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— Jm-Om CDswoHon

MASSOFTffiPDNCTIFlED

THE SEVEN LAST WORDS

- 3or Qongregational Use -

t
A Form of Devotion To The

THREE HOURS AGONY OF OUR LORD

ADAPTED FROM APPROVED SOURCES BY

REV. JOHN A. KALVELACE, C. SS. R.

I



Imprimi Potest

—

Francis J. Fagen, C. Ss. R.,

March 19, 1943 Superior of St. Louis Province

Nihil Obstat

—

Malachy P. Foley

Imprimatur-

March 29, 1943

Samuel Alphonsus Stritch

Archbishop of Chicago

— INDULGENCES —
ON GOOD FRIDAY—PLENARY INDULGENCE

To all the faithful meditating, for three consecutive hours
either publicly or privately, on Good Friday, each accord-
ing to his own ability, on the great sufferings which the
Saviour then endured on the cross and on the most sacred
words He uttered, when dying; or also reciting psalms, hymns
and other prayers; there is granted A PLENARY INDUL-
GENCE, if, after a sincere confession and reception of Holy
Communion on Holy Thursday or during Easter Week, they
shall pray for the intention of the Holy Father

ON ANY OTHER FRIDAY

SEVEN YEARS INDULGENCE, on any other Friday in
the year, to the faithful, who, in remembrance of the di-
vine Agony of the Redeemer, shall spend at least a quarter
of an hour in prayer, as above.

A PLENARY INDULGENCE, under the usual conditions,
once every month, on the last Friday of the month, to every
one who has meditated and prayed every previous Friday
in the month, in the way just mentioned.

—(Preces et Pia Opera, No. 165)

— DIRECTIONS —
1. Determine beforehand on some special grace for your-

self or others, to be asked for during this devotion.

2. Stand while singing the hymns.

3. Kneel while reciting the prayers in a loud voice. Pause
at the commas, making a slightly longer pause at the *.

4. Sit while the priest reads the meditations.

COPYRIGHT 1943 - J. S. PALUCH

J. S. PALUCH CO., Inc.
2712 N. ASHLAND AVE. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS



W/UudL ofJthe

Today, Good Friday, Holy Molher Church does not offer

up the unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass, but direcis our_ at-

tention exclusively to the bloody Sacrifice of our Saviour

on the Cross. The Mass of the Presanciified is in reality

a Communion Service carried over from Maundy Thurs-
day on which day the Sacred Host was consecrated and

today is consumed.

The ceremonies of Good Friday come under four head-
ings:

—

1)

The Mass of the Catechumens which consists of two
prophetic lessons of the Old Testament taken from the

Prophet Osee and from the Book of Exodus. These pro-
phecies are followed by a description of the Passion and
Death of the Saviour "by St. John, the lesson of Osee
foretelling the Passion and the lesson of Exodus pre-
figuring Christ's death in the slaying of the Paschal

Lamb.

2) Solemn supplications are made to God in behalf of all
groups in the human race.

3) The Cross is venerated in a most impressive manner.

4) The Mass of the Presanctified concludes the service.

I. THE MASS OF THE CATECHUMENS

Clothed in black vestments of mourning, the celebrant and
his ministers come forth from the sacristy and prostrate
themselves in prayer before the bare altar. Meanwhile an
acolyte covers the table of the aFar wi+h a linen cloth and
places the missal on the Epistle side. The priests rise, the
celebrant ascends to the al ar and the first lesson is read,
followed by the other prayers.

THE FIRST LESSON
PROPHECY OF MERCY FOR ALL WHO DO PENANCE

(OSEE, VI. 1-6.)

J^HUS saith the Lord: In their affliction they will
^ rise early to Me: Come, and let us return to the
Lord, for He hath taken us, and He will heal us. He
will strike us, and He will cure us. He will revive
us after two days: on the third day He will raise us
up and we shall live in His sight. We shall know
and we shall follow on, that we may know the Lord.
His going forth is prepared as the morning light and
He will come to us as the early and the latter rain
to the earth. What shall I do to Thee, O Ephraim?
What shall I do to Thee, O Juda? Your mercy in as
a morning cloud and as the dew that goeth away in
the morning. For this reason have I hewed them by
the Prophets, I have slain them by the words of my
mouth: and thy judgements shall go forth as the

3 -



light. Por I desired mercy and not sacrifice: and
the knowledge of God more than holocausts.

THE TRACT
(Habacue III.)

^ LORD, I have heard Thy hearing and was a-^ fraid: I have considered Thy works and trem-
bled. y. In the midst of two animals Thou shalt
made known: when the time shall come, Thou shalt
be manifested, y. When my soul shall be in trouble,
Thou wilt remember mercy, even in Thy wrath,
y. God will come from Libanus, and the Holy One
from the shady and thickly covered mountain, y.
His majesty covered the heavens: and the earth is
full of His praise.

LET US PRAY. LET US KNEEL. ARISE.

THE COLLECT

^ GOD, from whom Judas received the punish-^ ment of his guilt, and the thief the reward of
his confession: grant unto us the full fruit of Thy
clemency; that even as in His Passion, our Lord

Jesus Christ gave to each a retribution according to

his merits, so having taken away our old sins. He
may bestow on us the grace of His Resurrection.
Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of
the Holy Ghost, forever and ever. Amen.

THE SECOND LESSON
PASCHAL LAMB OF THE JEWS PREFIGURES

CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST, THE LAMB OF GOD
(EXODUS. XII. 1-11.)

S
jN those days the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in
' the land of Egypt: This month shall be to you

the beginning of months: it shall be the first in the

months of the year. Speak ye to the children of
Israel, and say to them: On the tenth day of this
month let every man take a lamb by their families
and houses. But if the number be less than may
suffice to eat the lamb, he shall take unto him his
neighbor that joineth to his house, according to the

number of souls which may be enough to eat the
lamb without blemish, a male, of one year: ac-
cording to which rite also you shall take a kid. And
you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this

month: and the whole multitude of the children of

Israel shall sacrifice it in the evening. And they
shall take of the blood thereof, and put it upon both
the side posts, and on the upper door posts of the

houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall
eat the flesh that night roasted at the fire: and un-

leavened bread with wild lettuce. You shall not eat
thereof any thing raw, nor boiled in water, but only

roasted at the fire. You shall eat the head with the
feet and entrails thereof. Neither shall there remain

any thing of it until morning. If there be any thing

4



left, you shall burn it with fire. And thus you shall

eat it: You shall gird your reins, and you shall have

shoes on your feet, holding staves in your hands,

and you shall eart in haste; for it is the Phase

(that is the Passage) of the Lord.

THE TRACT
(Ps. CXXXIX. 2-10, 14)

IJELIVER me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue
<5^ me from the unjust man. y. Who have devised
inquities in their hearts: all the day long they de-

signed battles, y. They have sharpened their
tongues like a serpent; the venom of asps is under
their lips. y. Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of
the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me. y.
Who have proposed to supplant my steps. The
proud have hidden a net for me. y. And they have
stretched out cords for a snare for my feet; they
have laid for me a stumbling-block by the wayside,
y. I said to the Lord: Thou art my God. Hear, O
Lord, the voice of my supplication, y. O Lord,
Lord, the strength of my salvation: overshadow my
head in the day of battle, y. Give me not up from
my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against
me. Do not Thou forsake me, lest at any time they
should triumph, y. The head of them compassing
me about: the labor of their lips shall overwhelm
them. y. But the just shall give glory to Thy
Name: and the upright shall dwell with Thy coun-
tenance.

THE PASSION AND DEATH OF JESUS
ACCORDING TO THE LATEST VERSION

(JOHN. XVIII. 1-40; XIX. 1-42.)

Jesus ^FTER SAYING THESE THINGS,
Arrested Jesus went forth with his disciples

beyond the torrent of Cedron, where
there was a garden into which he and his disciples
entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew
the place, since Jesus had often met there together
with his disciples. Judas, then, taking the cohort,
and attendants from the chief priests and Pharisees,
came there with lanterns, and torches, and
weapons.

Jesus therefore knowing all that was to come up-
on him, went forth and said to them. “Whom do you
seek?’' They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Now Judas, who be-
trayed him, was also standing with them. When
therefore, he said to them, “I am he,” they drew
back and fell to the ground. So he asked them a-
gain, “Whom to you seek?” And they said, “Jesus
of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I have told you that
I am he. If, therefore, you seek me, let these go
their way.” That the word which he said might be

5



fulfilled, “Of those whom thou hast given me, I
have not lost one.”

Simon Peter, therefore, having a sword, drew it
and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off

his right ear. Now the servant's name was Malchus.
Jesus therefore said to Peter, “Put up thy sword

into thy scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup that the

Father has given me?”

Peter's The cohort therefore and the tribune and
Denial the attendants of the Jews seized Jesus

and bound him. And they brought him to
Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiphas
who was the high priest that year. Now it was
Caiphas who had given the counsel to the Jews that
it was expedient that one man should die for the
people.

But Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was
another disciple. Now that disciple was known to
the high priest, and he entered with Jesus into the

courtyard of the high priest. But Peter was stand-
ing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who
was known to the high priest, went out and spoke
to the portress, and brought Peter in.

The maid who was portress, said therefore to
Peter, “Art thou also one of this man’s disciples?”

He said, “I am not.” Now the servants and at-
tendants were standing at a coal fire and warming
themselves, for it was cold. And Peter also was
with them standing and warming himself.

The high priest therefore questioned Jesus con-
cerning his disciples, and concerning his teaching.

Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the

world; I have always taught in the synagogue and

in the temple, where all the Jews gather, and in
secret I have said nothing. Why dost thou question
me? Question those who have heard what I spoke
to them; behold, these know what I have said.”

Now when he had said these things, one of the
attendants who was standing by struck Jesus a
blow, saying, “Is that the way thou dost answer the
high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If I have
spoken ill, bear witness to the evil; but if well,

why dost thou strike me?”

And Annas sent him bound to Caiphas, the high
priest.

But Simon Peter was standing and warming him-
self. They therefore said to him, “Art thou also one
of his disciples?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”

One of the servants of the high priest, a relative
of him whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Did I not
see thee in the garden with him?” Again, there-

. 6—



fore, Peter denied it; and at that moment a cock
crowed.

Jesus before They therefore led Jesus from Cai-

Pilate phas to the praetorium. Now it was
early morning, and they themselves

did not enter the praetorium, that they might not

be defiled, but might eat the passover.

Pilate therefore went outside to them, and said,

“What accusation do you bring against this man?”
They said to him in answer, “If he were not a
criminal we should not have handed him to thee.”
Pilate therefore said to them, “Take him your-
selves, and judge him according to your law.” The
Jews, then, said to him, “It is not lawful for us to

put anyone to death.” That the word of Jesus
might be fulfilled which he said, signifying by what
death he was to die.

Pilate therefore again entered into the praetorium,

and he summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Art thou
the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Dost thou
say this of thyself, or have others told thee of me?*'
Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Thy own people
and the chief priests have delivered thee to me.
What hast thou done?” Jesus answered, “My king-
dom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of
this world, my followers would have fought that I
might not be delivered to the Jews. But, as it is,
my kingdom is not of here.” Pilate therefore said
to him, “Thou art then a king?” Jesus answered,
“Thou sayest it; I am a king. This is why I was
born, and why I have come into the world, to bear
witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth
hears my voice.” Pilate said to him. “What is
truth?”

And when he had said this, he went outside to the
Jews again, and said to them, “I find no guilt in
him. But you have a custom that I should release
someone to you at the Passover. Do you wish,
therefore, that I release to you the king of the
Jews?” They all therefore cried out again, “Not
this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a
robber.

The Scourging Pilate, then, took Jesus and had him
and Crowning scourged. And the soldiers, plaiting

a crown of thorns, put it upon his
head, and arrayed him in a purple cloak. And they
kept coming to him and saying, “Hail, King of the
Jews!” and striking him.

Pilate therefore again went outside and said to
them, “Behold, I bring him out to you, that you
may know that I find no guilt in him.” Jesus there-
fore came forth, wearing the crown of thorns and

7—



the purple cloak. And he said to them, ‘‘Behold
the man!” When, therefore, the chief priests and
the attendants saw him, they cried out, saying,
“Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them,

“Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no
guilt in him.” The Jews answered him, “We have
a Law, and according to that Law he must die, be-
cause he has made himself Son of God.”

Now when Pilate heard this statement, he feared
the more. And he again went back into the prae-
torium, and said to Jesus, “Where art thou from?”
But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore
said to him, “Dost thou not speak to me? Dost
thou not know that I have power to crucify thee,
and that I have power to release thee?” Jesus an-
swered, “Thou wouldst have no power at all over
me were it not given thee from above. Therefore,
he who betrayed me to thee has the greater sin.”

And from then on Pilate was looking for a way
to release him. But the Jews cried out, saying, “If
thou release this man, thou art no friend of Caesar;
for everyone who makes himself king sets himself
against Caesar.”

Pilate therefore, when he heard these words,
brought Jesus outside, and sat down on the judge-
ment seat, at a place called Lithostrotos, but in
Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation
Day for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And
he 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 cru-

cify 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.

