Chapter VIII: Front Matter (8)

1. O most sweet Lord Jesus Christ, eternal sweetness of those who love thee, joy above any desire, firm hope of the hopeless, solace of the sorrowful, and most merciful lover of all penitent sinners; who hast said, thy delight is to be with the sons of men, for the love of whom thou didst assume human nature in the fulness of time. Remember, most sweet Lord Jesus, all those sharp sorrows which then pierced thy sacred soul, from the first instant of thy incarnation, until the time of thy solitary passion, pre-ordained from all eternity. {248} Remember, O most amiable Saviour, all those bitter anguishes thou didst suffer, when at thy last supper thou didst wash the feet of thy disciples, didst feed them with the sacred banquet of thy precious body and blood, and most sweetly comforting them, didst foretell them thy ensuing passion; after which, going to Mount Olivet, thou saidst, "My soul is sorrowful unto death." Remember, I beseech thee, O most sweet Saviour, that bitter grief and anguish which thy sacred soul did suffer, when praying three several times to thy heavenly Father, thou didst sweat water and blood; thou wert betrayed by thy own disciple, apprehended by thy chosen people, accused by false witnesses, unjustly judged by three judges, and in thy elected city, in the paschal solemnity, in the flourishing age of thy youth, wrongfully condemned, bound, beaten, spurned, spit upon, despoiled of thy garments, and clothed with others in scorn; wert blind-folded, buffeted, spit upon again, bound naked to a pillar, most cruelly scourged, crowned with thorns, struck with a reed, and afflicted with innumerable other torments, pains, and injuries. O my Lord Jesus, by the memory and merit of all those bitter pains and anguishes before thy last expiration on the cross, vouchsafe to grant me before my death, true contrition, entire confession, a flowing fountain of tears, full satisfaction, and a plenary remission of all my sins. Amen.

O most gracious Lord Jesus, be propitious to me a sinner. Pater Noster. Ave Maria.

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2. O most sweet Lord Jesus, true liberty of angels, and paradise of delights, remember, I beseech thee, that grief and sorrow which thou didst suffer when thy cruel enemies, like fierce lions, with furious and dreadful looks, compassing thee round about, did tear off thy hair, spit upon thy sacred face, scratched, beat, buffeted thee, and with all manner of unheard-of-injuries, outrages, and torments, didst most cruelly and basely blaspheme, scorn, and affront thee. O most sweet Lord Jesus, by all those most barbarous and inhuman outrages which thou didst suffer, vouchsafe to deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible; that, protected under the shadow of thy wings, I may safely arrive at the port of eternal glory. Amen.

O most gracious Lord Jesus Christ, be propitious to me a sinner. Pater Noster. Ave Maria.

3. O most sweet Lord Jesus, omnipotent creator and fabricator of the world, and repairer of mankind, who containest both heaven and earth in thy hand, and whose immensity no bounds can limit; remember, I beseech thee, the bitter pains and anguishes which thou didst endure, when the perfidious Jews pierced thy delicate and tender hands and feet with most rough and blunt nails, stretching them forth so violently with cords to the holes which they made in the cross. {250} Thus they heaped dolors upon dolors, most cruelly disjointing all thy bones, breaking all thy veins, and renewing all thy sacred wounds. O most sweet Jesus, by the memory of all these thy pains and torments upon the cross, vouchsafe to give me thy fear and love, with perfect charity towards my neighbour. Amen. O most pious Lord Jesus, &c. &c.

4. O most sweet Lord Jesus, heavenly physician of human nature, and eternal king, remember, I beseech thee, all those bitter pains and torments which thou didst endure in thy sacred members, who, being hoisted up upon the cross, with all thy precious body rent and torn, not having from the crown of thy head to the sole of thy foot any part left unhurt; so that no dolor could be compared to thine; at which time, being unmindful of thy own torments, thou didst mercifully pray to thy heavenly Father for thy cruel enemies, saying: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." O most meek and merciful Lord Jesus, by this thy admirable benignity, goodness, love, and mercy, and by all thy bitter pains and torments, grant that the memory of thy dolorous passion may be a most powerful protection of my soul and body, against all deceits, temptations, and molestations of the devil, my cruel enemy. Amen.

O most merciful Lord Jesus, &c.

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5. O most sweet Jesus Christ, mirror of eternal brightness, and wisdom of the omnipotent Father, remember the bitter grief and sorrow thy sacred soul did feel, when beholding, in the clear mirror of thy divine presence, the predestination of thy elect, who through the merits of thy most salutary passion were to be saved; and the reprobation of the wicked, who for their ingratitude were to be damned; and the abyss of thy immense mercy, by which thou didst commiserate and shed tears for us, miserable, lost, and forlorn sinners; and chiefly by that mercy which thou didst show to the thief upon the cross, saying to him, "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise;" I beseech thee, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my Lord and my God, to show the like mercy unto me, now and at the hour of my death. Amen.

O most sweet Lord Jesus, &c.

