Adorable Sacrament, by the sick person, or by another in his name, before he receives the Viaticum.
And may be useful on other occasions of Holy Communion, for the healthy as well as the sick.
O Father of mercies and God of all consolation! behold, I, thy creature, made to thy Image, and redeemed by the Blood of thy only Son, appear before thee, my Creator, by whom and for whom I was made, by whose grace I have lived hitherto; to whom I desire to live henceforward, so long as it pleases thee; and for whose sake and in whom I desire to die. I humbly adore thee, for whom my soul longs and sighs a thousand times; I cry to thee whom I love only and above all things, O my rest,my hope, my love, my desire, and all my heart's good!
O most loving Father! although I am the least of thy sons, nay, unworthy to be called thy son, because I have not honoured thee as a Father, still I come to thee with great confidence, and throw myself upon thy breast, and into the arms of thy most sweet charity and mercy, sorry from my inmost heart that I have forsaken thee, my God, the fountain of all good; departed from thee, my most sweet Father, and forgotten thee, who, as if regardless of all else, hast never for a moment forgotten me!
Oh, that I had never offended thee, my God, and my all! Accept at least this, the ardent wish and desire of my inmost heart; look on me and pity me, while yet there is time for pity. For thou knowest, O Lord, that I love thee more than myself, or at least desire so to love thee, and.above all things that are or can be loved. For I know whom I have believed; and that thou art able to keep what I have committed to thee: and I know too that a contrite and humble heart, O God, thou wilt not despise!
I hope also that thou wilt never cast me away from thy face, — thou who so lovingly invitest us to thee, in saying: Come to me, all you that labour and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Behold, I come, O Lord, according to thy word; receive me, thou who castest not out anything that comes to thee, and I shall live, and disappoint me not of my expectation. Bring my soul out of this prison, that I may praise thy Name.
Oh, happy the hour when I am delivered from the body of this death! when I come to thee; when thou comest and consolest me! when I see thee, not through a glass and in a dark manner, but face to face! when, putting off this corruptible body, which weighs down the soul, I