The And bearing the cross for himself.
Crucifixion he went forth to the place called the

Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha, where
they crucified him, and with him two others, one
on each side and Jesus in the center.

And Pilate also wrote an inscription and had it
put on the cross. And there was written,

“Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

Many of the Jews therefore read this inscription,
because the place where Jesus was crucified was
near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in
Greek and in Latin. The chief priests of the Jews

said therefore to Pilate, “Do not write. The King

of the Jews,” but, ‘He said, I am the King of the
Jews.’ ” Pilate answered, “What I have written,
I have written.”

The soldiers therefore, when they crucified him,



took his garments and made of them four parts, to

each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the
tunic was without seam, woven in one piece from

the top. They therefore said to one another, “Let

us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it, to see whose

it shall be.” That the Scripture might be fulfilled

which says,

“They divided my garments among them;
and for my vesture they cast lots.”

These things therefore the soldiers did.

The Death Now there were standing by the cross
of Jesus 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 thy son.”
Then he said to the disciple, “Behold thy mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his
home.

After this Jesus, knowing that all things were
now accomplished, that the Scripture might be ful-
filled, said, “I thirst.” Now there was standing
there a vessel full of common wine; and having
put a sponge soaked with the wine on a stalk of
hyssop, they put it to his mouth. Therefore, when
Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is consum-
mated!” And bowing his head, he gave up his
spirit.

DURING A BRIEF PAUSE ALL KNEEL

The The Jews therefore, since it was the Pre-
Burial paration Day, in order that the bodies

might not remain upon the cross on the
Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a solemn day), be-
sought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and
that they might be taken away. The soldiers there-
fore came and broke the legs of the first, and of the
other, who had been crucified with him. But when
they came to Jesus, and saw that he was already
dead, they did not break his legs; but one of the
soldiers opened his side with a lance, and immedi-
ately there came out blood and water.

And he who saw it has borne witness, and his
witness is true; and he knows that he tells the
truth, that you also may believe. For these things
came to pass that the Scripture might be fulfilled,

“Not a bone of him shall you break.”

And again another Scripture says,

“They shall look upon him whom they
have pierced.”

9



SILENT PRAYER BEFORE THE GOSPEL

/jfLEANSE my heart and my lips, O almighty God,
^ who didst cleanse the lips of the Prophet Isaias
with a burning coal, and vouchsafe, through Thy
gracious mercy, so to purify me, that I may worthi-
ly announce Thy holy Gospel. Through Christ, our
Lord. Amen.

THE PASSION CONTINUED

THE FOLLOWING IS SUNG IN THE GOSPEL TONE

M
OW after these things Joseph of Arimathea, be-
cause he was a disciple of Jesus (although for

fear of the Jews a secret one), besought Pilate that
he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate
gave permission. He came, therefore, and took a
way the body of Jesus. And there also came Nico-
demus (who at first had come to Jesus by night),
bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, in weight
about a hundred pounds. They therefore took the
body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with
the spices, after the Jewish manner of preparing for
burial. Now in the place where he was crucified
there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb
in which no one had yet been laid. There, accord-
ingly, because of the Preparation Day of the Jews,
for the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus.

II. THE SOPPLICATIOHS

Standing at the Epistle side the Priest sings the following
orations for the needs of the Church, the faithful

and all other classes of people.

FOR THE CHURCH

Let us pray, dearly beloved, for the holy Church
of God: that our Lord and God may deign to give
it peace, keep it in unity, and guard it throughout
the world, subjecting to it principalities and powers
and may grant unto us that, leading a peaceful and
quiet life we may glorify God, the Father almighty.

LET US PRAY. LET US KNEEL. ARISE.

^LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who in Christ
hast revealed Thy glory to all nations: guard

the works of Thy mercy; that Thy Church, spread
over the whole world, may with steadfast faith per-
severe in the confession of Thy Name. Through the
same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and
reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost,

God forever and ever. Amen.

10



FOR THE POPE

Let us pray also for our most holy Father Pope

N.: that our Lord and God, who chose him to the
order of the Episcopate,*may keep him in health and
safety for His holy Church to govern the holy peo-

ple of God.

LET US PRAY. LET US KNEEL. ARISE.

^ LMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose judge-
ment all things are established, mercifully re-

gard our prayers, and in Thy goodness preserve the
Bishop chosen for us: that the Christian people who
are ruled by Thine authority, may under so great a
Pontiff, be increased in the merits of their faith.

Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who
liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the

Holy Ghost, God forever and ever. Amen.

FOR ORDERS OF PERSONS

Let us pray for all Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Sub-

deacons, Acolytes, Exorcists, Readers, Porters, Con-

fessors, Virgins, Widows, and for all the holy peo-
ple of God.

LET US PRAY. LET US KNEEL. ARISE.

^LMIGHTY and everlasting God, by whose Spirit
the whole body of the Church is sanctified

and ruled, hear our humble pleading for all the
orders thereof; that by the gift of Thy grace all in
their several degrees may faithfully serve Thee.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth
and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, God forever and ever. Amen.

FOR CATECHUMENS

Let us pray also for our Catechumens: that our
Lord and God would open the ears of their hearts,
and the gate of mercy; that, having received, by
the font of regeneration the remission of all their
sins, they also may be found in Christ Jesus our
Lord.

LET US PRAY. LET US KNEEL. ARISE.

^LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost ever^ make Thy Church fruitful with new offspring:
increase the faith and understanding of our Cate-
chumens; that being born again in the font of Bap-
tism, thev may be associated with the children of
Thine adoption. Through the same Lord Jesus
Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee,
in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God forever and
ever. Amen.

11 —



FOR THE AFFLICTED

Let us pray, dearly beloved, to God the Father al-
mighty, that He would cleanse the world of all er-
rors: take away diseases, drive away famine, open
prisons, break chains, grant a sure return to travel-

lers, health to the sick, and a safe haven to those
at sea.

LET US PRAY. LET US KNEEL. ARISE.

^LMIGHTY and everlasting God, the comfort of
the sorrowful, and the strength of those that

labor: let the prayers of those that call upon Thee
in any trouble reach Thee; that all may rejoice that
in their necessities Thy mercy has helped them.
Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who
liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the
Holy Ghost. Amen.

FOR HERETICS

Let us pray also for heretics and schismatics: that
our Lord God would be pleased to rescue them from
all their errors; and recall them to our holy moth-
er the Catholic and Apostolic Church.

LET US PRAY. LET US KNEEL. ARISE.

^LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who savest all,
and wouldst that no one should perish: look

on the souls that are led astray by the deceit of the
devil: that having set aside all heretical evil, the

hearts of those that err may repent, and return to
the unity of Thy truth. Through our Lord Jesus
Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee
in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God forever and
ever. Amen.

FOR THE JEWS

Let us pray also for the perfidious Jews: that our

God and Lord would remove the veil from their
hearts: that they also may acknowledge our Lord
Jesus Christ.

The genuflection in the prayer for the Jews is omitted to
signify their refusal to believe in the Divinity of Christ.

^ LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who drivest not
away from Thy mercy even the perfidious Jews:

hear our prayers, which we offer for the blindness
of that people: that acknowledging the light of Thy
truth, which is Christ, they may be rescued from
their darkness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy
Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity
of the Holy Ghost, God forever and ever. Amen.

12



FOR PAGANS

Let us pray also for the pagans: that almighty

God would remove iniquity from their hearts:

that, putting aside their idols, they may be convert-
ed to the true and living God, and His only Son,

Jesus Christ our God and Lord.

LET US PRAY. LET US KNEEL. ARISE.

^LMIGHTY and everlasting God, who ever seek-
est not the death, but the life of sinners: merci-

fully hear our prayer, and deliver them from the

worship of idols: and join them to Thy holy Church

for the praise and glory of Thy Name. Through

our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and
reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost,

God forever and ever. Amen.

III. THE VENERATION OF THE CROSS

Removing his Black Chaiuble, the Celebrant unveils the
upper portion of the Crucifix as he stands at the Epistle
side, facing the people, and sings:

Celebrant. Behold the wood of the Cross, on which
hung the Savior of the world.

The Choir Answers:

Choir. Come, let us adore.

When the Choir sings these words, all kneel, except the
Celebrant. The priest then advances to the front corner,
and uncovers the right arm; elevating the Crucifix a little,
he sings in a higher tone than before:

Celebrant. Behold the wood of the Cross, on which
hung the Savior of the world.

The choir answers, while all kneel:

Choir. Come, let us adore.

Then at the middle of the Altar the Celebrant uncovers the
whole Cross, and. lifting it up, sings in a still higher tone:

Celebrant. Behold the wood of the Cross, on which
hung the Savior of the world.

Choir. Come, let us adore.

es the Cross to the place prepared for it
ar, and kneeling, lays it on a cushion.
, he kneels three times before the cross
clergy and laity then approach two by
el to venerate the cross. During this
the Celebrant, Deacon and Subdeacon

le following versicles and responses.

The Celebrant cat
In front of the /
Taking off his sh(
and kisses it. Th
two, and also ki
solemn veneratioi
recite alternately

13



THE REPROACHES

RECOUNTING GOD'S GREAT BENEFITS TO HIS CHOSEN
PEOPLE AND THEIR SHAMEFUL INGRATITUDE

Celebrant. O my people, what have I done to thee?
or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me.
Because I led thee out of the land of Egypt, thou

hast prepared a cross for thy Savior.

Deacon. O holy God! Sub-deacon. O holy God!

Deacon. O holy strong One!

Sub-deacon. O holy strong One!

Deacon. O holy immortal One, have mercy on us.

Sub-deacon. O holy immortal One, have mercy on
us.

Celebrant. Because I led thee out through-4;he-des-

ert forty years: and brought thee into a land

exceeding good, thou hast prepared a Cross for

thy Savior.

Deacon and Sub-deacon. O holy God! (as before)

Celebrant. What more ought I to have done for
thee, that I have not done? I planted thee, in-

deed, My most beautiful vineyard: and thou hast
become exceedingly bitter to Me: for in My thirst
thou gavest Me vinegar to drink: and with a
lance thou hast pierced the side of thy Savior,

Deacon and Sub-deacon. O holy God! (as before)

Celebrant. For thy sake I scourged Egypt with its

first born: and thou hast scourged Me and de-
livered Me up.

Deacon and Sub-deacon. O my people, what have
I done to thee? or wherein have I afflicted thee?

Answer me.

Cel. I led thee out of Egypt having drowned Pha-
rao in the Red Sea: and thou hast delivered Me
to the chief priests.

D. and S. D. O my people, what have I done to. thee?
or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me.

Cel. I opened the sea before thee: and: thou with
a spear hast opened My side.

D. and S. D. O my people, what have I done to thee?
or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me.

Cel. I went before thee in a pillar of cloud: and
thou hast led Me to the judgement hall of Pilate.

D. and S. D. O my people, what have I done to thee?
or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me.



CeL I fed thee with manna in the desert; and
thou hast beaten Me with blows and scourges.

D. and S. D. O my people, what have I done to thee?
or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me.

CeL I gave thee the water of salvation from the

rock to drink: and thou hast given Me gall
and vinegar.

D. and S. D. O my people, what have I done to thee?
or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me.

Cel. For thy sake I struck the kings of the Cana-

anites: and thou hast struck My head with a reed.

D. and S. D. O my people, what have I done to thee?
or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me.

CeL I gave thee a royal sceptre: and thou hast

given to My head a crown of thorns.

D. and S. D. O my people, what have I done to thee?
or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me.

Cel. I exalted thee with great strength: and thou

hast hanged Me on the gibbet of the Cross.

D. and S. D. O my people, what have I done to thee?
or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer me.

The following Anlhem U then sung:

CeL We adore Thy Cross, O Lord: and we praise
and glorify Thy holy Resurrection: for behold by
the wood of the Cross joy has come into the
whole world.

D. and S. D. (Ps. 1 xvi. 2) May God have mercy on
us, and bless us.

CeL May he cause the light of His countenance to
shine upon us, and have mercy on us. We adore
Thy Cross, O Lord: and we praise and glorify
Thy holy Resurrection: for behold by the wood
of the Cross joy has come into the whole world.

D. and S. D. May God have mercy on us, and bless
us.

A*

15



IV. THE PROCESSION MO THE MASS OF THE

PRESAHCTIFIED

As Ihe Veneration draws to a close, the Candles on the
Altars are lighted and the Cross is placed before the taber-
nacle. Then the Blessed Sacrament is carried, from the
Repository to the high Altar, in procession, during which
the Hymn Vexilla Regis is sung:

THE PROCESSION

HYMN "VEXILLA REGIS"

The royal banners forward go,
The Cross shines forth in mystic glow,

Where Life Himself our death endured.
And by His death our life procured.

Where deep for us the spear was dyed.
Life’s torrent rushing from His side.

To wash us in that precious flood.
Where mingled water flowed, and blood.

Fulfilled is all that David told

In true prophetic song of old

To all the nations: “God”, saith he,
“Hath reigned and triumphed from the Tree.”

O Tree of beauty, Tree of light,
Q Tree with royal purple dight.

Elect on whose triumphal breast
Those holy limbs should find their rest;

On whose dear arms, so widely flung,
The weight of this world’s ransom hung;

The price of human kind to pay,
And spoil the spoiler of his prey.

