"And I beheld, and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth.... [Apocalypse (Revelation) 8:13]
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Holy Wounds Devotion
Holy Wounds Devotion
Thomas à Kempis, in the Imitation of Christ, speaks of
resting - abiding - in Christ's wounds. "If you can not soar up
as high as Christ sitting on his throne, behold him hanging on his
cross. Rest in Christ's Passion and live willingly in his holy wounds.
You will gain marvelous strength and comfort in adversities You will
not care that men despise you. . . Had we but, with Thomas, put our
fingers into the print of his nails and thrust our hands into his side!
If we had we but known ourselves his sufferings in a deep and serious
consideration and tasted the astonishing greatness of his love, the
joys and miseries of the life would soon become indifferent to us."
Theologically, the wounds were the channels through which Christ's
blood was spilled. This "precious blood" sealed for Christians a
new covenant to replace the old covenant of Moses. Whereas once a
sacrificial lamb was offered to God in atonement for sins, now divine
blood from the only victim pure enough to atone for all of humanity's
transgressions was offered. Thus, Christ's death was a perfect
sacrifice that destroyed the power of sin, and therefore death, over
humanity. Particular significance is offered to the lance wound
from which flowed blood and water. The blood is linked with the
Eucharistic blood received at Masses and the water with the cleansing
of original sin at baptism (the two sacraments believed to be necessary
to achieve eternal life). Thus, the Church, just as Eve issued
from the side of Adam, is considered to be mystically born of Christ's
wounds via the sacraments. The blood of Christ's sacrifice will
wash and therefore purify and redeem the Church.Source Honor is shown to these Sacred Wounds in many small ways too--
from the 5 grains of incense inserted into the Paschal Candle, to the
custom of dedicating each Pater said in the body of the Dominican
Rosary to one of the Five Wounds. They are symbolized in art by the
Jerusalem Cross, 5 circles on a Cross, 5 roses, and the 5-pointed star. Short History
of this devotion
During the Middle Ages popular piety focused with increased intensity
on the Passion of Christ and therefore held in special honor the wounds
inflicted upon him in his suffering. Although many medieval
mystics totaled these wounds at 5,466, popular devotion focused upon
the five wounds associated directly with his crucifixion, namely the
nail wounds on his hands and feet as well as the lance wound which
pierced his heart, as opposed to the other 5,461 received during
Christ's scourging and by his crown of thorns. A "shorthand" image
containing two hands, two feet, and disembodied wound served as a
memory aid for such devotion. Veneration of these sacred wounds is seen
as early as 532 when St John the Evangelist was believed to have
revealed to Pope Boniface II a Mass in their honor. Ultimately it
was through the preaching of St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) and
St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) that reverence of the wounds became
widespread. For these saints, the wounds pointed to the
fulfillment of Christ's love because God, humbled himself by taking on
vulnerable flesh and died to free mankind from death. The
preachers encouraged Christians to strive to imitate this perfect
example of love.
St. Bernard of Clairvaux and St. Francis of Assisi in the
12th and 13th centuries encouraged devotions and practices in honor of
the Five wounds of the Passion of Jesus: in his hands, feet and side.
The Cross of Jerusalem, or "Crusaders’ Cross", remembers the Five
wounds through its five crosses. There were many medieval prayers
honoring the Wounds. including some attributed to St. Clare of Assisi
and St. Mechtilde. In the 14th century, the holy mystic St. Gertrude of
Helfta had a vision that Christ sustained 5,466 wounds during the
Passion. St. Bridget of Sweden popularized a custom to recite fifteen
Paternosters each day (5,475 per year) in memory of the Sacred Wounds.
There was a special Mass of the Five Wounds, known as the Golden Mass,
which medieval tradition claimed was composed by St. John the
Evangelist and revealed to Boniface II (532) in a vision.
Related
revelations and Saints writings:
Private revelation to St. Bridget of Sweden indicated that all
the wounds Our Lord suffered added up to 5,480. She began to pray 15
prayers each day in honor of each of these wounds, their total after a
year being 5,475; these "Fifteen Prayers of St. Bridget of Sweden" are
still prayed today. Likewise, in Southern Germany, it became the
practice to pray 15 Our Fathers a day in honor of Christ's wounds so
that by the end of a year, 5,475 Paters were prayed.
St. John the Divine is said to have appeared to Pope Boniface II (d.
A.D. 532) and revealed a special Mass -- the "Golden Mass" -- in honor
of Christ's Five Wounds, and it is the effect of these Five Wounds that
are most often produced in the bodies of the men and women who imitate
Him best -- the stigmatics. St. Francis being the first of these, his
spiritual daughter, St. Clare, developed a strong devotion to the Five
Wounds, as did the Benedictine St. Gertrude the Great, and others.
-----
The Rosary of the Holy Wounds was first introduced at the beginning of
the 20th century by the Venerable Sister Mary Martha Chambon, a Roman
Catholic nun of the Monastery of the Visitation Order in
Chambéry, France. Her first visions were reported in 1866. She is
currently awaiting beatification.
She reported that Jesus appeared to her and asked her to unite her
sufferings with His as an Act of Reparation for the sins of the
world. She attributed this form of Rosary to Jesus during her
Visions of Jesus Christ, saying that Jesus considered it an important
Act of Reparation for his wounds in Calvary. She reported that Jesus
told her:
"When you offer My Holy Wounds for sinners, you must not forget to do
so for the souls in Purgatory, as there are but few who think of their
relief . . . The Holy Wounds are the treasure of treasures for the
souls in Purgatory."
---- St.
Bernard of Clairvaux
It is related in the annals of Clairvaux that St. Bernard asked Our
Lord which was His greatest unrecorded suffering, and He answered: "I
had on My Shoulder while I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a
grevious Wound which was more painful than the others, and which is not
recorded by men. Honor this Wound with thy devotion, and I will
grant
thee whatsoever thou does ask through its virtue and merit. And
in
regard to all those who shall venerate this wound, I will remit to them
all their venial sins, and will no longer remember their mortal sins"
------ Saints Gertrude the Great and Mechtilde
Jesus revealed to St. Gertrude that if any one of the following short
prayers is repeated five times in honor of the Five Holy Wounds of the
Lord, while spiritually kissing the Wounds devoutly and adding some
prayers or good works, and offering them through the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, they will be as acceptable to God as the most arduous devotion:
'Jesus, Savior of the World, have mercy on me. You to Whom
nothing
is impossible, bestow mercy to the wretched. '
'O Christ, Who by Your Cross, hast redeemed the world, hear us.'
