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LENT

By Rev, Albert A, Murray, C,S.P.





PRAYER A DAY

FOR LENT

Compiled from

Approued Sources

By

Rev. Albert A. Murray, C.S.P.

PAULIST PRESS

(Paulist Fathers)

New York, New York



O JESUS! guide us, each day through

this Lent, closer and closer to Thy Heart;

fill us with Thy Spirit; make us like to

Thee. Mary, dear Mother of Sorrows!

teach us to stand with thee beside the

cross; or rather to kneel with the peni-

tent, forgiven Magdalen, at its foot, and

‘There let the blood from out that side

fall gently on us, drop by drop.

Jesus
y
our love, is crucified

Nihil Obstat:

Arthur J. Scanlan, S.T.D.,

Censor Librorum

Imprimatur:

^ Francis Cardinal Spellman, D.D.,

Archbishop of New York

New York, January 26, 1944.

Copyright, 1944, by

The Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle

in the State of New York

MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF

AMERICA BY

PAULIST PRESS, NEW YORK 19, N. Y.



ASH WEDNESDAY

Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earthy

where the rust and moth consume and where

thieves break through and steal. But lay up to

yourselves treasures in heaven.

—Gospel of the Day.

FORGIVE my sins, O my God, forgive

my sins: the sins of youth, the sins of

age; the sins of my soul and the sins of

my body; the sins which, through frailty,

I have committed; my deliberate and

grievous sins, the sins I know and the

sins I do not know, the sins I have la-

bored so long to hide from others, that

now they are hidden from my own mem-

ory; let me be absolved from all these

iniquities, and delivered from the bond

of all these evils, by the Life, Passion,

and Death of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus

Christ. Amen.

Nothing would be done at all if a man waited

until he could do it so well that no one would

find fault with it. _ , ,,,—Cardinal JNewman.

[ 3 ]



THURSDAY after Ash Wednesday

/ beseech Thee, O Lord, remember how 1 have

walked before Thee in truth and with a perfect

heart, and have done that which is good in

Thy sight.

—Lesson.

O HOLY Spirit of God, take me as Thy

disciple; guide me, illuminate me, sanc-

tify me. Bind my hands, that they may

do no evil; cover my eyes, that they may

see it no more; sanctify my heart, that

evil may not dwell within me. Be Thou

my God; be Thou my guide. Whither-

soever Thou leadest me I will go;

whatsoever Thou forbiddest me I will

renounce; whatsoever Thou commandest

me, in Thy strength I will do. Lead me,

then, unto the fullness of Thy truth.

Amen.

—Cardinal Manning.

Others may tell us what to do; Jesus gives us

the strength to do it.

—Bernard Vaughn, S.J.

[ 4 ]



FRIDAY after Ash Wednesday

One thing 1 have sought of the Lord, this will

I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of

the Lord. To behold the joy of the Lord, and

be sheltered by His holy temple.

•—Gradual.

LORD, make me an instrument of Your

peace; where there is hatred, let me sow

love; where there is injury, pardon; where

there is doubt, faith; where there is de-

spair, hope; where there is darkness,

light; and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not

so much seek to be consoled as to con-

sole; to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love; for it is in giving

that we receive, it is in pardoning that

we are pardoned, and it is in dying that

we are born to eternal life.

—Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.

Cast yourself into the arms of God, and be

very sure of this; that if He wants anything of

you. He will fit you for your work, and give

you strength to do it.

—St. Philip Neri.

[ 5 ]



SATURDAY after Ash Wednesday

And whithersoever He entered, into towns or

into villages or cities, they laid the sick in the

streets and besought Him that they might

touch but the hem of His garment; and as

many as touched Him were made whole.

—Gospel.

WATCH thou, O Lord, with those who
wake, or watch, or weep tonight, and

give Thine angels charge over those who

sleep.

Tend Thy sick ones, O Lord Christ.

Rest Thy weary ones.

Bless Thy dying ones.

Soothe Thy suffering ones.

Pity Thine afflicted ones.

Shield Thy joyous ones.

And all for Thy love’s sake. Amen.

—St. Augustine.

My soul, what hast thou done for God?

Look o'er thy misspent years and see;

See first what thou hast done for God

And then what God has done for thee,

—Father Faber.

[ 6 ]



FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT

Behold now is the acceptable time, behold

now is the day of salvation. _ . ,
—Epistle.

KEEP me, O God, from pettiness.

Let us be large in thought, word and

deed.

Let us be done with fault-finding and

leave off self-seeking.

May we put away all pretense and

meet each other face to face without self-

pity and without prejudice.

May we never be hasty in judgment

and always generous.

Let us take time for all things.

Make us grow calm, serene, gentle.

Teach us to put into action our better

impulses, and make us straight-forward

and unafraid.

