Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/193

 thee  alone  I depend; thou  art  the  God  in  whom  I firmly  believe; thou  art  the  foundation  of  my  hope, and the  only  worthy  object  of  my  love.

1. Direct your  attention. — O Lord  Jesus  Christ,  King of everlasting  glory,  behold  I desire  to  come  to  thee this day,  and  to  receive  thy  body  and  blood  in  this heavenly sacrament  for  thy  honour  and  glory,  and the good  of  my  soul. I desire to  receive  thee, because it  is  thy  desire,  and  thou  hast  so  ordered: blessed be  thy  name  for  ever. I desire to  come  to thee,  like  Magdalen,  that  I may  be  delivered  from all evils,  and  embrace  thee,  my  only  good. I desire to come  to  thee,  that  I may  be  happily  united  to thee,  that  I may  henceforward  abide  in  thee,  and thou in  me; and  that  nothing  in  life  or  death  may ever separate  me  from  thee.

2. Commemorate the  Passion  of  Christ. — I desire  in these  holy  mysteries  to  commemorate,  as  thou  hast commanded, '“all thy  sufferings,  thy  agony  and  bloody sweat, thy  being  betrayed  and  apprehended,  all  the reproaches and  calumnies,  all  the  scoffs  and  affronts, all the  blows  and  buffets  thou  hast  endured  for  me; thy being  scourged,  crowned  with  thorns,  and  loaded with a heavy  cross  for  my  sins,  and  for  those  of  the whole world;  thy  crucifixion  and  death,  together with thy  glorious  resurrection,  and  triumphant ascension. I adore thee  and  give  thee  thanks  for  all that thou  hast  done  and  suffered  for  us;  and  for giving us,  in  this  blessed  sacrament,  this  pledge  of our  redemption,  this  victim  of  our  ransom,  this  body and blood,  which  were  offered  for  us.

3. Make  an  Act  of  Faith. — I most firmly  believe, that in  this  holy  sacrament  thou  art  present,  verily