03 August 2012

From 'An Office of Preparation'

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V.  I said, Lord, be merciful unto me;
R.  Heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

Turn thee again, O Lord, at the last;
And be gracious unto thy servants.

Let thy merciful kindness, O Lord, be upon us.
Like as we do put our trust in thee.

Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness;
And thy saints sing with joyfulness.

Cleanse thou me from my secret faults;
Keep thy servant also from presumptuous sins.

Lord, hear my prayer;
And let my cry come unto thee.

The Lord be with you;
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.

MOST gracious God, incline thy merciful ears to our prayers, and enlighten our hearts by the grace of thy Holy Spirit; that we may worthily approach thy holy Mysteries, and love thee with an everlasting love.
     O Lord, we beseech thee, may the Comforter who proceedeth from thee illuminate our minds, and lead us, as thy Son hath promised, into all truth.
     O Lord, we beseech thee, may the power of the Holy Ghost be with us, and both mercifully cleanse and purge our hearts, and defend us from all adversities.
     Cleanse our consciences, we beseech thee, O Lord, by thy visitation; that thy Son our LORD JESUS Christ, when he cometh, may find in us a dwelling-place prepared for himself; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, behold we approach the Sacrament of thy only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  As sick, we come to the Physician of life: as unclean, to the Fountain of mercy: as blind, to the Light of eternal splendour: as needy, to the Lord of heaven and earth: as naked, to the King of glory.
     We pray thee, therefore, of the abundance of thine infinite majesty, that thou wouldest vouchsafe to heal our sickness, to wash our foulness, to lighten our darkness, to enrich our poverty, to clothe our nakedness; that we may receive the Bread of angels, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, with such reverence and fear, such contrition and love, such faith and purity, such devotion and humility, as is expedient for the welfare of our souls.  Grant, we beseech thee, that we may receive not only the outward sign of the Lord's Body and Blood, but also the very gift and virtue of the same.  O most merciful God, grant us so to receive the Body of thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, which he took of the Virgin Mary, that we may be incorporated into his mystical Body, and ever reckoned among his members.  And, O most loving Father, grant that whom we now purpose to receive under a veil we may at length behold with open face, even thy beloved Son, who with thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth ever one God, world without end. Amen.

JOY with peace, amendment of life, time for true repentance, the grace and comfort of thy Holy Spirit, perseverance in good works, grant us, O almighty and merciful Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you;
And with thy spirit.

Let us bless the Lord;
Thanks be to God.

BLESSED be God, who blesseth and sanctifieth us through our partaking of his holy and precious and heavenly Mysteries, now and for ever and world without end. Amen.


The Cuddesdon College Office Book
London: Oxford University Press, 1961

+Exaudi nos, Domine