away the sins of the world! As I now desire to receive thee, veiled in this sacrament, so I hope hereafter to behold thee, face to face, in the kingdom of heaven.

O all ye blessed Angels and Saints of God, I humbly beg the assistance of your prayers and intercession, that I may with a clean heart and a pure conscience, approach the Holy of Holies, and receive this divine sacrament with such reverence and humility as may be for my soul's salvation.

Acts Of Virtue,

_Which may be used with great spiritual advantage before
Communion, according to each person's leisure and devotion_.

Imagine that our Saviour invites yon into the same room in
which he ate his last supper with his apostles, to be witness
of the miracle he is there going to perform, and to give you
the communion with his own sacred hands. How fervent soever
your sentiments might have been on that solemn occasion, they
ought not to be less so at present: for as he ordained that
this divine food should be daily renewed for the nourishment of
the faithful, till his second coming to judge mankind at the
end of the world, so he gives himself no less to us at present,
than he did at that time to his apostles.
{112}
Take them now for your model. The account which we have in the
gospel, of this last mysterious supper, will furnish you with
proper acts for communion. Read them attentively; make them
your own by reflection; and let them sink deeply into your
heart.

An Act Of Adoration.

The Gospel of St Luke, chap, xxii., informs us, that our
Saviour sat down, and his twelve apostles with him, to eat the
Paschal Lamb, or accomplish the Supper of the Old Law, and
institute that of the New in its stead. Who could be otherwise
than astonished at seeing a God admit his creatures, nay, even
his very enemies, to partake of his adorable body? "When he
loved his own who were in the world," says his beloved
disciple, St. John, "he loved them unto the end." But this was
loving them, not merely to the end of this mortal life, but
even beyond it, to the very end of ages with the utmost excess,
and to the farthest limits of love. Contemplate, therefore,
with the most attentive recollection, the excellence, the
depth, and the extent of the boundless love of our divine
Redeemer, of which this mystery is an epitome.

Could we ever believe, O Lord, or even imagine, that thy love for us was so excessive, had not thine own infallible word convinced us of its truth? Hadst thou, when thou wert about to quit this world, left us thy adorable heart as a pledge of thy affection; or hadst thou, when thy side was pierced, ordered thy precious blood to be distributed throughout thy church; such favours would have justly claimed our most grateful acknowledgments. But this would not satisfy the extent of thy love; thou didst choose, in a god-like manner, to penetrate into the very centre of our hearts, and give thyself to each of us particularly, entirely, and for ever. {113} With what amazement, then, must not the angels and the whole hierarchy of celestial intelligences, have beheld such a prodigy! Were they not in some measure jealous to see mankind thus uncommonly favoured? But what didst thou discover in me, O Lord, that could thus attract thee? Or what couldst thou possibly expect from my indigence? Can I become the dwelling-place of him who is the delight of the blessed? Alas! had I even the innocence of thy beloved disciple John, or the ardent love of thy zealous apostle St Peter, I should then have some little claim to sit down at thy table; but since I am removed at so great a distance from such holy dispositions, vouchsafe, O Lord, to supply my deficiency by the effusion of thy grace. Whence is this favour to me, O my merciful Redeemer? "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou shouldst visit him?" Psalm viii.

An Act Of Desire,

Founded on these tender words, which our Saviour pronounced
immediately before the Supper: "With desire I have desired to
eat this Pasch with you."--_Luke_, xxii. 15. For why
should we not feel the most ardent desire to be united to our
Lord in this sacrament, when we see him so desirous to visit
us, and take up his dwelling in our hearts? Endeavour to excite
this desire, by considering how much you stand in need of this
bread of life, and by the great esteem this heavenly
nourishment deserves.