Grant that we may realize that it is the

little things in life that create differences;

that in the big things we are all as one.

And, O Lord God,
Let us not forget to be kind.

—Mary Stuart’s Prayer.

To pray well is to live well.

[ 7 ]



MONDAY after the 1st Sunday in Lent

/ will seek that which was lost; and that which

was driven away 1 will bring again; and I will

bind up that which was broken; and 1 will

strengthen that which was weak.

—Lesson.

LORD I offer and consecrate to Your

glory, all that I have ever suffered, all

that I now suffer, and all that I shall

suffer until death; perfect my pains with

Your love, and grant O sweet Jesus! that

they may be as pleasing to You as they

are painful to me; I will suffer because

You will have it so. You Whom I love

with my whole heart: therefore I will, all

that You will. Amen.

The hand of reason trembles before life's

problems, and its lantern is blown out before

it begins to understand them, unless the hand

is guided by the Hand that was pierced, and

the lantern lit by the Light of the world.

—A. J. Francis Stanton.

[ 8 ]



TUESDAY after the 1st Sunday in Lent

My thoughts are not your thoughts; nor your

ways My ways, saith the Lord.
—Lesson.

COME, O Holy Ghost and Creator,

come and breathe Thy spirit of life and

of beauty into worldly, sensual, sickly

man, transform him utterly, pluck him

from the midst of his narrow, petty in-

tellectual existence, from the stupid insig-

nificance of his daily life, and teach him

instead to live after the pattern of Christ.

Father Hecker used to say that ''rust of the

knee-joint was the great malady of present-

day Christians.” Once asked how he came to

join the Catholic Church, his answer was,

"By getting down on my knees.”

[ 9 ]



WEDNESDAY after the 1st Sunday
in Lent

From my necessities, deliver me, O Lord; con-

sider my lowliness and my burden, and pardon

all my sins. —Tract.

INTO Thy hands, O Lord, and into the

hands of Thy Angels, I commit and en-

trust this day my soul, my relatives, my

benefactors, my friends and my enemies

and all the members of Thy Church. Pre-

serve us, O Lord, this day, by the merits

of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the

saints, from bad habits and evil inclina-

tions, from sin and from the deceits of

the devil, from a sudden and unprovided

death, and from the pains of hell. En-

lighten my heart by the grace of Thy

Holy Spirit; grant that I may always keep

Thy commandments, and permit not that

I should ever be seperated from Thee,

Who hvest and reignest, God, with the

Father and the same Holy Ghost, forever

and ever. Amen. _st. Edmond.

If you want to know what you are like; try

to catch yourself unawares—how do your
thoughts naturally run?

—Daniel Considine, SJ.

[ 10 ]



THURSDAY after the 1st Sunday

in Lent

Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of Thy eye;

protect me under the shadow of Thy wings.

—Gradual.

O JESUS, living in Mary,

Come and live in Thy servants.

In the spirit of Thy sanctity.

In the fullness of Thy strength.

In the reality of Thy virtues.

In the perfection of Thy ways.

In the communion of Thy mysteries,

Be lord over every opposing power.

In Thine own Spirit, to the glory of the

Father. Amen.

—M. Olier’s Prayer.

Prayer is the deadly enemy of selfishness. You

may start to play just for yourself but you

will not keep it up for long. Soon your heart

will expand. You will extend your prayers

to others. A broader vision comes to you.

[ 11 ]



FRIDAY after the 1st Sunday in Lent

If the wicked do penance for all his sins which

he hath committed, and keep all My com-
mandments, and do judgment, and justice,

living he shall live, and shall not die.

—Lesson.

O LORD, support us all the day long

of this troublous life, until the shades

lengthen and the evening comes, and the

busy world is hushed, the fever of life is

over, and our work is done. Then, Lord,

in Thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, a

holy rest, and peace at the last, through

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

—Cardinal Newman.

Never have more than one kind of trouble at

a time. Some people bear three kinds—all
they have now, all they have had, and all they

hope to have.

[ 12 ]



SATURDAY after the 1st Sunday in Lent

Heed our prayers, we beseech Thee O Lord:

that through Thy grace, we may both deserve

to be humble in prosperity and safe in ad-

versity.

—Collect.

O LAMB OF GOD, have mercy on us,

and offer Thyself to God the Father with

all Thy humility and all Thy patience, in

satisfaction for our sins.

O Lamb of God, have mercy on us

and offer Thyself to God the Father with

all the bitterness of Thy Passion for our

reconciliation to God.

O Lamb of God, have mercy on us,

and offer Thyself to God the Father with

all the love of Thy Divine Heart, to ob-

tain all necessary graces for us.

—St. Gertrude.

The nicest word to say to our Lord is: ''Yes.'*

If our Lady hadn't said that at the Annuncia-

tion, where would the world be now?

