For Jesuits
Chapter 6 - Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Lord
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
Editor
For I myself have received from the Lord (what I also delivered to you), that the Lord Jesus, on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and giving thanks broke, and said, "This is my body which shall be given up for you; do this in remembrance of me." In like manner also the cup, after he had supped, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord, until he comes."
I Corinthians 11:23-26
Methods of Assisting at Mass
They are to be praised who with the idea of getting the Christian people to take part more easily and more fruitfully in the Mass, strive to make them familiar with the Roman missal, so that the faithful, united with the priest, may pray together in the very words and sentiments of the Church.
They also are to be commended who strive to make the liturgy, even in an external way, a sacred act in which all who are present may share. This can be done in several ways: when the whole congregation in accordance with the rules of the liturgy either answer the priest in an orderly and fitting manner, or sing hymns suitable to the different parts of the Mass, or do both, or, finally, in high Masses when they answer the prayers of the minister of Jesus Christ and also sing the liturgical chant.
So varied and diverse are men's talents and characters that it is impossible for all to be moved and attracted to the same extent by community prayers, hymns, and liturgical services. Moreover, the needs and inclinations of all are not the same, nor are they always constant in the same individual. Who then would say that all these Christians cannot participate in the Mass nor share its fruits? On the contrary, they can adopt some other method which proves easier for certain people; for instance they can lovingly meditate on the mysteries of Jesus Christ or perform other exercises of piety or recite prayers which, though they differ from the sacred rites, are still essentially in harmony with them. Pius XII
Of its nature the Mass demands that all those who are present should participate, each in his own proper way.
This participation must first of all be interior, exercised in the pious attention of the soul and in the affections of the heart. Through this, the faithful "closely join the Supreme Priest, and together with Him and through Him offer the sacrifice, and consecrate themselves together with Him."
The participation of those present is more complete if this interior attention is joined to an exterior participation manifested by external acts, such as the position of the body—kneeling, standing, sitting—ritual gestures, and, above all, by the responses, prayers, and chants.
Papal documents refer to this harmonious participation when they speak of "active participation," the principal example of which is the priest celebrant with his ministers, who serve at the altar with due interior piety and accurate observance of the rubrics and ceremonies.
Finally, perfect active participation is achieved when there is also sacramental participation, by which the faithful who are present communicate not only with spiritual affection, but also in reception of the sacrament of the Eucharist, so that they derive greater fruit from this most blessed sacrifice.
Sacred Congregation of Rites
The following methods are suggested ways of insuring interior participation in the Mass, as the basis for that exterior participation which is required by the sacred liturgy.
According to the Four Ends of the Mass
Before Mass recite an act of preparation for the holy mystery, intending to offer the sacrifice in union with the intentions of our Lady of Sorrows on Calvary, as a means of giving due honor to the Divine Majesty, of thanking Him for His countless benefits, of appeasing His justice for sins committed, and of imploring His grace for oneself and others.
First Part: Adoration. From the beginning of Mass until the Gospel, you will discharge your first duty toward God, which consists in adoring and praising His Majesty, which is infinitely worthy of honor and praise. Humble yourself before the Lord, acknowledge sincerely that you are nothing and say: "My God, I adore You and recognize You as the Lord and Master of my life. All that I am and have I owe to Your goodness. Your sovereign greatness deserves infinite homage. Unable to fulfill this debt of myself, I offer You the humiliation and worship which Jesus Christ, Your Son, offers for me on this altar."
Second Part: Satisfaction. From the Gospel till the Consecration, inclusive, you will fulfill your second duty to God, of offering Him due satisfaction. Cast a glance over your sins and then with contrite heart say: "Behold, my God, the traitor who has rebelled so many times against You. I offer You in expiation all the merits of Jesus Christ, true God and true man, who deigns now to renew the sacrifice of Himself in my favor."
Third Part: Thanksgiving. From the Consecration to Communion, consider the benefits without number which you have received from almighty God. Offer Him in exchange a treasure of infinite value, the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Invite all the angels and saints to join you in thanking God, "Help me to thank my God. I beg of you, offer Him in gratitude for His goodness not only this holy Mass, but all the Masses that are now being celebrated throughout the world."
Fourth Part: Petition. From the Communion until the end of Mass, recall the words of Christ: "Ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." After receiving Jesus in your heart, converse with Him intimately, knowing on faith that this is the self-same Jesus who worked miracles of mercy during His public life, and who now sits at the right hand of His heavenly Father, preparing a place for you in His kingdom. Pray for yourself and for others; for the Church and those who do not have the faith, or the realization that although He ascended into heaven Christ still abides with us on earth in the Blessed Sacrament.
Adapted from St. Leonard of Port Maurice
In Union with the Sacred Heart
This method combines devotion to the Sacred Heart with reflection on the sacred Passion of Christ, and divides the Mass into four parts (as above) : from the beginning to the Gospel, to the Consecration, to the Communion, to the end of Mass.
In the first part we may consider and honor the Heart of Jesus, praying in His agony at the approach of His Passion, especially in the Garden of Olives.
In the second we honor the Heart of Jesus humbled and suffering in the various trials of Jerusalem, until the time of the scourging at the pillar.
In the third we honor the Heart of Jesus suffering in the scourging and crowning with thorns, and follow Him in the path of suffering until His last sigh on the cross.
In the fourth we honor the Heart of Jesus hidden and buried in the sepulcher, while reflecting that He is now risen from the dead and that we possess Him in Holy Communion in His glorified humanity.
This manner of hearing Mass allows the use of the missal or joining with the congregation in responses and hymns, while keeping the mind attentive to the Passion of Christ, in union with His Sacred Heart. As a variant, invocations from the Litany of the Sacred Heart appropriate to the various parts of the Mass may serve as expressions of love and petition during the Holy Sacrifice.
Reflection on the Seven Last Words
The Mass is divided into seven parts, to correspond to the seven words of Christ on the cross, while meditating on the sentiments of each word in its relation to the re-presentation of Calvary on the altar.
At the Introit. Jesus prays for His executioners: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
Ask Jesus to forgive you all your sins, for you are more guilty than His executioners, having crucified Him even though you knew better.
At the Collect Prayers. The good thief says to Jesus: "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus answers him: "Amen I say to you, this day you shall be with Me in paradise."
In his gratitude, the good thief unites his suffering with the sufferings of Jesus. Repeat his prayer in your own favor, for the present moment and for the hour of your death.
At the Offertory. Jesus gives St. John to Mary for her son: "Woman, behold your son."
