While dressing. Clothe me, O LORD, with Thy heavenly grace, and cover me with the robe of righteousness, Before reading Holy Scripture. My delight shall be in the Law of the LORD, and in Thy law will I exercise myself day and night. When the clock strikes. Watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the Master of the house cometh, at evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrowing, or in the morning. On leaving the house. The LORD preserve my going out and coming in, from this time forth for evermore. Before a walk. Show me Thy ways, O LORD, and teach me Thy paths. For custody of the eyes. On going into a Church. On beginning any work. A. M. D. G. Or, |complish this work to Thy glory and my salvation, as may be pleasing unto Thee. On completing any work. O LORD JESU, I commend unto Thee this work of mine, to be perfected and finished by Thee, and I offer it unto Thee in union with Thine Own works. Before conversation. Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips. Before taking medicine. Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for Thou art my praise. In sudden pain. O LORD, by Thy Cross and Passion strengthen me: LORD, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will, but Thine be done. Grace before Meat. [Y. The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O LORD. R. And Thou givest them their meat in due seaR7. And fillest all things living with son. . Thou openest Thine hand. plenteousness. . Glory, &c. R. As it was, &c.] Bless, O LORD, these Thy gifts which we are about to receive of Thy great bounty. Through. Grace after Meat. [7. All Thy works praise Thee, O LORD. R. And Thy saints give thanks unto Thee. V. They show the glory of Thy kingdom. R. And talk of Thy power. V. Glory, &c. Ry. As it was, &c.] Thanks be to GOD for these and all His bounties bestowed on us. Through. On lying down in bed. I will lay me down in peace and take my rest, for it is Thou, LORD, LORD JESU, grant that I may ac- only that makest me dwell in safety. OFFICE BEFORE CELEBRATING. Ant. Remember not, LORD, our offences. Ps. 84. O how amiable, &c. Ant. Remember not, LORD, our 13. GOD, Who didst teach the hearts of Thy faithful people by the sending to them the light of Thy HOLY SPIRIT; grant us by the same SPIRIT to have a right judgment in all things and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort. 14. Visit, we pray Thee, O LORD, and cleanse our consciences, that when Thy SON, our LORD JESUS offences, nor the offences of our forefathers, neither take Thou ven-in us a mansion fitted for His abode. CHRIST, Cometh to us, He may find geance of our sins. LORD, have mercy upon us. V. I said, LORD, be merciful unto me. R. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee. V. Turn Thee again, O LORD, at the last. Ry. And be gracious unto Thy servants. . O LORD, let Thy mercy be showed upon us. Ry. As we do put our trust in Thee. . Let Thy Priests be clothed with righteousness. Ry. And let Thy Saints sing with joyfulness. Cleanse me, O LORD, from my secret faults. Ry. And keep Thy servant from presumptuous sins. Y. LORD, hear my prayer. R. And let my cry come unto Thee.. Let us pray. 9. O merciful LORD, incline Thine ears to our prayers, and enlighten our souls by the grace of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, that we may worthily celebrate Thy Holy Mysteries, and may love Thee with an everlasting love. 10. Inflame our hearts, O LORD, we beseech Thee, with the fire of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, that we may serve Thee with chaste bodies, and please Thee with pure souls. 11. We pray Thee, O LORD, that Thy Holy Comforter may enlighten our minds, and, as Thy SoN hath promised, may lead us into all truth. 12. Let the virtue of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, O LORD, be present with us, to purge us from all evil, and to keep us from all harm. 15. O GOD, Who in this wonderful Sacrament hast left unto us a memorial of Thy Passion; grant to us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate the Sacred Mysteries of Thy Body and Blood, that we may always perceive in ourselves the fruit of Thy Redemption. Who livest. PRAYERS BEFORE HOLY COM MUNION. To be said as opportunity offers. SUNDAY. Chief Bishop, JESUS CHRIST, Who O Supreme High Priest and true didst offer Thyself to God the FATHER, a pure and spotless Victim upon the Altar of the Cross for us miserable sinners, and Who didst give us Thy Flesh to eat, and Thy Blood to drink, and didst ordain that Mystery in the might of the HOLY SPIRIT, saying, This do, in remembrance of Me;" I entreat Thee by the same Blood, the great price of our salvation; I entreat Thee by that wonderful and unspeakable love wherewith Thou didst vouchsafe so to love us, miserable and unworthy, as to wash us from our sins in Thy Blood, teach me, Thy unworthy servant, whom, among Thine other gifts, not for any merit of mine, but of the condescension of Thy mercy alone, Thou hast vouchsafed also to call