With God/Devotions to Our Divine Lord
Our Divine Lord
Prayers for Visits to the Blessed Sacrament, for the Hour of Adoration, for the First Friday of the Month, and for the Forty Hours' Exposition
Act of Adoration, Thanksgiving, Reparation, and Supplication
In my moments before the tabernacle I will try to obey the pious counsels contained in the Latin distich:
"Crede, dole, spera, grates age, dilige, adora, Vulnera pande animae, donaque sancta pete."
Believe, and grieve, and hope; thank, love, adore. Show your soul's wounds, and holy gifts implore.
BELIEVING all that Thou, my God, hast in any way revealed to us — grieving for all my sins, offenses, and negligences — hoping in Thee, O Lord, Who wilt never let me be confounded — thanking Thee for this supreme gift, and for all the gifts of Thy goodness — loving Thee, above all in this sacrament of Thy love — adoring Thee in this deepest mystery of Thy condescension: I lay before Thee all the wounds and wants of my poor soul, and ask for all that I need and desire. But I need only Thyself, O Lord; I desire none but Thee — Thy grace, and the grace to use well thy graces, the possession of Thee by grace in this life, and the possession of Thee forever in the eternal kingdom of Thy glory. Thus, day by day. especially during my moments before the tabernacle. I will
Believe, and grieve, and hope; thank, love, adore.
Show my soul's wounds, and holy gifts implore.
— Father Russell, SJ.
The Venerable Peter Julian Eymard
Pere Eymard is sometimes called the Apostle of the Holy Eucharist, because he was in recent times the foremost propagator of devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. He is the founder of the Society of Priests known as The Fathers of the Blessed Sacrament, who have in their houses perpetual exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Affiliated to this society are: The Priests' Eiicharistic League and The People's Eucharistic League. Pere Eymard systematized the devotion to the Holy Eucharist, and made popular the '"Hour of Adoration."" to the practice of which indulgences are attached. r)ne of the methods for keeping the Hour of Adoration, recommended and explained by Pere Eymard. in his beautiful work "La Presence Reele is that which corresponds to the four ends of sacrifice. The Hour of Adoration is divided into four parts. During each quarter of an hour we are to honor Our Lord by one of the four ends of sacrifice, i.e., by Adoration. Thanksgiving. Reparation. and Suppolication. Pere Eymard was born at La Mure dlsere. France, on February 4. 1811. and died in the odor of sanctity, worn out with his zealous labors, in 1868.
St. Paschal Baylon, Patron Saint of Eucharistic Works
ST. PASCHAL BAYLON. whom Pope Leo XIII proclaimed
in 1897 the patron of Eueharistic Congresses, was born
on Easter, or Paschal Sunday, in 1540, at Torre Hermosa, a little village of the old kingdom of Aragon, Spain. He was
a simple lay brother of the Franciscan Order, distinguished
by an extraordinary devotion to the sacred and living
Mystery of the Altar.
While still in the world, he never suffered a day to pass without visiting, when possible, Jesus in the tabernacle, and later as a Religious, he was accustomed to spend hours at the foot of the altar, where he was often raised from the ground in the fervor of his prayer.
On Whitsunday, 1592, our saint, with a peaceful smile upon his countenance, was called to his heavenly reward. On the occasion of his funeral, and after his interment, many miracles occurred which attested his uncommon devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.
Offering of the Holy Hour
MY most sweet Jesus, I desire during this hour to "watch" with Thee, and by the love of my poor heart to console Thee for the bitter sorrow which overwhelmed Thee in the Garden of Gethsemane. I desire to forget myself and all that concerns me excepting my sins, the foresight of which caused Thee so much suffering in Thine Agony, and as I was a cause of sorrow to Thee then, so now I desire to be to Thee a consolation. ... I offer Thee, moreover, this hour of prayer and reparation for the triumph of the Church, for the conversion of souls and of nations, and for every other intention for which Thou didst pray, sweat blood, endure Thy agony, and accept Thy bitter Passion and Death. Angel of the Agony, help me so to pass this Holy Hour that I may console the Heart of my Jesus and promote His interests throughout the world.
— From " The Voice of the Sacred Heart."
God's Love for Us
THERE is no aspect of God's love for us which ought to affect our hearts more tenderly than the m^ere fact of His wishing to be loved by us; and there is no manifestation of that tenderness of the Sacred Heart more touching than the yearning to be remembered, expressed at many times and in many ways, but especially in the Eucharistic Do this in commemoration of Me, which becomes at the altar even more simple and affecting. In Mei memoriam facietis — "In memory of Me." When such infinite and utterly incomprehensible love as this has Omnipotence for the instrument of its behests, how can any poor little creature of God — whose sole dignity is that he has a heart to love Him — how can he presume for one moment to discuss the limits of the possibilities of the divine condescension?
