Devotions
For Every Day In The Week.
It was an ancient and pious practice among the faithful to dedicate every day in the week to some particular devotion. Conformably with this custom, a prayer is here given for each of those days, to be said immediately after morning prayers, or at any other time of the day, as each person's leisure from the necessary occupations of his state of life, may permit. But it is to be observed, that the worship of the mystery, or the devotion to the saint we purpose to honour, consists less in the prayer itself, than in the practical instructions which it contains.
Sunday,
Which by way of pre-eminence over the rest of the days of the week, is called the day of the Lord? is happily chosen to render homage, in a more special manner, to the most Holy Trinity, and to thank those three adorable Persons for the inestimable blessings we have received. It would be irreligious therefore, if not impious, to spend this day in idle amusements, or in the management of temporal concerns, whilst we are strictly obliged, both by the precepts of God and his church, to sanctify it, as well as every holy-day of obligation, by assisting at the divine offices, hearing sermons or catechetical discourses, reading pious books, employing ourselves in the exercise of corporal or spiritual works of mercy, and especially in making solid reflections on the most important of all affairs—the affair of our eternal salvation.
A Prayer To The Holy Trinity.
Glory be to the Father, who by his almighty power hath created me, and made me to his own image and likeness. Glory be to the Son, who by his wisdom hath delivered me from hell, and opened for me the gates of heaven. Glory be to the Holy Ghost, who in his mercy hath sanctified me by baptism, and who incessantly worketh my sanctification by the fresh graces I daily receive from his bounty. Glory be to the three adorable Persons of the blessed Trinity, which was as great at the beginning as he now is, or will be for ever and ever.
We adore thee, O holy Trinity! we reverence thee; we thank thee with the humblest sentiments of gratitude, for having been pleased to reveal to us this glorious and incomprehensible mystery. Grant that, by persevering in this faith till death, we may see and glorify in heaven what we believe here below on earth: one God in three divine Persons, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.