The Prayer to the Agonizing Heart of Jesus is a prayer that praises and adores Jesus’ Agonizing Heart in the Garden of Gethsemane, its many virtues and attributes. It asks Jesus, who suffered greatly for us, to grant the grace of a peaceful death to those who are dying, pleading for his infinite love and patience to have pity on them in their final agony.
O Jesus, my Savior, I adore and love Thee in the mystery of Thine Agony in the Garden of Olives, and I compassionate the sufferings of Thine Agonizing Heart. I entreat Thee, by this Holy Agony, and by all the Dolors of Thy mortal life, to grant the grace of a good death to all the dying. For this end, let me offer Thee my most humble homage.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Sacred Heart of my God, my King, and my Savior,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most holy, most chaste, most innocent of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most humble, most submissive, most obedient of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most afflicted, most injured, most patient of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most sweet, most tender, most devoted of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most generous, most noble, most powerful of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Heart of the Good Shepherd, of the best of Friends, of the tenderest of Brothers,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Joy of the Angels, Bliss of the Saints, Glory of Heaven,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, terror of demons, hope of sinners, strength and consolation of the just,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, inexhaustible source of grace, abyss of mercy, only hope of the agonizing,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, Beloved of the Father, Living Temple of the Holy Ghost, delight of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
Agonizing Heart of Jesus, most loving, most worthy of love, most patient of all hearts,
I adore Thee and I love Thee, have pity on the dying.
The “Litany of the Passion“ is a prayer that thoughtfully reflects on the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. By meditating on Christ’s intense physical and spiritual pain through vivid invocations, it fosters devotion to him and gratitude for the salvation his sacrifice brings. Often used during Lent and Good Friday, this litany has long helped believers contemplate the mystery of the cross.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, have mercy on us. God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity one God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, the eternal Wisdom, have mercy on us. Jesus, sold for thirty pieces of silver, have mercy on us. Jesus, prostrate on the ground in prayer, have mercy on us. Jesus, strengthened by an angel, have mercy on us. Jesus, in Thine agony bathed in a bloody sweat, have mercy on us. Jesus, betrayed by Judas with a kiss, have mercy on us. Jesus, bound by the soldiers, have mercy on us. Jesus, forsaken by thy disciples, have mercy on us. Jesus, brought before Annas and Caiphas, have mercy on us. Jesus, struck in the face by a servant, have mercy on us. Jesus, accused by false witnesses, have mercy on us. Jesus, declared guilty of death, have mercy on us. Jesus, spat upon, have mercy on us. Jesus, blindfolded, have mercy on us. Jesus, smitten on the cheek, have mercy on us. Jesus, thrice denied by Peter, have mercy on us. Jesus, delivered up to Pilate, have mercy on us. Jesus, despised and mocked by Herod, have mercy on us. Jesus, clothed in a white garment, have mercy on us. Jesus, rejected for Barabbas, have mercy on us. Jesus, torn with scourges, have mercy on us. Jesus, bruised by our sins, have mercy on us. Jesus, esteemed as a leper, have mercy on us. Jesus, covered with a purple robe, have mercy on us. Jesus, crowned with thorns, have mercy on us. Jesus, struck with a reed upon the head, have mercy on us. Jesus, demanded for crucifixion by the Jews, have mercy on us. Jesus, condemned to an ignominious death, have mercy on us. Jesus, given up to the will of Thine enemies, have mercy on us. Jesus, loaded with the heavy weight of the Cross, have mercy on us. Jesus, led like a sheep to the slaughter, have mercy on us. Jesus, stripped of Thy garments, have mercy on us. Jesus, fastened with nails to the cross, have mercy on us. Jesus, reviled by the malefactors, have mercy on us. Jesus, promising paradise to the penitent thief, have mercy on us. Jesus, commending St. John to thy mother as her son, have mercy on us. Jesus, declaring Thyself forsaken by Thy Father, have mercy on us. Jesus, obedient even to death on the cross, have mercy on us. Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us. Jesus, made a propitiation for us, have mercy on us. Jesus, taken down from the Cross, made a propitiation for us, have mercy on us. Jesus, laid in the sepulcher, have mercy on us. Jesus, rising gloriously from the dead, have mercy on us. Jesus, ascending into heaven, have mercy on us. Jesus, our Advocate with the Father, have mercy on us. Jesus, sending down on the disciples the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, have mercy on us. Jesus, exalting Thy mother above the living and the dead, have mercy on us.
