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wherewith the sacred Liturgy has nourished her, as also by the gifts poured into her by the Holy Ghost, the soul yields herself up, and without any effort, to the impulse of the divine Mover. Virtue has become all the more easy to her, as she aspires, it would almost seem, naturally, to what is most perfect; sacrifices, which used, formerly, to terrify, now delight her; she makes use of this world, as though she used it not,' for all true realities, as far as she is concerned, exist beyond this world; in a word, she longs all the more ardently after the eternal possession of the object she loves, as she has been realising even in this life, what the Apostle describes, where he speaks of a creature's being one spirit with the Lord, by being united to him in heart.

Such is the result ordinarily produced in the soul, by the sweet and healthy influence of the sacred Liturgy. But if it seem to us, that, although we have followed it in its several seasons, we have not, as yet, reached the state of detachment and expectation just described, and that the life of Christ has not, so far, absorbed our own individual life into itself,let us be on our guard against discouragement on that account. The Cycle of the Liturgy, with its rays of light and grace for the soul, is not a phenomenon that occurs only once in the heaven of holy Church; it returns each Year. Such is the merciful design of that God, who hath so loved the world, as to give it his Only Begotten Son;3 of that God, who came not to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him. Such, we say, is the Design of God; and holy Church is but carrying out that design, by putting within our reach the most powerful of all means for leading man to his God, and uniting him to his sovereign Good; she thus testifies the earnestness of her maternal solicitude. The Christian who

1 1 Cor. vii. 31.

2 Ibid. vi. 17.
4 Ibid. iii. 17.

St. John, iii. 16.

has not been led to the term we have been describing by the first half of the Cycle, will still meet, in this second, with important aids for the expansion of his faith and the growth of his love. The Holy Ghost, who reigns, in a special manner, over this portion of the Year, will not fail to influence his mind and heart; and, when a fresh Cycle commences, the work, thus begun by grace, has a new chance for receiving that completeness, which had been retarded by the weakness of human nature.

CHAPTER THE FOURTH.

MORNING AND NIGHT PRAYERS FOR THE TIME AFTER PENTECOST.

DURING this second part of the Year, the Christian, on waking in the morning, will unite himself with holy Church, who, every day, in her Office of Lauds, hails the return of light, making use of these words of the Royal Prophet:

O God, my God, unto thee do I watch at break of day.

Deus, Deus meus, ad te de luce vigilo.

He will profoundly adore the divine Majesty; and, thanking his sovereign Lord, who has protected him whilst involved in the darkness of night, he will proffer him his service for the whole day which is now commencing: he will wish to spend it in love and obedience, as behoves one whom Christ has united to himself by his mysteries, and whom the Holy Ghost is willing to guide and govern. The time for Morning Prayer being come, he may give expression to the sentiments which should then animate his soul, by using these formulas of the Church :

MORNING PRAYERS.

First, praise and adoration of the Most Holy Trinity:

V. Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

V. Benedicamus Patrem et Filium, cum Sancto Spiritu.

R. Laudemus et superexaltemus eum in sæcula. V. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.

B. Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

Then, praise to our Lord

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi;

B. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

Thirdly, invocation of

Veni, Sancte Spiritus, reple tuorum corda fidelium, et tui amoris in eis ignem accende.

B. Let us praise him and extol him above all, for ever.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

B. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

and Saviour, Jesus Christ:

V. We adore thee, O Christ, and bless thee;

R. Because, by thy holy Cross, thou hast redeemed the world.

the Holy Ghost:

Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, and enkindle within them the fire of thy love.

After these fundamental acts of religion, recite the Lord's Prayer, uniting your intentions with those which your Saviour had when he gave it to you. First, then, raise up your thoughts and desires to the interests of his glory, whilst you say the first three petitions; and in the last four, humbly put before him the favours you yourself stand in need of:

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

Pater noster, qui es in cœlis, sanctificetur nomen tuum; adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cœlo et in terra.

Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed libera nos a malo. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Then, address our Blessed Lady, using, for this purpose, the words of the Angelical Salutation. Whilst saying it, think of the share she took in the mysteries, whereby we have been saved, and united to God. Think, too, of the immense power given to her by her divine Son, and of the maternal love she bears for us mortals.

THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION.

Hail Mary, full of grace: the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Ave Maria, gratia plena; Dominus tecum; benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus.

Sancta Maria, mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostræ. Amen.

After this, you should recite the Creed, that is, the Symbol of Faith. It contains the dogmas we are to believe, and which we have seen, in such living reality, by means of the Liturgy which has celebrated them, each in its turn. Faith is the first bond which unites us to God. It is Faith that gives us to know him, and reveals to us the object of our hope and our love. Our Faith should be dearer to us than our life, and we should be ever praying for its increase.

THE APOSTLES' CREED.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

And, in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell, the third day he arose again from

Credo in Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, creatorem cœli et terræ.

Et in Jesum Christum Filium ejus unicum, Dominum nostrum: qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto, natus ex Maria Virgine, passus sub Pontio Pilato, crucifixus, mortuus et sepultus: descendit ad inferos,

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