A Prayer Before Mass (friday) (by Saint Ambrose)

We pray Thee also, O Lord, Holy Father,

for the souls of the faithful departed:

that this great Sacrament of Thy love

may be to them health and salvation,

joy and refreshment.

O Lord, my God,

grant them this day a great and abundant feast of Thee,

the living Bread,

who camest down from heaven and givest life unto the world;

even of Thy holy and blessed Flesh,

the Lamb without spot,

who takest away the sins of the world;

that Flesh, which was taken of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

and conceived by the Holy Ghost;

and of that Fountain of mercy which,

by the soldier's lance,

flowed from Thy most sacred Side;

that they be thereby fed and satisfied,

refreshed and comforted,

and may rejoice in Thy praise and in Thy glory.

I pray Thy loving mercy, O Lord,

that on the bread and wine to be offered unto Thee

may descend the fullness of Thy blessing

and the satisfaction of Thy Divinity.

May there descend also the invisible

and incomprehensible Majesty of Thy Holy Spirit,

as it descended of old on the sacrifices of the Fathers,

which shall make these oblations Thy Body and Blood;

and may this offering be acceptable unto Thee,

through Him who offered Himself a sacrifice to Thee, O Father,

even Jesus Christ,

Thine only Son,

our Lord.

Amen.