Three Hours' eA Short Form of 'Derotion A SHORT·FORM oj DEVOTIONS jor the THREE HOURs' AGONY on GOOD FRIDAY AFTERNOON jrom Twelve until three o'clock Edited by A PAULIST FATHER NEW YORK T H E P A U L I S T P RES S 401 WEST 59TH STREET A PLENARY INDULGENCE THE Sovereign Pontiff, Pius VII., by a decree of the S. Congregation of Indulgences, February 14, 1815, granted to all the faithful who shall practise the devotion of the Three Hours' Agony, on Good Friday, beginning it after mid­ day and continuing it for three hours following, either in pri­ vate or in public, alone or with others, under the direction of a priest or other sacred minister, or using any pious book that is approved, and meditating according to each one's ability, on the great sufferings which Our Savior endured, and on the Seven Words He uttered on the Cross, a Plenary Indulgence, if, being truly penitent, after Confession and Communion, on Holy Thursday or during Easter week, they shall devoutly pray, for some time, for the intention of His Holiness. 3 CHOIR PROCESSIONAL SLAIN FOR My SOUL Slain for my soul, for all my sins defamed, King, crowned with thoms, with blasphemies pro­ claimed, High o'er the clouds, Thy royal Sign I see: Throned in Thy glory, Lord, remember me. For Thy tormentors, 'for my pardon sue; "Father, forgive, they know not what they do." When they that pierced, when every eye shall see Thee in Thy Kingdom, Lord, remember me. Think of me now with all Thy sorrows pressed; Think of me in Thy crowning of the blest; Confessed, besought, and worshipped on the Tree, Lord, in Thy Kingdom still remember me. "O Vos OMNES" Ye who travel on the highways, hearken unto me and see if e'er sorrow was like my sorrow? For the Lord hath brought me near to desolation. He hath compassed me all day long with bitterness. Call me no more Naomi, but from today call me Mara. 5 READER Let us Pray. I CONFESS to Abnighty God, to Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel, to Blessed John the Baptist, to the Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessed John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me. Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy Face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of amend­ ment, the while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy Five Wounds, pondering upon them within me while I call to mind the words which David, Thy prophet, said of Thee, my Savior, "They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have num­ bered all my bones." CONGREGATION At the cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last. c9ptning il\iscOUr5t 6 FIRST WORD CHOIR AND when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified Him there, and with Him two robbers, one on the right hand and one on the left. Jesus said: Pater, dimitte illis, non enim sciunt quid faciunt. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Let us Pray. READER (The Congregation should answer after each invocation: "Have Mercy on Us.") JESUS, Redeemer of the world, Jesus, Son of holy Mary, Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Jesus, sold for thirty pieces of silver, Jesus, in acony in the Garden, Jesus, betrayed by the kiss of Judas, Jesus, denied by Peter, Jesus, bound with cords, Jesus, struck on the Face, and spat upon, Jesus, delivered up to Pilate, Jesus, set at naught by Herod, Jesus, d e i' r a d e d below Barabbas, Jesus, scourged at the Pillar, Jesus, clothed in mock purple, Jesus, crowned with thoms, Jesus, rejected by the people, Jesus, falsely accused, Jesus, unj ustly condemned, Jesus, bearing the heavy cross, Jesus, led with thieves to execution, Jesus, crucified on Calvary. 7 Lamb of God, laden with the sin. of the world, Si'are IU, O Lora I Lamb of God, laden with the sins of the world, Graciously hear us .. O Lordi Lamb of God, laden with the sins of the world, Have mercy on usI 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. CONGREGATION Through her heart, His sorrow sharing All His bitter anguish bearing, Now at last the sword had passed. J.