Be merciful, spare us, O Lord. Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.
From all evil, Lord Jesus, deliver us. From all sin, Lord Jesus, deliver us. From anger, hatred, and every evil will, Lord Jesus, deliver us. From war, famine, and pestilence, Lord Jesus, deliver us. From all dangers of mind and body, Lord Jesus, deliver us. From everlasting death, Lord Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most pure conception, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy miraculous nativity, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy humble circumcision, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy baptism and holy fasting, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy labors and watchings, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy cruel scourging and crowning, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy thirst and tears and nakedness, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy precious death on the cross, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, Lord Jesus, deliver us. Through Thy sending forth the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, Lord Jesus, deliver us.
On the day of Judgment, we sinners, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would spare us, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to bring us to true penance, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe mercifully to pour into our hearts the grace of the Holy Spirit, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to preserve and increase all societies assembled in Thy holy name, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to bestow upon us true peace, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to give us perseverance in grace and in Thy holy service, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to deliver us from unclean thoughts and temptations of the devil, and everlasting damnation, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to unite us to the company of Thy saints, we beseech Thee, hear us. That Thou would vouchsafe to graciously hear us, we beseech Thee, hear us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. We adore You, O Christ and praise You. R. Because by Your Holy cross, You have redeemed the world.
Let us pray.
Almighty and eternal God, who hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son the Savior of the world and hast willed to be appeased with His blood, grant that we may so venerate this Price of our salvation, and by it, might be so defended upon earth from the evils of this present life, that in heaven we may rejoice in its everlasting fruit, who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.
A collection of Lenten prayers & devotions designed to aid in personal reflection and spiritual renewal during the sacred season of Lent. Addressing themes central to this time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, these prayers can be used in private devotion or communal worship to help make your Lenten journey more meaningful as you prepare for the celebration of Easter.
The “Litany of Penance“ is a prayer asking for God’s mercy, forgiveness, and aid in turning from sin. It invokes Jesus Christ, recalling His mercy and forgiveness shown to many sinners and outcasts in the Bible – from Adam to Zacchaeus. It asks for the grace to judge ourselves and produce worthy fruits of penance so that sin does not reign in us. The prayer seeks pardon, peace, cleansing from offenses, and the ability to serve God with a quiet mind.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Incarnate Lord, have mercy on us. Lover of souls, have mercy on us. Savior of sinners, have mercy on us.
Who didst come to seek those that were lost, have mercy on us. Who didst fast for them forty days and nights, have mercy on us. By Thy tenderness towards Adam when he fell, have mercy on us. By Thy faithfulness to Noah in the ark, have mercy on us. By Thy remembrance of Lot in the midst of sinners, have mercy on us. By Thy mercy on the Israelites in the desert, have mercy on us. By Thy forgiveness of David after his confession, have mercy on us. By Thy patience with wicked Ahab on his humiliation, have mercy on us. By Thy restoration of the penitent Manasseh, have mercy on us. By Thy long suffering towards the Ninevites, when they went in sackcloth and ashes, have mercy on us. By Thy blessing on the Maccabees, who fasted before the battle, have mercy on us. By Thy choice of John to go before Thee as the preacher of penance, have mercy on us. By Thy testimony to the Publican, who hung his head and smote his breast, have mercy on us. By Thy welcome given to the returning Prodigal,have mercy on us. By Thy gentleness with the woman of Samaria, have mercy on us. By Thy condescension towards Zacchaeus, persuading him to restitution, have mercy on us. By Thy pity upon the woman taken in adultery, have mercy on us. By Thy love of Magdalen, who loved much, have mercy on us.
By Thy converting look, at which Peter wept, have mercy on us. By Thy gracious words to the thief upon the cross, have mercy on us.
We sinners, we beseech Thee, hear us. That we may judge ourselves, as to escape Thy judgment, we beseech Thee, hear us. That we may bring forth worthy fruits of penance, we beseech Thee, hear us. That sin may not reign in our mortal bodies, we beseech Thee, hear us. That we may work out our salvation with fear and trembling, we beseech Thee, hear us. Son of God, we beseech Thee, hear us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
O Lord, hear our prayer. And let our cry come unto Thee.
