DEVOTIONS FOR EVERY DAY IN LENT. THE MORNING ACT OF DEVOTION. As soon as you wake, say, "Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling ?" * "Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense."† If you require much time to dress, it is a miserable slavery. Stay not till that be finished, to give God your tribute; clothe yourself as much as is necessary for health and decency; and then, on bended knees, make adoration, thanksgiving, oblation, contrition, and petition. Before kneeling down, put yourself in the presence of God: bow the head reverently, and say, In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen. Then, this Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving.‡ Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come! Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure * Job vii. 1. + Cant. iv. 6. For other Acts of Adoration and Thanksgiving, to be added or exchanged according to your opportunity, see pp. 201-203. they are and were created. Thou hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornaments thereof. Thou hast compassed the sea with bounds by Thy almighty word. Thou hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by Thy terrible and glorious Name. Thou makest the pillars of heaven to tremble under Thy feet. Thou strikest terror into all creatures by the insupportable brightness of Thy Majesty. Thou art in the Temple of Thy Holy Glory. Thou beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims. I adore Thee, my God. from the centre of my nothingness, with all the creatures of the universe, making an entire resignation of all that I am and have into Thy hands, and desiring, now and to all eternity, to depend on Thy blessed will. Amen, Amen. O God, power and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and blessing, be unto Thee for ever and ever. O God, glory be to Thee on high, and on earth peace, good-will towards men! I bless Thee, I worship Thee, I give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory, and Thy benefits, O Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty! And Thou also, O Lord Jesus Christ my Saviour, only. Son of the Heavenly Father, perfect God and perfect Man; Thou That takest away the sins of the world, and sittest at the right hand of God the Father; and Thou, O Holy Ghost, consubstantial with the Father and the Son,-O most Blessed Trinity, receive my prayers in giving thanks. Amen, Amen. Here pause; and meditate silently, and in all humility, upon the wonderful mystery of the Incarnation of the WORD; the blessing of Redemption; the blessing of Adoption into the family of God in Baptism; and the blessing of Incor poration in Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist. Then, each according to his own experience, meditate on special mercies, over and above the blessings of grace. O God, what favours hast Thou showed me in my birth; education; instruction; gifts of soul and body; means and opportunities of good; parents, children, friends, connections, kindred; vocation, estate, profession in life; frequent deliverance from danger; vicissitudes of adversity and prosperity; guidance through stages of life; continued protection, especially during the past night. And say aloud, "Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto ?"* Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us; to Him be glory in the Church in Christ, unto all generations, world without end. Amen. Here stand and say, I must follow, as I may, my Divine Master, in His forty days' retirement and fasting, Who needed not (as we) the means of religion; but all He did was for me; not for the miracle, but for the duty, that I may learn to flee all occasions of sin, and take away the fuel of my lusts; that, by contradicting and denying the flesh, I may inure myself to obey the commands of the Spirit. Let me take a holy revenge on my past sins; and earnestly strive to bring forth fruits meet for repentance. * 2 Sam. vii. 1. Then, mentally, offer up yourself to God, and, kneeling down, say, O Blessed Jesus, purify my intentions with Thy light, and support my weakness by Thy mercy. Thou hast called me to lighten the weight of my corrupt body, which presses down my immortal soul, by the solemn abstinence of Lent. I commend all the unworthy service which I shall do, this day, to the unspeakable compassion of Thy love; I set it, from henceforward, before Thine eyes, to correct, to direct, and to perfect it. O Blessed Jesu! I offer it, and all that I am, to Thee with my whole heart, both for myself and all the faithful. I offer it to Thee, in the union of that most entire and perfect intention which Thou hadst, when Thou didst pray upon earth to Thy Father in heaven. Amen, Amen.* Hear my prayer, O God; hide not Thyself from my petition. Take heed unto me, and hear nie, how I mourn in my prayer, and am vexed. Here prepare yourself for confession; set your heart open before the living God,-clear-sighted and dreadful in all His judgments; and, silently, think over your sins+ in general, and especially those to which you are most subject, with a firm purpose to oppose them, and by God's help to root them out. Then say aloud, Father! I have sinned against Heaven, and before Thee, and am no more worthy to be called Thy son. I grieve for having offended a God who ought to For other Acts of Oblation, to be added in this place, according to opportunity, see pp 203-207. For aids to Self-Examination, and other forms of Confession, to be used according to circumstances, see pp. 209-232. be loved and honoured above all creatures in heaven and on earth. Where can I find punishment enough to be avenged on myself, and tears enough to wash away my offences? O my God! Thou art my Father; and I am nothing but dust and ashes. Thou art my Maker, and I am but clay in Thine hands. O my God! have not the sins of my life past in remembrance. Remember not my offences; neither the offences of my fathers; but spare me, O Lord, and be not angry with me for ever! Essence beyond essence, Nature increate, I set Thee, Lord, before my face, and say with the Publican, To the sinner above the Publican, I beseech Thy fatherly affection; an unclean worm, a dead dog, or putrid corpse: |