Visit me, I beseech Thee, O Heavenly Father, by Thy Holy Spirit, that I may be cleansed from my sins and strengthened against temptation, so that I may be made one with my Lord and Saviour, and through His merits may be brought nearer to Thee; through the same Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

These prayers

should also be said on the Mon

day, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings.

Try and remember throughout the week, 'I am preparing for Communion with GOD.'

ON THURSDAY,

(OR THIRD DAY BEFORE COMMUNION,)

a more special preparation should be begun. The first point should be Self-examination.

In your evening prayers try to put yourself in the presence of GOD, and to remember that you are secking to know yourself as He knows you. Begin with this prayer :

O God, do Thou teach me by Thy Holy Spirit to know myself; show me how I have sinned against Thee; enlighten my dull conscience; and give me the grace of true sorrow for my sins; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then ask yourself whether, since your last communion, you have fallen away from faith in God's love through CHRIST. Put to yourself also these questions:

Does conscience accuse me of having com mitted any special sins since my last communion? What were they? and have I sought forgiveness for them?

Have I given way to the sins which I know are my chief faults, and which I am especially bound to conquer? Have I striven against them as I ought to have done?

Have I been guilty of any other sinful actions? such as laziness in rising, in work, in prayer, in kindness towards others; neglect of my religious duties? Being spiteful, unkind, disobedient, quarrelsome, rude; being greedy, impure, vain ; being dishonest, selfish; have I led others into sin ?

Or have I sinned in word by speaking untruths, boasting, using bad language, being uncharitable, proud, angry, unforgiving, impatient, discontented, immodest, irreverent?

Or have I sinned in thought by vanity, selfishness, envy, wandering in prayer, revengeful feelings, unbelief, impurity, despair, discontent?

If your conscience accuses you of any sin, confess it humbly to your FATHER in heaven, and

B

seek to be forgiven through JESUS CHRIST. These prayers may be used:

--

My God, I repent with my whole heart for having offended Thee, Who art infinitely good, loving, and gracious; therefore, I will henceforth love and honour Thee above all things. Forgive, Almighty Lord, forgive, and have not my sins in remembrance. By the help of Thy grace I purpose never more to offend Thee; but confessing my sins, I will confide in Thy infinite mercy, and in the sacred merits of the bitter Passion and Death of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ, my divine Redeemer, that Thou wilt graciously forgive me. Amen.

O Lord Jesus, Saviour of the world, Who camest to seek and to save that which was lost, and Who didst call all those to come to Thee who are weary and heavy laden; I, a sinner, come to Thee for forgiveness; I have wandered from Thee like a lost sheep: but Thou art the Good Shepherd, Who didst lay down Thy life for Thy sheep; bring me back again to Thy fold, and let me not any more go astray, lest I perish everlastingly. Lord, if Thou wilt Thou canst make me clean. Cleanse me by Thy Holy Body and Sacred Blood, and help me to serve and love Thee with my whole heart, and bring me at last to Thy heavenly kingdom, where Thou livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, One God, world without end. Amen.

If you find that you have fallen away to any serious extent since your last communion, it may be best for you to go to some clergyman and again seek from him advice and, if need be, absolution.

Remember also that if your conscience accuses you of being in a state of enmity or hatred towards any other person, you ought not to receive Holy Communion until you have done your best to become friends with him again. If the fault is on his side, forgive him from your heart; and even if he refuses to forgive you, your conscience may be at rest if you have done all you can to be reconciled to him. (St. Matt. v. 23.)

ON FRIDAY.

Make the chief point of your preparation the thought of the Sacrifice of CHRIST, and how you are allowed to draw near to GOD through that Sacrifice.

Read carefully some part of the Holy Scriptures which speaks of the suffering which JESUS endured for your sake. Take any one of the following portions, and, having read it, try to gather some lesson from it about His love to you, and how He longs to unite you to Himself, so that He may present you to His Father:-

1. St. Matt. xxvi. 17-29 16. St. John, vi. 25-40

41-58 59-69

By taking one of these passages each time that you are preparing for Communion, the story of the Cross and Passion will be written on your mind, and you will learn more and more of the unbounded love of JESUS, and of the blessing of communion with God through Him. Having finished the passage of Scripture, read also one of the hymns on pages 71-78, and conclude with these prayers:

Almighty and everlasting God, Who, of Thy tender love towards mankind, hast sent Thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon Him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of His great humility; Mercifully grant that I may both follow the example of His patience, and also be made a partaker of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I do not presume, &c., page 13.