Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/164

 larity; I am  an  ungrateful,  unfaithful,  and  rebellious creature, and  deserve  that  thou  shouldst  close  in  my regard  that  salutary  fountain  which  thou  hast  established in  thy  church  to  cleanse  the  sinner: this  is what  I might  expect  from  thy  justice; but  when  I reflect  on  that  mercy  which  is  never  wearied  in seeking  the  lost  sheep,  and  which,  when  found,  treats it with  ineffable  sweetness,  far  from  giving  way to despair,  I hope  with  a firm  confidence  for  the  pardon of  my  offences.

With a firm  faith  in  thee,  divine  Jesus! I go to thee  in  the  person  of  thy  minister,  and  placing  myself in spirit  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  I shall  hope  that the merits  of  the  all-atoning  blood  which  was  shed upon it  to  take  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  will  be applied  to  my  poor  soul,  by  the  absolution  1 shall fervently hope  to  receive. To supply  for  my  want of contrition,  I offer  thee  all  the  sorrow  which  thy divine heart  felt  for  my  sins  in  the  Garden  of  Olives, begging through  the  merits  of  that  sacred  heart,  that thou wilt  cleanse  me  from  them,  and  grant  me  the grace to  avoid  them  in  future. Amen.

JESUS, how  worthy  art  thou  of  my  love,  and what thanks  do  1 not  owe! I hope that through the  merits  of  thy  blood,  thou  hast  forgiven me my  sins. For this  I thank  thee  with  my  whole heart, and  I bum  with  the  desire  to  praise  thy mercy in  heaven  through  all  eternity. Until now, 0 my God,  I have  offended  thee  often,  but  for  the time to  come,  I will  never  offend  thee  again. 1 am anxious  to  change  my  life. Thou dost  merit all my  love,  and  therefore  I will  love  thee  truly and dearly. I will never  again  be  separated  from