Prayers and Meditations on the Lord's Passion.

A Prayer on the several points of the Passion. GOD, who for the redemption of the world didst vouchsafe to be born, circumcised, rejected of the Jews, betrayed by the traitor Judas with a kiss, bound and led as an innocent lamb to the sacrifice; Who wast shamefully exposed in the sight of Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and Herod, accused by false witnesses, tormented with scourgings and reproaches, spit upon, crowned with thorns, buffeted, smitten with a reed, blindfolded, stripped, nailed to the Cross, lifted up on the Cross, numbered among the thieves, made to drink vinegar and gall, and wounded with a spear; do Thou, O Lord, by these Thy most holy pains which I Thine unworthy servant call to mind, and by Thy holy Cross and Death, deliver me from the pains of hell, and vouchsafe to lead me whither Thou didst lead the thief who was crucified with Thee; Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayers of S. Gregory on the Passion of Christ.

LORD JESU Christ, I adore Thee, hanging on the Cross and wearing on Thy Head the Crown of Thorns; I beseech Thee that by Thy Cross I may be delivered from the destroying Angel. Amen. Our Father, &c.

LORD JESU Christ, I adore Thee wounded on the Cross, and given gall and vinegar to drink; I beseech Thee that Thy Wounds may be the medicine of my soul. Amen. Our Father, &c.

LORD JESU Christ, by that bitterness which Thou didst on the Cross undergo for me a most miserable sinner, and most of all in that hour when Thy most glorious Soul departed from Thy blessed Body; I beseech Thee have mercy on my soul at the time of its departure, and carry it to life eternal. Amen. Our Father, &c.

LORD JESU Christ, I adore Thee going down into hell and delivering the captives; I beseech Thee, suffer me not to enter there. Amen. Our Father, &c.

LORD JESU Christ, I adore Thee rising from the dead, ascending into Heaven, and sitting on the Right Hand of the Father; I beseech Thee that I may have grace to follow Thee thither, and to dwell in Thy Presence. Amen. Our Father, &c.

LORD JESU Christ, the Good Shepherd, guard Thou the just, justify sinners; have mercy upon all the faithful, and be gracious to me the chief of sinners. Amen. Our Father, &c.

LORD JESU Christ, I adore Thee, laid in the Sepulchre, and embalmed with myrrh and spices; I beseech Thee that Thy Death may be my Life. Amen. Our Father, &c.

A Prayer on Christ Crucified and His Wounds. BEHOLD, O most loving JESUS, Who wast willing to be my bloody Spouse; I fall down at Thy feet, in token of my love and due gratitude to Thee. But what shall I repay Thee, O my JESUS, who didst love me even to the end, and engrave me in large and plain letters on Thy Hands and Feet, yea, and in Thy

Heart? Who will grant me this, that I may carry Thee about engraven on my heart even as Thou dost carry me; and as Thou dost bear me, so I may bear Thee ever in mind! O JESU, with how boundless an affection of charity hast Thou embraced me, in that Thou didst vouchsafe to open to me not only Thy Hands and Feet, but also Thy Breast of most boundless treasures, that Thou mightest satisfy my desire out of the inexhaustible affluence of Thy celestial benefits!

A Prayer on the Seven Words of Christ.

LORD JESU Christ, Son of the living God, who didst say, whilst hanging on the Cross : ، Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;' grant, that for love of Thee, I may forgive all who maltreat me. Who saidst to the Thief: To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise;' grant me so to live, that in the hour of my death Thou mayest say to me: To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.' Who saidst to Thy Mother: Woman, behold, thy Son ;' and to the Disciple: Behold, thy Mother;' grant that I may be associated with Thy Mother in love of Thee and true charity. Who saidst: Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani; that is, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?' grant that in every tribulation and distress of mine I may say: 'O my Father, my Lord, have mercy upon me a sinner, and assist me, my King and my God, Who hast redeemed me with Thine own Blood.' Who saidst: 'I thirst;' grant that I may ever be a-thirst for Thee the Fountain of Living Water. Who saidst : ، Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit;' receive me returning to Thee. Who saidst: It is finished;' grant that I may deserve to hear that most sweet voice of Thine:

'Come, My friend, My beloved, My spouse, come, that thou mayest ascend with Me, in company with My Angels and Saints, to feast in My Kingdom, to be joyful, and there to dwell for ever and ever.’ Amen.

Seventeen Points for Meditation on the Passion of Jesus Christ.

1. LOOK upon the Face of Thy Christ, Who, out of the excess of charity with which He loved us, was willing to become Man, to be born in a stable, laid in a manger, circumcised, and become an exile in Egypt.

He vouchsafed for our sake to be baptised, to fast, to be tempted, to wander about, to preach the Gospel, to work miracles, to succour the sick and miserable.

Three-and-thirty years He endured manifold labours, sorrows, hardships, and snares and injuries from His enemies, until at length He went up to Jerusalem, that He might drink for us His bitterest Cup.

2. LOOK upon the Face of Thy Christ, Who the day

before His death ate the Passover at Jerusalem with His beloved disciples.

And there rising from supper, when He had girded Himself with a towel, and poured water into a basin, He washed His disciples' feet, and wiped them with the towel, holding loving converse with these same disciples.

3. LOOK upon the Face of Thy Christ, Who, unasked, established such and so great a Testament, and instituted and left behind Him the Adorable Sacrament

of His Body and Blood, to the end that the Memorial of His then instant Passion might be ever celebrated in the Church, and the fruit of so great a Sacrament reach daily both the living and the dead.

4.

LOOK

OOK upon the Face of Thy Christ, Who, going out with His disciples into the garden of Olivet, began to be sore amazed and very heavy, and thereupon said: 'My Soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death:' for the greatness, verily, and the severity of His coming Passion.

There, on bended knees, He prayed to His Father, and, falling on His face, resigned Himself, and gave Himself up wholly to His Father's Will, weighed down indeed with so great distresses that a bloody sweat flowed down out of His whole Body, and He accepted the comforting of an Angel, He, the Son of God. 5. LOOK upon the Face of Thy Christ, Who, enflamed with desire of enduring death for us, went forth to meet the enemies that sought His life; took a kiss from the traitor Judas, being deserted by the other disciples, and was bound by the wicked soldiers like a thief, and fettered, and shamefully handled. 6. LOOK upon the Face of Thy Christ, Who was led first ignominiously before Annas the high priest, and who received the cruel blow struck at Him by the impious servant of Annas.

7. L00

OOK upon the Face of Thy Christ, Who was received like any malefactor by Caiaphas the high priest and the full senate, and suffered many things both bitter and injurious; was accused, namely, by false witnesses, most iniquitously condemned for blasphemy,