Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/148

 GOD,  the  Father  of  light! Thou who  enlightenest  all  men  that  come  into  this  world, send into  my  poor  soul  a ray  of  the  holy  light  of lore  and  contrition,  that  I may  know,  detest,  and confess the  sins  which  I have  committed  against thee. I desire to  see  my  sins  in  all  their  enormity, and just  as  they  are  in  thy  sight: I wish  to  detest them for  the  love  of  thee,  and  to  confess  them  with the same  sincerity  as  I should  wish  to  do  at  the moment of  my  death. Jesus, my  God  and  Saviour, I offer to  thee  the  examination  which  I am  going to make,  and  I look  to  thee  with  confidence  for the grace  to  do  it  well. And do  thou,  O Mother of God,  assist  me,  thou  who  art  so  full  of  compassion for  sinners  that  desire  truly  to  repent  of  their sins.

Help me,  my  holy  Guardian  Angel! help me  to know  all  the  offences  which  I have  committed against my  God. O! all ye  Saints  in  heaven,  pray for me,  that  I may  bring  forth  worthy  fruits  of penance. Amen.

Here examine your  conscience  on  the  Ten  Commandments  of God,  the  Precepts  of  the  Church,  the  Seven  Deadly  Sins,  etc.

MY God! the God  of  my  heart! my soul! my life! my refuge ! my strength ! whom I have so much  offended  that  neither  the  sands  on  the  seashore, the  stars  in  the  heavens,  the  flowers  of  the fields, nor  the  leaves  of  the  trees,  can  equal  the infinite number  and  unspeakable  variety  of  my  sins. I have sinned; I have  offended  thee,  and  done  evil before heaven  and  earth. I have departed  from  thy law; turned my  back  on  thy  grace; adored  what offended thee; made  an  idol  of  my  guilt; and ran on  without  fear  or  shame  in  the  ways  of  deceit,