—Guy de Fontgalland.

[ 13 ]



2nd SUNDAY IN LENT

This is the will of God, your sanctification.

—Epistle.

IT is with Christ that we journey, and

we walk with our steps in His footprints;

He it is Who is our Guide and the burn-

ing flame which illumines our paths; Pio-

neer of Salvation, He it is Who draws us

toward Heaven, toward the Father, and

promises success to those who seek in

faith. We shall one day be that which

He is in glory, if by faithful imitation of

His example we become true Christians,

other Christs.

—St. Cyprian.

''Why did God make you?” said a priest to a

little child.

"Because He loved me.”

"And how do you know that He loves you?”

"Because He made me. If He hadn*t loved

me He needn't have made me”

[ 14 ]



MONDAY after the 2nd Sunday in Lent

O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy name

in all the earth,

—Communion.

FOR ah! the Master is so fair,

His smile so sweet to banished men

That they who meet it unaware

Can never rest on earth again.

And they who see Him risen afar

At God’s right hand to welcome them

Forgetful stand of home and land,

Desiring fair Jerusalem.

Praise God! the Master is so sweet;

Praise God! the country is so fair.

We would not hold them from His feet.

We would but haste to meet them there.

—Lines found in an old English Missal.

Do not try to please everybody. Try to please

God, the Angels and the Saints—they are
your public,

—The Cure D’Ars.

[ 15 ]



TUESDAY after the 2nd Sunday

in Lent

My heart said unto Thee, Thy face have 1

sought. Thy face, Lord, will 1 seek. Hide not

Thy face from me.

—Introit.

JESU, Friend all friends above,

Jesu, best and dearest.

Jesu, fount of perfect love,

Holiest, tend’rest, fairest,

Jesu, Source of grace completest,

Jesu, purest, Jesu sweetest,

Jesu, Well of power divine.

Make me, keep me, seal me. Thine!

—English Prayer of Ninth Century.

The stains on my soul must be got rid of one

by one. Some of the spots may require a

good deal of rubbing before they entirely dis-

appear. Why not? The result is well worth

the trouble.

—Daniel Considine, SJ.

[ 16 ]



WEDNESDAY after the 2nd Sunday
in Lent

Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?

They say to Him: We can. He saith to them;

My chalice indeed you shall drink.
—Gospel.

O SWEET JESUS, I grieve for my sins!

Vouchsafe to supply whatever is lacking

to my true sorrow, and to offer for me

to God the Father all the grief which

Thou hast endured because of my sins

and those of the whole world.

My God, I thank Thee for the merci-

ful gift of contrition! Grant it perfectly

to me and to all poor sinners, for the

sake of Jesus Thy Son, crucified for our

salvation.

Catholics who neither by hearing nor reading

seek to strengthen their faith, and go out into

the world today with no more preparedness to

meet its questionings than the elementary

teaching of the catechism they learned in

their childhood, are in great danger of losing

their faith.

—Mother Loyola.

[ 17 ]



THURSDAY after the 2nd Sunday

in Lent

O God come to my assistance, O Lord make

haste to help me: let my enemies be con-

fronted and ashamed that seek my soul.”

—Introit.

EACH day do I ask of Thee, O Lord,

that Thy will may be done on earth as

it is in heaven. Hearken to my prayer,

I beseech Thee, and grant that I may

perform aU my actions in comphance

with Thy holy wUl, and ever make it the

sole rule of my conduct. Deliver my soul

from the slavery of its passions. Grant

that they may all yield to Thine empire,

and that to please and love Thee may

ever be the predominant desire of my

soul. Amen.

Do you think of your past sins; think of the

vastness of eternity, the blessedness of God,

the sweetness of Christ, the glory of Mary and

the angels. God knows where there is a good

will and that satisfies Him.

—Bishop Curtis.

[ 18 ]



FRIDAY after the 2nd Sunday

in Lent

When in trouble 1 cried to the Lord, and He

heard me.

—Gradual.

LORD JESUS, animate and vivify all

in me, my soul, my body, my senses, my

powers, and all my members; direct them

bend them to Thy desires alone. Govern

my tongue that it may know how to pray

and to speak of Thy benefits; my eyes

that they may see Thy marvels; my ears

that they may listen to Thy voice, Thy

precepts and Thy counsels; my heart that

it may love Thee; my members that all

may work in harmony for Thy glory and

the salvation of my brethren. Amen.

—Elizabeth of the Trinity.

Kindness has converted more sinners than

either zeal, eloquence, or learning; and these

three have never converted anyone unless

they were also kind.

[ 19 ]



SATURDAY after the 3rd Sunday
in Lent

Grant that we, who pray to be loosed from

our own sins, may not be burdened with those

of others.

—Secret.

