Page:Stalphonsuspraye00ligu.djvu/66

 having offended  Thee. Never permit  me  to  separate myself from  Thee  again. Grant that  I  may  love Thee always,  and  then  do  with  me  what  Thou  wilt.

''Our Father,  etc.

V. We  adore  Thee,  etc.

R. Because  by  Thy  holy  cross,  etc.

onsider, my  soul,  this  first  fall  of  Jesus  under His cross. His flesh  was  torn  by  the  scourges, His head  crowned  with  thorns,  and  He had  lost  a  great  quantity  of  blood. He was  so weakened  that  he  could  scarcely  walk,  and  yet  He had  to  carry  this  great  load  upon  His  shoulders. The soldiers  struck  Him  rudely,  and  thus  He  fell several times  in  His  journey.

My beloved  Jesus,  it  is  not  the  weight  of  the cross, but  of  my  sins,  which  has  made  Thee  suffer so much  pain. Ah, by  the  merits  of  this  first  fall, deliver me  from  the  misfortune  of  falling  into  mortal sin. I love  Thee,  O  my  Jesus,  with  my  whole  heart; I repent  of  having  offended  Thee. Never permit me to  offend  Thee  again. Grant that  I  may  love Thee always;  and  then  do  with  me  what  Thou  wilt.

''Our Father,  etc.

V. We  adore  Thee,  etc.

R. Because  by  Thy  holy  cross,  etc.

onsider the  meeting  of  the  Son  and  the Mother, which  took  place  on  this  journey. Jesus and  Mary  looked  at  each  other,  and their looks  became  as  so  many  arrows  to  wound those hearts  which  loved  each  other  so  tenderly.