Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/64

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
46
PRAYERS AT MASS.

sacrifice for us all, after having suffered man cruel torments for us; and that by thy glorious resurrection and admirable ascension, thou hast opened the gates of heaven for us. I most firmly believe, that in these sacred mysteries thou art truly and really present, and that thy sacred body and blood are here offered up in sacrifice, and verily and indeed received by the faithful in remembrance of thy death. Oh! how happy are those souls who worthily receive thee in this divine sacrament. Oh! what graces, what sanctity do they receive from this fountain of all sanctity. Oh! that I were so happy as to approach this day to thy heavenly banquet, and to feed on the food of life, the bread of angels! But, alas! I am the most wretched of all sinners, who, from my first coming to the use of reason, till this hour, have in innumerable ways offended thee, my God. My soul is overspread with an universal leprosy, covered on all sides with ulcers, and unclean and filthy beyond measure, and therefore, infinitely unworthy to approach to the Lord of all purity and sanctity. In this lamentable state that I am, I dare not so much as look up to thine altar, much less approach to it, but with