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The Way of the Cross In Union With The Sorrowful Mother

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary

The Seven Last Words of Our Lord on the Cross

First Word Second Word Third Word Fourth Word Fifth Word Sixth Word Seventh Word

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"Seven Last Words" Audio Files:

Opening Discourse

Sermon 1 Sermon 2 Sermon 3 Sermon 4 Sermon 5 Sermon 6 Sermon 7

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Deus Solus!
“Tre Ore”

For Congregational Use

A short form of devotion to the

Three Hours Agony
of Our Blessed Lord

Compiled from Approved Sources and
Arranged for Congregational Use by
Rev. Fr. Dennis Michael McCormack, S. I.

INDULGENCES

ON GOOD FRIDAY - PLENARY INDULGENCE

The Sovereign Pontiff, Pius VII, by a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences, dated 14 February 1815, granted to all the faithful who shall practice the devotion of the THREE HOURS AGONY ( “ Tre Ore” ), on Good Friday, meditating and praying for three (3) consecutive hours according to each one’s ability, on the great sufferings which Our Saviour endured, and on the Seven Words He uttered on the cross, a Plenary Indulgence, if being truly penitent after Confession and Holy Communion on Holy Thursday or during Easter Week, they shall devoutly pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.

ON ANY OTHER FRIDAY

Seven years, any Friday of the year, to every one who, in remembrance of, and out of devotion to, the agony of Our Blessed Lord, shall spend time in prayer, as above, and also praying for the intentions of the Holy Father.

PLENARY, once every month, on the last Friday, to every one who has meditated and prayed every previous Friday in the month, in the way just mentioned, under the usual conditions.

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O COME AND MOURN WITH ME AWHILE

Come, take thy stand beneath the cross
And let the blood from out that side
Fall gently on thee drop by drop;
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

Have we no tears to shed for Him
While soldiers scoff and Jews deride?
Ah! look how patiently He hangs,
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.

Sev’n times He spoke, sev’n words of love,
And all three hours His silence cried,
for mercy on the souls of men;
Jesus, our Love, is crucified.
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The Way of the Cross
In Union with the Sorrowful Mother
(Based on the works of St. Louis Marie De Montfort)

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ALL:
My heavenly Mother Mary, * in union with thee I am about to go along the Sorrowful Way where thou hast walked so many times.* Is it possible that my heart should not be enkindled * when I think of the tears which thou hast shed * on remembering the sufferings of Jesus, * and when I realize the ardent love that inflamed thy heart * for God and for all thy children. * O Mother of love, * I give myself to thee * that I may share the sentiments of thy heart.

Ah, suffer not that I should remain without feeling * on seeing the many sufferings and insults borne for me. * Change my heart, or rather give me thine, * that with thee and through thee, * I may have true compassion on Jesus suffering so much for me, * that I may repent of my sins * and henceforth love Him more generously.

At the Cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

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First Station
JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee   R/. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   Try to penetrate into the anguished heart of your Mother when she stops before the courthouse of Pilate and remembers how the clamorous multitude of Jews demanded, with horrible shouts, the blood of her Divine Son. Who else but Jesus can understand the feelings of her heart?

ALL:   O Mary, I unite with thine acts of reparation; * offer them for me. * Are they not my treasure before God? * I detest my self-love, my frivolity and my lack of mortification, * which are the cause of thy sufferings * and of the humiliations of Jesus. * I now mercilessly condemn my evil inclinations * and more particularly my predominant fault. * O tender Mother! * Assist me with thy help and with the grace of thy Son. * Impress upon my heart thy feelings of repentance and love, * that before the tribunal of the Sovereign Judge, * I may hear the sentence of the elect.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword has passed.

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Second Station
JESUS RECEIVES HIS CROSS

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   “I have a baptism wherewith I am to be baptized; and how I am straitened until it be accomplished.” These words of Jesus show the intensity of the love with which He takes up and carries His cross. They also express the measure of Mary’s love. Her heart, drawn by its love for Jesus, faithfully follows Him in His ardent desires and consents to His sacrifice. Do I not know that this worthy Mother, always conforming herself to the Divine Will, would have nailed her own Son to the cross with her own hands, had it been necessary for the salvation of my soul?

ALL:   What shall I render to the Queen of my heart and to thee, O my Jesus, * for that excess of love! * Thou hast given me to understand that, * in order to please Thee, * I must conquer myself; * I must patiently bear with the shortcomings of my neighbour; * I must practice the Christian virtues and fight the good fight. * O Mary, * I consecrate myself to thee at this moment, * as fervently as if I did it for the first time in my life; * give me thy love, * give to all thy children such true love * as will enable them to shun no sacrifice * in serving and pleasing thee.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Oh, how sad and sore distressed,
Was that Mother, highly blest,
Of the sole-begotten One!
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Third Station
JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME

   V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   How heavily the cross weighs upon our meek Saviour, now that He is weakened by so many sufferings! He totters under the blows and the rough treatment which are mercilessly dealt out to Him, and now He falls prostrate to the ground. The thorns of His crown enter deeper into His head. But why this first fall, which causes so much pain to the heart of Mary? It is to atone for your sins of pride, which have made you the slave of Satan. Make amends to the Mother of Sorrows and beg her to obtain pardon for you.

ALL:   O Mary, * by all the suffering which thou hast endured, * cure me of my pride, * which steals into my best actions, * which displeases thy Son so much * and hinders the perfect union of my soul with thee. * By this first fall * Jesus expiates the loss of my baptismal innocense. * O Mother, * how this thought ought to rend my heart with bitter remorse! * But I have given myself wholly to thee, * that in thee I may find the remedy for my misfortune; * I trust in thy wisdom which knows how to cure me: * I place my hope in thy goodness * which will do it without fail, * because I ask thee for it. * O Lord Jesus, give children to Thy Mother; * give her slaves of love more numerous than the stars in the heavens * and as pure and innocent as the angels.! * Multiply them in her virginal heart.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Christ above in torment hangs;
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying glorious Son.
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Fourth Station
JESUS MEETS HIS MOTHER

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   Who will tell us the feelings of the Son and of the Mother in this painful meeting? Servant of Mary, ask yourself what must be the effect produced upon the loving heart of Our Lady by this look of Jesus which had pierced, so gently yet so mightily, the soul of Peter after his denial. Admire and exalt the exceeding love of these two hearts that tire not of suffering in order to save you.

