Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/108

 of gratitude  and  ardent  love. Come, then,  O Lord; thou art  the  God  in  whom  I firmly  believe. Come, for thou  art  the  support  and  term  of  my  hope,  and thou art,  by  excellence,  the  adorable  object  of  my most  fervent  love. Come, enliven  and  increase  in my  soul  the  divine  virtues  infused  therein  on  my admission  into  the  bosom  of  thy  Church. Come, and purify  my  baptismal  robe,  that  I may  present myself before  thee  with  a nuptial  garment,  and  may not deserve  to  be  excluded  from  the  marriage  feast.

ECEIVE, O Lord,  this  spotless  host,  which  thy minister offers  thee  in  the  name  of  thy  Church. Receive, eternal  Majesty,  this  oblation  of  bread  and wine, which  will  soon  become  the  body  and  blood  of Jesus  Christ,  who — to  render  thee,  in  the  name  of weak  mortals,  the  adoration  thou  meritest — vouchsafed to  clothe  himself  with  our  miseries; to  become susceptible of  death: and  to  immolate  himself  daily on our  altars  as  the  precious  victim  of  our  salvation. O Omnipotent Lord,  behold  me  at  thy  feet,  loaded with miseries,  and  charged  with  innumerable  debts, which would  overwhelm  me,  were  I not  provided  by thyself  with  a treasure  of  infinite  value  to  acknowledge thy  mercies,  to  satisfy  thy  justice,  and  to  obtain for myself  and  others  the  graces  thou  desirest  to bestow. Animated with  the  most  lively  confidence in the  merits  of  my  Redeemer,  I offer  thee  once more his  sufferings  and  death; and  I make  this  offering for  the  great  ends  for  which  he  instituted  this adorable mystery. I offer thee  this  sacred  Victim  to adore  thee  as  my  God; to  testify  my  love  for  thee, my sovereign  Benefactor;  to  thank  thee  for  the blessings thou  hast  bestowed  on  all  mankind;  to