6. O most sweet Lord Jesus, omnipotent king and most amiable friend, remember the bitter grief and sorrow thy sacred soul did suffer, when, being forsaken of all thy friends, and acquaintances, thou didst hang naked, rent, and torn upon the cross; not having any to comfort or compassionate thee, only the blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, thy mother; who standing under the cross in the bitterness of her soul, accompanied thee in all thy torments; unto whom thou didst commend thy beloved disciple, St. John, in thy place, saying unto her, "Woman, behold thy son;" and after, to thy disciple, "Son, behold thy mother." {252} O most sweet Lord Jesus, by that sword of sorrow which did then transpierce her sacred soul, and by the tender love and compassion wherewith thou didst behold the sad distresses of thy sorrowful mother, have pity and compassion on me, I beseech thee, my dearest Lord, and mercifully help, comfort, succour, and assist me in all my tribulations, adversities, necessities, sorrows, and sufferings, both spiritual and corporal. Amen.

O most blessed Lord Jesus, &c.

7. O most sweet and blessed Lord Jesus, crown of joy, treasure of felicity, sweet source of consolation, and unexhausted fountain of mercy; who, hanging on the cross, out of the most inflamed desire thou hadst for the salvation of our souls, saidst, _I thirst;_--viz. for the redemption of mankind. O dearest Lord, by this, thy ardent charity, inflame our hearts with thy holy love, kindle our desire to accomplish diligently all good works, and wholly to extinguish the heat of all evil concupiscence and worldly affections in us. Amen.

O most sweet Lord Jesus, &c.

8. O most sweet Lord Jesus, the true light of those who believe in thee, suavity of hearts, and sovereign solace of all faithful souls, by that bitter gall and vinegar thou didst taste upon the cross at the hour of thy death, grant us, miserable sinners, grace worthily to receive at all times, particularly at the hour of our death, thy most precious body and blood; that by the virtue of this divine banquet, and all other salutary sacraments, we may be preserved from all evils, sin, and punishments, and replenished with all joy, and securely appear in thy divine presence. Amen.

O most sweet Lord Jesus, &c.

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9. O most sweet Lord Jesus, source of all regal virtue, and all mental jubilee, remember, I beseech thee, those excessive pains and anguishes thou didst endure for us upon the cross, when, through the bitterness of death, and the impious blasphemies, derisions, scorns, and reproaches of the Jews, with a loud voice and weeping eyes, thou didst cry to thy heavenly Father, with this sad complaint: "Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani?" that is to say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" O most sweet Lord Jesus, by this thy bitter torment, sorrow, grief, and anguish, vouchsafe, I beseech thee, to have pity on me, and to succour me in all my sorrows, sufferings, and tribulations, and particularly at the hour of my death. O then, my dearest Lord and my God, succour me, and forsake me not, I beseech thee. Amen.

O most gracious Lord Jesus, &c.

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10. O most sacred Lord Jesus, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending of all things, and mirror of all virtue, remember how, from the crown of thy head to the sole of thy feet, thou wert immerged in the deluge of thy dolorous passion, for the love of us, vile sinners. O most sweet Lord Jesus, by the length, breadth, greatness, and multitude of thy sacred wounds, take from me the love of the world, and teach me by a true and perfect charity, always to keep thy holy law and commandments. Amen.

O most wise Lord Jesus, &c.

11. O most sweet Lord Jesus, sovereign goodness, eternal beatitude of thy saints, and most profound abyss of mercy, by the deep wounds which did not only transpierce thy sacred flesh, but even thy bowels, and the marrow of thy bones, be merciful to me a miserable sinner, who now am drowned in my sins and iniquities, and hide me in thy sacred wounds from the face of thy wrath, until thy indignation be passed and appeased. Amen.

O most potent Lord Jesus, &c.

12. O most sweet Lord Jesus, mirror of verity, pledge of unity and bond of charity! remember the innumerable multitude of all those painful wounds wherewith thou wert covered from head to foot, all thy holy body most cruelly rent and torn by impious Jews, and dyed with thy most precious blood; all which most dreadful dolors thou didst endure for us vile sinners. O most gracious Lord, engrave those thy dolors deeply in my heart, and write them there with thy precious blood, that in them I may always read thy love and dolors; so that the memory of thy painful passion may daily be renewed in me, and my love increase towards thee, and I remain perpetually thankful to thy immense charity, to the last period of my life, until I come to enjoy thee, my only dear Lord, and most desired treasure, abounding with all joy and felicity: which through thy goodness be pleased to grant, O most sweet Lord Jesus. Amen.

O most noble Lord Jesus, &c.

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13. O most sweet Lord Jesus, most victorious lion, most invincible, triumphant, and immortal king! remember, I beseech thee, all the bitter pains and anguishes thou didst endure, when all the forces of thy heart and body failing, bowing down thy sacred head, thou saidst: "It is consummated." O dearest Lord, by these thy deadly dolors, have mercy on me at my last passage, when my heart and soul shall be in anguish and anxiety. Amen.

O most noble Lord Jesus, &c.

