Page:Beautifulpearlso00oreirich.djvu/18



We beseech  Thee,  O  Lord! to assist  and  direct  our  actions  by  Thy  powerful  grace,  and  all  our  prayers  and  works  may  always begin and  end  with  Thee. Through Christ  our  Lord. Amen.

O Jesus,  treasure  of  my  soul,  infinitely  good,  infinitely  merciful,  behold  me  prostrate  at  Thy  sacred  feet! Sinner as  I  am,  I  fly  to the  arms  of  Thy  mercy,  and  implore  that  grace  which  melts  and  converts — the  grace  of  true  compunction. I have  offended  Thee, adorable Jesus! I repent;  let  the  favor  of  my  love  equal  the  baseness  of  my  ingratitude. This Way  of  the  Cross,  grant  me  to  offer devoutly in  memory  of  that  painful  journey  Thou  hast  travelled  for  our  redemption,  to  the  Cross  of  Calvary,  with  the  holy  design  to reform  my  morals,  amend  my  life  and  gain  these  indulgences  granted  by  Thy  vicars  on  earth. I apply  one  for  my  miserable  soul,  the rest in  suffrage  for  the  souls  in  purgatory,  particularly  N.  N.  [Here  mention  the  souls  for  whom  you  intend  to  apply  them.]  I  begin this devotion  under  Thy  sacred  protection,  and  in  imitation  of  Thy  dolorous  Mother. Let then  this  holy  exercise  obtain  for  me  mercy in this  life,  and  glory  in  the  next. Amen. Jesus!

V.   We   adore  Thee,  O  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  bless  Thee.

R.    Because  by  Thy  holy  Cross  Thou   hast  redeemed  the   world.

UR gracious  Redeemer,  after  suffering  blows  and  blasphemies  before  Annas and Caiphas,  after  the  cruel  scourging,  insulting  contempts  and  bloody crown of  piercing  thorns,  is  unjustly  condemned  to  death. This iniquitous sentence your  Jesus  accepted  with  admirable  humility. Innocence embraces condemnation to  free  the  guilty. Reflect that  your  sins  were  the  false  witnesses  that  condemned  Him;  your  stubborn impenitence  the  tyrant  that  extorted  from  Pilate  the  bloody  sentence. Propose now seriously an  amendment  of  life,  and  while  you  reflect  on  the  horrid  injustice  of  Pilate, who condemns  innocence,  lest  he  should  not  appear  a  friend  of  Caesar,  arraign  yourself for your  many  sins  of  human  respect;  think  how  often  you  have  offended  God  for  fear  of displeasing  the  eye  of  the  world,  and  turning  to  your  loving  Jesus,  address  Him  rather with tears  of  the  heart  than  with  expressions  of  the  tongue  in  the  following

Mangled victim  of  my  sins! O suffering  Jesus! I have  deserved  those bloody scourges,  that  cruel  sentence  of  death;  and  yet  Thou  didst  die  for me, that  I  should  live  for  Thee. I am  convinced  that  if  I  desire  to  please men, I  cannot  be  Thy  servant. Let me  then  displease  the  world  and  its  vain admirers. I resign  myself  into  Thy  hands. Let love  take  possession  of  my heart;  let  Thy  eyes  behold  with  contempt  everything  that  can  alienate  my  affections  from Thee; let  my  ears  be  ever  attentive  to  Thy  word;  let  me  through  this  painful  journey accompany Thee,  sighing  and  demanding  mercy. Mercy! Jesus! Amen.

Our Father,  &amp;c. Hail Mary,  &amp;c.

Jesus Christ  crucified,  have  mercy  on  us!