Devotions: Mass

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JMJ

Can never have enough Prayer!

Source: SanctaTrinitas.org

PRAYERS BEFORE MASS

A DECLARATION OF INTENTION

Eternal Father, I unite myself with the intentions and affections of our Lady of Sorrows on Calvary, and I offer to Thee the sacrifice that Thy beloved Son Jesus made of himself upon the cross, and now renews upon this holy altar:

• To adore Thee and give Thee the honour that is due to Thee, confessing Thy supreme dominion over all things, and the absolute dependence of everything upon Thee, who are our sole and our last end.
• To thank Thee for the countless benefits that I have received.
• To appease Thy justice, aroused against us by so many sins, and to make satisfaction for them.
• To implore grace for myself, for N., for all afflicted and sorrowing, for poor sinners, for all the world, and for the holy souls in purgatory.  Amen.

-  Acta Sanctae Sedis (St Pius X, 8 July 1904)

PRAYERS TO THE HOLY GHOST

Incline, O most gracious Lord, thine ears of mercy to our prayers, and enlighten our hearts by the grace of the Holy Ghost, so that we may worthily celebrate Thy mysteries and love Thee with an everlasting love.

O God, before whom every heart lies open and to whom every desire speaks and from whom no secret lies hid, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the pouring forth of Thy Holy Ghost, so that we may be worthy to love Thee perfectly and worthily to praise Thee.

Inflame, O Lord, our reins and our hearts with the fire of Thy Holy Ghost, so that we may serve Thee with a chaste mind and please Thee with a clean heart.

We beseech Thee, O Lord, that the Comforter, who proceeds from Thee, may enlighten our minds, and lead us, as Thy Son has promised, unto all truth.

May the power of Thy Holy Ghost, we beseech Thee, O Lord, be present unto us, mercifully to cleanse our hearts and to defend them from all harm.

O God, who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of Thy Holy Ghost, grant that in the same spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation.

Cleanse, we beseech Thee, O Lord, our consciences by Thy visitation, so that when Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, shall come he may find in us a dwelling prepared for Him; who livest and reignets with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.  Amen.

PRAYER OF ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

O God, loose, remit, and forgive my sins against Thee.  Whether in word, or in deed, or in thought, willingly or unwillingly, knowingly or unknowingly committed, forgive them all; for Thee are good and love mankind.  And through the prayers of Thy most holy Mother, of Thy heavenly servants and holy powers, and of all the saints who have found favour in Thy sight, enable me to receive without condemnation Thy holy and immaculate body and Thy precious blood, to the healing of my soul and body, and to the driving away of all evil imaginations; for yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, now and forever, and to ages of ages.  Amen.

PRAYER TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

O Mother of love and of mercy, most blessed Virgin Mary, I, who am a wretched and unworthy sinner, fly unto thee with all my heart and will.  And I beseech thy mercy that, even as thou stood close to thy most sweet Son as He hung upon the cross, so may thou graciously be near to me and to all priests who offer Mass today, here and throughout all our Holy Church; so that, aided by thy grace, we may offer a worthy and acceptable sacrifice in the sight of the most high and undivided Trinity.  Amen.

PRAYER TO ST JOSEPH

Happy and blessed are Thee, O Joseph, to whom it has been given not only to see and to hear, but also to bear in thy arms, to embrace, to clothe, and to watch over God himself, whom many kings have desired to see but have not seen, and to hear but have not heard.
V.  Pray for us, O blessed Joseph.
R.  That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.

PRAYER OF ST AMBROSE

Who can worthily be present at this sacrifice, unless Thee, O God, make Him worthy?  I know, O Lord, truly do I know, and I humbly do confess this to Thy loving kindness, that I am unworthy to approach so great a mystery, by reason of my numberless sins and negligences; but I know, and truly with my own heart do I believe, and with my tongue confess, that Thee can make me worthy, Thee who alone can make that clean which proceeds from that which is unclean, and sinners to be just and holy.  By this Thy almighty power I pray Thee, O my God, to grant that I, a sinner, may assist at this sacrifice with fear and trembling, with purity of heart and plenteous tears, with spiritual gladness and heavenly joy.  May my mind feel the sweetness of Thy most blessed presence, and the love of Thy holy angels, keeping watch around me.  Amen.

PRAYERS OF ST AUGUSTINE

O most holy, O most benign, O noble and glorious Virgin Mary, who was worthy to bear in thy sacred womb the Creator of all and at Thy virginal breast to nourish Him whose true, real, and most holy body and blood I, an unworthy sinner, have just now dared to receive:  I humbly ask Thee to intercede with Him for me, a sinner; that whatsoever, by ignorance or neglect, accident or irreverence, I have left undone or have done amiss, in this unspeakably holy sacrifice, may be pardoned through Thy prayers to the same Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who with the Father and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns world without end.  Amen.

