IV. On the eve of your communion be more recollected than usual: think often upon the happiness you are to enjoy the ensuing day in receiving your God. As this should be your last thought at composing yourself to rest, so it should also be your first at awaking.
V. Represent to your imagination that your angel guardian addresses you in these words: "Behold the spouse cometh: go forth now and meet him." Arise as early as possible to receive the great guest, who designs to honour you with this visit. Keep a profound silence till you return from mass; and let it appear by your modesty and recollection, that you are deeply penetrated with the consciousness of the sanctity of an action of the most ineffable dignity and excellence.
VI. Whenever you go to communion have always in your mind some particular intention—such as the acquiring of some virtue; overcoming such a temptation; the knowing of God's will with regard to yourself; the relief of the souls of the faithful departed; the conversion of infidels, heretics, and of sinners in general; for nothing is more capable of exciting fervour in devotion, than some particular end to which it is referred.
A Prayer To The Blessed Virgin.
O sacred Mother of God, pure and spotless Virgin! thou didst not bear the Saviour of the world in thy sacred womb for thine own sake alone, but for ours also. May not I then, O Mother of mercy, hope to partake of his merits, and obtain, through thy powerful intercession, some share of the same holy dispositions of soul which thou thyself didst possess at the time thou didst conceive him. O that the same divine Spirit which then prepared thy body and soul for his reception, would now shed his precious gifts on me, since it is the same God-Man that I am also about to receive. Obtain for me a pure heart for his dwelling-place, and a firm and constant resolution to support myself in his grace; but above all, inspire me with an infinite horror of the detestable sin of impurity, which, in a particular manner, contaminates the soul of man, and renders it unworthy of communicating; because, by dishonouring my flesh, I dishonour the flesh of Jesus Christ also. Alas! if thy immaculate virginal womb was not too pure for a God to become incarnate therein, how can I presume to present myself at the table of the God of purity, and receive him into a heart contaminated with the smallest stain of a vice so abominable in the sight of infinite purity and sanctity?
Prayers Before Communion.
I firmly believe, O my divine Jesus, that thou art really present in the blessed sacrament of the altar. I believe that it contains thy body and blood, accompanied by thy very soul and divinity. I acknowledge these truths; I believe these wonders; I adore the power that has wrought them, the same power that said: "Let there be light, and light was made." I submit my senses and reason to thy divine authority. I praise and glorify thy infinite goodness, which hath prepared this heavenly banquet for the food and nourishment of my soul. Blessed be thy name for ever. Accept my homage; accept, O my God, my most hearty thanks. But what am I, that thou shouldst work such wonders for my sake? How shall such a filthy sinner as I am, presume to approach thee, who art the inexhaustible source of infinite purity and sanctity? How shall I venture to lift up my eyes to heaven, much less to receive thee within my breast? I tremble at the sentence of thy apostle: "Whosoever shall eat this bread or drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord;" [1 Corinthians ii.] for I acknowledge myself to be nothing but dust and ashes; a poor, miserable worm of the earth, subject to many vices, and void of all virtue and merit. Alas! my life has been nothing but sin and misery. I have nothing to confide in but thy boundless mercy; nor should I ever presume to approach thy sacred table, and partake of the bread of angels, were I not encouraged by thy infinite goodness, and excited by thy own most pressing invitations. It is therefore in thy mercy, which is above all thy works, that I put my whole trust; and since thou art pleased to call me to this divine banquet, behold I come to it, like Magdalen, to be happily united to thee, and to lay down all my sins at thy feet, to be cancelled by thy precious blood. I come to commemorate thy sufferings, as thou thyself hast ordained. I come, as one sick, to the Physician of Life; as one blind, to the Light of eternal Glory; as one poor, needy, and distressed, to the King of heaven and earth. To thee I expose all my wounds, that they may be healed. To thee I fly for protection, hoping that thou wilt be to me a Saviour, and that thou wilt wash away every sin that may defile me. Remove my blindness, relieve my necessities, and clothe me with grace, that I may receive the adorable sacrament of thy body and blood with such reverence and humility, such contrition and devotion, such purity and faith, as may be for thy honour and glory, and the salvation of my soul. I am not worthy, O Lord, to receive thee; alas, I am not! but thou canst, if thou wilt, make me worthy: say but the word, then, and my soul shall be healed. Thou hast heretofore said to the leper in the gospel, "I am willing; be thou healed;" and he was immediately cured of his disease. My soul is covered with an universal leprosy: heal me then, O my Saviour, in like manner; cleanse my soul from its stains; remove from it all guilt; extinguish in it every evil disposition; adorn it with the necessary virtues, and make it a fit abode for thy reception. May the body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul to life everlasting.
Another Prayer.
Who is he whom thou art about to receive? O my soul, be still and attentive. Who is he thou art going to receive? Thy God! thy Redeemer! who, for love of thee, shed torrents of blood during his agony in the garden of Gethsemani! who for love of thee, suffered his sacred head to be pierced with a crown of thorns, and his virginal flesh to be rent and torn at the pillar with whips and scourges! who, for love of thee, suffered himself to be clothed in a purple garment, and derided as a mock king, with a reed for his sceptre! who, for love of thee, suffered his sacred hands and feet to be fastened with gross nails to the wood of the cross! in fine, who, for love of thee, hung thereon, in the most ignominious manner, between two thieves, suffering for the space of three hours the most excruciating pains and tortures! and at last expired for thy redemption! After such stupendous instances of thy love for man, who can refuse a return of love to thee, Lord Jesus? I love thee, O my God! and ardently wish, that as every breath I draw is an increase of my life, so it may be of my love for thee, till at last I love thee as thou thyself requirest, "with my whole heart, with my whole soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength;" for thou art the God of my heart, and the life of my soul; thou art my treasure, my joy, my comfort, my support, my strength, my armour, my defence, my only hope and comfort in this place of banishment and vale of tears, and the supreme object of my happiness in heaven.