After Holy Communion

A PRAYER FOR STRENGTHENING

Strengthen, God, that which Thou hast wrought for us

HOLY FATHER, have mercy on me. My help standeth in Thee, O Lord God. O Thou Who art faithful as well as Almighty, keep that safe which is committed to Thy care: O keep my soul and deliver me, let me not be confounded, for I put my trust in Thee.

O eternal Son, Who hast so infinitely loved me, have mercy on me. With my whole heart have I sought Thee, O let me not go wrong out of Thy Commandments. O heal the cruel wound whereof I die.

O Lord my God, again have I presented unto Thee my reasonable service, the mortal body; the sorely-wounded, yet loving soul; the troubled, yet trusting spirit.

I have offered unto Thee my whole fallen nature, the fine gold become dim-that Thou mayest cleanse it. I have offered unto Thee the will Thou didst give me, that I might make it Thine. . . . Behold, Lord, Thou didst stand at the door and knock. I have opened—and I verily believe that Thou hast entered in-entered in the intense purity, the no less intense Mercy of Thy Divinity; in the boundless generosity, the wondrous tenderness of Thy glorious Humanity.

And as I have received Thee, O Christ Jesu my Lord, grant that I may stand fast in Thee that building up myself in my most holy Faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, abiding in Thy Love, I may look for Thy mercy unto Eternal Life.

O my God, in Thee have I trusted, let me never be confounded.

O Divine Spirit, have mercy on me. Thou couldest force us to return to Him from Whom we have wandered, yet for love's sake Thou dost rather entreat us. Thou speakest to the inward spirit; Thou pleadest with all flesh. O be not unto me as a stranger that tarrieth but for a night; 1 would constrain Thee to abide with me, O Thou Heavenly Guest! O quicken me after Thy loving-kindness, so shall I keep the testimonies of Thy mouth. O lighten mine eyes, lest with His Light about my

feet, His Message ringing in my ears, I spurn the Love of that mighty Heart once filled with mine unutterable woe; lest my feet stumble on the dark mountains, lest I sleep in the unanswering sleep of death, lest the Blood of the Crucified cry against me from the sin-defiled earth, lest in the coming hour, of the everlasting union or the everlasting separation, I stand speechless beneath His awful gaze, and all men see my shame. O hear me, for His sake. Amen.

Though I am sometime afraid, yet put I my trust in Thee. O Lord, confound me not.

A PRAYER FOR GUIDANCE

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, E will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteous

ness

HE Love of the Father comfort me, the

THE Power of the Son encompass me, the

Compassion of the Spirit renew me.

The Father of our Mercies, the Saviour from our sins, the Comforter of our Sorrows, the Lord our God, One God, be with me and mine, now, and at the hour of death.

O never seen, yet ever near, O Father of an infinite Majesty, Thou hast loved me with an Everlasting Love, therefore with loving-kindness hast Thou drawn me.

With Thee is pure and living Light; with Thee sweetest joy the soul can know. O Lord, let the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, strengthen me that I may daily perform my vows; yea, lead me as Thy Son hath promised, into all Truth.

Unto Thee will I lift mine eyes, O Thou that dwellest in the Heavens.

By the merit of that Sacrifice which I have now commemorated, pardon, O Lord, all my failings in Thy holy things.