Before Thy eyes, O Lord, we bring our offences, and we compare them with the stripes we have received.
If we consider the evil we have wrought, what we suffer is little, what we deserve is great.
What we have committed is very grave, what we have suffered is very slight.
We feel the punishment of sin, yet withdraw not from the obstinacy of sinning.
Under Thy lash our inconstancy is visited, but our sinfulness is not changed.
Our suffering soul is tormented, but our neck is not bent.
Our life groans under sorrow, yet mends not in deed.
If Thou spare us we correct not our ways:  if Thou punishest we cannot endure it.
In time of correction, we confess our wrong-doing:  after Thy visitation, we forget that we have wept.
If Thou stretchest forth Thy hand, we promise amendment;
If Thou withhold the sword, we keep not our promise.
If Thou strike, we cry out for mercy:  if Thou spare, we again provoke Thee to strike.
Here we are before Thee, O Lord, shameless criminals:  we know that unless Thou pardonest, we shall deservedly perish.
Grant then, almighty Father, without our deserving it, the pardon we ask for; Thou who made out of nothing those who ask Thee.  Through Christ Our Lord.  Amen.
V.  Deal not with us, O Lord, according to our sins.
R.  Neither requite us according to our iniquities.
Let us pray.  O God, Thou art offended by sin and pacified by penance; mercifully regard the prayers of Thy suppliant people, and turn away the scourges of Thy wrath, which we deserve for our sins.  Through Christ Our Lord.  Amen.

PETITIONS OF ST AUGUSTINE (NOVERIM ME)

O Lord Jesus, let me know myself, let me know Thee,
And desire nothing else but only Thee.
Let me hate myself and love Thee,
And do all things for the sake of Thee.
Let me humble myself, and exalt Thee,
And think of nothing else but Thee.
Let me die to myself, and live in Thee,
And take whatever happens as coming from Thee.
Let me forsake myself and walk after Thee,
And ever desire to follow Thee.
Let me flee from myself, and turn to Thee,
That so I may merit to be defended by Thee.
Let me fear for myself, let me fear Thee,
And be amongst those who are chosen by Thee.
Let me distrust myself, and trust in Thee,
And ever obey for the love of Thee.
Let me cleave to nothing but Thee,
And ever be poor for the sake of Thee.
Look upon me, that I may love Thee,
Call me, that I may see Thee,
And forever possess Thee.  Amen.

OBSECRO TE

I beseech Thee, my sweet Lord Jesus Christ, grant that Thy Passion may be to me a power by which I may be strengthened, protected and defended.  May Thy wounds be to me food and drink, by which I may be nourished, inebriated and overjoyed.  May the sprinkling of Thy Blood be to me, an ablution for all my sins.  May Thy death prove to me life everlasting, and Thy cross be to me an eternal glory.  In these, be my refreshment, my joy, my preservation and sweetness of heart.  Who livest and reignest world without end.  Amen.

THE GOLDEN ARROW

May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God be forever praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.  Amen.

AN OBLATION (OF ST IGNATIUS LOYOLA)

Take, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess.  Thou hast given all to me.  To Thee, O Lord, I return it.  All is Thine; dispose of it wholly according to Thy will.  Give me Thy love and Thy grace.  With these I am rich enough, and I ask for nothing more.

O JESUS LIVING IN MARY

O Jesus living in Mary!  Come and live in Thy servants, in the spirit of Thy holiness, in the fullness of Thy might, in the truth of Thy virtues, in the perfection of Thy ways, in the communion of Thy mysteries.  Subdue every hostile power, in Thy spirit for the glory of the Father.  Amen.

THE DIVINE PRAISES

Blessed be God.
Blessed be His holy name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the name of Jesus.
Blessed be His most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the most holy sacrament of the altar.
Blessed be the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed by the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in his angels and in his saints.

PRAYER BEFORE A CRUCIFIX

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly kneel and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy five most precious wounds, pondering over them within me, while I call to mind the words which David Thy prophet said of Thee, my Jesus:  "They have pierced My hands and My feet, they have numbered all My bones."
Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary & one Glory Be
(For the intention of the Pope)

PRAYER OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER

O God, I love Thee!  I love Thee, not simply to be saved, and not because those who fail in love to Thee will be punished with eternal fire.  You, Thee my Jesus, have all-embraced me on the cross.  You have borne the nails, the lance, much ignominy, numberless griefs, sweatings and anguish, and death, and these on account of me and for me, a sinner.  Why, therefore, should I not love Thee, O most loving Jesus?  Not that in heaven Thee shall save me, nor lest for eternity Thee shall condemn me; not with the hope of any reward, but as Thee have loved me, so also will I love Thee - only because Thee are my King, and only because Thee are my God.  Amen.