Let us pray: Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to Thy faithful, pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their offenses, and also serve Thee with a quiet mind, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
“The Stations of the Cross“, also known as “The Way of the Cross” or “Via Crucis“, is a devotional practice that commemorates the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. It consists of fourteen stations, each representing a specific event from Jesus’ final hours, beginning with His condemnation and ending with His burial. The faithful meditate on each station, often while physically moving from one station to the next, as a way to reflect on Christ’s suffering, express gratitude for His sacrifice, and unite their own trials with His.Copy
Opening Prayer Priest: (STAND) Jesus came with his disciples to a country place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit down here, while I go over yonder and pray.” Then he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and he began to be saddened and exceedingly troubled. He said to them, “My soul is sad, even unto death. Wait here and watch with me.” He went forward a little, and falling prostrate, he prayed, saying, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; yet not as I will but as You will.” (Matthew 26:36-39)
All: (KNEEL) Almighty and eternal Father, accept our prayer of thanksgiving for Your Beloved Son, our Savior and Lord. As we recall his Sacred Passion, send the Spirit of Christ into our hearts, we beg You, so that, whether we pray or work, we might do all in union with Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
All Sing (to the tune of Stabat Mater): (STAND) Jesus, Lord, condemned, defiled, May we too be meek and mild As we tread Your holy Way. May we feel no bitter hatred, When we too are persecuted, Left alone to walk with You.
First Station – Jesus is Condemned to Death Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: Again the high priest began to ask him, and said to him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” And Jesus said to him, “I am. And you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” But the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” And they all condemned him as liable to death. (Mark 14:61-64)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) The kings of the earth rise up and the princes conspire together against the Lord and against his Anointed. I will proclaim the decree of the Lord; the Lord said to me: “You are my Son; this day I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession.” (Psalm 2:2, 7-8)
Priest: Let us pray. All-powerful and eternal God, for proclaiming the truth your Son, Jesus Christ, is condemned to death by crucifixion. Stir up your love in our hearts so that we might be ever faithful to all that You have told us and fear nothing more than the loss of your friendship through sin.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Now the Cross as Jesus bore it, Has become for us who share it, The jeweled Cross of Victory.
Second Station – Jesus Carries His Cross Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: And Pilate said to the Jews, “Behold, your king!” But they cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. And so they took Jesus and led him away, bearing the cross for himself. (John 19:14-17)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) Who would believe what we have heard? To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up like a sapling before him, like a shoot from the parched earth; there was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, no appearance that would attract us to him. He was rejected and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom men turn away, and we held him in no esteem. (Isaiah 53:1-3)
Priest: Let us pray. Father in heaven, your Son, Jesus Christ, still carries his Cross in his persecuted brothers throughout the world. Make us feel the needs of all men so that we might as readily help them as we would help Jesus himself.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Weakened, prodded, cursed, and fallen, His whole Body bruised and swollen, Jesus tripped and lay in pain.
Third Station – Jesus Falls the First time Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you. If you were of the world, the world would love what is its own. Because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I have spoken to you: No servant is greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also. (John 15:18-20)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) Why are your clothes red, and your garments like those of the wine presser? “The wine press I have trodden alone, and of my people there was no one with me. I trod them in my anger, and trampled them down in my wrath; their blood spurted on my garments and I stained all my clothes. I looked about, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that there was no one to lend support; so my own arm brought about the victory.” (Isaiah 63:2-5)
Priest: Let us pray. O God, to free us from sin and weakness your Son, Jesus Christ, embraced his fearful passion and crucifixion. Strengthen us in our baptismal resolutions by which we renounced sin and Satan, so that through the passion of this life’s sufferings we might rise to a new life of joyful service free of all selfishness.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Jesus met his grieving Mother, She who made the Lord our Brother; Now the sword her heart has pierced.
Fourth Station – Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: Now there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus, therefore, saw his mother and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) To what can I compare you, O daughter Jerusalem? What example can I show you for your comfort, virgin daughter Zion? For great as the sea is your distress; who can heal you? (Lamentations 2:13)
Priest: Let us pray. O blessed Lord, at your passion a sword of sorrow pierced the loving heart of your mother as Simeon had foretold. Grant that we who look back on her sorrows with compassion might receive the healing fruits of your sufferings.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Simon stopped in hesitation, Not foreseeing his proud station, Called to bear the Cross of Christ
Fifth Station – Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus to Carry His Cross Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: And when they had mocked Jesus, they took the purple cloak off and put his own clothes on him, and they led him out to be crucified. Then they forced a certain passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, to take up his cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, a name meaning ‘the place of the skull’. (Mark 15:20-22)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) With a loud voice I cry out to the Lord; with a loud voice I beseech the Lord. My complaint I pour out before him; before him I lay bare my distress. When my spirit is faint within me, you know my path. In the way along which I walk they have hid a trap for me. I look to the right to see, but there is no one who pays me heed. I have lost all means of escape; there is no one who cares for my life. (Psalms 141:2-5)
Priest: Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, help us to see in the sufferings and shortcomings of our lives a share in Your Cross; strengthen and console us in the belief that we bear all things in union with You, who have taken upon Yourself even our guilt.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Brave but trembling came the woman, None but she would flaunt the Roman, Moved by love beyond her fear.