'The Lord is my strength and my glory; He is my salvation.'
'Hail Jesus, my loving Spouse. I salute You in the ineffable joys
of Your Divinity; I embrace You with the affection of all creatures,
and I kiss the Sacred Wound of Your love.'
One day, before the Feast of the Ascension, St. Gertrude repeated the
following salutation five thousand, four hundred and sixty-six times:
'Glory be to Thee, sweetest, most gentle, most benign, sovereign,
transcendent, effulgent, and ever-peaceful Trinity, for the roseate
wounds of Jesus Christ, my only Love! '
After completing these salutations, Our Lord Jesus appeared to her,
more beautiful than the angels, bearing golden flowers on each
Wound. With a serene countenance and tender charity, He said,
"Behold in what glory I now appear to you. I will appear in the
same form to you at the hour of your death, and will cover all the
stains of your sins, and adorn you with a glory like that with which
you have adorned My Wounds by your salutations. All of those also
who salute my Wounds with the same devotion shall receive the like
favor."
You can say the above salutation 5466 times by praying in five times a
day for three years. You may also add the following oblation
which Jesus asked St. Mechtilde to pray after each division of five:
Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, accept
this prayer, with that surpassing love, with which Thou didst endure
all the Wounds of Thy most Holy Body. Have mercy on me, and on
all sinners, and on all the Faithful, living and departed. Grant
them grace and mercy, remission of sins, and everlasting life.
Amen.
-----
Rosary of the Holy Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Sister Mary Martha Chambon
Mary Martha Chambon (1841-1907) was a lay Sister of the Monastery of
the Visitation Order in Chambery, France. During her life, Jesus
Himself is said to have revealed to her the following two invocations,
giving her the double mission to adore and invoke the Sacred Wounds
unceasingly and to revive this devotion in the hearts of
creatures. She died in the odor of sanctity on 21 March 1907, and
the cause for her beatification was introduced in 1937.
Eternal Father I offer Thee the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ to heal
the wounds of our souls.
My Jesus, pardon and mercy through the merits of Thy Sacred Wounds.
Here are some statements Jesus is said to have made to Sr. Mary Martha
about this devotion:
"Come to My Wounds with hearts burning with love, and make the
aspirations with great fervor that you may obtain the graces and favors
you desire. Come to this wound in My Side; it is the Wound of
Love from which issue flames of fire"
"You must pray that the knowledge of My Sacred Wounds may spread in the
world". (As He said these words, Sr. Mary Martha saw five
luminous rays of glory issue from the Wounds of Christ, and envelop the
globe.)
"My Holy Wounds sanctify souls and insure their spiritual
advancement...Offer Me your actions united to My Sacred Wounds, and
even the smallest will have an incomprehensible value"
"Offer them often to Me for sinners because I thirst for souls. At each
word of the invocation that you utter, I will let a drop of My Blood
fall upon the soul of a sinner."
"When you offer My Holy Wounds for sinners, you must not forget to do
so for the souls in Purgatory, as there are but few who think of their
relief. The Holy Wounds are the treasure of treasures for the
souls in Purgatory."
-------
This devotion presents itself as surrounded by the most encouraging
promises.
"I shall grant all what will be requested to me through the invocation
to my Holy Wounds. You need to spread this devotion."
"You shall obtain all things, because it is the merit of my Blood which
is of an infinite price."
"With my Wounds and my Divine Heart, you can obtain all things."
"From my Wounds come out fruits of holiness. My Wounds shall repair
yours."
This devotion contains precious advantages for the detail of daily life.
"When you experience some sorrow, or have something to suffer, you need
to bring it hastily into my Wounds, and your sorrow shall be softened."
"Offer me your actions... united to my Holy Wounds, there are
incomprehensible riches, even into the least ones."
You need to have recourse to it in favor of the Sick.
"You have to often repeat before the sick this invocation: "My Jesus,
pardon and mercy, through the merits of thy Holy Wounds! " This prayer
shall soothe both the soul and body."
In Favor of the Dying.
"It is necessary to expire while kissing these sacred Wounds".
"There shall be no death for the soul who will expire in my Wounds:
they give true life." "The way of my Wounds is so simple, so easy to
reach Heaven!..."
In Favor of Sinners.
"My Wounds shall cover all your faults. Offer them to me often for
sinners, for: I thirst for souls."
"The sinner who will say the following prayer: "Eternal Father, I offer
thee the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ to heal those of our souls",
shall obtain his own conversion".
"With every word of the Chaplet of Mercy you pronounce, I let a drop of
my blood drip on the soul of a sinner."
"This Chaplet of Mercy balances my Justice, it stops my
vengeance."
Chaplet of the Holy Wounds
Chaplet of the Holy Wounds of Our Lord Jesus
Christ:
You can start the chaplet with this prayer:
O Jesus, Divine Redeemer, be merciful to us and to the whole world. R./
Amen.
God powerful, God holy, God immortal, have mercy on us and on the whole
world. R./ Amen.
Grace, mercy, my Jesus during the present dangers; cover us with thy
Precious Blood. R./ Amen.
Eternal Father, grant us mercy through the Blood of Jesus Christ, thy
only Son; grant us mercy, we beseech thee. R./ Amen.
On small beads:
My Jesus, pardon and mercy.
R./ Through the merits of thy Holy Wounds. (Ind. of 300 days, each day)
On large beads:
Eternal Father, I offer thee the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ. R./
To heals those of our souls. (Ind. of 300 days, each day)
(H.H. Pius XI. Sacred Penitentiary, Jan. 16, 1924).
The Chaplet is ended, saying thrice:
"Eternal Father, I offer thee the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
R./ To heals those of our souls.
In favor of the Souls in Purgatory.
"The benefit of the Holy Wounds makes graces come down from Heaven, and
Holy Souls come up onto Heaven."
"The Holy Wounds are the treasure of treasures for the Souls in
Purgatory."
"I would like to see all my Spouses be "Crucifixes." "My daughter, look
at my crown, and you shall see mortification, -my hands stretched out,
and you shall learn obedience, -you shall understand poverty when you
see me all unclothed on the Cross, -Purity in the One who is so pure
and who loves you as your Spouse! "Everywhere, you will find Wounds in
your Spouse." "This is where those I have chosen and who want to attain
glory must walk." "I want you to be a standing victim!"
