A Prayer Before A Crucifix

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, true contrition for my sins and a firm purpose of amendment; and while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy five most precious Wounds, pondering over them within me, and calling to mind the words which David, Thy prophet, said of Thee, my Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones." (Psalm 21: 17,18)

------

This is a very beautiful prayer which I have been thinking about since Mass yesterday. Let us storm heaven for the Pope, that He will find strength amidst all difficulties to do God's Will always. And also for His Church, and for everyone. 

It's Candlemas day today, so Happy Candlemas day!

he Purification of The Blessed Virgin Mary, CANDLEMAS:

The Feast of Candlemas, which derives its origin from the loval observance of Jerusalem, marks the end of the feasts included in the Christmas cycle of the Liturgy. It is perhaps the most ancient festival of our Lady. It commemorates not only the obedience of the Blessed Virgin of the Mosaic Law in going to Jerusalem forty days after the birth of her Child nad making the accustomed offerings, but also the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple, and the meeting of the Infant Jesus with the old man Simeon - the Occursus Domini, as the feast was anciently termed. This is the principal theme of the liturgy on this day: Jesus is taken to the Temple "to present Him to the Lord." So the Lord comes to His Temple, and is met by the aged Simeon with joy and recognition.

The procession on this day is one of the most picturesque features of the Western Liturgy. The blessing and distrubution of candles, to be carried lighted in procession, precedes the Mass today - a symbolic presentation of the truth proclaimed in the Canticle of Simeon: our Lord is the "Light for the revelation of the Gentiles." The anthems sung during this procession, eastern in origin, will express the joy and gladness of this happy festival, and the honor and praise we give to our Blessed Lady and her Divine Son by its devout observance.

-From the 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori.

Jesus, Mary, I love You; Save Souls!

Jesu mitis et humilis corde, Fac cor nostrum secundum Cor tuum. (ter) 

The Crucifixion

Indulgenced Prayer before a Crucifix:

Behold, O Kind and most Sweet Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul I pray and beseech Thee to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment, whilst with deep affection and grief of soul I ponder within myself, and mentally contemplate Thy five most precious wounds; having before my eyes that which David spoke in prophecy of Thee, O good Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."

-------

Here's a beautiful picture I stole from the book, The Catechism in Pictures, incidentally, my sister's confirmation present. :) I can't seem to find a nice picture of this online thus you see a picture from the copy of the book I have. It's very very beautiful, especially when you think about the sufferings of Jesus on the Cross, and that of the sufferings of Mother Mary at the foot of the Cross. The love that must have passed between them both whom I love very much and whom I am very sure all of you love too. ;)

Here's a link to Chapter VIII of Book 6, Part II of the abridged version of the beautiful book, The Mystical City of God - The Divine History and Life of the Virgin Mother of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda, on the Crucifixion and how Mother Mary joined therein. It's so beautiful, I had to post it up. This book, has been one of my favourites ever since I was introduced to this book. Loads of food for thought, and words directly from our Dear Heavenly Queen and Mother to Ven. Mary of Agreda, the 17th century Spanish nun who saw in ecstasy all the events recorded in the book.

An introduction to this beautiful book: (taken from the back cover of this abridgement)

The Mystical City of God by Venerable Mother Mary of Jesus of Agreda (1602-1665) is a monumental four volume, 2676 page history of the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as revealed by Our Lady to this 17th century Spanish nun. Venerable Mary saw in ecstasy all the events recorded here. Later, Our Lady told her to write them down in a book - the result is The Mystical City of God, acclaimed by Popes, cardinals and theologians, a book which has inspired the laity and the clergy for over 300 years and which has gone into sixty editions in various languages.

More than just the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this book also contains information about the creation of the world, the meaning of the Apocalypse, Lucifer's rebellion, the location of Hell, the hidden life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, intimate details about Our Lord's life, and many other enthralling topics.

The translator, Father George J. Blatter, a Chicago priest, first read the book in German and was so impressed that he learned Spanish in order to make a proper translation into English. His first edition appeared in 1912, ten years after he had started work.

The purpose of this popular abridgement is to bring to an even wider readership the sublime truths found in The Mystical City of God.

"Just as I have told you that he who knows Me knows also My Father, so I now tell you that he who knows My Mother knows Me."

-The Mystical City of God, Vol. III, p. 765.

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori.

Jesus, Mary, I love Thee; Save Souls!

Jesu mitis et humilis corde, Fac cor nostrum secundum Cor tuum. (ter)