Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/102

 for them. Grant the  same  also  to  my  friends  and relatives. Make us  all  thy  faithful  servants,  that  we may  live  holily,  and  die  happily.

EPRESENT to  yourself  Jesus  Christ  fastened  to the  cross,  to  expiate  the  sins  of  all  mankind. Consider in  his  passion,  as  in  a faithful  mirror,  the enormity of  sin; and  let  this  spectacle  excite  your heart to  sincere  sorrow  for  your  past  sins,  and  firm resolution of  amendment  for  the  future.

O my soul! what is  represented  to  us  by  the  body and blood  of  Jesus  Christ  apparently  separated,  and the sacred  host  elevated  by  the  hands  'of  his  minister, but his  death  on  the  cross. All that  we  behold  here is a lively  representation  of  the  bloody  scene  once acted on  Mount  Calvary.

Y divine  Saviour,  after  having  adored  thee  as  my God,  permit  me  to  ask  what  has  reduced  thee to this  deplorable  condition? It is  sin; it  is  to expiate  the  disobedience  of  mankind  that  thou  art obedient unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross,  as also  to  satisfy  by  thy  sufferings  for  those  which  our sins deserved.

O infinite goodness! to suffer  so  much  for  thy enemies, who  were  the  cause  of  all  thy  torments! It was not  so  much  Judas  that  betrayed  thee,  as  my treacherous  heart; it  was  not  so  much  the  soldiers who struck,  reviled,  and  spit  upon  thee,  as  my  passions. It was  my  sensuality  that  scourged  thee,  my gluttony  that  gave  thee  gall. It was  my  sins,  in fine,  that  crucified  thee,  shed  thy  precious  blood,  and