14. O most sweet Lord Jesus, only begotten Son of the eternal Father, figure of his substance, and splendour of his glory! remember that most earnest recommendation wherewith thou didst commend thy sacred, sweet soul, to thy omnipotent Father, upon the cross, saying: "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." At which time thou didst hang naked on the cross, with thy most holy body all over wounded, rent, and torn, pouring forth streams of thy most precious blood; with thy face pale and wan, thy head crowned with thorns, thy arms extended, thy hands nailed, thy veins bleeding, thy bowels of mercy opened, thy eyes weeping and obscured, thy voice failing, thy breast thirsting, and wholly heart-broken. {256} O my most merciful Lord, unto all these cruel pains and torments didst thou deliver thy most sacred, innocent, tender, pure, and precious body for the redemption of us most wretched, vile, and miserable sinners, and in this manner, renderest thy sweet soul to thy celestial Father; by which most precious and innocent death of thine, and by the virtue of thy holy cross, I beseech thee, O Father of mercy and omnipotent King of saints, to give me grace to resist the world, the flesh, and the devil; that being dead to all terrestrial things, I may live to thee alone, and have the happiness to be received by thee at my last passage, when this my miserable exile shall be ended. Amen.

O most pious Lord Jesus, &c.

15. O most sweet Lord Jesus, most flourishing, true, and fruitful vine, remember the super-abundant effusion of thy precious blood, which thou didst pour forth so plentifully from all parts of thy holy body, like a cluster of pressed grapes; when thou thyself alone didst tread the vine-press on the cross, and out of thy pierced side didst give us water and wine to drink, not leaving so much as one drop, being like a bundle of pure and precious myrrh: thou wert suspended on high upon the cross, at which time the liquor of thy bowels dried up, the marrow of thy bones consumed, and thy most delicate and tender body wholly fainted and failed.

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O most sweet Lord Jesus, by this most liberal effusion of thy precious blood, by thy bitter death and passion, and all thy sacred wounds, vouchsafe to wound my heart with that tender love, wherewith the holy heart of thy most blessed mother was wounded under the cross, that tears of love and penance may be my bread day and night; and convert me wholly to thee, that my heart may be thy perpetual habitation, my conversation pleasing and acceptable to thy divine Majesty, and the end of my life so laudable, that having finished this mortal pilgrimage, I may be admitted into immortal glory, to praise and glorify thee my sovereign Lord, in the sweet society of thy holy angels and saints, to all eternity. Amen.

O most gracious Lord Jesus, be propitious to me a sinner. Pater Noster. Ave Maria.

Conclusion.

O most sweet Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, vouchsafe to receive these prayers, in union with that most excellent love wherewith thou didst suffer all the wounds of thy most precious body; and be merciful to me thy poor, unworthy servant, and all sinners, with all faithful souls, both living and dead; graciously granting to us all mercy, grace, remission of sins, and life everlasting. Amen.

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Devotions To The

Sacred Heart Of Jesus.

That the Associates of the Sacred Heart may discharge the
obligations required of them, they should daily repeat one
_Pater_, one _Ave_, and the _Creed_, with the
following aspiration:
_Adorable Heart of Jesus, grant that I may increase in thy
love_. They should also spend one hour in the year, at their
own choosing, in the presence of the blessed Sacrament, in
making acts of reparation, &c.

Act Of Consecration.

To thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus; I devote and offer up my life, thoughts, words, actions, pains, and sufferings. To thee I consecrate my soul and body, with all the faculties and senses thereof, so that no part of my being may any longer be employed, but in loving, serving, honouring, and glorifying thee. Be thou, O most Sacred Heart! the sole object of my love, the protector of my life, the pledge of my salvation, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be thou also, O most bountiful Heart! my justification at the throne of God, and screen me from his anger, which I have so justly merited. In thee I place all my confidence, and convinced, as I am, of my own weakness, I rely entirely on thy compassionate mercy. Annihilate in me all that is displeasing and offensive to thy pure eye. {259} Imprint thyself like a divine seal on my heart, that I may ever remember my obligations, and never be separated from thee. May my name also I beseech thee, by thy tender goodness, ever be fixed and engraved in thee, O Book of Life! and may I ever be a victim consecrated to thy glory, ever burning with the flames of thy pure love, and entirely penetrated with it for all eternity! In this I place all my happiness; this is all my desire, to live and die in no other quality, but that of thy devoted servant. Amen.

The Litany Of The Sacred Heart Of Jesus.

Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God, the Father of heaven, _Have mercy on us._ God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, _Have mercy on us._ God, the Holy Ghost, _Have mercy on us._ Holy Trinity, one God, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, formed in the womb of the most Blessed Virgin, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, hypostatically united to the eternal Word, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, sanctuary of the Divinity, and tabernacle of the most holy Trinity, _Have mercy on us._

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Heart of Jesus, temple of sanctity and fountain of all graces, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, most meek and humble, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, most chaste and obedient, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, furnace of love, and source of contrition, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, treasure of wisdom and goodness, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, throne of mercy, and abyss of all virtues, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, sorrowful in the garden, and spent with a bloody sweat, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, saturated with reproaches, and consumed for our sins, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, made obedient even unto the death of the cross, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, pierced through with a lance, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, refuge of sinners, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, fortitude of the just, and comfort of the afflicted, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, main strength of the tempted, and terror of the devils, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, sanctification of hearts, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, perseverance of the good, and hope of the dying, _Have mercy on us._ Heart of Jesus, joy of the blessed, and the delight of all the saints, _Have mercy on us._ Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Jesus! Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, hear us, O Jesus!

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Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Jesus!

V. O most sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

R. That we may worthily love thee with our whole hearts.

Let Us Pray.

O God, who out of thy immense love, hast given to the faithful the most sacred Heart of thy Son, our Lord, as the object of thy tender affection; grant, we beseech thee, that we may so love and honour this pledge of thy love on earth, as by it to merit the love both of thee and thy gift, and to be eternally loved by thee and this most blessed Heart in heaven: through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Through thy sacred Heart, O Jesus, overflowing with all sweetness, we recommend to thee ourselves, and all our concerns, our friends, benefactors, parents, and relations, our superiors, and enemies; take under thy protection this house, city, and kingdom; extend thy care to all such as lie under any affliction, and to those who labour in the agony and pangs of death; cast an eye of compassion on the obstinate sinner, and more particularly on the poor suffering souls in purgatory; as also on those who are engaged and united with us in the holy confederacy of honouring and worshipping thee. Bless these in particular, O divine Jesus! and bless them according to the extent of thy infinite goodness, mercy, and charity. Amen.

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A Reparation Of Honour To The Sacred Heart.

To be made on the Feast itself, or at any other time, in
presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

O most amiable and adorable Heart of Jesus! centre of all hearts, glowing with charity, and inflamed with zeal for the interest of thy Father and the salvation of mankind; O Heart, ever sensible of our misery, and ever ready to redress our evils; the real victim of love in the holy Eucharist, and a propitiatory sacrifice for sin on the altar of the cross! seeing that the generality of Christians make no other return for these thy mercies, than contempt for thy favours, forgetfulness of their own obligations, and ingratitude to the best of benefactors; is it not just that we thy servants, penetrated with the deepest sense of such indignities, should, as far as in our power, make a due and satisfactory reparation of honour to thy most sacred Majesty? Prostrate, therefore, in body, and humbled in mind, before heaven and earth, we solemnly declare our utter detestation and abhorrence of such conduct. Inexpressible, we know, was the bitterness which the multitude of our sins brought on thy tender heart; insufferable the weight of our iniquities, which pressed thy face to the earth in the garden of Olives; and insurmountable thy anguish, when expiring with love, grief, and agony, on Mount Calvary, in thy last breath thou wouldst reclaim sinners to their duty and repentance. This we know, O dear Redeemer! and would most willingly redress these thy sufferings by our own, or share with thee in thine!

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O merciful Jesus! ever present on our altars, and with a heart open to receive all who labour and are burdened! O adorable heart of Jesus, source of true contrition, impart to our hearts the true spirit of penance, and to our eyes a fountain of tears, that we may bewail our sins, and the sins of the world. Pardon, divine Jesus! all the injuries and outrages done to thee in the course of thy holy life and bitter passion. Pardon all the impieties, irreverences, and sacrileges, which have been committed against thee in the holy sacrament of the Eucharist, since its first institution:--graciously receive the small tribute of our sincere repentance, as an agreeable offering in thy sight, and in requital for the benefits we daily receive from thy altar, where thou art a living and continual sacrifice, and in union with that bloody holocaust thou didst present to thy eternal Father, on Mount Calvary.

Sweet Jesus! give thy blessing to the ardent desire we now entertain, and the holy resolution we have taken, of ever loving and adoring thee, with our whole mind and with our whole heart, in the sacrament of thy love; thus to repair, by a true conversion of heart, and a zeal for thy glory, our past negligence and infidelities. Be thou, O adorable Heart! who knowest the clay of which we are formed, be thou our mediator with thy heavenly Father, whom we have so grievously offended; strengthen our weakness, confirm our resolution, and with thy charity, humility, meekness, and patience, cover the multitude of our iniquities. Be thou our support, our refuge, and our strength, that nothing henceforward in life or death may separate us from thee. Amen.

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Devotions For The Sick.

Instruction.

The state of sickness and sufferings is to be regarded as a
fatherly visitation, whereby God knocks at the door of our
hearts, to put us in mind of our mortality. It is a call from
heaven, a timely warning to prepare for eternity, by spending
the remainder of our life in the love and service of our
Creator. It is the _touchstone_ of patience, the school,
or rather the _harvest_ of penance, resignation, and every
Christian virtue. It is the _test_ of our love, by which
we may judge whether we acquit ourselves of duties that are
agreeable to nature, in conformity to the will of God, or only
do them because they are agreeable to our own will. We know not
what we are until we are tried. It costs us nothing to say, "We
love thee, O God, above all things;" or to show the courage of
martyrs at a distance, when we have nothing to cross or thwart
our inclinations; but that love is sincere which stands the
proof.