O SACRED HEART that lifted itself

up in acts of pure prayer under the stress

of Thy Agony, touch my cold heart with

a spark of Thy fire, that I may learn to

pray in the hour of sorrow and pain!

O virtue of the Sacred Heart, come

out and transform this heart of mine. O

my Redeemer, let the hour come when

there shall be nothing left in my heart

or in my life that I have not surrendered

to Thee.

—Bishop Hedley, O.S.B.

It would be a dreadful thing to spend time in

prayer because we enjoyed it. We have to do

it for God's glory, not for our pleasure,"

—Dom John Chapman.

[ 20 ]



3rd SUNDAY IN LENT

He who is not with Me, is against Me: and

he who gathereth not with Me, scattereth.

—Gospel.

JESUS, lover of souls, give me a bit of

Your great love for men. I am so self-

centered, so wrapped up in myself and

my own small world that I forget the

hunger that is abroad among men. Yet,

I must reach out a helping hand to them,

and I must have them realize Your love

for them, and the love of aU Your earthly

friends for them. Give me the grace to

touch the aching heart tenderly, and to

speak the words that will be as balm to

troubled souls. Above all give me the

grace to make them know that You will

never forget them, that Somebody cares.

Amen.

The greatest troubles we have are generally

the troubles that never happen. Imagination

makes fools of us all.

[ 21 ]



MONDAY after the 3rd Sunday in Lent

Amen, I say to you that no prophet is accepted

in his own country.

—Gospel.

COME O Holy Spirit! enlighten the
minds of all with Thy sacred light, and

inflame their hearts with the Are of Thy

love. Teach us what we are to believe,

and engage us to practice it. For, alas!

what will it avail us to know what is re-

quired of us, in order to be saved, if we

do not endeavor to reduce it to practice?

Suffer not our faith to condemn us at

the last day, by bearing witness to what

we ought to have done to gain heaven,

and to our having neglected to perform

it; but grant that both our minds and our

hearts by behef and practice may equally

conspire to prepare us to eternal bliss.

Amen.

We swallow at one draught the lie that flatters

us, and drink drop by drop the truth which

is bitter to us.

[ 22 ]



TUESDAY after the 3rd Sunday in Lent

From my secret sins cleanse me, O Lord.

—Gradual.

I BESEECH Thee, O most sweet Lord

Jesus Christ, that Thy Passion may be to

Thy servants strength for their protec-

tion, defense, and guard. May Thy

wounds be to them meat and drink by

which they may be nourished, satisfied,

and delighted. May the sprinkling of

Thy Blood be to them for the washing

away of all their sins. May Thy Death

be to them eternal glory; and in all may

they find refreshment, joy, health, and

sweetness of heart.

O Prince of Peace, go with our armies

and direct our battle array, that, guided

by Thine all-seeing Providence, we may

attain Thy purposes and establish a

peace that shall endure. Amen.

The greatest of faults is to be conscious of

none.

[ 23 ]



WEDNESDAY after the 3rd Sunday
in Lent

If the blind lead the blind, both fall into the

—Gospel.

DEAR JESUS, help me to spread Thy

Fragrance everywhere I go; flood my

soul with Thy Spirit and Life; penetrate

and possess my whole being so utterly

that aU my hfe may only be a Radiance

of Thine; shine through me and be so in

me that every soul I come in contact with

may feel Thy Presence in my soul; let

them look up, and see no longer me, but

only Jesus! Stay with me and then I

shall begin to shine as Thou shinest, so

to shine as to be a light to others; the

hght, O Jesus, will be all from Thee,

none of it wiU be mine; it will be Thou,

shining on others through me; let me

preach Thee without preaching not by

my words but by my example, by the

catching force, the sympathetic influence

of what I do, the evident fuUness of the

love my heart bears to Thee. Amen.
—Cardinal Newman.

Be gentle and kind with everyone and severe

with yourself. _St. Teresa.

[ 24 ]



THURSDAY after the 3rd Sunday
in Lent

The eyes of all look to Thee, O Lord, and

Thou givest them food in due season.

—Gradual.

O MARY, you who desire so much to

see Jesus loved, if you love me, this is

the favor which I ask of you, to obtain

for me a great love of Jesus Christ. You

obtain from your Son whatever you

please; pray then for me and console me.

Obtain for me a great love toward you,

who, of all creatures, are the most loving

and beloved of God. And through that

grief which you suffered on Calvary,

when you beheld Jesus expire on the

cross, obtain for me a happy death, that

by loving Jesus, and you, my mother, I

may come to love you for ever in Heaven.

Amen.

One is often carried away over the sins and

shortcomings of others. It would be far better

to talk less about them and to pray more.

—The Cure D’Ars.

[ 25 ]



FRIDAY after the 3rd Sunday
in Lent

Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes, and see

the countries, for they are white already to

harvest.
-Gospel.