— Father Russell, S.J.
Forget Me Not
FORGET Me not ! upon the silent Altar!
They pass Me by and leave Me all alone;
They've love enough for all, for every other,
For Me, their God — their hearts are cold as stone.
Forget Me not ! for oh! I'm ever waiting
For friends who will My bitter wrongs atone:
Forget Me not ! for I am ever craving
Devoted hearts who'll make My woes their own.
Forget Me not when desolation tempts thee
To plunge into the world's tempestuous sea;
Remember how the sin-laden and weary
My heart invited, saying: "Come to Me."
Forget not, lest one day I thus reproach thee:
"When I came In thou gavest Me no kiss,"
And oh ! no thought in bitterness can equal
The self-reproachful agony of this.
Forget not in the weariness of sorrow,
There is a Home for Thee — thy Saviour's breast;
Be comforted — the day is ever nearing
When there thou'lt find thy long — thy endless rest.
A Prayer for a Visit to the Blessed Sacrament
(Including all the Acts Recommended)
MY Lord and my God, I firmly believe that Thou art really present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. I adore Thee beneath the eucharistic veil which Thou hast mercifully chosen in order to approach us. Permit me, O dearest Jesus, to render Thee my homage together with the angels who surround Thy altar-throne. I believe that Thou dwellest on our altars, not only to receive our humble adoration, but also to be the food of our souls, our sacrifice, our light in darkness, our counsel in doubt, our consolation in affliction, our strength in temptation, our friend in every need, our teacher in the school of perfection, our model in the way of sanctity and salvation.
I am, indeed, a poor sinner, but I hope in that boundless mercy which detains Thee a prisoner of love in the tabernacle. I come to Thee with a contrite heart, and I beg Thy pardon and mercy. Thou art truly called the " Lover of souls," for Thou hast sacrificed Thy life for our salvation; Thou hast said: " My delights are to be with the children of men "; and Thy death-bed gift to us was the Holy Eucharist. I behold the tabernacle surmounted by a cross, and this reminds me, dear Lord and Saviour, that the Blessed Sacrament is a memorial of Thy Passion and Death. I love that infinite goodness which induced Thee to institute this Holy Sacrament of the Altar, the grandest memorial of all Thy works, wherein Thou dost communicate Thyself so wonderfully to Thy creatures. I thank Thee for this sublime proof of Thy love, and ardently wish that I could worthily acknowledge all the blessings that I have ever received from this fountain of grace and mercy. I sincerely regret that this precious pledge of Thy love is received by so many Christians with coldness and indifference. I wish to make amends for my own ingratitude, and heartfelt atonement for all those sinful acts of my Hfe, by which I have wounded Thy sacred Heart. I offer Thee my profound adoration, my sorrow, and my love, to appease and to rejoice, as much as I can, Thy sacred Heart in this sacrament of love and to make reparation for all the acts of irreverence and profanation, which have been committed against Thee. I love Thee with my whole soul; I acknowledge Thee as my only Master; I offer Thee all that I have, and all that I am. Jesus! I give Thee my heart with all its affections; I give Thee my soul with all its powers; I give Thee my body with all its senses. Jesus! I consecrate myself entirely to Thee; I wish to live and labor and suffer for the love of Thee. I abandon myself to Thee. Give me but Thy love and Thy grace; I will ask for nothing more. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done! I desire to adore and love Thee now, not only to supply the defect of those Catholics who do not adore and love Thee, but also for the conversion of heretics, schismatics, atheists, blasphemers, Jews, and idolaters. O silent dweller in the tabernacle, Thou art, indeed, a hidden God! here Thou art still the victim of the cross! As I gaze upon the sacred Host, I recall that pathetic word of Thine, O Lord, at the Last Supper: "Do this in commemoration of Me " — " Remember Me! " Yes, the Blessed Sacrament is a memorial of the "Man of Sorrows," a memorial of the greatest pain a creature on earth ever endured, a memorial of the most tender, most constant, most unselfish, and most heroic love the world shall ever know — the last sweet gift of a heart that fears to be forgotten. Oh, yes ! Lord, I shall remember Thee. How could I forget Thy love, dearest Jesus! Mayest Thou be known, adored, and loved by all, and may thanks and praise for evermore be given to Thee in the most holy and most adorable sacrament. Amen.
Prayer of St. Alphonsus Liguori for a Visit to the Blessed Sacrament
Lord Jesus Christ, Who, through the love which Thou bearest to men, dost remain with them day and night in this Sacrament, full of mercy and of love, expecting, inviting, and receiving all who come to visit Thee, I believe that Thou art present in the Sacrament of the Altar. From the abyss of my nothingness I adore Thee, and I thank Thee for all the favors which Thou hast bestowed upon me, particularly for having given me Thyself in this sacrament, for having given me for my advocate Thy most holy Mother, Mary, and for having called me to visit Thee in this church.
