Introibo.

O divine Jesus, Thou art the Victim laden with all the iniquities of the world: Thou didst [pg 277] shed bitter tears for them; Thou didst expiate them by the most dreadful torments, and by the most cruel of deaths. I come to mingle my tears with Thine; I confess to Thee, in the presence of Mary, ever Virgin, and of all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly; that it is my ingratitude that pierced Thy Heart, and put Thee to a cruel death. O God, my Saviour, through Thy tears, through Thy agony in the Garden of Olives, through Thy precious blood and the wound in Thy Sacred Heart, I beseech Thee to pardon me, and to grant me the remission of all my sins. Amen.

Introit.

Let us adore the Heart of Jesus, which has loved us so much; let us prostrate ourselves before Him, and bewail the sins of which we have been guilty. Grant us, O Lord, a contrite and humble heart; let the homage of our adoration be as acceptable to Thee as if we offered Thee thousands of victims. Amen.

Kyrie.

The days of propitiation have arisen upon me; I may call Thee by Thy name, O God of majesty; I may call Thee my Saviour and my Father. Thou art present on our altars, that Thou mayest heap Thy favors upon us. I will draw nigh, therefore, with confidence unto the throne of mercy, and I will say unto Thee: Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. Amen.

Gloria.

Glory be to God, Whose justice is satisfied by the perpetual sacrifice of so noble a Victim. Peace and happiness on earth to men of good-will, who [pg 278] behold a God annihilating Himself daily to save them, and to feed them with His own substance. I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I adore Thee, O Lord, and I stand amazed at the sight of the wonders of Thy love. Shall I suffer them to be of no avail to me through the evil dispositions of my heart? Shall I reject that peace which Thou offerest me? Shall I not labor to acquire that good-will by which it comes? O my God, allay the strife which is so often excited in my heart, making the flesh rebel against the spirit. Amen.

Collect.

O Divine Jesus, inexhaustible fountain of all good things, open unto us, we beseech Thee, the interior of Thy Heart: that, having entered by pious meditation into this august sanctuary of divine love, we may fix forever there our hearts, as the place wherein is found the treasure, rest and happiness of holy souls; Who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.

Epistle.

“Wisdom hath built herself a house, she hath hewed her out seven pillars. She hath slain her victims, mingled her wine, and set forth her table. She hath sent her maids to invite to the tower, and to the walls of the city: Whosoever is a little one, let him come to me. And to the unwise she said: Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you. Forsake childishness, and live, and walk by the ways of prudence” (Prov. ix. 1-6).

Gospel.

Praise, honor, and glory be to Thee, O Jesus, Saviour of the world! Who, thirsting for the [pg 279] salvation of souls, didst endure for them so much labor and fatigue; Who for their sakes didst pass entire nights in prayer, and didst weary Thyself going from city to city, from village to village. Grant, I implore Thee, that Thy love may also make me prompt and apt in every good work, and that I may never grow tepid in Thy service. Help me to know and practise the holy counsels contained in Thy Gospel, and grant above all that I may penetrate the divine wisdom contained in Thy words: “If any man will come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me.”

Credo.

I believe, O my God, the truths which Thou hast revealed to Thy Church. I desire to live and die in this faith. Grant, O Lord, that my life may be conformable to my faith; that my faith may be animated by good works; that I may never be ashamed to declare myself a Catholic, and may constantly maintain the interests of Thy holy religion. O holy Roman Catholic Church, the persecutions which thou hast endured, far from weakening my faith, do but strengthen it the more, since thy divine Spouse foretold them. Sweet Heart of Jesus, draw close the bonds that bind me to Thy holy Church; put into my heart a spirit of perfect obedience to my lawful pastors. In its bosom I became Thy child, and in its bosom I wish to live and die. Amen.

Offertory.

O Jesus, we draw near with confidence to Thy sweet Heart: cast upon us, we beseech Thee, a look of pity, and make our hearts a perpetual offering [pg 280] consecrated to Thy glory. O Heart of infinite goodness, I offer Thee my heart; vouchsafe to change it, to bless and sanctify it. O my soul, how Jesus Christ hath loved us! At what a price He hath redeemed us! Not with gold, nor with riches, but by the voluntary shedding of His blood. He hath sacrificed Himself for us: let us then live only for Him; let us sacrifice ourselves together with Him. But, O my God, my heart is not full enough of love and fervor to be an offering worthy of Thee. What then shall I give Thee? I will give Thee Thy Son. That Son, the most worthy object of Thy complacency, will supply my inability. O Lord, look not on me, but on this divine offering. Amen.

Preface.

Lift up, O Lord, do Thou Thyself lift up my heart to Thee. Take from it all unholy thoughts, all earthly affections. Lift it wholly up to heaven, where Thy Heart is worthily adored, and to the altar, where it is about to manifest itself to me. Through Thy most kind Heart, I beseech Thee to draw my heart wholly into Thine. Bury it in Thine, so that it may be so absorbed into and united to Thy Heart, that I may no longer have any heart but Thine. Suffer me, then, to join my feeble voice with the voices of all the heavenly spirits, and in union with them to say, in transports of joy and admiration: Holy, holy, holy is the Heart of Jesus! the worthy object of the divine complacency, and of the homage of heaven and earth! The whole earth is full of Thy glory; let my heart be full also of its love. Amen.