John is thus to take the place of Jesus as her son, and with him all mankind receives Mary for a mother. Thank our Lord for having given her to you. Ask this good Mother to give you her tender love and to guide you in all things to the service of Jesus.
At the Preface. "Behold your mother." With these words, Jesus gives His Mother to be our mother. Thank your loving Savior for the glorious title of child of Mary, which gives you a claim to her mother love and to all her goods and possessions.
At the Elevation. "I thirst." Adore Jesus crucified anew on the altar. He prays to His heavenly Father, willing to suffer still more for the love of mankind, and cries out to Him: "I thirst! I thirst for hearts, thirst for Your glory."
Slake this burning thirst of Jesus for suffering, for the world's salvation, for reparation to the deeply offended majesty of God, by suffering yourself and making reparation with Him.
At the Pater Noster. "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani?"
Adore the holy and unspeakable desolation of the Savior, suffered by Him to expiate your own criminal abandonment of God and His holy law; promise Him that you will never again forsake Him.
At Communion. "It is consummated … Father, into Your hands I commend
My spirit." With these words, Jesus dies.
Adore Him as, in this Holy Communion, He delivers Himself into the hands of men—body and blood, soul and divinity, all that He is. Unite yourself with the priest and adore Jesus taken down from the cross, and given into the arms of His holy Mother. As you receive Him in Communion, press Him to your heart, and never let Him leave you.
Bl. Peter Julian Eymard
Selections from Oriental Liturgies
I give You thanks, I magnify and glorify You, O Lord, my God, because You have allowed me today, though unworthy, to partake of the divine and dreadful mysteries of Your pure body and precious blood. By virtue of these sacred mysteries, I ask You to keep me in grace every day and every hour of my life, that ever having Your mercy in mind I may live with You, who for us did suffer, were dead, and are risen again.
Lord God, You have set the seal of Your precious blood on my soul. Let not the destroyer come near me. You are all powerful and alone without sin, purify me by these gifts. Strengthen me against all temptations, that I may drive off the enemy with shame and confusion. Direct my thoughts, my words, and my ways. Dwell ever within me, according to Your sure word, "He that eats My body and drinks My blood dwells in Me and I in him." Thus have You spoken, O Lover of men. Confirm in me the words of Your divine decrees. For You are the God of mercy, kindness, and love, the giver of all good, and to You, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, belongs glory now and forever. Amen. Armenian Liturgy
O King of glory, no one is worthy to come to You, to draw near to You, to perform a service for You when he is bound down by desires and pleasures of the flesh; for to serve You is something grand and awe-inspiring even for the heavenly powers themselves. And yet, because of Your ineffable and boundless love for mankind, You became man without changing or diminishing Your divinity, and You became our high priest; and acting as master of all creation You granted us the sacred power of offering up this public sacrifice without any new shedding of blood. For You alone, O Lord our God, are master over all things in heaven and on earth. You who are borne upon the throne of the cherubim, You who are the Lord of the seraphim and King of Israel, You alone are holy and rest among the holy.
Still I make my prayers to You, who alone are good and graciously ready to hear me. Turn Your eyes upon me, Your sinful and unprofitable servant, and cleanse my soul and heart from any thought of evil. By the power of the Holy Spirit, render me also worthy. And so it is to You I come with my head bowed low and beseech You not to turn away Your face from us, but to allow these gifts to be offered to You by me, Your sinful and unworthy servant; for it is really You who offer and are offered, You who receive the offering and are given back to us, Christ our God—and to You we render glory, with Your eternal Father, and with Your most holy and gracious and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and for ages of ages. Amen.
Byzantine Liturgy
I believe and will confess to my last breath that this is the living body which Your only-begotten Son, our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, took from our Lady and the Queen of mankind, the holy sinless Virgin Mary, Mother of God. He made it one with His Godhead without confusion or change. He witnessed before Pontius Pilate, and was of His own free will condemned in our place to the holy tree. Truly I believe that His Godhead was not separated from His manhood for a moment, for the twinkle of an eye. He gave His body for the remission of our sins, and for eternal life to them that partake of it. I believe, I believe, I believe, that this is in very truth that body.
Coptic Liturgy
Our Lord God, Father of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, we thank You for all things, for all Your goodness to us, and for all the times You have protected, helped, and strengthened us, received us to Yourself and brought us to this day. We pray and beseech Your goodness, O Lover of men, that we may pass this day and all the days of our life in perfect peace before You. Amen. Ethiopic Liturgy
Every day, O Lord, it is proper, at all times it is right, every hour it is fitting that we confess, worship, and glorify the awe-inspiring name of Your Majesty. For by Your grace and compassion You have made man's imperfect nature worthy to bless that name with the angels and to have part in Your mysteries, to rejoice in Your words of beauty and divinity, sing a hymn of praise and glory to
Your Godhead, Lord of all, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Malabar Liturgy
O Father of justice, look upon my sins and then upon the sacrifice offered for them. The sacrifice and the sacrificed are boundlessly greater than my transgressions. I indeed have sinned, but Your Well-beloved has suffered the nails and the spear, and by His Passion I shall obtain life. Blessing to the Father, who has sent His Son for us; worship to the Son, who has ransomed men by His cross; praise to the Holy Spirit, by whom the mystery of our redemption has been fulfilled. Blessed be He who has renewed all things by His love; glory to Him. May Your cross, O my Lord Jesus Christ, ever be our protection against the Evil One and his powers. Amen. Maronite Liturgy
Glory to You, who find the lost sheep. Glory to You, who gather the scattered flock together. Glory to You, who bring back the wandering. Glory to You, who lead the erring into the way of truth. Glory to You, O Lord, who in spite of my unworthiness have called me to Your goodness, and in Your mercy have drawn me to You to be a member in the great body of Your Church, that I may offer You this life-giving, all-holy, and acceptable sacrifice in memory of the passion, death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in whom is all Your love and by whom You blot out the sins of men. Amen.
Chaldean Liturgy
PRAYERS BEFORE MASS AND COMMUNION
Intentions for Mass
Eternal Father, I offer You the sacrifice wherein Your dear Son Jesus offered Himself upon the cross and which He now renews upon this altar, to adore You and to give You that honor which is Your due, acknowledging Your supreme dominion ever all things and their absolute dependence on You, for You are our first beginning and our last end; to give You thanks for countless benefits received; to appease Your justice provoked to anger by so many sins, and to offer You worthy satisfaction for the same; and finally to implore Your grace and mercy for myself, for all those who are in tribulation and distress, for all poor sinners, for the whole world, and for the blessed souls in purgatory.
