mercifully cleansing my heart, | Thou mayest prepare in me, as once Thou didst in the blessed Virgin Mary, a habitation meet and worthy for Christ the Lord. Amen.

8. Prayer of St. Ambrose. O great High Priest, the true Priest, Jesus Christ, Who didst offer Thyself to God the Father, a pure and spotless Victim, upon the altar of the Cross for us miserable sinners, and didst give us Thy Flesh to eat and Thy Blood to drink, ordaining that great Mystery in the power of the Holy Ghost, saying: As often as ye shall do this, do it in remembrance of Me; I entreat Thee by that same Blood of Thine, the great price of our salvation: I entreat Thee by that wonderful and unspeakable love, wherewith Thou hast vouchsafed so to love miserable and unworthy, that Thou wouldest wash us from our sins in Thy Blood. (To be said only by a priest. Teach me, Thy unworthy servant, whom among Thine other gifts, not for any merits of mine, but of the condescension of Thy mercy only, Thou hast vouchsafed to call to the office of the priesthood: teach me, I pray Thee, by Thy Holy Spirit, to handle so great a Mystery with such reverence and honour, such devotion and fear, as are due and fitting.) Make through Thy grace, always so to believe and understand,

us

me,

to feel and firmly to hold, to speak and think, concerning so great a Mystery, what is pleasing to Thee, and for the good of my own soul. Let Thy good Spirit enter into my heart, there noiselessly. to sound, and without utterance of words to speak all truth. For indeed exceeding deep are these Mysteries, and concealed beneath a holy veil. (Grant me, for Thy great mercy's sake, to celebrate the solemnity of the Mass with a clean heart and a pure mind.) Free my heart from all defiling and unholy, from all vain and hurtful thoughts. Defend me with the loving and faithful guardianship, and mighty protection of Thy blessed Angels, that the enemies of all good may go away in confusion. By the virtue of this so great Mystery, and by the hand of Thy holy Angel, drive far away from me, and from all Thy servants, the obstinate spirit of pride and vain-glory, of envy and blasphemy, of fornication and uncleanness, of doubt and mistrust. Let them be confounded that persecute me: let them perish that make haste to destroy me. Amen.

Sunday.

THANKSGIVING.

9. Worship and magnify the Lord. O Jesu, sweetest Guest, mayest Thou have

O King of peace, drive far away from my heart and mind the crowd of vain and idle thoughts, that my soul may be able to think of Thee, to dwell on and love Thee only, the Author of peace. What, beside Thee, O Thou peace, the calm and sweetness of my heart, should my soul seek for and enjoy ?

O fount of everlasting love, how can I forget Thee, Who hast vouchsafed to remember me, and to give Thyself to me? Thou hast had mercy upon Thy servant, far beyond all my hope; and shewn Thy grace and kindness beyond all my desert. What reward shall I give unto Thee for this Thy goodness?

O would that I could serve Thee all the days of my life! Would that even for one day, I could render Thee sufficient and worthy service! For of a truth Thou art worthy of all service, all honour and never-ending praise.

Of

a

truth Thou art my Lord, and I Thy poor and humble servant, that am bound with all my strength to serve Thee, and never ought I to be weary of Thy praises. This is my will, this is my desire, and whatsoever is wanting in

Grant me Thy grace, most kind Jesus, that it may be with me, and work with me, even unto the end. Grant me ever to desire and will what is most acceptable and well-pleasing unto Thee. Let Thy will be mine, and my will ever follow Thine, and be in perfect agreement with it. Be it unto me in union with Thee to will and not to will, so may I never wish or not wish aught but what Thou willest and willest not.

Grant me to die to all things that are in the world, and for Thy sake to love to be despised and unknown in this life. Grant me, above all objects of desire, to rest in Thee, and to make my heart at peace in Thee. Thou art the true peace of the heart, Thou its only rest; and out of Thee all is hard and restless. In this peace, that is, in Thee alone, my chiefest and everlasting good, I will sleep on and take my rest. Amen.