I this day salute Thy most loving Heart, and I wish to salute it for three ends: first in thanksgiving for this great gift; secondly, in compensation for all the injuries Thou hast received from Thy enemies in this sacrament; thirdly, to adore Thee in all places in which Thou art least honored and most abandoned in the Holy Sacrament. My Jesus, I love Thee with my whole heart. I am sorry for having hitherto offended Thy infinite goodness. I purpose, with the assistance of Thy grace, never more to offend Thee; and, at this moment, miserable as I am, I consecrate my whole being to Thee. I give Thee my entire will, all my affections and desires and all that I have. From this day forward, do what Thou wilt with me, and with whatever belongs to me. I ask and desire only Thy holy love, the gift of final perseverance, and the perfect accomplishment of Thy will. I recommend to Thee the souls in purgatory, particularly those who were most devoted to the Blessed Sacrament and to most holy Mary; and I also recommend to Thee all poor sinners. Finally, my dear Saviour, I unite all my affections with the affections of Thy most loving Heart; and, thus united, I offer them to Thy eternal Father, and I entreat Him, in Thy name, and for Thy sake, to accept them.
Indulgence of 300 days when said before the Blessed Sacrament. — Pius IX, Sept. 7, 1854.
EJACULATIONS
MAY the Heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored, and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen.
Indulgence of 100 days. — Pius IX, Feb. 29, 1868. O Sacrament most Holy! O Sacrament divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!
Indulgence of 100 days, once a day. — Pius VII, Dec. 7, 1819.
A Prayer for the Holy Hour or for any Visit to the Blessed Sacrament
EJACULATION
O Jesus, in the Blessed Sacrament, have mercy on us. Prayer
Prayer
O Jesus, humbly kneeling in Thy presence and united with all the faithful on earth and all the saints in heaven, I adore Thee, true God and true man, here present in the Holy Eucharist. Grateful even to the very depths of my soul, I love Thee with my whole heart, O Jesus, Who art infinitely perfect and infinitely amiable. Enrich me with Thy grace, so that I shall never in any way offend Thee; and thus strengthened here on earth by Thy Eucharistic presence may I merit to enjoy with Mary Thy eternal and blessed presence in heaven. Amen.
An indulgence of 100 days each time this ejaculation is said, and an indulgence of 300 days on any day of the year may be gained by all the faithful who devoutly recite this prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. — Acta Apostolicae Sedis, April, 1909. Vide " The Ecclesiastical Review Year Book" for 1911, p. 134.
Litany of Blessed Julia Billiart
(Foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame)
LORD, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, pray for us.
Blessed Julia, pray for us.
Blessed Julia, faithful disciple of the Heart of Jesus, pray for us.
PRAYER TO BLESSED JULIA
O God, Who didst will that the unconquered love of Thy holy Cross should inspire Blessed Julia to enrich Thy Church with a new family for the education of the daughters of the poor: grant, through her intercession, that steadfast endurance of suffering may obtain for us everlasting joy. Who livest and reignest one God, world without end. Amen.
ANOTHER PRAYER TO BLESSED JULIA
O WONDERFUL model of holiness. Blessed Julia, with humility and confidence we come to beg thy powerful intercession and thy continual protection. Inflame our hearts with one spark of that divine fire which entirely consumed thee with love of God and zeal for the salvation of souls: deign in thy goodness to cast on us a look of pity, and obtain for us that, despising earthly things, we may set our affections and desires only on eternal goods. Obtain for us also the forgiveness of our sins, that with pure hearts we may repeat those words so continually on thy lips: How good is the good God! "Obtain for us also patience in our trials, constancy in our good resolutions, and perseverance in grace, so that we may pass our lives in perfect conformity with the divine will, and that, overcoming the wiles of the devil, the attractions of the world, and our evil inclinations, we may merit to enjoy eternal glory with thee in heaven. Amen.
Prayer to Blessed Madeleine Sophie Barat
(Foundress of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus)
BLESSED Madeleine Sophie, wonderfully chosen by God to make the divine Heart of Jesus known and loved, and ever faithful to that apostolate, accept this day our confidence and prayers in proof of our allegiance. Look upon us kindly and come to our assistance by thy intercession before the throne of the Most High. Guide us in the path of meekness and humility: set our hearts on fire with that zeal with which thine own was devoured: protect us, that we may deserve to see our names written in that most sacred Heart, and to make in it alone our home for time and for eternity. Amen.
PRAYER IX HONOR OF BLESSED MADELEINE SOPHIE
From the Roman Missal
Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst wonderfully grace Blessed Madeleine Sophie with humility and love after the model of Thy sacred Heart, and didst will that a new company of virgins should flower forth through her: make us cling ever to Thy most sacred Heart, and by our imitation of the same find our joy in becoming Thy companions: Who livest and reignest one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Petitions of St. Augustine
Lord Jesus, let me know myself, let me know Thee,
And desire nothing else but Thee.