CHRIST, as a light, illumine and guide

me!

Christ, as a shield, o’ershadow and cover

me!

Christ be under me! Christ be over me!

Christ be beside me, on left hand and

right!

Christ be before me, behind me, about

me!

Christ, this day be within and without

me!

Christ the lowly and meek, Christ, the

all powerful, be in the heart of each to

whom I speak, in the mouth of each who

speaks to me, in aU who draw near me,

or see me, or hear me.

—Hymn of St. Patrick.

St. Patrick, Apostle of the Gael, keep the

light of the True Faith ever brightly burning

in the hearts of our people!

[ 26 ]



SATURDAY after the 3rd Sunday
in Lent

Though 1 walk through the valley of the

shadow of death, 1 will fear no evil; for Thou

with me O Lord.
—Gradual.

O LORD Thou knowest what is best for

us, let this or that be done, as Thou

shalt please. Give what Thou wilt, and

how much Thou wilt, and when Thou

wilt.

Deal with me as Thou thinkest good,

and as best pleaseth Thee. Set me where

Thou wilt, and deal with me in all things

just as Thou wilt. Behold, I am Thy serv-

ant, prepared for all things; for I desire

not to live unto myself, but unto Thee;

and oh, that I could do it worthily and

perfectly! Amen.

—Thomas a Kempis.

To do something great and heroic may never

come; but I can make my life heroic by faith-

fully and daily putting my best effort into

each duty as it comes round,

—Father William Doyle, SJ.

[ 27 ]



4th SUNDAY IN LENT

I rejoiced at the things that were said to me;

we shall go to the house of the Lord.

—Introit.

O MY beloved St. Joseph! adopt me as
thy child; take charge of my salvation;

watch over me day and night; preserve

me from occasions of sin; obtain for me

purity of body and soul, and the spirit of

prayer, through thy intercession with

Jesus. Grant me a spirit of sacrifice, of

humility, and self-denial; obtain for me

a burning love for Jesus in the Blessed

Sacrament, and a sweet tender love for

Mary, my Mother.

St. Joseph, be with me in life, be with

me in death, and obtain for me a favor-

able judgment from Jesus my merciful

Saviour. Amen.

Keep smiling; its the very best remedy for

gloom. The devil loves nothing better than a

gloomy soul; it is his plaything.

—Father Doyle, S.J.

[ 28 ]



MONDAY after the 4th Sunday in Lent

Serve ye the Lord with gladness. —Ofiertory.

MY God! I love Thee, not because
I hope for heaven thereby,

Nor because they that love Thee not.

Must burn eternally.

Thou, O my Jesu! Thou didst me

Upon the cross embrace;

For me didst bear the nails, the spear.

The manifold disgrace;

And griefs and torments numberless.

And sweat of agony;

E’en death itself—and all for one
Who was Thine enemy.

Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ!
Should I not love Thee well.

Not for the sake of winning heaven

Or of escaping hell;

Not for the hope of gaining aught,

Not seeking a reward.

But as Thyself hast loved me,

O ever-loving Lord.
E’en so I love Thee and will love.

And in Thy praise will sing,

Solely because Thou art my God
And my eternal King.

—St. Francis Xavier.
You can’t make good unless you are good.

[ 29 ]



TUESDAY after the 4th Sunday
in Lent

I waited patiently for the Lord, and He in-

clined unto me and heard my cry.

—Offertory.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, the

comfort of the sad, the strength of suf-

ferers, let the prayers of those that cry

out of any tribulation come unto Thee;

that all may rejoice to find that Thy

mercy is present with them in their af-

flictions.

Give fortitude, O Lord, to all who are

afraid, and confidence to those who have

no trust; that, sustained by the knowl-

edge of Thine unfailing power, they may

adore always the Majesty of Thy Father-

ly will and loving kindness. Through

Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

To save one’s soul is the man-sized task in the

world. Even with grace it can never be child’s

play; without grace, it would make a Hercules

look like a kindergarten frolic.

—Father E. F. Murphy, S.S.J.

[ 30 ]



WEDNESDAY after the 4th Sunday
in Lent

If your sins be as scarlet they shall be made

as white as snow, and if they be red as crirn-

son, they shall be white as wool,

—Lesson.

I HAVE nothing, O my Saviour and my

God! I have nothing which can be pleas-

ing unto Thee; I can do nothing, I am

nothing; but I have a heart, and this is

enough for me. Health, honor, and life

itself may be taken from me, but no man

can rob me of my heart. I have a heart,

and with this heart I can love Thee, O

my Saviour Jesus, worthy of all adora-

tion! And with this heart it is my deter-

mination to love Thee and always I re-

solve to love Thee, only to love Thee

always.

—Father Croiset, S.J.

The strength of a man*s devotion to the

Church is best shown by what he does for

the Church.

