Our Father, Who reignest in heaven, come and reign in my soul; come and sanctify it by Thy presence; come and subject it to Thy holy will, and render it obedient to the inspirations of Thy grace. Extinguish in my heart every feeling of hatred and revenge; forgive me, as I forgive. Grant me such wisdom and such strength that I may triumph over all temptations. Deliver me from all those evils which oppress me, and under which I groan, being burdened. I come to Thee as a child [pg 535] to his father to be fed; as a subject to his prince to be protected; as one afflicted to his only succor, to be consoled and comforted. Amen.
Agnus Dei.
In saying to Thy apostles, “Peace I leave to you, My peace I give to you,” Thou hast promised, O Lord, to all Thy Church, that peace which the world cannot give—peace with Thee, and peace with ourselves. Let nothing, O Lord, ever interrupt this holy peace; let nothing separate us from Thee, to Whom we heartily desire to be united, through the Blessed Sacrament of peace and reconciliation. Let this food of angels strengthen us in every Christian duty, so that we nevermore yield under temptations, or fall into common weaknesses.
Domine, Non Sum Dignus.
God can only be worthy of receiving God; how, then, can a soul so sinful as mine merit so great a happiness! But Thou, O Lord, regardest not Thy greatness, but Thy mercy. Thou willest that I come to Thee, as one sick to a physician who can heal him; as one poor to his rich lord who can assist. O God of love, behold at Thy feet the poorest, the most infirm of Thy creatures. Unite me to Thyself, and I shall become rich and whole in Thy sight. Work, I beseech Thee, this miracle, worthy of Thy omnipotence and charity.
Act Of Spiritual Communion.
For Those Who do not Intend to Communicate.
O my most loving Saviour, since I cannot have the happiness of receiving Thee this day, [pg 536] suffer me to gather up the precious crumbs that fall from Thy table, and to unite myself to Thy divine Heart by faith, hope, and charity. I confess I do not deserve the children's bread; but I venture humbly to declare that, away from Thee, my soul is dried up with thirst, and my heart cast down with faintness. Come, then, into me, O my divine Jesus! come into my mind, to illuminate it with Thy light; come into my heart, to enkindle in it the fire of Thy love, and to unite it so intimately with Thine own, that it may be no more I that live, but Thou that livest in me and reignest in me forever.
Last Gospel.
O eternal Word, speak to my soul, which adores Thee in profound silence! Thou Who art the great Creator of all things, abandon not, I beseech Thee, Thine own creature! be Thou my life, my light, and my all! O Light eternal! enlighten me as to this present life, and in the life to come. Reign in me as in Thine own inheritance; for Thou, O Lord, hast made me; Thou hast redeemed me. May I ever be Thine!