Let me hate myself and love Thee,
And do all things for the sake of Thee.
Let me humble myself and exalt Thee,
And think of nothing else but Thee.
Let me die to myself and live in Thee,
And take whatever happens as coming from Thee.
Let me forsake myself and walk after Thee,
And ever desire to follow Thee.
Let me flee from myself, and turn to Thee,
That so I may merit to be defended by Thee.
Let me fear for myself, let me fear Thee,
And be amongst those who are chosen by Thee.
Let me distrust myself, and trust in Thee,
And ever obey for the love of Thee.
Let me cleave to nothing but only to Thee,
And ever be poor for the sake of Thee.
Look upon me, that I may love Thee.
Call me, that I may see Thee
And forever possess Thee. Amen.
Indulgence of 50 days, once a day. — Leo XIII, Sept. 25, 1883.
ANOTHER VERSION OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S PETITIONS
Lord Jesus, make me know Thee[1]
LORD Jesus, make me know Thee,
Make me myself to know!
Be Thou my only longing.
Thou only here below.
May I, my vile self hating,
Love Thee, do all for Thee!
May I be duly humbled.
And Thou exalted be!
I'll think of naught beside Thee;
Die to myself, and live
For Thee, dear Lord! accepting
Whatever Thou mayst give.
Myself I'll spurn and trample,
And follow close to Thee —
To follow Thee, to reach Thee,
My sole desire shall be.
Flying from self, oh! let me Fly far and fast to Thee,
That by Thine arm defended
I may deserve to be!
Fearful of mine own weakness,
Thee let me fear, that I
May cease to fear forever
Mid Thy elect on high.
Distrusting self and placing
All trust, dear Lord I in Thee —
For sake of Thee obedient,
Caring for naught but Thee,
Poor for Thy sake, O Jesus!
Look on me, that I may
Love Thee, dear Lord, and serve Thee
More perfectly each day.
Call me and make me hear Thee!
Oh! call me to Thy breast.
To see Thee, and enjoy Thee,
And be forever blest!
Eucharistic Hymn of St. Thomas Aquinas
(Adoro Te Devote)
Hidden God, devoutly I adore Thee,
Truly present underneath these veils:
All my heart subdues itself before Thee,
Since it all before Thee faints and fails.
Not to sight, or taste, or touch be credit;
Hearing only do we trust secure;
I believe, for God the Son hath said it —
Word of Truth that ever shall endure.
On the cross was veiled Thy Godhead's splendor,
Here Thy manhood lieth hidden too;
Unto both alike my faith I render,
And as sued the contrite thief, I sue.
Though I look not on Thy wounds with Thomas,
Thee, my Lord, and Thee, my God I call:
Make me more and more believe Thy promise,
Hope in Thee, and love Thee over all.
O memorial of my Saviour dying.
Living Bread that givest life to man;
May my soul, its life from Thee supplying,
Taste Thy sweetness, as on earth it can.
Deign, O Jesus, Pelican of heaven,
Me, a sinner, in Thy blood to lave,
To a single drop of which is given
All the world from all its sin to save.
Contemplating, Lord, Thy hidden presence,
Grant me what I thirst for and implore.
In the revelation of Thine essence
To behold Thy glory evermore.
(Judge O'Hagan's translation. Vide Father Russell's "Communion Day.")
The Crown or Chaplet of the Blessed Sacrament
| V. Deus, in adjutorium meum intende. | V. O God, come to my assistance. |
| R. Domine, ad adjuvandum me festina. | R. O Lord, make haste to help me. |
Our Father, Glory be to the Father.
The chaplet consists of thirty-three aspirations, which may be used during the hour of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. After each aspiration may be added an Our Father, and at the end of each decade a Glory be to the Father.
The first Decade
ACTS OF FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY
Faith: I.
I BELIEVE, O my Jesus, Thy divine Word, that under this appearance of bread. Thou Thyself art here present as Thou art in heaven.
Our Father.
II. I believe that Thou art the divine Son, eternally equal to the Father; that by the operation of the Holy Ghost Thou didst take human flesh of the Blessed Virgin.
Our Father.
III. I believe that Thou art the same Jesus, who wast born of Mary, ever virgin, adored an Infant by Thy angels, by the shepherds, and the magi.
Our Father.
IV. I believe, O my Redeemer, here present in the sacrament, that Thou art the same Jesus of Nazareth Who didst heal the sick, and didst raise the dead. Who for us didst suffer and die upon the cross.
Our Father.
V. I believe, finally, that Thou Thyself, now sitting glorious at the right hand of Thy Father in heaven, and there interceding for me, yet art verily present in this sacrament, my nourishment on earth.
Our Father.