to the dignity of Priesthood, teach me, I pray Thee, by Thy HOLY SPIRIT to handle so great a Mystery with such reverence and honour, with such devotion and fear as I ought and as it becometh me. Make me through Thy grace, always so to believe and understand, to conceive, and firmly to hold, to think and to speak of this wondrous Mystery, as shall please Thee, and benefit my soul. Let Thy good SPIRIT enter my heart, there to be heard without utterance, and without the sound of words speak all truth. For these things are exceed ing deep and covered with a sacred veil. Of Thy great mercy, grant me to celebrate this Solemnity with a clean heart and pure mind. Free my heart from all defiling and unholy, from all vain and hurtful thoughts. Fence me with the holy and faithful guard and mighty protection of Thy blessed Angels, that the enemies of all good may fly away ashamed. By the virtue of this vast Mystery, and by the hand of Thy holy Angels, repel from me and all Thy servants the hard spirit of pride and vainglory, of impurity and uncleanness, of doubting and mistrust. Let them be confounded that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them perish that seek my hurt. MONDAY. King of Virgins, and Lover of chastity and innocence, extinguish in my frame, by the dew of Thy heavenly blessing, the fuel of evil concupiscence, that so one even purity of soul and body may abide in me. Mortify in my members the lusts of the flesh, and all hurtful emotions, and give me true and persevering chastity, with Thine other gifts which please Thee in truth; so that I may with chaste body and pure heart offer unto Thee the sacrifice of praise. For with what mighty contrition of heart and fountain of tears, with what reverence and awe, with what chastity of body and purity of soul, should that Divine and Heavenly Sacrifice be celebrated, wherein Thy Flesh is indeed taken, where Thy Blood is indeed drunk, wherein things lowest and highest, earthly and divine, are united, where is the presence of the holy Angels, where Thou art in a wonderful and unspeakable way both Sacrifice and Priest. TUESDAY. Who can worthily celebrate this Sacrifice unless Thou, O GOD, makest him worthy? I know, O LORD, yea, truly do I know and this do I confess to Thy lovingkindness, that I am not worthy to approach so high a Mystery, by reason of my very many sins and numberless negligences; but I know, and truly with my own heart do I believe, and with my mouth confess, that Thou canst make me worthy, Who alone canst make that clean which cometh from that which is unclean, and sinners to be righteous and holy. By this Thine Almighty power I beseech Thee, O my GOD, to grant that I, a sinner, may celebrate this Sacrifice with fear and trembling, with purity of heart and streams of tears, with spiritual gladness, and celestial joy; let my mind feel the sweetness of Thy most blessed presence, and the guardianship of the holy Angels round about me. WEDNESDAY. For now, O LORD, mindful of Thy venerable Passion, I approach Thine Altar, to offer Thee that Sacrifice which Thou hast instituted, and commanded to be offered in remembrance of Thee for our wellbeing. Receive it, we beseech Thee, O GOD Most High, for Thy holy Church, and for the people whom Thou hast purchased with Thy Blood. And since Thou hast willed that I, a sinner, should stand between Thee and this Thy people, although Thou canst discern no good work in me, yet at least reject not the office of the dispensation intrusted to me; let not through my unworthiness the price of their salvation be wasted, for whom Thou didst vouchsafe to be a saving Victim and Redemption. We bring before Thee, O LORD, if Thou wilt graciously vouchsafe to behold, the tribulations of the poor, the perils of the people, the groans of prisoners, the miseries of orphans, the necessities of strangers, the helplessness of the weak, the depressions of the languishing, the infirmities of the aged, the aspirations of the young, the vows of virgins, the wailing of widows. THURSDAY. For Thou, O LORD, hast mercy upon all, and hatest nothing that Thou hast made. Remember what is our substance, because Thou art our FATHER, because Thou art our GOD. Be not angry with us for ever, nor restrain the multitude of Thy mercies upon us, for it is not in our righteousness that we pour forth our prayers before Thy Face, but of Thy great mercies. Take from us our iniquities, and graciously kindle the fire of Thy HOLY SPIRIT within us. Take away the heart of stone from our flesh, and give us a heart of flesh, to love Thee, choose Thee, please Thee, follow Thee, enjoy Thee. We pray Thy mercy, O LORD, that Thou wouldst vouchsafe graciously to look upon Thy family attending on the ministry of Thy holy Name; and that the prayers of none may be in vain, the supplication of none empty, do Thou put into our minds those prayers which Thou art graciously pleased to hear and accomplish. FRIDAY. We entreat Thee also, O LORD, Holy FATHER, for the souls of the faithful departed . that