Patrick Francis Moran

“ O true Light, which enlightenest every man that cometh into this world, enlighten my eyes, that I may never sleep in death.
O Fire, ever burning and never failing, behold how tepid and cold I am! Inflame my reins and my heart, that they may be on fire with the love of thee; for thou camest to cast fire upon earth; and what dost thou desire but that it be enkindled?
O King of heaven and earth, rich in mercy, behold I am poor and needy: thou knowest what I stand most in need of; thou alone canst assist and enrich me. Help me, O God, and out of the treasures of thy bounty succour my needy soul. ”

“ May the least part of my being be no longer employed, save only in loving, serving, honouring, and glorifying thee. Wherefore, O most sacred Heart! be thou the sole object of my love, the protector of my life, the pledge of my salvation, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be thou, O most bountiful Heart! my justification at the throne of God, and screen me from his anger, which I have so justly merited. In thee I place all my confidence; and convinced as I am of my own weakness, I rely entirely on thy bounty. Annihilate in me all that is displeasing and offensive to thy pure eye. ”

“ O ADORABLE Jesus, the happy moment is fast approaching when that sacred body which was immolated on the cross will abide in my heart, and that precious blood which was shed with so much anguish for my ransom will be really and truly applied as a sovereign remedy to my soul. My God, is it possible that thou, whom the heavens cannot contain, wilt confine thy greatness within the narrow limits of my heart? — that thou, before whom the angels themselves are not pure, wilt unite thyself to a soul, like mine, disfigured and defiled with innumerable crimes? ”

“ BEHOLD me, O my most loving God, loaded with the general and particular benefits which thou hast bestowed, and wilt bestow upon me, in time and eternity. I know that thy mercies to me have been and are infinite. But I am ready to pay thee for all, even to the last farthing. Behold the tribute of my gratitude. The payment which I offer for all thy goodness is this divine blood, this most precious body, this innocent victim, which I present to thee by the hands of thy priest. I am certain that this oblation is sufficient to pay for all the gifts thou hast conferred upon me ”

“ II. Consider how you will lie, at the hour of death, stretched upon a bed, surrounded by your weeping friends, a priest by your side to assist your soul, a crucifix at your head, the lighted taper in your hand, in fine, already just at the entrance of eternity. Dreadful pains afflict your distracted head, it grows dark around you, your tongue is parched, your breath is short, your breast is burdened, your blood chilled, your flesh shrunken, your heart rent with anguish; all you have is gliding from you, and poor and naked you will be thrown into a grave to rot. ”

“ Forgive, O Almighty Lord, forgive, and have not the sins of my past life in remembrance. Why should the mighty Lord of heaven and earth be in wrath against so poor, so contemptible an object? Behold me, O God, not in thine anger, but according to the tender bowels of thy infinite mercy; for thou art our Father, and we are thy children; thou art our Maker, and we are as clay in thy hands; thou canst, with those waters drawn from the fountains of our blessed Saviour, cleanse our iniquities, and with the mixture of one drop of his most precious blood mould us again into vessels of honour. ”

“ GLORY be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good will. We praise thee, we bless thee, we adore thee, we glorify thee. We give thee thanks for thy great glory, O Lord God, O heavenly King, O God the Father Almighty. O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son! O Lord God! O Lamb of God! O Son of the Father! O thou who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. O thou who takest away the sins of the world, hear our prayer; O thou who sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. ”

“ O divine life! thou alone canst satisfy my desires. O life! thou art the inexhaustible source of all grace Jesus, my Saviour, the resurrection I hope for, and the crown I expect, may my life be hidden with thee in God ! O Jesus, whilst I dwell in this mortal flesh, may I live by faith, perpetually adoring thee in the divine eucharist, and admiring, without ceasing, the excessive greatness of thy love, which has made thee die, not only to' redeem me, but to give thyself to me in the holy sacrament, that I may live by thee. For this I will die to the world, to all creatures, and to myself. ”

“ O SUFFERING Son of God! I now behold thee in the last convulsive pangs of death; thy veins opened, thy sinews torn, thy hands and feet distilling blood. I acknowledge, most loving Jesus! that my reiterated offences have been thy merciless executioners, the cause of thy bitter sufferings and death. Yet, Godof mercy! look on my sinful soul bathed in the precious blood. Let me die to the vanity of the world, and renounce its false pleasures. Thou didst pray, my Jesus! for thy enemies; I forgive mine; I embrace them in imitation of thy charity: I bury my resentment in thy wounds. ”

“ When wilt thou consume in me all that is corrupt and contrary to thy will? Draw me after thee, I beseech thee, that I may walk cheerfully in the way of thy precepts. Make me according to thine own heart, and let my soul be now thy habitation for ever.
My soul without thee is parched, like earth without water; moisten it, I beseech thee, with the dew of heaven, and grant me thy blessing from the land of the living. Wound my heart with thy love, that it may relish no earthly objects, but entirely depend on thy will. ”