\1�tOur!ie on the jf ir�t Dorb 8 Hodie mecum eris in Para­ diso, amen, amen dico tibi. Amen, I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise. Hear, oh Lord, and re­ member me, when Thou shalt enter into Thy king­ dom. SECOND WORD CHOIR AND one of the robbers who were hanged blas­ phemed Him saying, "If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us." But the other answering rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art under the same condemnation? And we justly, for we re­ ceive the due reward of our deeds: but this Man hath done no evil. And he said to Jesus: "Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy king­ dom." And Jesus said to him: Domine, memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum. READER Let us Pray. O LORD JESUS CHRIST, crucified for us, we beseech Thee to be merciful to all here gathered round Thy Cross, and to all those for whom we wish to pray, especially to all whose death is near. Grant us the grace to know Thee, to love Thee, and to be truly sorry for our sins. We ask this grace by Thy Holy Hands: By those Hands, SO' often raised to Thy Heavenly Father to implore our pardon: 9 By those Hands, so often placed upon our wounds to heal them; By those Hands, so often stretched out to protect and bless us; By those Hands, so often extended to receive us back to peace and Iove; By those Hands, fastened to the Cross for us, and still bearing the marks of their adorable Wounds; We ask this grace by Thy Sacred Feet: By those Feet, so often wearied in following us when we strayed away; By those Feet, before which the penitent Mag­ dalene found forgiveness of her sins; By those Feet, pierced on the Cross and still bear­ ing the marks of their adorable Wounds. V. O Lord Jesus Christ, reputed with the wicked, R. Have mercy on us. V. Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful, R. Have mercy on us. V. Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, R. Have mercy on us. V. Heart of Jesus, loaded down with re­ proaches, R. Have mercy on us. CONGREGATION Oh! how sad and sore distresséd Was that Mother highly blesséd Of the sole-begotten One! I.\t�tOUr�t on tbt �ttonÌ) laorb 10 THIRD WORD CHOIR READER Let us Pray. O LORD JESUS CHRIST, crucified for us, we beseech Thee to be merciful to all here gath­ ered round Thy Cross, and to all those for whom we wish to pray, especially to our parents, children, relatives, and friends. We ask this grace by Thy Immaculate Mother Mary: By Thy Holy Mother. who bore Thee in her womb; By Thy Thoughtful Mother, who kept in her heart all that concerned Thee; By Thy Faithful Mother, who shared 'every joy and every sorrow of Thy life and of Thy death. 11 Mulier, ecce filius tuus. Stabat Mater dolorosa, Juxta Crucem lacrymosa, Dum pendebat Filius. Quis est homo, qui non fleret, Christi Matrem si videret In tanto supplico? Look, oh woman I and be­ hold thy Son beloved I Sadly stood the mother weeping At the Cross her dread watch keeping, Where He hung, her dying Son. Who could see her in her affliction In her anguish at Christ's crucifixion Would not love that glorious one? MARY, most holy, Mother of Sorrows, by that martyrdom which thou didst suffer at the foot of the Cross, during thy Son's three hours of agony, deign to aid us, the children of thy sorrows, in our last agony, so that, from our bed of death, we may, through thine intercession, pass to heaven's holy joys. REMEMBER, O most loving Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, and sought thine intercession was left forsaken. Inspired by this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother. To thee I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word, despise not my words, but graciously hear and grant my prayer. Amen. "Hail Mary" three times. CONGREGATION Oh! that silent, ceaseless mourning! Oh! those dim eyes never turning From that wond'rous, suffering Son. J;liscourst on tbt tEbirb 80rb . 12 CHOIR FOURTH WORD AND �bout the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud VOIce: My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me l All have now forsaken me, all those who were my friends, they have prevailed and they are now against me. The one I did cherish even he hath now betrayed me. Oh, my beloved vine, that I have chosen, the one that I did plant, wherefore didst thou turn against me and didst crucify me? Let us Pray. O LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who, besides the many tortures of Thy Body, didst endure with patience the affliction of being forsaken by Thine Eternal Father; have mercy on all Christians in their last agony, and on us when we shall be in that ex­ tremity; and through the merits of Thy most pre­ cious Blood, give us the grace to suffer all the an- 13 Deus meus, ut quid dere­ liquisti me? Omnes amici mei dere­ liquerunt me; prævaluerunt insidiantes mihi; tradidit me quem diligebam. Vinea mea electa, ego te plantavi; quomodo conversa es in amaritudine ut me crucifigeres? READER guish which will be ours; so that, united to Thee, we may be