Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/158

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Confession. Accept on my behalf, O adorable Jesus! the clear view thou hadst of all my sins in the Garden of Olives, to supply for my imperfect knowledge of them, or any defect in my examination. I offer up thy sighs, thy tears, thy fainting, thy bloody sweat, and the bitter anguish which penetrated thy amiable heart, to supply for the weakness of my contrition. I offer thee thy merciful resolution of dying for the expiation of sin, to atone for any deficiency thou mayst discern in my determination never more to offend thee, and to perform all the actions of my life in the spirit of contrition and penance. O adorable Heart of Jesus! which was sorrowful even unto death for those very sins I am about to accuse myself of; which was wounded on the Cross, and thus became the refuge of sinners, I call on thee now with all the earnestness, humility, and confidence I am capable of, and entreat of thee, by thy infinite love for sinners, to remember all I cost thee, and to apply to my soul abundantly the infinite merits of thy humiliations, sufferings, and anguish.

INVOCATION.

O HOLY God, who art always ready to receive sinners into thy favour and to pardon them; look mercifully upon my poor soul, which after so many offences returns again to thee, in order to obtain pardon through thy Holy Sacrament. Grant me the necessary preparation; enlighten my understanding, that I may see all my sins: soften my heart, that I may be truly sorry for them; direct my words, that I may make a good confession, and thereby obtain forgiveness; and let not my self-love blind me in any way.