Principles and Practices - December 4

ON GOING TO HOLY COMMUNION

Not only of my nature am I, who am but dust and ashes, and, even at my best, but the work of His hands, compelled to humble myself before Our Lord; I am lower down than that, I have lowered myself still more by misuse of that which He has made, by infidelity to Him, by sinfulness. In this way and that I have offended Him, and soiled myself. Then, as I approach Him, I can but say:

'Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.'

Or, with the Prodigal:

'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight. I am no longer worthy to be called thy son.'

Or in the words of the Miserere:

'Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.'

-Archbishop Goodier
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From Principles and Practices
Compiled by Rev. J. Hogan of The Catholic Missionary Society
Published by Burns Oates & Washbourne Ltd., Publishers To The Holy See
Nihil Obstat; Eduardus J. Mahoney, S.T.D. Censor deputatus.
Imprimatur; Edm. Can. Surmont, Vicarius generalis.
First printed in 1930