Forget, O Lord, our iniquities, and remember only thy mercies. Accept my sincere desire to honour, and see thee honoured, in this admirable sacrament of thy love. Yes, I ardently desire to bless, praise, and adore thee therein, with as much love and fervour as the saints and angels bless, praise, and adore thee, encircled with the rays of ineffable glory in thy heavenly kingdom. O amiable Jesus! I conjure thee by thy precious body and blood, before which I now prostrate myself, that I may adore thee for the future with such reverence, and receive thee so worthily, as to deserve after death to be admitted into thy divine presence, and with the choirs of celestial spirits, praise and glorify thee for ever and ever. Amen.
Friday.
It is not sufficient that we carefully avoid whatever can renew the passion and death of our divine Redeemer, but we must also endeavour to honour them, by every pious exercise which a tender devotion can inspire. The holy sacrifice of the Mass, offered with this intention; fervent communion; prayer before a crucifix; frequent reflections on the sufferings of our Lord; voluntary acts of penance, such as fasting on Fridays; patience and perseverance under the inevitable troubles and afflictions of this life; or, in other words, carrying our cross, after the example of our divine Redeemer, and with the same intentions; will serve as so many pious practices, by which we may testify the excess of our love, and apply to ourselves the fruit of his passion.
A Prayer To Our Suffering Jesus.
Lamb without spot or blemish!—innocent Victim! whose blood has cancelled the sins of the world, efface mine, and do not permit thy sufferings to become useless to me. Jesus, deserted and forsaken by every body! Jesus, sorrowful and aggrieved! Jesus, agonized, patient, and resigned! help me to bear, with the like resignation, all the afflictions thou mayest be pleased to send me in this life. Jesus, calumniated, despised, and outrageously insulted! teach me to despise the judgments of men, and patiently to suffer the blackest calumnies. Jesus, whose virginal flesh was swollen with blows, mangled with wounds, pierced with thorns, and covered with blood for love of me! teach me to endure, for thy love, the pains and inconveniencies of sickness. Jesus, condemned to suffer the ignominious death of the cross! enable me to shun the praises of men, and to love the most humble situations. Jesus, bending beneath the heavy load of the cross! unite my cross to thine, and enable me to bear it with the like resignation, strength, and meekness. Jesus, elevated on the cross for my sake, and who expiredst thereon for my salvation! raise up my affections to heavenly desires, that living only for thee, and at length expiring in thy divine embraces, I may be for ever occupied in singing, forth thy praises. Amen.
Saturday.
The eminent holiness of Mary, her dignity as Mother of God, the glory she enjoys, and the power she has received on earth and in heaven, her tenderness for mankind, and more especially for such as seek her intercession, or imitate her virtues, are the motives which have inspired all the saints with the most lively and affectionate devotion towards her.
Let us also devote ourselves to her, after their example. "Devotion to the Blessed Virgin," (says St. Bernard,) "is a mark of predestination." The best devotion we can practise with regard to her, and that which is most strenuously recommended by the saints, is a faithful imitation of her excellent virtues; particularly her love of purity and humility, and that heroic patience and fortitude under the severest crosses and afflictions which she suffered, and wherewith almost her whole life was embittered.
Let us therefore celebrate her festival, by preparing ourselves on the eve, and communicating on the day, in her honour. Let us pay to her images and pictures that respect and veneration which the Catholic church, ever guided by the Spirit of Truth, recommends. Let us sometimes recite her office, at other times her litanies or rosary, according as the duties of our state of life may afford us leisure, or our devotion direct. Let us often address her with the utmost respect, attention, and confidence, in the words of that beautiful prayer, composed partly by the Angel Gabriel, partly by St. Elizabeth, and partly by the church, and with the same spirit and sentiments. In fine let us have recourse to her in all our wants and necessities, and omit nothing to procure her assistance at that most critical period, when we stand in most need thereof—the hour of death.