Against an Unprovided Death
V/. Lest, overtaken by the day of death, we seek time for penance, and be unable to find it: R/. Hearken, O LORD, and have mercy on us, for we have sinned against Thee.
WE beseech Thee, ALMIGHTY GOD, receive in thy fatherly pity thy people who flee unto Thee from thine anger; that those who fear to be chastised by the rod of thy majesty through sudden death, may be made worthy to rejoice in thy pardon. Through CHRIST our LORD. Amen. We beseech Thee, ALMIGHTY GOD, graciously incline thine ear to the assembly of thy Church, and let thy mercy to us prevent thine anger, for if Thou shouldst mark iniquities there shall no creature be able to stand before Thee; and in that same admirable charity whereby Thou didst create us, pardon us sinners, and destroy not the work of thy own hands by sudden death. Through CHRIST our LORD. Amen. Hear our prayers, O LORD, and enter not into judgment with thy servants; for, knowing that there is no justice in us on which we can dare to presume, we acknowledge no other fount of mercy whereby we can be washed from our sins, delivered from our infirmities, and especially from sudden death, but only Thee, O GOD. Through CHRIST our LORD. Amen. O GOD, in whose sight every heart trembles and every conscience is awed; show forth thy mercy upon us, thy suppliants, that we, who trust not in the excellence of our own merit, may never experience thy judgments by suddenness of death, but may receive Thy pardon. Through CHRIST our LORD. Amen.
Prayer. MOST merciful LORD JESUS, by thy agony and bloody sweat, and by thy death, deliver me, I beseech Thee, from sudden and unprepared death. O most gentle LORD JESUS, by thy cruel and ignominious scourging and crowning with thorns, by thy Cross and bitter Passion, and by thy own great goodness, I humbly pray Thee let me not die unprepared and pass from this life without the Holy Sacraments. JESUS, my best be loved, my LORD! by all thy travails and all thy sorrows, by thy Precious Blood, and by thy most holy wounds, and by those last words spoken by Thee upon the Cross "My GOD, my GOD, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" and again, "FATHER, into thy hands I commend my spirit" most ardently I pray Thee, free me from sudden death. Thy hands, O my REDEEMER, have wholly made and formed me; oh, suffer not death to take me unawares; grant me, I beseech Thee, time for penance; vouchsafe me a happy passage when I am in thy grace, that in the world to come I may love Thee with my whole heart, and praise and bless Thee for ever and for ever. Amen. PATER and AVE five times, in memory of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Ave thrice, to the Blessed Virgin, Mother of Sorrows.
435.Ejaculation. 50 Days. T.Q. (See Instructions.)