The Catholic Prayer Book and Manual of Meditations/A Method of Hearing Mass after Communion
A METHOD OF
Hearing Mass after Communion.
AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE MASS.
O DIVINE Jesus, I possess thee now: thou thyself, omnipotent as thou art, can give me nothing more estimable, more precious. O my God, how canst thou possibly endure thy present habitation, far more wretched than the stable in which thou wert born! How eanst thou remain with a soul so ungrateful, so tepid, and, even at this moment, so little penetrated with a sense of thy divine presence.! O God, how hast thou multiplied thy mercies in favour of thy least deserving creature ! Should not the profusion of thy benefits terrify me, when I consider my poverty, misery, and inability to acknowledge or repay them? Yet, on the other hand, O divine Benefactor of my soul, when was I ever so rich as at present? Convinced, then, of my personal indigence, yet filled with gratitude for the dignity to which I am raised by the union I have contracted with my Redeemer, I will again offer thee, O King of heaven and earth, a victim of thanksgiving proportioned to thy gifts; I will offer thee a host of praise, immolated not only on this altar, but in the midst of my heart.
And thou, O Jesus, sweet and mild, and plenteous in mercy ( Psalm xxxv.), give ear to my earnest petition; let me be now so closely united to thee that I may become one with thee; create within me that humble, meek, and fervent heart, which will make me pleasing and acceptable in thy sight; let thy divine presence fill my soul with consolation and peace, and let thy mercies be now upon me, according to the hope I have placed in thee.
AT THE GLORIA IN EXCELSIS.
O GOD of my soul, worthy and adorable object of the praise and benediction of all creatures, permit me to sing to thee a new canticle, because in my favour thou hast done wonderful things. (Psalm xcvii. 1.) Permit me to bless thy adorable name, because thou art good, and thy mercy endureth for ever. In union with him who is the brightness of thy glory, and the figure of thy substance ( Heb . i. 3), I praise thee, I bless thee, I adore thee, and rejoice in all that glory, that felicity, which is essential to thyself, and which the ingratitude of thy creatures can never lessen. Why cannot I extol thy goodness with lips purified as were those of thy prophet? Why cannot I, O Jesus, residing in my heart, bum with the ardours which consumed the heavenly spirits who first sung the praises of thy hidden majesty? More ardent, though infinitely less favoured than I am, they proclaimed with joy the blessings thou wert come to scatter on earth. Oh, that I had the hearts, the voices of men and angels, to thank thee for those with which thy coming this day has enriched me! O King of peace, reign in my soul, and let thy dominion be absolute over all its powers, affections, desires, and movements. Let my perverse inclinations become submissive to the orders of thy amiable providence, that I may have no will but thine, no pursuit but that of pleasing thee, and no desire but that of enjoying thee eternally.
AT THE GOSPEL.
O ETERNAL Truth, how happy are those who listen to thy divine inspirations, who hide thy words in their hearts that they may never sin against thee! {Psalm cxviii. 11.) Oh, that my ways may be henceforth directed to keep thy justifications ! {Psalm cxviii. 5.) Oh, that I may this day learn from thy own lips, that true life consists in knowing and loving thee alone! Eternal wisdom, proceeding out of the mouth of the Most High, my heart is at this moment thy throne and thy possession; teach me to practise the virtues of humility, charity, and obedience. But, alas! divine Jesus, I deserve not thy heavenly lessons; I am unworthy that thou shouldst speak to my soul; for I have often transgressed thy law, trampled on thy graces, and slighted thy inspirations. I have gone astray from thee like a sheep that was lost; but, O charitable Pastor, seek thy servant, because, amid all my wanderings, I have not forgotten thy commandments ( Psalm cxviii. 176); I have never ceased to acknowledge thee for my God, my Redeemer, my heavenly Guide. Oh, had I fled from sin with the horror it is calculated to inspire — had I valued as I ought the graces which were purchased for me by thy precious blood — how near should I be to thee at this moment! how pleasing would my sold be in thy sight! how dear would it be to thy merciful heart! O my God, the hope and salvation of those who trust in thee, enlighten my darkness, that I may know* thy testimonies, for I have inclined my heart to keep them for ever. (Psalm cxviii.)
AT THE OFFERTORY.
O ADORABLE Jesus, how insensible should I be to my own eternal and temporal welfare, did I refuse my heart to thee, for whom it was created, and who alone can satisfy its desires ! Yet, my God, in offering thee all that I have, what do I present? A soul, redeemed indeed by thy precious blood, but stained with such sins as should render it hateful in thy sight; an ungrateful heart, which thou hast repeatedly demanded, but which I have so long refused. O my God, canst thou accept now a gift which thy mercy alone could have caused thee to require? Yes, divine Jesus, thou wilt now accept my offering, for I present it to thee, not as my heart, but as thy sanctuary: not single, but incorporated with thee by the closest union which God can grant to his creature here below. O most merciful Lord, do thou crown all thy mercies, by bestowing on me that humble, contrite heart which is the only offering thou desirest to receive from thy creatures. O Divine Lord, assisted by that grace which I have this day abundantly received, I now make thee a free oblation of my whole being, to which I am determined never more to be unfaithful.