{114}

Since thou, O Lord, art so prodigal of miracles, and obligest me to receive thee under such severe penalties, nothing can be more certain than that thou desirest to make my heart thy dwelling-place. With what fervent desires should I not, therefore, endeavour to co-operate with such bountiful intentions! O my all-sufficient God, though thou standest in no need of me, yet thou hast compassion on my poverty. May then the efficacy of thy grace supply my indigence; may it awaken every faculty of my soul, and render my desires to receive thee worthily still more inflamed; for though they are arrived at a certain anxiety, I am nevertheless sensible of their being too tepid. Alas! my Redeemer, why do I not sigh after thee with the same holy fervour as did the patriarchs of the old law, who expected thy coming? "Come, O Lord, and do not delay." Remember, O heavenly physician, that thou canst not refuse thy all-healing balsam to the wounds of my soul, since thy motive for descending on earth was to heal the sins of men. Although I am needy and poor, yet thou canst enrich me; although I am enslaved under the tyranny of my predominant passions, yet thou canst break my chains and set me at liberty; a single word of thine would be altogether sufficient to work these miracles in favour of one so unworthy of thy corporal presence as I am. Speak it then, O Sovereign Good, for I can no longer live without thee. Let blind and infatuated worldlings intoxicate themselves with the false, transient, and fading happiness of this life; as for my part, nothing besides thyself can content me, either in heaven or on earth; for what have I in heaven, or what can I desire on earth besides thee? {115} Come, then, O thou Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world! Come, thou beloved of my heart! adorable flesh and precious blood of my Saviour! Come, to nourish, comfort, and enliven my sickly soul. O God of my heart! let me neither love, seek, nor think on any other object but thyself alone: for thou alone art my consolation, my treasure, my joy, my life, my God, and my all! My heart as eagerly desires to receive thee, as the wearied stag longs to quench his thirst in the fountains of water. _Psalm_ xli.

An Act Of Fear.

The Evangelist mentions, that when our Saviour declared to his
disciples, that one of them should betray him, they were all
exceedingly afflicted: "Verily I say unto you, that one of you
will betray me; and they began each of them to say, Is it I,
Lord? Is it I?"--_Matthew_ xxviii. Let your hearts also give
way for a moment, to the thoughts of that uncertainty which every
man is in, of being in the state of grace: examine seriously your
real dispositions, and have no other confidence than in the mercy
of God.

If the uncertainty of being worthy of thy love or hatred, O Lord, made even St. Paul, that vessel of election, tremble, how much more reason have not I to apprehend, lest some concealed sin, lurking in my heart, might obstruct the salutary influence of those graces which thou hast prepared for those who worthily receive thee in this divine sacrament? {116} May not I, perhaps, like another Judas, give thee the kiss of peace to-day, and basely betray thee to-morrow? or, instead of coming to visit me as a faithful disciple, dost thou not rather come with horror and indignation, as to a concealed enemy? How can I answer for the integrity of my confession, the fervour of my contrition, or the sincerity of my resolutions? Is it not custom, or human respect, that brings me to the foot of thy altar? Have not I still some favourite attachment? and in the resolutions I have made of relinquishing my vile evil habits, have I not spared some favourite though dangerous passion? With the same heart-felt anguish as thy disciples experienced on the like occasion, I ask thee, O Lord, "Is it I?" But the most abominable traitor, Judas, asked thee the same question? Is not my anxiety, as his was, only false and apparent? It is this thought, O my God, that terrifies me; and it is to thyself alone I have recourse to preserve me from so horrible a sacrilege. No, thou wilt never permit me to be guilty of so horrid a profanation, since thou seest there is no evil I dread so much. Wherefore, my dear Saviour, after being as diligent as I could in my preparation to receive thee, I now rest entirely on thy infinite mercy, "Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man."--_Luke_, v. "Have confidence, my child, thy sins are forgiven thee."--_Matt_. xi.

{117}

An Act Of Contrition.

By our Saviour's washing the feet of his disciples, to prepare
them for this new supper, ("And he began to wash the feet of
his disciples, and dry them with the girt he had about
him,"--_John_, xiii.) we are taught not to confine
ourselves merely to detesting those grievous sins which give
death to the soul; because we see that the disciples were
obliged to undergo this ceremony, though Christ already had
declared them pure, and in the state of grace; ("you," saith
he, "are already clean;") but we should also endeavour to
purify our souls, as much as possible, from even the slightest
stains of venial sin, which is signified by the washing of the
feet of his disciples.

To transform a soul, so defiled as mine by the ordure of sin, into a state of innocence and purity, must be the work of the right hand of the Most High. Ah, my God! I shall never be able to discover any vestige of that precious innocence which makes a soul so lovely and acceptable in thy sight, unless I trace back my whole life to the days of my childhood. But although I have had the misfortune to forfeit my baptismal innocence by sin, yet there remains for my consolation this sure anchor, whereby I may hope to regain thy favour, grounded on thy infallible promise, _that thou wilt never despise a contrite and humble heart_.