Sixth Station – Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: “Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?” And answering the king will say to them, “Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me.” (Matthew 25:37-40)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; for he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself. (Sirach 6:14-17)
Priest: Let us pray. Almighty and ever-loving God, we feel your love and understanding in the consolation and support we receive from one another. Give us, we beg You, the courage and dedication to sacrifice and suffer with those who are in need, the least of your brethren.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Prostrate on the dust He crumbled, Flogged in Body He resembled All our brothers poor and scorned.
Seventh Station – Jesus Falls the Second Time Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: It was our weaknesses that he carried, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one struck by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the punishment that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and uttered no cry. When he was cut off from the land of the living, and smitten for the sin of his people, a grave was assigned him among the wicked and a burial place with evildoers, though he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood. (Isaiah 53:7-9)
Priest: Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, You shared in our weaknesses and accepted our guilt. Grant us the favor of rejoicing over our human weaknesses, so that in all we do, Your strength, dwelling in us may be shown to all men.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) May our sympathy for Jesus Turn to those who here now need us, May we see Christ bruised in them.
Eighth Station – Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: There was following Jesus a great crowd of people, and among them were some women who were bewailing and lamenting him. Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” (Luke 23:27-28)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) Come, all you who pass by the way, look and see whether there is any suffering like my suffering, suffering with which the Lord has afflicted me on the day of his blazing wrath. At this I weep, my eyes run with tears: far from me are all who could console me, far away are any who might revive me. (Lamentations 1:12-16)
Priest: Let us pray. Beloved Jesus, with tears of pity these women of Jerusalem responded to You, broken, bruised, and beaten, on the road to Calvary. Deepen our faith, we beg You, so that we may see You in our brothers, bruised by our envy, beaten down by injustice, and broken by our greed and our indifference.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Jesus fell again in weakness, Stumbling as we do, to lead us Through our sorrow and our pain
Ninth Station – Jesus Falls a Third Time Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: I lie prostrate in the dust; give me life according to your word. I declared my ways, and you answered me; teach me your commands. Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds. My soul weeps for sorrow; strengthen me with your words. (Psalms 118:25-28)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies themselves stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war be waged upon me, even then will I trust. (Psalms 26:1-3)
Priest: Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, You permitted your Son to be weakened, crushed, and profaned so that He might rise from the dead freed from the ravages of sin. Help us to accept our weaknesses and failings as forerunners of our glorious resurrection in union with your Son.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Stripped and jeered by his own nation, Jesus stood in desolation, Giving all He had to give.
Tenth Station – Jesus is Stripped of His Clothes Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: They gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall; but when he had tasted it, he would not drink. Then after they had crucified him, they divided his clothes, casting lots, to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, “They divided my clothes among them, and upon my garments they cast lots.” (Matthew 27:34-35)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) Happy is the man whom God chastises! Do not reject the punishment of the almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he smites, but his hands give healing. Insult has broken my heart, and I am weak; I looked for comforters, and I found none. Rather they put gall in my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. (Job 5:17-18; Psalms 68:21-22)
Priest: Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, stripped of everything, You stood exposed to the jeers and contempt of the people whom You loved. Clothe us with genuine love of others, so that nothing we suffer may ever fill our hearts with hatred or bitterness.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Pierced the hands that blessed and cured us, Pierced the feet that walked to free us, Walked the hill of Calvary.
Eleventh Station – Jesus is Nailed to the Cross Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: When they came to Golgotha, the place called the Skull, they crucified Jesus and the robbers, one on his right and other on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:33-34; John 19:18)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me, far from my prayer, far from the words of my cry? O my God, I cry out by day, and you answer not; I cry out by night, and there is no relief for me. All my bones are racked. My heart has become like wax melting away within my chest. My throat is dried up like baked clay, my tongue cleaves to my jaws; they have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones. (Psalms 21:2-3,15-16,17)
Priest: Let us pray. Lord and Saviour, You have told us that we too must accept crucifixion if we are to accept resurrection with You. Help us to rejoice in the sufferings that come with the fulfillment of our daily duties, seeing in them the royal road of the cross to the resurrection.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Life eternal, death defiant, Bowed his head – the world was silent, Through his death came life anew.