If we loved God sincerely, we would on all occasions embrace,
desire, and find no happiness but in the accomplishment of his
holy will. We would be prepared to bear whatever crosses and
calamities he is pleased to send us, with a patient
resignation. We would rejoice in them as the greatest
blessings, and the sources of immortal crowns. We would regard
them as precious talents, to be improved by the increase of our
love and affection for God, and the exercise of the most heroic
virtues of self-denial, patience, humility, &c.

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To be dejected and impatient under sickness and trials, to
indulge murmurs and complaints, to repine and call ourselves
wretched and unhappy, &c, are signs that an inordinate
self-love reigns in our hearts, and that we seek our own
inclinations more than the will of God, who has bequeathed the
cross to his elect, as their portion and inheritance in this
world. It is in vain that we take the name of Christians, or
pretend to follow Christ, unless we also carry our cross after
his example. It is in vain for us to expect to be glorified
with Jesus, unless we also suffer with Jesus. He sacrificed
himself for us on the cross, that he might unite us, by it,
eternally to himself. We cannot arrive at heaven by any other
road. If we courageously embrace our cross, God will be our
comfort and support, as he was the comfort and support of the
holy martyrs under the most severe trials. He will not forsake
us, unless we first forsake him by sin.

Too nice and anxious a care of health, is also an evident sign
of inordinate self-love, and hatred of mortification.
Nevertheless, as a man is not master of his own life or health,
he is bound to take a moderate and reasonable care not to throw
either of them away, nor neglect the essential prescriptions of
physicians in the simple and ordinary remedies and succours of
medicine. But he who trusts more in the art of physicians than
in the Lord, deserves to be disappointed, like Asa, king of
Juda, who became the victim of death, because he placed more
confidence in his physicians than in God. Wherefore a Christian
in his sickness should, in the first place, consider God as his
chief physician, make his peace with him, and seek the health
of his soul, by having recourse to the holy sacraments in due
time, whilst he is in a condition to receive them with the
proper dispositions. If he be in debt, or has any restitution
or satisfaction to make, he should take care to have these
obligations discharged to the best of his power. He should
settle his temporal affairs without delay, that he may wholly
apply his thoughts afterwards, without any disturbance, to the
care of his immortal soul. He ought to beg of God to extinguish
in him all self-love, and to dispose of him as he pleases.
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He ought to excite in his soul devout acts of faith, hope,
charity, contrition, patience, resignation, &c. He should
endeavour to sanctify his sufferings, by receiving them from
the hand of God, by bearing them in the spirit of penance, by
offering them in satisfaction for his sins, and by uniting them
with the sufferings of his blessed Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus
Christ.--"_Omnia si pardas, animam servare memento_."
"Although you should lose everything else, be careful to save
your soul."

A Prayer In The Beginning Of Sickness.

O my God, I accept this sickness with which thou art pleased to visit me, as a favour from, thy heavenly hand. I accept all its circumstances and consequences, in satisfaction for my sins. Thou hast given me health and strength, O Lord, and thou hast taken them away: may thy holy name, O Lord, be blessed for ever. I bow down my whole soul to adore thee in all thy appointments. I resign myself entirely into the hands of thy providence, and acknowledge that thou dost treat me with too much indulgence. I know I deserve greater evils than those I now endure, and that I merit, by my sins, pains infinitely greater than even the pains of hell, where I would long since have been, had not thy pure mercy interposed between my soul and thy justice. Alas! how many are now suffering there for crimes less than mine? My pains are nothing in comparison to theirs. I have no reason to complain. O may thy holy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I offer myself, with an entire submission, to suffer whatever thou pleasest, as long as thou pleasest, and in what manner thou pleasest. {267} May this sickness be to the honour of thy holy name, and to the good of my soul. But, O Lord, have regard to my weakness, and deal not with me according to my sins; but according to the multitude of thy tender mercies have compassion on me. Confirm my soul with strength from above, that I may be patient under all uneasiness, pain, disquietudes, and difficulties of my illness. Grant that I may cheerfully submit to them, as a just punishment of my manifold offences, and duly offer them in conjunction with the sufferings and death of my blessed Redeemer on the cross, through whose merits I look for mercy, and hope to possess eternal life. Have pity on me, O most loving father! clothe me with thy grace, and receive me into the arms of thy mercy. Create a clean heart within me, O God, and renew an upright spirit within my bowels; cast out from thence whatever profanes or defiles thy temple; destroy and root out what is displeasing to thee, and lay in me the foundation of a new life, either for this world or the world to come. I am heartily sorry that I ever offended thy infinite goodness, in thought, word, deed, or omission. I most humbly implore thy pardon for all my sins, I now propose not to offend thee any more, and to avoid every thing that may be to me an occasion of sin. I resolve to make restitution and satisfaction for the injuries I have committed. For the love of thee, I sincerely forgive all those who have injured me or done me wrong; I beseech thee to pardon them and grant them the same blessing that I desire for my own soul. {268} With the utmost humility I also heartily beg pardon of all those to whom I have given any offence, whether by ill example, by words, deeds, or any other way, deliberately or unknowingly. Thou seest, O Lord, how frail I am, and that I am nothing but dust and ashes; preserve me from all temptations, and be thou my defence against all the assaults of the evil spirit, that in this sickness I may no way offend thee: and if this is to be my last, I beg of thee so to direct me by thy grace, that I may not neglect the necessary means of salvation, nor be deprived of any of those powerful helps which thou hast in thy mercy ordained for the good of my soul. Prepare it, O Lord, for its passage into eternity; that being perfectly cleansed from all my iniquities, I may be admitted one day into the kingdom of thy glory, there to love and praise thee for ever, in the company of thy blessed angels and saints. Amen.

