AN HOUR
WITH OUR SAVIOUR,

In Union With His Life on Earth.

By Florence Maguire (Mrs. Conor Maguire).

AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC TRUTH SOCIETY No. 686 (1955).

The devotion of the “Eucharistic Hour” consists in spending an hour before the Blessed Sacrament, either exposed or in the Tabernacle. Members of the Arch-confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, who promise to make this devotion once a month, can obtain many indulgences and privileges. This Confraternity was founded by Saint Peter Julian Eymard, and its object is to adore Our Lord in the Sacrament of His Love, to watch with Him, and by every means to promote devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament.

“How can we make the Blessed Sacrament the centre of our life?” Father Eymard asks; and this is his reply: “By knowing how to find Jesus therein; Jesus in association with the mysteries of His hidden life, of His public life, His crucified life, His risen life. By reviving all the phases of the Saviour’s past life in His sacramental life, in which they are so admirably continued and glorified. By seeing in the Eucharist, Jesus, honouring and continuing in His resuscitated life the annihilation of His Incarnation, the poverty of His Nativity, the humility of His hidden life, the kindness of His public life, His love upon the Cross.” He recommends that during the hour before the Blessed Sacrament, one-quarter of an hour should be devoted to Adoration, one to Thanksgiving, one to Contrition, and the fourth to Petition or Supplication.

In the following pages, while the Blessed Sacrament is made the central object of devotion, each of these intentions has been associated with a phase of Our Lord’s life on earth. We Adore Him in the lowliness of His Nativity; we Thank Him for the wonderful three years of His public life, spent in teaching us how to go to Heaven. By the remembrance of His sufferings and death on the Cross, we are incited to Contrition and a desire to make Reparation for our sins and those of others; while our Petitions and Supplications should arise from hearts full of faith and hope to the Risen Lord, Who conquered death, and afterwards ascended to Heaven in the sight of His Apostles.

During this Hour of Adoration, let us endeavour to express to our Eucharistic King our gratitude for all He has done for us. And, in particular, let us thank Him for the countless hours which He spends on our altars, longing to receive our homage and love and to listen to our prayers.

[Where reference is made to Indulgences of so many days, it must be recalled that under the regulations issued since Vatican II, these are now termed ‘Partial’ Indulgences. Recall, too, that the Good God is never outdone in generosity.]

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FIRST QUARTER OF THE HOLY HOUR.

ADORATION.

In Union with the infancy of Our Lord.

Kneel down, and look with great reverence and devotion at the Monstrance; or, if there is not Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, at the Tabernacle, and say very devoutly the words said by Saint Thomas when Jesus showed him His Sacred Wounds:

My Lord and my God!

Then make an Act of Faith and Love.

O my Jesus! I adore You and love You. I believe that You are here, looking down on me and listening to me. I believe that at this moment You are as truly present on this altar as You are in Heaven, and as You were in Bethlehem on the first Christmas Day. How strange and wonderful it was then to think that the little Infant in the manger was the great God of Heaven and earth! And it seems even stranger and more wonderful to know that the same Eternal Lord is now present on this altar, in the form of the Sacred Host. But this, O my Jesus, is just what I do believe, with all my heart and soul.

So now, I come to spend an hour in Your presence, desiring to show my love and reverence for You, O hidden God, dear Babe of Bethlehem. And I beg of You to bless me, and to grant that I may love and serve You all my life.

Holy Child Jesus, bless us.

Jesus, my God, I love You above all things.
(Indulgence: 50 days.)

LET US ADORE OUR INFANT KING.

Glory be to God on high! All praise and thanks to You, O my Jesus, Who came down to earth to save me and all mankind. All praise and thanks to You, Whose first home was a poor stable, Whose only guardians were Your Mother and Saint Joseph, Whose first visitors were some poor shepherds. But what happiness, what consolation, those shepherds must have brought to Your Heart, my Saviour, when in obedience to the words of the angel, they came in haste to find You, and offer You their love and reverence. Full of faith and joy, they spread the glad tidings, so that all that heard wondered at the things told them by the shepherds, who then returned glorifying and praising God for what they had heard and seen.

Let me also bring joy to Your Heart, O my Jesus, when I come into Your sacramental presence. Inspire me often to come to visit You, and to bring others if I can. You are amongst us, day and night, in a form even more humble than that which was seen by the shepherds; and in the churches, You are even more dependent on the love of Your faithful friends than You were in the stable at Bethlehem. For there You had beside You Your holy Mother and Saint Joseph, who were never weary of caring for You; while here, in the Tabernacle, You are often quite alone, except for the angels.