ALL:   My heavenly Mother, * had I but the hearts of all the saints wherewith to console thee * for all the anguish which thou hast felt for my salvation! * To supply the deficiency of my cold heart, * I offer thee the tender compassion * which Jesus had on thee in this tender meeting, * and I beg thee to present to Him in my behalf * thy acts of reparation and of love. * Remember, dear Mother, that I am also a child; * come then to meet me and to strengthen me * on the difficult and dangerous road of this life. * Be always near me by that habitual presence * with which thou favourest thy devoted ones. * Visit also at this moment, the souls in Purgatory, * especially those that are forgotten, * and when my soul departs from this world, * come to meet me and present me to Jesus.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Is there one who would not weep
Whelm’d in misery so deep
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?
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Fifth Station
THE CYRENEAN HELPS JESUS TO CARRY THE CROSS

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   Jesus has borne the weight of your sins; He has paid all your debts; yet He has left you a share in this work of redeeming your soul, as well as in His sufferings. That is what He gives you to understand by calling the Cyrenean to help Him carry the cross. Child of the Queen of Martyrs, be convinced of this truth, that wherever you go, you will find trials and afflictions. Now is the time for you to suffer, and that is your only way to reach Heaven. But see how good your Saviour is. He has given you His Mother and to you who have consecrated yourself to her she is more particularly a Mother who will be your stay and your consolation in this vale of tears. Who, indeed, carries his cross most easily and with most merit, if not the faithful servant of this sweet Mother?

ALL:   O heavenly comforter of the children of God, * be always my tender and merciful Cyrenean. * Thou knowest my weakness; * be my help in carrying my cross * and my support in the trials and the cares of this life. * Thou whose love extends to all creatures, * be the help also of those who have charge of others, * priests, magistrates, superiors and teachers; * pour out upon them in abundance * the spirit of zeal and devotedness * in the discharge of their duties.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother’s pain untold?
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Sixth Station
VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   A holy woman makes her way through the crowd and wipes the sacred face of our Redeemer. O love of Jesus, generous beyond all measure! He does not wait till the day of final recompense, but even in the midst of His sufferings and humiliations, He rewards the valour of this pious woman. What a consolation for Mary to witness this act of charity rendered to her Divine Son! Do you wish to give her the same joy? You will do so, if you guard zealously the purity of your soul in which Jesus dwells by His grace. If you should unfortunately commit sin, lose no time in wiping away that stain from your soul by a sincere act of contrition, while you wait for the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Penance. But what grief you will cause your Blessed Mother, if, through lukewarmness and affection for sin, you allow your soul to remain more sullied than was the face of Jesus during His Passion.

ALL:   O my Sovereign, * let thy mercy triumph over my rebellious and craven nature! * Let thy tender hand wipe from my soul * not only the stains of sin, * but also its consequences, * which would paralyze the effects of thy reign in my heart. * Restore to the souls of thy children * the image of Jesus in all its beauty. * Obtain for us great purity of heart, * of body and mind, * that we may be worthy to contemplate the face of God * forever in Heaven.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender child:
All with bloody scourges rent.
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Seventh Station
JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   The second fall of Jesus is far more painful than the first. The sight of the many sins which I have committed even in my early youth and of my numberless infidelities bears Him down and causes Him to fall again. Mary discerns this mystery more clearly than any other human creature, and therefore she feels more keenly the torments which rend the Heart of Jesus. Why is my heart not broken by these sad thoughts? By this second fall, Jesus expiates more particularly the disordinate love of ourselves and of the seductions of the world, which are the cause of so many sins and of the eternal ruin of numberless souls.

ALL:   O Mary, I beseech thee, * by the tears and the sorrows of Jesus, * to cure me of my disordinate love of creatures * and to wean me from all the things * which one day I must necessarily leave behind. * O wise and faithful Virgin, * teach me to appraise the maxims of the world at their true value. * O tender Mother, * obtain for all the privileged children of thy love * that the remembrance of thy sorrows * may detach their hearts from this world and themselves, * and cause them to cling more affectionately to thy holy and immaculate Heart.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

For the sins of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.
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Eighth Station
JESUS CONSOLES THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   Who shall give us to understand the kindness of the Heart of Jesus and His compassion on us in our sufferings? He forgets His own excruciating pains and speaks words of consolation to the holy women who follow Him. Always remember that Jesus is our comforter in all our afflictions, and whatever be the nature of our sufferings, we should go to Him, in company with Mary, and seek relief from His Sacred Heart. Where can we find a better friend than in Him Who laid down His life for love of us? “Weep not for Me, but for your children.” Wretched creatures that we are! Why are we so hardened as to remain without feeling in the presence of so much suffering endured for us; as to remain deaf to that Voice which tells us clearly that we must shed tears because of the many sins for which we have not done penance, because of the many dangers to our souls and the many hardships on the way that leads to eternal life?

ALL:   O Mary, who by the Will of Jesus * art my supplement to speak to Him, * to petition Him, * to praise Him on my behalf, * shed but one tear upon my heart to soften its hardness, * impress upon it the wounds of Jesus * and give it a true desire for sincere repentance. * Let thy blessed and most powerful hand * avert the chastisements which we deserve.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

O thou Mother, fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above;
Make my heart with thine accord.
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Ninth Station
JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   Jesus falls three times on the road to Calvary to expiate the great evils with which sin has wounded the human heart. In His last fall, our meek Saviour atones for our love of pleasure. Consider the abyss of reproaches and sorrows in which He lies, as the executioners renew their blows and their insults, as they tread on this innocent Lamb and drag Him along.

ALL:   O my heavenly Mother, * whose heart was rent again and again, * when after the Ascension thou didst stand motionless and overwhelmed with sorrow at this station, * help me to atone for the many sensualities of which I have rendered myself guilty. “If you would keep chaste”, says a saint, * “you must obtain this grace by prayer and an ardent love for Our Lady, * the Queen and model of virgins”. O Virgin most chaste, * who didst remain spotless as a lily among thorns, * make me pure. * Obtain for us who are dedicated to thee, * a special love for this angelic virtue of purity, * a holy love which will make us dread * whatever may tarnish it in the least. * Obtain for us that severe modesty * which is the mark of thy true children.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Make me feel as thou hast felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ my Lord.
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Tenth Station
JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   Alas, we have allowed the devil to strip us of the robe of our innocense, and Jesus wishes to restore it to us at any cost. Behold your Redeemer in the dreadful torments which He now endures. They roughly tear off His garments which have become encrusted in the wounds of His body; thus the sores are opened afresh and the pieces of torn flesh adhere to the garments of our gentle Saviour. Ask yourself to what extent this inhuman treatment must have renewed the woes of Mary’s Immaculate Heart. “Behold”, this Mother of Sorrows seems to say to you, “what Jesus had paid in atonement for your exaggerated love of fashions and luxuries, for your vanity and immodesty in dress.”

ALL:   O Mother, * I beg thy pardon for having so often made thee sad by my vanity. * Make me love that exterior modesty and simplicity * which are so pleasing to thee. * Help us who are the children of thy love * to stip ourselves of our self-love, * of self-will, * our conceit, * which destroy thy work in us * and deprive our souls of the merits for Heaven. * By thy tears and by the wounds of Jesus, * clothe us with the double garments of thy virtues and riches, * which thou reservest for thy true servants, * that we may appear with confidence * before the Judgment Seat of thy Son.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Holy Mother! pierce me through;
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified!
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Eleventh Station
JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   What heart-rending anguish for Mary to hear the repeated blows which are struck to nail the sacred body of Jesus to the cross! What martyrdom she undergoes! Every wound inflicted upon the body of the Son is impressed on the soul of the Mother. Her suffering is so great at this moment that if it were divided among all creatures that are able to suffer, each and all would die at the very instant. How then is it that our exalted Queen does not expire with her Son? The love of the Son keeps the Mother for more suffering, so that the children may have life more abundantly. With Mary, adore Jesus and renew your baptismal vows, together with your consecration to Our Lady.