O Cross, our one reliance, hail!
This holy Passiontide avail

To give new virtue to the saint,
And pardon to the penitent.

To Thee, eternal Three in One,
Let homage meet by all be done;

As by the Cross Thou dost restore.
So rule and guide us evermore. Amen,

16



THE MASS OF THE PRESANCTIFIED

The procession ended, the Celebrant ascends the altar,

places the Blessed Sacrament on it and pours wine and

water into the chalice. Next he incenses the Offering, the

Cross and the Altar^ saying:

IIJAY this incense, which Thou hast blessed, O
Lord, ascend to Thee, and may Thy mercy

'descend upon us.

INCENSING THE ALTAR

^ET my prayer, O Lord, be directed as incense .in
^ Thy sight: the lifting up of my hands as an
evening sacrifice. •

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a
door round about my lips.

May my heart not incline to evil words, to make
excuses for sins.

Giving the censer to the Deacon, he says:

|[itAY the Lord enkindle within us the fire of His

love, and the flame of everlasting charity.

Amen.

Washing his hands at the Epistle side, he returns to the
middle of the altar, bows and says:

^ CCEPT US, O Lord, in the spirit of humility and
contrition of heart, and grant that the sacrifice

which we offer this day in Thy sight may be pleas-
ing to Thee, O Lord God.

Facing the people, he extends his hands and says:

RETHREN, pray that my Sacrifice and yours
may be acceptable to God the Father almighty.

THE OUR FATHER

£
et us pray.
. Instructed by Thy saving precepts, and follow-

ing Thy divine institution, we are bold to say:

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 for-
give those who trespass against us. And lead us
not into temptation. But deliver us from evil.

Amen.

^ELIVER us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, from all
V evils, past, present, and to come; and by the
intercession of the blessed and glorious ever Virgin
Mary, Mother of God, and of the holy Apostles,

17



Peter and Paul, and of Andrew, and of all the Saints,
mercifully grant peace in our days, that through the

assistance of Thy mercy we may be always free
from sin, and secure from all disturbance.

Amen.

Genuflecling, the Celebrant elevates the Sacred Host that
all may see and adore it. The Agnus Dei is omitted and
the following prayer is said:

^ET not the partaking of The Body, O Lord Jesus
<3^ Christ, which I, though unworthy, presume to
receive, turn to my judgement and condemnation;
but let it through Thy mercy, become a safeguard
and remedy, both for soul and body; Who with
God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
livest and reignest God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Taking the paten with the Sacred Host lying on it, he says:

J
j

WILL take the Bread of heaven, and will call
' upon the Name of the Lord.

striking his breast, he repeats three times:

^ORD, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter
^ under my roof; say but the word, and my soul
shall be healed.

He makes the Sign of the Cross with Consecrated Host and
says:

HE Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve my
soul unto life everlasting. Amen.

Receiving the Sacrament, he consumes the wine in the
chalice, purifies it and says:

/J^RANT, O Lord, that what we have taken with
^ our mouth, we may receive with a pure mind;
and from a temporal gift may it become to us an
eternal remedy.

NO ONE, EXCEPT THOSE IN DANGER OF DEATH, MAY
RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION ON GOOD FRIDAY

After the Mass of the Presanctified the altars are again
stripped bare of all furnishings.

18



WsiMJtaJtw emd fijimpUiA on Jthsi

Suvsm Jta&i (OoAdSt

of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Chrid on the Cross

A FORM OF DEVOTION IN HONOR OF THE

THREE HOURS OF AGONY

FOR GOOD FRIDAY AFTER M!D-DAY

STAND—All Sing —
FAITHFUL CROSS

Faithful Cross; above all other,

One and only noble Tree!
None in foliage, none in blossom.

None in fruit thy peer may be:
Sweetest Wood, and sweetest Iron,

Sweetest Weight is hung on thee.

Sing my tongue, the glorious battle!
With completed victory rife:

And above the Cross’s trophy
Tell the triumph of the strife:

How the world’s Redeemer conquer’d
By the offering of His life.

Faithful Cross! above all other,
One and only noble Tree!

None in foliage, none in blossom.
None in fruit thy peer may be:

o R —

STABAT MATER
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,

Close to Jesus to the last:

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had passed.



Jhs. ffljtoftPuiaj. in ihn Old dlaw

PRIEST— - ALL KNEEL -

I will pour out upon the house of David, and
upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of
Grace and Prayer, and they shall look upon Me
Whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn
for Him, as one mourneth for an only Son, and
they shall grieve over Him as the manner is to
grieve for the death of the First-born. And they
shall say to Him: “What are those wounds in the
midst of Thy hands?” And He shall say: “With
these I was wounded in the house of them that
loved Me.” (Zach. XIH-6).

People—Redeemer of ihe world, * have mercy on us.
Priesl—We adore Thee, 0 Christ, and we bless Thee.

People—Because by Thy holy cross * Thou hasl re-
deemed ihe world. *

Jhs. JulfiUmsnl in ihs Tlssv dtmv

PRIEST — - ALL KNEEL -

Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
And so they took Jesus and led Him away.

And bearing the cross for himself, he went forth
to the place called the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha,

where they crucified him, and with him two others,
one on each side and Jesus in the center.

And Pilate also wrote an inscription and had it
put on the cross. And there was written,

“Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

Many of the Jews therefore read this inscription,
because the place where Jesus was crucified was
near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in
Greek and in Latin. (John XIX. 16-20.)

People—Redeemer of ihe world, * have mercy on us.
Priesl—We adore Thee, 0 Christ, and we bless Thee.
People—Because by Thy holy cross * Thou hast re-
deemed the world. *

Priest-LET US PRAY:-

Priesl and People—Look 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

20



and charily,
*

Irue conlrilion for my sins, * and a

firm purpose of amendment, * the while I contem-

plate 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 Saviour: * "They have pierced my

hands and feet, * they have numbered all my bones." *

QnbwdwdbJuj. TJflsjdiJtcdwn

PRIEST — - ALL SIT -

“And when they had come to the place called the
Skull, they crucified Him there”. (Lk. 23. 33.) With
profound reverence and sincere contrition of heart,
we gather here to meditate on the seven last words
of our Saviour on the cross. That we may better
dispose ourselves to derive choicest graces from this
meditation, let us go back in spirit to the first Good
Friday and in spirit take our position on the hill of
Calvary, called the Skull. Here we become specta-
tors of the world’s supreme drama—the crucifixion
of our Lord. We are not alone. A large congrega-
tion has assembled, not to pray and worship, but to
blaspheme and persecute. The trial of Jesus had
come to an end. Pontius Pilate, the cowardly Ro-
man governor, had pronounced the death-sentence:
“Take Him away and crucify Him”. No time was
lost. In anticipation of His certain doom, a ponder-
ous cross had been selected for Him. Its crushing
weight—symbol of the world’s guilt—now bears
heavily on His bruised shoulders, and we see a dis-
mal procession now winding its cruel tortuous way
up the steep and rocky road to the summit of the
hill. No death-march ever had its equal. Crowned
with thorns, covered with wounds, streaming with
blood, and staggering under His burden, comes the
Saviour, followed by the two condemned thieves,
all three tightly bound and closely guarded. Press-
ing close upon them are the numerous enemies of
Jesus, a jostling mob, rending the air with fright-
ful yells, curses and blasphemies.

The procession comes to a halt. It has reached its
appointed destination. A scene of unsurpassed bru-
tality unfolds before our eyes. Spurred on by the
gloating Scribes, Pharisees and high priests, the Ro-
man soldiers lay hold of the cross and drop it to the
ground. Shamelessly, they strip Jesus of His clo-
thing and with it they tear the flesh that clings to

21 -



His inner garments. Ghastly wounds are re-opened
and streams of blood flow afresh. Thus denuded,
He is thrown upon the cross and made secure. One
of the executioners places a large spike upon His
right hand. The heavy hammer rises and falls with
horrible precision and the iron nail crashes through
flesh and bone, sinews and nerves. The left hand
and then the feet of the sacred Victim undergo the
same excruciating torture. Behold the innocent
Lamb of God upon the altar of the cross! With no
little effort, the unwieldy frame bearing its precious
treasure is lifted on high. The lower beam is drop-
ped with a dull thud into the hole prepared for it
and fixed firmly in the ground. Thereupon, the two
thieves are crucified: one on the cross to His right,

and the other on a cross to His left.

It is midday. Jesus commences His appalling a-
gony. Through Him surge all the throes of death
ever experienced by mankind. For three seeming-
ly interminable hours He endures inexpressible tor-
tures of body and soul. Meanv/hile with savage
triumph, His enemies close in on Him to watch Him
suffer and die. There too, beneath the cross are
Marv of Cleophas. Mary Magdalen, John the belov-
ed disciple and—Mary, the Mother of Jesus. With
Mary as our guide and monitor, we also shall draw
close to Jesus and lay our docile hearts at His feet,

to consider some details of those last hours of His

sacred agony and to carry home with us the lessons
He teaches from His Dulpit of pain and from the
blood-stained altar of His undying love.

He speaks seven times. The words are few, the
sermons are short. But the sweet strains of those

divine utterances, like music from heaven, will echo

and re-echo in grateful hearts until time will b^ no

more. 1. He preaches and exemplifies the sublime
duty of forgiving our enemies. 2. He promises par-
adise to the penitent thief and to all repentant

sinners. 3. He commissions Mary to be our spirit-
ual Mother. 4. He shows us the frightfulness of
being deprived of the Beatific Vision. 5. He reveals
His infinite thirst for our salvation. 6. He pro-
claims the consummation of the world’s redemption.

7. He insti-ucts us to commend our souls to His
heavenly F^^^ther as we pass from this world into
eternitv.—May He grant us light and grace to learn
and put into practice these great lessons of His in-

finite love. Le us now prav and dispose our hearts
to derive all possible graces from the consideration

of the last words of our Saviour on the Cross.

22



PRAYER TO KNOW AND LOVE JESUS CRUCIFIED

PEOPLE— - ALL KNEEL -

^ My Crucified Saviour, * perfect Model and gentle^ Instructor * in the difficult art of suffering, *
teach me to know the wise folly of the cross * and the

foolish wisdom of the world. * Hitherto I have shun-

ned Thy invitation * to mourn with Thee * and Thy

sorrowful Mother. * I dreaded the road to Calvary. *

I feared to follow in Thy footsteps. * But where I

sought comfort, * I found only bitterness and vexa-

tion of spirit. * Where I looked for light, * I was

plunged into darkness. * Where I hoped to find the

fulness of joy, * I experienced most painful emptiness.

* And now when I see Thee, * crucified and over-

whelmed with sufferings * out of love for me, * my

heart is filled with the most tender compassion for Thee

* and with the most lively hatred of sin. * Because

of my transgressions, * Thy heavenly Father did not

spare Thee, * although Thou art His beloved Son. *

He demanded Thy sufferings and death * to satisfy

His offended justice and holiness. * Sin, then, * in

the eyes of Thy heavenly Father, * 0 my Jesus, *

is a greater evil * than Thy Passion and death. ^

With most profound and heartfelt sorrow, * therefore,
*

I repent of the sins of my whole life * because

they have caused Thee * Thy so biller sufferings and

so painful death. * I weep over those sins * because

I have repaid Thy infinite love * with heinous ingrati-

tude. * I weep over them * because they have so

grievously offended Thee, * the Supreme Good, * who

art so deserving of all my love. * I firmly resolve

to die * rather than offend Thee again. *

Nevertheless, * 0 my Jesus, * I tremble at my

great weakness. * My wicked passions and evil in-

clinations * tempt me violently to sin. * I am fear-

ful of the future; * yet firmly do I hope for every

good * when 1 reflect on Thy holy Passion * and

place my confidence in Thy infinite merits. * Hence-

forth,
*

the constant memory of Thy Passion and

Death * will be the unfailing source of power * to

free me more and more * from the fatal dominion of

my evil inclinations. * 0 Crucified Jesus, * grant

me the grace to make every sacrifice * to please

Thee * and to imitate the virtues * I see Thee prac-

-23 —



lice on Ihe cross. * Grant * that as I advance in

age, * I may also grow in wisdom and virtue and

grace * before God and man. * Grant that I may

submit my will to Thy holy will, * in all I do and

suffer. * That I may know no other freedom, * no

other joy, no greater good, * than to live and die in

union with Thy holy will. * In the past I have had

so little time for Thee. * I repent of it. * I now re-

solve with Thy help * often to meditate with grate-

ful heart,
*

on the wonders of Thy divine love, *

manifested in the mysteries of Thy sacred Passion. *

0 Mary, Mother of Sorrows, my Mother, * obtain for

me this grace, * that meditating on the sufferings of

Thy divine Son * I may be ever more closely united

with Him and Thee. Amen. *

STAND—All Sing —
God, his Maker, sorely gieving.

That the first-made Adam fell,
When he ate the fruit of sorrow.

Whose reward was death and hell.
Noted then this Wood, the ruin

Of the ancient wood to quell.