10. Give thanks. What shall I render unto Thee, O Lord Jesus, for all the benefits that Thou hast done unto me, especially to-day? Taking thought for me, Thou hast given me Thy Body for my food, and Thy Blood for my drink, and both for a pledge of future glory. Who ever heard such a thing, or saw the like? Would that my lips might be opened,

and my mouth be filled with Thy praise, that I might sing of Thy glory and honour all the day long, and tell of all Thy marvellous works.

Magnify the Lord, O my soul, Who has bestowed upon thee so many and so great mercies; and my spirit shall rejoice in God my Saviour; for He hath regarded the lowliness of His servant, and He that is mighty hath magnified me, and filled the hungry with good things. O praise the Lord, all ye heathen, praise Him, all ye nations, for His merciful kindness is ever more and more towards me. Praise Him, all ye Angels of His, praise Him all His Host; ye kings of the earth and all people; princes, and all judges of the world; young men and maidens, old men and children.

Wherefore, O Lord Jesus, my tongue shall talk of Thy righteousness, and of Thy praise all the day long. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto Thee? Thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side; glorious art Thou in Thy gifts, and holy in all Thy works. So shall my words please Thee; my joy shall be in Thee, O Lord, and I will be occupied in Thy commandments. Hold me by my right hand, and

guide me with Thy counsel, that Thou mayest after that receive me with glory. Amen.

11. Offer to God the Father His Son. O most merciful Father, Who hast so loved me as to give me Thine Onlybegotten Son to be my food and drink, and with Him hast given me all things, look upon the face of Thine Anointed, in Whom Thou art well pleased. This Thy beloved Son, and with Him my heart I give to Thee, in return for all the benefits that Thou hast done unto me this day. Mayest Thou, O Father, be well pleased in Him, and through Him turn away Thy wrath and indignation from

me.

Behold the Mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus, my Advocate and High Priest, Who intercedes for me. Him I offer to Thee; Him, Who did no sin, but Who bore the sins of the world, and healed our griefs and infirmities with His stripes. Accept therefore, O holy Father, this spotless Victim, to the honour and glory of Thy Name,_in thanksgiving for all Thy benefits bestowed upon me, for the remission of my sins, and for the supply of all my defects and shortcomings.

12. Offer thyself to Christ. O Lord, for that I am Thy servant, and the son of Thine handmaid, I renounce the devil and all his works, and all his pomps; Thou alone art the God of my heart; and Thou O God art my portion for ever: Thou alone art the

that with Thy Saints I may praise Thee for ever and ever. Amen.

I beseech Thee, O most good and gentle Jesus, let this immortal Host give Thee thanks for me, reconcile me to Thee, restore me to Thee, bring pardon to me a sinner, and lead me to everlasting life. Amen.

Monday.

PREPARATION.

15. Invocation of the Holy Spirit. V. Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Thy love. R7. Send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be made, and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. God, Who didst teach the hearts of Thy faithful people, by the sending to them the light of Thy Holy Spirit: grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour. Amen.

16. Act of contrition. O Lord my God, be favourable to me a sinner. I repent that I have sinned: I desire to amend what I have done. Take from me, I beseech Thee, all mine iniquities, that being cleansed and purified both in mind and body, I may be worthy to enter into Thy most holy place.

17. Act of faith. O Lord Jesus Christ, Who art a Priest for ever, and Who saidst: My Flesh is meat indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed; I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, that didst come into the world, and art present in this Sacrament; Lord, increase my faith.

18. Act of hope. In Thee alone do I put all my hope, O most sweet Jesus, for Thou art my health and my strength, Thou art my house of defence and my castle, Thou art the source of all good. Have mercy upon me, and save me, Who never failest those that hope in Thee.

19. Act of love. O how great a power of love hath enkindled Thy heart, O most loving Jesus! when about to depart out of this world to the Father, Thou didst prepare a table for us having every delight, and all taste and sweetness! For this Thine unspeakable kindness, I love Thee, O my God; and that I may never cease loving Thee, inflame my love with Thyself, Who art both the food and the stay of love.

20. Act of desire. As the hart desireth the water brooks, so longeth my soul after Thee, my Saviour, O Lord Jesus. Give me Thyself, and it suffices. For beside Thee no comfort avails, without Thee I am nought, and without Thy visitation I cannot live.