ALL:   O good Jesus, * nailed to the cross for love of me, * I renew at this moment the vows of my Baptism * and the perfect consecration of myself * to thy holy Mother. * By the nails which pierce Thy bones and cut Thy veins, * by all the sorrows of Thy Mother, * fasten me inseparably to Thee, * through this beautiful and perfect devotion to Mary; * imbue with it my every thought, * all my affections and all my works. * Thou hast said:* “If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to Myself.” * Draw me to Thee more and more * by an intimate union with Thy holy Mother; * draw many souls to Thee; * draw all Christians, * all the peoples of the earth. * O Jesus, let Mary reign perfectly in our hearts, * that Thou mayest reign there Thyself * in this life and in next.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Let me share with thee His pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torment died.
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Twelfth Station
JESUS DIES UPON THE CROSS

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   To approach our dying Saviour in a worthy manner, let us go to Him in union with Mary. To understand His sufferings better, let us think of Mary’s sorrow. Do we not know that Jesus loves to see us share in the pains of His Mother? Child of Mary, contemplate the Queen of Martyrs, who says to you while she shows you her most afflicted heart: “Attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to mine.” Answer her, weeping and heartbroken:

ALL:   “O Virgin, * daughter of Sion, * great as the sea is thy sorrow and bitter as its billows.” * Would that I could compensate thee worthily * and render due homage to thine exceeding love for me! * To supply my insufficiency, * I offer thee the divine compassion * which Jesus had on thee. * He alone knows the weight and measure of thy sorrows. * O Jesus, hanging on the cross, * speak to me Thy life-giving words: * “Woman, behold thy child; * child, behold thy Mother.” * O Mary, I do not deserve to be called thy child, * but Jesus has willed that it should be so. * Show thyself my Mother. * To compensate for my poverty, * I offer thee the praises of the angels * and of all thy devoted children; * I offer thee the Heart of Jesus * and the love of the Blessed Trinity. * I place myself in thy hands * and leave to thee the full right * to dispose of me and of all that is mine, * according to thy good pleasure * and that of thy Divine Son.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him Who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.
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Thirteenth Station
JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS AND
LAID IN THE ARMS OF HIS MOTHER

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   What grief is added to Our Lady’s sorrows, when she sees that the executioners do not respect the body of her dear Son, even now that He is dead! How painfully is her own maternal heart pierced with the prophetic sword of Simeon, when the lance opens the Divine Heart of Jesus, in which she dwelt herself. What anguish she feels at this moment! The body of Jesus is taken down and placed in Mary’s arms. How her heart is rent again now that she has a close view of the horrible wounds! She now recalls the sweet caresses which she received from this loving Child when He rested upon her bosom; she gazes at the many grievous wounds inflicted by the executioners, and while she thus contemplates this lifeless body, her soul is pierced by a thousand swords. Devout child of Mary, meditate profoundly on this mystery. Remember that Jesus consented to be covered with wounds in order to heal your sinful soul. Beg the Mother of Sorrows to obtain for you the grace that will cure you entirely.

ALL:   O Virgin most holy, * permit me, unworthy though I am, * to place myself with Jesus in thine arms. * By the bleeding wounds of His lifeless body, * heal the sores of my soul; * purify my body and its senses; * cleanse my heart in the Blood of thy Son, * and with thee * unite me to the Sacred Heart of Jesus forever.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

By the cross with thee to stay,
There with thee to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of thee to give.
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Fourteenth Station
JESUS IS LAID IN THE SEPULCHRE

V/. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   R/. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Priest:   The sacrifice of Mary, like that of Jesus, must be complete. The adorable body, which she so lovingly pressed to her bosom, is laid in the tomb and disappears from before her eyes. Ah! How willingly would she be buried with Jesus! But if she must separate herself from His body, she remains hidden in His sacred wounds. It is said that when our Divine Saviour had been laid in the sepulchre, Mary blessed the stone which covered the entrance, saying: “I bless thee, O stone, chosen by God to hide my Son from the eyes of men; mayest thou guard Him.” This heavenly Mother speaks likewise even now, when she sees her Eucharistic Son descend into our hearts in Holy Communion. She blesses our hearts as the tomb of her Son; she remains there to adore Him and does not lose sight of Him. Console your heavenly Mother once more, and with a loving heart say to her:

ALL:   O sweet Virgin, my Mother, * I implore thee to engrave the wounds of my Saviour upon my heart. * Thy soul was another Calvary, * which reflected all the sufferings of Jesus, * May our souls be true copies of thine. * Forget not all that thou hast suffered for our sake. * May we, after thine example, * be mindful until death * of the sorrowful events of Calvary, * and may their remembrance ever sustain us in our sufferings.

   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Virgin of all virgins best,
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share thy grief divine.

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary

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The First Sorrowful Mystery
THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN

We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honour of Thine Agony in the Garden of Olives, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, contrition for our sins. Amen.

Our Father. Ten Hail Mary’s. Glory Be.

May the grace of the Mystery of the Agony in the Garden come down into our souls. Amen.

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The Second Sorrowful Mystery
THE SCOURGING AT THE PILAR

We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honour of Thy bloody Scourging at the pilar, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, the grace of mortifying our senses, and of a true contrition for sins of the flesh. Amen.

Our Father. Ten Hail Mary’s. Glory Be.

May the grace of the Mystery of the Scourging at the Pilar come down into our souls. Amen.

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The Third Sorrowful Mystery
THE CROWNING WITH THORNS

We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honour of Thy being crowned with thorns, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, contempt of the world. Amen.

Our Father. Ten Hail Mary’s. Glory Be.

May the grace of the Mystery of the Crowning with Thorns come down into our souls. Amen.

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The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery
THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS

We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honour of Thy carrying of the Cross, and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, patience in bearing our crosses. Amen.

Our Father. Ten Hail Mary’s. Glory Be.

May the grace of the Mystery of the Carrying of the Cross come down into our souls. Amen.

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The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery
THE CRUCIFIXION

We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honour of Thy Crucifixion and ignominious death on Calvary; we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy holy Mother, the conversion of sinners, the perseverance of the just and the relief of the souls in Purgatory. Amen.

Our Father. Ten Hail Mary’s. Glory Be.

May the grace of the Mystery of the Crucifixion come down into our souls. Amen.

Hail, Holy Queen, etc.

The Prophesy in the Old Law
Zach. XII, 10

Priest: I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of prayer, and they shall look upon Me Whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for an only Son, and they shall grieve over Him as the manner is to grieve for the death of a First-born. And they shall say to Him: “What are those wounds in the midst of Thy hands?” And He shall say: “With these I was wounded in the house of them that loved Me.”

