Ave Maria Meditations
A Prayer Before Holy Mass:
O almighty, everlasting God, seeing that it is the true faith of Your Church that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass instituted by Your Son is infinitely pleasing to Your divine Majesty, and renders You an infinite worship and praise, and since by it alone You can be worthily and adequately worshiped and praised; impelled by an ardent desire of Your honor and glory, I purpose to assist at this present sacrifice with the utmost devotion of which I am capable, and to offer this most Holy Oblation to You in union with Your priest.
I offer You not only this sacrifice, but all those which shall be this day offered from every part of the world; and I protest before You that if it depended on me whether they should be offered or omitted, I would put forth all my powers to procure and further their being offered. And were I able now to raise up to You, of the stones which are scattered over the earth, most devoted priests, who should day by day and with glowing fervor offer to You this sacrifice of praise, I would most gladly do it. But, being what I am, I implore you, O most holy Father, through Jesus Christ Your Son, to pour into the hearts of all your priests, and especially those who might perchance otherwise offer You this acceptable sacrifice coldly and without due recollectedness, the spirit of grace and of fervor, that they may be enabled to celebrate Your tremendous Mystery with becoming awe and devotion.
Grant to me, and to all those who are here present with me, that we may join in this most sacred action with reverence and devotion, so that we may have our portion in its fruit and effect. I confess to You, O almighty God, and to the Blessed Mary ever Virgin, and to all the Saints, my own sins and those of all the world; and I lay them on Your sacred Altar, that they may be entirely blotted out by the virtue of this sacrifice. Do You deign to grant us this grace, by that love which held back Your hand from smiting when Your most beloved Son, Your only Son, was immolated by the hands of ungodly men. Amen.
by Saint Mechtilde