Twelfth Station – Jesus Dies on the Cross Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the curtain of the temple was torn in the middle. Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, “It is finished. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Then, bowing his head, he died. (Luke 23:44-46; John 19:30)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) My people, what have I done to you? Or in what have I offended you? Answer me. What more should I have done, and did not do? I led you out of the land of Egypt, and you prepared a cross for me. I opened the Red Sea before you, and you opened my side with a lance. I gave you a royal sceptre, and you have given me a crown of thorns. With great power I lifted you up, and you have hung me upon a cross. My people, what have I done to you, or in what have I offended you? Answer me. (from the Reproaches of Good Friday)
All: Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Stunned and stricken, Mary, Mother In your arms was placed our Brother, “Full of grace” now filled with grief.
Thirteenth Station – The Body of Jesus is Taken Down From the Cross Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: (GENUFLECT) Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: When the soldiers came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead so that they did not break his legs, but one of them opened his side with a lance, and immediately there came out blood and water. Joseph of Arimathea, because he was a disciple of Jesus (although a secret one for fear of the Jews), besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave permission. (John 19:33-34,38)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and I will bring you back to your land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live. You shall know then that I am the Lord. I have promised it, and I will do it, says the Lord. (Ezekiel 37:12-14)
Priest: Let us pray. Beloved Savior, You returned to the Father all that He had given You, so that He might restore all to You a hundred-fold in the glorious resurrection. Help us, we beg You, to give generously of ourselves in all that we do for You, so that like You we might be made perfect in a new resurrection.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Jesus, Lord, your gift accepted, In three days You resurrected, You did first what we shall do.
Fourteenth Station – Jesus is Laid in the Tomb Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
(GENUFLECT) All: Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus, and wrapping it in a clean linen cloth he laid it in his new tomb, which he had hewn out of rock. Then he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and departed. (Matthew 27:59-60)
All: (KNEEL AND PAUSE) I will praise you, O Lord, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord, my God, I cried out to you and you healed me. O Lord, you brought me up from the lower world; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit. Sing praise to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger lasts but a moment; his good will is for a lifetime. At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with dawn comes rejoicing. (Psalms 29:2-6)
Priest: Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, on the edge of sadness when all seemed lost, You restored to us the Savior we thought defeated and conquered. Help us, we beg You, so to empty ourselves of self concern that we might see your hand in every failure and your victory in every defeat. These things we ask in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
All Sing: (STAND) Jesus, Risen, be our lover In your Food and in our brother. Lead us home to heaven with You.
Closing Prayer – The Resurrection of Jesus Priest: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
(GENUFLECT) All: Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Priest: When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices that they might go and anoint Jesus. Very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had just risen, they came to the tomb. They were saying to one another, “Who will roll the stone back from the entrance of the tomb for us?”, for it was very large. But looking up they saw that the stone had been rolled back, and upon entering the tomb they were amazed to see a young man sitting at the right side and clothed in a white robe. He said to them, “Do not be terrified. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:1-6)
All: (REMAIN STANDING) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day he arose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
The “Seven Penitential Psalms“ (Psalm 6, Psalm 32, Psalm 38, Psalm 51, Psalm 102, Psalm 130, Psalm 143) are seven psalms of repentance that are customarily prayed throughout the season of Lent as a penance for one’s sinfulness. These psalms help to acknowledge one’s sins and to seek forgiveness from the Lord.
Psalm 6 Do not reprove me in your anger, LORD, nor punish me in your wrath. Have pity on me, LORD, for I am weak; heal me, LORD, for my bones are shuddering.
My soul too is shuddering greatly– and you, LORD, how long? Turn back, LORD, rescue my soul; save me because of your mercy.
For in death there is no remembrance of you. Who praises you in Sheol?
I am wearied with sighing; all night long I drench my bed with tears; I soak my couch with weeping.
My eyes are dimmed with sorrow, worn out because of all my foes.
Away from me, all who do evil! The LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD will receive my prayer.
My foes will all be disgraced and will shudder greatly; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.