But once You had come to dwell amongst us, it would seem, O loving Jesus, that it was Your wish to remain with us always. And so it comes to pass that at all times You are near us in the Blessed Eucharist; ever ready to welcome us when we come into Your presence, ever ready to hear our prayers and to grant us all that is for our benefit. And, therefore, we now repeat with great joy and fervour: All praise and thanks to You, our Saviour, and glory to God on high!

Sweet Child of Bethlehem,
Open Your Heart.
Lessons from Nazareth
Deign to impart.

Mary and Joseph dear,
Let me be to Jesus near;
With you we shall not fear
From Him to part.

O Jesus, friend of the little ones, bless the children of the whole world.
(Indulgence: 100 days.)

Jesus, Mary and you, O good Joseph, bless us now and at the hour of our death.
(Indulgence: 50 days.)

PRAYER FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS.

O my Jesus, You well know that I love You; but I do not love You enough: O make me to love You more. O love which burns always and is never extinguished, my God, You Who are Charity itself, kindle in my heart that divine fire which consumes the saints and transforms them into You. Amen.
(Indulgence: 50 days, twice a day.)

PRAYER TO OUR INFANT KING.

O King of Kings! You were poor indeed in the Crib on the first Christmas Day; and the first adorers whom You called to You were the poor shepherds. In the holy Sacrament of the altar, You are even more hidden and obscure than at Bethlehem, and You still love to see around You the poor and the humble.

O Divine Infant! We adore You in Your poverty and obscurity; and we beg of You, through the intercession of Your holy Mother, to give us a spirit of detachment from the things of this world, so that at all times we may be among those of whom You said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

Most holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, speak on our behalf to the Heart of Jesus,
Who is your Son and our Brother.
(Indulgence: 100 days, once a day.)

AT BETHLEHEM.

“Gloria in excelsis Deo!”
‘Glory to God in the highest’.

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains;
And the mountains in reply
Echo back their joyous strains;
“Gloria in excelsis Deo!”

Come to Bethlehem and see
He Whose birth made angels sing.
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the new-born King.

‘Glory be to God on high!’

See Him in a manger laid,
He Whom choirs of angels praise.
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

“Gloria in excelsis Deo!”

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Yours.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

O Jesus in the most holy Sacrament, have mercy on us.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

TO HONOUR THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT.

In union with the faithful on earth and the saints in Heaven, I adore You, O Jesus, true God and true Man, here present in the Holy Eucharist. I thank You profoundly for this great benefit; and with my whole heart I love You, my Jesus, Who are infinitely perfect and infinitely worthy of love. Grant me the grace never to offend You in anything; and that, strengthened and refreshed by Your Eucharistic presence here on earth, I may deserve to enter, with Mary and Joseph, into the enjoyment of Your everlasting and blessed presence in Heaven. Amen.

Blessed and praised every moment,
Be the most holy and divine Sacrament.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

PRAISE AND ADORATION.

My God, I offer You all the homage and adoration which have ever been offered to You in Heaven and on earth, and which will be offered to You in future ages. And I desire to multiply acts of this offering as many times as there are stars in the heavens, atoms in the air, leaves on the trees, grains of sand on the earth, and drops of water in the ocean. I earnestly desire that every beating of my heart until the last moment of my life may be a renewal of this offering, which I present by the Sacred Hands and through the divine merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was born in a stable at Bethlehem, Who spent thirty-three years on this earth, and Who suffered and died on the Cross to redeem the world. And I wish to make this offering for the conversion of sinners, for the perseverance of the just, for the relief and deliverance of the souls in Purgatory, and in reparation for all the sins which have been and will be committed to the end of time. Amen.

PRAYER IN HONOUR OF THE HOLY FAMILY.

Grant us, O Lord Jesus, faithfully to imitate the examples of Your Holy Family, so that in the hour of our death, in the company of Your glorious Virgin Mother and Saint Joseph, we may deserve to be received by You into eternal tabernacles.
(Indulgence: 200 days, once a day.)

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SECOND QUARTER OF AN HOUR.

THANKSGIVING.

In Union with Our Lord during His Public Life.

May the Heart of Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection at every moment in all the Tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen.
(Indulgence: 300 days, once a day.)

Into this dark world Jesus came,
And all men might His form behold;
He suffered toil and grief and shame
And death, that we might be consoled.

To all He showed that gentle Face;
On good and bad alike it shone;
Its perfect loveliness and grace
The Lord of all concealed from none.

O love of Christ beyond all love!
O clemency beyond all thought!
O grace all praise of men above,
Whereby such gifts to men are brought!

