WHAT is required of persons who come to the Lord's Supper?

To examine themselves

1. Whether they repent them truly of their former sins,

2. Stedfastly purposing to lead a new life,

3. Have a lively faith in God's mercy through Christ,

4. With a thankful remembrance of His Death, 5. And be in charity with all men.

Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup.

As often as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do show the Lord's Death till He come.

Whoso eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood hath eternal Life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day.

For My Flesh is Meat indeed, and My Blood is Drink indeed.

He that eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him.

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the Feast.

Thou dost bring Corn out of the earth; and Wine that maketh glad the heart of man.

DEVOTIONS IN PREPARATION FOR HOLY COMMUNION.

Direction of the Intention.

PRAYER OF S. AMBROSE.

O GREAT High Priest, the true Priest, Jesus Christ, Who didst offer Thyself to God the Father a pure and spotless Victim upon the Altar of the Cross for us miserable sinners, and didst give us Thy Flesh to eat, and Thy Blood to drink; and didst ordain that Holy Mystery in the Power of the Holy Ghost, saying, "This do in remembrance of Me"; I pray Thee by the same Thy Blood, the great Price of our salvation; I pray Thee by that wonderful and unspeakable Love, wherewith Thou deignedst so to love us, miserable and unworthy, as to wash us from our sins in Thy own Blood; teach me, Thy unworthy servant, by Thy Holy Spirit, to approach so great a Mystery with such reverence and honour, with such devotion and fear, as is due and fitting. Make me, through Thy grace, always

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so to believe and understand, to conceive and firmly to hold, to think and to speak of that exceeding Mystery as shall please Thee and be good for my soul.

Let Thy good Spirit enter my heart, and there be heard without utterance, and without the sound of words speak all truth. For Thy Mysteries are exceeding deep, and covered with a sacred veil. For Thy great mercy's sake, grant me to approach Thy Holy Mysteries with a clean heart and a pure mind. Free my heart from all defiling and unholy, from all vain and hurtful thoughts. Fence me about with the holy and faithful guard and mighty protection of Thy blessed Angels, that the enemies of all good may go away ashamed. By the virtue of this mighty Mystery, and by the hand of Thy holy Angel, drive away from me, and from all Thy faithful servants, the hard spirit of pride and vainglory, of envy and blasphemy, of impurity and uncleanness, of doubting and unbelief. Let them be confounded that seek after my soul to destroy it, let them be driven backward and put to rebuke that wish me evil, for Thy mercy's sake. Amen.

O God the Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, visit and cleanse my conscience, that our Lord Jesus Christ may, when He cometh, find in me a mansion prepared for Himself. Without Thee I can do nothing; every

virtue I possess, every victory I have won, every gift of Holiness is from Thee. Thou must convince of sin, and Thou must speak the message of forgiveness which has been purchased for us by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, so that, cleansed in that healing Flood, we may be at peace with Thee.

I pray Thee, therefore, to inspire my prayers that I may ask aright, that I may obtain those gifts and graces I need, in order that I may be a worthy partaker of this most sacred Feast.

I pray Thee to send Thy light into my soul that I may discover those sins I have been guilty of in thought, word, and deed, that, confessing and forsaking them, I may obtain mercy.

I pray Thee to pour into my heart that most excellent gift of love, the very bond of peace and of all virtues, so that I may love God with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my strength, and may love my neighbour as myself.

I pray Thee to take of the things of Jesus and show them unto me, that, having in remembrance His precious Death and Passion, His glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and that He now sitteth at the Right Hand of God the Father, where He ever liveth to make intercession for us, I may have that lively faith in His mercy, and that thankful remembrance of His Death, wherewith I may approach this Sacrament of His Love, and touching

Him, like the poor Syro-Phoenician woman, may hear those sweet words of comfort, "Go in peace, thy faith hath made thee whole."

Finally, I pray Thee to grant me the grace of perseverance, that having known the way of truth, I may never forsake it, but may continue in it unto the end. Amen.

Act of Contrition.

O Almighty Father, trusting in the multitude of Thy mercies, I am about to approach Thine Altar, from which, conscious of my sins and iniquities, I deserve to be banished. Enter not into judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight shall no man living be justified. Remember not my sins, but have mercy on me for Thy great goodness. For if Thou wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, who, Lord, may abide it?

I confess my wickedness and am sorry for my sin. I beseech Thee, forgive mine iniquity. Thou, Who hast given Thine Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, have mercy on me. My iniquities are like a sore burden too heavy for me to bear, but He has borne them in His Body on the Tree. O my most loving God, my Creator and my Saviour! I grieve from my inmost heart that I ever offended Thee, my Lord and my God, Whom I ought to love above all