V. O God, come to my assistance. R. O Lord, make haste to help me. V. Glory be▾, etc. R. As it was, etc. I My most loving Jesus, when I ponder over thy most Sacred Heart, all tenderness and sweetness for sinners, then doth my heart rejoice, and I am filled with hope of thy kind welcome. But, ah me, my sins! how many and how great! With Peter and with Magdalen, I bewail and abhor them, because they are an offence to Thee, my Sovereign Good. Oh, grant me pardon for them all. I pray thy Sacred Heart that I may rather die than offend Thee again, and may live only to love Thee. Pater once, Gloria five times, in honour of the Sacred Heart, then: Sweet Heart of my Jesus, Make me love Thee ever more and more. II My Jesus, I bless thy most humble Heart; and I give thanks unto Thee, who in making It my model dost urge me with strong pleadings to imitate It, and also, at the cost of so many humiliations, dost vouchsafe thyself to point out and smooth for me the way to follow Thee. Fool and ungrateful that I am, how have I wandered far away from Thee! Pardon me, my Jesus! Take away from me all hateful pride and ambition, that with lowly heart I may follow Thee, my Jesus, amidst humiliations, and so gain peace and salvation. Strengthen me, Thou who canst, and I will ever bless thy Sacred Heart. Pater once, Gloria five times. Sweet Heart, etc. III My Jesus, I marvel at thy most patient Heart, and I give Thee thanks for all the wondrous examples of unwearied patience which Thou hast left us. It grieves me that these examples still have to reproach me for my excessive delicacy, shrinking from every little pain. Pour, then, into my heart, O dear Jesus, a fervent and constant love of suffering and the cross, of mortification and of penance, that, following Thee to Calvary, I may with Thee attain the joys of Paradise. Pater once, Gloria five times. Sweet Heart, etc. IV Dear Jesus, beside thy most gentle Heart I set my own, and shudder to see how unlike mine is to thine. How am I wont to fret and grieve when a hint, a look, or a word thwarts me! Pardon all my violence, and give me for the future grace to imitate in every contradiction thy unalterable meekness, that so I may enjoy an everlasting holy peace. Pater once, Gloria five times. Sweet Heart, etc. V Let us sing praise to Jesus for his generous Heart, Conqueror of death and hell; for well It merits every praise. Still more than ever confounded am I, looking upon my coward heart, which dreads even a rough word or injurious taunt. But it shall be so with me no more. My Jesus, I pray Thee for such strength that, fighting and conquering self on earth, I may one day rejoice triumphantly with Thee in heaven. Pater once, Gloria five times. Sweet Heart, etc. Now let us turn to Mary, and dedicating ourselves yet more and more to her, and trusting in her Mother's heart, we say to her: By all the virtue of thy most sweet heart obtain for me, great Mother of God, our Mother Mary, a true and enduring devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, thy Son, that, bound up in every thought and affection in union with his Heart, I may fulfil each duty of my state, serving Jesus evermore with readiness of heart, and specially this day. V. Heart of Jesus, burning with love of us, R. Inflame our hearts with love of Thee. Let us pray. Lord, we beseech Thee, let thy Holy Spirit kindle in our hearts that fire of charity which our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, sent forth from his inmost Heart upon this earth, and willed that it should burn exceedingly. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.