Sweetest Wood, and sweetest Iron,
Sweetest Weight is hung on thee.

o R

Oh, how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother, highly blessed,
Of the sole begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs:

She beneath beholds the pangs

Of her dying glorious Son.

24



Jhsi J'VisJt {jJohd on tha QjwMl

“FATHER FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY KNOW
NOT WHAT THEY DO”.

PRIEST — - ALL SIT -

The love of our enemies and

the full pardon of their offences

is the supreme test of Christian

charity. It is so essential for

salvation and so indispensable

for fellowship with Christ that

He exemplifies it most perfectly
and makes it the subject of His
First Word on the cross. Sur-
rounding Him on all sides were

His enemies gloating over His humiliation and
triumphing over His apparent defeat and destruc-

tion. They come forward to the cross and vomit
forth the most hideous blasphemy and de-
fiance: “If Thou art the King of the Jews”, they
say, “save Thyself”. “Thou that destroyest the

temple and in three days buildest it up again; come
down from the erf:ss and save Thyself”. “He saved
others, if He be tne Christ, let Him save Himself”.
How does Jesus accept their challenge? Does He
call upon the earth to open wide its chasms to en-
gulf them? Does he command the mountains to
leap from their foundations to annihilate them? No!
He utters no reproach. He seems not to hear their
horrible execrations. He raises His compassionate
eves to heaven and says: “Father, forgive them”.

As supreme Judge He forbears all judgment and
becomes their all-powerful Advocate.

“Father forgive them”. “Forgive, I beseech you
all my enemies and all their offences without ex-
ception. Forgive Pilate who condemned Me that he
might retain the friendship of Caesar. Forgive He-

rod who treated Me as a fool. Forgive the Scribes
and Pharisees and high priests who instigated Thy
people to turn against Me, who plotted to destroy
the work of my Redemption. Forgive the execu-
tioners who scourged and tortured Me and nailed
Me to the cross. Forgive, oh Father, forgive all who
ever committed a grievous sin and thereby took part
in shedding My Blood and transfixing Me to this
cross of infamy and pain.”

Not only does Jesus plead for the unreserved par-
don of His enemies, but He directs attention solely
to the extenuating circumstances of their guilt.

“Father”, He says, “forgive them, for they know not
what they do.” “They know, indeed, that I am suf-

25



fering and dying innocently; but they do not know
that they are crucifying their Redeemer and the
Lord of glory/’ In this sublime prayer of Christ, we
find not only the spoken word of pardon and the
alleged reason for a merciful judgment in behalf
of His sworn enemies, but we also clearly perceive
in that cry for pardon a solemn avowal of His in-
finite love for them—the all impelling motive why
the heavenly Father should withhold no blessings
from them. ‘It is true”, our Lord seems to say,
“they are offering Thee a monstrous insult; but is
not my love for Thee and for them infinitely greater
than their immeasurable guilt? Therefore, punish
Me in their stead and accept My Sacrifice of atone-
ment that they may be reconciled with Thee. Con-
vert their heart from filthy dens of satan into holy
temples of the sanctifying Spirit. Snatch them from
the road of perdition and lead them to the path of
repentance and salvation. They have been created
to Our Image; through My Redemption let them
once more be partakers of Our divine Nature and
regard them as Thy children and My beloved breth-
ren”. What infinite generosity in this noble appeal
of Jesus for His enemies!

Dear Christian, we cannot pretend that it is an
easy matter to love our enemies according to the

teaching and example of our Lord. But what the
saints and all true followers of Christ have done,

you also can do. Jesus forbids us to follow the
ways of the world in seeking revenge, and demand-
ing an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. He
emphatically says: “Love your enemies, do good to

them that hate you, pray for them that persecute
and calumniate you: that you may be the children
of your Father who is in heaven, who makes the
sun to rise on the good and the evil, and sends rain

on the just and the unjust. You therefore are to
be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect”.

Would you be a worthy child of your heavenly
Father? Would you wish to have a sure pledge
of your predelection to salvation? Then follow this
high standard of perfection. Forgive, love and do

good to your enemies.

No small reward is attached to the fulfillment
of this command. Faith tells you that the evils

which you suffer at the hands of your fellowmen

are blessings in disguise, pearls of priceless worth,

redeemable in eternity. Faith assures you that you

need fear no punishment from God if you heed
these words of our Lord who clearly says: “If you
forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father
will forgive you also your offences”. How consol-
ing for us who have so often offended! Charity
covers a multitude of sins.

No Christian can credit himself with having

26



reached the perfection of fraternal charity unless

he is considerate and lenient in judging his enemies.

Therefore let your sentiments be conformable to the

generous sentiments of Jesus Christ. If you cannot
excuse the evil action of your neighbor, excuse at

least his intention. And if his intention cannot be
looked upon as entirely free from blame, excuse him
on the plea of violence of his temptation. And if
you find absolutely nothing in him that speaks in
his favor, then say to yourself: Though there seems
to be nothing but evil in him, no doubt there is

much good in him that I do not perceive. Who
knows, he may one day be a great saint? To God
alone belongs final judgment. “Do not judge, that

you may not be judged. For with what judgment
you judge, you shall be judged; and with what
measure you measure, it shall be measured to you.’*

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do! Henceforth may we merit full pardon of all
our sins when we recite the Lord’s prayer and say:
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive all who
trespass against us! Amen.

PRAYER TO OBTAIN PARDON FOR OURSELVES

AND ENEMIES

PEOPLE — - ALL KNEEL -

^ MOST amiable and merciful Jesus,
* when Thou

wasf dying on Ihe cross* amidst incredible suf-

ferings; * when thou wast mocked, * derided and

blasphemed, * Thou didst say: * Tather forgive

them, * for they know not what they do". * This

prayer, I know, was intended * not only for Thy con-

temptible enemies * who despised and tortured Thee,

* bui v/as intended * for all poor sinners. * Who

has grieved Thee more than myself? * What would

have been my fate * hadst Thou judged me * with

all the rigor of Thy divine justice? * 1 deserved to

be cast from Thee forever. * But in Thy infinite

mercy, * Thou didst phad * and obtain pardon for

me, * from Thy heavenly Father. * Would that I

had the voice of an angel * that I might gratefully

sing Thy praises * for all time and eternity. * 0

Lord Jesus, * do Thou in Thy boundless clemency, *

continue to show me * Thy divine consideration and

mercy, * until I am inseparably united with Thee

in heaven. * In my weakness, * surrounded as I

am * by so manv temntations and dangers to salva-

tion, * I turn to Thee who art my only strength, * my

Dnly hope. * my only security. * With Thy help I

know I shall be victorious * and gain the crown of

27



eternal life.
*

Grant me this help I beseech Thee *

despite my great unworthiness. *

It is indeed just and proper, * 0 Lord, * that while

I hope and beg for pardon for my sins, * I also ap-

peal to Thee * to pardon my enemies. * Most un-

grateful should I be, * if I should be unwilling * to

forgive, from my heart, * all the offences of my fellow-

men. * I should be like the unmerciful servant *

mentioned in the Gospel, * to whom his lord * gener-

ously forgave a whole debt * of incredible size, *

and then, * unmindful of the great goodness of his

lord, * refused to forgive * even a trifling debt of his

fellow-servant. * By such conduct * I should be self-

condemned to judgment without mercy * I should

thus renounce * the great blessing and high honor *

of being Thy disciple. * I should fail to imitate Thy

example and follow Thy Command. * Let no such

misfortune befall me, * 0 merciful Saviour. * Hence-

forth * I will forgive from my heart * all who offend me.
* I will strive to forget all injuries, * great or small. *

In my thoughts and in my words and in my actions, *

and in all my judgments * no matter how difficult it

may seem to me, * I will endeavor to show * that I

love my enemies. * I know that of myself, * I cannot

succeed. * But v/ith Thy ready grace, I know * that I

can do this perfectly and joyfully. * Through Thy all-

powerful intercession, * 0 my beloved Mother, Mary, *

with thy help I will bring this firm resolve * to a happy

conclusion. * Obtain this grace for me. Amen.
*

STAND—All Sing —
For this work of our salvation

Needs must have its order so,
And the manifold deceiver’s

Art by art would overthrow,

And from thence would bring the healing,
Whence the insult of the foe.

Faithful Cross! above all other.

One and only noble Tree!
None in foliage, none in blossom.

None in fruit thy peer may be:

o R —

Is there one who would not weep.
Whelmed in miseries so deep,

Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain
From, partaking in her pain.

In that Mother’s pain untold?

28



Jhs. cSccoW {jJohd on Jthsi (^/WA&

“AMEN, I SAY TO THEE, THIS DAY THOU
SHALT BE WITH ME IN PARADISE’’.

RIEST — - ALL SIT -

Consider the Second Word of
Jesus on the cross. It is replete

with hope and consolation for

all truly repentant sinners. Two
thieves were crucified with our

Saviour; one to the right and

the other to the left. Both were

guilty of many heinous crimes;
both deserving of capital pun-

ishment. Yet we designate the
one a good thief and the other a bad thief, the one

a saint and the other a reprobate. A striking ex-
ample of the co-operation with grace, on the one

hand, and, the stubborn rejection of grace on the

other.

Embittered over his unhappy lot, the bad thief

fumed and cursed, and defied Jesus to prove His

Divinity by working a miracle: “If Thou art the

Christ”, he blasphemed, “save Thyself and us”.

Jesus remained silent. It would have been of no

avail to answer the wretched sinner. He had placed
himself beyond the pale of redemption. But, Dis-

mas, the good thief, rebuked him saying: “Dost
thou not even fear God, seeing that thou art under

the same sentence? And we indeed guilty, for we
are receiving what our deeds deserved, but this man
has done nothing wrong”. Then addressing himself

to Jesus, he says: “Lord, remember me when Thou
comest into Thy kingdom”. Turning His thorn-
crowned head to the converted robber, the Saviour

answers: “Amen, I say to thee, this day thou shalt
be with me in Paradise”. The first fruits of the
Redemption are accomplished! Dismas, the life-

long sinner is now a saint. He was canonized by
Christ himself. His feast is celebrated by the
Church, annually, April 24.

Grace is God’s transcendant gift to man. It sur-
passes all other gifts we receive from our Creator.
He lavishes it upon us in super-abundance. Daily,
in countless ways, it knocks at the door of our heart,

seeking entrance. It is present to us when we are
moved by an impulse to do good; it is offered to
us in prayer, sermons. Holy Mass, Holy Commun-
ion, and in the good example of our neighbor. It
is the unseen treasure concealed in sickness, pover-

ty, death of a beloved one; in every trial sent us

- 29 -

—



by an all-wise Providence. Like the good thief we
can correspond with it and permit it to work great
wonders in our soul.

How the first efficacious grace of conversion came
to the good thief, we do not know. It may have
been a single glance bestowed on him by our Sav-
iour. But we do know that he placed no obstacle
in its way. Once grace gained entrance into his

soul, it work': i a marvelous transformation within

him and was succeeded by a host of added graces.
We now see the one-time criminal exercise the most
heroic virtues under the most trying conditions. He
believes with the invincible faith of the martyrs.

We see him recognizing Christ, confessing Christ,
defending Christ. Although he beholds Christ cru-

cified as a malefactor, he acknowledges Him to be
the King of heaven. Hope is there: for with un-
shaken confidence he asks his Redeemer to remem-
ber him in His Kingdom. Love is there: for he
reproaches his former companion because of his blas-

phemies and thus proclaims the innocence of Jesus

before the Jews and His hostile executioners. He
espouses the cause of Christ bravely and fearlessly

when all others desert or rise up against the Lord.
He becomes a model of deep humility and sincere
contrition; for he says: “We are receiving the
just punishment for our misdeeds”. Truly his is a
miraculous conversion! What was his reward?
Paradise! Possession of the Beatific Vision! When?
Not on the day of judgment to come. Not in the
distant future. Not after spending a long time in
purgatory. But this very day! This very first

Good Friday, he will enjoy the bliss of paradise
with his Saviour! O blessed effects of grace! O
blessed mercy and liberality of the compassionate
Heart of Jesus!

When you study the image of our Saviour on the
cross, you will observe that His sacred thorn-crown-
ed head is turned away from the impenitent thief
on His left and is inclined towards the repentant
thief, Dismas, on His right. What an inspiration
and encouragement in this gesture of our Lord for
all who desire to abandon sin and the maxims and
practices of the world! He seems so say: “In this
penitent thief, O Christian soul, you have a power-
ful patron, an ideal model. Should the memory of
your sins haunt and discourage you, learn from him
how to trust in My infinite mercy. Invoke him
with confidence and he who prized My boundless
mercy so highly, will obtain mercy for you also.
Endeavor earnestly to imitate his fearless faith, his
unwavering confidence, his deep humility, his ar-
dent love, his generous profession of My Divinity,
his sublime patience in suffering.

“In one point only you must not imitate him. You

30



must not delay your conversion until the hour of

death. In this respect the good thief can be excused

—his life was spent amidst most unfavorable sur-
roundings. You can have no such excuse. Do not
postpone to a later date what your eternal weKare

demands now. Do you perhaps feel the need of a
general confession? Are certain restitutions to be

made? Are there dangerous occasions of sin to be

given up? Are you enslaved by some shameful

habit of unchastity, immoderate indulgence in drink,

undue frequentation of taverns, theaters and other
indecent places of amusement? Are you unwilling

to forgive injuries fully and with your whole heart?

