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Albert A

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Devotions
for tin

Sick

Compiled ty

ALBERT A. MURRAY
of tfie Paultft Fatfier*



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Devotions for the Sick

Compiled by

Rev. Albert A. Murray
of the Paulist Fathers

THE PAULIST PRESS
401 West 59th Street

New York 19, N. Y.



Nihil Obstat:

John M. Fearns, S.T.D.,

Censor Librorum.

Imprimatur:

© Francis Cardinal Spellman, D.D.,
Archbishop of New York.

New York, October 14, 1946.

Copyright, 1946, by

The Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostli

in the State of New York

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED IN THE U. S. A. BY

THE PAULIST PRESS, NEW YORK 19, M. Y.

IJMI- -»

USftCiumfu



A Pew Suggestions for a

Sick ‘Person

1. Receive your sickness from the

hands of your heavenly Father deal-

ing with you as a child.

2. Look on it as a loving correction

for your sins, and as a summons to

prepare more carefully for death.

3. Practice the virtues of patience

and submission to the will of God;

deepen your repentance and offer

yourself to God to suffer, if it pleases

Him, still greater pains; give thanks

for the blessings you enjoy.

4. In any dangerous illness let

your first concern be to send for a

priest.

5. Ask your real friends to give

you timely notice if your illness be

dangerous, and not to flatter you with

false hopes of recovery.

6. Make the best of the time you

have; admit but few visitors; try to

keep your conversation off worldly

matters.

7. Settle your temporal affairs, in

order to give yourself more entirely

to spiritual matters.

8. Think frequently of our Lord’s

Passion.

3



9. Consider these words of St.

Augustine: “However innocent your

life may have been, no Christian

ought to venture to die in any other

state than that of a penitent.”

‘Preparation for a Sick Call

The Viaticum

The Blessed Sacrament is the bread

of life, of which every good Catholic

partakes frequently in health, but a

new and peculiar obligation of receiv-

ing it arises when serious illness oc-

curs, and the soul may set out on its

journey to heaven. The Holy Eucha-

rist administered to the sick, is beau-

tifully termed “Viaticum,” which

means, “pertaining to a road or jour-

ney.” The Blessed Sacrament is the

safeguard that preserves the soul on

its last journey, and is a pledge of im-

mortal glory. The sick person will,

therefore, use his best endeavors to

make a worthy preparation for the re-

ception of this sacrament.

Before the priest arrives, the pa-

tient and the sick-room should be pre-

pared for his coming. It should be

clean and in order. If the sick person

is to go to Confession, place a chair

4



at the head of the bed, facing the foot,

so that the confessor will not be

obliged to turn away in order to avoid

looking the patient in the face.

For the other sacraments a table,

covered with a clean, white cloth, is

required, placed, if possible, where the

patient can see the crucifix. On the

table should be : 1, a crucifix. 2, two

candlesticks with two blessed, lighted

candles. 3, a small bowl of common

water. 4, a glass of water. 5, a

spoon. 6, Holy Water and sprinkler.

7, a napkin. If Extreme Unction is to

be administered, have also, 8, a saucer

with six small balls of cotton, and 9,

a small plate with small piece of bread

and lemon.

The priest, bearing the Blessed Sac-

rament, should be met at the door by

someone holding a lighted candle, who

should go before him to the sick-room,

where all are kneeling. All should

then retire while the confession of the

sick person is being heard; return

immediately when given a sign by the

priest to do so, and remain kneeling

and praying while the priest gives

Holy Communion to the sick person.

Kneel in silence until the priest gives

his blessings before he leaves.

e



‘Prayers

“Come, to me, all you that labor, and

are burdened, and I will refresh you.

Take up my yoke upon you, and learn

of me, because 1 am meek, and humble

of heart. And you shall find rest to

your souls. For my yoke is sweet and
my burden light” (Matt. xi. 28).

Act of Commendation to God

I commend my soul to God my
maker, Who created me from noth-
ing; to Jesus Christ my Saviour Who
redeemed me with His Blood; to the

Holy Ghost Who sanctified me in
baptism. Into Thy hands, O Lord, I

commend my spirit.