--Extract from revelations made to Sr. Marie Marthe Chambon on the Holy
Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayers
Prayer in Honor of the Five
Wounds
Act of Contrition
As I kneel before Thee on the cross, most loving Saviour of my soul, my
conscience reproaches me with having nailed Thee to that cross with
these hands of mine, as often as I have fallen into mortal sin,
wearying Thee with my base ingratitude. My God, my chief and perfect
good, worthy of all my love, because Thou hast loaded me with
blessings; I cannot now undo my misdeeds, as I would most willingly;
but I loathe them, grieving sincerely for having offended Thee, Who art
infinite goodness. And now, kneeling at Thy feet, I try, at least, to
compassionate Thee, to give Thee thanks, to ask Thee pardon and
contrition; wherefore with my heart and lips, I say:
To the Wound of the Left Foot
Holy wound of the left foot of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate
Thee, O Jesus, for the most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I
thank Thee for the love whereby Thou laboured to overtake me on the way
to ruin, and didst bleed amid the thorns and brambles of my sins. I
offer to the Eternal Father the pain and love of Thy most holy
humanity, in atonement for my sins, all of which I detest with sincere
and bitter contrition.
Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.
To the Wound of the Right Foot
Holy wound of the right foot of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate
Thee, O Jesus, for the most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I
thank Thee for that love which pierced Thee with such torture and
shedding of blood, in order to punish my wanderings and the guilty
pleasures I have granted to my unbridled passions. I offer the Eternal
Father all the pain and love of Thy most holy humanity, and I pray Thee
for grace to weep over my sins with hot tears, and to enable me to
persevere in the good which I have begun, without ever swerving again
from my obedience to the divine commands.
Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.
To the Wound of the Left Hand
Holy wound of the left hand of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate
Thee, O Jesus, for the most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I
thank Thee for having in Thy love spared me the scourges and eternal
damnation which my sins have merited. I offer to the Eternal Father the
pain and love of They most holy humanity: and I pray Thee to teach me
how to turn to good account my span of life, and bring forth in it
worthy fruits of penance, and to disarm the justice of God, which I
have provoked.
Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.
To the Wound of the Right Hand
Holy wound of the right hand of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate
Thee, O Jesus, for the most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I
thank Thee for Thy graces lavished on me with such love, in spite of
all my most perverse obstinacy. I offer to the Eternal Father all the
pain and love of Thy most holy humanity; and I pray Thee to change my
heart and its affections, and make me do all my actions in accordance
with the will of God.
Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.
To the Wound of the Sacred Side
Holy wound in the side of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate Thee,
O Jesus, for the cruel insult Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee, my
Jesus, for the love which suffered Thy side and Heart to be pierced, so
that the last drops of blood and water might issue forth, making my
redemption to overflow. I offer to the Eternal Father this outrage, and
the love of Thy most holy humanity, that my soul may enter once for all
into that most loving Heart, eager and ready to receive the greatest
sinners, and never more depart.
Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.
-----------
THE LITTLE CHAPLET OF THE FIVE
WOUNDS OF JESUS CRUCIFIED
from St. Alphonsus Liguori
I.
O my Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the wound in Thy left foot. I thank
Thee for having suffered it for me with so much sorrow and with so much
love. I compassionate Thy pain, and that of Thine afflicted Mother.
And, by the merit of this sacred wound, I pray Thee to grant me the
pardon of my sins, of which I repent with all my heart, because they
have offended Thine infinite goodness. O sorrowing Mary, pray to Jesus
for me.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory, etc.
By all the wounds which Thou didst bear
With so much love and so much pain,
Oh, let a sinner's prayer
Thy mercy, Lord, obtain!
II.
O my Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the wound in Thy right foot. I thank
Thee for having suffered it for me with so much sorrow and with so much
love. I compassionate Thy pain, and that of Thine afflicted Mother.
And, by the merit of this sacred wound, I pray Thee to give me the
strength not to fall into mortal sin for the future, but to persevere
in Thy grace unto my death. O sorrowing Mary, pray to Jesus for me.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory, etc.
By all the wounds which Thou didst bear
With so much love and so much pain,
Oh, let a sinner's prayer
Thy mercy, Lord, obtain!
III.
O my Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the wound in Thy left hand. I thank
Thee for having suffered it for me with so much sorrow and with so much
love. I compassionate Thy pain, and that of Thine afflicted Mother.
And, by the merit of this sacred wound, I pray Thee to deliver me from
Hell, which I have so often deserved, where I could never love Thee
more. O sorrowing Mary, pray to Jesus for me.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory, etc.
By all the wounds which Thou didst bear
With so much love and so much pain,
Oh, let a sinner's prayer
Thy mercy, Lord, obtain!
IV.
O my Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the wound in Thy right hand. I thank
Thee for having suffered it for me with so much sorrow and with so much
love. I compassionate Thy pain, and that of Thy most afflicted Mother.
And, by the merit of this sacred wound, I pray Thee to give me the
glory of Paradise, where I shall love Thee perfectly, and with all my
strength. O sorrowing Mary, pray to Jesus for me.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory, etc.
By all the wounds which Thou didst bear
With so much love and so much pain,
Oh, let a sinner's prayer
Thy mercy, Lord, obtain!
V.
O my Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the wound in Thy side. I thank Thee for
having willed, even after Thy death, to suffer this additional injury,
without pain indeed, yet with consummate love. I compassionate Thine
afflicted Mother, who alone felt all its pain. And, by the merit of
this sacred wound, I pray Thee to bestow upon me the gift of holy love
for Thee, that so I may ever love Thee in this life, and in the other,
face to face, for all eternity, in Paradise. O sorrowing Mary, pray to
Jesus for me.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory, etc.
By all the wounds which Thou didst bear
With so much love and so much pain,
Oh, let a sinner's prayer
Thy mercy, Lord, obtain!
-------------- St. Clare's Litany of the Sacred
Wounds
This exquisite seven-century-old devotion, broadly speaking a litany,
was composed and was daily recited by the Seraphic Mother St. Clare of
Assisi, foundress of the Second Order of St. Francis, the Poor Ladies
or Clares. The litany is approved by the Holy See for private devotion,
and in 1885 was enriched by Pope Leo XIII with an indulgence of 300
days, once a day.