[ 31 ]



THURSDAY after the 4th Sunday
in Lent

Thou hast taught me, O God, from my youth,

and unto old age and gray hairs, O God, for-

sake me not.

—Communion.

MY God, I am Thine for time and eter-
nity! Teach me to cast myself entirely

into the arms of Thy loving Providence,

with the most lively, unlimited confidence

in Thy compassionate, tender pity. Grant

me, O most merciful Redeemer, that

whatever Thou dost ordain or permit may

be acceptable to me. Take from my

heart aU painful anxiety; suffer nothing

to sadden me but sin; nothing to delight

me but the hope of coming to the pos-

session of Thee, my God and my All, in

Thine everlasting Kingdom. Amen.

—Mother McAuley.

The soul would have no rainbow

Had the eyes no tears.

[ 32 ]



FRIDAY after the 4th Sunday in Lent

It is better to put confidence in the Lord, than

to confide in man. Gradual.

ALMIGHTY FATHER, enter Thou our

hearts, and so fill us with Thy love, that,

forsaking all evil desires, we may em-

brace Thee our only good. Show unto

us, for Thy mercies’ sake, O Lord our

God, what Thou art unto us. Say unto

our souls, I am thy salvation. So speak

that we may hear. Our hearts are before

Thee; open Thou our ears; let us hasten

after Thy voice, and take hold on Thee.

Hide not Thy face from us, we beseech

Thee, O Lord. Enlarge Thou the nar-

rowness of our souls, that Thou mayest

enter in. Repair the ruinous mansions,

that Thou mayest dwell there. Hear us,

O Heavenly Father, for the sake of Thine
only Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who

liveth and reigneth with Thee and the

Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

—St. Augustine.

It is sad to see a man's theory outstrip his

performance, — Thomas Aquinas.

[ 33 ]



SATURDAY after the 4th Sunday

in Lent

/ am the light of the world; he that followeth

Me walketh not in darkness, but shall have

the light of life. —Gospel.

O HOLY GHOST, divine Spirit of Light

and of Love, I consecrate to Thee my

mind, my heart and my will—^my whole
being—for time and for eternity. May
my mind be ever docile to Thy heavenly

inspirations and to the teaching of the

holy Catholic Church, whose infallible

Guide Thou art; may my heart be always

inflamed with the love for God and for

my neighbor; may my will be always

conformed to the will of God; and my

whole life be a faithful imitation of the

life and the virtues of our Lord Jesus

Christ, to Whom with the Father and

with Thee, be honor and glory forever.

Amen.

Life is too short to read books of dubious

value. We have hardly time to peruse the

very best ones.

[ 34 ]



PASSION SUNDAY

Truly, truly, 1 say to you; if any man keep
My word, he shall not see death forever.

—Gospel.

PASSION of Christ comfort me! Com-

fort me, for the day is long and weary;

comfort me as I fight my way up the path
of life safe to the haven of Thy Sacred

Heart; comfort me in sorrow, in pain, in
sickness. Comfort me when temptation
rages round me, and every hope seems

lost, and when that last dread hour has

sounded and my eyes are closing on this
world of sin, O Passion of Christ! com-
fort me then, and lead me gently to Thy
wounded Sacred Feet above.

Never let your home be without a crucifix
upon its walls, to the end that all who enter
it may know that you are a disciple of a Cru-
cified Lord, and that you are not ashamed

to own it.

—Cure D’Ars.
[ 35 ]



MONDAY in Passion Week

Save me, O God, by Thy name, and free me

by Thy strength.
—Gradual.

SOUL of Jesus, make me holy.

Save me, Body crucified.

In the Blood, that cleansing
flood.

Wash me, fountain from His side.

Sacred agony, uphold me.

Gentle Jesu, hear me, heed me.

In Thy sacred wounds enfold me.

From the bitter foe defend me.

Call me, Jesu, and upraise me

That forever I may praise Thee,

With Thy blessed saints adore.

Love, and keep Thee evermore.

Amen.

The Catholic who does not know the
reason

of the faith that is in
him, is a strong man

ignorant of his strength. He leaves
much

undone that he might do so well. Have
you

ever read a full explanation of
Catholic

belief?

[36 ]



TUESDAY in Passion Week

Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and thy

heart shall be strengthened.

—Introit.

O SACRED HEART OF JESUS! living

and life-giving fountain of eternal life,

infinite treasure of the divinity, glowing

furnace of love! Thou art my refuge and

my sanctuary. O my adorable and loving

Saviour, consume my heart with that

burning fire wherewith Thine is ever in-

flamed; pour down on my soul those

graces which flow from Thy love, and

let my heart be so united with Thine,

that our will may be one and mine, in

all things conformed to Thine. May

Thy will be the rule alike of my desires

and of my actions.
—St. Gertrude.