But if even the enormity of my sins had not exposed me to thy wrath, and consequently to the eternal pains of hell, yet I would nevertheless sincerely detest them. O my God! do not upbraid me with mine iniquities; they are always in my sight; and the bitterness of my regret for having committed them, shall serve as a continual punishment of my baseness. {118} Ah, my Redeemer, though I cannot suffer such an excessive degree of anguish as thou didst during thy agony in the garden of Gethsemani, when in a bloody sweat thou didst offer thyself as a victim to the Eternal Father, yet I am fully determined to suffer with patience every cross or affliction which may fall in my way, as well in atonement for the sins I have hitherto committed, as to prevent me from future relapses. Assist me with thy grace, O Lord, and remove every occasion of sin at a distance from me: and as I dread no evil so much as that of offending thee mortally, rather prevent me, by cutting the thread of life, than suffer me again to become thine enemy. But in my present disposition of mind, I do not confine myself to merely detesting all mortal offences! No, my amiable Saviour! inflamed with thy love, I am also fully resolved to avoid every venial sin that may in the least displease thee, or diminish the influence of thy graces. And though I have a well-grounded confidence that my soul has been cleansed in the sacrament of penance, still I desire to be washed more and more from my iniquities. "Create a clean heart in me, O God; and renew an upright spirit within my bowels."--_Psalm_ L.

[Transcriber's note: New American Bible, Psalms Chapter 51:12
"A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast
spirit."]

A Prayer

For Obtaining The Effects Of A Plenary Indulgence.

Accept, O almighty God, through the merits of thine only Son Jesus Christ, the intercession of his immaculate Mother the blessed Virgin Mary, and of the whole court of heaven, the communion I am about to make, to thy greater glory. Accept it in thanksgiving for thy innumerable benefits, to obtain the pardon of my sins, and grace to acquire a victory over my passions, particularly those to which I am most enslaved. [_Name them_.]

{119}

Considering that the debts which I owe to thy justice are so immense, that of myself I have not the means of discharging them, I have recourse to the inexhaustible treasure of the merits of my Redeemer, which thy church (in virtue of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, which he has committed to its supreme pastors, in the person of St. Peter,) now holds forth to me. Grant me, O Lord, the dispositions to obtain such a portion thereof, as may be necessary to discharge the debt of temporal punishment due to my sins. Suffer me now to partake of the infinite merits of Christ, that the immense ransom which he has paid for my salvation being applied to my poor sinful soul, I may be released from the punishments which it has otherwise so justly deserved. I beseech thee also, O most bountiful Lord! to pour down thy blessings on thy holy Catholic Church; on its supreme pastor, [_Pope N. N._]; on the pastor to whom the care of thy flock in this archdioceses or diocese is committed [_name him_]; upon our queen, and all the royal family; upon all thy bishops and clergy throughout the whole world. Enlighten poor infidels, heretics, and sinners; and assist such apostolic missionaries as labour in their conversion. {120} Unite all mankind in the profession of the true faith; give them the spirit of divine charity, whereby they may love thee above all things, and for thy sake love each other. Have compassion on the suffering souls of the faithful departed. Give thy blessing to my parents, friends, relations, and benefactors; preserve them from eternal misery; and conduct us all, by thy grace, to the mansions of celestial bliss, there to praise and glorify thee for ever. Amen.

An Act Of Humility.

Reflect on these words: "And he gave it to his disciples, and
said, Take ye, and eat," &c. It must have been a great cause of
confusion to the apostles, when they beheld their Saviour
distribute to them his sacred body, not merely that they might
adore it, or that they might preserve it as an inestimable
relic, but that they might make it their food. Be thou also
penetrated with the most profound humility.

What am I, O God of majesty and glory, or who am I, that thou shouldst deign even to look on me? Whence am I honoured with so unspeakable a favour, as that my Lord and my God should come and visit in person such a miserable and vile worm of the earth? How dare a being more contemptible than nothing, approach so holy a God, eat the bread of angels, and feed on thy divine flesh! Ah, Lord! it is too much; I am not worthy of so great a favour; I shall never, no never, deserve it.

{121}

O King of heaven and earth! adorable Sovereign! the Author and Preserver of the universe! behold, I annihilate myself before thee, protesting that I would humble myself as much for thy glory, as thou dost here for my salvation. I acknowledge, with the most profound respect, the infinite, grandeur of thy divine Majesty and my own miserable baseness. The contemplation of one and the other fills me with inexpressible confusion. Can I possibly say more, my dear Saviour, than to confess, with the utmost humility, in the words of the centurion: "Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; say but the word, and my soul shall be saved."

An Act Of Faith.

