and humbly hope to receive thy pardon. I offer to thee, in satisfaction for all my sins, of thought, word, and deed, and especially those I have committed this day, the sacred merits of thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ. I firmly purpose never more wilfully to offend thee. I resolve, from this moment to endeavour to love and serve thee better than I have hitherto done. Confirm me in this good purpose, to the glory of thy holy name, and the eternal salvation of my soul. Amen. Listen with submission and humility to your confessor, and answer him with truth and simplicity. When you have finished accusing yourself, say the rest of the Confiteor, p. 10. Then make an Act of Contrition. Be particularly attentive to the penance imposed on you. Fulfil it as soon and as exactly as possible. Do not tell others, or listen to what they have told in confession. After confession, take time to reflect on your confessor's advice, and make a resolution to serve God with more fidelity in future. For that purpose say the Acts of Faith, Hope, and the Love of God, as in your Catechism, or at p. 10 of this book, and the following prayer for renewing your baptismal vows; but consider well, that it is not enough to recite these acts, unless we have in our hearts the sentiments they express; for it is not by the lips, but by the affections of the heart, that we can repent of our faults, or shew our faith, hope, love, and adoration to God. A Thanksgiving after Confession. I give thee thanks, O Lord Jesus, that thou hast been pleased to cleanse me from the stains of my sins. Blessed be thy Name, O Lord, who rejectest none that come unto thee with true repentance, but receivest them into thy favour, and numberest them with thy children. I acknowledge and adore thy mercy, and dedicate myself wholly to thy service hereafter. Oh, grant that for the time to come I may abhor sin more than death itself, and avoid all such occasions and companies as have unhappily brought me to it. This I resolve to do, by the aid of thy divine grace, without which I can do nothing. Grant, O Lord, that I may be able to keep these my resolutions, for without thee I am nothing but weakness and sin. Supply also, by thy mercy, whatever defects have been in this my confession, and give me grace to be now and always a true penitent, through the same Jesus Christ, thy Son. Amen. A Prayer for renewing our Baptismal Vows. I return thee thanks, O Almighty God, for having drawn me out of a state of dark F ness into thine admirable light. I was, alas! dead in sin, and thou, who art rich in mercy, didst restore me to life in Jesus Christ; thou hast made me a partaker of the divine nature, by the infusion of thy Holy Spirit into my soul at the baptismal font, that, purified by thy grace, I might become thy heir, and inherit eternal life. O bountiful Father, how great is my obligation to love thee, who hast first given me such admirable proofs of thy love! I will therefore no longer love the world, nor that which it contains; but, having the happiness of being a member of Christ, I will crucify the flesh with all its evil inclinations. Grant, O heavenly Father, that I may always live by thy Spirit, and appear in thy sight as a child newly born in thy grace. Banish all kind of malice, pride, and deceit from my heart, that, anxious to feed on the pure spiritual milk of thy word, I may increase unto salvation. Oh, may I never grieve thy Holy Spirit by sin, but grant that, through thy grace, I may be ever fruitful in good works; so that, living in this world in a manner worthy of thee, I may at length obtain admittance into that kingdom of everlasting glory for which I was created. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. LORD have mercy upon us. Christ hear us. Christ graciously hear us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, God the Holy Ghost, llave, &c. Have mercy upon us. Holy Trinity, one God, Jesus, Son of the living God, Jesus, the Sun of justice, Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, Jesus, most admirable, Jesus, the mighty God, Jesus, the Father of the world to come, Jesus, most powerful, Jesus, most patient, Jesus, most obedient, Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Jesus, our Beloved, Jesus, the God of peace, Jesus, the Author of life, Jesus, the Example of all virtues, Jesus, our Refuge, Jesus, the Father of the poor, Jesus, the true Light, Jesus, the Eternal Wisdom, Jesus, infinite Goodness, Jesus, our Way and our Life, Jesus, the Joy of Angels, Jesus, the Master of the Apostles, Jesus, the Teacher of the Evangelists, |