First, when you awake, bless yourself with the sign of the cross, and say:
Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity, now and for ever.
Then turn your mind to your Divine Saviour, and say:
O Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, and save my soul.
After this, call to mind the subject of your meditation.
In putting on your clothes, say:
O most loving Jesus, true Spouse of my soul, give me the wedding-garment of Divine love, and perpetual charity.
In washing yourself, say:
O my Lord Jesus, who hast redeemed us by Thy precious blood, purify, I beseech Thee, my heart from the stain of sin, that I may serve Thee with perfect purity of body and soul.
After dressing and washing yourself, kneel down, and say:
In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity, now and for ever. Amen.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, our Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; ascended into heaven; sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the Communion of Saints; the forgiveness of sins ; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.Amen.
An Act of Faith. I firmly believe, O Lord, that Thou art the only true and living God, subsisting in three divine persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; that the Son was made man, suffered, and died upon the cross, for our salvation; and that afterwards He rose again from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, from thence He shall come to repay the just everlasting glory and the wicked everlasting punishment. I most firmly believe all these truths, as well as all others which Thy holy Catholic Church teaches, because they come from Thee, who art infallible truth, and who hast revealed them to this Thy Church.
An Act of Hope. O my God, relying on Thy almighty power and Thy infinite mercy and goodness, and because Thou art faithful to Thy promises, I trust in Thee, and hope that, through the merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Thou wilt grant to me the pardon of my sins, and the grace to live and die in Thy holy love, and to attain in the end to Thy eternal kingdom, which Thou hast promised to those who lead a good Christian life, as I now resolve to do, with the help of Thy holy grace.
An Act of Charity. I love Thee, O my God, and am resolved to love Thee always with my whole heart and soul, not only on account of the manifold favours and blessings which I have already received from Thee, and those which I still hope to receive from Thy bountiful hand, but much more because Thou art of Thyself an infinite good, worthy of being loved above all things; and for Thy sake I also do and will ever love my neighbour as myself.
An Act of Contrition. Have pity on me, O God of mercy, have pity on me; my heart is penetrated with grief and sorrow for the many offences which I have committed against Thy infinite majesty. I now hate and detest them above every evil; not only because by them I have polluted my immortal soul, forfeited all claim to the joys of paradise, and deserved to be cast into hell; but still more because, by yielding to sin, I have offended Thee who art a God so great, so good, so lovely, and therefore worthy of infinite love. Ah, would that I had rather died than have ever offended Thee! But now I firmly resolve, O Lord, by the assistance of Thy holy grace, never more to offend Thee for the time to come.
An Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving. O eternal God, the beginning and the end of all things, in whom we live, move, and are, I humbly adore Thy infinite majesty, and with all the powers of my soul I exalt and magnify Thy holy name. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive honour and glory and praise and benediction. I thank Thee for creating me after Thy own image and likeness, for redeeming me with the precious blood of Thy Son, for sanctifying me with Thy Holy Spirit, and for having hitherto preserved me and brought me safely to the beginning of this day. Ah, what return shall I make to Thee for all the blessings which Thou hast bestowed upon me!
An Act of Oblation. Receive, O Lord, my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my will. All that I have and all that I possess has come to me from Thy bountiful hand; to Thee, therefore, do I entirely restore it, and to Thy guidance do I freely resign it. Grant me only, dear Lord, Thy love, with Thy grace, and I shall be rich enough; and I will neither ask nor seek for any thing further.
A Petition to the Father.
O God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, who saidst in the beginning, Let there be light, and it was made, enlighten my mind, that I may never sleep in sin, lest at any time the deceits of the enemy or my own corruption should prevail against me.
A Petition to the Son.
O God the Son, the brightness of the Father's glory and the perfect image of His Person, the true light who shineth in darkness, drive away from me all darkness of sin and ignorance, and give me understanding, that 1 may value the infinite blessings which Thou hast bestowed upon me, and that I may profit by them for Thy honour and glory, and the eternal salvation of my soul.
To the Holy Spirit.
O God the Holy Ghost, who inflamest the wills of those in whom thou vouchsafest to dwell with the fire of Divine love, pour into my heart the gift of Thy holy charity, that, despising all vain and transitory things, I may with a burning desire long for the true and everlasting joy of Thy heavenly kingdom.
A Devout Recommendation.
To Thee, O Lord, I commend my soul and body, my relations and benefactors, my friends and familiars, and all those for whom I am in any way hound to offer up my prayers. To Thee I commend the holy Catholic Church, and beg of Thee to lead all her children to the attainment of eternal life. To Thee I commend all those who go astray from the path of truth, and are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. Grant, O Lord, that all may know Thee, all may honour and reverence Thee, all may love Thee, and be loved by Thee. Lastly, I commend all universally to Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt vouchsafe to the living forgiveness of their sins, and to the souls departed everlasting rest. Amen.
Prayer to the Blessed Virgin.
We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin.
Hail, Mary, most bumble handmaid of the blessed Trinity! Hail, Mary, daughter of the eternal Father! Hail, Mary, chaste spouse of the Holy Ghost! Hail, Mary, most admirable Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ! Hail, Mary, queen of angels and of all saints; assist me by thy intercession, and obtain for me the grace of imitating thy sublime virtues, and attaining to an intimate union with thy Divine Son Jesus Christ. Grant me now thy all-powerful help; and in the hour of my death receive, I beseech thee, my soul, and offer it to thy sweet Son Jesus, that for thy sake He may accept it, and place it amongst the blessed choirs of celestial spirits. Amen.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel.
O holy Angel, who art appointed by the Divine goodness to be my guardian, to conduct my blindness, to teach my ignorance, to strengthen my weakness, and to excite my slothfulness; I heartily praise our common Lord for so singular a benefit, and thank thee for the many good offices which thou hast done unto me, defending me amidst so many dangers of body and soul. I humbly beseech thee to continue the same care in my behalf, until thou shalt have brought my soul into the happy port of everlasting salvation.
The blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, descend upon me, and dwell in my heart for ever. Amen.
After this, make your meditation.
Taken from - The Way to Heaven. A Manual of Devotion. By The Very Rev. John Baptist Pagani.