O blessed Face, whose praise we sing!
Here in the way we worship He (You);
That in the country of our king,
Filled with Your glory we may be.

To God on high be praises sweet,
Equal to You, eternal Son,
Equal to You, blest Paraclete,
While never-ending ages run! Amen.

TO JESUS WHO WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD TO ALL

Having spent many years, my Jesus, in Nazareth, where You worked as a poor carpenter, You came forth to preach the word of God among the people of Judea. During the three years that followed, You taught us many lessons, both by word and example. You went around doing good to all. You were ever kind and compassionate, ever ready to help those in difficulty or distress. You restored Lazarus to his sisters, the daughter of Jairus to her parents, the widow’s son to his mourning mother. You pardoned repentant sinners; you cured the blind, the deaf, the lame. You dearly loved little children, and kept them near You when the disciples, fearing that they were troubling You, wished to send them away.

You told us that our chief duty was to love God above all things and
That we should also love our neighbour as ourselves.

Help us to imitate Your zeal, Your un-wearying charity; Your compassion to the poor and the weak; Your gentleness to the sinful and sorrowful. Help us to profit by the lessons of the Gospel, and to obey its teachings with a willing and cheerful heart.

We thank You, my Jesus, for those three toilsome years of Your public ministry, during which You made plain for us the pathway to Heaven. Above all, we thank You for the crowning pledge of our salvation, the crowning miracle of Your love; the Sacrament of the Blessed Eucharist, which You instituted on the eve of Your death. Through it, You abide for ever in our midst, to strengthen and console us as we make our way step by step to the kingdom of Your glory.

Blessed and praised every moment be the most holy and divine Sacrament.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

A PRAYER THAT WE MAY REALISE THE DIVINE PRESENCE.

O Jesus, hidden God, I come before You, earnestly imploring that You would enliven my faith so that I may realise what Your presence on the altar really means. I believe with all my heart and soul that You are here, but without Your special grace, my faith is dull, and moves me not as it ought, to love You. I picture You as You did appear to Your disciples and friends on earth, and I think how sweet it would have been to kneel at Your sacred feet, to kiss Your sacred hands, to tell You all my wants, my troubles, and my failings. How sweet it would have been even to linger near You, hoping for — a look from Your compassionate eyes — one glance from which left Peter heartbroken for his fault against You! O dear Lord, if my faith were more vivid, I would see that this happiness is virtually mine. I can speak to You here, knowing that You are close to me, that You are looking at me, that You are listening to me, just as You did when amongst those friends who pressed around You here on earth, gaining strength of body and soul from Your gracious presence.

Help me, dear Lord, to address You with the same love and confidence as if I really saw You. I know that all my concerns, spiritual and temporal, are of deepest interest to Your loving heart; and that You are willing and anxious to help and to console me. There is no cross so great that I shall not feel relief after speaking of it to You, no annoyance too trivial to be unworthy of Your sympathy. How many difficulties would be cleared away, how many unkind and angry thoughts would vanish, how much slighter my daily troubles and worries would appear, if I would only come and tell You of them.

Give me, then, Lord, this ardent faith and loving confidence. As Saint John, with love-quickened eyes, recognised You through the dim mists of the dawn on the shores of the lake, so may my heart, each time I enter Your sacred presence, echo his cry of joy: “It is the Lord.” Thus will Your sanctuary become for me a haven of rest and consolation, were I may gain strength to continue my journey; until the dawn of that happy day, when, purified and sanctified by Your sufferings and merits, I shall joyfully enter Your heavenly kingdom, there to behold for ever Your unveiled glory. Amen.

— From “The Golden Censer.”

Praised be the most Sacred Heart of Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament.
(Indulgence: 100 days.)

O Heart of love, I place all my trust in You; for, though I fear all things from my weakness, I hope all things from Your mercies.
— Saint Margaret Mary.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

ACT OF CONFIDENCE IN GOD.

O sweet and tender Providence of my God! into Your hands I commend my spirit; to You I abandon my hopes and fears, my desires and repugnances, my temporal and eternal prospects. To You I commit the wants of my perishable body; to You I commit the more precious interests of my immortal soul, for whose lot I have nothing to apprehend whilst I withdraw it not from Your bosom. Though my faults are many, my misery great, my spiritual poverty extreme, my hope in You surpasses all; it is superior to my weakness, greater than my difficulties, stronger than death.

