Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/243

 to each  that  kind  of  death  which  thou  pleasest; grant me, I beseech  thee,  a death  holy  and  precious in thy  sight; and  let  thy  merciful  visit  to  me  be  the pledge of  it,  and  in  thy  own  good  time  bring  the business of  my  salvation  to  a happy  conclusion.

HEN thou  didst  enter  into  Jerusalem,  dear Lord, thou  shedest  tears  of  compassion  over its miseries; show,  I beseech  thee,  the  same  charity towards me,  now  that  thou  hast  entered  into  my heart. My Judge  is  already  within  me ! very shortly shall I have  to  appear  before  him; I hear  his  voice calling me: I go,  my  God,  not  relying  on  any  merits of my  own,  but  on  thy  mercy,  which  I implore through thy  own  most  precious  blood. O Father of mercies! I recommend my  poor  soul  into  thy  hands; if thou  regardest  the  enormity  of  my  offences,  I cannot  possibly  hope  to  be  saved. Thou, my  Jesus, art my  only  resource:  let  those  eyes  which  never were averted from  the  sinner,  look  with  pity  upon me. Let that  mouth  which  never  condemned  any one here below,  now  speak  to  me  words  of  consolation and  of  life. May thy holy  soul  sanctify  mine; may thy spirit enlighten  mine; may  thy  sacred  heart inflame mine with  that  love  which  thou  testifiest  for me by honouring me  with  thy  presence. Apply to me the  merits  of  thy  sacred  labours  while  on  earth; render the  merits  of  thy  death  efficacious  to  me,  and permit not  thy  blood  to  be  shed  for  me  in  vain.

Attend, O eternal  Father! to the  voice  of  the blood of  thy  beloved  Son,  which  cries  aloud  for mercy in  my  behalf: behold  how  the  whole  earth  is besprinkled,  covered,  and  overflowing,  as  it  were,  by its  mystical  effusion  upon  our  altars; and  through