Hope: VI. O most loving Jesus, Who in this sacrament hast left me a pledge of future glory, I hope through the merits of Thy Death and Passion to behold Thee face to face in heaven.
Our Father.
VII. O Jesus, cause of our glorious resurrection, I hope, through the virtue of this divine food, wherewith Thou nourishest me, to rise glorious into life eternal.
Our Father.
Love: VIII. I love Thee, O Jesus, Who art perfect charity; Who, in Thy essence, art true God and true man: in Whom are contained the treasures of the divinity, and all the fulness of grace, which descends to us upon this earth.
Our Father.
IX. I love Thee, dear Jesus, Who, for love of me, hast made Thyself like unto me; kindle within me the flame of sacred love which Thou didst bring from heaven, that, loving Thee, I may grow into Thy likeness.
Our Father.
X. I love Thee, O divine Jesus, my Lord and Master, because Thou hast redeemed and freed me, poor slave of sin, with Thy all-precious blood. Oh, of Thy sweet mercy, grant that I may enjoy the full fruit of Thy redemption.
Our Father.
The Second Decade
ACTS OF ADORATION
I.
I ADORE Thee, O living Bread, descended from heaven for my spiritual food; give me grace worthily to receive Thee in life and in death.
Our Father.
II. I adore Thee, divine food of the strong; strengthen my weakness, that I may ever be constant and faithful to Thy love.
Our Father.
III. I adore Thee, O my Jesus, hidden beneath the sacramental veil; let my life be hidden, through Thee, in God;
Our Father.
IV. I adore Thee, great God, Who art the only way; make me ever to walk in the path of Thy precepts, and after Thy shining example, that so I may arrive at eternal salvation.
Our Father.
V. I adore Thee, O Jesus, true and spiritual life of all who love Thee; give me grace to die to myself, and to live to Thee alone, Who didst die for the love of me.
Our Father.
VI. I adore Thee, my dear Redeemer, Truth ineffable; enliven, I beseech Thee, and increase my faith, that it may be fruitful in good works.
Our Father.
VII. I adore Thee, O Jesus, divine Light of the world; illuminate my mind, that, knowing, I may love Thee, and may come to enjoy Thee eternally in heaven.
Our Father.
VIII. I adore Thee, divine and loving Shepherd; draw to Thyself this wounded sheep, that it may never more leave Thy fold, to fall into the hands of the infernal wolf.
Our Father.
IX. I adore Thee, divine Lamb, Who, for the sins of the world, didst give Thyself to be slain; grant that I may bear all my sufferings patiently for Thy sake, in satisfaction for my sins.
Our Father.
X. I adore Thee, O Jesus, King of glory, Judge of the living and the dead; make me on earth so to fear Thy justice, that in heaven I may eternally sing Thy mercy.
Our Father.
The Third Decade
ACTS OF THANKSGIVING
I.
I THANK Thee, O divine Redeemer, that, not content with having for our sakes come upon the earth. Thou hast instituted this adorable sacrament, that therein Thou mightest remain with us unto the consummation of the world.
Our Father.
II. I thank Thee, O glorious Jesus, that Thou dost veil, beneath the eucharistic species, Thy infinite majesty and beauty, which Thy angels delight to behold, that so I might have courage to approach the throne of Thy mercy.
Our Father.
III. I thank Thee, O Jesus most loving, that, having made Thyself my food, Thou descendest upon this tongue, which so often has offended Thee, and dost enter within this body, which alas! has too often deserved to be visited with Thy anger.
Our Father.
IV. I thank Thee, my dear Saviour, that in this ineffable sacrament Thou unitest me to Thee with so much love, that I therein live in Thee, and Thou in me.
Our Father.
V. I thank Thee, O my Jesus, that, giving Thyself to me in this Blessed Sacrament, Thou hast so enriched it with the treasures of Thy love, that Thou hast not greater gift to give me.
Our Father.
VI. I thank Thee, O my good Jesus, that not only Thou art become my food, but also in this Blessed Sacrament offerest Thyself a continual sacrifice for my salvation, to Thy eternal Father.
Our Father.
VII. I thank Thee, divine Priest, for this great boon that thou dost sacrifice Thyself daily upon our altars, in adoration and homage to the Most Blessed Trinity, and dost supply for our poor and miserable adorations.
Our Father.
VIII. I thank Thee, O my Saviour, because, renewing in this daily sacrifice the very sacrifice of the cross offered on Calvary, Thou dost satisfy Divine Justice for us miserable sinners.
Our Father.
IX. I thank Thee, dear Jesus, that Thou hast become the priceless Victim, to merit for me the fulness of celestial favors. Awaken in me such trust, that their abundance may ever more and more descend upon my soul.
Our Father.