Are scandals to be repaired? Examine your con-
science carefully to see if there be anything serious-

ly wrong in your conduct. If so, repent now most
sincerely and resolve this moment, here at the foot
of the cross, to change your manner of life! Do so
without delay! It is not within your power to
choose the hour of your death. God alone is Creat-
or of life and sole Master of death. Will your last
hour come when you least expect it? Will you turn
a deaf ear to My loving appeal, with the feeble ex-
cuse of numerous worldly cares and occupations?
Only one thing in necessary—save your soulf “For
what does it profit a man, if he gain the whole
world, but suffer the loss of his own soul?”

PRAYER FOR TRUE CONVERSION AND HIGH

ESTEEM OF GRACE

PEOPLE— - ALL KNEEL -

^ MY SAVIOUR,
* Thou arl truly the Good Shep-

herd * who goes in search of the lost sheep. *

As I kneel before the cross and reflect * upon the

wonderful conversion of the good thief, * I begin to

understand the consoling words * which Thou didst

speak in Thy public life: * "And I, if I be lifted up

from the earth,
*

will draw all things to myself". *

From the earth and its sinful ways * Thou didst lift

up the wayward criminal * to suffer and die with Thee

upon the cross * and hast chosen him * to be the first

fruits of Thy Redemption. * No sooner does he return

to Thee, * by corresponding with Thy grace, * than

Thou receives! him again, * as a loving Father *

opening Thy arms to Thy prodigal son. * Neither dost

Thou remember any more * the multitude or griev-

ousness of his sins * when Thou seest in him * the

good will and sincere desire to amend his life. * This

repentant thief, ^ once an abominable example of evil

to so many, becomes through his wonderful convei*

— 31—



Sion, * a mosl shining example for all. * What joy

and happiness must now be his in paradise, * as he

praises the boundless goodness of Thy Sacred Heart,

* in union with all Ihe heavenly court! *

Alas! * How this poor converted thief puls me lo

shame * when I recall Thy many graces * which I

have boldly resisted or corresponded with so feebly. *

Daily, hourly. Thou hast lavished them upon me. *

Never on earth shall I know * their number, greatness

and variety. * They should have made me a great

saint. * Yet I see myself guilty of many sins * and

ruled by unmortified passion. * Had the hapless thief

been illumined * with an equal number of graces from

his youth, * what glorious fruits of holiness * would

he not have brought forth? * But no sinner, be he

ever so abandoned * need be discouraged, * when

he turns to Thee with contrite heart * and reflects

upon Thy infinite mercy. * Neither will I be dis-

heartened. * But trusting in Thy mercy * and in

the powerful intercession of the good thief, * I re-

solve to make up for my mistakes in the past. * 0

my Crucified Saviour, * do Thou grant me, a miser-

able sinner, * a grace like to that * which Thou

didst grant him.
*

Cast upon me but one of those

gracious looks * which will convert me thoroughly! *

Speak but one of those words of mercy and pardon!
*

Say but the word and my soul shall be healed! *

Remember not the sins of my youfh, * but wash them

out, in Thy precious blood! * With my whole heart

and soul I am sorry * for having offended Thee! *

Create a new heart within me! * Give me strength, *

nevermore, * to neglect or abuse Thy graces; * but

in Thy liberality * continue to favor me with their

riches. * I firmly resolve, * henceforth, * to use them

most faithfully. * 0 Mary, * filled with the plenti-

tude of grace; * assist me with thy powerful inter-

cession. * Thou alone art worthy to be heard by the

divine Son. Amen.
*

«i<

32



STAND—All Sing —
Wherefore when the appointed fulness

Of the holy time was come,
He was sent who maketh all thing?

From the eternal Father’s home,
And proceedeth, God Incarnate,

Offspring of the Virgin’s womb.

Sweetest Wood, and sweetest Iron,
Sweetest Weight is hung on thee.

o R

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,

She beheld her tender Child,
All with bloody scourges rent:

For the sins of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation

Till His spirit forth He sent.

- 4*-

— 33



JAc Jhihd iOoJid on iPw. Qjw&a

“WOMAN, BEHOLD THY SON”. THEN HE SAED
To THE DISCIPLE: “BEHOLD THY MOTHER”.

PRIEST - - ALL SIT -

Not for an instant did Jesus

lose consciousness of the fact

that His devoted Mother stood

hard by the cross overwhelmed

by an ocean of sorrow. The
words of the prophet Jeremias

applied to her centuries before,

no doubt were in His mind:

—

‘To what shall I compare thee,
or to what shall I liken thee,

O daughter of Jerusalem; for great as the sea is
thy desolation”. Gladly would He have spared her
the awful anguish of bearing witness to His barbar-

ous execution. But such was not the decree of
Providence. She was to be the co-Redemptrix to
atone for the sins of the world and like the Re-

deemer she must go down into the deepest and
darkest valley of pain, grief and sorrow. We need
only bear in mind that love is the measure of grief,
and, as no mutual love was more intense than the
love of Jesus and Mary for each other, so never was
there a sorrow so immense to afflict two hearts so
intimately one. Jesus is truly the Man of Sorrows;
Mary, the Queen of Martyrs.

Of this world’s goods He has nothing to bequeath.
But His grateful Heart overflows at the memory of
her solicitude for Him in the stable of Bethlehem,
in their exile of Egypt, in their poverty of Nazareth,

in their privations during His public life. Ignoring

the ravages of His own tortures, He wishes now to
provide for the remainder of her earthly life and

confides her to the tender care of His favorite a-

postle. “Woman” He says, “behold thy sen. Son,
behold thy Mother”. And from that hour the dis-
ciple took her to his home.—Sons and daughters,
learn from your dying Saviour how to love, honor
and obey your parents! After God you owe all to
them. Bring joy to their hearts. Comfort them in
sickness and affliction. Aid them in poverty and
distress. Cheer them in the loneliness of their de-
clining years. Pray for them during life. Be ever
mindful of them in Mass and Communion when they
sleep the last long sleep. And you, fathers and
mothers, never lose sight of your parental obliga-
tions in this world and your reward in the next.

When Jesus said “Woman, behold thy son”. He

- 34 ^



referred to John not only as an individual but as

the representative of the entire human race. It was
as if Jesus said “Thou art My true earthly Mother,
I am thy true earthly Son. My life is drawing to a
close. Thy work for Me is done. As I have re-
ceived from thee My sacred Humanity, so do thou
now receive from Me another humanity—every in-
dividual in the human race represented in the per-
son of My most beloved disciple John. As ‘ nm
King of heaven and earth, Father of all the .^ith-

ful, so shalt thou be the Queen of heaven and earth

and Mother of all the faithful. I am the Good Shep-
herd, the Fountain-head of all mercy, but I am also
Judge. If My children hesitate to throw themselves
on My mercy, they cannot hesitate to abandon
themselves to thy maternal and all compassionate

heart. Be their true Mother. Let no one call upon
thee in vain.

“Through thy hands, I will pour out all the treas-

ures of My grace. ‘Woman, behold thy children’.
To you dear Christian, Jesus addresses the words:
‘My son. My child, behold your Mother”. What an
ineffable consolation for us to know that just as
Jesus Christ is by nature the eternal Son of God
and the earthly Son of Mary, so we by adoption are
the children of God and spiritual sons and daugh-
ters of Mary. Have you always been a devoted
child of this good Mother? Have you always en-
deavored to love, to invoke and to imitate her?
Have ’ counted that day lost in which you have
not hcnutcd her? When you felt forsaken by all,
depressed by mental and physical sufferings, as-
saulted by t e devil, have you surrendered yourself
unreservedly to her maternal care? If not, from this
hour, here r.t the foot of the cross, be resolved to
take her into your heart and to your home, now and
always. Let your unceasing prayer be: “Holy
Mary, Mother of God, pray for me now and at the
hour of my death. Amen”.

PRAYER TO BE WORTHY CHILDREN OF MARY

PEOPLL— - ALL KNEEL -

M7 dying Jesus, * whal untold generosity hast
Thou not shown * towards us, poor sinners! *

Thy excessive love for us knows no bounds. * It was

not enough for Thee, * to have offered Thyself for us

on the cross * in the midst of unspeakable torments,
* but Thou hast also wished to give us * Thy own

dearly-boloved Mother.
* How wondrously wise, *

....— 35



how sweetly tender, * is this invention of Thy holy

love! * What sinner, * though his sins be as numer-

ous as the sands of the sea; * what criminal, * though

his crime be as great as that of Judas, * can now be-

come dejected or disheartened * when he reflects *

that he has so merciful a Saviour * and so loving a

Mother in heaven? * My Jesus, * I thank Thee for

so great bounty. * But here on earth, * where I have

so many miseries to encounter, * so much weakness

to overcome, * I can thank Thee but feebly and im-

perfectly. * But when I reach heaven, * as I con-

fidently hope to do, * through Thy infinite mercy *

and the all-powerful intercession of Mary, * it will

be my joy and happiness, * to love Thee as much

as I am able, * and, with my dear Mother Mary and

all the Angels and Saints, * to praise and thank Thee

for all eternity. Amen. *

Remember, * 0 most sorrowful Mother, Mary *

that in His dying moments * thy divine Son has de-

vised * that thou shouldst be my Mother. * Unmind-

ful of thy own martyrdom at the foot of the cross, *

thou didst accept me, * a great sinner, * as thy child.

* Truly, * He that is mighty, * has done great things

to thee, * not only in designing thee * to be the

Mother of His divine Son * but also in making thee *

the Mother of all men. * The mercy of the Lord is

from generation to generation, * since in thee we have

gained * so kind a mediatrix and intercessor. * All

generations call thee blessed, * because all owe to

thee * the life of grace and eternal salvation. * With

most loving and grateful heart, * do I take thee for

my Mother. * To thee I consecrate myself, * with all

that I am and all that I have. * I love thee with my

whole heart * and I hope to love thee for all eternity.

But my enemies are so strong and I am so weak. *

Thou knowest how often I have sinned and deserved

hell. * Thou must obtain for me the grace * of shar-

ing in the merits of the death of Jesus, * thy belov-

fd Son, * whom thou didst see bow His head * and

die on Calvary before thy eyes. * 0 Queen of Martyrs,

* 0 powerful Advocate of sinners, * help me always

* and help me especially in the hour of my death. *

And when I am in my last agony, * and the demons

strive to make me despair * at the remembrance of

my sins, * abandon me not in that dread hour. * But— 36



be near me * and speak words of confidence in my

soul * and obtain for me the grace of final persever-

ance. * And should my speech and senses fail me then
* and I be unable to invoke thy name, * I call upon

thee now: * Jesus and Mary * I recommend my

soul to you. Amen. *

STAND—All Sing —
Weeps the Infant in the manger

That in Bethlehem’s stable stands:

And His limbs the Virgin Mother
Doth compose in swaddling bands,

Meetly thus in linen folding

Of her God the feet and hands.

Fathful Cross! above all other,

One and only noble Tree!
None in foliage, none in blossom.

None in fruit thy peer may be:

-OR

O thou Mother: fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above.
Make my heart with thine accord:

Make me feel as thou hast felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ my Lord.

37



Jha J>DJjUdh {jt)ohjd on ihsL

“MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU
FORSAKEN ME?’^

PRIEST — - ALL SIT -

For the three hours during

which our Saviour was on the
cross, the sun failed to give its

light and a mysterious darkness

enshrouded the whole earth.

Thus did the powers of nature
proclaim the identity of the Re-

deemer, symbolize His unearth-

ly sufferings, and protest His in-

nocence to the world. The ninth
hour, three o’clock in the afternoon, was fast ap-
proaching. The death of Jesus was now imminent.
But He has yet to endure the most agonizing of all
the dreadful sufferings of His sacred Passion. For

a brief spell, it seemed that the tender mercy of God
—which is above all His works—must step aside and
give full sway to the impartial demands of justice.
The all-holy Creator must reject His sinful crea-
tures forever, or, in some way visit that penalty
upon the guiltless head of His own beloved Son.
Mercy prevailed. And the loving Saviour met the
full demands of divine justice when it reached its
appalling climax in His endurance of the most awful

sense of absolute loneliness and abandonment. How
the very angels in heaven must have shuddered to
v/itness it! No human being ever experienced its
like. It beggars all description. Mary alone, came
closest to it when Jesus was lost for three days in
the temple. Yet that agonizing loss, which must
be reckoned as her greatest dolor, was tempered
with an abiding assurance that He had not gone out
of her life entirely. But when Jesus, in His inferior
nature, was totally abandoned by His heavenly
Father, He sustained the full measure of His Pas-
sion without the slightest mitigation of any kind.

His all-holy, most amiable Heart was plunged into
a most horrible abyss of the blackest darkness, im-

mersed in the extremest anguish of the most bitter
desolation. It was then that He cried out in a loud
voice: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken
Me?” Let us meditate upon the causes and reasons
which wrung this frightful cry from the dying lips
of our Saviour.

