Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/749

 to life  everlasting,  is  no  other,  O Lord,  than  thy  only Son, who  has  said,  “I am  the  living  bread  that  came down from  heaven; he  that  eateth  of  this  bread  shall live forever; and  the  bread  that  I will  give  is  my flesh,  for  the  life  of  the  world.”  This  bread  of  life we earnestly  beg  of  thee; this  we  desire  often  to receive  sacramentally; this  we  desire  daily  to  receive spiritually, for  the  nourishing  of  our  souls  with  thy heavenly grace. O, come,  dearest  Jesus,  to  our  poor souls; satisfy our  hunger  here  with  this  heavenly bread, till  we  come  to  the  more  happy  day  of  eternity, where all  veils  being  removed,  we  shall  forever  feed upon thy  divinity.

Our sins,  O Lord,  are  innumerable; the  debt  that we owe  thee  is  infinite; and,  poor  and  miserable,  we are  unable  of  ourselves  to  discharge  the  least  part  of this  debt,  or  make  satisfaction  for  the  least  of  these sins. But, prostrate  in  spirit  before  thee,  we  humbly implore thy  mercy. We desire  to  offer  thee  the sacrifice of  a contrite  and  humble  heart. We offer thee the  death  and  passion  of  thy  only  Son,  which he suffered  for  us. And as  he  has  promised  forgiveness to them  who  forgive,  we  here,  from  our  hearts,  forgive all who  have  offended  us,  and  hope  through  him  to find  forgiveness  from  thee.

Alas! O Lord, man’s  life  upon  earth  is  a continual temptation. We are  encompassed  on  all  sides  with mortal enemies  — the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil. Our only  hope,  in  all  these  dangers  and  conflicts,  is in  thy  protection. We believe  that  thou  art  faithful, and wilt  not  permit  us  to  be  tempted  above  our strength. Arm us,  then,  O Lord,  both  against  the