People: Redeemer of the world, * have mercy on us.

Priest: We adore Thee, O Christ, and bless Thee. People: Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

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Fulfillment in the New Law
John XIX, 16-20

Priest: Then therefore Pilate delivered Him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and they led Him forth. And bearing His own cross, He went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified Him and with Him two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title also, and he put it on the cross. And the writing was: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title, therefore, many of the Jews did read; because the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city. And it was written in Hebrew, in Greek and in Latin.

People: Redeemer of the world, * have mercy on us.

Priest: We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. People: Because by Thy holy cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

All: Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus,* while before Thy face I humbly kneel,* and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee,* to fix deep in my heart * lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, * true contrition for my sins, * and a firm purpose of amendment, * while I contemplate with great love * and tender pity Thy five wounds, * pondering over them within me, * while I call to mind the words which David * Thy Prophet said of Thee, my Jesus: * They have pierced my hands and my feet, * they have numbered all my bones.”

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

The Seven Last Words Of Our Lord From The Cross

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Let Us Pray:

ALL: Spare, O Lord, spare Thy people. * Help us, O Lord, God our Saviour, * and for the glory of Thy name, O Lord, * deliver us, and be propitious to our sins for Thy name’s sake. * For we have sinned, * we have committed iniquity, * we have done wickedly and revolted, * we have gone aside from Thy commandments and Thy judgments, * we have not harkened to Thy servants, * who have spoken in Thy Name. * O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, * but to Thee, the Lord and our God, * mercy and forgiveness, * for we have departed from Thee, * and by reason of our sins, have offended Thee. * Thy people are a reproach to all that are about us. * Incline, O my God, Thine ears and hear, * open Thine eyes and see our desolation; * for it is not for our own justification, * that we present our prayers before Thy face, * but for the multitude of Thy tender mercies. * O Lord hear, * O Lord be appeased; * harken and do not delay for Thine own sake, O my God. * Amen.

INVOCATIONS TO THE SUFFERING JESUS

Priest: Jesus, Redeemer of the world,       People: Have mercy on us!

Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary,
Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
Jesus, sold for thirty pieces of silver,
Jesus, agonized in the garden,
Jesus, betrayed by the kiss of Judas,
Jesus, abandoned by Thy disciples,
Jesus, denied by Peter,
Jesus, bound with cords and blindfolded,
Jesus, struck in the face and spat upon,
Jesus, delivered up to Pilate and the Gentiles,
Jesus, set at naught by Herod,
Jesus, degraded below Barabas,
Jesus, scourged at the pillar,
Jesus, crowned with thorns and clothed in mock purple,
Jesus, rejected by the people,
Jesus, accused falsely and condemned unjustly,
Jesus, laden with the heavy cross,
Jesus, led with thieves to execution,
Jesus, come to Calvary to die for us,

Lamb of God, laden with the sins of the world,    Spare us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, laden with the sins of the world,    Graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, laden with the sins of the world,    Have mercy on us!

Lord of mercy and compassion,
Look with pity upon me.
Father, let me call Thee Father
‘Tis Thy child returned to Thee.

Jesus, Lord, I ask for mercy,
Let me not implore in vain;
Pardon for my sins, and graces,
Never more to sin again.

See our Saviour bleeding, dying,
On the cross of Calvary,
To that cross my sins have nailed Him
And He bleeds and dies for me.

Jesus, Lord, I ask for mercy,
Let me not implore in vain;
Pardon for my sins, and graces,
Never more to sin again.

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The First Word on the Cross

Priest: The executioners lead Jesus to the spot where the cross is lying on the ground. Like a lamb destined for a holocaust, He lays Himself on the wood that is to serve as the altar. They violently stretch His hands and feet to the places marked for them, and fasten them with nails to the wood. Mary hears the strokes of the hammer, and every blow wounds her heart. Magdalen’s grief is intensified by her incapability of helping her tortured Master. Jesus is heard to speak; it is His first word on Calvary:

“FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO”

Priest: We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   Because by Thy holy cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Let Us Pray:
ALL: Jesus, my love, * Who for love of me, * dost hang in agony on the cross, * there by Thy pains to pay the penalty of my sins, * and dost open Thy divine mouth, * to ask pardon for all who sinned against Thee, * pity all those faithful souls, * who are now in their last sad agony, * and pity me when I, too, shall be in mine. * By the merit of Thy most Precious Blood shed for our salvation, * vouchsafe to us all such lively sorrow for our sins, * as shall make us breathe forth our souls, * into the bosom of Thy boundless mercy. Amen.

By the Blood that flowed from Thee,
In Thy bitter agony;
By the scourge so meekly borne;
By Thy purple robe of scorn.

Jesus, Saviour, hear our cry;
Thou wert suffering once as we;
Hear the loving Litany
We Thy children sing to Thee.

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S E R M O N (1)
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Let Us Pray:
ALL: O Lord Jesus Christ crucified for us; * in all humility, but with great confidence, * we beseech Thee to be merciful * to all who are gathered here about Thy cross * and to all those for whom we wish to pray. * Grant us the grace to know Thee, * to love Thee, * and to be truly sorry * that till now we have known Thee * and loved Thee so little.

We ask this grace of Thee:* By the Holy Name of Jesus,* By the sweet Name of Jesus, * which Thy Father gave Thee. By the sweet Name of Jesus, * which Thou didst Thyself accept so gladly as an obligation: * To suffer all for us, * to pay all for us, *to forgive all our sins, * to forget them all, * to grant every blessing to all who pray to Thee.

By the sweet Name of Jesus: * which touched the heart of Thy heavenly Father, * which brought back hope to so many poor sinners, * which confounds the demons, * which gladdens the angels, * which teaches so many virtues, * which better than all the other names, expresses:* What Thou hast been to us: * During Thy mortal life, * on Calvary, * every day in our lives, * on Thine altar, * in the holy tabernacle, * in Holy Communion, * in our hearts, * and what Thou wilt be to us for ever in heaven.

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.   Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

ALL:
O Jesus, heavenly Physician,* call to mind the languor and death pains and woe, * which, when raised aloft upon the cross, * Thou dist suffer in Thy rended limbs; * when all were wrenched asunder; * and from the soles of Thy feet even to Thy head, * there was no soundness in Thee, * and no sorrow could be found like unto Thy sorrow. * Thou didst pray to the Father for Thine enemies, * and didst say with such tender love: * “Father, forgive them, * for they know not what they do.”

Lord Jesus! * for Thy sake I believe in Thee. * For Thy sake I hope in Thee. * For Thy sake I love Thee. * For Thy sake I grieve * that I have sinned against Thee * and have caused others to sin against Thee. * For Thy sake I heartily forgive all who have wronged me, * and beg Thy mercy and grace * for all whom I have wronged. * For Thy sake I wish to love all men; * to live in true peace and charity with all * and to help all to work out their eternal salvation. * Amen.