Grace of Communion
Thou comest to me at holy Mass. Let me at Holy Communion approach Thee with awe and love in whom resides all perfection and from whom I am allowed to gain it. Let me come to the Sanctifier to be sanctified. Let me come to Thee to learn my duty, and to receive grace to do it. At other times of the day I am reminded of watching, toiling, struggling, and suffering; but at this moment I am reminded simply of Thy gifts toward me a sinner.
I am reminded that I can do nothing, and that Thou dost everything. This is especially the moment of grace. I come to see and experience Thy mercies. I come before Thee as the helpless beings during Thy ministry, who were brought on beds and couches for a cure. I come to be made whole.
May each
Holy Communion as it comes, find me more and more like Thee (who at these times becomest a little child for my sake)—more simpleminded, more humble, more holy, more affectionate, more resigned, more happy, more full of Thee. Amen. Cardinal Newman
All the Masses
My God, I offer You all the Masses which are being celebrated today throughout the world, for sinners who are in their agony and who are to die this day. May the precious blood of Jesus, their Redeemer, obtain mercy for them. Amen.
Lover of My Soul
You desire, Lover of my soul, to come to me. Your delights are to be with me, cold, inhospitable, as I am. Come, then; come, Lord Jesus, and in satisfying Your own desire, enkindle mine.
§ My Lord and my God.
Petitions Before Communion
Almighty and everlasting God, behold I come to the sacrament of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I come as one infirm to the physician of life, as unclean to the fountain of mercy, as blind to the light of everlasting brightness, as poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth.
Therefore I implore the abundance of Your measureless bounty that You would vouchsafe to heal my infirmity, wash my uncleanness, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness, that I may receive the Bread of Angels, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, with such reverence and humility, with such sorrow and devotion, with such purity and faith, with such purpose and intention, as may be profitable to my soul's salvation.
Grant me, I pray, the grace of receiving not only the sacrament of our Lord's body and blood, but also the grace and power of the sacrament.
Most gracious God, grant me so to receive the body of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, which He took from the Virgin Mary, as to merit incorporation into His mystical body and to be numbered among His members. Most loving Father, give me grace to behold forever Your beloved Son with unveiled face, whom now I purpose to receive veiled in the way. Amen.
§ Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, have mercy on us.
To St. Joseph
Happy were you, blessed Joseph, to whom it was given not only to see and to hear God whom many kings desired to see and saw not, to hear and heard not; but also to bear Him in your arms, embrace. Him, clothe Him, and guard and defend Him.
v Pray for us, blessed Joseph.
R That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Oblation of the Sacred Heart
O eternal Father, permit me to offer You the Heart of Jesus Christ, Your well-beloved Son, as He offers Himself in sacrifice. Graciously receive this offering on my behalf and receive all the desires, all the sentiments, all the affections, all the movements, and all the acts of this Sacred Heart. They are all mine, since He immolates Himself for me, and since I intend to have no other desires henceforth but His. Receive them in satisfaction for my sins, and in thanksgiving for all His benefits. Graciously receive, then, all the merits of the Sacred Heart of Your divine Son which I offer, and grant me in return all the graces which are necessary for me, especially the grace of final perseverance. Receive them as so many acts of love, adoration, and praise which I offer to Your Divine Majesty, since it is by Your divine Son alone that You are worthily honored and glorified. Amen.
St. Margaret Mary
With Mary at Mass
O most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of gentleness and mercy, I, a miserable and unworthy sinner, fly to thy protection with every sentiment of humility and love; and I implore of thy loving kindness that thou wouldst vouchsafe graciously to be near me and all who throughout the Church are to receive the body and blood of thy Son this day, even as thou wert near thy sweetest Son as He hung bleeding on the cross. Aided by thy gracious help, may we worthily approach this august Sacrament.
O holy Mother,
stand by me now at Mass time, when Christ comes to me, as thou didst minister
to thine Infant Lord, as thou didst hang upon His words when He grew up, as thou
wast found under His cross. Stand by me, holy Mother, that I may gain somewhat
of thy purity, thine innocence, thy faith, and He may be the one object of my
love and my adoration, as He was of thine. Amen.
Cardinal Newman
Offering to God the Father
Eternal Father, I offer You, through Mary, the Sacred Heart of Jesus in holy Mass today and in all the Masses that are perpetually offered to You in the world. Glory Be to the Father.
I offer it to You with all its love, all its sufferings, and all its merits to adore You, to glorify You, and to thank You for Your infinite perfections. Glory Be to the Father.
I offer it to You for Your Church, for the pope, bishops, priests, religious, and faithful, that in Your love they may be safe from temptation and sin. Glory Be to the Father.
I offer it for the members of our community, that its spirit of charity may reign over us, its virtues be the example we follow, and its zeal the inspiration of our apostolate. Glory Be to the Father.
I offer it for my relatives and friends (NAME), for my benefactors and those for whom I have promised, those who wish me well and those, too, whom my imperfections render unfriendly to me. Glory Be to the Father.
I offer it for all those outside the Church, that they may come to know You in Your mystical body, for those who have fallen from Your faith, and for all poor sinners, that they may return to Your fold. Glory Be to the Father.
I offer it for all who will die this day, for the perseverance of those who are in Your grace, and the true repentance of those who are burdened with sin. Glory Be to the Father.
I offer it for the poor souls in purgatory, that they who have loved You and served You in life may through Your divine mercy soon enjoy the consummation of Your love. Glory Be to the Father.
I offer it to expiate all the sins I have committed in the past day and all my life, to purify the good I have done badly, and to supply for the good I have neglected. Glory Be to the Father.
I offer it, finally, to make satisfaction for the sins of the whole world committed this day and since the beginning, and to make reparation for all those who do not love You. Glory Be to the Father.
PRAYERS AFTER MASS AND COMMUNION
Leonine Prayers
Hail Mary (three times).
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, 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 God, our refuge and our strength, look down with favor upon Your people who cry to You; and through the intercession of the glorious and immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of blessed Joseph, her spouse, of Your blessed apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, do You mercifully and graciously hear the prayers which we pour forth for the conversion of sinners and for the freedom and exaltation of Holy Mother Church. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
St. Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle; be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and the other evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us (three times).
Song of the Three Young Men
Let us sing the hymn of the three young men that was sung by these
holy youths in the fiery furnace in praise of the Lord.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
you heavens, bless the Lord;
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
Sun and moon, bless the Lord;
stars of heaven, bless the Lord.
Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;
all you winds, bless the Lord;
Fire and heat, bless the Lord;
cold and chill, bless the Lord;
Dew and rain, bless the Lord;
frost and cold, bless the Lord;
Ice and snow, bless the Lord;
nights and days, bless the Lord;
Light and darkness, bless the Lord;
lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.
Let the earth bless the Lord,
praise and exalt Him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
You springs, bless the Lord;
seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
all you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt Him above all forever.
You sons of men, bless the Lord;
O Israel, bless the Lord;
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Ananias, Azarias, Misael, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt Him above all forever.
(Let us bless the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
let us praise and exalt God above all forever.)
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever!
Daniel 3:58-88
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord in His sanctuary,
praise Him in the firmament of His strength.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds,
praise Him for His sovereign majesty.
Praise Him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise Him with lyre and harp.
Praise Him with timbrel and dance,
praise Him with strings and pipe.
Praise Him with sounding cymbals,
praise Him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Psalm 150
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Let us sing the hymns of the three young men that was sung by these holy youths in the fiery furnace in praise of the Lord. (Alleluia.)
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Our Father (secretly until …)
v And lead us not into temptation.
R But deliver us from evil.
v Let all Your works sing Your praise, O Lord.
R And let Your saints bless You.
v The saints rejoice in glory.
R They shall be joyous in their rest.
v Not to us, O Lord, not to us.
R But to Your name give glory.
v O Lord, hear my prayer.
R And let my cry come unto You.
v The Lord be with you.
R And with your spirit.
LET US PRAY O God, who protected the three young men from the flames of fire,
grant that the flames of sin may not consume us, Your servants.
We beseech You, O Lord, precede our actions by Your holy inspirations and carry them through by Your gracious assistance, that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from You, and through You be successfully completed.
Help us, O Lord, to extinguish the flames of our sins, even as blessed Lawrence was enabled to withstand his fiery torments. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
I Give You Thanks
I give You thanks, holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, that You have vouchsafed to feed me, a sinner, Your unworthy servant, for no merits of my own but only through the goodness of Your great mercy, with the precious body and blood of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I ask that this Holy Communion may not add to my guilt for punishment but become a saving intercession for pardon. May it serve as an armor of faith and a shield of good will. May it drive out my evil inclinations; dispel all wicked desires and fleshly temptations; increase my charity, patience, humility, obedience, and all my virtues. May it be a firm defense against the plots of all my enemies, both seen and unseen; a perfect quieting of all movements to sin, both in my flesh and spirit; a strong attachment to You, the only and true God, and a happy ending of my life. I beg of You to deign to bring me, a sinner, to that ineffable feast where You, with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, are to Your holy ones true light, full satisfaction, everlasting joy, consummate pleasure, and perfect happiness. Amen.
St. Thomas Aquinas
Act of Love
Most loving Lord Jesus, pierce the depths of my soul with the blessed and life-giving wound of Your love, with serenity of spirit and a holy, apostolic charity, that my heart may ever languish and melt with love and longing for You, that it may desire You and yearn for Your heavenly courts, and look forward to being dissolved and living with You. Grant that my soul may hunger after You, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste.
Let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon You, on whom the angels wish to look, and may my inmost spirit be filled with Your delight. May it ever thirst after You, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God. May it ever aspire after You, seek You, find You, run to You, attain You, meditate on You, speak of You, and do all things to the praise and glory of Your name, with humility and discretion, with ease and affection, with love and satisfaction, and with perseverance unto the end.
May You alone ever be my hope, my entire assurance, my riches and delight, my pleasure and joy, my rest and tranquillity, my sweetness and peace, my fragrance and savor, my food and refreshment, my refuge and help, my wisdom and possession, my portion and treasure, in whom may my mind and heart be fixed and firm and rooted immovably for all eternity. Amen.
St. Bonaventure
Adoro Te
Adoro te devote, latens Deitas,
Quae sub his figuris vere latitas;
Tibi se cor meum totum subjicit,
Quia te contemplans totum deficit.
Visus, tactus, gustus in te fallitur,
Sed auditu solo tuto creditur;
Credo quidquid dixit Dei Filius,
Nil hoc verbo veritatis verius.
In cruce latebat sola Deitas,
At hic latet simul et humanitas,
Ambo tamen credens atque confitens,
Peto quod petivit latro paenitens.
Plagas sicut Thomas non intueor,
Deum tamen meum te confiteor,
Fac me tibi semper magis credere,
In te spem habere, te diligere.
O memoriale mortis Domini,
Panis vivus vitam praestans homini,
Praesta meae menti de te vivere,
Et te illi semper dulce sapere.
Pie pelicane, Jesu Domine,
Me immundum munda tuo sanguine,
Cuius una stilla salvum facere
Totum mundum quit ob omni scelere.
Jesu, quem velatum nunc aspicio,
Oro fiat illud quod tam sitio,
Ut te revelata cernens facie
Visu sim beatus tuae gloriae.
I adore You devoutly, Godhead unseen, who truly lie hidden under these sacramental forms. My soul surrenders itself to You without reserve, for in contemplating You it is completely overwhelmed. Sight, touch, and taste are no guide in finding You, and only hearing is a sure guide for our faith. I believe everything that the Son of God has said, and nothing can be truer than this word of the Truth. Only the Godhead was hidden on the cross, but here the humanity is hidden as well. Yet I believe and acknowledge them both, and make the same request as did the repentant thief. I do not see the marks of the wounds, as Thomas did, and yet I too own You as "my God." Grant me to believe in You always more and more, to place my hope in You and love You. Living Bread, that ever recalls the death of the Lord and gives life to His servants, grant my soul to live by You and always to taste Your sweetness, Lord Jesus, loving pelican of heaven, cleanse me, a sinner, with Your blood; for a single drop can save the whole world from all its sin. Jesus, as I look on Your veiled presence, I pray that what I long for so ardently may come about, and that I may see Your face unveiled and be happy in the vision of Your glory. Amen.
Anima Christi
Anima Christi, sanctifica me.
Corpus Christi, salva me.
Sanguis Christi, inebria me.
Aqua lateris Christi, lava me.
Passio Christi, conforta me.
O bone Jesu, exaudi me.
Intra vulnera tua absconde me.
Ne permittas me separari a te.
Ab hoste malign defende me.
In hora mortis meae voca me.
Et jube me venire ad te.
Ut cum sanctis tuis laudem te
In saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Your wounds hide me.
Permit me not to be separated from You.
