Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/91



EFLECT that  Christ,  your  model  and  example, having offered  himself  to  the  Eternal  Father  to die  for  the  expiation  of  sin,  it  is  but  just  you  should offer to  do  the  same.

ETERNAL Father! behold thy  dear  Son,  who out of  his  abundant  charity  offered  himself  to die  for  my  sins  and  offences: is  it  not  just  that  I should  imitate  this  divine  model? I offer thee  then my heart,  my  soul,  my  liberty,  and  my  life,  united  to those  of  my  dear  Saviour,  that  so  they  may  find favour in  thy  sight. Like a criminal  guilty  of treason,  condemned  by  thy  divine  Majesty  to  death, I submit, and  rejoice  that  my  body  will  be  reduced to dust,  that  thereby  the  faults  which  my  proud mind has  committed  for  its  sake  may  be  punished. But, oh! let my  soul  return  to  thy  hands  from whence it  came. I resign myself  to  all  the  bitterness, temptations, pains,  and  anguish,  which  may  accompany my  death,  begging  thy  support  under  them. This being  all  I can  offer  to  thy  divine  Majesty  in atonement  for  my  sins,  I beseech  thee  to  accept  of it,  to  forget  my  iniquities,  and  to  remember  that  I am  the  work  of  thy  hands,  the  price  of  thy  blood, the conquest  of  thy  cross. “I am thine,  save  me: for I have sought  thy  justifications .”  ( Psalm  cxviii.  94.)

I protest before  thee,  my  God,  that  I will  never  admit any  thoughts  but  such  as  are  conformable  to what  faith  teaches; that  I will  hope  in  thy  mercy, and love  thy  goodness: and  if  any  sentiments  contrary to  these  present  themselves  to  my  mind,  I reject  and  disavow  them. I recommend my  soul,