Prayer before a Crucifix
Wounds of Jesus! you are my hope. I should
despair of the pardon of my sins, and of my
eternal salvation, did I not behold you, the
fountains of mercy and grace, through which a God
has shed all His Blood, to wash my soul from the
sins I have committed. I adore ye, then, O holy
Wounds! and I trust in you. I detest a thousand
times and I curse those vile pleasures by which I
have displeased my Redeemer, and have miserably
lost His friendship. On beholding ye, my hopes
revive, and the affection of my heart is renewed.
O Wounds of my sorrowful Jesus, ye are living evidences of the love which my Redeemer has for me; with tender words do ye force me to love Him for the many sufferings that He underwent for love of me, Eternal Father, " look at the Face of Thy Christ" (Ps. lxxxiii. 10); look at the Wounds of Thy Son, which ask pity for me, and for their sake pardon the outrages that I have committed against Thee; take my heart entirely to Thyself that it may not love, seek, nor sigh after any other but Thee. O Wounds of my Redeemer, how many souls have ye not inflamed with love! inflame my soul also. O Wounds of Jesus, ye constrain me to love Jesus! O Wounds of my Jesus, O blessed furnaces of love! receive me that I may not burn in the fire of hell, as I have deserved, but be consumed in the holy flames of love for that God Who condescended to die in torment for my salvation.
Little Chaplet of the Five Wounds of Jesus crucified
my Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the Wound in
Thy left Foot. I thank Thee for having
suffered it for me with so much sorrow and
with so much love. I compassionate Thy pain, and
