Who appeared to the disciples when Christ Who carried Lazarus into Abraham's bo- Who have received from God the care and custody of men, Who always see the face of the Father who is in heaven, Who rejoice over one sinner doing penance, Ministers of God, who do his will, Who offer to God the prayers of them that Who will come with Christ in his majesty Who will summon the whole world to the Who will take away all scandals out of Who will separate the wicked from among All ye holy orders of blessed spirits, From all dangers, by thy holy angels, Deliver us, O Lord. From the snares of the devil, by thy holy angels, Deliver us, O Lord. From plague, famine, and war, by thy holy angels, Deliver Ó Lord. us, From sudden and unforeseen death, by thy holy angels, Deliver us, O Lord. We sinners, Beseech thee, hear us. By thy holy angels, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou wouldst spare us, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou wouldst vouchsafe to govern and preserve thy Church, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou wouldst vouchsafe to give to the Christian commonwealth peace and unity, We beseech thee, hear us. That thou wouldst vouchsafe to give eternal rest to all the faithful departed, We beseech thee, hear us. Lamb of God. Our Father. A PSALM COMPOSED FROM DIFFERENT PSALMS. Praise the Lord of heaven: praise him in the high places. Praise him, all his holy angels: praise him all his powers. Bless the Lord, all his angels, ye that are mighty in power, that do his word, to hearken to the voice of his orders. Bless the Lord, all his powers: ye ministers of his, that do his will. My soul, bless the Lord: and forget not all his recompenses. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction: who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion. For he hath given his angels charge over thee: to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands they shall bear thee up lest perchance thou dash thy foot against a stone. Upon the asp and the basilisk shalt thou walk and shall tread under foot the lion and the dragon. The angel of the Lord shall keep close about them that fear him and deliver them. Glory be to the Father. V. In the sight of the angels will I sing to thee, my God. R. I will worship in thy holy temple, O Lord; and will confess unto thy name. V. Lord, hear my prayer. Let us pray. O God, who dispensest the. services of angels and men in a wonderful order, favourably grant, that our life may be protected on earth by those who always do thee service in heaven. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. O holy Michael the arch. angel, prince of the heavenly host, who ever standest ready to succour the people of God, and didst wage battle with that old serpent, the great dragon, and didst cast him forth out of heaven; and dost so mightily fight for the Church of God, that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it; from my heart I beseech thee to be present also with me in this difficult and doubt ful conflict, which I, a frail and helpless creature, have to wage with the same enemy. Be with me, O most mighty prince, that I may powerfully withstand, and successfully prevail over, that proud dragon, whom, by the divine power, thou gloriously overcamest, and whom Christ, our almighty king, overthrew in our nature which he took; that so I may both with thee triumph over the enemy, and with the holy angels continually praise the mercy of God, who has so tenderly permitted our race to rise again to grace after our fall, though, by a just judgment, he refused mercy to the bad angels, after the sin which was their ruin. A Prayer to our holy Angel Guardian. I adjure thee, angelic spirit, who art my faithful guardian and defender, to direct me, who have been entrusted to thy custody and protection, in the way of peace, prosperity, and salvation; and to defend me from every evil spirit and sore temptation. Thou knowest, most tender guardian, that I am framed to the image of God himself, our Creator; redeemed from the power of Satan at so great a price as the blood of Christ, and committed by the providence of God to thy care and protection. And all for what purpose, but to secure one so mightily fenced by the goodness and mercy of God, from falling a prey to the envy of the enemy? Let thy faithful assistance, therefore, preserve me, that such eminent tokens of the divine goodness may not be lost upon me. Most dear angel, I implore thee, by the love of the most merciful God, which preserved thee with the good angels in grace and glory, when the rest, who were reprobate, fell from the height of happiness by pride, that, by thy aid and favour, I also may obtain the powerful assistance of God, to preserve me from danger of falling; and to keep me constant to the end in grace and good works, and in the love and service of God my Creator, until I come to behold him in my heavenly home, and am united with thee and all the saints, in praising him for ever and ever. Amen. Another short Prayer to our holy Angel Guardian. O angel of God, who art my guardian, enlighten, keep, govern, and direct me, this [day, night, or hour], who by the divine goodness am entrusted to thy charge. V. He hath given his angels charge over thee. R. To keep thee in all thy God, who hast created me, thy unworthy servant, to thy own image, and hast deputed thy holy angel to be my guardian, grant me, by his guidance and protection, suc cessfully to pass through all dangers both of soul and body, and, this life ended, to attain to the enjoyment with him of eternal happiness. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. CHAPTER III. OF PATRONS TO BE CHOSEN OUT OF THE NUMBER OF THE SAINTS, AND HONOURED DAY BY DAY WITH A PARTICULAR DEVOTION. Out of the number of the saints select for thy love and imitation one or more patrons, and by them offer up all thy works daily to God. Recommend thyself to their patronage every morning and evening, and many times during the day, especially in difficult and adverse circumstances, and in times of danger and temptation. Let them be, as it were, judges and witnesses, but especially directors of your actions. For the philosophers' counsel already cited in re ference to angels, holds good also with regard to the saints. And when the Church celebrates their festivals, then do not forget to honour devoutly thy patrons as their client, by a particular exercise of piety, as fasting the day before, alms corporal or spiritual, greater diligence in prayer, chastisement of the flesh, &c. The holy patrons who are thus honoured and propitiated will not fail their clients in their difficulties and necessities. A DAILY EXERCISE, Or recommendation of oneself to God and one's holy God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us. Holy Mary, Pray for us. Holy Michael, the Archangel, Pray for us. My holy Angel guardian, Pray for me and protect me. OBLATION OF ONESELF TO GOD. In like manner, enumerate to thy devotion, and by the and invoke thy other Patrons. sweet love with which thou Then make thy prayer as didst so mercifully receive follows: the three Wise Men with their gifts; by all the mercy and goodness thou hast displayed towards the wretched and the sinner from the beginning of the world to this very hour, I beg of thee to regard me also with the eyes of thy mercy, and to receive favourably my offering, however unworthy; and so to guide me henceforward by thy effectual grace, that all things within and around me may be directed and ordered to thy glory, and to my own and my neighbour's salvation. For my soul's desire is, to please thee and be united to thee now and for evermore. O most dear Lord Jesus Christ, in union with the love with which thou didst recommend and offer thyself for our salvation to the eternal Father when dying on the cross; and by the example of the three Wise Men who, soon after thy birth, offered to thee with fervent affection of heart the three mystical gifts; and by the love with which all thy saints and elect have ever pleased thee and served thee: I, an unworthy sinner, offer to thee, my God and Creator, three small gifts, which, however trivial, of supreme right are due to thee alone: my understanding, my memory, and my will. I offer thee my body and soul, with the state of life to which thou hast vouchsafed to call me. I fully and purely apply all my thoughts, words, and actions to the greater glory of thy name, my own salvation, and the edification of my neighbour. From my heart I implore thee, most merciful Jesus, by the tenderness of thy eternal goodness, by the love which procured thy cry to thy Father to be heard according OBLATION OF ONESELF TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. Holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God, confiding in the tenderness of thy maternal heart, unworthy as I am to serve thee, I choose thee this day, in the presence of my angel guardian and the whole court of heaven, to be my mother and mistress, patroness and advocate; and henceforward I firmly resolve to serve thee faithfully, and to be eternally united to thee and to thy Son. I adjure thee, most holy mother, by the love with which thy Son, when at the very point of death, recommended himself to his Father upon the cross, but thee to his dis |