Revelations of St. Bridget/Chapter 25. Prayers on the Passion of Our Lord
CHAPTER XXV.
PRAYERS ON THE PASSION OF OUR LORD.
I.
O Jesus Christ, eternal sweetness of them that hope in thee, joy exceeding all joy and all desire, salvation, and love of sinners, who hast declared it to be thy delight to be with the children of men, made man for man in the end of time; remember all thy premeditation and interior grief, which thou didst endure in thy human body, at the approach of the time of thy most saving Passion, preordained in thy divine heart. Remember the sadness and the bitterness, which as thou thyself didst testify, thou didst feel in thy soul, when at the Last Supper with thy disciples thou didst give them thy Body and Blood, didst wash their feet, and sweetly consoling them, foretell thy imminent Passion. Remember all the fear, anguish, and grief, which thou didst endure in thy delicate body before the Passion of the Cross; when, after thy thrice-repeated prayer and bloody sweat, thou wast betrayed by thy disciple Judas, taken by a chosen people, accused by false witnesses, unjustly judged by three judges, condemned innocent in the chosen city, at Paschal time, in the bloom of youth, stripped of thy own clothing and clothed in the garments of another, buffeted, thy face and eyes veiled, smitten with blows, bound to the pillar, scourged, crowned with thorns, struck with a reed on the head, and torn with numberless other acts of violence. Give me, O Lord God, I beseech thee, before I die, in memory of these thy passions before the cross, a true contrition, true confession, worthy satisfaction and remission of all my sins. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
II.
O Jesus, maker of the world, whom no measure by just bounds doth compass, who inclosest the earth in thy palm, remember the most bitter grief which thou didst endure, when the Jews first fastened thy most sacred hands to the cross with dull nails, and as thou wast not agreeable to their will, added pain to pain in thy wounds by perforating thy most delicate feet, and cruelly wrenched and distended thee the length and breadth of thy cross, so that the joints of thy limbs were loosened. I beseech thee by the memory of this most sacred and bitter pain on the cross to give me thy fear and love. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
III.
O Jesus, heavenly physician, remember the languor, livor, and pain which thou didst suffer on the lofty scaffold of the cross, torn in all thy limbs, not one of which had remained in its right state, so that no pain was found like to thy pain; for from the sole of thy foot to the top of thy head, there was no soundness in thee. And yet, regardless of all pains, thou didst piously pray to thy Father for thy enemies, saying: “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” By this mercy and in remembrance of that pain, grant that this memory of thy most bitter Passion be a full remission of all my sins. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
IV.
O Jesus, true liberty of Angels, paradise of delights, remember the grief and horror which thou didst endure, when all thy enemies surrounded thee like fierce lions, and tortured thee by buffets, spitting upon thee, tearing and other unheard-of pains. By these pains and all the contumelious words and most severe torments, whereby, O Lord Jesus Christ, all thy enemies afflicted thee, I beseech thee to free me from all my enemies, visible and invisible, and grant me to reach the perfection of eternal salvation under the shadow of thy wings. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
V.
O Jesus, mirror of eternal brightness, remember the grief which thou didst endure, when thou didst behold in the mirror of thy most serene Majesty the predestination of the elect to be saved by the merits of thy Passion, and the reprobation of the wicked, to be damned by their own demerits; and by the abyss of thy mercy, whereby thou didst then compassionate us lost and hopeless sinners, and which thou didst show the thief on the cross, saying, “ This day thou shalt be with me in paradise,” I beseech thee, O merciful Jesus, show mercy to me at the hour of my death. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
VI.
O Jesus, amiable king, and most desirable friend, remember the sorrow thou hadst, when thou didst hang naked and wretched on the cross, and all thy friends and acquaintances stood over against thee, and thou didst find no comforter, except alone thy beloved Mother, most faithfully standing by thee in bitterness of soul, whom thou didst commend to thy disciple, saying, “ Woman, behold thy son I beseech thee, merciful Jesus, by the sword of grief which then pierced thy soul, to have compassion on me in all my tribulations and afflictions, bodily and spiritual, and give me comfort in time of tribulation and at the hour of my death. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
VII.