"Lord, thy thorns are my roses, and thy suffering my paradise."
_St. Felix_.

"Tears of devotion are sweeter than the joys of theatres."
_St. Augustine._

A Prayer Before Receiving The Viaticum.

O my blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ, I firmly believe thou art really present in this venerable sacrament, which I am now about to receive by way of viaticum. {269} I believe it contains thy sacred body and blood, accompanied with thy soul and divinity. I desire to receive this heavenly banquet for thy honour and glory, and the good of my soul, that I may be happily united to thee. I desire to commemorate thy sufferings as thou hast commanded. But how shall I dare to approach thee?--so wretched a worm, to so infinite a majesty! so filthy a sinner, to so infinite purity and sanctity! It is therefore in thy mercy that I place my whole trust; and since thou art pleased to invite thyself into so poor, so wretched so mean a cottage as this of my breast, vouchsafe, I beseech thee, to grant me those graces, and that reverence, humility, and devotion, which may prepare a fit abode for thy reception. Cleanse my soul from every foul stain of sin, clothe it with the nuptial garment of charity, and adorn it with all virtues. I come to thee, like Magdalen, that I may be delivered from all my evils, and that I may embrace thee, my only good. I detest with my whole heart, all the sins of my past life, because they have offended thy goodness. I desire to lay them all down here at thy feet, to be cancelled by thy precious blood. I am sorry for them, and will be sorry for them as long as I live. I will bewail them in the bitterness of my soul. They are many and grievous, it is true; yet they are nothing when compared to thy boundless mercy, and to the infinite ransom of thy precious blood. {270} Forgive me, then, sweet Jesus, for thy mercy's sake; have pity on me and save me, since thou forsakest none that place their hope in thee. I love thee, my God, with my whole heart and soul, and above all things in heaven and on earth! at least I earnestly desire so to love thee, and consecrate myself eternally to thee. O come and take full possession of my heart for ever; I offer it to thee without reserve; O come and inflame it with the celestial fire of thy divine love, and let nothing in life or death ever again separate me from thee. O sweet Jesus, prepare me for a worthy reception of the blessing thou art now about to bestow on me. I adore and worship thee, humbled in mind and body, and confess myself to be nothing but dust and ashes in thy presence. It is my confidence in thy goodness that makes me presume to approach thee, for I cannot but acknowledge myself infinitely unworthy. _Domine non sum dignus, &c._

For a Prayer after receiving the Viaticum, see page 128.

A Prayer Before Extreme Unction.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who, in the abundance of thy mercy, hast provided powerful resources for relief in all our necessities, grant me grace to have recourse to them with such worthy dispositions that my soul may partake of all those great advantages and salutary effects which thou hast appointed in their institution. Thou hast instituted the sacrament of Extreme Unction for the benefit of the sick, who, in the extremity of life, stand in need of more graces, more helps, and more consolation, than ever. {271} I now desire to receive this heavenly medicine, for the ends for which it has been instituted. I am willing to be anointed, as thou hast commanded by thy apostle St James. Grant, I beseech thee, that this holy Unction may produce in me all its happy fruits, by healing my soul from the ulcers of sin, by fortifying me against all temptations, by supporting me in the hour of anguish and distress, and by preparing me for a happy passage out of this life, or whatever may be thy holy will. Shouldst thou foresee that my health may be conducive to thy greater glory, and expedient for my eternal salvation, let this be the means to restore it. I absolutely submit myself to thy divine will and pleasure. I wish not to live but to serve thee. Dispose of me as thou knowest best; do with me as thou pleasest. All I desire is the accomplishment of thy most holy will. Give me health or sickness, life or death; give me whatsoever thou pleasest: not my will, O Lord, but thine be done: it is a greater happiness to fulfil thy will, than to enjoy ten thousand lives. O how happy should I be, if the destruction of my body could repair the injury I have offered to thy divine Majesty! My _eyes_, alas! have seen vanities; my _ears_ have been open to detractions, to profane and unprofitable discourses; my _tongue_ has many ways offended thee, both in speaking and tasting; my _hands_ have contributed to my follies; my _feet_ have often gone astray in the paths of vanity and sin. {272} By this holy anointing, and the prayers of thy church, pardon me, O Jesus, all the sins I have ever committed by these my five senses. Let those avenues through which sin has made its way into my soul, be now shut to the world; let my eyes be open to thee alone, my Jesus; let my ears be now attentive to thy commands, and to thy call; let my tongue be solely employed in crying out for mercy; let my prayers ascend like incense in thy sight; let my hands be lifted up to heaven for pardon; let my feet walk in thy ways; and let my heart be the living temple of the Holy Ghost. Into thy hands, O dear Jesus, I commend my spirit. In thee I will live, in thee I will die, in thee I will abide, and in thee I hope to possess eternal rest and heavenly joy for ever and ever. Amen.

