He comes to you to take possession of your soul, to unite you to Himself, and to make you His for all eternity. He comes out of pure love, to make you happy in Him, to fill your soul with all the treasures of His grace here, and to ensure unto you the possession of His heavenly glory hereafter. Raise your heart then to Him by a most perfect act of divine love; desiring on your part to receive Him with all the affection of your soul, and to make Him truly welcome by giving yourself entirely to Him, to be united to Him by eternal love.

Say to Him from your heart (if not in words, at least in thought): Sweet Jesus, I believe in thee, do thou increase my faith. All my hopes are in thy goodness and mercy. I love thee with my whole heart and soul, and I desire to love thee for ever. O come, my God and Saviour, and take full possession of my soul, and let nothing in life or death evermore separate me from thee!

AFTER COMMUNION.

Return thanks now to your Saviour Jesus Christ, whom you have received in His holy sacrament, and make an offering of all the powers of your soul, and of your whole being to Him. Reflect how great is your happiness in being thus united to Him, in having Him come to take up His abode in your breast; and by this union becoming entitled to that

everlasting life which He has graciously promised to all who worthily receive Him. Say now, with the Spouse in the Canticles (iii. 4), I have found him whom my soul loveth, I will hold him fast, and will not let him go. Invite all heaven and earth, with all the Angels and Saints of God, to bless Him, to praise Him, and to glorify Him for ever, for this and the innumerable other mercies and favours He has bestowed upon you: and wish that you had all the hearts and tongues of the whole world, that you might employ them all in worthy thanksgiving and love. Beg of Him, who knows your inability to make a suitable return for these His favours, to accept of your good will, and of your heart, and to give His blessing to this poor dwelling into which He has vouchsafed to enter. Beg of Him to wash away all your sins with His precious blood, and to strengthen you in such manner by His grace, that you may henceforward be ever faithful to Him, and may never more drive Him from you by sin. Behold I leave you now in His blessed company; keep as close to Him as you can, and entertain yourself sweetly and quietly with Him.

BEFORE EXTREME UNCTION.

Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has been pleased to institute, besides the holy Communion, another heavenly medicine for the benefit of the sick, which is the Sacrament of Extreme Unction; according to what we read in the Epistle of St. James, where it is said: Is any man sick among you, let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man ; and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him. (v. 14.)— You see here the authority for administering to the sick this holy Unction, from the express word of God. And also the great graces and benefits which God promises to bestow on every one who receives this Sacrament with proper dispositions, namely, that he will save the sick man, will raise him up from his sick bed, if He sees his recovery expedient for the welfare of his soul; and, what is infinitely more desirable than corporal health, will impart to him the forgiveness of his sins. Acknowledge, then, the infinite goodness of your Redeemer, and with the most lively sentiments of gratitude and love, embrace the great grace which is here prepared for you in this heavenly institution: and join your attention and

devotion, with the prayers we shall now make to our Lord, for the healing of your soul and body, and to obtain for you the full remission of all your sins. And as the eyes, the ears, and the other organs of sense, are the instruments by which men are led to offend Almighty God, they will on that account be anointed with the holy Oil: whilst we apply this holy Oil to your eyes, your ears, and your other senses, do you, with a contrite and humble heart, implore the mercy of God for the forgiveness of all the sins which through these avenues have made their way into your soul. Pray also for His supporting grace in this your illness; and that you may continue to the end ever faithful to Him.

While the Priest is administering this Sacrament to the sick person, one of the assistants may, before each Unction, read one of the following short prayers, corresponding to the organ of sense that is next to be anointed, that it may be repeated by the sick person.

My eyes have seen vanities, but now let them be shut to the world, and open to thee alone, my Jesus; and pardon me all the sins I have committed by my seeing.

My ears have been open to detraction, profaneness, and unprofitable discourses: let me now give ear to thy word, to thy commands,

and thy call; and pardon me, O Jesus, all the sins I have committed by my hearing.

I have taken delight in the perfumes of this world, which are nothing but corruptions: now let my heart and prayers ascend like incense in thy sight, and pardon me all the sins I have committed by my smelling.

My tongue has many ways offended, both in speaking and tasting; now let its whole business be to cry for mercy: Pardon me, dear Jesus, all the sins I have committed by words, or by any excess in eating and drinking.

My hands have offended in contributing to many follies injurious to myself and my neighbour: now let them be lifted up to Heaven in testimony of a penitent heart; and pardon me, O Lord, all the sins I have committed by the ill use of my hands.

My feet have gone astray in the paths of vanity and sin: now let me walk in the way of thy Commandments; and forgive me, O Lord, all the sins I have committed by my disordered steps.

AFTER EXTREME UNCTION.

Return thanks now to your loving Saviour with your whole heart, for having favoured you with all these helps in your sickness. Reflect how many are carried off by sudden death, or otherwise die without the holy Sa