X. I thank Thee, my loving Saviour, that thou art immolated in thanksgiving to God, for all His benefits, spiritual and temporal, which He has bestowed upon me. Through Thee I hope to receive the grace of perseverance, the grace of a holy death and of a happy eternity.
Our Father.
Three Final Aspirations
I.
Jesus, invisible and divine head of Thy spouse the Church, Who, with Thy blood, hast purified and sanctified her, have mercy upon her visible head, X., upon all bishops and pastors, especially N., our bishop, and shed upon them Thy Holy Spirit, wherewith Thy apostles and disciples were filled, that they may maintain Thy holy faith pure and untouched, and may spread over the whole world the light of Thy gospel and of Thy Catholic truth.
Our Father.
II. O Jesus, King of kings, Lord of lords, by Whom monarchs do reign, and from Whom all earthly power comes, mercifully behold our princes, and those in authority; infuse within them the spirit of Thy divine wisdom, clemency, and justice, so that they may be great with Thee rather than on earth, and may enter with Thee into Thy heavenly kingdom.
Our Father.
III. O Jesus, all merciful, Who didst not will the death of a sinner, but that he should be converted, and rise to a spiritual life; triumph, I beseech Thee, over the malice and hardness of all who obstinately offend Thee, so that, acquiring Thy grace in this world, they may become worthy of the glory of Thy heavenly paradise for all eternity.
Our Father. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.
Pious Ejaculations
May the Heart of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored, and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen.
Indulgence of 100 days, once a day. — Pius IX, Feb. 29, 1868.
O SACRAMENT most holy! O Sacrament divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!
Indulgence of 100 days, once a day. — Pius VI, May 24, 1776.
Heart of Jesus burning with love for us, inflame our hearts with love of Thee.
Indulgence of 100 days, once a day. — Leo XIII, June 16, 1893.
Acts in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament
Act of Faith
O JESUS! my Lord, my God, and my all! I believe that Thou art in Thy living manhood as truly present here in the Blessed Sacrament as when Thou didst walk amidst men, and converse with them. Relying on Thy word, which shall not pass away, I believe that Thou art here, ever living to make intercession for us. Here is Thy sacred body, which hung upon the cross; here is Thy soul, which was sorrowful unto death and agonized in the Garden of Olives on account of my sins; here are those sacred wounds made by the nails and spear; here are those eyes which looked with pity and love on the penitent Peter, now gazing into my heart, now raised to plead for me with the heavenly Father; here are those ears, which heard the cruel cry of the Jews, "Crucify Him," which listened so compassionately to all the ills of men, and which now are listening to me.
Lord, I believe that here on the altar Thy wounded Heart is beating for love of me, and I recall Thy blessed words: "My Heart is so consumed with love for men, that it can no longer restrain the flames of its charity." Sweet words of Thine, O blessed Saviour! I believe that they are true, and true as regards myself. — Father Ramiere, S.J.
An Act of Hope and Confidence in God
MY God, I believe most firmly that Thou watchest over all who hope in Thee, and that we can want for nothing when we rely upon Thee in all things; therefore I am resolved for the future to have no anxieties, and to cast all my cares upon Thee. "In peace in the self-same I will sleep and I will rest; for Thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope ."
Men may deprive me of worldly goods and of honors; sickness may take from me my strength and the means of serving Thee; I may even lose Thy grace by sin; but my trust shall never leave me. I will preserve it to the last moment of my life, and the powers of hell shall seek in vain to wrest it from me. "In peace in the self-same I will sleep and I will rest."
Let others seek happiness in their wealth, in their talents; let them trust to the purity of their lives, the severity of their mortifications, to the number of their good works, the fervor of their prayers; as for me, O my God, in my very confidence lies all my hope. "For Thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope." This confidence can never be vain. "No one has hoped in the Lord and has been confounded."
I am assured, therefore, of my eternal happiness, for I firmly hope for it, and all my hope is in Thee. "In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; let me never be confounded."
I know, alas! I know but too well that I am frail and changeable; I know the power of temptation against the strongest virtue. I have seen stars fall from heaven, and. pillars of the firmament totter; but these things alarm me not. While I hope in Thee I am sheltered from all misfortune, and I am sure that my trust shall endure, for I rely upon Thee to sustain this unfailing hope.
Finally, I know that my confidence can not exceed Thy bounty, and that I shall never receive less than I have hoped for from Thee. Therefore, I hope that Thou wilt sustain me against my evil inclinations; that Thou wilt protect me against the most furious assaults of the evil one, and that Thou wilt cause my weakness to triumph over my most powerful enemies. I hope that Thou wilt never cease to love me, and that I shall love Thee unceasingly, "In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; let me never he confounded." — Rev. Claude De La Colombiere, S.J.
