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ceive on our heads, in token of our humiliation and to obtain forgiveness: that we, who know that we are but ashes, and must return to dust because of our wickedness, may obtain, through thy mercy, pardon of all our sins, and the recompence promised to penitents. Thro'.

Let us pray.-Deus, qui humiliatione.

O God, who art appeased by humiliation, and pacified by satisfaction, incline to our prayers the ears of thy mercy; and pour upon the heads of thy servants, covered with these ashes, the grace of thy blessing; so as both to fill them with the spirit of compunction, and to grant them the effects of their just desires, and when granted to remain stable and untouched for ever. Thro'.

Let us pray.-Omnipotens.

Almighty and eternal God, who forgavest the Ninivites, when they did penance in sackcloth and ashes: mercifully grant us so to imitate their penance, that we may obtain pardon of our sins. Thro'. R. Amen.

The Priest having sprinkled the Ashes with Holy Water, saying the Anthem, Asperges, &c. p. xiii. without the Psalm, and fuming them thrice, receives or gives them to himself; then he lays them on the heads of every one, saying to each:

Pr. Remember, O man, that thou art dust, and shalt return to dust again.

In the mean time, the following Anthems are sung by the Choir.

ANT. Let us change our dress for ashes and sackcloth: let us fast and weep in the presence of the Lord; for our God is very merciful to forgive us our sins.

ANT. The priests, the ministers of the Lord, shall weep between the porch and the altar, and say: Spare, O Lord, O spare thy people, and shut not the mouths of those who praise thee, O Lord.

ANT. Let us amend of the sins we have committed through ignorance: lest suddenly overtaken by the day of our death, we seek for time to do penance, and be not able to find it.* Look down on us, O Lord, and take pity: for we have sinned against thee. V. Help us, O God our Saviour, and deliver us for the glory of thy name, O Lord.* Look down on us, &c. to V. Glory, &c. Look

down on us, &c. to V.

The Lord be with thee. R. And with thy spirit. Let us pray.-Concede nobis.

GRANT us, O Lord, to begin with holy fasting our christian warfare; that being to fight against spiritual wickedness, we may be aided therein by temperance. Thro'.

INTROIT. Wisd. xi. Ps. Ivi.

THOU, O Lord, hast mercy on all, and hatest none of those things, which thou hast created; thou winkest at the sins of men, to draw them to repentance, and thou pardonest them: because thou art the Lord our God. Ps. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me; for my soul trusteth in thee. V. Glory.

COLLECT. Præsta, Domine.-Grant, O Lord, that thy faithful may enter on this solemn fast with suitable piety, and go through it with unmolested devotion. Thro'.

After the II. Collect, A cunctis, p. xx. the following, with its Secret and P. Comm. is continued till Passion-Sunday.

III. COLLECT. Omnipotens.-O Almighty and eternal God, who hast dominion over the living and the dead, and art merciful to all, whom thou knowest will be thine by faith and good works: we humbly beseech thee, that they, for whom we have proposed to offer our prayers, whether this world still retains them in the flesh, or the next world hath already received them divested of their bodies, may,

by the clemency of thine own goodness, and the intercession of thy saints obtain pardon and full remission of their sins. Thro'.

LESSON. Joel ii. 12. 19. Thus saith the Lord: Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting, in weeping, and in mourning. And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil. Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive, and leave a blessing behind him, sacrifice and libation to the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Sion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather together the people, sanctify the Church, assemble the ancients, gather together the little ones and them that suck at the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth from his bed, and the bride out of the bride-chamber. Between the porch and the altar the priests the Lord's ministers shall weep, and shall say: Spare, O Lord, spare thy people: and give not thine inheritance to reproach, that the heathens should rule over them. Why should they say among the nations: Where is their God? The Lord hath been zealous for his land, and hath spared his people. And the Lord answered and said to his people: Behold I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, you shall be filled with them: and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations: saith the Lord Almighty.

GRAD. Ps. lvi.-Have mercy on me O God, have mercy on me: for my soul hath trusted in thee. V. He hath sent from heaven, and delivered me: he hath made them a reproach that trode upon

me.

*TRACT. Ps. cii. and lxxviii.-Deal not with us, O Lord, according to our sins, which we have committed, nor punish us according to our iniquities. V. Remember not, O Lord, our former iniquities:

let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are become exceeding poor. (At this verse kneel down.) V. Help us, O God our Saviour, and for the glory of thy name O Lord deliver us, and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake.

The above Tract is said every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, till Wednesday in Holy Week, except there be a proper one appointed.

GOSPEL. Matt. vi. 16. 21.-At that time; Jesus said to his disciples: When you fast be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy face: that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father, who is in secret: and thy Father, who seeth in secret, will reward thee. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.

OFFERT. Ps. xxix.-I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upholden me: and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me. O Lord, I have cried to thee, and thou hast healed me.

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SECRET. Grant, O Lord, that we may be duly prepared to present these our offerings, by which we celebrate the institution of this venerable mystery. Thro'.

II. SECRET. Ordinary, p. xxvii.

III. SECRET. O God, to whom alone is known the number of thine elect to be placed in eternal bliss: grant, we beseech thee, by the intercession of all thy saints, that the book of predestination may

contain the names of all those, whom we have undertaken to pray for, as well as those of all the faithful. Thro'.

PREFACE. Qui corporali jejunio, p. xxx.

COMM. Ps. i.-He that meditateth night and day on the law of the Lord shall yield his fruit in due season.

P. COMM. Percepta.-May the mysteries we have received, O Lord, afford us help, that our fasting may be acceptable to thee, and become a remedy to us. Thro'.

II. P. COMM. Mundet.-Ordinary, p. xliv.

III. P. COMM. Purificent.-May the mysteries we have received, purify us, we beseech thee, O Almighty and merciful God: and grant, by the intercession of all thy saints, that this thy sacrament may not increase our guilt to punishment, but be a means of obtaining pardon in order to salvation: may it wash away sin, strengthen our frailty, secure us against the dangers of the world; and procure forgiveness for all the faithful both living and dead. Thro'.

Let us pray. Bow down your heads to God. The Prayer, Inclinantes, over the people. MERCIFULLY look down upon us, O Lord, bowing down before thy divine Majesty, that they who have been refreshed with thy divine mys➡ teries, may always be supported by thy heavenly aid. Thro'..

THURSDAY before the I. Sunday in Lent.
INTROIT. Ps. liv.

WHEN I cried out to the Lord, he heard my voice against those who were coming upon me: he that is before all ages and will be for ever, humbled them: cast thy care on the Lord, and he will feed thee. Ps. Hear, O God, my prayer, and

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