this great Sacrament of Thy love may be unto them salvation and health, joy and refreshment. O LORD my GOD, grant them this day a great and abundant feast of Thee, the liv ing GOD, Who camest down from heaven, and gavest life unto the world, even of Thy holy and blessed Flesh, the Lamb without spot, Who takest away the sins of the world; even of that Flesh which was taken of the holy and glorious Virgin Mary, and conceived of the HOLY GHOST, and of that Fountain of mercy which from the soldier's spear flowed from Thy most sacred Side, that therewith enlarged and sated, refreshed and comforted, they may rejoice in Thy praise and glory. I pray Thy clemency, O LORD, that on the bread to be offered unto Thee may descend the fulness of Thy benediction, and the sanctification of Thy Divinity. May there descend also the invisible and incomprehensible Majesty of Thy HOLY SPIRIT, as it descended of old on the sacrifices of the fathers, Which may make our oblations Thy Body and Blood. And teach me an unworthy Priest to handle so great a Mystery with purity of heart and the devotion of tears, with reverence and trembling, so that Thou mayest graciously and favourably receive the sacrifices of my hands for the good of all, living and departed. SATURDAY. I beseech Thee also, O LORD, by this most sacred mystery of Thy Body and Blood, wherewith we are daily fed, washed, and sanctified in Thy Church, and are made partakers of the One Supreme Divinity, give unto me Thy holy virtues, that fulfilled therewith I may approach with a good conscience unto Thy holy Altar, so that these holy Sacraments may be made unto me salvation and life; for Thou hast said with Thy holy and blessed mouth, "The Bread which I will give is My Flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. I am the Living Bread Which came down from heaven. If any man shall eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever." O most sweet Bread, heal the palate of my heart, that I may taste the sweetness of Thy love. Heal it of all infirmities, that I may find sweetness in nothing out of Thee. O most pure Bread, having all delight and all savour, Which dost ever refresh us, and never failest, let my heart feed on Thee, and may my inmost soul be fulfilled with the sweetness of Thy savour. The Angels feed on Thee fully. Let pilgrim man feed on Thee after his measure, refreshed by this sustenance on his way. Holy Bread! Living Bread! Pure Bread! Who camest down from heaven, and givest life unto the world; come into my heart, and cleanse me from all defilement of flesh and spirit, Enter into my soul, heal and cleanse me within and without; be the protection and continual health of my soul and body, so that I may by a straight way arrive at Thy kingdom; where not as now in mysteries, but face to face, we shall behold Thee; when Thou shalt have delivered up the kingdom to GOD Thy FATHER, and shalt be GOD All in all, then shalt Thou satisfy me with Thyself by a marvellous fulness, so that I shall never hunger nor thirst any more, Who with the same GOD the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST livest. The Girdle. Gird me, O LORD, with the girdle of purity, and quench in me the fire of concupiscence, that the grace of temperance and chastity may abide in me. The Maniple. Grant me, O LORD, to bear the light burden of grief and sorrow, that I may with gladness receive the reward of my labour. The Stole. Give me again, O LORD, the robe of immortality which I lost by the sin of my first parent, and although I am unworthy to come unto Thy Holy Sacrament, grant that I may attain everlasting felicity. The Chasuble. O LORD, Who hast said, My yoke is easy and My burden is light, grant that I may so bear it, as to attain Thy grace. Amen. The Dalmatic or Tunicle. The LORD clothe me with the garment of Salvation, and cover me with the robe of righteousness. Direction of Intention before Celebrating. [A.] O GOD of heaven and earth, PRAYERS WHILE VESTING FOR THE incomprehensible and merciful, I, HOLY COMMUNION. At washing the hands. Cleanse my hands, O LORD, from all stain, that pure in mind and body, I may be worthy to serve Thee. The Amice. Place, O LORD, the helmet of salvation upon my head, to repel the assaults of the devil. The Alb. Cleanse me, O LORD, and purify my heart, that, washed in the Blood of the Lamb, I may attain everlasting joy. an unworthy sinner, and most lowly minister of Thy Church, offer to Thy Divine Majesty this most august sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Thy SON in token of the honour and love which are Thy due; for Thy boundless praise and glory, in acknowledgment of Thy supreme excellence and majesty, of Thy rule over all creation, and of our subIn memory and reverence of the jection and dependence on Thee. blessed Incarnation, Life, Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of the same Thy SON, and in obedience to His command that we should make remembrance of Him. In thanksgiving for all the blessings which Thou hast vouchsafed |