Jesus suffered the awful pain of abandonment to
free us from sin and its consequence of everlasting
separation from God: to profess to the world in a
most striking manner how greatly He loves us and



desires to be loved by us; to prove His infinite

mercy by fully atoning for all our sins; to give us

a perfect example of how we are to accept and bear
our crosses.

Jesus cried out with a loud voice to prove His Di-

vinity and at the same time to prove that He was
human and undergoing the most excruciating tor-

tures cf body and soul. When other men are dying
or suffering extreme pain, they lose consciousness

or the senses are dulled. Not so our Saviour. His

perfect mental faculties remained unimpaired and

His sensitiveness, to pain increased with each ap-

proaching instant of death. Who can conceive the
ever increasing torments of that throbbing, thorn

crowned head; of those nail-pierced hands and feet,

of that racj'.mg lever, of those countless gaping

bleeding wounds exposed to the raw smarting air?
Who but God nimself could make us apprehend
the torturing anguish of His soul, made desolate
with abysmal desolation. He is alone in unspeak-
able sorrow; betrayed by Judas, deserted by His

Apostles, rejected by His people, spurned by the

Scribes and Pharisees and high priests. He looks
into the future and finds himself crucified anew
by each and every mortal sin of all generations yet
to come. He looks to His sorrowing Mother but her
anguish only serves to increase His own. He looks
to heaven for comfort and there is none. For a
brief frightful space of time which seems like an
eternity. He is also abandoned by His heavenly
Father. Not even for Him with His infinite ca-
pacity for suffering can there be greater agony. No
wonder, then, that He cries out with a loud and
agonizing voice: “My God, My God, why hast Thou
forsaken Me?*'

All devout souls who strive to serve God faith-
fully must be prepared to drink deeply from this
bitter chalice of desolation suffered by the Saviour
on the cross. Observing the ten commandments
most conscientiously, practicing the Christian vir-
tues under all circumstances, actuated at all times
by the purest of motives—these good Christians
will often find themselves alone, bereft of all sym-
pathetic understanding, on the verge of utter hope-
lessness and despair. They are misunderstood by
their closest relatives, they are deserted by their
most intimate friends, they are persecuted by most
relentless enemies, they are afflicted with chronic
ailments, they are assailed by violent temptations
and become a prey to mental tortures. They look
to their heavenly Father for a sign of approval, for
a word of consolation, but the heavens are seem-
ingly ohscured by the black clouds of despair and
utter abandonment. No sign is given. No word
is spoken.

-39 —



In such trying moments they must not yield, but
stand firmly with Mary at the foot of the cross and
unite their desolation of spirit with that of Jesus.

Even though you be spared such acid tests of holier
souls, dear Christian, you will not escape the final

test of desolation of spirit as you go down to the
dark valley of death. In that dread hour, no hu-

man power can help you. The riches, pleasures
and honors of this world—which, alas! we prize
too highly, will mock you as they vanish from your
fading sight and pass into the hands of others. With
renewed assaults the evil spirits will make a final
effort to win your soul and suggest thoughts of
hopelessness and despair. But at your bedside will
be One to aid and console you—Jesus, who taught
us how to die, Jesus Crucified who suffered the ut-
termost abandonment of spirit that we might not
be alone in our death-struggle, Jesus who died that
we might have life eternal. Oh, let us not forsake
Him in the good day, that He may not forsake us
in the evil day. Let this be our constant prayer:

O good Jesus be near me when I close my eyes in
death. O good Jesus, do not forsake me when I
draw my parting breath. Amen.

PRAYER FOR SELF-RENUNCIATION AND

RESIGNATION

PEOPLE— - ALL KNEEL -

^ JESUS, my beloved Saviour,
* I am filled with

confusion * when I see Thee so abandoned on the

hard bed of the cross. * I know not what to say. *

Fear and terror overwhelm me * when I reflect upon

the mutitude of my sins * for which I have deserved
* to be rejected by Thee for ever. * But in Thy In-

finite goodness, * Thou hast spared me * and by

Thy grace * I can now love Thee. * I do love Thee

v/ith my whole heart * and I desire to love Thee for

all eternity.
*

0 most amiable Jesus, * who can look upon Thee
*

in Thy bitter abandonment * and refrain from shed-

ding copious tears of sorrow and sympathy? * Who

can resist the overpowering language of Thy divine

Love? * By the merits of Thy abandonment, * I am

firmly resolved * to abandon all self-love * that I

may love only Thee; * to renounce all creatures
*

that I may serve only Thee; * to die to myself
*

that I may live only for Thee. * 0 Lord * Thou art

the Way, * keep me in the path of salvation. * Thou



arl ihe Trulh, * preserve me from all error, * and,

ignorance of Thee. * Thou arl the Life, * give me

Ibe life of divine grace, * lesf Thy precious Blood be

shed for me in vain. * Thou hast suffered and died

for me, * a poor sinner, * that through Thy poverty

* I may share in the treasure of Thy infinite riches.

* Thy grace is never wanting. * I beseech Thee

therefore, * through Thy Mother and my Mother, Mary,
* to grant me Thy grace at all times * that I may

so renounce myself
*

that I may be transformed en-

tirely * in conformity with Thy own divine image. *

I will no longer complain * over any suffering *

which Thou in Thy wisdom and goodness * art

pleased to send me. * But I will grieve over the

many sins * which I have committed * and which

caused Thee such fearful torments. * I will deplore

the precious lime * I have lost in the service of the

world, * and in the shameful indulgence * of sensu-

ality and self-love. * I will weep over the priceless

graces I have squandered, * the loss of which * has

caused me to know Thee * so little and so late. *

No, dear Jesus, * I will no longer complain of the

cross Thou sendesl me, * so insignificant * in com-

parison with Thine. * In future * I will look upon

all the trials, adversities, and misfortunes of this life,

* not as evils * but as blessings in disguise, * as

a merited chastisement for my sins, * as a pledge of

Thy divine grace and Thy special love. * Do Thou,

0 Lord, help me * to be most faithful to this resolu-

tion. * Do Thou, 0 Lord, * by Thy all-powerful

grace * strengthen me in my weakness * and sus-
tain me in my misery. * 0 Mary, * most loving
Mother * Mediatrix of all graces, * do thou by thy

intercession * obtain for me the fullness of divine

grace * that I may remain always united with Jesus

in life * and escape the dreadful punishment * of

being abandoned by Him, * in death and eternity.

Amen. *

41



STAND—All Sing —
Thirty years among us dwelling,

His appointed time fulfilled,

Born for this, He meets His passion,

For that this He freely willed:

On the Cross the Lamb is lifted.

Where His life-blood shall be spilled.

Sweetest Wood, and Sweetest Iron,

Sweetest Weight is hung on thee.

o R

Holy Mother, pierce me through;

In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified;

Let me share with thee His pain,

Who for all my sins was slain.
Who for me in torment died.

— 42



Jhs 3Ifih ix)ohd on ihsi QjtoM

“I T H I R S T”

PRIEST — - ALL SIT -

The Fifth Word, spoken by

Jesus on the Cross, in the midst

of unutterable torments, is

found in the Gospel of St John.

It consists of a single word,

“Sitio”, “I thirst”. The Evan-

gelist writes: ‘‘Jesus knowing

that all things were now accom-
plished, that the Scripture might

be fulfilled, said: “I thirst”.

Hearing this, the executioners soaked a sponge with

vinegar and gall, fixed it to the point of a spear

and put it to His mouth. The dying request of the

Saviour is met with barbarous cruelty! With all

due reverence let us consider the wholesome lessons

to be derived from this painful and mysterious

thirst of our Divine Savior. It was twofold; a
physical or bodily thirst, and, a spiritual thirst.

It is a well admitted fact that dying of thirst is

far more painful and tormenting than dying of star-
vation. The hardiest travellers in the desert and the
most robust sailors at sea have been known to go
stark mad from the frightful torture experienced
from lack of water to quench their thirst. Never-

theless, the sufferings of these men are not to be
compared with the extremely torturing thirst en-
dured by our Saviour on the Cross. It was aug-
mented immeasurably by His weakened physical
condition and fast ebbing strength. He had passed
the preceding night without sleep. He had lost a
great quantity of blood in the Garden of Olives and
in the brutal scourging. Blood now streamed from
His pierced hands and feet. A consuming fever
raged and burned within Him. Well, indeed, could
He cry out, “I thirst”. “The pores of My body are
closed. My veins are parched up, My tongue is
parched. My throat is parched, all My members
are parched. Have pity on Me! Relieve Me, and
give Me to drink!”

There are various reasons why our amiable Sav-
iour wished to undergo so grievous a torture. He
did s(x in the first place, in obedience to His heav-
enly Father, as St. John remarks, “that the Scrip-
tures might be fulfilled”. Centuries previously,
King David prophesied this thirst as one of the
most terrible sufferings to be undergone by the
Crucified Saviour: “In my thirst they gave me vin-



egar to drink’’. Here we find our Lord giving us a
powerful example and incentive to bear all our suf-

ferings in obedience to divine Providence. Mark
well, dear Christian soul, that no trial or adversity

comes to you which God has not apointed for you
from all eternity. Will you rebel against them or
bear them reluctantly? Or will you accept them

with Christ-like patience and resignation, to atone

for sin and acquire surpassing merits for heaven?

Take up your cross without complaint and follow

Jesus and often say with holy Job: “If we have
received good things from the hand of God, why
should we not receive evil?”.

Furthermore, Jesus endured this extremenly pain-

ful thirst to manifest to us His ardent longing to

take upon Himself any suffering for the accomplish-

ment of our salvation. He spared Himself in no-
thing. He desired that every member of His sacred
Body, not excluding His tongue, was to experience
every imaginable torture.—By this thirst Jesus also
wished to make the most ample satisfaction to His
heavenly Father for the many terrible sins which
men commit by intemperance in eating and drink-
ing, and from which so many detestable sins arise.
Who can think of the awful thirst of Jesus on the
cross and yet over-indulge the appetite for food and
harmful drink?

“Terrible, indeed”, says St. Alphonsus, “was the
bodily thirst which our Saviour suffered in His Pas-
sion; but far greater was His spiritual thirst, name-
ly, His consuming desire for the Redemption of all
men”. Yes, with ineffable longing our blessed Re-

deemer thirsts for the redemption and reconciliation
of the human race, for the conversion of sinners,
for the good works and the perseverance of the just.
Most perfectly clear to Him is the supreme loveli-
ness of His heavenly Father and the woeful condi-
tion of the children of Adam. “He thirsted”, says
St. Gregory of Nazianzen, “in order that men might
thirst after God, that is, that all men might love
God with an insatiable love, and yearn with bound-
less yearning for Him who is the Supreme Good”.
It fills Him with unspeakable sorrow to see men
thirst instead for the perishable things of this life

which lead to perdition in the next. In most ample
atonement for this dreadful aversion to God, he
offers to His heavenly Father the sacredness and
merits of His spiritual thirst.

Dear Christian, is your love for the Crucified
Saviour such that you would have promptly offered
Him a refreshing drink to quench His thirst on the
cross that first Good Friday? If so, you will not
hesitate to quench the all-consuming thirst He now
has in heaven for the salvation and sanctification

44—-



of your soul and the souls of mankind. For His

sake you will cultivate a spiritual thirst for the

lasting treasures of eternity and you will shun every

inordinate desire for the vain and fleeting things

of this life. “Blessed are they who hunger and
thirst after justice, for they shall have their fill”.

If you are laden with sin, you will offer Him the
refreshing drink of a sincere repentance and amend-

ment of life. If you habitually dread sin as the

greatest of all evils, you will sanctify your soul,

more and more, by the performance of the corporal

and spiritual works of mercy. For what you do to

the least of your brethren you do to the Person of

Christ. If you are earnestly striving after Christian

perfection, you will offer Him joy and refreshment
by your spirit of prayer and self-renunciation, by
your sincere love and the faithful imitation of all

His virtues. To you he appeals and says: “I thirst”.
Will you offer Him the bitter mixture of vinegar
and gall, or will you quench His thirst for time and
eternity by surrendering yourself to Him unreserv-
edly, with all that you are and all that you have?
Surely you will do the latter! By the infinite merits
of His Holy thirst may He inflame you with an un-
quenchable thirst for Him. Amen.

PRAYER FOR UNION WITH CHRIST CRUCIFIED

PEOPLE— - ALL KNEEL -

^ MY JESUS,
* how little I understand * the eter-

nal yearning Thou hast for the salvation of my

soul. * Thou hast loved me with an everlasting love.
* To win my love Thou hast humbled Thyself * taking

the form of a servant. * Thou hast been obedient to

Thy heavenly Father * in all things, even to Thy

death on the cross. * Were I to sacrifice my life * a

thousand times for Thee, * I should still be unable *

to make a fitting return for Thy love * which impelled

Thee * to drain the last drop of precious blood from

Thy Sacred Heart * and to endure for me * such an

agonizing thirst upon the cross. * By the infinite merits

of Thy holy thirst, * create in me an insatiable thirst
*

to become conformable to Thee in all things. * Teach

me, * 0 loving Redeemer, * to know the value of the

cross, * to love the cross and not shun it; * for if

there had been a shorter or easier road * to eternal

glory and union with Thee, * Thou wouldst not have

chosen the way to Calvary * and given us the com-

mand * to take up our cross and follow Thee. * With

the help of Thy divine grace, * I am resolved to walk

45



this way, * cost what it may. * I beseech Thee, most

loving Saviour, * by the merits of Thy painful thirst,

* quench within my soul * every taste and thirst *

for the fleeting goods and pleasures of this life * and

keep from my heart * every love that is not for Thee.
* 0 Mary, * thou art my hope in life and in death; ^

obtain for me the grace * to have no other thought, *

no other desire,
*

than to be united always with Jesus

thy Son, * in time and in eternity. Amen. *

—

STAND—All Sing —
He endured the nails, the spitting,

Vinegar, and spear, and reed.