From the wicked foe defend me.
At the hour of my death call me.
And bid me come to You.
That with Your saints I may praise You
For ever and ever. Amen.
Suscipe
Suscipe, Domine, universam meam libertatem. Accipe memoriam, intellectum,
atque voluntatem omnem. Quidquid habeo vel possideo mihi largitus es; id tibi
totum restituo ac tuae prorsus voluntati trado gubernandum. Amorem tui solum cum
gratia tua mihi dones, et dives sum satis, nec aliud quidquam ultra posco.
Receive,
O Lord, all my liberty. Take my memory, my understanding, and my entire will.
Whatsoever I have or hold You have given me; I give it all back to You and surrender
it wholly to be governed
by Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace, and I am rich enough and
ask for nothing more.
En Ego
En ego, O bone
et dulcissime Jesu, ante conspecturn tuum genibus me provolvo, ac maximo animi
ardore te oro atque obtestor ut meum in cor vividos fidei, spei, et caritatis
sensus atque veram peccatorum meorum paenitentiam, eaque emendandi firmissimam
voluntatem velis imprimere, dum magno animi affectu et dolore tua quinque vulnera
mecum ipse considero ac mente contemplor, illud prae oculis habens quod jam in
ore ponebat tuo David propheta de te, O bone Jesu: Foderunt manus meas et pedes
meos; dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea.
Look down upon
me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Your face I humbly kneel, and with burning
soul pray and beseech You to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith,
hope, and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment;
while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Your five wounds, pondering
over them within me, and calling to mind the words which long ago David the prophet
spoke in Your own person concerning You, my Jesus: "They have pierced My
hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."
Ave Verum Corpus
Ave verum corpus natum
De Maria Virgine,
Vere passum, immolatum
In cruce pro homine,
Cuius latus perforatum
Unda fluxit et sanguine;
Esto nobis praegustatum
Mortis in examine.
O clemens, O pie,
O dulcis Jesu, Fili Mariae.
Hail, true body, truly born
Of the Virgin Mary mild,
Truly offered, racked, and torn,
On the cross, for man defiled,
From whose love-pierced, sacred side
Flowed the true blood's saving tide;
Be to us a pleasant foretaste
As the agony of our death we face,
O loving and most faithful one,
Dearest Jesus, Mary's Son.
In Memory of the Passion
Most loving Lord Jesus Christ, I ask that Your Passion may be the power by which I am strengthened, protected, and defended. May Your wounds be my food and drink by which I am fed and filled and overjoyed. May the sprinkling of Your blood be to the cleansing of my sins. May Your death prove to me life everlasting, Your cross be my eternal glory. In these be my refreshment, my joy, my preservation and happiness of heart. Who live and reign world without end. Amen.
Mary, Virgin and Mother
O Mary, Virgin and most holy Mother, I have received your beloved Son, whom you conceived in your immaculate womb, whom you brought into the world, nursed, and cherished with loving embrace. Behold the one in whose vision you rejoice and by whom you are filled with delight, the same I now humbly offer and present to be taken in your arms, loved by your heart, and offered with divine worship to the most Holy Trinity, for your honor and praise, for my own many needs and those of all mankind.
I ask you, therefore, most merciful Mother, to obtain for me the remission of all my sins, an abundance of grace to serve Him faithfully in the days to come, and the gift of final perseverance, that with you I may praise Him for ever and ever. Amen.
Blessed Joseph
Blessed Joseph, father and protector of virgins, faithful guide to whom were entrusted perfect Innocence, Jesus Christ, and Mary, the virgin of virgins, I earnestly beg of you through this sacred pledge of Jesus and Mary, to preserve me from all uncleanness, that, pure of mind, clean of heart, and chaste of body, I may enjoy the most pure company of Jesus and Mary for all eternity. Amen.
Sacred Banquet
O sacred banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.
You have given them bread from heaven.
Which has in itself all kind of delight.
LET US PRAY O God, we possess a lasting memorial of Your Passion in this wondrous sacrament. Grant that we may so venerate the mysteries of Your body and blood that we may always feel within ourselves the effects of Your redemption: who live and rule with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
Teach Me, Lord Jesus
Most tender and gentle Lord Jesus, when will my heart have a portion of Thy perfections? When will my hard and stony heart, my proud heart, my unbelieving, my impure heart, my narrow, selfish heart, be melted and conformed to Thine? Teach me so to contemplate Thee, that I may become like Thee, and to love Thee sincerely and simply as Thou hast loved me.
Cardinal Newman
§ Come Lord, and do not delay.
Petition for Grace
My Lord Jesus Christ, most lovable and most kind, in Your great goodness You have even now entered this poor and humble abode. Adorn and enrich it with Your treasures, that it may be made worthy of Your indwelling. Take up Your rest therein, that my heart may find its rest in You alone. Let it not be enough for You, O Lord, to have given me Your sacred body; give me also the treasures of grace which You bring with You; for it will profit me little to eat the Bread of Life if I remain unfed by Your grace. Give me, O Lord, a heart completely transformed into You by love; give me a life that shall be all Yours, a quiet death that shall be the beginning of eternal life. That is what I look for, pray and hope for from You, my eternal God, by virtue of this Blessed Sacrament. Amen.
Not My Own
My Lord, I offer Thee myself in turn as a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Thou hast died for me, and I in turn make myself over to Thee. I am not my own. Thou hast bought me; I will by my own act and deed complete the purchase. My wish is to be separated from everything of this world; to cleanse myself simply from sin; to put away from me even what is innocent, if used for its own sake, and not for Thine. I put away reputation and honor, and influence, and power, for my praise and strength shall be in Thee. Enable me to carry out what I profess. Amen.
Cardinal Newman
I Adore You, O Jesus
I adore You, O Jesus, true God and true man, here present in the Holy Eucharist, humbly kneeling before You and united in spirit with all the faithful on earth and all the blessed in heaven. In deepest gratitude for so great a blessing, I love You, my Jesus, with my whole heart, for You are all perfect and all worthy of love.
Give me grace never to offend You again in any way, and grant that, being refreshed by Your Eucharistic presence here on earth, I may be found worthy to come, with Mary, to the enjoyment of Your eternal and beatific presence in heaven. Amen.
I Firmly Believe
My God, I firmly believe that You are really and bodily present in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar. I adore You here present from the depths of my heart, and I worship Your presence with all possible humility. What joy for my soul to have Jesus Christ always present with us, and to be able to speak to Him, heart to heart, with all confidence. O Lord, grant that after having adored Your Divine Majesty here on earth in this wonderful sacrament, I may be able to adore it eternally in heaven. Amen.