“ Come to me, dear Lord, and if thou nowhere else findest rest, infuse thyself wholly into my soul. May the fire of thy love, O God, ever burn in my heart, and increase to such a flame as may consume not only the sacrifice but the altar also.
Let nothing be my comfort but thou, my Lord Jesus, nor anything afflict me but my sins and whatever is displeasing to thy divine Majesty.
O blessed Jesus! Life eternal! by whom I live, and without whom I die, grant I may be united to thee, that in the embraces of thy holy love and divine will I may rest for ever. ”

“ O never suffer us to forsake thee, and we know thou wilt never forsake us. Let not the devil circumvent us by his frauds and deceits; nor ever glory that he has prevailed over us: arm us both against the terrors and flatteries of the world, and all the dangers of our passions and concupiscences. And whatever trials thou art pleased to send us, let thy supporting grace ever carry us through them, with advantage to our souls. That by thy favour and mercy, we may be faithful unto death, and so receive the crown of life. ”

“ COME, my most amiable Jesus, come, for it is chiefly for sinners that thou descendest from heaven; come then to me who am the most unworthy of them all. But before thou enterest, purify the temple of my heart which has been defiled by sin and profaned by the idol, self-love. Break and destroy that enemy of thine, and since nothing is impossible to thee, transform a poor sinner into a saint, by changing the love I bear myself into love for thee alone.
Pardon, dearest Lord, my many sins, for thy mercy's sake, for though I do not deserve it, yet I ask it through thy merits. ”

“ I labour under such a complication of diseases that no human aid can avail me. Heal me, therefore, I beseech thee, in order to display, thy power, and show forth the glory of thy name. If the touch of thy garments, O my Saviour! whilst thou wert upon earth, cured all sorts of diseases, shall not thy most precious body and blood, which thou hast given me as food, produce the same wonderful effects?
But thou, my soul, who hast recourse to thy divine Physician for health, art thou sincerely desirous of being cured? ”

“ O MARY, mystical rose of charity, I rejoice with thee that thou didst gloriously triumph in thy immaculate conception over the infernal serpent, and that thou wast conceived without stain of original sin. I thank and praise with all my heart the most holy Trinity for having granted to thee such a privilege; and I implore thee to obtain for me courage to overcome every device of the infernal enemy, and not to stain my soul with sin. Ah, do thou always assist me; and let me, under thy protection, ever triumph over the common enemies of our eternal salvation. ”

“ O DREAD Lord, and most indulgent Father of mercies, I, a wretched worm, have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy servant, much less to be accounted thy child, having repaid so much bounty with contempt, and so many benefits with ingratitude. Where shall I find punishment enough to atone for my sins, or tears enough to wash out my iniquities? Alas! I grieve not merely at those pains which I have deserved for my sins; it pierces my very heart that I have offended a God who ought to be beloved and honoured above all things. ”

“ I am willing to do penance for them, and to make satisfaction to the utmost of my power. Forgive me, O my God, forgive me my sins for thy holy name's sake. Save my soul which thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood. Behold, I commit myself to thy mercy; I resign myself into thy hands; deal with me according to thy goodness, not according to my wickedness and iniquity.
My God! I offer thee the confession I am going to make, to thy greater glory, and in obedience to thy will. I beg that my soul may become more pleasing in thy sight, by being purified in thy most precious blood ”

“ 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 lovely Saviour! consume my heart with that burning fire wherewith thine is ever inflamed; pour down upon my soul those graces which flow from thy love, and let my heart be so united with thine, that our wills may be one, and mine in all things conformed to thine. May thine be the rule alike of my desires and of my actions. ”

“ Jesus, grant me grace inwardly to fear thee, and to avoid all occasions of offending thee.
Let the threats of the torments which are to fall on sinners the fear of losing thy love, and thy heavenly inheritance, always keep me in awe.
Let me not dare to remain in sin, but return soon to repentance, lest through thy anger, the dreadful sentence of endless death and damnation fall upon me.
Let the powerful intercession of thy blessed Mother and all thy saints, but above all, thy own merits and mercy, O my Saviour, ever be between thy avenging justice, and my poor soul. ”

“ JESUS, our admirable Redeemer, humbly prostrate at thy feet, we adore thee with our whole mind and with the most profound veneration. To testify the grief which we feel for our past insensibility to all the outrages and sufferings which thy most loving Heart made thee endure for our salvation, in thy bitter passion and death, we unite in sincerity of heart with all those who love thee, in order that we may thank thee with our whole soul. ”

“ But whilst we are here in this mortal life, thy kingdom is within us, as long as thou reignest within our souls, by thy grace and by thy love. I earnestly beg both for myself and for all others, a share in thy eternal kingdom, that we may there be witnesses of thy glory, and see, love, praise and enjoy thee for ever. In the meantime, I beg that the kingdom of thy grace, and of thy love, may come into our souls; that thou mayst ever reign in us without control, and make us all according to thy own heart; that nothing in us may any more presume to rebel against thee, the true king of hearts ”

