clad in their white robes encompass thee: may the choir of joyful virgins receive thee: and mayest thou meet with a blessed repose in the bosom of the patriarchs: may Jesus Christ appear to thee with a mild and joyful countenance, and appoint thee a place amongst those who are to stand before Him for ever. Mayest thou be a stranger to all that is punished with darkness, chastised with flames, and condemned to torments. May the most wicked enemy, with all his evil spirits, be forced to give way: may he tremble at thy approach in the company of angels, and with confusion fly away into the vast chaos of eternal night. Let God arise and His enemies be dispersed, and let them that hate Him fly before His face, let them vanish like smoke; and as wax that melts before the fire, so let sinners perish in the sight of God; but may the just rejoice and be happy in His presence. May then all the legions of hell be confounded and put to shame; and may none of the ministers of Satan dare to stop thee in thy way. May Christ deliver thee from torments, who was crucified for thee. May He deliver thee from eternal death, who vouchsafed to die for thee. May Jesus Christ the Son of the living God place thee in the ever-verdant lawns of His Paradise; and may He, the true Shepherd, acknowledge thee for one of His flock. May He absolve thee from all thy sins, and place thee at His right hand in the midst of His elect. Mayest thou see thy Redeemer face to face, and standing always in His presence, behold with happy eyes the most clear truth. And mayest thou be placed among the companies of the blessed, and enjoy the sweetness of the contemplation of thy God for ever. Amen. Receive, O Lord, thy servant into the place of salvation, which he hopes to obtain through thy mercy. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant from all danger of hell; and from all pain and tribulation. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Enoch and Elias from the common death of the world. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Noah from the flood. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Abraham from the midst of the Chaldeans. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Job from all his afflictions. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Isaac from being sacrificed by his father. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Lot from being destroyed in the flames of Sodom. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Moses from the hands of Pharaoh king of Egypt. B. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Daniel from the lion's den. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst the Three Children from the fiery furnace, and from the hands of an unmerciful king. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Susanna from her false ac cusers. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst David from the hands of Saul and Goliah. R. Amen. Deliver, O Lord, the soul of thy servant, as thou deliveredst Peter and Paul out of prison. R. Amen. And as thou deliveredst that blessed Virgin and martyr, Saint Thecla, from three most cruel torments: so vouchsafe to deliver the soul of this thy servant, and bring it to the participation of thy heavenly joys. R. Amen. We commend to thee, O Lord, the soul of thy servant N. and we beseech thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, that as in mercy to him thou becamest man, so now thou wouldst vouchsafe to admit him to the bosom of thy patriarchs. Remember, O Lord, he is thy creature, not made by strange gods, but by thee, the only living and true God; for there is no other but thee, and none that can equal thy works. Let his soul rejoice in thy presence, and remember not his former iniquities and excesses, which he has fallen into through the violence of passion, and the corruption of his nature. For although he has sinned, yet he has always firmly believed in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; he has had a zeal for thy honour, and faithfully adored thee as his God, and the Creator of all things. Remember not, O Lord, we beseech thee, the sins of his youth, and his ignorances; but according to thy great mercy, be mindful of him in thy heavenly glory. Let the heavens be opened to him, and the angels rejoice with him. Let the archangel St. Michael, whom thou hast appointed the chief of the heavenly host, conduct him. Let the holy angels come out to meet him, and carry him to the city of the heavenly Jerusalem. Let blessed Peter the apostle, to whom God gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven, receive him. Let St. Paul the apostle, who was a vessel of election, assist him. Let St. John the beloved disciple, to whom the secrets of heaven were revealed, intercede for him. Let all the holy apostles, who received from Jesus Christ the power of binding and loosing, pray for him. Let all the saints and elect of God, who in this world have suffered torments for the name of Christ, intercede for him; that being freed from the prison of his body, he may be admitted into the glory of thy heavenly kingdom: through the grace and merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth one God, world without end. Amen. If the dying person continue long in his agony, the 17th, 18th, and 19th chapters of the Gospel according to St. John, may be read. A Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ, commemorating the several stages of His Passion, to be said by the dying person, or by another for him. V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless +hee. |