Though temptations should assail me, I will hope in You; though I should sink beneath my weakness, I will hope in You still; though I should break my resolutions, I will look to You confidently for grace to keep them at last. Though You should kill me, even then, will I trust in You; for You are my Father, my God, the support of my salvation. You art my kind, my tender and indulgent parent, and I am Your loving child who cast myself into Your arms, and beg Your blessing; who put my trust in You, and so trusting shall not be confounded. Amen.
— Blessed Claude de la Colombiere. [Canonised in 1992.]

My God, my only good, You are all mine; grant that I may be all Yours.
(Indulgence: 300 days, once a day.)

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Your Kingdom come.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

PRAISES TO JESUS CHRIST AND MOST HOLY MARY.

Praised be Jesus Christ, Son of God.

Praised be Jesus, true God and true man.

Praised be Jesus, author of life.
Praised be Jesus, eternal wisdom.
Praised be Jesus, infinite goodness.

Praised be Jesus, God of peace.
Praised be Jesus, Good Shepherd.
Praised be Jesus, most loving Brother.

Praised be Jesus’ most loving Father.

Praised be Jesus, our Saviour.
Praised be Jesus, our Hope.
Praised be Jesus, our Love.

Praised be Jesus, our Life.
Praised be Jesus, our beginning.
Praised be Jesus, our end.

May Jesus be ever praised.

Most Holy Mary.

Praised be Mary, daughter of the Eternal Father.
Praised be Mary, Mother of the Word Incarnate.
Praised be Mary, Spouse of the Divine Spirit.

Praised be Mary, co-redemptress of the world.
Praised be Mary, Immaculate Queen.
Praised be Mary, full of grace.

Praised be Mary, refuge of sinners.
Praised be Mary, Mother most merciful.
Praised be Mary, consoler of the sorrowful.

Praised be Mary, refuge of the afflicted.
Praised be Mary, star of promise in the midst of evil.
Praised be Mary, safe harbour for travelers.

Praised be Mary, our comfort in life.
Praised be Mary, our hope in death.

(Indulgence: 100 days, once a day.)

May Mary be ever praised.

THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE.

O God, our true life, in Whom and by Whom all things live, I praise and bless and adore You; I worship You, I glorify You, I give You thanks for Your great glory. I humbly beseech You to abide with me, to reign in me, to make this heart of mine a holy temple, a fit dwelling for Your Divine Majesty. O You Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and invisible! Keep, I beseech You, the work of Your own hands, who trusts in Your mercy alone for safety and protection. Guard me with the power of Your grace, here and in all places, now and for all times, for evermore.
— Saint Augustine.

May the most just, most high, and most adorable will of God be in all things done, praised and magnified for ever.
(Indulgence: 100 days, once a day.)

JESUS, THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

Loving Shepherd, ever near,
Teach me still Your voice to hear:
Suffer not my steps to stray,
From the straight and narrow way.

Loving Shepherd, You did give
Your own life that I might live.
May I love You day by day,
Gladly Your sweet Will obey.

Where You lead, may I go,
Walking in Your steps below;
Then before Your Father’s throne,
Jesus! Claim me for Your own.

— “Holy Ghost Manual.”

__________________________________________________

THIRD QUARTER OF AN HOUR.

CONTRITION AND REPARATION.

In Union with the Sufferings and Death of Our Lord.

We adore You, most holy Lord Jesus Christ; we bless You, because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
(Indulgence: 100 days, once a day.)

Sweetest Jesus be to me not a Judge but a Saviour.
(Indulgence: 50 days.)

PRAYER IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR LORD’S PASSION.

On the night before Your death, my Jesus, You instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Love, whereby You remain at all times in our midst. Then, knowing that Your Passion was at hand, You withdrew to the Garden of Gethsemane, where, in silence and loneliness, You faced the dread thought of the sufferings and death which awaited You. No wonder that your soul was sorrowful even unto death; and its bitterest pang was in knowing that for some unhappy sinners those sufferings would be unavailing. “Father!” You prayed in Your anguish, “if it be possible, let this chalice pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Help us, my Jesus, at all times to submit our wills to the will of God, as You did. When we are faced with trials or sorrows, we may indeed ask of God to be merciful to our weakness, to remedy our ills. But whether this prayer be granted or not, give us, we beseech You, a spirit of docile submission, of unquestioning resignation; so that, at all times, we may say earnestly and sincerely: “Not my will, my God, but Yours, be done.”

Soon, my Saviour, the soldiers came to seize You, led by the traitor Judas, who for three years had been Your friend. And while we shrink in horror from his treachery, let us remember that we ourselves share in that betrayal whenever, by our sins, we reject Your love and refuse the benefits which You obtained for us by dying on the Cross.

During the night which followed, You were scourged, crowned with thorns, mocked and insulted by the soldiers, denied by Peter, forsaken by Your friends. And, in the morning, You were laden with Your Cross and led out to be crucified.