“ Oh, that I may this day learn from thy own lips, that true life consists in knowing and loving thee alone! Eternal wisdom, proceeding out of the mouth of the Most High, my heart is at this moment thy throne and thy possession; teach me to practise the virtues of humility, charity, and obedience. But, alas! divine Jesus, I deserve not thy heavenly lessons; I am unworthy that thou shouldst speak to my soul; for I have often transgressed thy law, trampled on thy graces, and slighted thy inspirations. ”

“ O MOST dear and adorable Jesus! who wast crucified for the redemption of mankind, I beseech thee, by thy dreadful agony, by thy countless wounds, by the effusion of thy precious blood, by the recommendation of thy sacred soul into the hands of thy Eternal Father, and by thy ignominious death on the altar of the cross, that thou wilt graciously vouchsafe at my last hour to receive my spirit into the bosom of thy mercy. ”

“ O take me wholly to thyself, and render my heart conformable to thine. I place my soul and body under thy protection; let my exterior be regulated by thy law, and my soul centered in thyself. Place thy seal upon me, that wherever I go, it may be visible to all that I am thine.
But how dare I make such high requests, after having been so unfaithful to thee? My confidence in thy goodness encourages me, for did I not know that thou lovest mercy better than justice, I should not presume to address thee. ”

“ I humbly adore the most sacred wound of thy left hand. I render thee thanks for that cruel pain, endured for me with so much love and charity. I condole with thee in thy sufferings, and with thy most afflicted Mother. Deliver me from the pains of hell; grant me patience in the adversities of this life, and conformity in all things to thy blessed will. I offer to thee all my sufferings of body and soul, in satisfaction for my sins, which have so often deserved eternal torments. Pardon all my enemies, and all those who bear ill-will against me. ”

“ May I die to the world and all its concupiscences, and let the greatness of thy love make all that is earthly appear to me as nothing. Protect me against my enemies, and in all danger come to my defence; make haste to help me, O God, and say to my soul, I am thy health and salvation.
Remember thou art my Father, and have compassion on my distressed soul; clothe it with all virtues and feed it with thy grace, for it belongs to a father to be careful of his child.
As it is in thee I live, sweet Jesus, so it is in thee I desire to die ”

“ Our Father, Hail Mary.
O Eternal Father, how shall we ever bless and praise thee sufficiently, or thank thy goodness as we ought! A thousand times blessed be thine infinite charity, thine infinite providence, and thine infinite mercy, which moved thee to repair our miseries, and to give unto us a gift wherein is contained all the good that proceedeth from thee! Thou hast given us thy Son, who proceedeth from thee as thy Word. Thou hast given us also the Holy Ghost, who proceedeth from thy will, as thine uncreated love. What can we seek for more! ”

“ Grant me grace henceforth, for the love of thee, to hate sin; and out of a just esteem for thee, to despise all worldly vanities.
Have mercy on all sinners, Jesus, I beseech thee; turn their vices into virtues; and making them true observers of thy law, and sincere lovers of thee, bring them to bliss in everlasting glory.
Have mercy also on the souls in purgatory, for the sake of thy bitter passion, I beseech thee, and for thy glorious name, Jesus. ”

“ I thank the Almighty for having honoured thee with the most glorious commission which heaven could give thee for having made thee the guardian of the life of Jesus — the protector of Him who watches over the world, the support and consoler of his most blessed Mother. O great Favourite of Heaven! if thou wert so exalted on earth, how great must thou be in heaven! If this wretched world was rendered a paradise for thee by the constant presence of Jesus, how happy must thou be, now that thou beholdest him in the splendour of his glory! ”

“ Thou seest, O Searcher of hearts, all my maladies and all the wounds of my soul; thou knowest how prone I am to evil, and how backward and sluggish to good. Thou seest this self-love that tyrannizes over my soul, which is so deeply rooted in my corrupt nature, and branches out into so many vices, so much pride and vanity, so much passion and envy, so much covetousness and worldly solicitude, so much sensuality and concupiscence. ”

“ O infinite mercy! O infinite love ! a God has united himself with me, a God who desires to be wholly mine! O my soul, now, that thou art so closely united to Jesus, now that thou art one with him, what art thou doing? Hast thou nothing to say to him? Wilt thou not speak to thy God who is present within thee? Awaken then thy faith anew, remember that the Angels are around about thee adoring their God, who now dwells in thy heart. ”

“ Oh! merciful Saviour, have compassion on me, and suffer me at least to sigh after thee; and though I am unworthy of thine embraces, permit me, like the penitent Magdalen, to present myself at least before thy feet, and wash them in spirit with my tears! Oh! may thy sacred blood, which thou hast shed for all sinners, cleanse my poor soul this day from all its filth. Oh! come to me, dear Lord, in spirit, and take possession of all the powers of my soul. Oh! let me be thine, and thou mine from henceforth and for ever ”