תמונות בעמוד
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A Prayer before receiving.

Ir is with fear and trembling, O Jesus, that I approach to thy banquet, having nothing to confide in but thy goodness and mercy, being of myself a sinner, destitute of all virtue. My soul and body are defiled with many crimes; my thoughts and tongue in disorder, and under no restraint. In this wretched condition I hasten to thee most compassionate physician, the fountain of all goodness, that I may be healed. I fly under the wings of thy paternal protection, hoping thou wilt be my Saviour, tho' I dare not appear before thee as my judge. To thee I expose all my wounds, to thee I discover all my shame. My sins, I confess, are so innumerable and enormous, as to make me despair, if thou didst not encourage me to hope in thy mercies, which are infinite. Look therefore on me with the eyes of compassion, O Lord Jesus Christ, eternal King, God and man, who was : crucified for the sins of men.

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mercy on me, thou inexhaustible fountain of goodness. Hail, saving Victim, offered on the cross for me and all mankind. Hail, generous and precious blood, flowing from thy wounds, and washing away the sins of the world. Remember thy creature, O Lord, whom

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thou hast redeemed by thy death. I am truly sorry for my offences, of which h am resolved to amend. Wash aways therefore all my sins, and blot out my iniquities, that purified in soul and body, I may worthily approach the Holy of Holies; and grant that thy precious body and blood, which I now, thols uns worthy, am about to receive, may avaib to a full discharge from the guilt of all my crimes, a victory over my evil thoughts, the beginning of a new dife, the seed of good works, and a sure pro tection of soul and body against all thei snares of my enemies.) vlol od to Another. A bas tuodliw

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ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, behold I come to partake of the adorable sacrament of the body and blood of thy only Son our Lord Jesus Christ. WWI come as one sick to the physician ofe life; as one unclean to the fountain of mercy; as one blind to the light of eterni nal glory; and as one poor and dis1 tressed to the Lord of heaven and earth.A And I beseech thee, that in the excess o of thy infinite bounty, thou wouldst vouchsafe to heal my infirmitiesy dwashit away all that defiles me, remove myɔ blindness, relieve my necessities, and d clothe me with thy grace, that Lomay s receive thee, the bread of angels, King

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of kings, and Lord of lords, with such reverence and humility;such contrition and devotion; such purity and faith, as may be available to the salvation of my soul. Grant that I may so partake of the same blessed body which was born of the Virgin Mary, in so worthy a manner, as to become a living member of his mystical body. Grant, most lov ing Father, that I may hereafter behold thy beloved Son, whom I now desire to receive under the veil of bread, and rejoice for ever in his presence, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

bo) At the Time of Communion. A - Is there any thing more to be observed at the time of communion ? yes 384 olda I When a person has duly prepared himself, he ought, at the time of communion, too have regard to two things, viz. the interior employment of his heart, and a reverent exterior comportment of body Ast to the first, during the Confiteor, he ought to humble himself in acknow ledgment of his unworthiness, being nothing but dust and ashes, and, on account of his sins, rather deserving to be cast out of the sight of God, than be admitted to this banquet. Whilst the priest gives the absolution, let him,

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with the utmost fervour of soul, beg of God to purify his heart by a lively faith, and confidence in the entire remission of all his sins and when the priest holds the blessed sacrament in his hands, let him with the profoundest adoration pay homage to his Lord and Redeemer. At the repetition of "Domine non sum dignus," let him again, after humbly confessing his unworthiness, place his confidence in the power and goodness of God, going on with those words, "speak the word, and my soul shall be healed." And when he receives the blessed Sacrament within his lips, then ought his heart to be inflamed with love, accompanied by a lively faith and firm hope in the goodness of his Lord; then ought he to adore and praise his God and Redeemer with all the faculties of his soul; for since God condescends to make a heaven of his heart, by his coming to reside therein, what can he do less than endeavour to supply the part of the angels and blessed spirits, who in the presence of their Lord fall down and adore him, giving blessing, and glory, and thanksgiving, and honour to him that sits on the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.

How must he regulate himself as to his body?

1. He must communicate fasting from all kinds of meat, drink, physic, &c. from the preceding midnight, except in the extremity of sickness, when the blessed sacrament is received by way of viaticum. 2. As to his dress, he ought to be decently attired, so as to be free from all appearance of vanity; and yet not so slovenly as to be censured for any irreverence or disrespect. Thus habited, in going now to the holy table, every thing ought to be laid aside that may occasion disturbance to himself or others, as book, hat, gloves, stick, &c. then taking the towel, and holding it up before his breast, without putting it to his mouth, either before or after receiving, let him kneel upright, with his eyes closed, or rather bent reverently downwards. Let him also be careful not to snatch back his head suddenly upon receiving the sacred host: nor to bend downwards, nor raise the towel suddenly to his mouth; but in this posture, having his lips moderately open, let him receive it on his tongue resting on his under lip, and so bring it into his mouth and should a part of the sacred host accidentally stick to the roof of his mouth, let him not be disquieted, but let it pass gently down. Having in this manner

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