PRAYERS TO THE MOST HOLY WOUNDS.
PRAYERS TO THE MOST HOLY WOUNDS.
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THE PRAYERS:
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Act of Contrition.
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As I kneel before Thee on the Cross, most loving Saviour of my soul, my conscience reproaches me with having nailed Thee to that cross with these hands of mine, as often as I have fallen into mortal sin, wearying Thee with my monstrous ingratitude. My God, my chief and most perfect Good, worthy of all my love, for the many blessings Thou hast ever bestowed upon me; I cannot now undo my misdeeds as I would most willingly; but I will loathe them, grieving greatly for having offended Thee who art Infinite Goodness! And now, kneeling at Thy feet, I will try at least to compassionate Thee, to give Thee thanks, to ask of Thee pardon and contrition; wherefore with heart and lips I say:
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To the first Wound, of the Left Foot.
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Holy wound of the Left Foot of my Jesus! I adore Thee, I compassionate Thee for the most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for the love whereby Thou wast wearied in overtaking me on the way to ruin, and didst bleed amid the thorns and brambles of my sins. I offer to the Eternal Father the pain and love of Thy most holy humanity, in atonement for my sins, all which I detest with sincere and bitter contrition.
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Pater noster. Ave Maria. Gloria Patri.
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Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.
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To the Second Wound, of the Right Foot.
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Holy wound of the Right Foot of my Jesus! I adore Thee, I compassionate Thee for the bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for that love which pierced Thee with such torture and shedding of blood in order to punish my wanderings and the guilty pleasures I have granted to my unbridled passions. I offer the Eternal Father all the pain and love of Thy most holy humanity, and I pray unto Thee for grace to weep over my transgressions with burning tears, and to enable me to persevere in the good which I have begun, without ever swerving again from my obedience to the commandments of my God.
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Pater noster. Ave Maria. Gloria Patri.
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Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.
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To the Third Wound, of the Left hand.
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Holy wound of the Left Hand of my Jesus! I adore Thee, I compassionate Thee for the bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for having, in Thy love, spared me the scourges and eternal damnation which my sins had merited. I offer to the Eternal Father the pain and love of Thy most holy humanity, and I pray Thee to teach me how to turn to good account my span of life, and bring forth in it worthy fruits of penance, and so disarm the justice of God, which I have provoked.
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Pater noster. Ave Maria. Gloria Patri.
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Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.
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To the Fourth Wound, of the Right Hand.
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Holy wound of the Right Hand of my Jesus! I adore Thee, I compassionate Thee for the bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for Thy graces lavished on me with such love, in spite of all my most perverse obstinacy. I offer to the Eternal Father all the pain and love of Thy most holy humanity, and I pray Thee to change my heart and its affections, and make me do all my actions in accordance with the will of God.
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Pater noster. Ave Maria. Gloria Patri.
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Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.
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To the Fifth Wound, of the Sacred Side.
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Holy wound in the side of my Jesus! I adore Thee, I compassionate Thee for the cruel insult Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee, my Jesus, for the love which suffered Thy side and heart to be pierced, that so the last drops of blood and water might issue forth, making my redemption to abound. I offer to the Eternal Father this outrage, and the love of Thy most holy Humanity, that my soul may enter once for all into that most loving Heart, eager and ready to receive the greatest sinners, and never more depart.
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Pater noster. Ave Maria. Gloria Patri.
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Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.
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Pope Pius VII., by a Rescript of time S. Congr. of Indulgences, dated Sept. 29, 1807, granted -
i. The indulgence of 100 days, daily, to all the faithful who shall devoutly recite the preceding prayers to the Five Sacred Wounds of Jesus Christ.
ii. The plenary indulgence, besides the above partial Indulgence, twice a year, - that is, on the two feasts, first, that of the Invention (May 3), and, secondly, that of the Exaltation, of the holy Cross (Sept. 14), - to all who shall say these prayers at least ten times a month, if, after having Confessed and Communicated on the above-named feast, they shall visit a church, and pray there according to the mind of the Sovereign Pontiff.
iii. The indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines, daily, to those who say these prayers from Passion Sunday to Holy Saturday, inclusive. Plenary on Easter Day, if, after Confession and Communion on that day, they should visit and pray as aforesaid.