Priest: By Thy holy cross and passion, O Lord.
People: Send help to Thy servants * who are sick or near death. * Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

At the cross her station keeping
Stood the mournful Mother weeping
Close to Jesus to the last

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing
All is bitter anguish bearing
Now at length the sword had passed

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The Second Word on the Cross

Priest: It is the sixth hour. The sun withdraws its light, and darkness covers the face of the earth. The stars appear in the heavens; all is silent as death. The thief whose cross is at the right of Jesus feels himself touched with repentance and hope. Turning to his companion he upbraids him for having blasphemed Jesus, and then turning his head to Jesus, he thus prays to Him: “Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy Kingdom.” Jesus is pleased to find in this poor criminal the faith He had vainly sought from Israel; He grants his humble prayer. It is the second word on the cross:

“AMEN I SAY TO THEE, THIS DAY THOU SHALT BE WITH ME IN PARADISE”

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.           Because by Thy holy cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Let us Pray:
ALL: Jesus, my love, * Who for love of me dost hang in agony on the cross, * and with such readiness and bounty * doest meet the good thief’s cry of faith * when in Thy humiliation * he acknowledged Thee to be the Son of God, * and dost then assure him of paradise prepared for him; * oh, pity me, when I, too, shall be in mine. * By the merit of Thy most Precious Blood, * renew in our souls such firm and steadfast faith * as shall never waver at any suggestions of the evil one; * that so we also may obtain * the blessed reward of Paradise. * Amen.

By the thorns that crowned Thy Head;
By The sceptre of a reed;
By Thy Footstep faint and slow,
Weighed beneath Thy Cross of woe;

Jesus, Saviour, hear our cry;
Thou wert suffering once as we;
Hear the loving Litany
We Thy children sing to Thee.

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S E R M O N (2)
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Let Us Pray:
ALL: O Lord Jesus Christ, crucified for us, * in all humility, but with great confidence * we beseech Thee to be merciful * to all who are gathered here about Thy cross * and to all those for whom we wish to pray. * Grant us the grace to know Thee, * and to love Thee, * and to be really sorry, * that till now we have known thee, * and loved Thee so little.

We ask this grace by Thy Sacred Hands:
By those hands * so often raised to Thy Father to implore our pardon, * and so often lowered to lift us up. By those hands * so often placed on our wounds to cover them. By those hands * so often stretched out to protect and bless us * and to receive us back to peace and love. By those hands * pierced and fastened to the cross for us * and still bearing the marks of their wounds.

We ask this grace by Thy Sacred Feet:
By those feet * so often wearied and torn, in following after us. By those feet * which have so often tarried to wait for us. By those feet * which never broke the bruised reed * nor quenched the smoking flax. By those feet * which have been the refuge of sinners and mourners. By those feet * at which the penitent Magdalen * found so tender a reception; * peace for her heart; * victory over her passions; * pardon for her sins; * true happiness in faithful unwavering love. By those feet * which are pierced on the cross * and which still bear the adorable wounds to plead for us.

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.           Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

ALL:
O Jesus, * mirror of everlasting love, * call to mind that grief of Thine, * when in the depths of Thy divine Omniscience * Thou didst behold the predestination of Thine elect, * whom the merits of Thine agony should save, * and the repudiation of the wicked * who for their own sins should be condemned * and by the depth of Thy divine compassion, * whereby Thou didst die for us, * lost and ruined sinners, * and which Thou didst manifest on the cross * in Thy saying to the penitent thief * “This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise;” * we pray Thee, Lord Jesus, * deal with us in mercy at the hour of our death. Amen.

O my Lord Jesus Christ, * Who, to redeem the world, * didst vouchsafe to be born amongst men, * to be circumcised, * to be rejected and persecuted by the Jews, * to be betrayed with a kiss by the traitor Judas, * and as a lamb to be bound with cords, * and dragged in scorn before the tribunals of Annas, * Caiphas, * and Herod, * Who didst suffer Thyself to be accused by false witnesses, * to be torn by the scourges, * to be spat upon, * to be crowned with thorns, * buffeted, struck with the reed, * blindfolded, stripped of Thy garments, * to be nailed to the cross and raised on it between two thieves, * to be given gall and vinegar to drink * and to be pierced with a lance; * do Thou, O Lord, by Thy most sacred pains, * which I, all unworthy, now call to mind, * and by Thy holy cross and death * save me from the pains of hell, * and vouchsafe to bring me * whither Thou didst bring the good thief * who was crucified with Thee; * Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost * livest and reignest,* God for ever and ever. Amen.

Priest: By Thy holy cross and passion, O Lord.       People: Send help to Thy servants * who are sick or near death. * Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

Oh, how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother, highly blest,
Of the sole begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs:
She beneath behold the pangs
Of her dying glorious Son.

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The Third Word on the Cross

Priest: Mary draws near the cross, whereon hangs her divine Son. The thick darkness has dispersed the crowd. All are silent and the soldiers can find no reason for keeping the afflicted Mother from approaching her Son. Jesus looks with tenderest affection upon Mary; the sight of her sorrow is a new grief to His Sacred Heart. He is dying, and His own Mother cannot console or embrace Him. Magdalene, too, is there, distracted with grief. Those feet, which a few days before she had anointed with most precious perfumes are now pierced through with nails and the blood is clotting around the wounds. John is there, too, overwhelmed with sorrow. The silence is again broken. Jesus speaks to His Mother and to the beloved disciple; it is His third word:

“WOMAN, BEHOLD THY SON.”
After that, He said to His disciple,
“BEHOLD THY MOTHER.”

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.           Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Let us Pray:
ALL:
Jesus, my love, * Who, for love of me, * dost hang in agony on the cross * and unmindful of Thine own sorrows, * dost leave us Thine own most holy Mother as a pledge of Thy love, * that we, through her, * may, in our greatest straits, seek Thee with confidence; * have pity on all faithful souls now in their last agony, * and pity me when I, too, shall be in mine. * By the inward martyrdom of Thy dear Mother, * quicken in our hearts a firm hope * in the infinite merits of Thy most Precious Blood, * that so we may escape the sentence of eternal death, * which we know we will deserve for our sins. * Amen.

By the nails and pointed spear;
By Thy people’s cruel jeer;
By Thy dying prayer which rose
Begging mercy for Thy foes.

Jesus, Saviour, hear our cry;
Thou wert suffering once as we;
Hear the loving Litany
We Thy children sing to Thee.

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S E R M O N (3)
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Let us Pray:
ALL
Lord Jesus Christ crucified for us; * in all humility, but in great confidence * we beseech Thee to be merciful * to all who are gathered here about Thy cross, * and to all those for whom we wish to pray; * grant us the grace to acknowledge Thee, * to love Thee, * and to be truly sorry * that till now we have known Thee * and loved Thee so little.

