blot out all my iniquities. To thee I offer myself in thee I trust. Pardon the imperfections of my contrition, and let thy mercy supply what is wanting on my part. Let thy Holy Spirit again beam upon my soul, and so purify and becalm it that it may again become the abode of thy all-saving grace. Pardon and protect me, my God, I beseech thee, through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God for ever and ever. Amen. With humility and sorrow, kneel down in the confessional and make the sign of the cross, saying "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost," then add "Pray, father, give me your blessing, for I have sinned." When the priest has given his blessing, repeat the Confiteor, or "I confess to almighty God," &c. (as in page 4.) as far as "through my fault, through my fault through my most grievous fault." Here stop and mention all the sins that you can remember having committed since your last confession, or which you had then omitted or forgotten and in your manner of doing so be guided by these three essential rules: First Let your confession be entire; keeping back no sin wilfully-for to do so would make your confession of no use in itself, and would be adding the great sin of sacrilege to your former guilt. Tell the quality, and, where you are able, the number of your sins: and whatever aggravating circumstances may belong to each. Shew But Secondly: Let your confession be pure from all deceit and pretence. Say every thing with truth and exactness: what you are sure of, as certain; what you doubt of, as doubtful. yourself such as you believe yourself to be. let your confession be free from excuses and needless words; avoid all that has nothing to do with the matter in hand; do not tell the faults of others; do not name any one without need; and proceed through the whole as shortly and clearly as possible. Thirdly: Let your confession be humble. Remember that you are in the presence of God: that it is from Him you ask absolution, by means of His minister. Behave, therefore, reverently; and use such language as may show your sorrow to be sincere and free from affectation. Then add " Of these and all other sins which I may not have been able to recollect, I am resolved to amend myself, and I humbly beg pardon of God, and penance and absolution. Therefore I beseech the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael," &c., and so continue and finish the Confiteor. Then listen devoutly and attentively to whatever advice or injunction your confessor may give you; and retire with the firm purpose of fulfilling, without delay, the penance enjoined, and the conditions on which your absolution was given, and of amending your conduct for the time to come. A PRAYER AFTER CONFESSION. Almighty God! who art the judge of the living and of the dead, ratify, I beseech thee, the pardon which has just been pronounced in my favour. Do thou unbind in heaven what thy minister has loosed on earth. Oh, I bless and praise thee, my God, for having delivered me from the yoke which enthralled me: for having freed me from the weight of those sins which I shall now only think of with renewed sorrow, For thou didst touch my heart and I detested my faults: thou didst loosen my tongue, and I declared them to thy priest: and thou hast forgiven me by his voice. Accept of my thankfulness, O my God! and grant that I may live henceforth for thee alone. Grant that I may die to the world and to myself: that I may renounce for ever all dangerous companies, all my sinful ways, all my evil inclinations and unlawful desires. Thou hast given me now the will to renounce them; but thou knowest, alas! how wavering and unsettled is that will: thou knowest that I am nought but weakness, and that I can do nought without thee. Strengthen, therefore, I beseech thee, the good resolutions which thy grace has called up within me. Complete the work of my conversion which thou hast mercifully begun. Be thou, O God, my strength and my stay against my own weakness and all the other foes to my salvation. May the devil, the world and the flesh no longer rule over me; but do thou, my Creator, reign henceforward alone in my heart. Let my love be fixed on thee alone, and let me entirely belong to thee. Do thou be the beginning and the end of all my thoughts and of all my actions, of all my words, of all my affections, and of all the impulses of my mind. I beg of thee this favour, O my God, not for a time only, but for ever: I beg it in the name of thy beloved Son, who has promised to grant whatsoever we should ask through his merits and in his name. Oh, let thy Holy Spirit awaken within me those pious wishes and aspirations which may raise my soul to thee: do thou awaken within me those burning desires and that humble and true piety which is most pleasing to thee; and then, dear Lord, then shall I be sure to serve thee all my life, with that faithfulness and that steadiness which I now purpose to adopt, and to which thine infinite goodness has so full a claim. Amen. DEVOTIONS BEFORE COMMUNION. Instruction. Having purified yourself by true repentance, humble confession, and a strong purpose of amendment-keep your mind in the pious dispositions which these duties have called up. Withdraw yourself, as much as you can, from all that may entice your feelings to worldly hopes and every-day interests; and keep yourself recollected, meek and pious; "speaking to yourself in psalms and hymns, and spiritual canticles; singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;" and, by a holy seriousness, curbing your thoughts and your senses, even in lawful. allurements. Add to your piety by considering the mighty work you are about to do; the lowliness and the unworthiness of your own self, and the greatness and kindness of your Saviour. Sorrow, humility, reverence, faith, hope, thankfulness, and love-these are the feelings which should wholly engage your soul. Arouse them within you and you may then hope to reap those spiritual blessings and that help for all your wants, even for this world, which a merciful God so plentifully bestows on the more worthy partakers of his saving body and blood. |