O Jesus, fountain of inexhaustible mercy, who from intense feeling didst exclaim on the cross, “I thirst,” thirsting for the salvation of the human race; inflame, we beseech thee, the desires of our hearts to every perfect work, and entirely cool and extinguish in us the thirst of carnal concupiscence and the heat of worldly delight. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
VIII.
O Jesus, sweetness of hearts and great sweetness of minds, by the bitterness of the vinegar and gall which thou didst taste for us, grant me at the hour of my death worthily to receive thy Body and Blood, for the remedy and consolation of my soul. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
IX.
O Jesus, royal virtue and mental delight, remember the anguish and pain which thou didst endure, when, from the bitterness of death and the reproaches of the Jews, thou didst exclaim in a loud voice that thou wast forsaken by thy Father, saying, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” By this anguish, I beseech thee not to forsake me in my anguish, O Lord our God. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
X.
O Jesus, Alpha and Omega, ever virtue and life, remember that for us thou didst plunge thyself, from the top of thy head to the sole of thy feet, in the water of thy Passion. By the length and breadth of thy wounds, teach me to keep in true charity thy broad command, too much immersed in sin. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
XI.
O Jesus, most profound abyss of mercy, I beseech thee by the depth of thy wounds, which pierced the marrow of thy bones and vitals, raise me from the depth of sins in which I am plunged, and hide me in the hollow of thy wounds, from the face of thy wrath, till thy anger pass away, O Lord. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
XII.
O Jesus, mirror of truth, sign of unity, and bond of charity, remember the multitude of thy innumerable wounds wherewith thou wast Wounded from the top of thy head to the sole of thy feet, and reddened with thy most sacred blood, which magnitude of pain thou didst endure on thy virginal flesh for us. O merciful Jesus, what more oughtest thou to do, and hast not done? Engrave, I beseech thee, O merciful Jesus, all thy wounds in my heart with thy most precious blood, that in them I may read thy sorrow and death, and in thanksgiving persevere duly to the end. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary .
XIII.
O Jesus, most valiant Lion, immortal and unconquered King, remember the pain which thou didst endure, when all the powers of thy heart and body entirely failed thee, and inclining thy head, thou didst exclaim, “ It is consummated.” By that anguish and pain, remember me in the last consummation of my departure, when my soul shall be in anguish and my spirit troubled. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
XIV.
O Jesus, only-begotten Son of the most high Father, splendor and figure of his substance, remember the commendation wherewith thou didst commend thy spirit to thy Father, saying, “ Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit and then, with lacerated body and broken heart, with a loud cry, the bowels of thy mercy exposed, didst expire to redeem us. By this precious death, I beseech thee, O King of saints, comfort me to resist the devil, the world, flesh, and blood, that dead to the world, I may live to thee, and in the last hour of my departure receive thou my exiled, wandering spirit returning to thee. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
XV.
O Jesus, true and fruitful vine, remember the overflowing and abundant effusion of blood, which thou didst pour forth in torrents, like wine pressed from the grape, when on the press of the cross thou didst tread alone; and thy side having been opened with a lance, thou didst pour forth to us blood and water, so that not the least drop remained in thee; and at last thou wast suspended on high like a bundle of myrrh, and thy delicate flesh fainted, and the moisture of thy members dried up, and the marrow of thy bones faded. By this most bitter Passion and the effusion of thy precious blood, O pious Jesus, I pray thee, receive my soul in the agony of my death. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
O sweet Jesus, wound my heart, that tears of penitence and love may be my food night and day, and bring me entirely to thee; that my heart may ever be habitable for thee, and my conversation pleasing and acceptable to thee; and the end of my life so praiseworthy, that after the close of this life, I may deserve to praise thee with all thy Saints forever.
After five Our Fathers say the following prayer:
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, receive this prayer in that most exceeding love, wherewith thou didst bear all the wounds of thy most sacred body; and remember me thy servant, and to all sinners, and all the faithful, living and dead, give mercy, grace, remission, and eternal life. Amen.
THE END