As you hung in agony upon that Cross, Your first words were a prayer that Your Heavenly Father might forgive those who had nailed You to it. Forgive me also, my Jesus, for my sins, which helped to nail You to the Cross. Forgive me for my coldness and indifference to Your love, for the little love I show You compared with the boundless love You have shown for me.

As You comforted the repentant thief with a promise of Paradise, comfort me now with the hope of Your mercy and forgiveness. Give me Your holy Mother to be my Mother, as You did to Saint John. And as You, at the end of three hours, freely resigned Your soul into the hands of Your Eternal Father, so I now wish to offer up my heart and my soul, my life and my death, in full and complete submission to Your holy Will. Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Lord Jesus, receive my soul.

Jesus, for You I live. Jesus, for You I die. Jesus, I am Yours in life and in death. Amen.
(Indulgence: 100 days.)

AN ACT OF REPARATION TO JESUS CRUCIFIED.

My Jesus, I should like to make some reparation to You for all You suffered during Your Passion.

Whenever I have to endure any pain or inconvenience, I will think of You, and try to bear my troubles patiently for Your sake.

I will try to pray well, in reparation for those who neglect or refuse to pray to You.

I will try to obey Your commandments in all things in reparation for those who break Your laws by committing sin.

With Your help, I will faithfully carry out all the duties of my state in life, because this is Your will. If I find my work tedious or difficult, I will be patient, remembering all You did and suffered for my sake.

I will try to visit You often in the church, even for a few minutes, in reparation for those who visit You seldom or not at all.

Help me, my Jesus, never to commit a deliberate sin; and if I do anything wrong, help me to make reparation and to obtain Your pardon quickly by a sincere and loving act of contrition.

Most sweet Jesus, increase my faith, hope, and charity; give me a humble and contrite heart.
(Indulgence: 100 days, once a day.)

Divine Heart of Jesus, convert sinners, save the dying, set free the holy souls in Purgatory.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

A DEVOUT ACT OF CONTRITION.

O King of Heaven, my sins forgive,
And let me live, till this cold heart
By perfect penitence be wrung
And stung by conscience’s wholesome smart.

Hearken my prayer, incline Your ear;
Now let the tear of grace flow free;
The sinner finds (his brief hour run)
Pity from none, but only He (You).

Yours is my life and Yours my death,
God of all breath, my pride is o’er!
One glance from You were all my wealth,
My hope, my health, for evermore.

O You Who makes the dead to live,
The dying thief You did not scorn;
Hear now, as then, a sinner’s sigh,
The bitter cry of me forlorn.

O pierced in foot and hand and side,
O crucified for hearts of men,
I turn to You; O turn to me!
I ne’er from You shall turn again.

O King of kings, O King of worlds,
O King Who was, and is to be,
Forgive, O King, our world, and spare;
Receive my prayer, and comfort me.

— From the Irish.

TO JESUS PRESENT ON THE ALTAR.

O Jesus! My Lord, my God, and my all! I believe that You are in Your living manhood as truly present here in the Blessed Sacrament as when You did walk amidst men and converse with them. Relying on Your word, which shall not pass away, I believe that You are here, ever living to make intercession for us. Here is Your sacred Body, which hung upon the Cross; here is Your Soul, which was sorrowful unto death in the Garden of Olives, and endured an agony on account of my sins; here are those sacred wounds made by the nails and spear. Here are the eyes which looked with pity and love on the penitent Peter, and which are now upraised to plead for me with the Heavenly Father. Here are those ears which heard the cruel cry of the Jews, “Crucify Him!” Here are those ears which listened so compassionately to all the ills of men, and which now are listening to me.
(Indulgence: 100 days, once a day.)

I thank You, Lord, for having died upon the Cross for my sins.
(Indulgence: 300 days, once a day.)

The Cross is my sure salvation. The Cross I ever adore. The Cross of my Lord is with me. The Cross is my refuge.
— Saint Thomas Aquinas.
(Indulgence: 300 days, once a day.)

HYMN OF SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER.

My God, I love You, not because
I hope for Heaven thereby,
Nor because those who love You not
Must burn eternally.

You, O my Jesus, You did me
Upon the Cross embrace;
For me did bear the nails and spear,
And manifold disgrace.

And griefs and torments numberless,
And sweat of agony;
Even death itself, and all for one
Who was Your enemy.

Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ,
Should I not love You well?
Not for the sake of winning Heaven,
Nor of escaping Hell.

Not with the hope of gaining aught,
Not seeking a reward,
But as Yourself have loved me,
O ever loving Lord!