Praise and honor be given Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, by reason of
the Sacred Wound in Thy Right Hand. By this adorable wound, I beseech
Thee to pardon me all the sins I have committed by thoughts, words and
deeds, by neglect in Thy service, and by self-indulgence, both waking
and sleeping. Grant me the grace that, by a devout and frequent
remembrance of Thy Holy Passion, I may honor Thy sacred wounds and the
death which Thou didst endure for love of me; and that, by chastising
my body, I may testify my gratitude for Thy sufferings and Thy death:
Who livest and reignest, world without end. R. Amen. Our Father
(silently). Hail, Mary (silently). Praise and honor be given Thee, O
most amiable Jesus, by reason of the Sacred Wound in Thy Left Hand. By
this holy wound, I beseech Thee to have pity on me and to change within
me whatever is displeasing to Thee. Grant me to be victorious over
Thine enemies, so that, by the power of Thy grace, I may overcome them;
and do Thou, by Thy holy and adorable death, deliver me from all
dangers, present and to come, and make me worthy to share in the glory
of Thy Blessed Kingdom: Who livest and reignest, world without end. R.
Amen. Our Father (silently). Hail, Mary (silently).
Praise and honor be given Thee, O sweetest Jesus, by reason of the
Sacred Wound in Thy Right Foot. By this holy and adorable wound, I
beseech Thee to enable me to bring forth worthy fruits of penance for
my sins. I humbly entreat Thee, for the sake of Thine adorable death,
to keep me, day and night, in Thy holy will, to preserve me from all
adversity of soul and body, and, on the dreadful day of judgment, to
deal with me according to Thy mercy, that I may obtain eternal joys:
Who livest and reignest, world without end. R. Amen. Our Father
(silently). Hail, Mary (silently).
Praise and honor be given Thee, O sweet and merciful Jesus, by reason
of the Sacred Wound in Thy Left Foot. By this adorable wound, I beseech
Thee to grant me pardon and full remission of all my sins, so that,
with Thine aid, I may escape the rigors of justice. I entreat Thee, O
good and merciful Jesus, for the sake of Thy Holy Death, to grant that
at the hour of my death, I may have the grace to confess my sins with a
perfect contrition, to receive the adorable Sacrament of Thy Body and
Thy Blood, and likewise, the holy Sacrament of Extreme Unction for my
eternal salvation: Who livest and reignest, world without end. R. Amen.
Our Father (silently). Hail, Mary (silently).
Praise and honor be given Thee, O good and sweetest Jesus, by reason of
the Wound in Thy Sacred Side. By this adorable wound and by that
immense mercy shown Longinus and to us all, in allowing Thy Sacred Side
to be opened, I beseech Thee, O good Jesus, that as in Baptism Thou
didst purify me from original sin, so now Thou wouldst be pleased, by
the merits of Thy Most Precious Blood, Which is offered up this day
over the whole world, to deliver me from all evils, past, present, and
to come. I entreat Thee, by Thy bitter death, to give me a lively
faith, a firm hope, and perfect charity, so that I may love Thee with
my whole heart, with my whole soul, and with all my strength. Uphold me
by Thy grace in the practice of good works, so that I may persevere to
the end in Thy holy service and glorify Thee in time and eternity. R.
Amen. Our Father (silently). Hail, Mary (silently).
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. R. Because, by Thy death
and Thy precious blood, Thou hast redeemed the world.
Let us pray. O Almighty and Eternal God, Who hast ransomed the human
race by the five wounds of Thy Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ:
we beseech Thee, by the merits of His precious blood, to grant unto us,
who, each day, venerate these same adorable wounds, to be delivered
from a sudden and unprovided death: Through the same Jesus Christ Thy
Son, Our Lord, Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth,
one God, world without end. R. Amen.
------------------
TO OUR LORD ON THE CROSS
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday
My Crucified Jesus, mercifully accept the prayer which I now make to
Thee for help in the moment of my death, when at its approach all my
senses shall fail me.
When, therefore, O sweetest Jesus, my weary and downcast eyes can no
longer look up to Thee, be mindful of the loving gaze which I now turn
on Thee, and have mercy on me.
When my parched lips can no longer kiss Thy most Sacred Wounds,
remember then those kisses which now I imprint on Thee, and have mercy
on me.
When my cold hands can no longer embrace Thy Cross, forget not the
affection with which I embrace it now, and have mercy on me.
And when, at length, my swollen and lifeless tongue can no longer
speak, remember that I called upon Thee now.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, to Thee I commend my soul. Amen.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ
to heal the wounds of our souls.
-----------
Chaplet of the Five Wounds
This chaplet, approved by the Holy See on 11 August 1823
(coincidentally, the anniversary of St. Clare's death), consists of
five groups of five beads -- each group representing one of the Five
Wounds. The first group of beads honors the Wound on His left foot; the
second, the Wound on His right foot; the third, the Wound on His left
Hand; the fourth, the wound on His right Hand; and the fifth, the Wound
in His Side. Sometimes a medal will be attached depicting Our Lord's
Wounds on one side, and His Sorrowful Mother on the other.
While meditating on the appropriate Wound at each group, one Gloria is
said on each bead, and between the groups, an Ave is said in honor of
Mary's sorrows. The Blessing of the Beads used to count these prayers
is reserved to the Passionist Order.
Sister Mary Martha Chambon, a humble lay Sister
of the Visitation Order of Chambery, France,
who died in the odor of sanctity, March 21st, 1907,
received these two invocations from Our Lord Himself, as she affirmed,
and with them a double mission:
to adore and invoke the Sacred Wounds unceasingly
and to revive this devotion in the hearts of creatures.
Our Lord Said to her:
"The soul who during life has honored and studied
the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ,
and has offered them to the Eternal Father for the souls in Purgatory,
will be accompanied at the moment of death by the Holy Virgin
and the angels; and Our Lord on the Cross all brilliant in glory
will receive her and crown her."
To be said on the Crucifix and the first three beads of an ordinary
Rosary:
O Jesus, Divine Redeemer, be merciful to us and to the whole world.
Amen.
Strong God, holy God, immortal God, have mercy on us and on the whole
world. Amen.
Grace and mercy, O my Jesus, during present dangers; cover us with Your
Precious Blood. Amen.
Eternal Father, grant us mercy through the Blood of Jesus Christ, Your
only Son; grant us mercy, we beseech You. Amen, Amen, Amen.
The following prayers, composed by Our Lord, are to be said using the
Rosary beads.
On the large beads:
Eternal Father, I offer You the Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ. To
heal the wounds of our souls.
On the small beads:
My Jesus, pardon and mercy, through the merits of Your Holy Wounds.
-------
DEVOTION IN MEMORY OF THE AGONY
OF
JESUS
WORDS OF JESUS ON THE CROSS
FIRST WORD.
Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
V. Adoramus Te Christe, et benedicimus Tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redimisti mundum.
Jesus, my Love! who for love of me didst hang in agony upon the cross,
there by Thy pains to pay the penalty of my sins, and didst open Thy
divine mouth to obtain for me the pardon of them from Eternal Justice;
O Jesus, pity all the faithful who are now in their last agony, and
pity me when I too shall be in mine. By the merits of Thy most
Precious Blood shed for our salvation, vouchsafe unto us all such
lively sorrow for our sins, that when we have sent forth our last
breath we may at once repose in the bosom of Thy infinite mercy.
Three Gloria Patri’s, &c.
Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri.
My God, in Thee I believe, in Thee I hope, Thou art my love. I
repent of my sins, because by them I have offended Thee.
SECOND WORD.
This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
V. Adoramus, &c.
Jesus, my Love! who for love of me didst hang in agony upon the cross,
and with such readiness and bounty didst meet the faith of the good
thief, when in Thy humiliations he acknowledged Thee to be the Son of
God, and didst make him sure of the paradise prepared for him; O, pity
all the faithful who are in their last agony, and pity me when I too
shall be in mine. By the merit of Thy most Precious Blood, stir
up in our souls such firm and steadfast faith as shall never waver
under any suggestion of the evil one; that so we also may obtain the
blessed prize of Paradise.
Three Gloria Patri’s, &c.
Miserere, &c.
My God, in Thee I believe, in Thee I hope, Thou art my love. I
repent of my sins, because by them I have offended Thee.
THIRD WORD.
Behold thy Mother! Behold thy Son!
V. Adoramus, &c.
Jesus, my Love! who for love of me didst hang in agony upon the cross,
and unmindful of Thine own sorrows didst leave us Thy own most holy
Mother as the pledge of Thy love, that through her intercession we
might seek Thee with confidence in our greatest straits; have pity on
all the faithful who are in their last agony, and pity me when I too
shall be in mine. By the inward martyrdom of Thy dear Mother,
quicken in our hearts a firm hope in the infinite merits of Thine own
most Precious Blood, that so we may escape the sentence of eternal
death, which we know we well merit for our sins.
Three Gloria Patri’s, &c.
V. Miserere, &c.
My God, in Thee I believe, in Thee I hope, Thou art my love. I
repent of my sins, because by them I have offended Thee.
FOURTH WORD.
My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?
V. Adoramus, &c.
Jesus, my Love! who for love of me didst hang in agony upon the cross,
and, whilst suffering after suffering was heaped upon Thee, didst bear
with infinite patience the most afflicting desolation of spirit in
addition to the pain of body, being forsaken by Thine Eternal Father;
pity all the faithful who are in their last agony, and pity me when I
too shall be in mine. By the merits of Thy most Precious Blood,
grant us all Thy grace that we may suffer with patience every pain and
anguish of our agony, that so joining our pains with Thine, we too may
be made partakers of Thy glory in Paradise.
Three Gloria Patri’s, &c.
V. Miserere, &c.
My God, in Thee I believe, in Thee I hope, Thou art my love. I
repent of my sins, because by them I have offended Thee.
FIFTH WORD.
I thirst.
V. Adoramus, &c.
Jesus, my Love! who for love of me didst hang in agony upon the cross,
and who, insatiable in Thy thirst for insults and sufferings, didst
will yet more and more to suffer, that all men might be saved, showing
thereby that all the torrent of Thy Passion was not enough to quench
the thirst of Thy most loving Heart; pity all the faithful who are in
their last agony, and pity me when I too shall be in mine. By the
merits of Thy most Precious Blood, so kindle in our hearts the fire of
charity that they may desire exceedingly to be united with Thee for all
eternity.
Three Gloria Patri’s, &c.
V. Miserere, &c.
My God, in Thee I believe, in Thee I hope, Thou art my love. I
repent of my sins, because by them I have offended Thee.
SIXTH WORD.
It is finished.
V. Adoramus, &c.
Jesus, my Love! who for love of me didst hang in agony upon the cross,
and from that pulpit of truth didst announce that the work of our
redemption was finished, that work through which, from children of
wrath and perdition we became God's children and the heirs of heaven;
pity all the faithful who are in their last agony, and pity me when I
too shall be in mine. By the merits of Thy most Precious Blood,
detach us wholly from the world and from ourselves, and at the moment
of our agony grant us grace to offer Thee with all our hearts the
sacrifice of our life, in expiation for our sins.
Three Gloria Patri’s, &c.
V. Miserere, &c.
My God, in Thee I believe, in Thee I hope, Thou art my love. I repent
of my sins, because by them I have offended Thee.
SEVENTH WORD.
Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.
V. Adoramus, &c.
Jesus, my Love! who for love of me didst hang in agony upon the cross,
and who in accomplishment of the great sacrifice didst accept the will
of Thine Eternal Father, commending Thy spirit into His hands, and so
didst bow Thy head and die; pity all the faithful who are in their
agony, and pity me when I too shall be in mine. By the merits of
Thy most Precious Blood, give us in our agony an entire conformity to
Thy divine will, that, ready to live or die as it please Thee, we may
desire nothing but that Thine adorable will may ever find its full
accomplishment in us.
Three Gloria Patri’s, &c.
V. Miserere, &c.
My God, in Thee I believe, in Thee I hope, Thou art my love. I
repent of my sins, because by them I have offended Thee.
PRAYER TO THE HOLY VIRGIN,
MOTHER OF SORROWS
Most Holy Mother of sorrows, by that intense martyrdom which thou didst
suffer at the foot of the cross during the three hours of the agony of
Jesus; deign to aid us all, who are the children of thy sorrows, in our
last agony, that by thy prayers we may pass from our bed of death to
adorn thy crown in Paradise.
Three Ave Maria's, &c.
Maria mater gratiae,
Mater misericordiae,
Tu nos ab hoste protege,
Et mortis hora suscipe.
V. A subitanea et improvisa morte,
R. Libera nos, Domine.
V. Ab insidiis diaboli,
R. Libera nos, Domine.
V. A morte perpetua,
R. Libera nos, Domine.
Oremus.
Deus, qui ad humani generis salutem in dolorosissima Filii tui morte,
exemplum et subsidium constituisti: concede, quaesumus, ut in extremo
mortis nostrae periculo tantae charitatis effectum consequi, et ipsius
Redemptoris gloriae consociari mereamur. Per eumdem Christum,
etc. R. Amen.
Mother of mercy, Mother of grace,
Mary, help a fallen race.
Shield us when the foe is nigh,
And receive us when we die.
V. From sudden and unprepared death,
R. Deliver us, O Lord.
V. From the snares of the devil,
R. Deliver us, O Lord.
V. From everlasting death,
R. Deliver us, O Lord.
Let us pray.