partakers of Thy glory for all eternity. LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, I beseech Thee, by the precious Blood which Thy Divine Son shed this day, upon the wood of the Cross, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially those souls for whom we are most bound to pray, that through the devout prayers of Thy servants gathered here to commemorate Thy three hours of agony, they may obtain that remission of pain for which they yearn. v. From a sudden and unprovided death, R. O Lord, deliver us. V. From the snares of the enemy, R. O Lord, deliver us. V. From everlasting death, R. O Lord, deliver us. CONGREGATION For His people's sins, th' All-Holy There she saw, a Victim lowly Bleed in torments-bleed and die. Di�tour�e on tbe jfourtb lIlorb 14 FIFTH WORD CHOIR AFTERWARDS, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, said: I thirst l Then the Jews, passing by Him, each one did re­ vile Him, all wagging their heads, all mocking Him, and saying: Ahi Thou that would'st de­ stroy the temple, if Thou be Christ, Son of the Father, now from the cross descend, that we may see, and may believe Thee. If Thou art the King of the Jews, then save Thyself now. Sitiol Judaei praetereuntes blasphemabant eum, mo­ ventes capita sua et di .. centes. Vah I qui destruis templum Dei, si tu es Christus, Filius Dei de­ scende nunc de cruce, ut videamus et credamus tibi. -Si tu es rex Judeorum, salvum te fac. READER Let us Pray. O LORD JESUS CHRIST, I bless Thee, and give Thee thanks for the exceeding great pain which Thou didst suffer upon the Cross, when Thou didst endure the anguish of bodily thirst. O Jesus, to Whom in Thine agony only vinegar and gall were given to drink, grant that remembering this bitter cup of Thine, we may no longer thirst for sinful pleasures, but only to do Thy will. 15 We ask this grace by Thy Sacred Lips that said, "Come to Me all ye that labor;" That said, "The Son of Man came not to destroy sinners, but to save them;" That said, "Ask and it shall be given to you;" By those Sacred Lips that said- To the paralytic, "Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee;" To the widow, "Weep not;" To the leper, "Be thou made clean;" To Magdalene, "Go in peace;" By those Sacred Lips that said from the Cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;" By those Sacred Lips that said to the good thief, "This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise;" By those Sacred Lips, so dry and parched, that said, "I thirst." V. Heart of Jesus, obedient unto death, R. Have mercy on us. V. Heart of Jesus, victim for sin, R. Have mercy on us. V. Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, R. Have mercy on us. CONGREGATION Saw the Lord's Anointed taken; Saw her Child in death forsaken; Heard His last expiring cry. J)i�tOUr5t on tbt jfiftb R{orb 16 SIXTH WORD Pa.ter, in manus tuas com­ mendo spiritum meum. Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit. CHOIR THERE was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour, and the sun was darkened, and the veil of the Temple was rent in the midst. Jesus crying with a loud voice said: READER Let us Pray. o LORD JESUS CHRIST, Who didst cry to the Father: "Into Thy hands I commend My Spirit"-aid us to withstand the world, the flesh, and the devil; and in the last hour of our life do Thou look mercifully upon our sinful souls, and take them to Thyself, that being dead to the world we may live to Thee. We ask this grace by Thy precious Blood: By that precious Blood, which bathed Thy sacred Body, and trickled down to the ground in the Garden of Olives; By that precious Blood, which poured forth from Thy sacred Body during the scourging; 17 ... By that precious Blood, which covered Thy sacred Face when Thou wert crowned with thorns; By that precious Blood, which burst forth from Thy pierced Hands and Thy Feet on Calvary; By that precious Blood, which from the Cross cried to Thy Father for our pardon; By that precious Blood, which after death flowed forth from Thy Sacred Side; By that precious Blood, still offered daily on our altars. v. From Thine anger, R. O Lord, deliver us. V. From the peril of everlasting death, R. O Lord, deliver us. V. From the Powers of darkness, R. O Lord, deliver us. V. By Thy Passion and Cross, R. O Lord, deliver us. V. By Thy Sorrows and Humiliations, R. O Lord, deliver us. V. By Thy Agony and Death, R. O Lord, deliver us. CONGREGATION Thou, my Savior's cross who bearest Thou, thy Son's rebuke who sharest, Let me share them both with thee. I.