O sacred Mother of God, pure and spotless Virgin! thou didst not bear the Saviour of the world in thy sacred womb for thine own sake alone, but for ours also. May not I then, O Mother of mercy, hope to partake of his merits, and obtain, through thy powerful intercession, some share of the same holy dispositions of soul which thou thyself didst possess at the time thou didst conceive him. O that the same divine Spirit which then prepared thy body and soul for his reception, would now shed his precious gifts on me, since it is the same God-Man that I am also about to receive. Obtain for me a pure heart for his dwelling-place, and a firm and constant resolution to support myself in his grace; but above all, inspire me with an infinite horror of the detestable sin of impurity, which, in a particular manner, contaminates the soul of man, and renders it unworthy of communicating; because, by dishonouring my flesh, I dishonour the flesh of Jesus Christ also. {107} Alas! if thy immaculate virginal womb was not too pure for a God to become incarnate therein, how can I presume to present myself at the table of the God of purity, and receive him into a heart contaminated with the smallest stain of a vice so abominable in the sight of infinite purity and sanctity? Prayers Before Communion. I firmly believe, O my divine Jesus, that thou art really present in the blessed sacrament of the altar. I believe that it contains thy body and blood, accompanied by thy very soul and divinity. I acknowledge these truths; I believe these wonders; I adore the power that has wrought them, the same power that said: "Let there be light, and light was made." I submit my senses and reason to thy divine authority. I praise and glorify thy infinite goodness, which hath prepared this heavenly banquet for the food and nourishment of my soul. Blessed be thy name for ever. Accept my homage; accept, O my God, my most hearty thanks. But what am I, that thou shouldst work such wonders for my sake? How shall such a filthy sinner as I am, presume to approach thee, who art the inexhaustible source of infinite purity and sanctity? How shall I venture to lift up my eyes to heaven, much less to receive thee within my breast? {108} I tremble at the sentence of thy apostle: "Whosoever shall eat this bread or drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord;" [1 _Corinthians_ ii.] for I acknowledge myself to be nothing but dust and ashes; a poor, miserable worm of the earth, subject to many vices, and void of all virtue and merit. Alas! my life has been nothing but sin and misery. I have nothing to confide in but thy boundless mercy; nor should I ever presume to approach thy sacred table, and partake of the bread of angels, were I not encouraged by thy infinite goodness, and excited by thy own most pressing invitations. It is therefore in thy mercy, which is above all thy works, that I put my whole trust; and since thou art pleased to