God, who for the salvation of the human race hast, in the most bitter
death of Thy Son, made for us both an example and a refuge; grant, we
beseech Thee, that in the last peril, at the hour of our death, we may
be made worthy to experience the effect of this great charity, and so
to be associated in the glory of the Redeemer Himself. Through
the same Jesus Christ Thy Son.
End with the three ejaculations,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, I offer you my heart and my soul.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, may I breath forth my soul with you in peace.
----------------
Devoutly say the following prayer before any representation of Jesus
crucified:
O good and sweetest Jesus, before Thy face I humbly kneel, and with all
fervour of soul I pray and beseech Thee to vouchsafe to fix deep in my
heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, true contrition
for my sins, and a most firm purpose of amendment; whilst I contemplate
with great sorrow and love Thy five Wounds, and ponder them over in my
mind, having before my eyes the words which, long ago, David the
prophet spoke in his own person concerning Thee, my Jesus: "Foderunt
manus Meas et pedes Meos; dinumeraverunt omnia ossa Mea," - They digged
My hands and My feet; they numbered all My bones." Ps. xxi. 17,18.
-------------
PRAYER OF ST. PIUS V., “O MY
LORD JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED,” ETC.
i. O my Lord Jesus Christ crucified, Son of the most Blessed Virgin
Mary, open Thy ears, and listen to me as Thou didst listen to Thy
eternal Father upon Mount Tabor.
Say then a Credo.
ii. O my Lord Jesus Christ crucified, Son of the most Blessed Virgin
Mary, open Thine eyes, and look upon me as Thou didst look from the
tree of the Cross upon Thy dear Mother sorrowing and afflicted.
Credo.
iii. O my Lord Jesus Christ crucified, Son of the most Blessed Virgin
Mary, open Thy blessed mouth, and speak as Thou didst speak to St. John
when Thou gavest him for son to Thine own most beloved Mother.
Credo.
iv. O my Lord Jesus Christ crucified, Son of the most Blessed Virgin
Mary, open Thine arms, and embrace me as Thou didst open them upon the
Cross to embrace the whole human race.
Credo.
v. O my Lord Jesus Christ crucified, Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
open Thy Heart, and receive therein my heart, and hear me in all that I
ask of Thee, if so be it be agreeable to Thy most holy will.
Credo.
----------
COMMEMORATION OF THE PASSION OF
JESUS
Mondays in Lent
O my God, Who, for the Redemption of the world, wouldst be born and
circumcised, be rejected by the Jews, betrayed with a kiss by the
traitor Judas, bound with cords, carried as an innocent lamb to be a
Victim, and shamefully brought as a malefactor before Annas, Caiphas,
Pilate, and Herod; accused by false witnesses, buffeted, spat upon,
crowned with thorns, struck with a reed, covered with a veil, and
despoiled of Thy garments; nailed to the Cross, and raised upon it,
reputed with the thieves, drenched with gall and vinegar, and pierced
with a lance: Thou, O Lord, by these Thy most holy sufferings, which I,
an unworthy sinner, honor now, and by Thy Holy Cross and Death, deliver
me from the torments of Hell, and vouchsafe to take me to Paradise,
whither Thou hast taken the good Thief crucified at Thy side; Who
livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, forever, unto
ages of ages. Amen.
----------------
Prayer to Obtain a Favor:
O great Passion! O deep Wounds! O Blood shed in abundance! O meekness!
O God of meekness, O cruel death, have mercy on me and grant my request
if it be for my salvation. Amen. (mention your request)
-----------
"O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, grant that I may, with all
my heart, all my desire, and with a thirsting soul, aspire toward you;
and in you, most sweet and pleasant, take my rest. With my whole spirit
and all that is within me, may I sigh always for you in whom alone true
blessedness is to be found. Inscribe with your precious blood, most
merciful Lord, your wounds on my heart, that I may read in them both
your sufferings and your love. May the memory of your wounds ever
remain in the hidden places of my heart, to stir up within me your
compassionate sorrow, so that the flame of your love may be enkindled
in me. Grant also that all creatures may become vile to me, and that
you may become the only sweetness of my heart."
St. Gertrude of Helfta, pray for us.
-------------
Promises of Our Lord for those
who are Devoted to His Wounds
At each word that you pronounce of the Chaplet of the Holy Wounds, I
allow a drop of My Blood to fall upon the soul of a sinner.
Each time that you offer to My Father the merits of My divine Wounds,
you win an immense fortune.
Souls that will have contemplated and honored My crown of thorns on
earth, will be My crown of glory in Heaven!
I will grant all that is asked of Me through the invocation of My Holy
Wounds. You will obtain everything, because it is through the
merit of My Blood, which is of infinite price. With My Wounds and
My Divine Heart, everything can be obtained.
From My Wounds proceed fruits of sanctity. As gold purified in
the crucible becomes more beautiful, so you must put your soul and
those of your companions into My sacred Wounds; there they will become
perfected as gold in the furnace. You can always purify yourself
in My Wounds.
My Wounds will repair yours. My Wounds will cover all your
faults. Those who honor them will have a true knowledge of Jesus
Christ. In meditation on them, you will always find a new love.
My wounds will cover all your sins.
Plunge your actions into My Wounds and they will be of value. All your
actions, even the least, soaked in My Blood, will acquire by this alone
an infinite merit and will please My Heart.
In offering My Wounds for the conversion of sinners, even though the
sinners are not converted, you will have the same merit before God as
if they were.
When you have some trouble, something to suffer, quickly place it in My
Wounds, and the pain will be alleviated.
This aspiration must often be repeated near the sick: "My Jesus, pardon
and mercy through the merits of Your Holy Wounds!" This prayer
will solace soul and body.
A sinner who will say the following prayer will obtain conversion:
"Eternal Father, I offer You the Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ to
heal those of our souls."
There will be no death for the soul that expires in My Holy Wounds;
they give true life.
This chaplet is a counterpoise to My justice; it restrains My
vengeance.
Those who pray with humility and who meditate on My Passion, will one
day participate in the glory of My divine Wounds.
The more you will have contemplated My painful Wounds on this earth,
the higher will be your contemplation of them glorious in Heaven.
The soul who during life has honored the Wounds of our Lord Jesus
Christ and has offered them to the Eternal Father for the Souls in
Purgatory, will be accompanied at the moment of death by the Holy
Virgin and the angels; and Our Lord on the Cross, all brillant in
glory, will receive her and crown her.
