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First Prayer
O Jesus Christ! Eternal Sweetness to those who love Thee, joy surpassing
all joy and all desire, Salvation and Hope of all sinners. Who hast
proved that Thou has no greater desire than to be among men, even
assuming human nature at the fullness of time for the love of men,
recall all the sufferings Thou has endured from the instant of Thy
conception, and especially during Thy Passion, as it was decreed and
ordained from all eternity in the Divine plan.
Remember O Lord, that during the Last Supper with Thy disciples, having
washed their feet, Thou gave them Thy Most Precious Body and Blood, and
while at the same time Thou did sweetly console them, Thou did foretell
them Thy coming Passion.
Remember the sadness and bitterness which Thou did experience in Thy
Soul as Thou Thyself bore witness saying: "My Soul is sorrowful even
unto death".
Remember all the fear, anguish and pain that Thou did suffer in Thy
delicate Body before the torment of the Crucifixion, when after having
prayer three times, bathed in a sweat of blood, Thou was betrayed by
Judas, Thy Disciple, arrested by the people of a nation Thou had chosen
and elevated, accused by false witnesses, unjustly judged by three
judges during the flower of Thy youth and during the solemn Paschal
season.
Remember that Thou was despoiled of Thy garments and clothed in those of
derision; that Thy Face and Eyes were veiled, that Thou was buffeted,
crowned with thorns, a reed placed in Thy Hands, that Thou was crushed
with blows and overwhelmed with affronts and outrages.
In memory of all these pains and sufferings which Thou did endure before
Thy Passion on the Cross, grant me before my death true contrition, a
sincere and entire confession, worthy satisfaction and the remission of
all my sins. Amen.
Second
Prayer
O Jesus! True liberty of angels, Paradise of delights, remember the
horror and sadness which Thou did endure when Thy enemies, like furious
lions, surrounded Thee, and by thousands of insults, spits, blows,
lacerations and other unheard-of-cruelties, tormented Thee at will. In
consideration of these torments and insulting words, I beseech Thee, O
my Saviour, to deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible,
and to bring me, under Thy protection, to the perfection of eternal
salvation. Amen.
Third Prayer
O Jesus! Creator of Heaven and earth Whom nothing can encompass or
limit. Thou Who does enfold and hold all under Thy Loving power,
remember the very bitter pain Thou did suffer when they nailed Thy
Sacred Hands and Feet to the Cross by blow after blow with big blunt
nails, and not finding Thee in a pitiable enough state to satisfy their
rage, they enlarged Thy Wounds and added pain to pain, and with
indescribable cruelty stretched Thy Body on the Cross, pulled Thee from
all sides thus dislocating Thy Limbs. I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the
memory of this most Loving suffering of the Cross, to grant me the grace
to fear Thee and to Love Thee. Amen
Fourth
Prayer
O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our
wounds with Thine, remember the bruises which Thou did suffer and the
weakness of all Thy Members which were distended to such a degree that
never was there a pain like unto Thine. From the crown of Thy head to
the soles of Thy feet, there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not
in torment, and yet, forgetting all Thy sufferings, Thou did not cease
to pray to Thy Heavenly Father for Thy enemies saying: "Father, forgive
them for they know not what they do." Through this great Mercy and in
memory of this suffering, grant that the remembrance of Thy Most Bitter
Passion may effect in us a perfect contrition and the remission of all
our sins. Amen.
Fifth Prayer
O Jesus! Mirror of eternal splendor, remember the sadness which Thou
experienced, when contemplating in the light of Thy Divinity the
predestination of those who would be saved by the merits of Thy Sacred
Passion, Thou did see at the same time, the great multitude of
reprobates who would be damned for their sins, and Thou did complain
bitterly of those hopeless lost and unfortunate sinners. Through this
abyss of compassion and pity, and especially through the goodness which
Thou displayed to the good thief when Thou said to him: "This day, thou
shall be with Me in Paradise." I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, that at the
hour of my death, Thou will show me mercy. Amen.
Sixth Prayer
O Jesus! Beloved and most desirable King, remember the grief Thou did
suffer, when naked and like a common criminal, Thou was fastened and
raised on the Cross, when all Thy relatives and friends abandoned Thee,
except Thy beloved Mother, who remained close to Thee during Thy agony
and whom Thou did entrust to Thy faithful disciple when Thou said to
Mary: "Woman, behold thy son!" and to St. John: "Son, behold thy
Mother!" I beg of Thee O my Saviour, by the sword of sorrow which
pierced the soul of Thy holy Mother, to have compassion on me in all my
affliction and tribulations, both corporal and spiritual, and to assist
me in all my trials and especially at the hour of my death. Amen.