Act of Thanksgiving

I give Thee thanks, 0 Lord, from

the bottom of my heart, for all the
mercies and blessings which Thou

hast bestowed upon me, above all be-

cause Thou hast loved me from all

eternity, and hast sent Thy Son to

redeem me with His precious Blood.

0 let not that Blood be shed for me

in vain.

6



Act of Renunciation of Evil

I renounce from this moment and

for all eternity, the devil and all his

works and pomps. I abhor all his

suggestions and temptations. Suf-

fer not, 0 Lord, this mortal enemy

of my soul to have any power over
me, either now or at my last hour.
Let Thy holy Angels ever keep me

and defend me against all the powers
of darkness.

0 Kind and Merciful God, I ask
Thy help and forgiveness. I believe

in Thee, and in everything Thou hast

revealed and taught.

1 believe in one God, Who will re-
ward all who seek Him. I believe

that in God there are three divine

persons—God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Holy Ghost.

I believe in Jesus Christ—the Son
of God, Who became man and died
on the cross for my salvation and
happiness.

0 my God, Who art all-good and
all-merciful, I sincerely hope to save

my soul. Help me to do everything
that is necessary to obtain eternal

life.

7



Have mercy on me, 0 my God, and
forgive me my sins. I am sorry, truly
sorry for all of them, because I have

offended Thee, my God, Who art all-
good, all-holy, and all-merciful.

I love Thee, 0 my God, with all my
heart, and I sincerely promise that,

with Thy help, I will never offend

Thee again.

Help me, 0 God, and have mercy
on me.

Act of Resignation

Lord, I accept this sickness from

Thy Fatherly hands; I entirely re-

sign myself to Thy blessed will,

whether it be for life or death. Not

my will but Thine be done. Thy will
be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Act of Submission

Lord, I submit to all the pains and

uneasiness of this my illness
;
my

sins have deserved infinitely more.

Thou art just, 0 Lord, and Thy judg-

ment is right.

Act of Self-Oblation

Lord, I offer up to Thee all that I

now suffer, or may have to suffer, to

8



be united to the sufferings of my
Saviour, and to be sanctified by His

Passion.

Act of Adoration

I adore Thee, 0 my God and my
All, as my first beginning and my
last end; I desire to pay Thee the

best homage that I am able, and to
bow down all the powers of my soul
to Thee.

Act of Praise

Lord, I desire to praise Thee for-

ever, in sickness as well as in health;

I desire to join my heart and voice
with the whole Church of heaven and

earth, in blessing Thee for ever.

Act of Contrition

Come hither to the cross of Christ.

Press your forehead against the hard

wood of it. Let His blood trickle

down on your hair. Kiss those feet

and say:

Dear feet that walked so far and

wearily for me and now are pierced

for me, I love you.

9



Dear arms of Christ outstretched,

embrace me. Dear blood of Christ,

flowing for me, cleanse me. Dear

heart of Christ, broken for me, for-

give me. I am yours. Your cross
has conquered me. I am sorry for
my sins, I wish I had never com-
mitted them. If I had it to do over

again I would do otherwise. By Thy

love and Thy grace I will never,

never sin again.

"Thy Will Be Done"

My dearest Lord, what wilt Thou
send me today? Humiliations, con-

tradictions, physical sufferings, pain-

ful intelligence which I do not ex-

pect; an aching heart, a failure?

Shall I see myself misjudged, wrong-

ly suspected, despised? All that

Thou wishest, 0 my God, I accept it
all in advance, and if I weep through

weakness, oh, regard it not
;
if I mur-

mur, check me; if I am forgetful,
punish me

;
if I am discouraged, raise

me up. But through it all, teach me

to say, “Thy Will be done." Amen.

0 most merciful Jesus, Lover of

souls. I pray Thee, by the agony of

Thy most Sacred Heart, and by the

10



sorrows of Thine Immaculate Mother,

cleanse in Thine own Blood the sin-

ners of the whole world who are now

in their agony and who are to die this

day. Amen.

Heart of Jesus, once in agony,

have pity on the dying.