\iscourst on tbt �ixtb Dorb 18 O LORD JESUS CHRIST, I bless Thee, and give Thee thanks for Thy perfect accomplish­ ment of the Father's Will, and for that short and welcome word with which Thou didst close the story of Thy Life, by saying: "It is finished." Now that Thy mission is fulfilled, Thou dost go before Thy unworthy servants to make ready the way for them, to set open the gate of the Heavenly Kingdom so long kept shut, to enlighten all who sit in darkness, to loose the prisoners' chains, to give rest to the weary, to comfort those who mourn, to deliver those who look for Thy coming. Teach me to devote myself to the accomplishment 19 SEVENTH WORD CHOIR JESUS, therefore, when He had taken the vinegar . said: Consummatum est. It is consummated. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi, quia per sanctam Crucem tuam re­ demisti mundum. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee, because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. READER Let us Pray. II of the Father's Will, and the fulfillment of my whole duty. Direct, I pray Thee, all my actions in the way of Thy cominandments. Teach me to begin my work humbly, to perform it diligently, to persevere in it faithfully, so that at length I may be able by Thy mercy joyfully to say, HIt is consummated." O BLESSED JESUS, the one perfect Man of all the millions who have lived, wholly obedient to conscience in childhood and youth as in maturer years, true to Thy mission in days of peace and com­ fort as in days of storm and woe, never putting pleasure before duty, or self-will before the will of heaven, let me share the ever-present sense of conse­ cration which was Thine. I, who cannot say of my past years that they have been lived in perfect ac­ cordance with the Father's Will, may yet hope to spend the part of life still left me in whole­ hearted obedience. Or, if that be too much to ex­ pect, at least, with regard to the duty of to-day, let me hope to be perfect, that this night, for once, I may say of my daily task" "It is consummated." CONGREGATION Those Five Wounds of Jesu smitten, Mother, in my heart be written, Deep as jn thine own they be. jl\i�cour�t on tbt �tbtntb mlorb 20 READER CONCLUSION Let us Pray. O JESUS, Son of the Eternal Father, we adore Thee, now lying dead on the altar of Thy sacrifice. Thy bitter death has given us life. Like those Jews who saw Thee expire, and returned to Jerusalem, striking their breasts, we also confess that our sins have caused Thy death. Thou hast loved us as none but God could love. Henceforth, we must be Thine, and serve Thee as creatures re­ deemed at the infinite price of Thy Blood. Thou art our God, we are Thy people. Accept, we beseech 21 PA TER noster, qui es in cœ1is, sanctificetur no­ men tuum; adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua sicut in cœlo, et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da no­ bis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nos­ tris. Et ne nos. inducas in tentationem. Sed libera nos a malo. Amen. CHOIR o UR 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. Thee, our loving thanks for this final proof of Thy goodness toward us. Now we are about to leave Calvary for a time. Mary, Thy Mother, remains immovable at the foot of the Cross; Magdalene clings to Thy Feet; John and the holy women stand around Thee. Once more, dearest Jesus, we adore Thy sacred Body and Thy precious Blood and Thy holy Cross. Jesus, for Thy sake, I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, I love Thee, I grieve that I have sinned against Thee, I grieve that I have caused others to sin against Thee. Jesus, to Thee I consecrate my whole self, my body and my blood, my feet, my hands, my mouth, my eyes, my ears, my tongue, and my whole heart, for time and eternity. Amen. CONGREGATION In the Passion of my Maker, Be my sinful soul partaker, Weep till death and weep with thee. €ondubing 1!li5tOUr�t 22 CHRISTUS factus est pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crocis. Oremus RESPICE, quæsumus, D0- mine, super hanc fami­ liam tuam, pro qua Dominus noster Jesus Christus non dubitavit manibus tradi no­ centium, et crucis subire tormentum. Qui tecum vi­ vet et regnat, etc. Amen. CHOIR CHRIST was made obe­ dient unto death, even the death of the Cross. READER Let us Pray L OOK down, we beseech Thee, O Lord, upon this Thy family, for which our Lord ]esus Christ did not refuse to be delivered into the hands of wicked men, and to endure the torments of the Cross. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen. .. �51 1 Ij