Act of Charity
O GOOD and merciful Saviour, it is the desire of my heart to return Thee love for love. My greatest sorrow is that Thou art not loved by men, and, in particular, that my own heart is so cold, so selfish, so ungrateful. Deeply sensible of my own weakness and poverty, I trust that Thy own grace will enable me to offer Thee an act of pure love. And I wish to offer Thee this act of love in reparation for the coldness and neglect that are shown to Thee by Thy creatures in the sacrament of Thy love. O Jesus, my sovereign Good, I love Thee, not for the sake of the reward which Thou hast promised to those who love Thee, but purely for Thyself. I love Thee above all things that can be loved, above all pleasures, and in fine above myself and all that is not Thee, protesting in the presence of heaven and earth, that I will live and die purely and simply in Thy holy love, and that if to love Thee thus I must endure persecution and suffering, I am perfectly satisfied, and I will ever say with St. Paul: " Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ." O Jesus, supreme Master of all hearts, I love Thee, I adore Thee, I praise Thee, I thank Thee, because I am now all Thine own. Rule over me, and transform my soul into the likeness of Thyself, so that it may bless and glorify Thee forever in the abode of the saints. — According to Blessed Margaret Mary.
Act of Love and of Consecration, by Blessed Margaret Mary
(Indulgenced)
I, N. N., give and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ my person and my life, my actions, penances, and sufferings, not wishing to make use of any part of my being for the future except in honoring, loving, and glorifying that Sacred Heart.
It is my irrevocable will to be entirely His, and to do everything for His love, renouncing with my whole heart whatever might displease Him.
I take Thee, then, O Most Sacred Heart, as the sole object of my love, as the protector of my life, as the pledge of my salvation, as the remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, as the repairer of all the defects of my life, and as my secure refuge in the hour of death.
Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God the Father, and remove far from me the thunderbolts of his just wrath. O Heart of love, I place my whole confidence in Thee. While I fear all things from my malice and frailty, I hope all things from Thy goodness.
Consume then in me whatever can displease or be opposed to Thee, and may Thy pure love be so deeply impressed upon my heart that it may be impossible that I should ever be separated from Thee, or forget Thee.
I implore Thee, by all Thy goodness, that my name may be written in Thee, for in Thee I wish to place all my happiness and all my glory, living and dying in very bondage to Thee. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, once a day. — Leo XIII, Jan. 13, 1898; Pius X, May 30, 1908.
Indulgenced Acts of Devotion in Honor of The Eucharistic Heart of Jesus[2]
COMMEMORATIVE of the Incarnation, the Life, the Passion, and the Death of Our Loving Saviour. Excellent Acts of Adoration, Thanksgiving, Reparation, Supplication, and Consecration.
I. The Word was made Flesh, and dwelt amongst us.
ETERNAL Word, made man for love of us, humbly kneeling at Thy feet, we adore Thee with the deepest veneration of our souls; and in order that we may repair our ingratitude for this great benefit of Thy Incarnation, we unite ourselves to the hearts of all those who love Thee, and together with them we offer Thee our humble loving thanksgiving. Pierced by the excess of humility, goodness, and sweetness which we behold in Thy Divine Heart, we beseech Thee to give us Thy grace, that in our lives we, too, may imitate these virtues so dear to Thee. Pater, Ave, and Gloria.
II. He was crucified also for us; suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried.
Jesus, our loving Saviour, humbly kneeling at Thy feet we adore Thee with the deepest veneration of our souls; and, in order that we may give Thee proof of the sorrow we feel at our insensibility to the outrages and sufferings which Thy loving Heart made Thee undergo for our salvation in Thy painful Passion and Death, we here unite ourselves with the hearts of all those who love Thee, and together with them we give thanks unto Thee and with our whole soul. We wonder at the boundless patience and generosity of Thy divine Heart; and we entreat Thee to fill our hearts with such a spirit of Christian penance as may enable us courageously to embrace suffering, and to make Thy cross our great comfort and all our glory. Pater, Ave, and Gloria.
III. Thou didst give them bread from heaven to eat, containing in itself all sweetness.
Jesus, who dost burn with love for us, humbly kneeling at Thy feet we adore Thee with the deepest veneration of our souls; and, in order to make Thee reparation for the outrages which Thy divine Heart daily receives in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, we unite ourselves with the hearts of all those who love Thee, and give Thee tenderest thanks. We love in Thy divine Heart this Thy incomprehensible fire of love towards Thy eternal Father, and we entreat Thee to inflame our hearts with ardent charity toward Thee and toward our neighbor. Pater, Ave, and Gloria.
Lastly, O most loving Jesus, we pray Thee, by the sweetness of Thy divine Heart, convert the sinner, console the afflicted, help the dying, lighten the pains of the souls in purgatory. Make all our hearts one in the bonds of true peace and charity, deliver us from sudden and unforeseen death, and grant us a death holy and peaceful. Amen.