0 my Lord and Saviour, support
me in my last hour by the strong
arms of Thy sacraments, and the

fragrance of Thy consolations. Let

Thy absolving words be said over me,

and the holy oil sign and seal me
;
and

let Thine own Body be my food, and
Thy Blood my sprinkling; and let
Thy Mother Mary come to me, and

Thy glorious saints and my own dear
patrons smile on me, that in and

through them all I may die as I de-

sire to live, in Thy Church, in Thy

Faith, and in Thy love. Amen.

0 Lord, support us all the day long

of this troublous life, until the shades

lengthen and the evening comes, and

the busy world is hushed, the fever

of life is over, and our work is done.

Then, Lord, in Thy mercy, grant us

a safe lodging, a holy rest, and peace

at the last, through Jesus Christ our

Lord. Amen.

ll



For All Who Suffer

Dear Lord, we beseech Thee by the

loneliness of Thy sufferings on the

cross, be nigh to all who are desolate

and in pain or sorrow today; and let

Thy sacred Presence transform their

loneliness into comfort and consola-

tion.

Sweetest Jesus, we entreat Thee

for those from whose path in life the

flowers have faded, and song has

ceased; and to whom it seems now

but a weary beaten road, shut in by

gray walls. Give them to see Thee

always walking in the way before

them, talking with them as they rest

by the wayside, and leading them

surely to the place where they would

be.

Breathe down, 0 Lord, upon them

Thy spirit of healing, Thy spirit of

life, Thy spirit of peace and hope, of

love and joy, Thy spirit of courage

and endurance. Cast out from them

the spirit of anxiety and fear, grant

them perfect confidence and trust in

Thee, that in Thy light they may see

light. Amen.

12



For Trust

0 Christ Jesus, when all is dark-

ness and we feel our weakness and

helplessness, give us the sense of

Thy presence, Thy love, and Thy

strength. Help us to have perfect

trust in Thy protecting love and

strengthening power, so that nothing

may frighten or worry us, for living

close to Thee we shall see Thy hand,

Thy purpose, Thy will through all

things.

For Peace of Mind

0 my God, I know not what will
happen to me; but this I know, that

nothing will happen to me which

Thou hast not forseen from all eter-

nity; and this, my God, is enough to
give peace to my mind. I adore Thy
eternal designs on my soul. I sub-
mit to them from the bottom of my
heart; I desire all, I accept all, I

make a sacrifice of all to Thee. I add

this sacrifice to that of Thy divine

Son, my Saviour, beseeching Thee,
by His infinite merits and sacred pas-

sion, to inspire me with patience un-
der afflictions and with that perfect

13



submission which is due to all Thou

wiliest, in all Thou permittest, O
Jesus. Amen. —st. Elizabeth.

Before an Operation

O loving Father, I commit myself
in peace and trust into Thy hands.

Grant that as I become unconscious

of earthly things I may find rest in
Thy presence. Watch over me in my
hour of weakness. Guide all who are

to tend me and bless their work. If
I am to suffer pain comfort me with
a sense of Thy presence. Grant me
a measure of Thy patience and Thy

courage so that being helped and

comforted in my hour of need, I may
be the means of helping others in

their hour of trial.

While Waiting for the Operation

Dear Lord, give me quietness, calm-

ness, courage and trust in Thee.

Guide and direct the hand of Thy

servant (the surgeon)
,
give him con-

fidence in Thee. Whether it be for

life or death, into Thy hands dear

God, I commend my spirit.

0 God Who hast doomed all men
to die, but hast concealed from all

14



the hour of their death
;
grant that I

may pass my days in the practice of
holiness and justice, and that I may

be made worthy to quit this world in

the peace of a good conscience and

in the embrace of Thy love. Through

Christ our Lord. Amen.

0 Mary, conceived without sin,

pray for us who have recourse to

thee. 0 Refuge of sinners, 0 Mother
of those in their agony, forsake us

not in the hour of our death, but ob-

tain for us perfect sorrow, sincere

contrition, remission of our sins, a

worthy reception of the most holy

Viaticum, the strengthening power

of the Sacrament of Extreme Unc-

tion; that we may present ourselves

without fear before the throne of

that Judge Who is both Just and
Merciful, our God and our Redeemer.

