Sunday

This week devotion from the Catholic Baltimore Book of Prayers on the Seven Last Words of Christ…

“Father forgive them for they know not what they do” – forgiving the Jewish nation that instigated His death

O BELOVED Jesus, who for the love of me didst agonize on the Cross that Thou mightest pay by Thy sufferings the debt due to my sins, and didst open Thy divine mouth to obtain my pardon from eternal Justice : have mercy on all the faithful in their agony, and on me also when I shall be in that extremity, and, through the merits of Thy most Precious Blood shed for our salvation, give us so lively a sorrow for our sins that we may breathe out our souls into the bosom of Thine infinite mercy.

Prayer:  We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
*Sub Tuum Praesidium

 

Monday

“This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise” – Words to the good thief who asked to be remembered.

BELOVED Jesus, who for the love of me didst agonize on the Cross, and with such readiness and bounty didst respond to the faith of the Good Thief, who in the midst of Thy humiliation acknowledged Thee to be the Son of God: O Thou who didst assure him of Paradise, have mercy on all the faithful in their agony, and on me also when I shall be in that extremity, and, through the merits of Thy most Precious Blood, revive in our souls a faith so firm and constant that it may not waver at any suggestion of the devil, so that we also may obtain the blessed reward of Heaven.

Prayer:  O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Tuesday

“Behold thy son;  behold thy mother” – Words of Jesus about Mary to John (and by implication all Christians) , and John  to Mary

BELOVED Jesus, who for the love of me didst agonize on the Cross, and, forgetting Thy sufferings, didst leave us as a pledge of Thy love Thine own most holy Mother, that through her we might confidently have recourse to Thee in our greatest need : have mercy on all the faithful in their agony, and on me also when I shall be in that extremity, and, through the interior martyrdom of this Thy dear Mother, awaken in our hearts a firm hope in the infinite merits of Thy most Precious Blood, that we may avoid the eternal damnation which our sins have deserved.

Prayer:  Holy angel of the Lord by guardian, pray to God for me.

Wednesday

“My God!  My God!  Why hast Thou forsaken Me?” – the humanity of Jesus in agony on the Cross

BELOVED Jesus, who for the love of me didst agonize on the Cross, and, heaping suffering on suffering, didst endure with infinite patience not only Thy many bodily tortures, but the most heavy affliction of spirit through the Dereliction of Thine Eternal Father : have mercy on all the faithful in their agony, and on me also when I shall be in that extremity, and, through the merits of Thy most Precious Blood, give us grace to suffer with true patience all the pains and afflictions of our agony, that, uniting them with Thine, we may be partakers of Thy glory in Paradise.

Prayer:  Our Father, Who art in  Heaven, hallowed by 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 the evil one.

Thursday

“I thirst” –  a human reaction to all that had taken place

BELOVED Jesus, who didst agonize on the Cross for the love of me, and who, not satisfied with all the ignominy and suffering, wouldst willingy have suffered yet more, so that all men might be saved—as was clearly proved when all the torrents of Thy Passion would not allay the Thirst of Thy tender Heart: have mercy on all the faithful in their agony, and on me also when I shall be in that extremity, and, through the merits of Thy most Precious Blood, enkindle such a fire of charity in our hearts as may cause them to burn with the desire of uniting themselves to Thee for all eternity.

Prayer:  O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy name’s sake.

Friday

“It is finished” – the Passion has ended, His mission in life is accomplished.

BELOVED Jesus, who for the love of me didst agonize on the Cross, and from that Throne of Truth didst announce the completion of the work of our Redemption, through which, from being the children of wrath and perdition, we are become the children of God and the heirs of Heaven : have mercy on all the faithful in their agony, and on me also when I shall be in that extremity, and, through the merits of Thy most Precious Blood, detach us entirely from the world and from ourselves, and at the moment of our agony give us grace sincerely to offer Thee the sacrifice of our life in expiation of our sins.

Prayer:  Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3X)

Saturday

“My Father into Thu hands I commend My spirit” – asking God the Father to receive Him just as we also ask at our time of death

BELOVED Jesus, who didst agonize on the Cross for the love of me, and who, in completing this great Sacrifice, didst accept the will of Thine Eternal Bather, by resigning Thy spirit into His hands, and then bowing Thy Head and dying : have mercy on ail the faithful in their agony, and on me also when I shall be in that extremity, and, through the merits of Thy most Precious Blood, give us, in our agony, an entire conformity to the divine will, that we may be ready either to live or die according as it shall best please Thee, desiring nothing but the accomplishment of Thy blessed will in us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.