In consequence of the words pronounced by our Saviour when he
consecrated the bread and wine, "This is my body," &c; "this is
my blood," &c; the apostles received what Christ then gave them
as his _real body_ and _blood_. Do thou now, in like
manner, make a most lively Act of Faith of the real presence of
Jesus Christ in the blessed Eucharist.

Since thou, omnipotent God, whose almighty words are creative, productive, and effective; since thou, O eternal Truth, who canst neither deceive nor be deceived; since thou, I say, hast declared that thou art _really_ and _actually present_ under the appearance of material bread, I therefore implicitly believe it; for what greater proof can I require of the truth of this mystery, than thine own infallible word? Yes, my dear Saviour, I openly confess, and am inwardly convinced, that it is thou thyself I am going to receive; thou who for my sake wast born in a manger; thou who for my redemption didst die on a cross, and who, though now gloriously seated on thy heavenly throne, still continuest on earth, under the sacramental veils, to feed and nourish the souls of men. {122} Were I to behold thee with my corporal eyes, and examine the impression of the wounds thou didst receive in thy sacred hands and sides, as St. Thomas did, still I could not say with more confidence than I now do, that _thou art my Lord and my God!_ I do not demand a miracle as a proof of thy real presence; no, Lord, let me rather have the whole merit of faith; for thou hast said, "Blessed are those who believe and do not see."

Wert thou therefore to speak to me from this very tabernacle, the voice would affect me less than that which resounds in thy gospel and thy church, founded by thyself, and propagated in a miraculous manner. Though my senses may tell me it is nothing but mere bread; yet, submitting them entirely in obedience to divine faith, I answer it is thy real body and blood, accompanied by thy soul and divinity. In this faith I am determined to live and die; and were I to suffer a thousand martyrdoms in testimony thereof, I am persuaded, that by the help of thy grace I would remain immovable. "Thou art really a hidden God--a God Saviour."-- _Isaias_. "I believe; O Lord, help my unbelief."--_Mark_, ix.

{123}

When about to communicate, let your heart be penetrated with a
lively sense of the actual presence of your divine Saviour, and
at the same time endeavour to recollect the different passages of
Scripture above quoted, they being, as it were, an abridgment of
the foregoing acts. You may also reflect on the words, "May the
body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve thy soul into life
everlasting," which the priest pronounces at the moment he
gives you the blessed sacrament; because they imply, that the
end proposed in communicating, is not simply to abide in a
certain regularity of conduct for a few months, weeks, or days;
but to persevere faithfully, to the very hour of death, in that
state of grace to which a worthy participation of this divine
sacrament shall now raise you.

An Act Of Hope.

Since thou vouchsafest to come and dwell within me, O my Redeemer, what may I not expect from thy bounty! I therefore present myself before thee with that lively confidence which thy infinite goodness inspires. Thou not only knowest all my wants, but thou art also willing and able to relieve them. Thou hast not only invited me, but also promised me thy gracious assistance: "Come to me, all you that labour and are heavy burdened, and I will refresh you." Behold, then, O Lord, I accept of thy gracious invitation; I lay before thee all my wants, my misery, and my blindness; and confidently hope, without the fear of being disappointed, that thou wilt enlighten my understanding, inflame my will, comfort me in the midst of such crosses or afflictions as thou hast appointed I should suffer, strengthen me in all temptations and trials, and in fine, with the powerful assistance of thy grace, change me into a new creature; for art not thou, O God, the master of my heart; and when shall my heart be more absolutely disposed of by thee, than when thou shalt have once entered into it?

{124}

Devout Prayers,

Or Fervent Aspirations

After Communion.