From that holy Body broken

Blood and water forth proceed:

Earth, and stars, and sky, and ocean,

By that flood from stain are freed.

Faithful Cross ! above all other.

One and only noble Tree!

None in foliage, none in blossom,

None in fruit thy peer may be:

o R -

Let me mingle tears with thee.

Mourning Him who mourned for me,

All the days that I may live:

By the cross with thee to stay;

There with thee to weep and pray

Is all I ask of thee to give.

•h

46



Jhs. Sixih (jJohd on iha (^/wM

“IT IS CONSUMMATED”

PRIEST — - ALL SIT -

The supreme moment in the
life of our Lord had come. The

three hours of dreadful agony

were about to end. Jesus

speaks the sixth time. Having

tasted the bitter mixture of

vinegar and gall, he said, ‘Tt

is consummated”. In these sec-

ond last words of the Saviour
" on the cross, we listen to a cry

of great joy and glorious triumph. They express

the grand finale of the most useful life that has

ever been lived. They tell of a most perfect career

that has measured up, in every detail, to the sole

purpose of man’s existence on earth—the service of
God and the service of one’s neighbor. Jesus looks

back over the thirty-three years of His earthly life

and on the sixth day, in His sixth word on the

cross, proclaims that the work of Redemption is now
consummated; just as His heavenly Father, the

Creator, completed the work of Creation in six days

and at the close of the sixth day say that all that

He called into being from non-existence was perfect.

Well indeed could the Saviour come to the end
of His life in an ecstasy of peace and joy. Back
of Him stretched the years of His earthly pilgrim-
age: years of poverty and humiliation, years of

labor and suffering; years of perfect obedience to

the will of His heavenly Father; years of the most
heroic and unselfish sacrifice in behalf of others.
It was a record of the sublimest achievements, de-
spite its continuous martyrdom of heart - rending
misunderstanding and ungrateful opposition on the
part of those He came to save. But there were no
regrets, no disappointments. He had failed in no-
thing. In Him the scriptures had their perfect ful-
fillment from the instant of His all-holy Concep-
tion by the Virgin Mary, to the instant that He tast-
ed the nauseating drink of vinegar and gall. All
had come to pass: His Nativity at Bethlehem; the
apparition of the miraculous star; the adoration of
the Magi; the preaching of the Gospel; the count-
less miracles He wrought in behalf of the blind, the
deaf, the lame, the speechless; His exultant en-
trance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday; the graphic
details of the Passion so clearly described by the
prophets of old. His mission on earth is accom-
plished. The sins of the world are expiated; the

47



barriers of heaven are removed; the powers of hell

are conquered; the Redemption of the human race
is achieved. Well, indeed, could He cry out in joy-
ful triumph: “It is consummated!*’ “Father, I have

glorified Thee on earth: I have finished the work

which Thou gavest me to do”.

So, too, dear Christian, the hour will strike for

you and for me when we shall be stretched out on
a bed of suffering and death; when our hands, cold
and trembling at the approach of dissolution, will be

no longer able to clasp the crucifix; when our
countenance will take on an ashy hue, our eyes

grow dim and troubled, our lips fail to move in
speech; when our ears will be closed forever to
the discourses of men and the vain promises of
earth; when friends and relatives and the mighty
ones of this world will be impotent to help us. Yes,

our life will then have run its full course. Our pro-
bation on earth will be ended. Oh, then, when we
hover on the bring of eternity, when all else fades
before our glassy eyes, we shall look back through
the vista of years and read what has been written
in our imperishable book of life!

How will the record read? What will have been
accomplished? Looking back, will you have to ad-
mit that your life was a wretched failure? A re-
cord of virtues neglected, duties unfulfilled, obliga-

tions violated, sins multiplied and never repented

of? And as you look back with horrified gaze a-
cross the wreckage of a mis-spent career, what will
it profit you then, in that dread hour, to know that
you have shared abundantly in the world’s achieve-
ments, and have gained its coveted prizes? O what
will it profit you, if you have gathered all the treas-
ures of earth, if you have been its most ardent ad-
vocate, if you have been its most honored citizen,
if you have been its most admired and most feted
idol? What will it profit you, if from the great
waste of years, you can salvage no good deeds for
the kingdom of heaven and to the eternal credit of
your soul? With what a feeling of despair must
not such sinners cry out: “It is consummated!”
It is now the end and to no avail! Too late, then
will the warning of the just Judge have a meaning
for their ears: “Woe to you rich, for you have
had your consolation! Woe to you that have had
your fill of earthly things, for you shall hunger!
Woe to you that have laughed in the unholy indul-
gence of passion, for you shall mourn and weep!”

Or, looking back over the span of life allotted to
you, will you be able to say in the same peaceful,
joyful, triumphant sense in which Christ did: “It
is consummated!” Will you be able to say that
you have been a true disciple of Him who is the

48—



Way, the Truth and the Life? Will you be able to

say that you have most faithfully executed all His

wishes and commands? That you have trodded

under foot the poisoned pleasures of depraved pas-

sion; that you have never wandered from the nar-

row and rocky path that led to the heights of your

own calvary; that you have mastered the Christian
virtues of faith, hope and charity; that you loved

justice, exercised prudence, observed temperance

and practiced fortitude? Will you be able to say

that you took firm hold of the standard of Christ

and held it ever aloft in the unceasing struggle a-

gainst the world, the flesh and the devil? If so,

with what ecstasy you will cry out: “It is consum-

mated!” With what^ supreme satisfaction you will

recall to mind the promises of the Saviour: “Bless-
ed are the poor in spirit, the meek and humble of
heart, the patient followers of the cross; blessed

are they that mourn, blessed are they that suffer

persecution and all manner of injustice for my sake
—for theirs is the kingdom of heaven! Well done
thou good and faithful servant, receive the crown
of everlasting life and enter into everlasting joys!

May this, dear Christian, be your happy lot! May
the Crucified Saviour lead you on to such a victory!
May His precious blood trickling down upon the
cross and lightening the burden of your cross, fill
your heart with love and loyalty for him! May His
sacrificial blood instill into your soul, a most in-
tense sorrow for sin and a thirst for all justice.
May that precious blood be your hope, your
strength, your nourishment in life; your joy, your
consolation, your reward in death! Then when the
world, with its false show and fleeting pleasures
will part from you forever, may you cry out, as
Christ did: “It is consummated!” Jesus, for Thee
I have lived, Jesus for Thee I die, Jesus, I am Thine
in life and in death. Amen.

PRAYER FOR FIDELITY TO VOCATION

PEOPLE— - ALL KNEEL -

MY Crucified Saviour, * whal peace, what joy,
what consolation * filled Thy Sacred Heart, * when

looking back * over the thirty-three years of Thy

earthly pilgrimage, * Thou didst exultingly cry out:
*

"li is consummated!'' * Thine has been a life * of

perfect obedience to Thy heavenly Father; * a life of

heroic service to Thy human brothers. * How justly
thou couldst say:

*
"Father, * I have glorified Thee

on earth, ^ I have finished the work Thou gavest me

^ 49 -



lo do."
*

"Father, * I have fully restored Thy honor

and glory; * I have atoned for all the sins of mankind;
* I have accomplished the redemption of the world."

* All is now happily consummated! *

0 merciful Lord, * were I to be summoned before

Thy judgement seat today, * how different would be

the verdict * I should have to render on my past life
* so sadly mis-spent. * But, with all my heart I thank

Thee, * for giving me time to amend. * It is now my

ardent desire, * lo be able to say, * on my deathbed,
* in perfect truth: * "It is consummated!" * When my
last hour comes, * may I be able to look back to this

day of my conversion, * and with peaceful conscience
* be able to say: * "I have done everything * that the

divine Will required of me * here on earth. * I have

fulfilled faithfully * all the duties proper lo my state

in life. * I have corresponded with all divine graces

* according to my ability". * When this passing world

fades from my sight, * may it be my happy lot * to

repeat with St. Paul, * these consoling words: * "I

have fought the good fight, * I have finished my course,
* I have kept the faith. * As for the rest, * there is

laid up for me a crown of justice, * which the Lord,

* the just Judge, * will give to me in that day, * yet

not to me only, * but also lo those who love His

coming." * 0 divine Saviour, * may these sublime

words of Thy faithful disciple * find their consumma-

tion in me. * Henceforth, with the help of Thy abun-

dant grace, * I am resolved * to oppose all the deceits

of the world, * all the demands of the flesh, * all the

assaults of the devil. * Henceforth * I will make the

teachings of Thy Gospel * the sole rule of my life. *

I will arm myself with the sword of prayer. * In Thy

sacrament of reconciliation, * I will cleanse my soul

more and more, * I will daily strengthen my weak-

ness * in the divine power of Thy sacred flesh and

blood. * Each day, I will so strive to live * as if I

were to render * my final account to Thee. * And

when I stand at the threshold of eternity * and breathe

my last sigh, * may I say with holy joy and happy

heart:
*

"It is consummated!" * Consummated is the

work * which Thy heavenly Father has given me to

do. * Consummated is the sacrifice * which has been

assigned to me. * Consummated are the days of labor,

* gone are the days of sorrow, * tribulation, and temp-

-50-



talion. * Nothing now remains for me * but to receive

the glorious crown of justice. * Jesus, * be Thou my

never-failing help in life, * be Thou my most consol-

ing hope in death. * 0 most holy Mary, * my Mother,
*

thou who didst stand at the foot of the cross and

see thy Son and thy God expire * amidst so great an-

guish, * yet didst never waver in the firm hope of His

resurrection; * I entreat Thee, * make me entirely His

own, * that I may live for Him, * die for Him * and

be with Him forever more. Amen. *

STAND—AU Sing —
Bend thy boughs, O Tree of glory!

Thy relaxing sinews bend;

For awhile the ancient rigour,

That thy birth bestowed, suspend;

And the King of heavenly beauty

On thy bosom gently tend!

Sweetest Wood, and sweetest Iron,

Sweetest Weight is hung on thee.

o R

Virgin of all Virgins best.

Listen to my fond request:
Let me share thy grief divine;

Let me to my latest breath
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of thine.

51



Jhs. SwsunJth (jJohd on Jthsi Qjwaa

“FATHER, INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY
SPIRIT”

PRIEST — - ALL SIT -

In His magnificent farewell

address, at the last supper, our

Saviour reminded His disciples

of His divine origin and His di-

vine destiny. Most solemnly He
declared: “I came forth from the
Father and have come into this
world. Again I leave the world

and go forth to the Father”. The
time of His “going forth” is now

at hand. It is the ninth hour, or, according to our

reckoning of time, three o’clock in the afternoon.

Jesus is on the point of expiring. As He lifts His
thorn-crowned head to heaven a violent throb of

fearful agony convulses His tormented body, and,

with a loud voice. He cries out: “Father, into Thy
hands I commend my spirit”. Having said this. He
breathed forth His soul, and then slowly bowed His
head until it rested low and motionless on His

breast. Miraculous events instantly followed. The
earth quaked, as if in terror; the great curtain in

the temple was torn through the center by an in-
visible power; the rocks burst asunder; the graves

opened and the dead came forth to mingle with the
living. Thus did the Saviour impart emphasis to
the power and significance of His seventh and last
word upon the cross.

He uttered those dying words in a mighty voice
as a final manifestation of His divinity; to make
it obvious to all about Him that no human agency
had power over His life or death except by His per-
mission; to have us clearly understand that He
gave up His life freely, since, being by nature sin-
less, He did not come under the decree of death
which is the penalty of sin. He cried out with a
loud voice to draw attention to the inifinite love
he bore us; for “greater love than this no man has,
that one lay down his life for his friends”. But
Jesus gave up His life not only for His friends, but
for us sinners who were His enemies! He spoke
those words in a loud voice to encourage us to place
our confidence in His power when we are afflicted
with sorrow and tribulation, and that we might rec-
ognize how inconceivably painful for Him was the
separation of His noble soul from His sacred body;
far more painful than it can be for any human be-
ing. Finally, it was a loud cry of triumph. He died



not in weakness but in power. His death was the

last decisive act of victory over sin, satan and hell.

Reflecting on the mystical power of that dying

voice, can we refuse to believe that Christ on the
cross is truly our God? Can we hesitate to dedi-
cate and consecrate our lives to the service of such

a good Master, who loved us with so boundless a
love and voluntarily submitted to death that we
might have life eternal? Can any one doubt that
He will support our weakness with omnipotence
v/hen we battle with violent temptation, when we
stagger under the weight of our cross, and when
we struggle in the throes of our death-agony from
which He removed the bitter sting by His own
death? Let us ever have in mind the consoling
promise He made to St. Paul when that great apos-
tle feared that all was lost: “Fear not; be of good
cheer!” “My grace is sufficient for thee, for
strength is made perfect in weakness”.