Seventh
Prayer
O Jesus! Inexhaustible Fountain of compassion, Who by a profound gesture
of Love, said from the Cross: "I thirst!" suffered from the thirst for
the salvation of the human race. I beg of Thee of my Saviour, to inflame
in our hearts the desire to tend toward perfection in all our acts and
to extinguish in us the concupiscence of the flesh and the ardor of
worldly desires. Amen.
Eighth
Prayer
O Jesus! Sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit, by the bitterness
of the vinegar and gall which Thou did taste on the Cross for love of
us, grant us the grace to receive worthily Thy Precious Body and Blood
during our life and at the hour of our death, that they may serve as a
remedy and consolation for our souls. Amen.
Ninth Prayer
O Jesus! Royal virtue, joy of the mind, recall the pain Thou did endure
when plunged in an ocean of bitterness at the approach of death,
insulted and outraged, Thou did cry out in a loud voice that Thou was
abandoned by Thy Father saying "My God, my God, why have you forsaken
me?" Through this anguish, I beg of Thee, O my Saviour, not to abandon
me in the terrors and pains of my death. Amen.
Tenth Prayer
O Jesus! Who art the beginning and end of all things, life and virtue,
remember that for our sakes Thou was plunged in an abyss of suffering
from the soles of Thy Feet to the crown of Thy Head. In consideration of
the enormity of Thy Wounds, teach me to keep, through pure love, Thy
Commandments, whose way is wide and easy for those who love Thee. Amen.
Eleventh
Prayer
O Jesus! Deep abyss of mercy, I beg of Thee, in memory of Thy Wounds
which penetrated to the very marrow of Thy Bones and to the depth of Thy
Being, to draw me, a miserable sinner, overwhelmed by my offenses, away
from sin and to hide me from Thy Face justly irritated against me, hide
me in Thy Wounds, until Thy anger and just indignation shall have passed
away. Amen.
Twelfth
Prayer
O Jesus! Mirror of Truth, symbol of unity, link of Charity. Remember the
multitude of wounds with which Thou was covered from head to foot, torn
and reddened by the spilling of Thy adorable Blood. O Great and
Universal Pain which Thou did suffer in Thy virginal Flesh for Love of
us! Sweetest Jesus! What is there that Thou could have done for us which
Thou has not done! May the fruit of Thy sufferings be renewed in my soul
by the faithful remembrance of Thy Passion, and may Thy Love increase in
my heart each day, until I see Thee in eternity, Thou who are the
treasury of every real good and every joy, which I beg Thee to grant me,
O Sweetest Jesus, in Heaven. Amen.
Thirteenth
Prayer
O Jesus! Strong Lion, Immortal and Invincible King, remember the pain
which Thou did endure when all Thy strength, both moral and physical,
was entirely exhausted, Thou did bow Thy Head saying: "It is
consummated!" Through this anguish and grief, I beg of Thee Lord Jesus,
to have mercy on me at the hour of my death when my mind will be greatly
troubled and my soul will be in anguish. Amen.
Fourteenth
Prayer
O Jesus! Only Son of the Father, Splendor and Figure of His Substance,
remember the simple and humble recommendation Thou did make of Thy Soul
to Thy Eternal Father, saying: "Father, into Thy Hands I commend My
Spirit!" And with Thy Body all torn, and Thy Heart Broken, and the
bowels of Thy Mercy open to redeem us, Thou did expire. By this Precious
Death, I beg of Thee O King of Saints, comfort me and help me to resist
the devil, the flesh and the world so that being dead to the world, I
may live for Thee alone. I beg of Thee at the hour of my death to
receive me, a pilgrim and an exile returning to Thee. Amen.
Fifteenth
Prayer
O Jesus! True and fruitful Vine! Remember the outpouring of Blood which
Thou did so generously shed from Thy Sacred Body as juice from grapes in
a wine press. From Thy Side, pierced with a lance by a soldier, blood
and water issued forth until there was not left in Thy Body a single
drop, and finally, like a bundle of myrrh lifted to the top of the
Cross, Thy delicate Flesh was destroyed, the very Substance of Thy Body
withered, and the Marrow of Thy Bones dried up. Through this bitter
Passion and through the outpouring of Thy Precious Blood, I beg of Thee,
O Sweet Jesus, to receive my soul when I am in my death agony. Amen.
Conclusion
O Sweet Jesus! Pierce my heart so that my tears of penitence and love
will be my bread day and night. May I be converted entirely to Thee, may
my heart be Thy perpetual habitation, may my conversation be pleasing to
Thee and may the end of my life be so praiseworthy, that I may merit
Heaven and there with Thy saints, praise Thee forever. Amen.
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