Good Friday

[31] For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry? 

Quia si in viridi ligno haec faciunt, in arido quid fiet?

said Jesus to the Filiae Jerusalem 

with His Cross, bearing heavily on His most precious, yet bruised and scourged body,

on His Way to Mount Calvary

Parce Domine, parce populo tuo. Ne in aeternum, irascaris nobis. 

Parce Domine, parce populo tuo. Ne in aeternum, irascaris nobis. 

Parce Domine, parce populo tuo. Ne in aeternum, irascaris nobis. 

Juxta crucem tecum stare,

Et me tibi sociare

In planctu desidero

By the †cross with thee to stay,

There with thee to weep and pray,

Is all I ask of thee to give.

(From the Stabat Mater)

[Prayer for the Sovereign Pontiff] St Catherine of Siena

O Most High and ineffable God, I have sinned and am not worthy to pray to Thee, but Thou canst render me less unworthy. Punish, O Lord, my sins and do not look upon my misery. 

I received a body from Thee. I give it back to Thee and I offer it to Thee. Here is my person and my very blood; strike, destroy! Reduce my bones to dust, but grant that which I ask for the Sovereign Pontiff, Unique Spouse of Thy Unique Spouse.

May he always know Thy Will. May he love and follow it, so that we do not perish. Give to him, O my God, a new heart; so that Thy grace may always grow in him. May he not tire in carrying the standard of Thy Holy Cross. May he dispense to the [unbelievers], the treasures of Thy Mercy, as he does to us who benefit from the Passion and Blood of the Lamb without blemish, Thy beloved Son. 

I have sinned, Lord. Eternal God, have mercy on me. Amen.

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Anne, Therese, I love You; Save Souls!

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

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori. 

First Friday, Ember Week in Lent

Amor meus crucifixus est.

By St. Alphonsus Ligouri in his book, The Passion and Death of Jesus Christ

“Oh, if thou didst know the mystery of the cross,” (O! si scires mysterium crucis!) said St. Andrew to the tyrant. O tyrant (it was his wish to say), wert thou to understand the love which Jesus Christ has borne thee, in willing to die upon a cross to save thee, thou wouldst abandon all thy possessions and earthly hopes, in order to give thyself wholly to the love of this thy Saviour. The same ought to be said to those Catholics who, believing as they do, the Passion of Jesus, yet do not think of it. Ah, were all men to think upon the love which Jesus Christ has shown forth for us in his death, who would ever be able not to love him? It was for this end, says the Apostle, that He, our beloved Redeemer, died for us, that, by the love He displayed towards us in His death, He might become the possessor of our hearts: To this end Christ died, and rose again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living; therefore, whether we live, or whether we die, we are the Lord’s Rom. Xiv.9 Whether, then, we die or live, it is but just that we belong wholly to Jesus, who has saved us at so great a cost. Oh, who is there that could say, as did the loving martyr St. Ignatius, whose lot it was to give his life for Jesus Christ, “Let fire, cross, beasts, and torments of every kind come upon me; let me only have fruition of Thee, O Christ.” (Ignis, crux, bestiae. Et tota tormenta in me veniant; tantum te, Christe, fruar.) Let flames, crosses, wild beasts, and every kind of torture come upon me, provided only that I obtain and enjoy my Jesus Christ.

O my dear Lord! Thou didst die in order to gain my soul; but what have I done in order to gain Thee, O infinite good? Ah, my Jesus, how often have I lost Thee for nothing! Miserable that I was, I knew at the time that I was losing Thy grace by my sin; I knew that I was giving Thee great displeasure; and yet I committed it. My consolation is, that I have to deal with an infinite goodness, who remembers his offences no more when a sinner repents and loves him. Yes, my God, I do repent and love Thee. Oh, pardon me; and do Thou from this day forth bear rule in this rebellious heart of mine. To Thee do I consign it; to Thee do I wholly give myself. Tell me what Thou dost desire; wishing, as I do, to perform it all. Yes, my Lord, I wish to love Thee; I wish to please Thee in everything. Do Thou give me strength, and I hope to do so.

O Dearest Mother, all Angels and Saints, please pray for me, intercede for me.

Parce Domini