Let us now consider His last words; “Father in-
to Thy hands I commend my spirit”. He addresses
God by the loving title “Father” to teach us the
sacred inviolability of truth and to instill into our
hearts unwavering trust in God’s Providence. Often
in life, in the face of opposition and persecution, He
asserted that God was His Father. This truth He
proclaims with His last breath. So, too must we be
ready to make every sacrifice in the practice and in
the defense of our holy faith to the last moment of
life. In every trying situation during His public life,
Jesus called on the name of His heavenly Father,
for courage and strength to execute His eternal de-
crees. So too must we lift our minds and hearts
to our loving Father in heaven in every situation,
convinced that whate'^^er happens to us is foreor-
dained by an all-wise and all-powerful Providence
which arranges all things for our ultimate welfare.

To His heavenly Father, Jesus “commends His
spirit”. What an important lesson for us! Through-
out life we worry and fret over our reputation, over
the prosperity of our business, over the temporal
welfare of our family, over the condition of our
health, over the successful issue of this or that en-
terprise. But are we concerned about the salva-
tion of our immortal souls? Do we make it the
only business, the all-important and all-absorbing
occupation of our lives? Seek first the kingdom
of God!

It is “into the hands” of His heavenly Father
that Jesus commends His spirit. How beautiful and
inspiring is this act of submission and obedience
of the Son to the Father! Jesus, as God, had no
need of committing His soul to the care of the
Father. He too was almighty! And we, poverty-

- 53 ^



stricken, impotent, tempted and sin-laden children

of our heavenly Father, despise His inexhaustible

treasures, blind ourselves to His unlimited power,

disregard the all-loving protection of His extended

hands!

Let it not be so in the future! In life and in

death let us imitate the example of our dying Sav-

iour, and never fail to entrust our soul entirely in

the hands of God. How shall we do this? By fi-
delity to the duties of our state of life, by practic-
ing the Christian virtues at all times, under all cir-

cumstances, cheerfully, and conscientiously. Cath-

olics first, last and always! Always worthy chil-
dren faithfully serving our heavenly Father! To
Vx^hom have you committed your soul in the past?
Were you the slave of the world, the flesh and the
devil? If so, repent before it is too late; for, “it

is a dreadful thing for an obstinate sinner to fall

into the hands of the living God!”

On the other hand, how blessed are they who
die in the Lord. They die peacefully in the Lord,
v/ho, following the promptings of the Holy Spirit,

lead a penitential life. It is impossible to lead a

penitential life unless we are ruled by our holy
faith. In this brilliant light we shall see ever more
clearly the infinite perfections of God and our ab-
solute dependence on Him. In this lively faith, we
shall grow strong in our love for God and in true
detachment from the world; we shall relish prayer,
receive the holy sacraments frequently, and bear

our cross with cheerful resignation. They who live
in this manner may rest assured that they will
breathe forth their soul with sentiments in their

hearts and words on their lips similar to those of
Jesus -when expiring: “Father, into Thy hands I
commend my spirit”. They will awaken in eter-
nity to hear these consoling words of the Master:
“Well done, good and faithful servant; because
thou hast been faithful over a few things I will
place thee over many things. Enter thou into the
joy of the Lord”. Receive the crown of life. Amen.

PRAYER FOR A HAPPY DEATH

PEOPLE— - ALL KNEEL -

MOST merciful Redeemer, * my conscience so oflen

warns me * that nothing in life * is so certain

as death, * and, that nothing is so uncertain * as the

time, the place and the manner * in which it will

occur. * Even now, the dreaded moment * may be

close at hand for me. * Nevertheless, * I still cling

so tenaciously, to the fleeting things of this life * and

.54-



fail so seriously * lo prepare for the next life. * But

now, Thou givest me the grace * to realize my folly.

* No longer will I wail for death * in the vain hope

* that all will be well with me then. * No longer will

I live * as if there were no strict account lo render to

Thee. * No longer will I delay * recommending my

soul to Thee. * I do so now * and I will continue

lo recommend my soul * to Thy infinite mercy * at

all times. * I am filled with misgivings * when I

reflect * how remiss I have been in prayer, * how

seldom I have given thought * to eternal truths;
*

how negligently I have served Thee; * how careless-

ly I have fulfilled * the daily duties of my state of

life. * With all my heart, * I now repent of all these

sins. * Through the infinite merits * of Thy sacred

passion and bitter death, * enlighten my mind * so

that I may know what is necessary * lo perpare fit-

tingly for death, * and strengthen my will * with

Thy divine grace, * so that with all diligence, * I

may do whatever Thy divine will requires of me. *

Be gracious to me for the remainder of my life, * so

that I may have no terror of death * and may be ac-

ceptable to Thee * when I stand before Thy judge-

ment seat. * If the saints trembled in their last mo-

ments * at the thought of the strict account * the^

were about to render to Thee, * I, a poor miserable

sinner, * have still more reason to tremble * when I

reflect on that all-decisive moment. * But I place all

my hopes in the infinite merits * of Thy precious

blood, * I confidently hope * for the full remission of

all sins * and the eternal happiness in heaven. *

0 lamb of God, * sacrificed on the cross, and dead

for me, * as a Victim of love, * grant by the merits

of Thy death, * that I may love Thee with my whole

heart * while life remains. * Thou hast died for love

of me, * I will also die glowing with love for Thee. *

Thou hast given Thyself wholly lo me, * I will give

myself wholly to Thee: * Into Thy hands 0 Lord, *

I commend my spirit; * Thou hast redeemed me, * 0
Lord God of truth. * Thou hast shed Thy last drop of

precious blood for me; * suffer not, that through my

fault, * all should be lost unto me. * 0 Jesus, I love

Thee * and with the help of Thy grace, * I hope to

love Thee for all eternity. * In Thee, 0 Lord, I have

hoped; ^ let me not be confounded forever. * 0 Virgin

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Mary, * patron of a happy death, * teach me how to

recommend my spirit to the care of Thy Son * and

always to say with great fervor: * "Holy Mary, *

Mother of God, pray for me now * and at the hour

of my death. Amen. *

STAND—All Sing—

Thou alone wast counted worthy
This world's ransom to uphold;

For a shipwrecked race preparing

Harbor, like the Ark of old;
With the sacred Blood anointed

From the smitten Lamb that rolled.

Faithful Cross! above all other,

One and only noble Tree!
None in foliage, none in blossom.

None in fruit thy peer may be:

To the Trinity be glory
Everlasting, as is meet:

Equal to the Father, equal

To the Son, and Paraclete:
Trinal Unity, whose praises

All created things repeat. Amen.

Sweetest Wood, and sweetest Iron,
Sweetest Weight is hung on thee.

O R

Wounded with His every wound.
Steep my soul till it hath swooned

In His very Bloody away;

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh.
Lest in flames I burn, and die

In His awful judgement day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence.
Be Thy Mother my defence,
Be Thy Cross my victory:

While my body here decays.
May my soul thy goodness praise

Safe in Paradise with Thee. Amen.

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ShjoJd U}cuf ihsi 0wAiL

ACT OF CONTRITION

LORD Jesus Christ, * Thou hast made this

journey to die for me * with love unutterable,

* and I have so many times * unworthily abandoned

Thee; * but now I love Thee with my whole heart, *

and because I love Thee, * I repent sincerely for

having ever offended Thee. * Pardon me, my God,

* and permit me to accompany Thee on this journey.

* Thou goest to die for love of me; * I wish also,
*

my beloved Redeemer, * to die for love of Thee. *

My Jesus, I will live and die always united to Thee. *

1st STATION—Jesus is condemned to death.

PRIEST—We adore Thee, 0 Christ and we bless Thee.

PEOPLE—Because by Thy holy cross * Thou hast
redeemed the world.

REPEAT BEFORE EACH STATION

JIILATE dares to condemn * the all-holy Saviour to

^ death. * No, not pilate; but my sins * have
condemned Jesus to be crucified. * 0 Jesus, * have

mercy on me * and remember Thou didst choose to

die * that I may have eternal life. * Let me so live

* that when I come to die * I may find Thee a most

merciful Judge, * an all-loving Redeemer. *

2nd STATION—Jesus bears His Cross.

"||10ST willingly Jesus accepts * and patiently bears

His Cross for my sake. * Will I refuse * to

bear my cross for His Sake? * No, * my loving

Redeemer, I will no longer seek to evade my cross, *

but with the help of Thy grace * I will bear it with

Christian patience and resignation * and follow Thee

always!
^

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3rd STATION—Jesus falls Ihe’iirsl lime.

M|EAKENED by lormenls and by loss of blood, *^
Jesus falls beneath His Cross. * Alas! * More

fruly was He crushed lo earfh * by the number and

enormity of my sins! * Good Master! * I am heartily

sorry for having offended Thee. * I love Thee, * in-

finile Goodness! * Help me to hafe sin * as the only

real evil!
*

4th STATION—Jesus meets His Mother.'

‘aijESUS, * the Man of Sorrows, * meets Mary, the

Queen of Martyrs. * Oceans of grief deluge their

Hearts * as they face each other. * They suffer thus

tor my sins. * 0 Jesus, * 0 Mary, * bathe my sinful

soul * in a sea of true sorrow for my past offences.
* In all temptation I will say: * "Jesus, Mary, help

me!" *

5th STATION—Simon helps Jesus lo carry the Cross.

^LTHOUGH * Jesus seems about to expire, * He

does not need, * yet accepts the help of Simon,

* since He wills to die on the cross. * Thus does He

teach me charity and perseverance. * 0 Jesus, * I

too * will carry my cross patiently to the end * and

strive to lighten the cross of my fellow-men. *

6th STATION—Veronica wipes the Face of Jesus.

'^(ESUS accepts * and returns the towel to Veronica.

^ * Upon it is left * the impress of His adorable
Face! * Alas! * My sins have disfigured Thy holy

Countenance. * 0 Jesus grant me efficacious sorrow

* that all sin may be erased from my soul * and that

Thy grace and Thy divine image * may be stamped

upon it forever! *

7th STATION—Jesus falls a second lime.

feeble resolutions, * my oft-repeated sins *

have crushed Jesus to earth a second time.
*

Such is the malice of habitual sin! * 0 Jesus grant

me true repentance. * Let me die a thousand times *

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rather than have the misfortune
*

to fall again into

mortal sin! * Help me to hate all sin! *

8lh STATION—Jesus meets the Women of Jerusalem.

giHE Saviour * teaches the women not to weep for

^ Him, * but for their own sins * and the sins of
their children. * How generous is He! * 0 Jesus *

grant that I may understand the true meaning of Thy

Passion * and be so inflamed with love for Thee
*

that I may shed tears of blood * over my past trans-

gressions!
*

9th STATION—Jesus falls the third time.
CONSTERNATION fills my soul * when I behold the

Saviour * fall a third time beneath the Cross! *

What is the cause? * The incredible obstinacy of sin-

ners * who refuse to amend their lives. * 0 Jesus

* grant that I may be truly converted * and suffer

every evil * rather than be numbered * among such

ungrateful sinners!
*

10th STATION—Jesus is stripped of His garments.
a pitiable spectacle * is this shameful strip-

uiiig of Jesus! * Ghastly wounds are re-opened.

* Blood flows afresh. * What shame would be mine

* if the veil were torn from my soul * and the world

saw my hidden sins! * 0 Jesus, * help me to know

all my sins * and confess them with deep sorrow *

and true humility! * ,

llfh STATION—Jesus is nailed to the Cross.

%0W can I behold the Saviour * ignominiously
nailed to the Cross * and seek only comfort,

wealth and honors * and even indulge in unlawful

pleasures? * Jesus Crucified! * Hein me to esteem *

and practice true Christian mortification * that I may

love only Thee * and renounce the world, * the flesh

and the devil. *

12th STATION—Jesus dies on the Cross.

^ESUS, * My God. * dies on the Cross for me. * I
*

^ have done nothing for Him. * I too must die! *

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0 my Crucified Saviour! * Granl * that I may so
live in the future * that I may have no cause to fear *

a sudden and unprovided death. * Jesus for Thee I

live! * Jesus, for Thee I die! *

13lh STATION—Jesus is taken down from the Cross.
^HE lifeless Body of Jesus * now rests in the arms

of Mary. * What anguish is hers * as she thinks

of the many souls * for whom her Son shed His pre-

cious blood in vain. * What joy to know * that so

many are redeemed. * 0 my Saviour * preserve me

from perdition! * 0 sweet Heart of Mary be my sal-

vation!
*

14th STATION—Jesns is laid in the tomb.

0IKE Jesus, * I too must lie in the grave. * But

Jesus * rises in triumph on the third day. * My
buried Jesus grant eternal rest * to all who sleep in

death! * Have mercy on me, * and grant me the

grace to rise * to a new spiritual life, * that dying

to myself now, * I may rise gloriously with Thee on

the last day!
*

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