The Catholic Prayer Book and Manual of Meditations/Bona Mors
Bona Mors.
DEVOTIONS TO THE PASSION OF OUR BLESSED LORD, TO OBTAIN THE GRACE OF A HAPPY DEATH.
OPEN, O Lord, our mouths to bless thy holy name; cleanse our hearts from all vain and distracting thoughts; enlighten our understandings, inflame our wills, that we may worthily perform this holy exercise with attention and devotion, and may deserve to be heard in the presence of thy Divine Majesty: through Christ our Lord. Amen.
LORD, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us .
Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Pray for us.
All ye holy Angels and Archangels,
St. Abel,
All ye choir of just souls,
St. Abraham,
St. John the Baptist,
All ye holy Patriarchs and Prophets,
St. Peter,
St. Paul,
St. Andrew,
St. John,
All ye holy Apostles and Evangelists,
All ye holy Disciples of our Lord,
All ye holy Innocents,
St. Stephen,
St. Laurence,
All ye holy Martyrs,
St. Sylvester,
St. Gregory,
St. Austin,
All ye holy Bishops and Confessors, Pray for us.
St. Benedict,
St. Francis,
All ye holy Monks and Hermits,
St. Mary Magdalen,
St. Lucy,
All ye holy Virgins and Widows,
All ye Saints of God. Make intercession for us.
Be merciful unto us. Spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful unto us. Hear us, O Lord.
Be merciful unto us,
From thy anger, O Lord, deliver us.
From the perils of death,
From an unprovided death,
From the pains of hell,
From all evil,
From the power of the devil,
By thy nativity,
By thy cross and passion,
By thy death and burial,
By thy glorious resurrection,
By thy admirable ascension,
By the grace of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter,
In the day of judgment,
We sinners, Beseech thee to hear us.
That thou wilt spare us,
We beseech thee to hear us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ , have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
LET US PRAY.
MAY thy clemency vouchsafe, O God, so to confirm thy servants in thy holy grace, that at the hour of death the enemy may not prevail over them and that with thy angels they may deserve to pass into life everlasting.
Almighty and most gracious God, who for thy thirsting people didst bring forth from the rock a stream of living water, draw forth from the hardness of our hearts tears of compunction, that we may bewail our sins, and receive remission of them from thy mercy: through Christ our Lord. Amen.
AN ACT OF CONTRITION.
O LORD Jesus Christ, Redeemer of the world, behold prostrate at thy feet a most ungrateful and perfidious creature! My God, I have offended thee exceedingly in thought, word, and deed. My heinous crimes fixed thee to the bloody cross. To rescue me from eternal damnation, thou didst agonize three hours on Mount Calvary. But, oh! how much am I displeased with myself! how grieved for having offended thee, a God of infinite goodness, of infinite charity! I am astonished and confounded at thy unwearied patience in supporting a most provoking sinner. From the bottom of my heart I detest all my sins; and because I love thee, and will love thee above all things created, I steadfastly purpose, by thy holy grace, never to offend thee more, and rather to die than commit one mortal sin. Amen.
THE STATIONS OF THE SACRED PASSION.
O MOST sweet Jesus! praying to thy Father in the garden, sorrowful even unto death, and sweating blood in an agony of grief, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
O most sweet Jesus! delivered by the traitor’s kiss into the hands of thine enemies, seized and bound like a thief, and abandoned by thy disciples, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
O most sweet Jesus! by the unjust verdict of the Jews found guilty of death, brought like a malefactor before the tribunal of Pilate, scorned and derided by the impious Herod, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
O most sweet Jesus! stripped of thy garments, and most cruelly scourged at the pillar, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
O most sweet Jesus! crowned with thorns, blindfolded, buffeted, struck with a reed, clothed in derision with a purple garment, and many other ways scorned and overwhelmed with reproaches, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
O most sweet Jesus! reputed more criminal than Barabbas the murderer, rejected by the Jews, and unjustly condemned to the death of the cross, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
O most sweet Jesus! loaded with a heavy cross, and led like an innocent lamb to the place of execution, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us O most sweet Jesus! numbered amongst thieves, derided, blasphemed, made to taste vinegar and gall, and crucified in dreadful torments from the sixth to the ninth hour, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
O most sweet Jesus! dead upon the cross, and in thy holy mother’s presence pierced by a lance in thy side, whence issued forth blood and water, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on its.
O most sweet Jesus! taken down from the cross, and bathed with the tears of thy most sorrowful Mother, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
O most sweet Jesus! covered with bruises, marked with five wounds, embalmed with spices, and laid in the sepulchre, have mercy on us.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
V. He truly bore our sorrows.
R. And he endured our grief.
LET US PRAY.
O GOD, who, for the redemption of the world, didst vouchsafe to be born, to be circumcised, to be rejected by the Jews, to be betrayed with a kiss, to be bound like a malefactor, and like an innocent lamb to be led to slaughter; to be ignominiously brought before Annas, Caiphas, and Herod; to be accused by false witnesses, scourged with whips, buffeted, spit upon, struck with a reed, crowned with thorns, stripped of thy garments, nailed to a Cross, and placed between two thieves; to have vinegar and gall given to thee to drink; to have thy side pierced through with a spear; do thou, O Lord, by these most grievous pains, which I, thy unworthy servant, commemorate, and by thy most holy cross and death, deliver me from the pains of hell, and conduct me whither thy mercy did conduct the good thief crucified with thee, who, together with the Father and the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest for ever. Amen.