If 1 offer you money, you do not say to me,

‘7 will come tomorrow.'* No; you accept at

once. No one delays, no one makes excuses.

The salvation of the soul is offered and no

one hurries himself.

—St. Ambrose

[ 37 ]



WEDNESDAY in Passion Week

My sheep hear My voice, and 1 know them

and they follow Me. And I give them life

everlasting and they shall not perish forever.

—Gospel.

MY dearest Lord, what wilt Thou send
me today? Humihations, contradictions,

physical sufferings, painful inteUigence

which I do not expect; an aching heart,

a failure? Shall I see myself misjudged,

wrongly suspected, despised? All that

Thou wishest, O my God, I accept it all

in advance, and if I weep through weak-

ness, oh, regard it not; if I murmur, check

me; if I am forgetful, punish me; if I am

discouraged, raise me up. But through it

aU, teach me to say, '‘Thy Will be done.”

Amen.

Can you blame anyone except yourself if you

stumble twice over the same stone?

[ 38 ]



THURSDAY in Passion Week

Thy faith hath made thee safe, go in peace.

—Gospel.

JESUS, worker of miracles, Thou Who

didst strengthen the fainting heart of

Thomas the Apostle and change his un-

belief into belief. Thou Who didst reward

the faith of the ruler Jairus and the

humble faith of the woman who wished

only to touch the hem of the garment,

strengthen, too, our feeble hearts, con-

firm our faith, make strong our resolu-

tions that we may avoid evil and do good.

When the testimony of our senses serves

us well as we stand in awe and admira-

tion at the depth of the sea and the

beauty of the light of the stars, turn our

minds from things created to the Creator

and teach us to sing the “Benedicite,”

that all creatures may praise and bless

the Lord. Then when life’s short years

are run and the Gleaner beckons to me,

O grant that my faith may receive the

reward of bringing me back to Thee.

The only things a dead man holds in his hands

are the things he has given away.

[ 39 ]



FRIDAY in Passion Week

O all you that pass by the way, attend and see

if there be any sorrow like to My sorrow.

—Tract.

O MY GOD! Pardon me my vanity and
pride, for the sake of the humility of Thy

Son. Pardon my enmities and hatred for

the sake of His immense charity. Pardon

my impetuosity and temper for the sake

of His meekness. Pardon my sensuaUty

and the little guard I have kept over my

senses, for the sake of that virginal flesh

which was scourged for me. Pardon my

want of mortification in consideration of

the hunger and thirst which Thy Son en-

dured on the Cross.

O Heart of Jesus be my satisfaction as

Thou art my Redeemer.

It is only a short way from uncharitableness

to jealousy, which is one of the meanest vices.

[ 40 ]



SATURDAY in Passion Week

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he

that hateth his life in this world keepeth it

unto life eternal.

—Gospel.

O MY Lord and Saviour, support me in
my last hour by the strong arms of Thy

sacraments, and the fragrance of Thy

consolations. Let Thy absolving words

be said over me, and the holy oil sign

and seal me; and let Thine own Body be

my food, and Thy Blood my sprinkling;

and let Thy Mother Mary come to me,

and Thy glorious saints and my own dear

patrons smile on me, that in and through

them all I may die as I desire to live, in

Thy Church, in Thy Faith, and in Thy

love. Amen.

—Cardinal Newman.

Use your time, not in disinterring and dissect-

ing the dead past, but in trying to bring your

present, living heart into more complete and

permanent union with the Most Sacred Hearts

of Jesus and Mary,

[ 41 ]

—Bishop Curtis.



PALM SUNDAY

/ looked for one that would grieve together

with Me, and there was none; I sought for one

to comfort Me, and 1 found none.

—Offertory.

TO Thee, then O Jesus, do I turn as my

true and last end. Thou art the river of

life which alone can satisfy my thirst.

Without Thee all else is barren and void.

Without all else Thou alone art enough

for me. Thou art the Redeemer of those

that are lost; the sweet consoler of the

sorrowful; the Crown of Glory for the

victors; the recompense of the Blessed.

One day I hope to receive of Thy full-

ness, and to sing the song of praise in my

true home. Give me only on earth some

few drops of consolation, and I wiU pa-

tiently wait Thy coming that I may enter

into the Joy of my Lord. Amen.
—St. Bonaventure.

Daily prayers are the best remedy for daily

cares.

[ 42 ]



MONDAY in Holy Week

Jesus said: the poor you have always with

you; but Me you have not always.
—Gospel.

LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who for the

love of me didst die upon the cross, into

Thy hands I commend my spirit, now

and at the hour of my death. I know not

when Thou wilt call me from this world,

yet I firmly hope Thou wilt summon me

hence when I am in the state of grace.