Amen.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you

my heart and my soul.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me

in my last agony.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may I

breathe forth my soul in peace with
you.

15



The blessing of God Almighty, the

Father, * the Son, and the Holy

Ghost, descend upon me and all
belonging to me, and dwell in my
heart and be with me in my going
out and my coming in, now and for
ever. Amen.

A Prayer for Others

0 Lord Jesus Christ, I beseech

Thee, mercifully to remember and to

visit all who are mindful of me, and

all who have commended themselves

to my unworthy prayers, and who
have shown any charity or pity to-

wards me, and all those who are

connected with me by relationship,

friendship, service whether they be

living or dead; that these who faith-

fully serve Thee may be defended

from all adversity
;
and that Thou wilt

deliver us from all punishment, and

lead us to everlasting rest. Amen.

May the Divine Assistance, the

Protection of the Blessed Mother, the

succor of the Angels and the prayers

of all the Saints abide always with

us. Amen.

The Grace of our Lord Jesus

Christ, the virtue of His Sacred Pas-

16



sion, and the intercession of all His

Saints, and elect of God, be with me

now and at the hour of my death.
Amen.

For a Greater Love of the Cross

Penetrate my heart 0 Jesus with
a love for Thy holy cross and support

me in all my afflictions; for, alas!
Thou knowest how naturally I hate

and fly from the cross, although I am
persuaded that it was by the cross

Thou didst save me, and that I can-

not gain salvation, nor enter into

heaven, but by the way of Calvary.

Inspire me with that patience, that

strength, and that courage which

Thou didst impart to Thy Martyrs;

and since I cannot better evince my

love and gratitude towards Thee

than by suffering for Thee, nor ren-

der myself more worthy of Thy grace

and glory than by carrying the cross,

vouchsafe to support me when sink-
ing, under its burden by the desire

of pleasing Thee, and the hope of

eternal happiness. Amen.

For the Last Sacraments

Jesus, lover of the sick, come to

me when death is near, and through

17



the Sacrament of Extreme Unction,

lay Your holy hands on me. Jesus,

lover of the sick, and comforter of

those in sorrow, give me the grace to
welcome You with a glad heart in that

hour, so that I may be the better pre-
pared to receive the strength and con-

solation which You alone can give.

Mary, Mother of Jesus, pray for

me now, and at the hour of my death.
St. Joseph, pray for me that my

death may be like yours.

Consecration of the Sick to the

Sacred Heart of Jesus

0 Adorable Heart of Jesus, truly

present in the Most Holy Eucharist,

Lover of the sick and the afflicted,

look down upon me as I offer Thee

my loving homage and profound
adoration.

In union with all the members of

the Apostolate of Suffering, I conse-

crate myself to Thy Sacred Heart.

To Thee I consecrate my body with
all its afflictions and infirmities, that

I may become a worthy apostle

through my life of suffering. Give
me the grace to accept my cross of
illness in a spirit of humble resigna-

18



tion, repeating Thy own words,

“Father, not my will but Thine be
done.”

To Thee I consecrate all the mem-

bers of my body. May my eyes look
upon my sufferings and trials in the
light of faith; may my ears always
hearken to Thy voice which bids me

to take up my cross and follow Thee;
may my tongue ever speak the words
of holy Job, “The Lord hath given,

the Lord hath taken, blessed be the

Name of the Lord”; may my hands
be ever uplifted in prayer for my
fellow men, my companions in suf-
fering, my benefactors, and for all
the intentions of Thy Sacred Heart;

may my feet be ever guided toward
that way of peace which is granted

to those who love Thee.

To Thee I consecrate my mirm.
May I always reflect upon the vanity

of earthly pleasures, honors, and

riches; may I realize that true joy

can be found only in the practice of

virtue and by living in the shadow

of the cross; may my will be submis-
sive and conformative to Thy Holy

Will at all times and in every circum-

stance of life.

To Thee I consecrate my heart.