Psalm 32 Blessed is the one whose fault is removed, whose sin is forgiven.
Blessed is the man to whom the LORD imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no deceit.
Because I kept silent, my bones wasted away; I groaned all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength withered as in dry summer heat.
Then I declared my sin to you; my guilt I did not hide. I said, “I confess my transgression to the LORD,” and you took away the guilt of my sin.
Therefore every loyal person should pray to you in time of distress. Though flood waters threaten, they will never reach him.
You are my shelter; you guard me from distress; with joyful shouts of deliverance you surround me.
I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk, give you counsel with my eye upon you.
Do not be like a horse or mule, without understanding; with bit and bridle their temper is curbed, else they will not come to you.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked one, but mercy surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; exult, all you upright of heart.
Psalm 38 LORD, do not punish me in your anger; in your wrath do not chastise me!
Your arrows have sunk deep in me; your hand has come down upon me.
There is no wholesomeness in my flesh because of your anger; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.
My iniquities overwhelm me, a burden too heavy for me.
Foul and festering are my sores because of my folly.
I am stooped and deeply bowed; every day I go about mourning.
My loins burn with fever; there is no wholesomeness in my flesh.
I am numb and utterly crushed; I wail with anguish of heart.
My Lord, my deepest yearning is before you; my groaning is not hidden from you.
My heart shudders, my strength forsakes me; the very light of my eyes has failed.
Friends and companions shun my disease; my neighbors stand far off.
Those who seek my life lay snares for me; they seek my misfortune, they speak of ruin; they plot treachery every day.
But I am like the deaf, hearing nothing, like the mute, I do not open my mouth,
I am even like someone who does not hear, who has no answer ready.
LORD, it is for you that I wait; O Lord, my God, you respond.
For I have said that they would gloat over me, exult over me if I stumble.
I am very near to falling; my wounds are with me always.
I acknowledge my guilt and grieve over my sin.
My enemies live and grow strong, those who hate me grow numerous fraudulently,
Repaying me evil for good, accusing me for pursuing good.
Do not forsake me, O LORD; my God, be not far from me!
Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my salvation!
Psalm 51 Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love; in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.
Thoroughly wash away my guilt; and from my sin cleanse me.
For I know my transgressions; my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your eyes So that you are just in your word, and without reproach in your judgment.
Behold, I was born in guilt, in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, you desire true sincerity; and secretly you teach me wisdom.
Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
You will let me hear gladness and joy; the bones you have crushed will rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my iniquities.
A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit.
Do not drive me from before your face, nor take from me your holy spirit.
Restore to me the gladness of your salvation; uphold me with a willing spirit.
I will teach the wicked your ways, that sinners may return to you.
Rescue me from violent bloodshed, God, my saving God, and my tongue will sing joyfully of your justice.
Lord, you will open my lips; and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
For you do not desire sacrifice or I would give it; a burnt offering you would not accept.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.
Treat Zion kindly according to your good will; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will desire the sacrifices of the just, burnt offering and whole offerings; then they will offer up young bulls on your altar.
Psalm 102 LORD, hear my prayer; let my cry come to you.
Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.
For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn away as in a furnace.
My heart is withered, dried up like grass, too wasted to eat my food.
From my loud groaning I become just skin and bones.
I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.
I lie awake and moan, like a lone sparrow on the roof.
All day long my enemies taunt me; in their rage, they make my name a curse.
I eat ashes like bread, mingle my drink with tears.
Because of your furious wrath, you lifted me up just to cast me down.
My days are like a lengthening shadow; I wither like the grass.
But you, LORD, are enthroned forever; your renown is for all generations.
You will again show mercy to Zion; now is the time for pity; the appointed time has come.
Its stones are dear to your servants; its dust moves them to pity.
The nations shall fear your name, LORD, all the kings of the earth, your glory,
Once the LORD has rebuilt Zion and appeared in glory,
Heeding the plea of the lowly, not scorning their prayer.
Let this be written for the next generation, for a people not yet born, that they may praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from the holy heights, viewed the earth from heaven,
To attend to the groaning of the prisoners, to release those doomed to die.”
Then the LORD’s name will be declared on Zion, his praise in Jerusalem,
When peoples and kingdoms gather to serve the LORD.
He has shattered my strength in mid-course, has cut short my days.
I plead, O my God, do not take me in the midst of my days. Your years last through all generations.
Of old you laid the earth’s foundations; the heavens are the work of your hands.
