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O SAVIOUR of the world, Our LORD and Master JESUS CHRIST, Lover of Souls and King of Saints, we adore Thee Present in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, and we pray Thee to intercede for us, pleading the virtue of Thy Holy Life and Death.
We adore Thee in the Mystery of the Incarnation, dwelling in all the splendour of the Heavenly Places, and worshipped by Saints and Angels as GOD of GOD, Light of Light, Very GOD of Very GOD, but on earth veiling Thy Glory as GOD made Man, even as in the Holy Communion Thou art hidden beneath the elements of Bread and Wine.
We adore Thee in Thy Holy Nativity, lying as a helpless Babe upon the straw or asleep in the Virgin's arms, but ruling all things as Almighty GOD. And as Saint Mary and Saint Joseph, the Shepherds and the Wise Men and all the Heavenly Host worshipped Thee in Thy Manger Throne as the Only Begotten of the Father, so we bend in loving adoration before Thee now, enthroned in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
We adore Thee in Thy Holy Life: in Thy Home at Nazareth, in Thy Ministry among men, reviled and persecuted, weary, hungry and faint, often with no place in which to lay Thy Head, tempted in all points as we are and like unto us in all things, yet without sin. And we pray Thee grant us grace to follow Thy blessed example, pleasing not ourselves, going about doing good, and bearing our Cross after Thee, Our LORD and Master, Our SAVIOUR and King, despised and rejected among men but the very Light of the world Whom we here acknowledge in the Blessed Sacrament.
We adore Thee in Thy Death and Passion, in Thine Agony in the Garden, in Thy bitter trials before Annas, Caiaphas, Herod and Pilate, on the Way of Sorrows, and on the Cross at Calvary. And we worship Thee, Our Most Holy Redeemer, covered with blood, dust and spittle, in all Thy pain and humiliation, Who didst patiently suffer all things for "us men and for our salvation," Who couldst have had legions of Angels at Thy side. And we pray Thee, that we may be washed in Thy Precious Blood and receive to ourselves the pardon won for us, as we plead the Memorial of Thy Death and Passion in the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar and feed on Thee, the Lamb of GOD that takest away the sins of the world, as Thou givest Thy Body and Blood unto Everlasting Life.
We adore Thee, Our Risen and Ascended LORD, Who didst conquer sin and the grave, Who didst rise again from the dead and take Thy Glorified Human Nature to the Highest place of Sovereignty and Honour at the Right Hand side of GOD. And we pray Thee that we may rise from our sins and ascend to lead a better life, seeking the things which are above and preparing for that wonderful life hereafter, when we hope to see Thee face to face, by approaching Thee here in earth in the Sacramental Feast.
O SAVIOUR of the world, may we ever adore Thee more and more, and never requite Thy love for us by coldness, carelessness or wrong-doing. May we wholly give ourselves to Thee, Who wast all nailed to the Cross for us. May we burn with the fire of love, the ardour of devotion, the fervour of zeal, adoring, glorifying and following Thee so that we may truly "see light in the Face of JESUS CHRIST." As GOD may we worship Thee, as Man may we copy Thee, as Both may we be united with Thee in the Most Comfortable Sacrament of Thy Body and Blood, the very joy of existence here, the very promise of life hereafter.
GLORY, Honour, Praise and Worship be to Thee forevermore, WHO with the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST art One GOD, world without end. Amen.
Ave, Verum
HAIL, true Body, born of Mary;
Spotless Virgin's virgin birth;
Thou Who truly hangest weary
On the Cross for sons of earth;
Thou whose Sacred Side was riven,
Whence the Water flowed and Blood.
O mayst Thou, dear LORD, be given
At death's hour to be my Food.
O most Kind, O Gracious One!
O sweetest JESU, Mary's Son.
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| Fr. Knowles |
The Practice of Religion
The Revd Archibald Campbell Knowles, DD
(of The Episcopal Church in the USA)
Morehouse-Gorham Co.
New York, New York
Fifth Printing 1954
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