V. Heart of Jesus, burning with love of us,
R. Inflame our hearts with love of Thee.
Let us pray
Grant we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who glory in the Most Sacred Heart of Thy well-beloved Son, and call to mind the chief benefits of His heavenly charity towards us, may be gladdened by the operation and the fruit of those graces in our souls. Through the same Christ, etc.
O divine Heart of my Jesus! I adore Thee with all the powers of my soul; I consecrate them to Thee forever, together with all my thoughts, my words, my works, and my whole self. I purpose to offer to Thee, as far as I am able, acts of adoration, love, and glory, like unto those which Thou dost offer to Thine eternal Father. I beseech Thee, be Thou the reparation for my transgressions, the protector of my life, my refuge and asylum in the hour of my death. By Thy sighs, and by that sea of bitterness in which Thou wast immersed for me throughout the whole course of Thy mortal life, grant me true contrition for my sins, contempt of earthly things, an ardent longing for the glory of heaven, trust in Thy infinite merits, and final perseverance in Thy grace.
Heart of Jesus, all love! I offer Thee these humble prayers for myself, and for all who unite with me in spirit to adore Thee; vouchsafe, of Thy infinite goodness, to receive and to answer them, and especially for that one of us who shall first end this mortal life. Sweet Heart of my Saviour, pour down upon him, in the agony of death, Thine inward consolations; place him in Thy sacred wounds, cleanse him from every stain in that furnace of love, that so Thou mayest open to him speedily the entrance into Thy glory, there to intercede with Thee for all those who yet tarry in their land of exile.
Most holy Heart of my most loving Jesus, I purpose to renew these acts of adoration and these prayers for myself, miserable sinner that I am, as well as for all who are associated with me to adore Thee, every moment while I live, down to the last instant of my life. I recommend to Thee, my Jesus, the Holy Church, Thy well-beloved Spouse, our own true Mother, the souls that undergo Thy justice, all poor sinners, those who are in affliction, the dying, and all mankind — let not Thy Blood be shed in vain for them; and, last of all, vouchsafe to receive my poor prayers for the relief of the souls in purgatory, and, above all, for those who in the course of their lives were wont devoutly to adore Thee.
Most loving heart of Mary, which, amongst the hearts of all creatures of God, is at once the most pure, most inflamed with love for Jesus, and most compassionate towards us poor sinners, gain for us from the Heart of Jesus, our Redeemer, all the graces which we ask of Thee. Mother of mercies, one single throb, one beat of Thy heart, all on fire with love towards the Heart of Jesus, has power to console us to the full. Only grant us this favor and the Heart of Jesus, out of that filial love it had and will ever have for thee, will not fail to bear and answer us. Amen.
EJACULATIONS
Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!
Indulgence of 300 days, every time. — Pius X, Dec. 26, 1907.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee!
Indulgence of 300 days, every time. — Pius X, June 27, 1906.
Divine Heart of Jesus, convert sinners, save the dying, set free the holy souls in purgatory.
Indulgence of 300 days, every time. — Pius X, Nov. 6, 1906.
The Eucharistic Rosary
OR
The Recitation of the Holy Rosary in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament
THE Holy Rosary, on account of the meditations on the mysteries
in the life of Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin, which we make
while reciting it, is one of the most useful devotions while assisting at
Mass, or, keeping the Hour of Adoration.
The Eucharistic Rosary is especially recommended for this purpose, as it unites meditation on the sacred mysteries of the rosary with reflections on the life of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. The rosary is one of the most admirable and beneficial devotions practised in the Catholic Church. Its method and design are stated to have been revealed to St. Dominic by the Blessed Virgin Mary, who admonished him to preach it with all the fervor of his soul as a singularly efficacious remedy for the overthrow of heresy and the extirpation of vice. Our Lady said to him: "Thou shalt inform my people that it is a devotion most acceptable to my Son and to me." It is adapted alike to the learned and ignorant, to the cloister and the world, and to every capacity, the words being so easy that the most illiterate may learn them, and the mysteries so sublime as to afford matter of contemplation and entertainment to the highest intellects. No Christian could slight it without irreverence, or neglect its frequent use without serious detriment to piety. The numerous indulgences attached to the recitation of the rosary make this form of devotion a powerful instrument for the relief of the poor souls in purgatory.
The whole rosary is composed of fifteen decades (the chaplet or ordinary beads containing five decades); each of the fifteen decades is recited in honor of a mystery of Our Lord's life and that of His blessed Mother, beginning with the Annunciation, or Christ's Incarnation, and ending with Mary's Coronation in Heaven.
A decade consists of one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and a Glory be to the Father. While reciting a decade, let faith place before your mind the mystery honored, and pray that the virtue it particularly teaches may be impressed on your heart. It is a pious custom to recite a chaplet, that is, five decades of the beads, every day. If you persevere in this pious practice, you will increase daily in the love of Jesus and Mary, and consequently in Christian perfection.
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