They perish, but you remain; they all wear out like a garment; Like clothing you change them and they are changed,
but you are the same, your years have no end.
May the children of your servants live on; may their descendants live in your presence.
Psalm 130 Out of the depths I call to you, LORD;
Lord, hear my cry! May your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If you, LORD, keep account of sins, Lord, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness and so you are revered.
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits and I hope for his word.
My soul looks for the Lord more than sentinels for daybreak.
More than sentinels for daybreak,
let Israel hope in the LORD, For with the LORD is mercy, with him is plenteous redemption,
And he will redeem Israel from all its sins.
Psalm 143 LORD, hear my prayer; in your faithfulness listen to my pleading; answer me in your righteousness.
Do not enter into judgment with your servant; before you no one can be just.
The enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground. He has made me dwell in darkness like those long dead.
My spirit is faint within me; my heart despairs.
I remember the days of old; I ponder all your deeds; the works of your hands I recall.
I stretch out my hands toward you, my soul to you like a parched land.
Hasten to answer me, LORD; for my spirit fails me. Do not hide your face from me, lest I become like those descending to the pit.
In the morning let me hear of your mercy, for in you I trust. Show me the path I should walk, for I entrust my life to you.
Rescue me, LORD, from my foes, for I seek refuge in you.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your kind spirit guide me on ground that is level.
For your name’s sake, LORD, give me life; in your righteousness lead my soul out of distress.
In your mercy put an end to my foes; all those who are oppressing my soul, for I am your servant.
The “Seven Offerings of the Precious Blood” is a devotion based on the seven occasions when Jesus shed His Precious Blood: His circumcision, sweating blood in the garden, scourging at the pillar, crowning of thorns, carrying of the cross, his crucifixion and the spear into his side. This prayer devotion, especially commonly prayed during the season of Lent, venerates the Blood of Christ while offering penitential prayers.
I. Eternal Father, we offer You the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the cross and offered daily on the altar, for the glory of Your name, for the coming of Your kingdom, and for the salvation of all people.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
V. Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus. R. Who with His Blood has saved us.
II. Eternal Father, we offer You the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the cross and offered daily on the altar, for the spread of the Church, for the pope, for bishops, priests, and religious, and for the sanctification of all the people of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
V. Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus. R. Who with His Blood has saved us.
III. Eternal Father, we offer You the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the cross and offered daily on the altar, for the conversion of sinners, for the loving acceptance of Your word, and for the union of all Christians.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
V. Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus. R. Who with His Blood has saved us.
IV. Eternal Father, we offer You the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the cross and offered daily on the altar, for our civil authorities, for the strengthening of public morals, and for peace and justice among all nations.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
V. Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus. R. Who with His Blood has saved us.
V. Eternal Father, we offer You the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the cross and offered daily on the altar, for the sanctification of our work and our suffering, for the poor, the sick and the afflicted, and for all who rely on our prayers.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
V. Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus. R. Who with His Blood has saved us.
VI. Eternal Father, we offer You the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the cross and offered daily on the altar, for our own special needs, both spiritual and temporal, for those of our relatives, friends and benefactors, and also for those of our enemies.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
V. Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus. R. Who with His Blood has saved us.
VII. Eternal Father, we offer You the Precious Blood of Jesus, poured out on the cross and offered daily on the altar, for those who are to die this day, for the souls in purgatory, and for our final union with Christ in glory.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
V. Praise and thanksgiving be evermore to Jesus. R. Who with His Blood has saved us. V. Glory to the Blood of Jesus. R. Now and forever. Amen.
The “Seven Last Words of Christ“ is a mediation commonly prayed during Lent and on Good Friday as a means of reflecting on the Passion of the Lord. The Seven Last Words are in reference to the seven last statements made by Jesus on the cross before his death.
A Prayer to Honor the Shoulder Wound of Christ | How shredded and agonizing the shoulder of the Lord must have been on that day from bearing the weight of the heavy cross to Calvary. This is a prayer honoring the shoulder wound of Jesus. Both Saint Padre Pio and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux had a sincere devotion to Christ’s shoulder wound.
O Loving Jesus, meek Lamb of God, I, a miserable sinner, salute and worship the most Sacred Wound of The Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross, which so tore Thy flesh and laid bare Thy Bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound of Thy Most Blessed Body. I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise and glorify Thee, and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and painful Wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain, and by the crushing burden of Thy heavy Cross to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and venial sins, and to lead me on towards Heaven along the Way of Thy Cross. Amen.