Spiritual Communion
O Jesus, I turn toward the holy tabernacle where You live hidden for love of me. I love You, my God. I cannot now receive You in Holy Communion. Come, nevertheless, to visit me with Your grace. Come spiritually into my heart. Purify it, sanctify it, render it like unto Your own. Amen.
First Century Eucharistic Thanksgiving
We give You thanks, our Father, for the holy vine of David Your son, which You have made known to us through Jesus, Your Son. To You be the glory for evermore.
We give You thanks, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You have made known to us through Jesus, Your Son. To You be the glory for evermore.
As this broken bread was scattered over the hills and then, when gathered, became one mass, so may Your Church be gathered from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom. For Yours is the glory and power through Jesus Christ for evermore.
We give You thanks, O holy Father, for Your holy name, which You have enshrined in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality which You have made known to us through Jesus, Your Son. To You be the glory for evermore.
You, Lord almighty, have created all things for the sake of Your name, and have given food and drink for men to enjoy, that they may give thanks to You. But to us You have vouchsafed spiritual food and drink and eternal life, through Your Son.
Above all, we give You thanks because You are mighty. To You be the glory for evermore.
Remember, O Lord, Your Church. Deliver her from all evil. Perfect her in love, and from the four winds assemble her, the sanctified, in Your kingdom which You have prepared for her.
May grace come, and this world pass away. Hosanna to the God of David. If anyone is holy, let him advance. If anyone is not, let him be converted. Lord come. Amen.
Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)
For Grace
Good Jesus, I know two things in myself, the nature You have made and the sin that I have added. Lord, I confess that through my own fault I have disfigured my nature, but remember that I am only a spirit that goes forth and does not return. Of myself I have gone forth into sin; return of myself I cannot. Good Jesus, remove what I have added, and leave what You have made, that I, whom You have redeemed with Your blood on the cross, may not perish. Amen.
St. Bernard
Through Christ Our Lord
In the degree to which our oblation and sacrifice will the more perfectly correspond to the sacrifice of our Lord, that is to say, to the extent to which we have immolated love of self and our passions and crucified our flesh in that mystical crucifixion of which the apostle writes, so much the more plentiful fruits of propitiation and of expiation will we garner for ourselves and for others. A wondrous bond joins all the faithful in Christ, the same bond which unites the head with the other members of the body, namely, the communion of saints, a bond full of mystery which we believe in as Catholics and by virtue of which individuals and nations are not only united to one another but likewise with the head itself, who is Christ.
Pius XI
Noverim Me
Lord Jesus, may I know myself as well as You, and desire nothing but only You. May I hate myself while loving You. May I do everything for the sake of You. May I humble myself and honor You. May I think of nothing save only You. May I die to myself and live in You. May I receive whatever happens as coming from You. May I banish self and follow You, and ever desire to follow You. May I fly from myself and take refuge in You, in order to merit being defended by You. May I fear for myself, while fearing You, and be among those who are chosen by You. May I distrust myself and trust in You. May I be willing to obey for the sake of You. May I cling to nothing save only You, and may I be poor because of You. Look upon me, that I may love You. Call me that I may see You, and forever enjoy You. Amen.
St. Augustine
Guide and Support
I beseech You, Lord, that this Holy Communion may be the guide and support of my journey, even to the harbor of eternal salvation. May it be a comfort when my thoughts are perplexed, a delight in my good works, giving me patience in trial and distress and strength in my sickness. Grant me, through this reception of Your sacred mysteries, a right faith, a firm hope, perfect loyalty, and courage to renounce the world. May it refine my desires to bring me inward joy and a warm love of You, with a tender sympathy for the suffering of Your beloved Son. May it also bring me grace to fill my life with goodness through my worship of You and the sincerity of my faith. Amen.
Sarum Missal
Heart of Jesus
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I thank You for giving me Yourself again in Holy Communion. I humbly ask You to receive my gift of faith in You, hope in You, love for You, gratitude to You, sorrow for my sins against You and against those whom You love, an earnest desire of becoming a holy Jesuit, and of doing all that I can during life and after death to bring as many souls as possible to enjoy the happiness of loving You forever. Amen.
Gratitude to the Heavenly Father
Almighty Creator, upon this altar before which I now kneel I have offered to You the sacrifice of Your own Son. He is my gift to You. Accept Him as the pledge of my surrender to Your holy will in my regard. In giving Him, I give all that I am. Let me never take any of myself back this day by sin.
Eternal Father, the gift which I have given to You was slain on the cross and has come to You by way of sacrifice. In His love for me, it was our Lord's will that it should be so. This was the death which I deserved for my sins. In giving Him to You as the victim of sin, I humbly beg that You accept His death that I may live in His grace. This is my act of contrition. I confess, dear God, that the cross by rights is mine. I have dared to offer its victim to You as a plea of guilt and as a symbol of my sorrow for having abused the gift of life by sin. Just Creator, accept the apology which, through the death of Your Son, I have made to You upon this altar. Amen.
Gratitude to Christ Our Lord
Dear Lord, let me never forget all that You have done for me in the short space of this one Mass. I brought to this altar a feeble gift of bread and wine. This You changed into Your own body and blood. Through You I offered it to our heavenly Father; and He accepted it, not because of me, but because of You. For this I am grateful.
Dearest Lord, I have broken today the bread of Your body. At this altar of sacrifice I drank the chalice of Your blood. It was Your Passion which made this possible. Holy Communion has made me one with You. My thanks, dear Lord, for this oneness which makes me holy out of all proportion to my human nature. There is now something of the divine about me. Because of this, God is my Father. And Your coming to me this day is a pledge which I have from Him of eternal life as a member of His heavenly family. Again, dear Lord, my deepest thanks.
Gratitude to the Holy Spirit
God the Holy Spirit, who proceed from the Father and the Son, You are called in a special way the Spirit of Christ our Lord. It was by Your breath of grace and truth that the Son of God anointed His soul in the immaculate womb of the Blessed Virgin. You are that Spirit which delights to dwell in the beloved soul of our Redeemer as in Your most cherished shrine. It was this Spirit which Christ merited for us on the cross by the shedding of His blood. You are the Spirit which He bestowed on the Church for the remission of sins, through the sacraments and the sacrifice of the Mass. And while Christ alone received Your Spirit without measure, He imparts it to the members of His mystical body according to His will from His own fullness. It is the increase of Your Spirit in my soul that I am confident I have received from this Mass and Holy Communion, and I thank You for this infinite generosity.