19



Establish Thy Kingdom firmly there-

in, and give increase to Thy grace so

that I may bring forth fruits of pa-
tience and resignation, joy and holi-

ness, love and peace.

To the clemency of Thy divine

Heart I commend all the souls who

have not experienced the joy of suf-

fering for Thee, and who, question-

ing Thy ways turn against Thee.

Have mercy on them and draw them

to Thy loving Heart. Make known

to them that Thy yoke is sweet and

Thy burden light to those who love

Thee.

0 Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, deign

to accept this my consecration; look
upon me with love and compassion.

Pour down upon me the blessing of

Thy Heart, and give me the grace of

perseverance so that having glorified

Thee by serving loyally beneath the

standard of Thy cross, I may one day

rejoice with Thee in the Kingdom of

heaven. Amen.

Stay with me, God. The night is dark.

The night is cold : my little spark
Of courage dies. The night is long

;

Be with me, God, and make me strong.

20



Almighty and most merciful Fa-

ther, by Whose hands I have been

fearfully and wonderfully made, and

Who hast graciously preserved me
hitherto, I bless and praise Thee for

all Thy love and mercy towards me
in the past, and I desire now to hum-

ble myself under Thy mighty hand.

Lord, I believe and know that Thou

dost not afflict willingly, nor grieve

the children of men. Thou doest all

things wisely and lovingly. Help me
to accept this sickness at Thy hands

as a means whereby I may be enabled

to draw nearer to Thee. Grant me
to be patient under all suffering or

discomfort, gentle and grateful to

those who minister to my needs, and
diligent in using the opportunities of

devotion which Thou mayest now af-

ford me. Give me grace to repent
heartily of my sins, and time to
amend all that has been displeasing

to Thee. Grant this, 0 merciful Fa-

ther, for the sake of Jesus Christ,

Thine only Son, our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Patience

0 Lord Jesus Christ, Who for our
sakes didst bear grievous suffering;

Who wast scourged, and buffeted.

21



and crucified
;
and upon the cross

didst endure thirst and bitter torture,

and didst die for our sins; I humbly

beseech Thee to help me to bear pa-

tiently whatever pain or discomfort

may fall to my lot today. Teach me

to follow Thine example in perfect

and glad submission to the will of

my Heavenly Father. Keep me from
all fretfulness and irritability of

temper
;
and grant that by my gentle-

ness and obedience I may show forth
the power of Thy grace and promote

Thy glory; Who livest and reignest
with the Father and the Holy Ghost,

ever one God, world without end.

Amen.

0 Lord, I beseech Thee to have

compassion upon me in this my great
need. Bless, if it please Thee, the

means used for my recovery; and if
it be Thy gracious will to restore me

to health and strength, grant that I

may devote myself more entirely

than heretofore to Thy service. Help

me to remember that my life is in Thy
hands and so to prepare myself now

for the hour of death that, whether

I live or die, I may be wholly Thine,

and that when Thou callest me hence

22



I may be accepted of Thee, not for

my own merits, but for the sake of
Him Who died for me upon the cross,
and ever liveth to make intercession

for me, my only Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ. Amen.

Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that Thou art
truly present in the Most Blessed

Sacrament. I love Thee above all

things, and I desire to possess Thee

within my soul. Since I cannot now
receive Thee sacramentally, come at

least spiritually into my heart. I
embrace Thee as being already there,

and unite myself wholly to Thee.

Never permit me to be separated from

Thee.

A Simple Prayer

0 Jesu! in the midst of glory, for-

get not the sadness upon earth!

Have mercy upon those, to whom
God has sent the bitter trial of sepa-

ration from those they love!

Have mercy on that loneliness of

heart so full of sadness, so crushing,

sometimes full of terror!

Have mercy upon those struggling

23



against the difficulties of life, and

faint with discouragement!

Have mercy on those, whom for-
tune favors, whom the world fasci-
nates, and who are free from care

!

Have mercy on those to whom Thou
hast given great tenderness of heart,

great sensitiveness!

Have mercy on those who cease to

love us, and never may they know

the pain they cause!

Have mercy on those who have

gradually withdrawn from Holy

Communion, and Prayer, and who

are losing peace within, yet dare not

return to Thee!

