I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
Bless the Lord, O my soul; and let all that is within me bless his holy name.
Thanks be to God for all his benefits.
Praise be to thee, O Christ; blessed be thy holy name, O Jesus.
O God of my heart, and my portion for ever; O let nothing in life or death ever separate me from thee.
O rather let me die a thousand deaths than offend thee mortally.
"In all thy works aim at perfection."—Ecclesiastes xxxiii. 23.
Prayers For Night.
If it be a duty of the greatest importance to begin the day well, it is, doubtless, one of no less consequence to conclude it properly. The new graces conferred on us daring the course of the day, and the protection we stand in need of against the dangers of the night, are urgent reasons why we should address ourselves to God, and pray to him with the utmost gratitude and fervour.
A daily Examination of Conscience, both in general, with regard to our whole conduct throughout the day, and in particular, with regard to our predominant vice, passion, or evil custom, and the particular virtue we want to acquire, is strongly recommended by all spiritual writers, as one of the most important duties of a Christian life, and the most profitable exercise we can apply ourselves to, both for the avoiding of sin, and the acquiring of virtue. It is a looking-glass, in which we see ourselves in our true colours, and come to the knowledge of our sins and evil inclinations. It is a sponge, by which we wipe away guilt from our souls, and become the more pure before God, the more diligently we practise it. If we do not daily weed the garden of our souls by this holy exercise, the corrupt ground of the heart will naturally produce vices and imperfections in abundance.