PRAYERS TO THE FIVE WOUNDS OF OUR SAVIOUR.
O LORD Jesus Christ! I humbly adore the most sacred wound of thy left foot. I thank thee for that cruel pain, suffered with so much love and charity. I feelingly compassionate thy torments, and the excessive grief of thy most afflicted Mother. I humbly beg pardon for all my sins, which I deplore beyond all imaginable evils, because they offend thee, O infinite goodness! and I resolve never more to sin. O bring with me all sinners to a true conversion, and give them light to know the heinousness and enormity of mortal sin.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory, etc.
O LORD Jesus Christ! I humbly adore the most sacred wound of thy right foot. I give thee thanks for that cruel pain, suffered with so great love and charity. I feelingly condole with thee in thy torments, and with thy most afflicted Mother. Grant me strength against all temptations, and prompt obedience in the execution of thy divine will. Comfort, O Jesus, all poor, miserable, afflicted, tempted, and persecuted persons. Most just Judge! govern those who administer justice, and assist all labourers in the care of souls, whether amongst Christians or infidels.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory, etc.
O LORD Jesus Christ! I humbly adore the most sacred wound of thy left hand. I render thee thanks for that cruel pain, endured for me with so much love and charity. I condole with thee in thy sufferings, and with thy most afflicted Mother. Deliver me from the pains of hell; grant me patience in the adversities of this life, and conformity in all things to thy blessed will. I offer to thee all my sufferings of body and soul, in satisfaction for my sins, which have so often deserved eternal torments. Pardon all my enemies, and all those who bear ill-will against me. Grant patience to the sick, and restore them to health, and support with thy assisting grace all who are in their agony, that they may not perish.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory, etc.
O LORD Jesus Christ! I humbly adore the most sacred wound of thy right hand. I thank thee for that cruel pain, endured for me with so much love and charity. I condole with thee in thy sufferings, and with thy most afflicted Mother. Grant me a firm and resolute will in all things relating to my salvation. Bless me with final perseverance in grace, that I may secure the enjoyment of that glory which was purchased at the price of thy most precious blood. Grant also, my Jesus, speedy peace and repose to the souls in purgatory, and daily advance towards perfection thy holy servants in this world, especially those who are of this congregation.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory, etc.
O LORD Jesus Christ! I humbly adore the most sacred wound in thy blessed side. I thank thee for the immense love manifested towards us at the opening of thy inflamed heart. Grant me a pure and perfect charity; that, loving thee above all things, I may breathe my last breath in the purest sentiment of divine love. Protect thy holy Catholic Church; direct thy governing Vicar on earth, and all ecclesiastical orders and pious persons who are instrumental in bringing souls to their duty. Preserve in thy happy service all Christian kings and princes. Bring into the way of salvation all those who are gone astray, whether through malice or ignorance, and subject unto thy sweet yoke all infidels, heretics, and all the enemies of thy holy name.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory, etc.
LET US PRAY.
O LORD Jesus Christ! God of my heart! by those five wounds which our sins inflicted on thee, succour thy servants, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood. Amen.
Most merciful Redeemer! I humbly beseech thee, by those unspeakable torments, and the immense grief which thou wast pleased to suffer for me, especially when thy blessed soul was separated from thy body, that thou wilt secure my poor soul at the hour of its departure, and comfort me then, as thou didst the good thief, with the blessed assurance that I shall be with thee in paradise. Amen.
Let us say thrice the Our Father and the Hail Mary, in memory of the three hours our dear Redeemer hung upon the cross, for the souls of the faithful departed of this congregation. Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.
Let us say once the Our Father and, the Hail Mary, for such as are in the lamentable state of mortal sin. Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.
Let us likewise say once the Our Father and the Hail Mary, for the person in this congregation that is to die next, that he may he prepared, and depart happily fortified with the holy sacraments of the Church. Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc.
Let us dispose ourselves, by acts of perfect contrition, and pure love of God. to receive worthily the benediction of our Lord and Saviour, in the adorable sacrament of the altar.
MERCIFUL Redeemer, and holy God of infinite patience! great is my confusion to appear in thy divine presence, having so frequently preferred contemptible creatures to thee, the omnipotent Creator of the universe. I utterly detest my presumption in sinning ill thy most pure sight; I acknowledge myself a criminal, and I plead guilty at the bar of thy dread tribunal. Thou mightest have been glorified in thy justice, by striking me suddenly dead, and condemning me to eternal flames, for base indignities offered to thee; but thou wast pleased to be glorified in the high prerogative of thy mercy, in calling me back to repentance. 1 abhor all my crimes of thought, word, and deed; not only for the hope of reward, or fear of punishment, but for thy own sake, and because thou dost infinitely abominate them. O God of majesty and mercy! look upon those sacred marks in thy hands, feet and side, which thou still retainest in thy glorified body, to plead my pardon. By that tender love which induced thee to create, redeem, and sanctify me, unite the abyss of thy merits to the abyss of my misery; strengthen my weakness, confirm this my resolution of never offending thee more. O rather let me lose everything, with life itself, than lose thy favour by mortal sin. My heart was created for thee, and I love thee more than myself. Every aspiration of my life, especially the last, shall be a protestation of my pure and sincere love of thy Divine Majesty. Sweet Saviour of perishing mankind! who openest thy hand and idlest every creature with benediction, give me now such a blessing as thou didst bestow on thy beloved disciples when ascending in triumph from Mount Olivet, that I may live and die in this happy disposition. Amen.