I return thee most hearty thanks, O amiable Jesus, for the inestimable blessing I now enjoy. I praise and glorify thee with my whole soul, for the numberless favours I have received from thy bounty. I adore thee now reposing within my breast. O my God and my all! a thousand times welcome. May thy holy name be for ever blessed! O Sovereign Lord of Heaven! how amazing is the excess of thy goodness, in condescending to visit so poor, so vile, so abject a creature as I am! Thou hast vouchsafed to heap thy favours on dust and ashes; to come into this poor cottage, this house of clay, my earthly habitation; and to feed my soul with the heavenly banquet of thy most precious body and blood. O teach me to entertain thee as I ought, and to make thee some suitable return for this thy infinite love. I would gladly make thee some offering in acknowledgment of the rich present thou hast made me, in giving thyself to me; but, alas! dear Lord, thou knowest my poverty, and that I have nothing worthy of thy acceptance; nothing but what, on a thousand titles, is already thine. But, O my bountiful Saviour, such is thy goodness, that thou wilt be contented with the little I can give thee, although it be thine already. {125} Thou askest nothing but my heart, and this I most willingly offer thee. O be pleased to accept it, and make it wholly thine for ever. Take full possession thereof; I offer it to thee without reserve. I desire to consecrate it entirely to thy service. Disengage it therefore, from this moment, from the slavery of its passions and vices. Stifle in it every desire but that of loving and pleasing thee. Inflame it with the fire of divine charity, that it may ever burn with thy love. O may the sweet flames thereof consume my soul, that so I may die to the world for the love of thee, who hast vouchsafed to expire on the cross for the love of me. I cast myself entirely into the arms of thy mercy, and offer thee my whole being; my body with all its senses, and my soul with all its powers; that as thou hast honoured them both by thy real presence, so they may both be thy temple for ever. O sanctify and consecrate eternally to thyself this mansion, which thou hast, by a wonderful condescension, chosen this day for thine abode; and grant that, like Zacchæus, I may obtain thy benediction. I offer thee my memory, that it may be ever recollected in thee; my understanding, that it may be always directed and enlightened by thy truth; and my will, that it may be ever conformable to thine. O take me entirely into thy hands, with all that I have, and all that I am; and let nothing henceforward, either in life or death, ever separate me from thee any more. {126} Make me according to thy own heart; and let my soul be thy habitation for ever. Draw me most powerfully after thee, and guide my steps, that I may cheerfully run into the paths of virtue, and walk in the way of thy precepts. Make me diligent in the duties of my calling and state of life, and teach me to do thy will in all things. Let thy blessing be upon all my actions, and thy grace direct my intentions, that the whole course of my life, and the principal design of my heart, may ever tend to the advancement of thy glory, the good of my neighbour, and the eternal salvation of my soul. Amen.

O my soul, bless the Lord; and let all that is within thee praise and magnify his holy name. Pay him the best homage thou art able, and invite heaven and earth to join with thee in glorifying him for ever. O my God! that I could now give thee as much praise, honour, and glory, as the blessed spirits incessantly give thee in heaven! O that I could adore thee with the spirit and affection of thine elect! But as I am unable to do this, accept at least this my desire and good will. O ye angels and saints, bless my God for me; thank my Lord for me; love my Jesus for me; and sing forth his praises in supply of my defects. O beauty ever ancient and always new! too late have I known thee; too late have I loved thee. When shall I live only in thee, by thee, and for thee alone. O my God, and my all, when shall I see the day, when shall the happy time arrive, that, disgusted with the false happiness of this deceitful world, I shall seek comfort from thee alone, and find rest to my soul? {127} O heavenly manna! O adorable sacrament! O inestimable pledge of God's love to mankind! O standing memorial of Christ's passion and death! O inexhaustible fountain of divine grace! O boundless mercy! O divine charity! O sacred fire, ever burning and never decaying! Hail, O loving Jesus, my only pleasure and delight, the joy of my soul, and my portion for ever. Let my soul be sensible of the sweetness of thy presence. Let me taste how sweet thou art, O Lord. Purify my heart from the dross of all earthly affections. Deliver me from my vicious customs. Remove me from all baneful effects of concupiscence. Perfect me in charity, patience, humility, obedience, and all other virtues. May I rather die than ever more offend thee by mortal sin! O may I prove my gratitude by my fidelity to so good a God! Abolish the reign of sin, and establish the kingdom of grace in all hearts. Let the light of thy countenance so shine upon all those who are in the darkness of infidelity, as to dispel their errors. Grant peace and union to all Christian princes, and preserve us from the dreadful scourges of war, famine, and pestilence. Convert all sinners; reconcile those who are at variance. Have mercy on my parents, friends, and benefactors. Have mercy on all my enemies; forgive them their sins, and fill both their hearts and mine with thy charity. Reform all abuses, and remove all scandals from thy church. {128} Comfort all that are under any affliction, sickness, or violence of pain. Support those who are under temptation; protect those that are in danger; and grant a happy passage to all that are in their last agony. Extend thy mercy likewise to the souls of all the faithful departed, and admit them to the possession of thy eternal glory. Grant relief to us all in our respective necessities, the remission of our sins, the grace of final perseverance, and life everlasting.--Amen.

Another Prayer After Communion;

Or When It Has Been Received By The Sick As A Viaticum.