We ask this grace by Thy holy Mother Mary:
By Thine Immaculate Mother, * in whom there is no sin. * By Thy thoughtful Mother, * who treasured in her heart all that concerned Thee.* By Thy tender Mother, * who bore Thee. * By Thy sympathizing Mother, * who shared every joy and sorrow * of Thy life and death. * By Thy sorrowful Mother, * who met Thee on the way to Calvary, * and saw Thee fall under the cross. * By Thy gentle Mother, * who wove Thy seamless garment, * and saw Thee stripped thereof. * By Thy broken-hearted Mother, * who stood by while they stretched Thee on Thy death-bed, * and heard the driving of the nails. * By Thy Virgin Mother, * who shared Thy shame. * By Thine unpitied Mother, * whom the faithless rabble did not reverence. * By Thy disconsolate Mother, * who watched Thee hanging on the cross, * and witnessed Thine agony. * By Thy charitable Mother, * who prayed to Thee for the thief, * and the Jews. * By Thine own Mother * whom Thou didst give to be a Mother to us. *

By Thy sad Mother, * who heard Thee say: “I thirst” and could not refresh Thee, * and who saw gall and vinegar given Thee to drink.* By Thy submissive Mother, * who witnessed the end, * and when all was consummated, heard Thy last cry, * and saw Thee bow Thy head, * and give up Thy soul into the hands of Thy Father. * By Thy desolate Mother, * who saw Thy heart laid open, * and whose soul * the sword of sorrow pierced through and through. * By Thy meek and forgiving Mother, * whose heart was in constant accord * with Thine own heart.

Priest: We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.       Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Holy Mother pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

People:
O Lord Jesus, * call to mind that grief of Thine, * when Thou didst hang upon the cross, * and all Thy friends and acquaintances set themselves against Thee, * when Thou didst find no one to comfort Thee save only Thy dear Mother, * who still stood by Thee in the bitterness of her soul, * and whom Thou didst commend to Thy disciple saying: * “Son, behold thy Mother,” * We pray thee, Lord Jesus, * by that sword of grief that pierced her soul, * to have compassion upon us, * in all our distress and afflictions of soul and body, * and to comfort us in the time of trouble, * and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ, crucified Saviour, * Son of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, * open Thine ear and listen to me, * as Thou didst listen to Thine eternal Father on Mount Tabor. * Lord Jesus Christ, my crucified Saviour, * Son of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, * open Thine eyes and look upon me, * as Thou didst look down from the wood of the cross, * upon Thy sorrowing, and afflicted Mother. * Lord Jesus Christ, my crucified Saviour, * Son of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, * open Thy sacred lips and speak to me, * as Thou didst to St. John, * when Thou gavest him as a son of Thy beloved Mother. * Lord Jesus Christ, my crucified Saviour, * Son of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, * open Thine arms and embrace me, * as Thou didst open them on the wood of the cross, * to embrace the whole human race. * Lord Jesus Christ, my crucified Saviour, * Son of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, * open Thy heart and accept mine, * and graciously hear my prayer, * if such be the pleasure of Thy most holy will. * Mother of mercy, * Mother of grace; * Mary, help a fallen race. * Shield me when the foe is nigh, * and receive us when we die. * Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, * I give Thee my heart and my soul. * Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, * assist me in my last agony. * Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, * may I breathe forth my soul into Thy holy company. Amen.

Priest: By Thy holy cross and passion, O Lord.       People: Send help to Thy servants * who are sick or near death. * Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

Is there one who would not weep,
Whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother’s pain untold?

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The Fourth Word on the Cross

Priest:   It is close upon the ninth hour - the one fixed by the eternal decree of God for the death of the God-Man. The feeling of abandonment which had caused our Redeemer to suffer in agony in the garden now returns. He has taken upon Himself the sins of mankind; the whole weight of God’s justice now presses on His soul. The bitter chalice of God’s anger, which He is drinking to the very dregs, exhorts from His lips a plaintive cry: It is His fourth word:

“MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME”

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.       Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Let Us Pray:
ALL   O Lord Jesus Christ, * Who for love of us didst suffer upon the cross, * and, adding suffering to suffering * didst endure with unknown patience * the most painful affliction of Spirit, * in being forsaken by Thine eternal Father; * have mercy on all Christians in their last agony, * and on us when we shall be in that extremity, * and through the merits of Thy most Precious Blood * give us the grace to suffer all the pangs of our agony, * that, uniting all our pains with Thine, * we may be partakers of Thy glory for all eternity, * Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.

By Thy weeping Mother’s woe;
By the sword that pierced her through.
When, in anguish standing by,
On the Cross she saw Thee die.

Jesus, Saviour, hear our cry;
Thou wert suffering once as we;
Hear the loving Litany
We Thy children sing to Thee.

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S E R M O N (4)
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Let Us Pray:

ALL:   O Lord Jesus Christ, crucified for us, * in all humility but with great confidence * we beseech Thee to be merciful * to all who are gathered here about Thy cross * and to all those for whom we wish to pray. * Grant us the grace to know Thee, * to love Thee, * and to be truly sorry * that till now we have known Thee * and loved Thee so little.

   We ask this grace by Thy sacred Eyes:

   By those eyes, * so often raised to heaven for us, * so often bent down in pity upon us. *   By those eyes, * which shed so many tears for our miseries. * By those eyes, * so often turned toward us: To reproach us, * To encourage us, * To melt our hard hearts. By those eyes, * which never lost sight of us. By those eyes: * of a Good Shepherd, * of a tender and faithful friend, * of our Lord and Saviour.

   We ask it by Thy Compassionate Ears:

   By those ears, * ever open: * to the repentance of poor sinners, * to the cry of the needy and infirm, * to the desires of those who would love Thee. By those all-sympathizing ears, * which listened on the cross to the prayer of the penitent thief.

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.           Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
of my Saviour crucified.

ALL:
   Lord Jesus, * royal in Thy might, * and in-dwelling by Thy presence in the soul, * call to mind that sore distress and agony of Thine, * when forlorn and desolate in the bitterness of death, * and assailed by Thine enemies in mockery, * Thou didst cry to Thy Father: * “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me.” * By this sore distress, * forsake us not in our own distress, * O Lord our God, and Redeemer. Amen.

   O Lord God Almighty, * I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood * which Thy Divine Son shed on this day upon the wood of the cross, * deliver the souls in Purgatory, * and especially those souls, * for whom I am bound most to pray, * that through the devout prayers of Thy servants here gathered around thy cross, * to commemorate Thy three hours of agony, * they may obtain that remission of pain, * which they have ever desired, * Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.           And let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.                   Amen.

By Thy holy cross and passion, O Lord.           Send help to Thy servants * who are sick or near death. * Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender Child,
All with bloody scourges rent:

For the sins of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation
Till His spirit forth He sent.