The Chaplet of the Five Wounds of Christ focuses on the five wounds of Jesus Christ during his crucifixion. It is a way to meditate on and honor the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus for the salvation of humanity.
On the Crucifix: Look down upon me, O good and gentle Jesus, while before Your face I humbly kneel and with burning soul, pray and beseech You 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, Your five most precious wounds, pondering over them within me and calling to mind the words which David, Your prophet, said of You, my Jesus: “They have pierced My hands and My feet, they have numbered all My bones.” Amen.
On the large bead: O Jesus, Divine Redeemer, be merciful to us and to the whole world. Amen.
On the three smaller beads:
God powerful, God holy, God immortal, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Amen.
Grace, mercy, my Jesus during the present dangers; cover us with thy Precious Blood. Amen.
Eternal Father, grant us mercy through the Blood of Jesus Christ, Your only Son; grant us mercy, we beseech thee. Amen.
The First Wound – The Wound on Left Foot of Jesus Meditation: I humbly adore You, my Crucified Jesus, as I contemplate Your precious feet which were washed and anointed by a contrite woman’s tears, and which entered the houses of sinners to save them. I thank You for the love you bore me in overtaking me on the way to ruin, and I beg You, Jesus, to grant me the remission of my most grievous offences, preserve me from ever committing them again, and give me strength to resist every temptation, even unto death.
On the large bead: Eternal Father, I offer You the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal those of our souls. On each of the 10 small beads: My Jesus, pardon and mercy, through the merits of thy Holy Wounds.
The Second Wound – The Wound on Right Foot of Jesus Meditation: I humbly adore You, my Crucified Jesus, as I contemplate Your precious feet which traveled throughout the land preaching your Love and Mercy, and which walked the painful road to Calvary to die for my sins. I thank You for the love you bore me in order to bring me back from my wanderings and guilty pleasures, and I beg You, Jesus, to grant me the gift of true repentance and perseverance to the last moment of my life, and to grant me a holy death.
On the large bead: Eternal Father, I offer You the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal those of our souls.
On each of the 10 small beads: My Jesus, pardon and mercy, through the merits of thy Holy Wounds.
The Third Wound – The Wound on Left Hand of Jesus Meditation: I humbly adore You, my Crucified Jesus, as I contemplate Your hands which sanctified labor through carpentry, which drove out demons, and which imparted the blessing of God the Father. I thank You for the love you bore me for taking on the scourges and punishment that I deserve for my sins, and I beg You, Jesus, to deliver me in Your mercy from the forces of evil and the eternal punishment of Hell.
On the large bead: Eternal Father, I offer You the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal those of our souls.
On each of the 10 small beads: My Jesus, pardon and mercy, through the merits of thy Holy Wounds.
The Fourth Wound – The Wound on Right Hand of Jesus Meditation: I humbly adore You, my Crucified Jesus, as I contemplate Your hands which touched and healed every sort of sickness, which turned water into wine, and which raised the dead to life. I thank You for the love you freely give me in spite of my sins, and I beg You, Jesus, to grant that on the great day of General Judgment, I may find myself in the number of the elect and hear myself summoned by Your own sweet invitation to enter into the joys of Heaven.
On the large bead: Eternal Father, I offer You the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal those of our souls.
On each of the 10 small beads: My Jesus, pardon and mercy, through the merits of thy Holy Wounds.
The Fifth Wound – The Wound on Right Side of Jesus Meditation: I humbly adore You, my Crucified Jesus, as I contemplate Your Sacred Heart which beat with unending mercy for us, which was moved with compassion by the faith of those You cured, and which was consumed with love for the Father and all His children. I thank You for the love you poured out from Your pierced Heart so that I might have eternal life, and I beg You, Jesus, to enkindle in my Heart the most ardent love for Your infinite goodness and the desire to grow ever closer to You through the memory of Your Wounds.
On the large bead: Eternal Father, I offer You the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal those of our souls.
On each of the 10 small beads: My Jesus, pardon and mercy, through the merits of thy Holy Wounds.
Conclusion: By all the wounds which You did bear with so much love and so much pain, let a sinner’s prayer obtain Your mercy, O Lord! [Pray 3 times]
[Mention your intentions now]
I beseech the most blessed Virgin, through the anguish which your soul endured on account of these Wounds, to intercede for me, that my prayer may be heard.