Yet I know my weakness and tepidity. I am so prone to judge grace by nature and to measure the presence of Your Spirit in me by the sensible consolations that I feel. Teach me to believe ever more firmly that my assistance at Mass and reception of Communion brought an increase of Your divine life in my soul, with consequent obligations on my part, no matter how cold my emotions may be. Help me to be generous in responding to Your love by my love for You, who are divine Love, by fidelity to Your inspirations. Amen.
DEVOTIONS TO THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
Jesus Christ is not merely present in the midst of the world; He draws near to man and remains with him—He abides with His apostles, with His faithful, with all nations; they have been won by His blood. His presence is twofold. He has one divine presence by which He maintains the universe He has created and follows the steps of men in the ways of good and evil; He is witness and judge of their actions, inclining them toward good, punishing them for evil.
He also has another presence, at once divine and human, by means of which He erects His tent in the catacombs, among men's dwelling places, in the fields and forests, down in the valleys, or up on the mountains, in desert places, or amid the snow and everlasting glaciers, wherever a priest with the omnipotent word of Christ raises up bread and a chalice in adoration of that which he has done in memory of Him. There He is with His minister: He walks with him, He makes Himself our nourishment, the viaticum of the dying and the suffering, our brother, our spouse, our father, our healer, the strength and the life of souls, the bread of angels, the earnest of everlasting joy.
"Behold I am with you …," we see the past and the future bound up with the present and, as if the years had not been, we hear the word of St. Paul, admonishing us that each time we eat this bread and drink this chalice, we shall announce the death of the Lord until He comes. As long as an ear of wheat grows in our fields, as long as a cluster of grapes hangs on the vine, and a priest ascends the altar to offer sacrifice there, the divine Guest will be with us; and the faithful will bow down soul and body before a consecrated host in an act of faith, as the apostles at the Last Supper, in the consecrated bread and wine which the Savior offered to them with the words: "This is My body, this is My blood," adored Christ, the divine Master.
Pius XII
Lauda Sion Salvatorem
Lauda, Sion, salvatorem,
Lauda ducem et pastorem
In hymnis et canticis.
Quantum potes, tantum aude,
Quia major omni laude
Nec laudare sufficis.
Laudis thema specialis,
Panis vivus et vitalis,
Hodie proponitur:
Quem in sacrae mensae coenae
Turbae fratrum duodenae
Datum non ambigitur.
Sit laus plena, sit sonora,
Sit jucunda, sit decora
Mentis jubilatio.
Dies enim solemnis agitur
In qua mensae prima recolitur
Hujus institutio.
In hac mensa novi regis
Novum pascha novae legis
Phase vetus terminat.
Vetustatem novitas,
Umbram fugat veritas,
Noctem lux eliminat.
Quod in coena Christus gessit
Faciendum hoc expressit
In sui memoriam.
Docti sacris institutis
Panem, vinum in salutis
Consecramus hostiam.
Dogma datur Christianis
Quod in carnem transit panis
Et vinum in sanguinem.
Quod non capis, quod non vides,
Animosa firmat fides,
Praeter rerum ordinem.
Sub diversis speciebus,
Signis tantum et non rebus,
Latent res eximiae.
Caro cibus, sanguis potus,
Manet tamen Christus totus
Sub utraque specie.
A sumente non concisus,
Non confractus, non divisus,
Integer accipitur.
Sumit unus, sumunt mille,
Quantum isti, tantum ille,
Nec sumptus consumitur.
Sumunt boni, sumunt mali,
Sorte tamen inaequali
Vitae vel interitus.
Mors est malis, vita bonis,
Vide paris sumptionis
Quam sit dispar exitus.
Fracto demum sacramento
Ne vacilles, sed memento
Tantum esse sub fragmento
Quantum toto tegitur.
Nulla rei fit scissura,
Signi tantum fit fractura,
Qua nec status nec statura
Signati minuitur.
Ecce panis angelorum
Factus cibus viatorum,
Vere panis filiorum,
Non mittendus canibus.
In figuris praesignatur,
Cum Isaac immolatur,
Agnus Paschae deputatur,
Datur manna patribus.
Bone pastor, panis vere,
Jesu, nostri miserere;
Tu nos paste, nos tuere,
Tu nos bona fac videre
In terra viventium.
Tu qui cuncta scis et vales,
Qui nos pascis hic mortales,
Tuos ibi commensales,
Cohaeredes et sodales
Fac sanctorum civium. Amen.
St. Thomas Aquinas
Sion, praise your Savior. Praise your leader and shepherd in hymns and canticles. Praise Him as
much as you can, for He is beyond all praising and you will never be able to praise Him as He deserves. But today a theme worthy of particular praise is put before us—the living and life-giving bread that, without any doubt, was given to the twelve at table during the holy supper. Therefore let our praise be full and resounding and our soul's rejoicing full of delight and beauty, for this is the festival day to commemorate the first institution of this table.
At this table of the new King, the new law's new Pasch put an end to the old Passover. The new displaces the old; reality, the shadow and light, the darkness. Christ wanted what He did at the supper to be repeated in His memory. And so we, in accordance with His holy directions, consecrate bread and wine to be salvation's Victim.
Christ's followers know by faith that bread is changed into His flesh and wine into His blood. Man cannot understand this, cannot perceive it; but a lively faith affirms that the change, which is outside the natural course of things, takes place. Under the different species, which are now signs only and not their own reality, there lie hid wonderful realities. His body is our food, His blood our drink. And yet Christ remains entire under each species. The communicant receives the complete Christ—uncut, unbroken, and undivided. Whether one receive or a thousand, the one receives as much as the thousand. Nor is Christ diminished by being received. The good and the wicked alike receive Him, but with the unlike destine of life or death. To the wicked it is death, but life to the good. See how different is the result, though each receives the same. Last of all, if the sacrament is broken, have no doubt. Remember there is as much in a fragment as in an unbroken host. There is no division of the reality, but only a breaking of the sign; nor does the breaking diminish the condition or size of the one hidden under the sign.
Behold, the Bread of Angels is become the pilgrims' food; truly it is bread for the sons, and is not to be cast to dogs. It was prefigured in type when Isaac was brought as an offering, when a lamb was appointed for the Pasch and when manna was given to the Jews of old.
Jesus, good shepherd and true bread, have mercy on us; feed us and guard us. Grant that we find happiness in the land of the living. You know all things, can do all things, and feed us here on earth. Make us Your guests, co-heirs with You and companions of the saintly citizens on high. Amen.