The invocations of the Holy Wounds will obtain an incessant victory for
the Church.
source -- http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2064868/posts
-----
The Rosary of the Holy Wounds
consists
of three prayers that are said on specific portions of the rosary beads
as follows:
The following prayers are said on the crucifix and first three beads:
O JESUS, Divine Redeemer, be merciful to us and to the whole world.
Amen.
Strong God, Holy God, Immortal God, have mercy on us and on the whole
world. Amen
Grace and Mercy, O my Jesus, during present dangers; cover us with Your
Precious Blood. Amen.
ETERNAL Father, grant us mercy through the Blood of Jesus Christ, Your
only Son; grant us mercy we beseech You. Amen, Amen, Amen.
The following prayer is said on the large beads of the rosary chain:
Eternal Father, I offer You the Wounds of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, to
heal the wounds of our souls.
The following prayer is said on the small beads of the rosary chain:
My Jesus, pardon and mercy, through the merits of Your Holy Wounds. ----- Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
It is related in the annals of Clairvaux that St. Bernard asked Our
Lord which was His greatest unrecorded suffering, and He answered: "I
had on My Shoulder while I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a
grevious Wound which was more painful than the others, and which is not
recorded by men. Honor this Wound with thy devotion, and I will
grant thee whatsoever thou does ask through its virtue and merit.
And in regard to all those who shall venerate this wound, I will remit
to them all their venial sins, and will no longer remember their mortal
sins"
Prayer to the Shoulder Wound of
Christ:
Most loving Jesus, meek Lamb of God, I, a miserable sinner, salute and
worship the most Sacred Wound of Thy Shoulder on which Thou didst bear
Thy heavy Cross which so toreThy flesh and laid bareThy Bones as to
inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound of Thy Most
Blessed Body. I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise and
glorify Thee, and give The thanks for this most sacred and painful
Wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain, and by the crushing
burden of Thy heavy Cross to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me
all my mortal and venial sins, and to lead me on towards Heaven along
the Way of Thy Cross. Amen.3 -----------
TO THE MOST HOLY VIRGIN MARY,
MOTHER OF SORROWS
Mary, Virgin Mother of God, martyr of love and sorrow, because Thou
didst witness the pains and torments of Jesus: truly didst Thou concur
in the great work of my redemption, first, by Thy innumerable
afflictions, and then by the offering Thou didst make to the Eternal
Father of His and Thy Only Begotten, for a holocaust and victim to
appease His wrath for my sins. I compassionate Thee for the bitter pain
which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for that love, well nigh
infinite, through which Thou didst bereave Thyself of the fruit of Thy
womb, very God and very Man, to save me, a sinner; let Thy intercession
which is never in vain, be ever with the Father and the Son for me,
that I may steadily amend my evil ways, and never, by further faults,
crucify anew my loving Saviour; that so, persevering in His grace until
death, I may obtain eternal life: through the merits of His sad passion
and death upon the cross.
Three Hail Marys.
Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, at the sixth hour of the day, didst, for the
redemption of the world, mount the gibbet of the cross, and shed Thy
precious blood for the remission of sins; we humbly beseech Thee to
grant us, after our death, a joyful entrance into the gates of
Paradise.
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that now, and at the hour
of our death, blessed Mary, ever Virgin, Thy Mother, may intercede for
us, through whose most holy soul a sword passed in the hour of Thy
passion; through Thee, Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, Who, with
the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest for ever and ever.
Amen.
---------------
Invocation in honor of the Holy
Wounds
of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ
to heal the wounds of our souls.
My Jesus, pardon and mercy
through the merits of Thy Sacred Wounds.
Amen.
------
PRAYER TO THE WOUNDS OF THE
HANDS OF JESUS
Holy wound of the left hand of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate
Thee, O Jesus, for the most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I
thank Thee for having in Thy love spared me the scourges and eternal
damnation which my sins have merited. I offer to the Eternal Father the
pain and love of They most holy humanity: and I pray Thee to teach me
how to turn to good account my span of life, and bring forth in it
worthy fruits of penance, and to disarm the justice of God, which I
have provoked.
Holy wound of the right hand of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate
Thee, O Jesus, for the most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I
thank Thee for Thy graces lavished on me with such love, in spite of
all my most perverse obstinacy. I offer to the Eternal Father all the
pain and love of Thy most holy humanity; and I pray Thee to change my
heart and its affections, and make me do all my actions in accordance
with the will of God.
----- PRAYER TO THE WOUNDS OF THE FEET
OF JESUS
Holy wound of the left foot of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate
Thee, O Jesus, for the most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I
thank Thee for the love whereby Thou laboured to overtake me on the way
to ruin, and didst bleed amid the thorns and brambles of my sins. I
offer to the Eternal Father the pain and love of Thy most holy
humanity, in atonement for my sins, all of which I detest with sincere
and bitter contrition.
Holy wound of the right foot of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate
Thee, O Jesus, for the most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I
thank Thee for that love which pierced Thee with such torture and
shedding of blood, in order to punish my wanderings and the guilty
pleasures I have granted to my unbridled passions. I offer the Eternal
Father all the pain and love of Thy most holy humanity, and I pray Thee
for grace to weep over my sins with hot tears, and to enable me to
persevere in the good which I have begun, without ever swerving again
from my obedience to the divine commands.
------ PRAYER TO THE WOUND OF THE
SACRED SIDE OF JESUS
Holy wound in the side of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate Thee,
O Jesus, for the cruel insult Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee, my
Jesus, for the love which suffered Thy side and Heart to be pierced, so
that the last drops of blood and water might issue forth, making my
redemption to overflow. I offer to the Eternal Father this outrage, and
the love of Thy most holy humanity, that my soul may enter once for all
into that most loving Heart, eager and ready to receive the greatest
sinners, and never more depart.
-------
THIRTY-THREE VISITS TO OUR LORD
THE CHRIST:
DEVOTION GIVEN TO ST. MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE BY OUR LORD
For the Conversion of Sinners
This is what the Saint wrote about the devotion: "One Friday, during
holy Mass, I felt a great desire to honor the sufferings of my
crucified Spouse. He told me lovingly that He desired me, every Friday,
to adore Him thirty-three times upon the Cross, the throne of His
mercy. I was to prostrate myself humbly at His feet, and try to remain
there in the dispositions of the Blessed Virgin during His Passion. I
was to offer these acts of adoration to the Eternal Father together
with the sufferings of her Divine Son, to beg Him the conversion of all
hardened and faithless hearts who resist the impulse of His grace. He
told me, moreover, that at the hour of death He will be favorable to
those who have been faithful to this practice.