AT THE PREFACE.
O KING of heaven and earth, thou art he whose greatness and whose majesty no created intelligence can ever comprehend, and whose amiable perfections no human heart can ever sufficiently love. How, then, shall I presume to appear before thee? How shall I pronounce that sacred name I am so unworthy to utter? Yet, my God, permit me, for the sake of the adorable Victim I have received, to offer thee my most fervent adoration, in union with the angels who surround this altar; or rather, in union with the acceptable adorations of my divine Redeemer, the Holy of Holies, the Lord of angels.
By thee, O great High Priest, who hath passed into the heavens ( Heb . iv. 14), I can join worthily in the praises which resound in the heavenly Jerusalem! Thou art come to me this day in the name of the Lord. Blessed for ever be that infinite mercy which is come to pardon me! Blessed be that love which is come to inflame me! Blessed be that liberality which is come to enrich me! O Son of David, Son of the Most High God, may never-ending Hosannas celebrate thy mercies heaped on me! and may I, through thy infinite goodness, one day join in the praise which will ascend before thy throne for all eternity!
AT THE CANON.
O DIVINE Jesus, the Redeemer of all mankind, who art come to save even those who were lost, whose adorable blood was shed for many to the remission of sins, deign to listen to the prayers I now offer, not for myself alone, but for the great family of mankind, whose Creator, Lord, and sovereign Master thou art. Permit me to offer my supplications for the peace and prosperity of that Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, which was founded on thy unerring word, established by thy miracles, enriched by thy merits, and peopled by thy saints — of that Church, whose unworthy child I am, in whose bosom, through thy grace, I resolve to live and to die — that Church, which has this day imparted to me her most precious treasure, in giving me the adorable body and blood of her heavenly Spouse.
O my God, bless, sanctify, and protect the Pope, thy representative on earth; have mercy on the bishops, priests, and all who labour in thy vineyard; animate them with zeal for the salvation of souls, who are the purchase of thy blood; give them prudence, perseverance, humility, and patience; inflame their hearts with that ardent zeal which consumed thy holy apostles; render their lives as holy as the law they inculcate; make them all according to thy own divine heart; and let their light so shine before men, that they, seeing their good works, may glorify their Father who is in heaven. ( Matt . v. 16.) O my God, I seek not that which is profitable to myself, but to many, that they may be saved (1 Cor. x. 33); therefore I most earnestly conjure thee to show forth the riches of thy infinite mercy, by pardoning those who are in the dreadful state of mortal sin. Thou art the Lamb that was slain, and hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us to our God a kingdom. ( Apoc . v. 9, 10.) Let none, then, be excluded from that saving faith, which is the only sure road to thee; let all hear thy voice, O good Pastor of our souls, that all may follow thee; and let there be but one sheepfold and one shepherd. Permit me also, adorable Jesus, to implore thy mercy on all who, having received from thee the precious gift of faith, have suffered the light to become darkness in their hearts. O Lord, forgive them, for they know not what they do; convert them, and they shall be converted; teach them before it be too late, that they are created to love and serve thee alone, and let that important truth be so deeply impressed on their hearts, that they may sincerely return to thy love and service.
AT THE ELEVATION.
O DIVINE Lord, by what miracle of mercy do I again behold thee on this altar? Ah, my God ! when wilt thou set bounds to that love which is so often abused? when wilt thou shield thy too often slighted Majesty from the insults it receives in this ineffable mystery! Oh, that I could repair them all in this moment by the sacrifice of ten thousand lives ! O divine Jesus, how true it is, that thy delight is to be with the children of men (Prov. viii. 31); for though thy eternal throne is surrounded by heavenly spirits, who adore thee as a God of infinite majesty, and who love thee as the source of infinite goodness itself, yet thou bowest the very heavens to come on this altar, and even into the wretched mansion of my soul. I need not then ascend to heaven to find thee, O Lord! I need not even seek thee on this altar; for in this happy moment I enjoy thy sacramental presence. O divine Lord, what great things hast thou done in my soul! But, my God, what can be the reason that I am so little sensible of thy adorable presence? How is it possible that I conceal fire in my bosom, and yet do not bum? ( Prov . vi. 27.) Why am I so slothful and tepid, when I possess in my soul the fountain of life V Alas! how little return of gratitude hast thou ever met in my heart! but, my God, what can resist thee? Hast thou not often triumphed over hearts equal even in malice to mine? Do then, I conjure thee, that for which thou art come; transform me into thyself, and let me experience the effect of the petition thou didst deign to make on our behalf, viz., that we should be one with thee, as thou and thy heavenly Father art one. ( John xvii. 21.)
AT THE SECOND MEMENTO.