O my gracious Saviour! what greater happiness or comfort could I expect! O wonderful condescension of my God! O what return shall I make him for his ineffable love! He whom the saints, the angels, and the whole heavenly host adore, hath given himself entirely to me, and now really and substantially dwelleth within me! Without any other inducement but his pure mercy, he hath vouchsafed to visit, comfort, and nourish my poor soul with the divine and heavenly banquet of his precious body and blood, with which he redeemed me on the cross. May honour, praise, and glory be for ever paid thee, O my sweet Redeemer Jesus Christ! O that I could now give thee as much honour and glory as is incessantly given thee by the whole choir of heaven! Accept, O Lord, my heart, as a thanksgiving-offering for all thy favours and blessings. Accept my whole being, for by every claim of right and justice it belongeth entirely to thee.

{129}

And thou, O my soul, bless the Lord, and let all that is within thee praise his holy name. O all ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and glorify him for ever. O all ye angels of the Lord, bless the Lord; magnify, praise, and glorify his holy name, because I have found the beloved of my soul. Prostrate at his feet, like the penitent Magdalen, I will embrace him in spirit, and clasp him with the arms of inflamed love. And now, as I have actually received him on earth, may I not confidently hope for the perfect possession of him in heaven? I can now fear no evil, because thou, O Lord, art with me, as my powerful guardian and protector! Give me therefore thy blessing, O beloved Jesus! and establish an everlasting peace in my soul. Thou art the God of my heart, my portion and inheritance for ever. Let nothing in the future be my comfort but thou, my Lord Jesus; nor let any thing afflict me hereafter but my sins, and whatever is displeasing to thy divine Majesty. O soul of Christ, sanctify me; body of Christ, save me; blood of Christ, purify me; water issuing from the side of Christ, wash me; passion of Christ, strengthen me. O good Jesus, graciously hear me, hide me within thy wounds, suffer me never to be separated from thee; call me at the hour of death, and command me to come to thee, that I may associate with the saints and angels, and the whole choir of celestial spirits, to sing forth canticles of praise and glory to thy holy name for ever and ever, world without end. Amen, Amen, Amen, sweet Jesus!

{130}

Acts Of Virtue After Communion.

To Be Used According To Each
Person's Leisure Or Opportunity.

Now, whilst the plenitude of the Divinity dwelleth corporally
within you, meditate most profoundly, with the Blessed Virgin,
upon the great wonders which the Almighty hath wrought in your
favour. Consider yourself as a living tabernacle, wherein
resideth the Holy of Holies. Let this single reflection prevent
all distractions, and keep your mind in the most perfect
composure and recollection.

An Act Of Confidence.

"Now there was leaning on the bosom of Jesus one of his
disciples, whom Jesus loved."--_John_, xiii. 16. What a
glorious privilege was this which St. John had! What
consolation must he not have felt from the impression of the
Divinity! What delightful repose! Pour forth thy heart, as he
did his, into that of Jesus, and abandon thyself to the most
lively sentiments of confidence.

Behold! here he is, then, the treasure of my soul! I am now in possession of the Sovereign Good! O what advantage upon earth can be compared to this? What glory! what comfort! to feel my God so near me! "My soul hath found whom she loveth: I have hold of him, nor will I let him go."--_Cant_, iv. The first thought, O God! with which thy presence inspires me, is a sentiment of adoration and respect. {131} Permit me, then, in union with the blessed in heaven, to offer thee my most profound homage. Yes, under these sacred veils, where thy love for me hath concealed the splendour of thy Majesty, I most humbly adore thee. I acknowledge thee as my master, my creator, and the supreme arbiter of my eternal destiny. The less thou wouldst make thyself for my sake, the more real respect and veneration have I for thee. But these thoughts are absorbed in the greatness of my confidence. This I cannot contain, nor yet am I able to express it. If thou takest pleasure in, if thou even enjoinest us to place our trust in thee, is it not in this mystery, where thou dost communicate thyself without reserve, where thou literally verifiest that tender promise of _treating us no longer as servants, but as friends?_ These words, which thou never didst address to thy angels or prophets, thou dost accomplish for sinners in this sacrament: yes, it would be an insult offered to thee, not to have the greatest hopes in thy mercy; for it is not here, O God, that thou exercisest thy justice; thou art glorious in heaven! all-powerful on earth! and terrible in hell! but in the Eucharist, thou art mild, consoling, sweet, and liberal. Ah! what canst thou refuse me, when thou hast given me thyself? and where is the confidence that can be too tender? Why should I envy the beloved disciple who leaned on thy breast at thy last supper, for dost thou not at present rest in my heart? O let me, then, be for ever inviolably attached to thee. {132} Let the sweets of thy presence so captivate my soul, that disgusted with sin, it may be fixed in the contemplation of thee alone, and listen with docility to thy holy inspirations. "All you, then, that doubt of the goodness of God, come now and learn! come and admire! come and taste with me his infinite mercies! come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what great things he hath done for my soul!"--_Psalm_ xiv. Who would have believed it? What! one of his disciples, not prostrate at his feet, but reclining upon his breast, and honoured with his particular affection! Yes, all this he hath done for him, and is ready to do the same for me also. "Behold the Lord my Saviour; I will act confidently, and I will not fear."--_Isaias_, ii. "The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever."--_Psalm_, lxxviii.

