most unworthy of so inestimable a blessing, vouchsafe to look upon me with mercy and compassion, for without thee, I can do nothing; receive me, O my Saviour! into the arms of thy mercy; I consecrate myself wholly to thee. O my God! the most ardent desire of my heart is to be united with thee, and to he continually employed in doing thy good pleasure and promoting thy glory. Alas! for the time past, I have acted only according to my own will, but grant me now the grace of spending the rest of my life entirely in thy holy service; pardon and purify me from all my sins, and impart to my soul a perfect purity, a profound humility, a lively faith, a firm and constant hope, an ardent and unbounded charity. For this purpose, O Jesus! be pleased to visit my poor soul in mercy, and take full possession of my heart, which I offer up to thee without reserve, and though my unworthiness prevents me from receiving thee sacramentally, be pleased to communicate thyself to me spiritually, and make me a partaker of the fruits of these divine mysteries. O my Saviour! I firmly believe that thou art truly present in

this holy sacrament; I believe that it contains thy body and blood, together with thy soul and divinity, because thou thyself hast revealed it, and I am ready to shed the last drop of my blood, in testimony of this divine truth. I confess I am unworthy of approaching thee, being a poor miserable sinner; but thou art the light of my countenance and my God! O Jesus! my hope and confidence is fixed in thee, because thou art my God; and though I am most unworthy myself, yet I firmly trust in thy goodness, that thou wilt never forsake me, who thus entirely depend on thee, and for whom thou hast performed so many wonders. For these, O my God! I desire to love thee, for these I desire to bless thee, for these I offer myself to thy service, forever. I love thee with my whole heart and soul, I love thee above all things, and desire to love thee alone, because thou only art worthy of my love. Thou art my supreme good, my chief happiness! O come into my heart, my God! and take possession of my soul, for without thy presence, I cannot live. In thee is life, in thee is all good, in thee is joy forevermore!

As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so does my soul thirst after thee, O Jesus! O when shall I come and appear before thee, to see thee as thou art, and to enjoy thy blessed company forever? Till then, O my God! be pleased to refresh my poor soul frequently with thy divine presence in these adorable mysteries, for thou art its true food and nourishment. Grant me the grace to receive thee spiritually, and to partake of thy heavenly benediction. Come then, O Jesus! come quickly, infuse thyself wholly into my soul which longs to receive thee; send me not away empty, whose whole dependence is on thee, but pour forth into my heart such a plentiful effusion of thy heavenly graces, that I may be perfectly united with thee, and never more be separated from thee, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest one God, world without end. Amen.

A prayer after the Communion.

I RETURN thee now, most hearty thanks, O my God! through Jesus Christ thy Son, that thou hast been pleased to deliver him up for

us to a cruel death, and to give us his body and blood as a sacrament and a sacrifice, in these holy mysteries at which thou hast permitted me to assist this day. May all heaven and earth bless and praise thee forever for all thy mercies. Pardon me, dear Lord! all my distractions, and the manifold negligences I have been guilty of this day in thy sight; and let me not depart without thy benediction. Behold I desire from this moment to give up myself, and all that belongs to me, into thy hands; and I beg that all my undertakings, all my thoughts, words and actions, may henceforward be directed to thy glory, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

At the Blessing.

MAY the blessing of the Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost descend upon us, and dwell with us forever. Amen.

PRAYERS BEFORE COMMUNION.

Act of Faith.

I FIRMLY believe, O divine Jesus! that thou art truly present in the blessed sacrament of the altar. I believe that it really and substantially contains thy body and blood, thy soul and divinity. I acknowledge these wonders, and adore the power that has wrought them, the same power that said, "be light made, and light was made." Yes, dear

Saviour! I openly confess, that it is thou thyself I am going to receive, thou who for us wast born in a stable, and who, though now gloriously seated on thy heavenly throne, still remainest on earth, to feed and comfort our souls: "Verily thou art a hidden God, the God of Israel, the Saviour."

Act of Humility and Contrition.

WHO am I, O God of majesty and infinite perfection! who am I that thou shouldst vouch