§ Virgin Mary, our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, glory of the Christian people, joy of the universal Church, salvation of the whole world, pray for us, and awaken in all believers a lively devotion to the most Holy Eucharist, that they may become worthy to partake of the same daily.
BENEDICTION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
O Salutaris Hostia
O salutaris hostia
Quae caeli pandis ostium.
Bella premunt hostilia;
Da robur, fer auxilium.
Uni trinoque Domino.
Sit sempiterna gloria:
Qui vitam sine termino,
Nobis donet in patria. Amen.
O saving Victim opening wide
The gate of heaven to man below!
Our foes press on from every side;
Your aid supply, Your strength bestow.
To Your great name be endless praise
Immortal Godhead, one in three!
O grant us endless length of days,
In our true native land to be. Amen.
Tantum Ergo
Tantum ergo sacramentum
Veneremur cernui;
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui;
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.
Genitori Genitoque
Laus et jubilatio
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio;
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio. Amen.
v Panem de caelo praestitisti eis. (Alleluja)
R Omne delectamentum in se habentem. (Alleluja)
OREMUS Deus, qui nobis sub sacramento mirabili,
passionis tuae memoriam reliquisti: tribue
quaesumus, ita nos corporia et sanguinis tui sacra
mysteria venerari, ut redemptions tuae fructum
in nobis jugiter sentiamus. Qui vivis et regnas in
saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Down in adoration falling,
Lo, the sacred host we hail.
Lo, o'er ancient forms departing
Newer rites of grace prevail;
Faith for all defects supplying
Where the feeble senses fail.
To the everlasting Father,
And the Son who reigns on high.
With the Holy Spirit proceeding
Forth from each eternally.
Be salvation, honor, blessing,
Might and endless majesty. Amen.
v You have given them bread from heaven. (Alleluia)
R Containing in itself all sweetness. (Alleluia)
LET US PRAY O God, who in this wonderful sacrament have left us a memorial of Your Passion; grant us, we pray, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of Your body and blood, that we may ever feel within us the fruit of Your redemption. Who live and rule, world without end. Amen.
The Divine Praises
Blessed be God.
Blessed be His holy name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the name of Jesus.
Blessed be His most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His most precious blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, virgin and mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His angels and in His saints.
§O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine.
All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine.
Pange Lingua
Pange, lingua, gloriosi
Corporis mysterium,
Sanguinisque pretiosi,
Quem in mundi pretium,
Fructus ventris generosi,
Rex effudit gentium.
Nobis datus, nobis natus
Ex intacta Virgine,
Et in mundo conversatus,
Sparso verbi semine,
Sui moras incolatus
Miro clausit ordine.
In supremae nocte cenae
Recumbens cum fratribus,
Observata lege plene
Cibis in legalibus,
Cibum turbae duodenae
Se dat suis manibus.
Verbum caro, panem verum
Verbo carnem efficit,
Fitque sanguis Christi merum,
Etsi sensus deficit;
Ad formandum cor sincerum
Sola fides sufficit.
Et in mundo conversatus,
Sparso verbi semine,
Sui moras incolatus
Miro clausit ordine.
In supremae nocte cenae
Recumbens cum fratribus,
Observata lege plene
Cibis in legalibus,
Cibum turbae duodenae
Se dat suis manibus.
Verbum caro, panem verum
Verbo carnem efficit,
Fitque sanguis Christi merum,
Etsi sensus deficit;
Ad formandum cor sincerum
Sola fides sufficit.
Tantum ergo sacramentum
Veneremur cernui;
Et antiquum documentum
Novo cedat ritui;
Praestet fides supplementum
Sensuum defectui.
Genitori Genitoque
Laus et jubilatio,
Salus, honor, virtus quoque
Sit et benedictio;
Procedenti ab utroque
Compar sit laudatio. Amen.
Praise, my tongue, the mystery of the glorious body and precious blood which the King of the nations, fruit of a royal womb, poured out as the world's ransom. To us He was given, to us He was born of a pure virgin. He lived in the world and when He had spread the seed of truth, He closed in a wondrous way the period of His sojourn here. While reclining with His brethren on the night of the Last Supper, He perfectly observes the law regarding legal foods and then gives Himself with His own hands as food to the group of twelve. The Word made flesh by a word changes true bread into His flesh, and wine becomes His blood. If the senses are helpless here, faith is enough to convince the well-disposed of heart. Let us therefore humbly reverence so great a sacrament. Let the old types depart and give way to the new rite. Let faith provide her help where all the senses fail. To the Father and the Son be praise and exultation, blessing, honor, might, and benediction too. To the One who proceeds from both be equal glorification. Amen.
Jesus, King of Nations
Jesus, King of nations and ages, receive the acts of adoration and praise which we, Your brothers by adoption, humbly offer to You.
You are the living bread come down from heaven which gives life to the world. High Priest as well as Victim, You offered Yourself on the cross in a bloody sacrifice of expiation to the eternal Father for the redemption of the human race; and now each day You offer Yourself on our altars by the hands of Your ministers so that there might be restored in each heart Your kingdom of truth and life, of holiness and grace, of justice, love, and peace.
King of glory, may Your kingdom come! Rule from Your throne of glory in the hearts of children so they may keep immaculate the shining purity of their baptismal innocence. Rule in the hearts of youth so they may grow in wholesomeness and purity and docility to the voice of those who represent You in the family, school, and Church. Rule in the heart of the home so that parents and children may live united in the observance of Your holy law. Rule in our country so that in the harmonious ordering of the social classes all its citizens may regard themselves as children of the same heavenly Father, called to work together for the common temporal good and happy to belong to that one mystical body, of which Your sacrament is both the symbol and the everlasting source.
Rule, finally, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, over all the nations of the earth and enlighten the rulers of each nation that, inspired by Your example, they may nourish thoughts of peace and not of affliction.
Eucharistic Jesus, grant that all people may serve You freely in the knowledge that to serve God is to reign.
May Your sacrament, O Jesus, be a light to the mind, strength to the will, and attraction to the heart. May it be a support to the weak, comfort to the suffering, viaticum of salvation to the dying, and for all may it be a pledge of future glory. Amen.
John XXIII
§ Jesus my God, I adore You here present in the sacrament of Your love.
§ The body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my soul unto everlasting life. Amen.
§ Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof; but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
§ I adore You every moment, O Living Bread from heaven, great sacrament.
Copyright © 1998 by Inter Mirifica
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