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THE FIRST PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
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 hast
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 hast
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 gavest them Thy
Most Precious Body and Blood, and while at the same time thou didst sweetly
console them, Thou didst foretell them Thy coming Passion.
Remember the sadness and bitterness which
Thou didst 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 didst suffer in Thy delicate Body before the torment of the Crucifixion,
when, after having prayed three times, bathed in a sweat of blood, Thou
wast betrayed by Judas, Thy disciple, arrested by the people of a nation
Thou hadst 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 wast despoiled of Thy
garments and clothed in those of derision; that Thy Face and Eyes were
veiled, that Thou wast 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 didst
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.
THE SECOND PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
O Jesus!
True liberty of angels, Paradise of delights, remember the horror and sadness
which Thou didst 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.
THE THIRD PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
O Jesus! Creator
of Heaven and earth Whom nothing can encompass or limit, Thou Who dost
enfold and hold all under Thy Loving power, remember the very bitter pain
Thou didst suffer when the Jews 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.
THE FOURTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
O Jesus!
Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds with Thine,
remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy
Members which were distended to such a degree that never was there 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 didst 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.
THE FIFTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
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 didst see
at the same time, the great multitude of reprobates who would be damned
for their sins, and Thou didst 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 saidst to him: "This day, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise."
I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, that at the hour of my death, Thou wilt show
me mercy. Amen.
THE SIXTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
O Jesus!
Beloved and most desirable King, remember the grief Thou didst 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
didst entrust to Thy faithful disciple when Thou saidst 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.
THE SEVENTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
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 O 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.
THE EIGHTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary
O Jesus!
Sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit, by the bitterness of the vinegar
and gall which Thou didst 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.
THE NINTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
O Jesus!
Royal virtue, joy of the mind, recall the pain Thou didst endure when,
plunged in an ocean of bitterness at the approach of death, insulted, outraged
by the Jews, Thou didst cry out in a loud voice that Thou was abandoned
by Thy Father, saying: "My God, My God, why hast Thou 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.
THE TENTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
O Jesus!
Who art the beginning and end of all things, life and virtue, remembers
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.
THE ELEVENTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
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.
THE TWELFTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
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 didst suffer in Thy virginal Flesh for Love of us! Sweetest
Jesus! What is there that Thou couldst have done for us which Thou
hast not done! May faithful remembrance of Thy Passion, and may Thy
Love increase in my heart each day, until I see Thee in eternity, Thou
Who art the treasury of every real good and every joy, which I beg Thee
to grant me, O Sweetest Jesus, in Heaven, Amen.
THE THIRTEENTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
O Jesus!
Strong Lion, Immortal and Invincible King, remember the pain which Thou
didst endure when all Thy strength, both moral and physical, was entirely
exhausted, Thou didst 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.
THE FOURTEENTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
O Jesus!
Only Son of the Father, Splendor and Figure of His Substance, remember
the simple and humble recommendation Thou didst 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 didst 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.
THE FIFTEENTH PRAYER
Our Father, Hail Mary.
O Jesus! True
and fruitful Vine! Remember the abundant outpouring of Blood which
Thou didst 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.
CLOSING PRAYER:
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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