Acts of Most Necessary Virtues for the Sick

Act of Resignation.

LORD, I accept this sickness from Thy Fatherly hands; I entirely resign myself to Thy blessed will, whether it be for life or death. Not my will, but Thine be done; Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Act of Submission.

LORD, I submit to all the pains and uneasiness of this my illness: my sins have deserved infinitely more. Thou art just, O Lord, and Thy judgment is right.

Act of Self-Oblation.

LORD, I offer up to Thee all that I now suffer, or may have to suffer, to be united to the sufferings of my Saviour, and to be sanctified by His Passion.

Act of Adoration.

I ADORE Thee, O my God and my All, as my First Beginning and my Last End; I desire to pay Thee the best homage that I am able, and to bow down all the powers of my soul to Thee.

Act of Praise.

LORD, I desire to praise Thee for ever, in sickness as well as in health; I desire to join my heart and voice with the whole Church of heaven and earth, in blessing Thee for ever.

Act of Thanksgiving.

I GIVE Thee thanks, O Lord, from the bottom of my heart, for all the mercies and blessings which Thou hast bestowed upon me and on Thy whole Church through Jesus Christ Thy Son; above all, because Thou hast loved me from all eternity, and hast sent Thy Son to redeem me with His precious Blood. O let not that Blood be shed for me in vain.

Act of Faith.

LORD, I believe all those heavenly truths which Thou hast revealed, and which Thy Holy Catholic Church believes and teaches. Thou art the Sovereign Truth, who neither canst deceive nor be deceived. Thou hast promised Thy Spirit of Truth to guide Thy Church into all truth. In this Faith I resolve, through Thy grace, both to live and die. O Lord, strengthen and increase this my faith.

Act of Hope.

O MY God, all my hope is in Thee! Through Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, through His Passion and Death, I hope for mercy, grace, and salvation from Thee. In Thee, O Lord, have I put my trust: let me never be confounded. O Sweet Jesus, receive me into Thine arms in this day of my distress; hide me in Thy Wounds, bathe my soul in Thy precious Blood.

Act of Love.

I LOVE Thee, O my God, with my whole heart and soul, above all things: at least I desire so to love Thee. O come now and take full possession of my soul, and teach me to love Thee for ever. I desire to depart, and to be with Christ. O when will Thy kingdom come? O Lord, when wilt Thou perfectly reign in all hearts? When shall sin be no more?

Act of Love of One's Neighbor.

I DESIRE to love my neighbor with perfect charity for the love of Thee. I forgive from my heart all who have in any way offended or injured me, and I ask pardon of all whom I have in any way offended or injured.

Act of Contrition.

HAVE mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity. O who will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to my eyes, that, day and night, I may bewail my sins? O that I had never offended so good a God! O that I had never sinned! Happy those souls that have always preserved their baptismal innocence! Lord, be merciful to me a sinner; Holy Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy upon me.

Act of Commendation to God.

I COMMEND my soul to God my Maker, who created me from nothing; to Jesus Christ my Saviour, who redeemed me with His Blood; to the Holy Ghost, who sanctified me in baptism. Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Act of Renunciation of Evil.

I RENOUNCE, from this moment and for all eternity, the devil and all his works and pomps. I abhor all his suggestions and temptations. Suffer not, O Lord, this mortal enemy of my soul to have any power over me, either now or at my last hour. Let Thy holy Angels ever keep me and defend me against all the powers of darkness.

O HOLY Mary, Mother of God, who wert present beneath the Cross at the death of thy beloved Son Jesus, obtain for me the grace of a happy death. Hail Mary.

Glorious St. Michael, Prince of the heavenly host, intercede for me at the hour of my death.

O holy Guardian Angel, to whose care God, in His mercy, has committed me, stand by me at the last hour; protect me against all the powers of darkness; defend me from all my enemies, and conduct my soul to the mansions of bliss.

O all ye blessed Angels and Saints of God, assist me by your intercession in the passage from time to eternity. Amen.

A PRAYER FOR PATIENCE.

REMEMBER, O most pitying Father, what this frail and feeble work of Thy hands can bear without fainting; nothing, indeed, of itself, but all things in Thee, if strengthened by Thy grace. Wherefore grant me strength, that I may suffer and endure; patience alone I ask. Lord, give me this, and behold my heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready to receive whatsoever shall be laid upon me; may it even be a consolation to me that, afflicting me with pain, Thou sparest not here, that Thou mayest spare hereafter. Grant, O Lord, that in my patience I may possess my soul; to that end may I often look upon the Face of Christ Thy Son, that as He hath suffered such terrible things in the flesh, I may endeavor to be armed with the same mind. Wherefore I commit my strength unto Thee, O Lord; for Thou art my Strength and my Refuge; Thou dost uphold my life. Behold, O Lord, now am I in the midst of the fire, and how long I shall be there Thou knowest. Keep me, Thou who didst preserve unhurt the Three Children in the furnace of fire, and bring me safe out of this trial when it shall please Thee, as Thou didst deliver them, that I also may bless Thee with all Thy creatures for ever. Amen.

A PRAYER IN SUFFERING.

O LORD JESUS CHRIST, accept my sufferings which I desire to unite with Thine. Sanctify this affliction, so that every pang I feel may purify my soul and bring it nearer to Thee, to be made more one with Thee; grant that I may welcome the sufferings which will make me more like to Thee.

O my Lord, stand Thou by me with Thy supporting grace; sanctify each pang, sustain my weakness. And then order for me what Thou pleasest. Come now to my help, O Lord, and so purify my soul that I may be spared the last, the eternal suffering; let me fly to the embrace of Thy love for ever.

Lord Jesus, hast Thou not invited all that labor and are heavy-burdened to come to Thee for refreshment? Behold now Thy servant, afflicted and oppressed, comes to Thee for help; relieve me, I beseech Thee, Thou who art Infinite in mercy.

O Thou who hast comforted the Martyrs in their torments, and refreshed them with heavenly sweetness on the rack and in the fire, renew Thy mercies to me Thine unworthy servant; defend me against all temptation, suffer not the enemy to take advantage of me, but grant me Thy heavenly strength, the fulness of Thy grace and peace. Amen.

Ejaculation.

O LORD, by Thy Cross and Passion strengthen me; Lord, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done. Amen.