or our Lord point out to him those miseries and imperfections which are in him, and keep him still so far from his Model; all will tend to enlighten him, to inflame him, and to unite him with his God. When a soul is continually being influenced by her contact with the Church through the Liturgy, it is impossible for the spirit of Prayer not to grow within her, and, either imperceptibly, or suddenly, produce in her a transformation into Him who, being God, has united himself to our nature, in order that, through him, we might be united with God. Your Meditation or Prayer ended, or deferred, on account of your not having leisure to make it at this hour of the morning, you will next address this prayer to God, begging him to grant you the grace to avoid, during this day, every kind of sin, and to perform all manner of good works. Say, then, this prayer of the Church, for her prayers are the best: During the day, you would do well to use the in structions and prayers, which you will find in these volumes, both for the Proper of the Time, and the Proper of the Saints. In the Evening, you may use the following prayers. NIGHT PRAYERS. After having made the sign of the Cross, adore that Sovereign Lord, who now offers you repose after the labours of the day. Beg his protection on these hours of sleep and night; and, to this end, you may recite this beautiful hymn of St. Ambrose, which was so great a favourite with St. Augustine, his disciple.1 Deus, Creator omnium Polique rector, vestiens Diem decoro lumine, Noctem soporis gratia, Artus solutos ut quies Reddat laboris usui, Mentesque fessas allevet, Luctusque solvat anxios; Grates, peracto jam die, Et noctis exortu, preces, Voti reos ut adjuves, Hymnum canentes, solvi mus. Te cordis ima concinant, HYMN. O God, Creator of all things, and Ruler of the heavens, 'tis thou that clothed day with beautiful light, and night with the boon of sleep. 'Tis sleep that restores our wearied limbs to the toil of work. Sleep gives repose to the mind when tired, and takes away the anxious-making grief. The day is spent, and night is come; we offer thee our thanks and prayers, singing our hymn, that thou mayst help us, thy servants. May our inmost heart sing thy praise, and tuneful voices sound forth thy name; may our chaste affection love, and our sober mind, adore thee. 1 Confessions, Bk. ix. ch. 12. And when the night's deep gloom shall shut out the day, may our faith know nought of darkness, and the very night be day by faith. Let not our soul, but only sin feel sleep; let faith keep us chaste, and, by its refreshing power, check the vapours of sleep. May our heart's deepest self, unschakled by the allurements of sense, dream of thee: nor let the fear of the enemy, whose envy is ever laying snares, disturb us when at rest. Let our prayer_ascend to Christ, and to the Father, and to the Spirit of that Christ and Father: O Trinity, one in essence, and all-powerful, be merciful to us, who pray to thee. Amen. Ut, cum profunda clau- Diem caligo noctium, Exuta sensu lubrico Christum rogemus et Pa- Christi Patrisque Spiritum: Amen. After this Hymn, say the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Apostles' Creed, as in the Morning. Then make the Examination of Conscience, going over in your mind all the faults committed during the day. Think, and humble yourself at the thought, how sin makes us degenerate from the divine adoption. Then make a resolution to avoid sin for the time to come, to do penance for it, and to shun the occasions which might again lead you into it. Having concluded the Examination of Conscience, recite the Confiteor (or I confess) with heartfelt contrition; and then give expression to your sorrow by the following Act, which we have taken from the Venerable Cardinal Bellarmine's Catechism. ACT OF CONTRITION. O my God, I am exceedingly grieved for having offended thee; and, with my whole heart, I repent for the sins I have committed: I hate, and abhor them, above every other evil, not only because, by so sinning, I have lost Heaven, and deserve Hell, but still more because I have offended thee, O infinite Goodness, who art worthy to be loved above all things. I most firmly resolve, by the assistance of thy grace, never more to offend thee for the time to come, and to avoid those occasions which might lead me into sin. You may then add the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity, to the recitation of which Pope Benedict the Fourteenth has granted an Indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines for each time. ACT OF FAITH. O my God, I firmly believe whatsoever the Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church requires me to believe: I believe it, because thou hast revealed it to her, thou who art the very Truth. ACT OF HOPE. O my God, knowing thine almighty power, and thine infi. nite goodness and mercy, I hope in thee that, by the merits of the Fassion and Death of our Saviour Jesus Christ, thou wilt grant me eternal life, which thou hast promised to all such as shall do the works of a good Christian; and these I resolve to do, with the help of thy grace. ACT OF CHARITY. O my God I love thee with my whole heart and above all things, because thou art the Sovereign Good: I would rather lose all things than offend thee. For thy love also, I love, and desire to love, my neighbour as myself. Then say to our Blessed Lady, the following solemn Anthem, which the Church says, in her honour, till Advent. ANTHEM TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy; our Life, our Sweetness, and our Hope, all hail! To thee we cry, poor banished children of Eve; To thee we send up our sighs, weeping and mourning in this vale of tears. Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; And, after this our exile, show unto us the blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus; O merciful, O kind, O sweet Virgin Mary! V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. LET US PRAY. O almighty and everlasting God, who, by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of Mary, glorious Virgin and Mother, to become the worthy habitation of thy Son; grant that we may be delivered from present evils, and from everlasting death by Her gracious intercession, in whose commemoration we rejoice. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ; vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Hevæ; Adte suspiramus,gementes et flentes in hac lacrymarum valle. Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende; O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria! V. Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei Genitrix, R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi. OREMUS. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui gloriosæ Virginis matris Mariæ corpus et animam, ut dignum Filii tui habitaculum effici mereretur, Spiritu sancto cooperante, præparasti: da, ut cujus commemoratione lætamur, ejus pia intercessione ab instantibus malis, et a morte perpetua liberemur. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen. You would do well to add the Litany of our Lady. An indulgence of three hundred days, for each time it is recited, has been granted by the Church. |