How to practice the devotion
These 33 acts of adoration of Our Lord on the Cross may be made
anywhere on Fridays, and even while attending to one's ordinary duties.
They require no special attitude, formula or vocal prayer. A simple
look of love and contrition coming from the depths of our heart and
sent up to Our Crucified Lord is sufficient to express our adoration
and gratitude to Him. It is also an appeal to the Virgin Mary to
intercede on behalf of sinners, for their conversion.
Prayer of St. Margaret Mary
My God, I offer Thee Thy well-beloved Son, in thanksgiving for all the
benefits I have received from Thee. I offer Him as my adoration, my
petition, my oblation, and my resolutions; I offer Him as my love and
my all. Receive, O Eternal Father, this offering for whatever Thou
willest of me, since I have nothing to offer which is not unworthy of
Thee, except Jesus, my Savior, Whom Thou hast given me with so much
love. Amen.
"When you fail in simplicity and humility, you lose the friendship of
the Sacred Heart. Your heart is then left like barren soil which only
produces the thorns and thistles of faults and imperfections----- this
refers to willful faults."
------------
Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees in Thy
sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul, I pray and beseech
Thee that Thou wouldst impress upon my heart, lively sentiments of
faith, hope and charity with true contrition for my sins and firm
purpose of amendment; while with deep affection and grief of soul
I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate Thy five most precious
wounds, having before my eyes that which David spoke in prophecy
concerning Thee: "They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have
numbered all my bones".
--------- Devotion to the Drops of Blood
Lost by our Lord Jesus Christ on His Way
to Calvary
St. Elizabeth, Queen of Hungary, with St. Matilda and St. Bridget,
wishing to know something of the Passion of Jesus Christ, offered
fervent and special prayers. upon which Our Lord revealed to them:
To all the faithful who shall recite for 3 years, each day, 2 Our
Fathers, 2 Hail Marys and 2 Glory Bes in honor of the drops of Blood I
lost, I will concede the following 5 graces:
1st: The plenary indulgence and remittance of your sins.
2nd: You will be free from the pains of Purgatory.
3rd: If you should die before completing the said 3 years, for you it
will be the same as if you had completed them.
4th: It will be upon your death the same as if you had shed all your
blood for the Holy Faith.
5th: I will descend from Heaven to take your soul and that of your
relatives, until the fourth generation.
---------
A Very Useful Manner of Hiding
Oneself in the Five Sacred Wounds
This was taught to St. Mechtilde by Christ Himself as she went to kiss
the Cross one Good Friday. (Book 1, ch. 23 and 29).
I THANK Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for the painful Wound of Thy left
foot, from which flowed the Precious Blood that washes away our sins.
In it I sink and hide all the sins I have ever committed. Amen.
I thank Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for the painful Wound of Thy right
foot, from which the fountain of peace flowed to us. In its depths I
sink and bury all my desires, that they may be purified and remain
unspotted by any earthly stain. Amen.
I thank Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for the painful Wound of Thy left
hand, from which the well of grace flowed to us. In it I enclose all my
spiritual and bodily ills, that in union with Thy sufferings they may
become sweet to me, and by patience become a fragrant odor before God.
Amen.
I thank Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for the painful Wound of Thy right
hand, from which the medicine of the soul was poured forth. In it I
hide all my negligences and omissions which I have committed in my
virtuous exercises, that they may be atoned for by Thy zealous works.
Amen.
I thank Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, for the healing Wound of Thy
sweetest Heart, from which living Water and Blood and the riches of all
good flowed to us. I place myself in this Wound, and there unite all my
imperfect love to Thy Divine love, that thus it may be perfected. Amen.
------------
Hymns
Oh! Sacred Feet, all gashed and
torn,
Bruised by the hammer's cruel blows,
Bathed in the life-blood dripping down
From anguished Heart in bitter throes;
I press You to my lips in tears,
With contrite sorrow, fervent sigh.
Dear precious Wounds, God's bleeding prayers,
Ah! plead for me when death draws nigh.
Oh, Mangled Hands, transfixed and wan,
in suppliance raised to Heaven above,
Pierced by the nails that torture wrung,
From breaking Heart of burning love;
I press You to my lips in tears,
With contrite sorrow, fervent sigh.
Dear precious Wounds, God's bleeding prayers,
Ah! plead for me when death draws nigh.
Oh! Sacred Refuge, tender Side,
Rent by the lance with cruel thrust,
There, where His Heart is, let me hide,
There, where His love is, let me trust.
I press Thee to my lips in tears,
With contrite sorrow, fervent sigh.
Most Holy Wound, allay my fears,
Recieve my soul when death draws nigh
--"Prayer to the Five Wounds," The Little Treasury of Leaflets, vol.IV
(Dublin: Gill, 1914) 893-894.
-------------
Dias Irae, Dias
Illa
That day of wrath, that dreadful day, shall heaven and earth in ashes
lay, as David and the Sybil say.
What horror must invade the mind when the approaching Judge shall
find and sift the deeds of all
mankind!
The mighty trumpet's wondrous
tone shall rend each tomb's
sepulchral stone and summon all before the
Throne. Now death and nature with
surprise behold the trembling sinners rise to meet the Judge's searching
eyes.
Then shall with universal dread the Book of Consciences be read to judge the lives of all the
dead.
For now before the Judge severe all hidden things must plain
appear; no crime can pass unpunished
here.
O what shall I, so guilty plead? and who for me will intercede? when even Saints shall comfort
need?
O King of dreadful majesty! grace and mercy You grant free; as Fount of Kindness, save me!
Recall, dear Jesus, for my sake you did our suffering nature take then do not now my soul forsake!
In weariness You sought for me, and suffering upon the tree! let not in vain such labor be.
O Judge of justice, hear, I pray, for pity take my sins away before the dreadful reckoning
day.
You gracious face, O Lord, I
seek; deep shame and grief are on my
cheek; in sighs and tears my sorrows
speak.
You Who did Mary's guilt unbind, and mercy for the robber find, have filled with hope my anxious
mind.
How worthless are my prayers I
know, yet, Lord forbid that I should go into the fires of endless woe.
Divorced from the accursed band, o make me with Your sheep to
stand, as child of grace, at Your right
Hand.
When the doomed can no more flee from the fires of misery with the chosen call me.
Before You, humbled, Lord, I lie, my heart like ashes, crushed and
dry, assist me when I die.
Full of tears and full of dread is that day that wakes the dead, calling all, with solemn blast to be judged for all their past.