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The Fifth Word on the Cross

Priest:   There was but one detail of the prophesy which was as yet unfulfilled; years before the Royal Psalmist had said: “And they gave Me gall for My food; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar.” Well He knew that in answer to His words one of the soldiers would present to His parched and dying lips a sponge, full of vinegar, and hyssop, and that this would be all the refreshment He would receive from that earth on which He daily pours forth a heavenly dew, and to which He has given overflowing fountains and rivers. But He came to fulfill all and do a perfect work, and He breaks that awful silence by the words so expressive of suffering. It is His fifth word:

“I THIRST”

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.           Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Let Us Pray:
ALL   O Jesus, my Love, * Who, for love of me, * dost hang in agony on the cross, * and Who, ever thirsting for insults and sufferings, * dost will yet more and more to suffer, * that all men be redeemed, * thus showing that all the torrent of Thy passion * is not enough to quench the thirst of Thy most loving heart; * pity all faithful souls now in their last agony, * and pity me when, I, too shall be in mine. * Kindle such fire of charity within us, * that, with burning longing, * we may thirst ever to be one with Thee for all eternity. Amen.

By the darkness thick as night
Blotting out the sun from sight;
By the cry with which in death
Thou didst yield Thy parting Breath.

Jesus, Saviour, hear our cry;
Thou wert suffering once as we;
Hear the loving Litany
We Thy children sing to Thee.

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S E R M O N (5)
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Let Us Pray:
ALL   O Lord Jesus Christ, crucified for us; * in all humility, but with great confidence * we beseech Thee to be merciful * to all who are gathered here about Thy cross * and to all those for whom we wish to pray. * Grant us the grace to know Thee, * to love Thee, * and to be truly sorry * that till now we have known Thee * and loved Thee so little.

   We ask this grace by Thy sacred Lips:

   By those lips which said: * “Come to Me, all you that labour and are burdened, * and I will refresh thee.” * By those lips which said: * “The Son of man came, not to destroy sinners, * but to save them.” * By those lips which said: * “It is I, fear ye not.” * “Ask, and it shall be given to you.” * By those lips which said: * to the paralytic: * “Be of good heart, son, * thy sins are forgiven thee.” * to the widow: * “Weep not.” * to the leper: * “I will; * be thou made clean.” * to Mary Magdalene: * “Go in peace.” * By those lips which said from the cross: * “Father, forgive them, * for they know not what they do.” * By those lips parched with cruel thirst, * which said to the penitent thief: * “This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise.”

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.           Because by Thy holy cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Holy Mother pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

ALL:   O Lord Jesus, * I bless Thee and give Thee thanks, * for the exceedingly great pain and anguish * which Thou didst suffer upon the cross, * when Thou didst endure and anguish in bodily thirst. * O Jesus, * to Whom in Thine agony * only gall and vinegar were given to drink, * grant that remembering this bitter cup of Thine, * we may no longer thirst for sinful pleasures, * but only to do Thy holy Will. * Lord Jesus, * unfailing spring of love; * Who from the lowest depths thereof * didst say upon the cross: * “I thirst” * even for the salvation of mankind, * enkindle, we beseech Thee, * the desire of our hearts for every perfect work. * Quiet and quench within us the thirst of carnal desires, * and all the fevers of the pleasures of this world. Amen.

   Look down, O Lord, * we beseech Thee, * upon this Thy family, * for which our Lord Jesus Christ, * did not hesitate to be betrayed into the hands of the wicked, * and to undergo the torment of the cross. * Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost * liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen.

By Thy holy cross and passion, O Lord.           Send help to Thy servants * who are sick or near death. * Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

O Thou Mother: fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with thine accord;

Make me feel as thou hast felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt,
With the love of Christ my Lord.

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The Sixth Word on the Cross

Priest:   The moment is at length come when Jesus is to yield up His soul to His Father. He has fulfilled every prophesy that has been foretold of Him, even that of receiving vinegar when parched with thirst. He had now but to abandon Himself to death. His head bends forward, His eyes begin to close and His lips become cold and livid. But, that He might show the world that He died because He was pleased so to do, in order to teach us to die well, after having taught us to live well; at the moment when men lose their speech, He, the God-Man, lifts up his head, opens His eyes, and fixing them on heaven, speaks thus. It is His sixth word:

“IT IS CONSUMMATED”

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.           Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Let Us Pray:
ALL   O Jesus, my Love, * Who for love of me, didst hang in agony on the cross, * and from that pulpit of the cross, * dost declare the work of our redemption finished: * that work by which, from children of wrath and of eternal woe, * we were made children of God and heirs of heaven; * pity all faithful souls now in their last agony, * and pity me when I, too, shall be in mine. * By the merits of Thy most Precious Blood, * detach us wholly from the world and from ourselves, * and, at the moment of our last agony, * grant us grace to offer Thee, with all our hearts, * the sacrifice of our life in atonement for our sins. Amen.

By Thy weeping Mother’s woe;
By the sword that pierced her through;
When in anguish standing by,
On the Cross she saw Thee die.

Jesus, Saviour, hear our cry;
Thou wert suffering once as we.
Hear the loving Litany
We Thy children sing to Thee.

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S E R M O N (6)
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Let Us Pray:
ALL:   O Lord Jesus Christ crucified for us; * in all humility, but with great confidence * we beseech Thee to be merciful * to all who are gathered here about Thy Cross * and to all those for whom we wish to pray. * Grant us the grace to know Thee, * to love Thee, * and to be truly sorry * that till now we have known Thee * and loved Thee so little.

   We ask this grace by Thy sacred Body:
   By Thy sacred Body, * born of the immaculate Virgin Mary, * and carried in her arms. *   By Thy sacred Body, * faint and weary. * By Thy sacred Body, * disfigured and unsightly.*
   By Thy sacred Body, * covered with Thy Precious Blood. * By Thy sacred Body, * hanging on the Cross, * like one vast wound. * By Thy sacred Body, * cold and rigid in death. * By Thy sacred Body, * offered daily on the altar. * By Thy sacred Body, * always present in the holy tabernacle.

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.           Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

ALL:   O Jesus Christ, * almighty Lord and King eternal, * call to mind, we beseech Thee, * that grief of Thine, * when - bowing Thy head Thou didst say: “It is consummated.” * By that distress and anguish, * pity us in our last agony, * when our course is finished, * our souls amazed * and our spirits about to appear before Thee in judgment. Amen.

   Look down, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary, * and from heaven, Thy dwelling place, * and behold this holy Victim, * which our great High Priest, * Thy holy Son, the Lord Jesus, * offers up to Thee for the sins of His brethren; * and let not Thy wrath be kindled, * because of the multitude of our transgressions. * Behold, * the voice of the Blood of Jesus, our brother, * calls to Thee from the Cross. * Give ear, O Lord, * be appeased, O Lord, * harken and delay not, O Lord; * because Thy Name is called upon in behalf of this city, * and of Thy people, * but deal with us according to Thy great mercy. Amen.

By Thy Holy Cross and Passion, O Lord.           Send help to Thy servants * who are sick or near death. * Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

Holy Mother, pierce me through;
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

Let me share with thee His pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torment died.

