O loving Lord Jesus Christ,

I, a sinner, not presuming on my own merits,

but trusting in Your mercy and goodness,

with fear and awe approach the table of Your most sacred banquet.

For I have stained both my heart and body with many sins,

and have not kept a strict guard over my mind and tongue.

Wherefore, O gracious God, O awful majesty, I, a wretched creature,

entangled in difficulties, have recourse to You, the fount of mercy;

to You I fly for healing and take refuge under Your protection,

and I ardently desire to have Him as my Savior whom I am unable to face as my Judge.

To You, Lord, I show my wounds, to You I lay bare my shame.

I know that my sins are many and great and on their account I am filled with fear.

But I trust in Your mercy, which is endless.

Look down on me, therefore, with the eyes of mercy, Lord Jesus Christ, eternal King,

God and Man, crucified for men. Hear me, for my hope is in You;

have mercy on me, for I am full of sin and wretchedness,

You who never cease to let flow the fountain of mercy.

Hail Victim of Salvation, offered for me and for all mankind on the tree of the cross.

Hail, noble and precious Blood, flowing from the wounds of my crucified Lord Jesus Christ

washing away the sins of the whole world.

Remember, Lord, Your creature, whom You have redeemed with Your Blood.

I am grieved because I have sinned. I desire to make amends for what I have done.

Take away from me, therefore, O most merciful Father, all my iniquities and my sins,

that, being purified both in soul and body, I may worthily partake of the Holy of Holies;

and grant that this holy oblation of Your Body and Blood, of which though unworthy I purpose to partake,

may be to me the remission of my sins, the perfect cleansing of all my offenses,

the means of driving away all evil thoughts and of renewing all holy desires,

the accomplishment of works pleasing to You,

as well as the strongest defense for soul and body against the snares of my enemies.

Amen.

St. Ambrose