PRAYER TO ST PAUL

O glorious St Paul, who from a persecutor of the Christian name became an apostle of burning zeal, and who, in order that Jesus Christ might be known to the furthermost bounds of the earth, joyfully suffered imprisonment, scourging, stoning, shipwreck, and every kind of persecution, and who finally shed Thy blood to the last drop: obtain for us the grace of accepting as divine favours the infirmities, torments, and calamities of this life, so that we may not be drawn from the service of God by the vicissitudes of this our exile, but on the contrary may prove ourselves more and more faithful and fervent.  Amen.

HYMN OF THANKSGIVING - TE DEUM

We praise Thee, O God; we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord.
All the earth worships Thee, the everlasting Father.
To Thee all the angels, the heavens, and all the Powers,
The Cherubim and Seraphim cry out without ceasing:
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts!
The majesty of Thy glory fills the heavens and the earth,
The glorious choir of apostles,
The admirable company of the prophets,
The white-robed army of martyrs praise Thee.
Through the world the holy church testifies to Thee:
The Father, whose glory is beyond our comprehension,
Your adorable, true, and only Son,
And the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete.
You, O Christ, are the king of glory.
You are the eternal Son of the Father.
You did not disdain a virgin's womb to redeem man.
You overcame death, and opened the kingdom of heaven for the faithful.
Now Thee are seated at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that Thee will come again as judge.
Help Thy servants, whom Thee have redeemed with Thy precious blood.
Number them among Thy saints in everlasting glory.
Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance.
And govern them, and keep them safe forever.
Through each day we bless Thee.
And praise Thy name, forever; indeed, forever and ever.
Grant, O Lord, to keep us without sin this day.
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
Let Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, as we have trusted in Thee.
In Thy mercy, O Lord, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame forever.

V.  Let us bless the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
R.  Let us praise and exalt Him forever.
V.  Blessed are Thee, O Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
R.  Worthy to be praised, glorified, and exalted above all forever.
V.  O Lord, hear my prayer.
R.  And let my plea be heard.
V.  The Lord be with Thee.
R.  And with Thy spirit.

Let us pray.  O God, there is no limit to Thy mercy and no boundaries to the treasury of Thy goodness.  We thank Thy gracious majesty for the gifts Thee have bestowed upon us and, because Thee have answered the prayers of those who petition Thee, we implore Thy clemency to forsake them not, but to prepare them for the rewards to come.  Through Christ Our Lord.  Amen.

EJACULATORY PRAYERS /  INDULGENCED ASPIRATIONS

Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

Heart of Jesus burning with love for us, inflame our hearts with love of Thee.

Sweet Heart of Jesus, be my love.

Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

May the Heart of Jesus be everywhere loved.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Sweetest Jesus, be not my Judge but my Saviour.

Jesus, my God, I love Thee above all things.

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.

My Lord and my God!

My God and my All!

All praise, honour, and glory to the Divine Heart of Jesus.

From sudden and unprovided death, O Lord, deliver us.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, bless us now and at the hour of our death.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, to Thee I commend my soul.

My God, unite all minds in the truth and all hearts in charity.

O Holy Ghost, Spirit of Truth, come into our hearts; shed the brightness of Thy light on all nations, so that they may be one in faith and pleasing to Thee.

O Blessed Servants of God, obtain for us the virtues necessary for our daily life, fidelity to our resolutions, and perseverance through labours and sufferings unto death.  Amen.

O Sacrament most Holy, O Sacrament divine!  All praise and all thanksgiving, be every moment Thine!

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.

O Heart of Love, I put my trust in Thee, for I fear all things from my own weakness, but I hope for all things from Thy goodness.  (St Margaret Mary Alacoque.)

"Lord, what wilt Thou have me do?"  (Acts 9:6)

Divine Heart of Jesus, convert sinners, save the dying, set free the holy souls in purgatory.

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee; because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Mother of mercy, pray for us.

Mary, our hope, have pity on us.

Queen of the most Holy Rosary, pray for us.

Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

O God, Thou art all-powerful; make me holy.

Through the sign of the Cross deliver us from our enemies, our God.