Even so I love You, and will love,
And in Your praise will sing,
Solely because You are my God,
And my Eternal King.

PRAYER TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

In every need let me come to You with humble trust, saying,

Jesus, help me.

In all my doubts, perplexities, and temptations,

Jesus, help me.

In hours of loneliness, weariness, and trials,

Jesus, help me.

In the failure of my plans and hopes; in sorrows, troubles, and disappointments,

Jesus, help me.

When others fail me, and Your help alone can succour me,

Jesus, help me.

When I throw myself on Your tender love as a Father and Saviour,

Jesus, help me.

When my heart is cast down by failure, seeing no good fruit from my efforts,

Jesus, help me.

When I feel impatient and Your Cross frets me,

Jesus, help me.

When I am ill and lonely and cannot work,

Jesus, help me.

Always, always, in spite of weakness, falls, and shortcomings of every kind,

Jesus, help me, and never forsake me.

— Dr. Bilsborrow, Bishop of Salford.

Jesus, my God, I love You above all things.
(Indulgence: 50 days.)

My God, my only good, You are all mine; grant that I may be all Yours.
(Indulgence: 300 days, once a day.)

CONFORMITY TO GOD’S WILL.

My Jesus, I accept cheerfully any sorrow or suffering which Your Providence may see fit to send me. My wish is in all things to conform myself to Your holy will. Whenever I kiss Your Cross, it is to show that I submit perfectly to mine.
— Saint Margaret Mary.

From the foot of the Cross I look up to He (You);
O Jesus! Lord! Bow down to me.
I profess the faith of my God this day, (and all days)
With love in my heart and hope (for now and) always.

— From the Irish.

A PRAYER OF HOPE AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD.

O God, incline Your ear to me and hear my words. Show forth Your wonderful mercies, You Who save them that trust in You.

Protect me under the shadow of Your wings, from the face of those who have afflicted me.

In You, O Lord, have I hoped; let me never be confounded. Be You unto me a God, a protector and a house of refuge to save me.

The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall want nothing. He has set me in a place of pasture.

Though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for You are with me. And Your mercy will follow me all the days of my life.
— Taken from the Psalms.

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, increase in us Faith, Hope, and Charity.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

RESIGNATION TO GOD’S WILL.

Lord, give me patience in tribulation, and grace in everything to conform my will to Yours; that I may truly say: Your Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
— Saint Thomas More.

THANKSGIVING TO JESUS IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.

Dear Jesus, present in the Sacrament of the Altar, be for ever thanked and praised! Love, worthy of all celestial and terrestrial love, Who, out of infinite love for me, ungrateful sinner, did assume our human nature, did shed Your most precious Blood in the cruel scourging, and did expire on a shameful cross for our eternal welfare! Now, illumined with a lively faith, with the outpouring of my whole soul and the fervour of my heart, I humbly beseech You, through the infinite merits of Your painful sufferings, give me strength and courage to destroy every evil passion which sways my heart; to bless You in my greatest afflictions; to glorify You by the exact fulfilment of all my duties, supremely to hate all sin, and thus to become a saint.
(Indulgence: 100 days, once a day.)

Blessed and praised be the Sacred Heart and Precious Blood of Jesus in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

PRAYER FOR GRACE TO DO THE WILL OF GOD.

Grant me, most kind Jesus, Your grace, that it may abide with me, labour with me, and persevere with me to the end.

Grant me ever to desire and to will that which is the more acceptable to You and pleases You more dearly.

May Your Will be mine, and my will ever follow Yours, and be in closest accord with it.

May it be my one care to will and to be willing with You; and may I be unable to will or not will anything but what You will or will not.
(Indulgence: 200 days, once a day.)

From the “Imitation of Christ.” — Translation from “Raccolta.”

__________________________________________________

FOURTH QUARTER OF THE HOLY HOUR.

PETITION.

In Union with Our Risen Lord.

O God, Who by the resurrection of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, ha given joy to the whole world; grant, we beg of You, that, through the prayers of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of eternal life. We ask this through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Jesus, King and centre of all hearts, through the advent of Your Kingdom, grant us peace.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

Saviour of the world, have mercy on us.
(Indulgence: 50 days, once a day.)

PRAYER TO OUR RISEN SAVIOUR.

Before the dawn on Easter Sunday, You, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, had triumphed over death, and had come forth, glorious and immortal, from the tomb in which You had lain since Friday evening.

During the days that followed, You commissioned the Apostles to preach Your doctrine, and promised that on Your return to Heaven You would send the Holy Ghost, Who would give them light and strength to accomplish all that God wished them to do.

