Page:The Catholic prayer book.djvu/361



“ I live in  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  loved  me  and delivered himself  up  for  me.” — St. Paul, Gal. ii. 20.

“ Surely he  hath  borne  our  infirmities  and  carried  our  sorrows. He was  wounded  for  our  iniquities,  he  was  bruised  for  our  sins. And we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray;  every  one  hath  turned  aside into his  own  way;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  upon  him  the  iniquity  of us  all.”— Isaias. liii.

“ There is  nothing  which  is  more  efficacious  for  curing  the  wounds of our  conscience,  or  enkindling  in  our  hearts  the  fervent  love of Jesus  Christ,  than  continually  to  meditate  on  his  sorrows  and sufferings.” — St. Bernard.

OW fervently  did  St.  Augustine  pray  for  the grace of  being  devout  to  the  Passion  of  Jesus Christ! O sweet  Jesus! deign to  engrave  thy wounds in  my  heart,  that  thy  sorrows  and  thy  love may be  ever  present  to  my  thoughts. May the  remembrance of  thy  sufferings  inspire  me  with  patience under the  trials  of  life; and  may  the  consideration of thy  love  excite  in  my  soul  a corresponding  feeling of devoted  undying  affection.”

St. Paul exhorts  us  to  reflect  often  on  the  sufferings of  our  Blessed  Redeemer. “ Let us,”  says  the Apostle, “ run  by  patience  to  the  fight  proposed  unto us: looking on  Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  faith, who, having  joy  proposed  unto  him,  underwent  the cross, despising  the  shame,  and  now  sitteth  on  the right hand  of  the  throng  of  God. For think  diligently upon him  who  endureth  such  opposition  from  sinners against himself,  that  you  be  not  wearied,  fainting in your  minds.” — Heb. xii. Thus does  the  inspired Apostle call  upon  us  to  think  diligently  upon  the sufferings of  Jesus,  in  order  that  we  may  not  fail  in