Meekness may mitigate our sufferings here; and make our time pass more gently away; But to be fully happy we must wait till thy mercy bring us to our last great end; That glorious end, for which our souls were created, and for which all things else have been subjected to our use. 'Tis not to sport our time in pleasure, that thou, O Lord! hast placed us here. 'Tis not to accumulate wealth, that thy kindness still prolongs our days; But to do good to ourselves and others; and glorify thee in ministering to thy creatures; To increase every day our longing desire of beholding thee in thy own bright essence. O glorious Lord! whose infinite sweetness excites and satisfies all our appetites! May my affections delight in thee, above all the vain enjoyments of this world; Above all praise and empty honor; above all beauty and fading pleasure: Above all health and deceitful riches, above all power and subtle knowledge: Above even all thy own bounty can give, and whatever is not thy very self. O may my wearied soul repose in thee, the home and centre of eternal rest! May I forget myself to think on thee; and my memory be filled with the wonders of thy love. That infinite love, at the thought of which, as far as my thoughts can comprehend it, The weight of my sufferings sits light upon me, and all my fears are turned into joys. O adorable Jesus! let me love thee always, because from eternity thou hast loved me. O let me love thee only, gracious God! because thou alone deservest my whole heart. Let me love thee always, O Lord! because my hope is always in thee alone. Ant. All is unquiet here till we go to thee, and repose at last in the kingdom of peace. Hymn.. JERUSALEM! my happy home, When shall my exile have an end, No sun or moon in borrowed light, The Lamb on Calvary's mountain slain From every eye he wipes the tear, The thought of thee to us is giv'n, T'anticipate the bliss of heav'n Amen. CHAPTER-1. John. 2. Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world. If any one love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world is concupiscence of the flesh, concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but of the world: and the world passes away, and the concupiscence thereof; but he that does the will of God, abides for ever. Ant. Learn of me, says our Lord, that I am meek and humble of heart; and you shall find rest to your souls. NUNC DIMITTIS. Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord! according to thy word in peace; Because my eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all thy people; A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people, Israel. Glory be to the Father, &c. Ant. Learn of me, says our Lord, that I am meek and humble of heart; and you shall find rest to your souls. V. Meekness is the heaven of this life. Let us pray. O God! whose gracious Providence has particularly ordained the spirit of meekness to waft us over the turbulent sea of this world, to the haven of eternal life; grant, we beseech thee, that the experience we daily acquire of our own weakness and vanity, may so dispose us for the practice of this virtue, that our minds be never disturbed by passion, nor our tongues break forth into harsh expressions; but by duly subjecting our temper, we may be calm and self-possessed amidst all the trials of life, and as it becomes those whose thoughts are pre-occupied with the joys of heaven, may be alive only to the sweet impulses of hope and charity; through our Lord, &c. Lord! have mercy on us. Christ! have mercy on us. Lord! have mercy on us. V. And lead us not into temptation, V. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, thou God of truth! R. Into thy hands, O Lord! I commend my spirit. V. Preserve us, O Lord! as the apple of thine eye; |