O ALMIGHTY God, the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in thee, even though he were dead, shall certainly live, and enjoy in thy kingdom the true liberty of the children of God. Look then, I beseech thee, with compassion and mercy on those suffering souls who have always believed and confessed thy name. O sovereign Lord, remember that they are the work of thy own hands ( Job x. 3), created in thy power, redeemed in thy mercy, preserved in thy goodness, and formed to thy adorable image. Ah! why then hidest thou thy adorable face from those who have been dear to thy sacred heart, and who long to behold and enjoy thee, their sovereign beatitude? Accept, O eternal God, in their favour, the adorable Victim who now offers himself to thee on this altar, and whom I likewise possess in the centre of my soul. Apply to them also, O Lord, the indulgence which the Church this day holds forth in thy name to worthy communicants, and let not my imperfect dispositions be an obstacle to the exercise of thy mercy on their behalf. In consideration of thy beloved Son, cease to remember their iniquities, and take no further revenge of their sins. I particularly implore thy mercy, O Lord, for my parents, friends, and benefactors; for all those who are most abandoned; for those to whose sufferings I may have been accessory; for all who, during life, were most devoted to the adorable sacrament of thy love; and also for those who were the fervent clients of thy blessed Mother. O Almighty Lord, transport them into thy bosom, where they shall be replenished with the goods of thy house; confirm them in thy sight for ever, that they may joyfully sing a hymn to thee in Sion, and pay to thee a vow in Jerusalem. ( Ps . lxiv. 1.)
AT THE PATER NOSTER.
ALMIGHTY Lord, how shall I presume to address thee as my Father, since by my abuse of thy mercies I have forfeited the title of thy child? O my God, I acknowledge that I have squandered thy graces; that I have been deaf to thy voice; and have abandoned thee, my only good. I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and were I treated as I deserve, I should be for ever excluded from that kingdom which I was created to enjoy. Yet, notwithstanding all, I will not despair, for I possess in my soul the sweet pledge of my forgiveness. Thou canst not behold me without looking at the same time on the face of that dear Son, whose delight (while on earth) and whose food it was to do thy will. But, O my God, hast thou not already anticipated my conversion? Didst thou not see from afar, by facilitating to me the means of return to thy arms? Didst thou not clothe me in the tribunal of thy mercy with the robe of innocence? And this very day hast thou not fed me with the heavenly banquet, which is only prepared for the children of thy kingdom? Why didst thou load me with mercies, often denied to those whom thou hast always with thee, and who have never disobeyed thee in anything? Ah! it is because I was lost, and thou hast found me; because I was dead, and by thy all-reviving grace I am now re-animated. Oh, complete thy mercies, infinite goodness! restore unto me *the joy of thy salvation ( Psalm 1. 14); restore unto me that peace and happiness I once enjoyed in thy service. 1 am not worthy to be called thy child; but I entreat thee once more, in the name of thy beloved Son, to receive me among the last of those who are happy enough to love and serve thee.
AT THE DOMINE NON SUM DIGNUS.
DIVINE Jesus, I was not worthy to receive thee — I am unworthy to possess thee — and I acknowledge myself infinitely undeserving of thy stay in my sinful heart. Oh, may the love and humility of this thy minister, and of all those happy souls who are at this moment about to receive thee in any part of the world, supply for the little preparation thou hast found in my heart; and may their thanksgiving and lively gratitude offer thee such homage as thou canst never expect to receive from me. My God, since thou hast condescended to enter under my roof — since thou hast come in person to heal my soul, when one word would have sufficed — leave me not without effecting the cure for which thou art come; depart not until thou hast planted on the ruins of my pride and vanity the divine virtues of humility and meekness, so strongly inculcated by the divine example. Teach me, I beseech thee, to walk in thy footsteps; make choice of my heart, to model it after thine, and to adorn it with the solid virtues of charity, patience, compassion for the poor and afflicted, a lively horror of sin, and of all that offends thy divine Majesty.
AT THE BLESSING AND LAST GOSPEL.
MY God, thou shalt never leave me until thou bless me — until thou givest me that efficacious benediction which will be the safeguard of thy graces. That the world may know I sincerely love thee, and have had the happiness of receiving thee, I will follow thee, and serve thee faithfully to the last moment of life; but yet, my God, with what diffidence should I make these promises! How often have I promised to be faithful to thy law, and yet, on occasions of trial, how repeatedly have I transgressed! Thou hast given me thy precious body and blood, yet I have ungratefully refused thee the most trifling sacrifices. Thus have I hitherto acted; and what I once did, I may and certainly shall do again, if not supported by thy powerful grace. Yet, notwithstanding my experience of past weakness, I do again promise to keep thy Commandments, to love thee and serve thee with all my heart and soul. Remain with me, O divine Lord, by the influence of thy all-powerful grace; take my whole being, and reign over me so absolutely, that I may never acknowledge any kind of master but thee. May I rather die than forget thy infinite goodness and unspeakable mercies; may these same mercies give thee glory; and may they follow me all the days of my life. ( Psalm cvi. 8, xx. 6.) In the strength of the heavenly nourishment I have received, may I walk steadily in the paths of virtue, until I come to that happy region where I shall certainly sing, “ Benediction, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honour, and power, and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen.” (Apoc. v. 12.)