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The Seventh Word on the Cross

Priest:   Jesus has now but to die. His death is to put the finishing stroke to our redemption as the prophets assure us. But He must die as God. This man worn out by suffering, exhausted by His Three Hours’ Agony, Whose few words were scarcely audible to them who stood around His Cross - now utters a loud cry which is heard at a great distance off, and fills the centurion, who commands the guard, with fear and astonishment. It is His seventh and last word:

“FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT”

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.           Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Let Us Pray:
ALL:   Jesus, my Love, * Who for love of me, * dost hang in agony on the Cross, * and Who, to accomplish the great sacrifice, * dost submit to the Will of Thine eternal Father, * commending Thy spirit into His hands, * and then dost bow Thy head and die. * Pity all faithful souls now in their last agony, * and pity me when I, too, shall be in mine. * By the merit of Thy most Precious Blood, * give us in our agony * an entire conformity to Thy divine Will, * that, ready to live or die, as it might please Thee, * we may desire nothing * but that Thine adorable Will * may ever find its full accomplishment in us. Amen.

By the darkness thick as night,
Blotting out the sun from sight;
By the cry with which in death,
Thou didst yield Thy parting breath.

Jesus, Saviour, hear our cry;
Thou wert suffering once as we.
Hear the loving Litany
We Thy children sing to Thee.

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S E R M O N (7)
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Let Us Pray:

ALL:   O Lord Jesus Christ, crucified for us, * in all humility, but with great confidence * we beseech Thee to be merciful * to all who are gathered here about Thy Cross * and to all those for whom we wish to pray. * Grant us the grace to know Thee, * to love Thee, * and to be truly sorry, * that till now we have known Thee * and loved Thee so little.

   We ask this grace by Thy Precious Blood:
   By that Precious Blood, * which bathed Thy sacred body, * and trickled down to the ground * in the garden of Olives. * By that Precious Blood, * which poured forth from Thy sacred body * during the scourging. * By that Precious Blood, * which covered Thy sacred face * when Thou wert crowned with thorns. * By that Precious Blood, * which burst forth from Thy hands and feet on Calvary. * By that Precious Blood, * which from the holy Cross, * cried to Thy Father for pardon. * By that Precious Blood, * which after death came forth from Thy side. * By that Precious Blood, * still offered daily upon our altars. * By that Precious Blood, * of which we receive in Holy Communion, * and of which Thou hast said: * “He that eateth My Flesh and drinketh My Blood * shall live in Me and I in him.”

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.           Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

ALL:   O Jesus, only Begotten of the Father, * Image and Brightness of His Person, * call to mind that strong yearning, * when Thou didst cry to the Father: * “Into Thy hands I commend My Spirit” * when with bleeding body and broken heart * Thou gavest up Thy Ghost; * by this, thy most precious death, * we pray Thee, to give us strength to withstand the world, * the flesh and the devil, * that being dead to the world we may live to Thee * and in the last hour of our life * look upon our wandering and sinful souls * and take them to Thyself. Amen.

   Divine Jesus, Incarnate Son of God, * Who, for our salvation, didst vouchsafe to be born in a stable, * to pass Thy life in poverty, trials and misery * and to die amid the sufferings of the Cross; * I entreat Thee most solemnly * say to Thy Divine Father at the hour of my death: * “Father, forgive him;” * say to my soul: * “This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise.” * O God, my God and Creator, * forsake me not in that hour. * “I thirst” * yes, my God, my soul thirsteth after Thee * Who art the fountain of living waters. * My life passeth like a shadow; * yet a little while and all will be consummated. * Wherefore, my adorable Saviour,* from this moment and for all eternity, * “Into Thy hands I commend my spirit.” * Lord Jesus receive my soul. Amen.

By Thy Holy Cross and Passion, Lord.           Send help to Thy servants * who are sick or near death. * Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him Who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.

By the Cross with thee to stay;
There with thee to weep and pray
Is all I ask of thee to give.

While my body here decays
While my soul Thy goodness praise.
Safe in paradise with Thee.

Thus inflamed with pure affection
In the Virgin’s Son protection
May I at the judgment find.

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C O N C L U S I O N

Reading of St. Matthew: XXVII 50-66

Priest:
   Jesus again cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the Ghost. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent, and the tombs were opened, and may bodies of the just who had fallen asleep arose; and coming forth out of the tombs after His resurrection, they came into the holy city, and appeared to many. Now when the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, they were very much afraid, and they said, “Truly, He was the Son of God.” And many women were there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
   Now when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, Joseph by name, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered the body to be given up. And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock. Then he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb, and departed. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulchre.
   And the next day, which is the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees went in a body to Pilate, saying, “Sir, we have remembered how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Give orders, therefore, that the sepulchre be guarded until the third day, or else his disciples may come and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead’; and the last imposture will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, guard it as well as you know how.” So they went and made the sepulchre secure, sealing the stone, and setting a guard.

Soul of Christ, * sanctify me!
Body of Christ, * save me!
Blood of Christ, * inebriate me!
Water from the side of Christ, * wash me!
Passion of Christ, * strengthen me!
O Good Jesus, * hear me!
Within Thy Wounds, * hide me!
Suffer me not * to be separated from Thee!
From the malicious enemy * defend me!
In the hour of my death * call me!
And bid me * to come unto Thee!
That with Thy saints I may praise Thee *
For ever and ever. Amen.

Let Us Pray:

ALL:   O Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, * we adore Thee, now dead on the Cross. * Thy bitter death has given us life. * Like those who saw Thee die, * and returned to Jerusalem striking their breasts, * we also confess, * that our sins have caused Thy death. * Thou hast loved us as none but God could love. * Henceforth we must be Thine, * and serve thee as humble creatures * redeemed at the infinite price of Thy Blood. * Thou art our God, * we Thy children. * Accept, we beseech Thee, our loving thanks * for this final proof of Thy goodness toward us.* Now we are about to leave Calvary for a time. * Mary, Thy Mother, remains at the foot of the Cross; * Magdalene clings to Thy feet; * John and the holy women stand around Thee. * Once more, dearest Jesus, * we adore Thy Sacred Body, * Thy most Precious Blood, * and Thy Holy Cross. * O Jesus, I believe in Thee, * I hope in Thee, * I love Thee above all things, * I grieve that I have sinned against Thee, * I grieve that I have caused others to sin against Thee. * Jesus, to Thee I consecrate my whole self, * my body and my blood, * my feet, * my hands, * my mouth, * my eyes, * my ears, * my tongue, and my whole heart, * for time and eternity. Amen.

O SACRED HEAD SURROUNDED

O Sacred Head surrounded
By crown of piercing thorns!
O bleeding head so wounded
Reviled and put to scorn!
Death’s pallid hue comes o’er Thee,
The glow of life decays;
Yet angel hosts surround Thee
And tremble as they gaze.

I see Thy strength and vigor
All fading in the strife.
And death with cruel vigor
Bereaving Thee of life.
O agony and dying
O love to sinners free!
Jesus, all grace supplying,
O turn Thy face on me.

If there is additional time remaining to complete the “Three Hours”, time should be spent
in quiet meditation upon Our Lord’s Passion.

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