An Act Of Love.

"Lord, where art thou going, why cannot I follow thee now? I
will lay down my life for thee."--_John_, xiii. "How can I
consent to be separated from thee? (saith St. Peter to Jesus:)
no; I will never leave thee, were I to follow thee even unto
death." This is a model of that generous love which a faithful
soul should testify unto God in the holy Communion.

If I cannot approach thee, O my God, with as much confidence as thy apostle St. Peter did, yet I come with equal warmth and sincerity, to assure thee of my eternal attachment. Accept, therefore, the offering I now make thee, not only of my whole being, but of all I possess. Unhappy and miserable should I think myself, were I not in the disposition of mind to sacrifice the most precious advantage this world can afford, at the first intimation of thy will. {133} Dispose of the life thou hast given me according to thy pleasure. I offer myself entirely to thee; my employments, talents, and every power and faculty of soul and body, that they may be ever and always employed in promoting thy honour and glory. In justice I am obliged, if necessary, to die for thee, since thou hast generously given up thy life for my salvation. But thy regard for me, O sweet Jesus, was not to be confined within the boundaries of this life; for after having loved me even unto death, thou hast besides left me this divine food as a sensible pledge of thy affection. Ah, dear Lord! what more couldst thou possibly do for me? and how ungrateful a wretch would T not be, if such wonderful marks of thy tenderness were not capable of exciting the most lively sentiments of love and gratitude in my soul? The very damned would then be less culpable than I; for if they do not love thee, it is because they cannot possibly love thee; and therefore thou dost not expect love from them. But I can love thee; because every thing induces me to love thee; and thou art even mercifully pleased to _command_ that I should love thee with my whole heart, &c. O thou eternal Beauty! too late have I begun to love thee: O amiable Lord! who art ever lovely, and never sufficiently beloved, I consider every moment of my life as lost, which has not been consecrated to thy love; accept, at least, the remainder thereof. {134} If I cannot love thee as much as I could wish, or as much as thou hast loved me, or as much as thou dost deserve, yet I will love thee as much as I am able. Angels of heaven! O Mother of God! and all ye saints! lend me now your hearts; for I have, alas! but one to love my God, and that too small, and too much polluted with the love of creatures. Diminish in me, O Lord, all other advantages, provided thou dost grant me an increase of divine charity. I imagine, O my God, that thou art now enkindling this sacred fire within my breast, and that I could answer thee, with as much confidence as St. Peter, "Lord, thou knowest I love thee," and that for thy sake alone; I love thee with my whole heart, without reserve, firmly resolving never to fix my affections on any thing besides thyself. Yes, I am content to find nothing but disgust, bitterness, and affliction, in every other attachment, that I may be thus happily compelled to repose in thee for ever. O establish now a solid, efficacious, lively, ardent, and persevering love within my heart; and though thou remain therein but for a few moments, let the effectual influence of thy grace for ever remain behind. "My beloved to me, and I to my beloved."--_Cant_. xvi. "Thou knowest, Lord, that I love thee."--_John_, xxi.

{135}

An Act Of Supplication.

Our Saviour's last supper was one continual prayer, which he
offered up for his apostles, and a most pressing invitation to
solicit favours from him. "O holy Father," says he, "preserve
those whom thou hast given me; for them I ask. Peter, I have
asked for thee. Until now you have not asked for anything; ask,
and you shall receive." Here he exhorts us to pray for all those
graces we stand most in need of. He further adds a most
affecting and solid instruction, recommending them earnestly to
persevere in his service: "Remain," says he, "in my love." He
forewarned them of the trials they were to undergo; he
inculcated certain precepts; he reproached them with some of
their most striking defects. In this manner will he also speak
privately to your heart; he will make known his will to you; he
will tell you many things of which you have no notion, or which
you disguise to yourself. Listen to him then without doubt, as
the apostles did, and ask him questions with the most sincere
desire to accomplish his holy will.