After forty days, You led them out to Mount Olivet, and there, lifting up Your hands, You blessed them, and ascended to Heaven, where, says the Scripture, You sit on the right hand of God.

In that heavenly Kingdom to which You ascended, You, my Jesus, have prepared for each one of us a place. A place more glorious, more wonderful, than anything we can even imagine while we are here on earth. A place where there will be no more sorrow or pain, no weariness, no parting from those we love; above all, no sin, no fear of ever offending God.

And while we are waiting here on earth, and striving to earn our place in Heaven, we are comforted and made strong by Your presence among us in the most holy Sacrament of the Altar. You come to us in Holy Communion, to be the life and food of our souls; while at all times You remain in our churches, ready to hear our prayers, to listen with compassion to our troubles, to give us help and comfort in our difficulties.

What shall we ask of You, dear Lord, as we kneel at Your feet today?

First of all, the spiritual gifts and graces which we need to help us on our journey heavenward. Keep us from every taint of sin; make us more anxious to please You in all things, little as well as great; make us more careful in fulfilling our duties, more charitable, patient and unselfish. Bless those we love; give us peace and happiness and holiness in our homes. Grant that during our pilgrimage here on earth we may render ourselves worthy to hear one day from You the blessed words: “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter you into the joy of your Lord.”

All for You, most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

O Jesus in the most holy Sacrament, have mercy on us.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

REST IN THE SACRED HEART.

O Sacred Heart! All blissful light of Heaven,
Rapture of angels, beaming ever bright,
Joy of the blessed through Your great love redeemed,
When shall our eyes behold that glorious sight?


O Sacred Heart! O hope of those who sorrow,
Rest of the weary, careworn and depressed,
Sweetly lead home from earth Your faithful children
To where Your love shall give us peace and rest.

A PRAYER TO THE SACRED HEART.

O most Sacred Heart of Jesus, pour down Your blessings abundantly upon Your Church, upon the Supreme Pontiff, and upon all the clergy; give perseverance to the just, convert sinners, enlighten unbelievers, bless our relations, friends and benefactors, help the dying, free the souls in Purgatory and extend over all hearts the sweet empire of Your love.
(Indulgence: 300 days, once a day.)

A PRAYER FOR OUR SPECIAL FRIENDS.

O Blessed Lord, Who has commanded us to love one another, grant us grace that, having received Your undeserved bounty, we may love everyone in You and for You. We implore Your clemency for all, but especially for the friends whom Your love has given to us. Love You them, O You fountain of love, and make them to love You with all their heart, that they may will, and speak, and do, those things only which are pleasing to You. Amen.
— Saint Anselm.

Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, furnace of divine charity, give peace to the world.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

A PRAYER FOR AUSTRALIA.

O Jesus, our Saviour, look with mercy on Australia. Help her in her difficulties; give fidelity and constancy to us, her children; so that we may ever profess our faith openly, both in our words and our deeds. May we never do or say anything unworthy of our holy religion or of our native land.

Bless our pastors and our clergy, our religious societies, our schools. May our homes resemble that of Nazareth. Grant that Australia may be at all times and in all things a Christian nation, ever obedient to the teachings of the Gospel, and ever seeking the Kingdom of Heaven and the glory of Jesus Christ our King.

FOR PROTECTION AGAINST DANGERS.

May Mary, Christ, and the Saints be between us and harm:
Mary and her Son,
Patrick and his staff,
Martin with his cloak,
Brigid with her hood,
Michael with his shield,
And God before them all, with His strong right arm. Amen.

— From the Irish.

AN EARNEST APPEAL TO THE SACRED HEART.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I fly to You, I come to You, throwing myself into the arms of Your tender mercy. You are my secure refuge, my unfailing and only hope. You have a remedy for all my evils, relief for all my miseries, reparation for all my faults. You can supply for what is wanting in me in order to obtain fully the graces I ask for myself and others. You are for me, and for all, the infallible, inexhaustible source of light, of strength, of perseverance, peace, and consolation. I am certain that my importunity can never weary You; certain, too, that You will never cease to aid, to protect, to love me, because Your love for me, O Divine Heart, is infinite. Have mercy on me, then, O Heart of Jesus, and on all that I recommend to You, according to Your own mercy; and do with us, for us and in us, whatsoever You will; for we abandon ourselves to You, with a full, entire confidence and conviction that You will never abandon us, either in time or eternity. Amen.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.
(Indulgence: 300 days.)

Dear Jesus, keep us in Your Heart,
Take our cold hearts away;
Or make our hearts more like to Yours,
More pure and meek each day.