Have mercy on all we love; make

them holy, even through suffering!

if ever they estrange themselves from

Thee.

Have mercy on those who weep,

those who pray, those who know not

how to pray!

To all, O Jesus! grant Hope and

Peace

!

To Jesus and Mary

Soul of Christ, sanctify me!

Heart of Mary, help me!

Body of Christ, save me!

Mother of my soul, convert me!

24



Blood of Christ, inebriate me!

Sorrows of Mary, pierce me!

Water from the Side of Christ, cleanse

me!

Tears of Mary, purify me!

Passion of Christ, comfort me!

Loneliness of Mary, sustain me!

O my good Jesus, hear me!
O Mary most tender, behold me!

Within Thy Wounds, O Jesus, hide

me!

In the depths of thy soul, O Mary,

inflame me!

From the evil enemy, 0 Jesus, defend

me!

In thy arms, at my death, 0 Mary,
receive me!

With the angels and the saints, 0

Jesus, place me!

To behold thee in Heaven, 0 my
Mother, summon me. Amen.

A Nurse's Prayer

Dearest Lord, may I see Thee to-

day and every day in the person of

Thy sick, and whilst nursing them,

minister unto Thee. Though Thou

hidest Thyself behind the unattrac-

tive disguise of the irritable, the ex-

acting and the unreasonable, may I

25



still recognize Thee, and say: “Jesus,

my patient, how sweet it is to serve
Thee.”

Lord, give me this seeing faith,

then my work will never be monoto-
nous. I will ever find a new joy in

humoring the fancies and gratifying

the wishes of all poor sufferers. Oh

!

my beloved sick, how doubly dear you
are when I realize that you personify

Christ and what a privilege is mine

to be allowed to nurse you.

Sweetest Jesus, help me to appre-

ciate the dignity of my high vocation
and its many responsibilities. Never

permit me to disgrace it by giving

way to coldness, unkindness or impa-

tience. Finally, dear Lord, increase

my faith, bless my poor efforts and
sanctify my work now and forever.
Amen.

That God's Will Be Done

0 Sweet Jesus, I desire neither life,

nor death, but Thy most holy will.

Thou art the One 0 Lord that I long

for. If it be Thy holy will to have

me die, receive my soul; and grant
that in Thee and with Thee, I may

receive everlasting rest. If it be Thy

26



holy will to have me live longer upon

this earth, give me the grace to

amend the rest of my life, and with

good works to glorify Thy Holy

Name, Who with the Father and the

Holy Ghost livest and reignest ever

one God, world without end. Amen.

A Thanksgiving for Recovery

Most gracious Lord, may I praise

and magnify Thee for Thou hast for

the love of my soul restored me to
health again. It is of Thy mercy

alone, O Lord, that Thou hast pre-

served my life. Thou hast chastened
and corrected me, but Thou hast not

given me over unto death. 0 let this

life which Thou hast so graciously

spared, be henceforth wholly conse-

crated unto Thee. Make me strictly
careful to sin no more. May I regard
this reprieve as a golden opportu-

nity to prepare my soul, to employ
every minute allowed me to better fit

myself for Thy coming. Lord, I

have learned from this experience

what a dreadful thing it is to die un-

prepared. Hear me, dear Lord, and

as Thou hast in Thy mercy afforded

me more time grant me now all the

27



graces that I need to work out my
salvation. Amen.

Act of Contrition

Forgive me my sins, 0 Lord, for-
give me my sins; the sins of my
youth, the sins of my age, the sins of
my soul, the sins of my body

;
my idle

sins, my serious voluntary sins, the
sins I know, the sins I do not know;

the sins I have concealed so long, and

which are now hidden from my mem-
ory. I am truly sorry for every sin,
mortal and venial, for all the sins of

my childhood up to the present hour.
I know my sins have wounded Thy
tender Heart. 0 my Saviour, let me
be freed from the bonds of evil

through the most bitter Passion of

my Redeemer. Amen.

In Great Pain

I am crucified with Jesus Christ;
and I live, yet not I but Jesus Christ

liveth in me. I live by faith in the

Son of God Who loved me and gave
Himself for me.