Though I greatly fear Thy divine justice,

still I rely most confidently upon Thy

boundless goodness and mercy. Thy

wounds, O sweet Jesus, Thy blood. Thy

death, and Thy cross, shall ever be my

refuge and my consolation. When in the

agony of death I shall be deprived of all

help and leave this vale of tears, then, O
merciful Saviour, receive into Thy hands

the soul Thou hast redeemed by Thy

Precious Blood, that it perish not forever.

Amen.

I have only one virtue that 1 know of 1 could

really forgive unto seventy times seven.

—G. K. Chesterton.

[ 43 ]



TUESDAY in Holy Week

It behooves us to glory in the cross of our

Lord Jesus Christ; in Whom is our salvation,

life, and resurrection; by Whom we are saved

and delivered." —Introit.

BLESSED MARY MAGDALEN, dis-
ciple and friend of Jesus Christ, model of

contrition, contemplation, and ardent

charity, I rejoice with thee that He Whose

feet thou didst wash with thy tears hath

loved thee exceedingly and crowned thee

with glory and honor. Pray for me O

beloved of Christ, that hke thee I may

shed tears of penance and may receive

His words of absolution and praise. By

thy fideUty beneath the Cross of Jesus,

obtain for me grace to persevere in every

trial and adversity. By thy years of soh-

tude and mysterious communing with

Him, teach me thy spirit of retirement

and contemplation. Sweet saint, hope of

the penitent, example of the elect, joy of

heaven, encourage me by thy virtues,

help me with thy prayers. Amen.

No matter how you are weighted down by past

sins, Christ’s Blood will make you free.

—Cardinal Gibbons.

[ 44 ]



WEDNESDAY in Holy Week

Surely He hath borne our infirmities and car-

ried our sorrows; . . . He was wounded for

our iniquities. He was bruised for our sins.

—Lesson.

0 CROSS OF JESUS, Supreme Consoler

1 will never forget what Thou didst do to

calm the waves of despair and transform

blinding tears into tears of peace and

gladness.

May my last look be upon the sacred

image of my Saviour. May a friendly

hand place it in mine, raise it to my

dimming vision, press it to my lips. And

when the last moment is come and I am

too weak to utter a prayer, my eyes fixed

on Thee shall bear to my soul the succor

of Thy Presence.

Blessed shall I be

Dying in a look of love.

Never think of the imperfections of others,

but rather of their virtues; and always have

your own faults and defects before your eyes.

—St. Teresa.

[ 45 ]



HOLY THURSDAY

Jesus knowing that His hour was come that

He should pass out of this world to the Father,

having loved His own who were in the world

He loved them unto the end.

—Gospel.

I CANNOT live alone another hour;

Jesu, be Thou my Life!

I have not power to strive; be Thou my

Power

In every strife!

I can do nothing—^hope, nor love, nor
fear,

But only fail and fall.

Be Thou my soul and self,

O Jesu dear.

My God and all!

—Robert Hugh Benson.

Take your crucifix in your hand and ask

yourselves whether this is the religion of the

soft, easy, worldly, luxurious days in which

we live; wether the crucifix does not teach

you a lesson of mortification, of self-denial,

of crucifixion of the flesh.

—Cardinal Manning.

[ 46 ]



GOOD FRroAY

Bearing His own cross He went forth to that
place which is called Calvary

. . . where they

crucified Him. t>^ —rassion.

LORD! Thy Cross is high and uplifted;

I cannot mount it in my own strength.
Thou hast promised: “I, if I be lifted up

from the earth, will draw all to Myself.”

Draw me, then, from my sins to re-
pentance, from darkness to faith, from

the flesh to the spirit, from coldness to

ardent devotion, from weak beginnings

to a perfect end, from smooth and easy

paths, if it be Thy will, to a higher and

holier way, from fear to love, from earth

to heaven, from myself to Thee.

And as Thou hast said: “No man can
come to Me except the Father Who sent
Me draw him” give unto me the Spirit
Whom the Father hath sent in Thy
Name, that in Him, and through Him, I

being wholly changed, may hasten unto
Thee, and go out no more for ever.”

Two sinners died upon Calvary beside Jesus
Christ; one prayed and was saved; the other

did not pray and was damned.

[ 47 ]



HOLY SATURDAY

If ye be risen with Christy seek the things that

are above, where Christ is sitting at the right

hand of God.

—Epistle.

MAY the whole world experience and
see that what was cast down is raised up,

that what was grown old is made new

and that all things return to a perfect

state through Him from Whom they re-

ceived their beginning, our Lord Jesus

Christ, Thy Son.

—Prayer after the Second Prophecy—Mass.

Yea, through life, death, through sorrow and

through sinning,

Christ shall suffice me, for He hath sufficed;

Christ is the end, for Christ was the beginning,

Christ the beginning, for the end is Christ.

[ 48 ]





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