DAILY PRAYERS: EVENING A WONDERFUL THANKS OF EFFICACY HAIL, my God, Light and Salvation of my soul, may all that is in the round world, and within the circle of the heavens, and in the depths of the abyss, give Thee thanks for all the benefits and tender mercies which Thou hast bestowed on me in body and in soul. And as the number of them is so great that I cannot answer Thee for one of a thousand, I make over this my duty to that eternal, infinite, unfailing gratitude whereby every debt to Thee is acquitted by Thyself, and through Thyself, and in Thyself, O Thou bright and ever-peaceful Trinity; and obtruding myself on Thy notice as a grain of dust, I offer Thee, through Him Who stands at Thy right hand in the truth of my substance, such praise and thanksgiving as Thou hast enabled us by Thy Spirit to render to Thee. Amen. Here examine your conscience, and make an act of contrition, saying with a sigh: O MOST loving Father, in the bitterness of the Passion of Jesus Christ Thy Son I pour forth now my complaint, indignantly accusing myself that I have served Thee so unfaithfully this day, and have offended Thee, my most kind and loving Father, by so many and so great negligences. I grieve for them all from my inmost heart, and smite my breast in the spirit of true contrition, and say unto Thee: God be merciful to me a sinner! And for all the negligences whereby I have ever quenched Thy good and gentle Spirit within me, I offer Thee the sorrows and the tears of Thy beloved Son. I beseech Thee, in union with His most availing prayers, to grant me the pardon of my sins, and the supply of all my defects. Deign to hear this my humble prayer through that love which did hold back Thine arm from taking vengeance when Thine Only and most beloved Son, the object of Thine eternal and ineffable complacency, was numbered with transgressors. Amen. Our Lord directed St. Mechtilde to, repeat three times a day the Psalm, Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes, in penance for her sins. [Psalm 116] RECOMMENDATION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS O SWEETEST Heart of Jesus, to Thee I commend my body and my soul this night, that they may calmly rest in Thee. And as I cannot praise my God while I sleep, do Thou deign to supply my lack of service, and for every beating of my heart give praise to the most Holy Trinity on my behalf; receive into Thyself every breath I draw, and offer them all to God as glowing sparks of Divine love. Amen. TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN AND OTHER SAINTS To thy maternal faithfulness and to thy special care, O most blessed Virgin Mary, I commend myself this night, beseeching thee to protect me from all the snares of the enemy. O my beloved Angel guardian, and thou, holy Saints, my patrons, defend me and keep me in safety through this night. Praise my God for me without ceasing while I sleep ,and deign to bestow on me thy blessing in answer to my humble prayer. Amen. INTENTION BEFORE SLEEP Taught to St. Gertrude by our Lord. O LORD JESUS, I accept this sleep in the love with which Thou didst sanctify it when Thou didst deign to sleep in Thy most sacred Humanity, to the glory of God the Father, and for the salvation of all the whole human race; beseeching Thee that, in union with Thy Divine Love, it may tend to the increase in grace and glory of all Thine elect, in Heaven, on earth, and in Purgatory. Amen. Before you lie down to sleep, trace on your forehead these four letters, I. N. R. I., saying: MAY Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, preserve me from sudden and unprepared death. Amen. Our Lord revealed to St. Edmund that those who use this prayer shall be preserved from sudden death in the night. On one occasion when St. Gertrude could not sleep, she learned this prayer from Christ Himself.  By Thine Own eternal and unruffled repose in the bosom of God the Father, by Thy most peaceful rest in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, by the most ecstatic rapture with which Thou didst ever take thy delight in the hearts of those who love Thee, I beseech Thee, O most loving Lord, deign to grant me needful sleep, not for my pleasure or advantage, but that the weary members of my body may be refreshed to labour for Thine eternal praise and glory. Amen.

The Prayers of Saint Gertrude and Saint Mechtilde of the Order of St. Benedict BURNS AND OATES LTD. LONDON, 1917, with Imprimatur

PRAYERS of Saint Gertrude The Great and Saint Mechtilde

Click below for other more Prayers  Daily Prayers: Morning Daily Prayers: During the Day Prayers for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Prayers to Jesus Christ Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary Other Prayers INDEX all the Prayers of St. Gertrude 

Daily Prayers: EVENING A wonderful thanks of efficacy Recommendation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus To the Blessed Virgin and Saints Intention before sleep