A Prayer After Extreme Unction.

O my God, thou hast created, redeemed, and sanctified me; thou hast preserved me in many dangers both of soul and body; thou hast nourished me with the adorable sacrament of thy body and blood, and granted me the grace to receive the rights of thy church, preferably to so many others, who are carried off by a sudden death, without being favoured with those succours and graces which thou hast bestowed upon me, a most ungrateful sinner. {273} For these and all thy other blessings, I offer thee innumerable thanks. O that I had as many tongues and hearts as there are stars in the heavens, atoms in the air, and creatures in the universe; how willingly would I employ them all in praising, loving, and glorifying thee! To thee I resign my heart: receive it as a holocaust. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit: receive me, O dear Jesus, in thy mercy; receive me into thy loving arms, which were stretched forth on the cross for my redemption; receive me into the embraces of thy infinite charity. I do not desire to be freed from my pains; thou knowest what is best for me: do but take from me all murmuring, and give me patience to suffer whatever thou willest, and as long as thou pleasest. Should it be thy divine pleasure to inflict on my weak body and languishing soul greater punishments than I now suffer, my heart is ready, O Lord, my heart is ready to accept them, and to suffer in whatever manner and measure may be most conformable to thy will. This one grace I most earnestly beg of thee, my God--_that I may die the death of the just_, and be admitted, after the sufferings and tribulations of this transitory and sinful life, into the kingdom of thy glory, there to see and enjoy thee, in the company of the blessed, for a never-ending eternity. Amen.

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Short Acts Of Virtue In Time Of Sickness.

I acknowledge, O Lord, that I am a sinner; accept, therefore, of what I now suffer, in atonement for my sins. Help me to receive with submission and resignation, whatever afflictions thou shalt please to send me.

I am content to suffer here, provided thou dost spare me hereafter. I know that it is by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of heaven. I know that those who would be glorified with Jesus, must also suffer with Jesus. I am convinced, that the sufferings of this present time are not to be set in competition with the eternal glory which shall be revealed in us. I believe that the present momentary and light tribulation worketh in us, above measure, an eternal weight of glory.

I offer myself, and all that I have, or am, to thee. Do with me, my God, whatever thou pleasest. Shall I not drink the cup which my Father hath given me? Not my will, but thine be done.

O sweetness of my heart, and love of my soul! take off my heart and thought from this world, that all my comfort may be in thee. O when will thy kingdom come? O Lord, when wilt thou perfectly reign in all hearts? when shall sin be no more? Wound my heart with thy love, that it may relish nothing that is earthly. O that I had never offended so good a God! O that I had never sinned! Happy those souls that have always preserved their baptismal innocence.

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O my God, all my hopes are in thee.--Through Jesus Christ my Redeemer, I hope for mercy, grace, and salvation.

O sweet and adorable Jesus! O spotless Lamb! O innocent victim! who by thy passion and death hath effaced the sins of mankind, blot out my iniquities, and do not permit that thy sufferings should become useless to me.

Look, O God, on this poor piece of clay, and help me in my distress. O my Jesus! I love thee; I love thee above all things, and desire to love thee alone, because thou alone art worthy of my love.

I cast myself into the arms of thy holy love. I abandon myself entirely to thy blessed will. My unworthiness humbles and confounds me; but the sight of thy wounds, O Jesus, proclaims aloud how great thy mercy is, and how far it exceeds my misery.

O boundless love of my Jesus! inflame my heart with thy heavenly fire. Consume in me all earthly affections, and confirm my soul in thy holy love for ever.

O Jesus, torn with stripes, pierced with thorns, and weltering in blood, for my sake! teach me to endure for the love of thee, the anguish and inconvenience of my infirmities and sickness.

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O Jesus, raised upon the cross, attract me now most powerfully to thyself, that my whole occupation may be to love, praise, and adore thee for ever. Hail, sacred wounds of the hands and feet of Jesus! Hail precious streams of blood, that flowed from those painful wounds! Infinite praise, honour, and glory be to thee, my amiable Redeemer, for suffering such pains for the love of me. Ah, how does it pierce my heart with sorrow, to contemplate thee, and to consider the torments thou didst suffer for my salvation.