Ah, yes! Even in this sinful world,
This is the better part;
What shall it be when safe for aye,
Lord, in Your Sacred Heart!

— Father M. Russell.

PRAYER TOWARDS THE END OF THE HOLY HOUR.

(See Saint Luke 24:13-35.)

Although I must soon depart from Your sanctuary, O Lord, I earnestly entreat that I may always abide in Your presence, today and every day of my life. Draw near to me, my Jesus, and speak to me on my ways as You did to the two disciples going to Emmaus. Enlighten me when I am ignorant, console me when I am sad; so that my heart may burn within me, and the longest journey seem short, because You are with me.

Dear Lord, my life is passing swiftly. The day is already far spent, and You alone know how soon the evening will fall. Stay with me, then, in my daily trials and duties, my sorrows and joys; let me hold fast to You in the gathering gloom, when my feet grow weary and my heart is troubled. And in Your own good time, when I draw nigh to the Everlasting City whither I am going, when my eyes shall be opened on eternity, O grant that I may know You and see You — no longer hidden on the altar, no longer an unseen presence at my side, but as You did enter into Your glory, radiant and triumphant, O King of Earth and Heaven!
— From “The Golden Censer.”

When the sun ascends each day,
When it sinks, and day is o’er,
Stay with me, good Jesus, stay!
Dwell with me for evermore!

PRAYER FOR UNION WITH JESUS CHRIST.

O my Jesus! Grant that You may ever be the object of my thoughts and affections, the subject of my conversations, the end of my actions, the companion of my life, the companion of my death, and my reward eternally in Your Heavenly Kingdom. Amen.

Jesus and Mary, we pray,
Be with us ever on our way.

THE ARCH-CONFRATERNITY OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.

The object of this Arch-confraternity is to adore Our Lord in the Sacrament of His Love; to watch with Him, and by every means to spread among the faithful devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

Conditions of Admission.

(1) Recite an Act of Consecration to the Blessed Sacrament. (See the example illustrated below.)

(2) Have your full name entered on the Register of the Arch-confraternity.

(3) Make a resolution to spend one hour each month before the Blessed Sacrament. (This hour must be continuous, and must not include the time spent at a Mass of Obligation.)

Some Privileges and Indulgences.

(1) A share in the daily Masses and good works of over 130,000 priests.

(2) Each of these priests offers an annual Mass for deceased members.

(3) A Plenary Indulgence on the day of enrolment, on the usual conditions.

(4) A Plenary Indulgence each day a member spends an hour before the Blessed Sacrament, if he has received Holy Communion that day.

(5) Seven years and seven quarantines (the indulgence equivalent to forty days of canonical penance) for each Hour of Adoration on days on which Holy Communion was not received.

(6) Each time a member visits a church or public oratory and recites six Paters, Aves and Glorias, (‘Our Fathers’, ‘Hail Marys’ and ‘Glory be to the Father’s,) the Indulgences of the Stations in Rome, Jerusalem, Saint James of Compostella and the Church of the Portiuncula; that is to say, an almost incalculable number of Plenary and Partial Indulgences.

(7) A Plenary Indulgence at the hour of death on saying the Holy Name of Jesus.

(8) A Plenary Indulgence, on the usual conditions, on several Feast Days.

[As noted earlier, the new Indults governing Indulgences issued since Vatican II have named all indulgences formerly listing numbers of ‘days’, ‘years’ or ‘quarantines as ‘Partial’ Indulgences. Plenary Indulgences are still available under the usual conditions.]

ACT OF CONSECRATION.

(Approved of by the Fathers of the Blessed Sacrament, Rome.)

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

I, servant of Jesus Christ, although unworthy, yet full of confidence in divine grace, under the guidance and auspices of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, under the protection of Saint Michael the Archangel, of Saint Joseph, of the blessed apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, of the beloved disciple Saint John, consecrate and devote myself with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my strength to the service of adoring Jesus Christ Our Lord, truly, really, and substantially present in the Most Blessed Sacrament for the love of men; and in order to promote more efficaciously the reign of His love in me, in mine, and in the whole world, I associate myself to the life of adoration of the Congregation of the Most Blessed Sacrament, and promise to make in union with it and its associated members, the monthly adoration, and to devote myself, according to my ability, to the greatest glory of Jesus in His Sacrament of love.

Confirm in me, O my God, the work of Your grace. O Mary, blessed Mother of Jesus, and my own loving Mother, help me as your child; direct me in the service of Jesus, that I may serve Him worthily and please Him now, and finally, after death, have the happiness of praising and loving Him with you for all eternity. Amen.

*****