Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/103

 deprived thee  of  life. Lord! what have  I done  in consenting  to  sin? I have crucified  thee  anew,  and taken away  thy  life. After such  enormities,  I might justly despair,  did  I not  hear  thee  on  the  cross  praying for  those  who  crucified  thee,  which  prayer  cannot but be  heard,  and  obtain  its  demand,  the  pardon  of my  sins. Add to  this  favour,  I beseech  thee,  the grace of  true  contrition  for  my  past  offences,  and  a firm  resolution  of  returning  to  them  no  more. I here offer  myself  to  suffer  for  thy  sake  whatever  thou shalt be  pleased  to  appoint. But oh ! grant me  thy love and  thy  grace,  through  the  merits  of  this  adorable sacrifice,  that  all  I do  and  suffer  may  be  united to thy  sacred  merits,  without  which  my  deeds  and all my  endeavours  would  be  of  no  avail.

E persuaded  that  you  cannot  better  atone  and satisfy for  your  sins,  than  by  offering  Christ and his  sacred  merits  (which  you  possess  in  the  holy communion)  both  to  his  Eternal  Father,  and  to  himself. The holy  communion  is  the  best  preservative against sin. Therefore, whenever  you  offer  the  Holy Sacrifice for  the  remission  of  your  sins,  fail  not  to communicate  at  least  spiritually.

OME, my  most  amiable  Jesus,  come,  for  it  is chiefly  for  sinners  that  thou  descendest  from heaven; come then  to  me  who  am  the  most  unworthy of them  all. But before  thou  enterest,  purify  the temple of  my  heart  which  has  been  defiled  by  sin  and profaned by  the  idol,  self-love. Break and  destroy that enemy  of  thine,  and  since  nothing  is  impossible to thee,  transform  a poor  sinner  into  a saint,  by