Hail, sacred wound of the side of Jesus! hail, blessed passage to the sacred heart of my divine Redeemer! O that I could contemplate thee with the love of a Magdalen, and melt into tears of sweet devotion in honor of thee! By the sacred wounds of thy hands, of thy feet, and of thy side; by the precious streams that flowed from them; by thy blessed heart, burning with love for me; I beg and beseech thee never to forsake me, but to grant me whatever thou seest necessary for the sanctification of my soul.

Glory be to the Father, who by his power hath brought me forth from nothing, and made me to his own image and likeness. Glory be to the Son, who by his wisdom hath delivered me from hell, and opened for me the gates of Heaven. Glory be to the Holy Ghost, who by his mercy hath sanctified me in baptism, and still continues to sanctify me by the graces which I daily receive. Glory be the three adorable persons of the blessed Trinity. O may I behold and glorify eternally in heaven, what I believe, adore, and worship on earth--one God and three Persons, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

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"Here we have no permanent city: but we seek that which is to come." _Hebrews_ xiii. 14.

"While we are in the body we are strangers from the Lord."
2 _Corinthians_ v. 6.

"Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord."
_Romans_ xiv. 8.

A Prayer Of Thanksgiving,
Upon The Recovery Of
A Person From The Bed Of Sickness.

Almighty and everlasting God, I here acknowledge thy blessing in the recovery of my health, and return thee my most hearty thanks for it. I beg thy grace for the making a better use of it than hitherto I have done; that I may correct all the errors of my past life, that I may improve in virtue, be an example to others, and dedicate that health to thee, which is now thy special gift; that thus living to thee, I may be ever prepared for my last hour: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bless the Lord, O my soul; may he be praised and glorified for ever.

Bless the Lord, O my soul; and forget not all his benefits.

Blessed be the Lord, God of our fathers; let praise and glory be given to him for ever.

I will praise thee, O my God, while I live; I will glorify thy holy name while I have my being.

O magnify the Lord with me, all ye holy angels: praise him, all ye saints.

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I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Give glory to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever.

Blessed be the name of the Lord, from henceforth, now, and for ever.

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is worthy of praise. Glory, &c.

Preparation for Death

Instruction

The last moments of a Christian are not only the most precious
of his life, but to him of the greatest importance, as on them
depends his eternal lot. It is then Satan uses his utmost
efforts to accomplish the ruin of a soul. His snares and
batteries are more subtle and violent at the extremity, than at
any other period, of life; for it is then, as the apostle says,
(_Revelation_ xii.) "he cometh down, having great wrath, knowing
that he hath but a short time." Hence it becomes the
indispensable duty of every soldier of Jesus Christ, frequently
to exercise himself in acts of faith, hope, charity, confidence,
fortitude, and perseverance; that by the familiar use of these
spiritual weapons during life, he may be enabled to encounter
the mortal enemy of his soul in his last conflict, and defeat
all his malicious designs.

When the disorder of a sick person has the appearance of
danger, every spiritual help should be offered him before he
loses the use of his senses; for which reason it would be very
unfriendly to flatter him with the hopes of recovery, or to be
negligent in exhorting him to make the best use of the little
time which perhaps he has to live, in preparing for his voyage
to eternity; and since a truly penitential spirit is the best
security to a Christian in life or death, he ought to be urged
to secure it to himself by the most perfect acts of
compunction, resignation, faith, hope, and divine love. For
this purpose he should keep himself as much as possible in the
divine presence, and in the blessed company of Jesus Christ,
the perfect model of suffering Christians.
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He should converse frequently with him, cast himself in spirit
at his feet, like Magdalen; bewail his sins in the bitterness
of his soul, and cry out for mercy while there is yet time for
mercy. He should place a crucifix, or picture of his crucified
Redeemer, before his eyes; think often upon his passion, his
agony in the garden and on the cross; consider him nailed and
fastened on that bed of sorrow, without moving either hand or
foot, or having any other pillow to support his head but a
crown of thorns. He should fly to his bleeding wounds, there to
bathe his soul, and find a cure for all his disorders. He
should be excited by these considerations to make a voluntary
sacrifice of himself to the Divine Will; bear all his pains
with patience; accept of death as the just punishment due to
his sins; and offer it up in union with the death of Jesus
Christ, that being united thereto, it may become precious in
the sight of the Lord. He should frequently raise his thoughts
above this world, and fix them on heaven--making it the object
of his contemplation, and the centre of all his desires. He
should consider what a happy thing it is to see and enjoy God
eternally; and that the longer he remains here below, the more
he lies exposed to the danger of offending him. Far, therefore,
from being disturbed at the thoughts of quitting a wicked,
treacherous, and deceitful world, he should rather endeavour to
enter into the sentiments of St. Paul, who "longed to be
dissolved, and to be with Jesus Christ." Instead of being sorry
or unwilling to be disengaged from a frail body, subject to a
thousand infirmities, he should rather, like King David, thirst
after the happy hour that is to put him in possession of that
eternal kingdom of glory, for the enjoyment of which he was
created.