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SATURDAY MORNING.

HAIL, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who, from the cross, didst look down upon Thy sweetest Mother, overwhelmed with grief and tears, and didst so truly take compassion on Her sorrow as to commend Her to the care of Thy disciple John, as also Thou didst commend John, and in him all of us to Her maternal care. Grant me to love and honour Her with the purest and most ardent love, that I may have Her for my Mother and be worthy to be acknowledged by Her as Her 59son. Grant that in every necessity; and specially at the hour of my death, I may ever find Her present and at hand to help me.

Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who with Thy wounds all gaping, and Thy head crowned with thorns, and whilst hanging in misery upon the cross, didst declare that Thou wert bereft of all consolation. Grant that in all adversity and times of temptation and desolation, I may fly with pious faith unto Thee, my most holy Father, and putting no confidence in myself, grant that I may place all my hopes in Thee alone, and entirely resign myself and trust in Thee. Wound my inmost soul with the remembrance of Thy wounds, write and imprint them upon my heart, satiate me wholly with Thy blood, that all my intentions may be fixed in Thee alone, and that I may seek and find, and hold Thee fast, and possess Thee for ever and ever.

Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who, when Thy body was exhausted from the loss of blood, didst gasp for breath, and didst cry out upon the cross that Thou wert tormented 60with thirst, whilst Thou didst burn with an unspeakable desire for our salvation. Give me grace to thirst most ardently after Thine honour and the salvation of souls, and to be ready cheerfully to spend myself for them according to Thy will. Grant that no love of transitory objects may possess my soul, that I may never attach myself to creatures, and that even what I. am bound to love I may love only in Thee, but give me grace to love Thee above all things, and with my whole soul, and quietly to rest in Thee.

Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory, be to Thee, O Christ, who, when Thou wert athirst, even unto death, didst suffer a sponge filled with vinegar to be offered unto Thee, that by tasting thereof, Thou mightest make satisfaction for our gluttony, and leave us an example of poverty. Give me the grace to despise all unlawful pleasures and delights, and to avoid all excess in eating and drinking, and may I use with moderation and thanksgiving whatsoever Thou dost furnish me with for the support of my poor body. So cleanse, I beseech Thee, the taste of my heart, that it may relish nought save that which is pleasing 61unto Thee, and may find nothing but bitterness in whatever is displeasing in Thy sight.

Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, Thou greatest lover of the human race, who when Thou wert duly bringing the work of our redemption to a close, didst offer Thyself as a holy victim upon the Altar of the Cross, for the sins of all mankind. May this be the only end, I beseech Thee, of all my thoughts, words, and works; namely, to seek Thine honour with an upright and sincere intention, and to desire nothing save Thee alone, Grant that I may never grow weary or lukewarm in Thy service; but a fervent spirit being ever renewed within me, may I be daily more and more inflamed to love and praise Thee.

Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory, be to Thee, O Christ, who didst willingly undergo death, when commending Thyself to Thy Father, and bending Thy adorable head, Thou gayest up the ghost; and thus by laying down Thy life for Thy sheep, didst .show Thyself to be the good Shepherd. Thou art dead, O only-begotten Son of God, Thou art dead, O my beloved 62one, that I might live for ever! O what hope, what confidence is laid up for me in Thy death, and in Thy blood! I glorify Thee, I give Thee thanks as far as in me lies; give me grace to die entirely to sin and all evil desires; and to live to Thee alone. O may I think of Thee alone, may my understanding exercise itself in nought save Thee; so that, clad with Thy grace and with holy charity, I may soon after the close of this life come to Thee, the true Paradise. O good Jesus, by Thy bitter passion and death grant to the living pardon and grace, and to the faithful departed rest and everlasting light,

Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, at whose death the sun withdrew its light, and the veil of the temple was rent in twain, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent, and the graves opened. O may the rays of Thy grace never forsake me, I beg of Thee, Thou Sun of righteousness, Thou that art my God; but may they always lighten even the very inmost recesses of my heart, so that I may joyfully serve Thee. Tear away from me the veil of hypocrisy, make the ground of my soul quake with saving penitence, 63rend in twain this heart of stone; so that, being wholly renewed within,. I may despise all perishable things, and love but those that are of heaven. Amen.

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