0 God, let me bear on my body the
marks of the death of Jesus that the

life of Jesus may grow in me.

My Father, if it be Thy will, Thou

28



canst take this cup from me, but, O

God, Thy will, not mine, be done. O

God, give me patience. Thou hast

promised us that Thou wouldst not

suffer us to be tempted above that we

are able. O God, Thou art faithful.

I trust in Thy promise. I know, O
Lord, that if this mortal grain dieth

not, it will bring forth no fruit.

Make me bring forth fruits meet for

repentance. 0 Jesus, I embrace the

cross which Thou puttest upon me:

I wish to carry it unto the end; give

me the strength to bear it.

Accept this poor sacrifice and unite

it to Thine which is perfect and in-

finite.

In Preparation for Death

O Jesus, Who didst pray for Thine
enemies, when they crucified Thee,

forgive me my offenses, as I forgive
those who have sinned against me.

0 Jesus, Who upon the cross didst
promise to the good thief that he

should enter Paradise with Thee,

give me a place in Thy kingdom
though I am more guilty that he.
O Jesus, Who by Thy burning love

for suffering didst will to be for-

saken of Thy Father in Thy bitter-

est pain, forsake me not at the hour

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of my death; be Thou always near
me that I be not shaken, and do Thou

hide me in Thy sacred wounds.

0 Jesus, Who in Thy scorching
thirst wast given to drink only vine-

gar and gall, kindle in my heart an
ardent thirst for my safety and for
Thy glory.

0 Jesus, Who didst accomplish by
Thy death the work of our redemp-

tion, give me the grace to finish and
complete before I die all the plans

Thou hast for me for Thine honor
and my sanctification.

0 Jesus, Who at the hour of death
didst commend Thy spirit into Thy

Father’s hands, receive me with the

arms of Thy mercy when I shall

draw my last breath.
0 Jesus, have pity on me.

0 Jesus, forgive me.

0 Jesus, save me
;
be my Jesus and

my Saviour at the hour of death.
Mary, Mother of grace, Mother of

mercy, help me at that last moment;
protect me against the enemies of my
salvation. Show them that thou art

my Mother and cease not to pray for
me until thou hast taken me to thy
Divine Son in Heaven.

Great St. Joseph who had the hap-

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piness of dying in the arms of Jesus

and of Mary, obtain for me the grace

to die under their protection.

My holy Guardian Angel, all the
Saints, my protectors, leave me not

at that last moment ; pray for me and

come to meet my soul.
And Thee, my Jesus, the Saint of

Saints and the author of my salva-
tion, I will not lears until Thou hast

?iven me Thy Massing for the time

present and fer all eternity. Amen.

—St. Francis de Sales.

For Perseverance

Lord, let Thy Holy Spirit enable

us with His grace to fight a good

fight with perseverance, to finish our

course with holiness, and to keep the

faith with Constance unto the end,

that at the day of judgment we may

stand at the right hand of the throne

of God and hear the blessed sentence

of, “Come, ye blessed of My Father;
receive the kingdom prepared for you

from the beginning of the world.”

For Physicians and Surgeons

0 Merciful Father, Who hast won-
derfully fashioned man in Thy own
image and hast made his body to be

a temple of the Holy Ghost; sanctify,

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we pray Thee, all those whom Thou

hast called to study and practice the

arts of healing the sick, and the pre-

vention of disease and pain. Streng-

en them in body and soul, and bless

their work, that they may themselves

give comfort to those whom He lived

and died to save. This we ask through

Him Who now liveth with Thee in

the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God,

world without end. Amen.

A Final Prayer

Dear Lord of Courage and Forti-

tude, if I must have Rheumatism, so

help me by Thy divine grace to bear

it in such a manner that I do not make

every person in the house feel the pain.

Give me the grace to refuse to de-

scribe over and over again the misery

and pangs that belong to me alone.

Strengthen in me the desire to get

well, that I may not even be tempted

to live in the pity and sympathy that

is expected to be extended to an in-

valid. May I remember continually

that pains in nerves are multiplied by

pains in description. Amen.

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