Thou are present within me, O inexhaustible source of all good; thou art full of tenderness, and ready to shed all thy favours upon me. O shower them down most abundantly! Consider my manifold wants; consider the immensity of thy power. Transform me, therefore, into a new man. Divest my heart of whatever is displeasing to thee. Adorn it with whatever may render me acceptable in thy sight. Purify my body. Sanctify my soul. Let me share in the merits of thy life and death. Unite thyself to me; unite me to thyself. Live thou in me, that in thee I also may live, and never have life but for thy sake. Grant me those graces of which thou knowest I stand most in need. {136} Grant the same to all those for whom I am bound to pray. Canst thou refuse me any thing, after what thou hast done for me? What may I not expect from thee, since thou hast given me thyself? "I will not let thee go until thou dost bless me."--_Gen_. xxxii. 26. "Do to thy servant according to thy mercy."

An Act Of Oblation.

In crowning the innumerable gifts thou hast already bestowed upon me with the inestimable favour of giving me thyself, thou desirest to convince me that I should live but for thy sake alone, O God of goodness and mercy! This, O Lord, is what I also most fervently wish: I would have all my thoughts, words, actions, and whatever designs I may form or put into execution, for the time to come, always directed by a most perfect resignation to thy holy will. I desire that my health, fortune, strength, reputation, talents of mind and body; in a word, whatever relates to me, either interiorly or exteriorly, may be entirely disposed of to thy honour and glory. I consecrate the remainder of my life, without the least reserve, to thy divine service. I now make an offering unto thee of whatever pains or sufferings I may hereafter undergo in my last sickness, and cheerfully accept of whatever crosses thou mayest henceforth be pleased to afflict me with. "Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit."--_Psalm_ xxx.

{137}

A Resolution Of Amendment.

"That the world may know that I love the Father; and as the
Father gave me a commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go," saith
Christ, (_John_, xiii.) "instantly and without hesitation,
to execute his will." Such is the generosity with which we
should now, and at all times, resolve to execute, in every
particular, the commandments of the Almighty.

Behold, O my God, the moment is now come, wherein I am to sacrifice those inclinations to thee which thou hast so often demanded, and which I was so miserably slothful as to have refused thee. I now see the danger to which my sluggish languor has exposed me, and am determined to avoid it. I will labour incessantly against my vicious habits. I am determined to quit the immediate occasion of sin. I pledge myself to thee, and am satisfied to be treated as thine enemy, if these promises be not most sincere and determined. I will no longer resist thy inspirations, nor allow myself those pleasures which thy law forbids, nor expose myself to the danger of offending thee. There shall be no more remissness in my duty, nor languor in my devotion. I do not make these promises through a spirit of presumption, (for I am convinced of my own insufficiency, and know, that if abandoned by thee, I must necessarily fall back into all my former disorders,) but being now united to thee, I flatter myself that, in spite of my frailty, I shall constantly persevere in thy grace. Why should I not find the same strength in this divine sacrament, which thy glorious martyrs have derived from it? {138} It was here they imbibed that generous spirit of suffering, which could brave the power of tyrants, and smile on the horrors of death. And art thou now less faithful, less liberal, or less able to fortify me against the attacks of the enemies of my salvation? No. Come, then, it is full time I should begin the work of my salvation. Thy will has been sufficiently declared to me; I will hesitate no longer to put it in execution, how great soever the conflict may be against myself and the world. In fine, let me feel, O Lord, an experimental conviction of such a reformation of life, as may edify those whom my past conduct has scandalized, by convincing them that I do now _really_ love thee. "Arise, let us go: I have sworn, and am resolved to keep thy commandments."--_Psalm_ cxviii. "Confirm, O God, what thou hast wrought in us.'"--_Psalm_ lxxvi.

An Act Of Thanksgiving.

"And having sung a hymn they went out." The apostles did not
quit the room until they had previously testified their
gratitude for so signal a favour: and it is our Saviour himself
who showed them the example; for when he was just going to
bless and consecrate the bread, he lifted up his eyes to his
heavenly Father, to return him thanks for having bestowed this
favour upon mortals: "And giving thanks, he blessed, and
broke," &c. Conclude your Communion, in like manner, with the
most tender effusions of gratitude to God.

{139}