Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/325

 watch, to  teach  the  ignorant,  and  to  heal  the  diseased; in thy  whole  life  to  suffer  continual  afflictions  and persecutions; and  at  length  voluntarily  to  suffer death upon  the  cross; and  all  this  for  me,  and  such wretched creatures  as  myself.

2. O good  and  gracious  Jesus ! who, having  eaten the paschal  lamb  with  thy  dearly  beloved  disciples, didst arise  from  supper,  gird  thyself  with  a towel, pour water  into  a basin,  and  on  bended  knees  didst humbly wash  the  feet  of  thy  disciples,  and  wipe  them with thy  own  hands.

3. O good  and  gracious  Jesus! who, when  the time of  thy  death  approached,  didst  bequeath  a most excellent legacy  to  thy  children,  leaving  us  thy  most sacred body  to  be  our  meat,  and  thy  most  precious blood to  be  our  drink: no  wit  can  teach,  no  understanding penetrate  the  bottomless  depth  of  this  thy charity.

4. O good  and  gracious  Jesus ! who, having  entered into the  garden  of  Olives,  didst  begin  to  fear  and  to  be sad; whereupon  thou  saidst  to  thy  disciples,  My soul  is  sorrowful,  even  unto  death; and  then  leaving them, didst  kneel  upon  the  ground,  and  falling  flat  on thy  face,  didst  pray  to  thy  Father,  If  it  be  possible,  let this chalice  pass  from  me. And yet  with  perfect  submission, wholly  resignest  thyself  to  him,  saying, Father, not my  will, but  thine  he  done: and  at  length, through most  painful  agony,  thy  afflicted  and  fainting body  sweated  drops  of  blood.

5. O good  and  gracious  Jesus! who, inflamed  with an ineffable  desire  to  redeem  me,  didst  go  to  meet thine enemies,  and  didst  suffer  Judas  the  traitor  to  kiss thee, and  thyself  to  be  taken  and  bound  with  cords, and as  a malefactor  disgracefully  led  by  the  basest  of the  people  to  Annas,  where  with  admirable  meekness