CHAPTER XVI A prayer concerning the five sacred Wounds of Jesus Christ
CHAPTER XVI
A prayer concerning the five sacred Wounds of Jesus Christ
I BLESS Thee, and give thanks to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, most loving Son of God, crucified for the Salvation of the world, for all the anguish, and all the Sacred Wounds, whether great or small, which, innocent as Thou wert, Thou didst so lovingly endure, and by Thy death in true charity and perfect obedience didst lay before Thy Heavenly Father, as a free and most acceptable offering, in order that Thou mightest wash away and deliver me from my sins.
And chiefly do I now praise and glorify Thee, and will praise and glorify Thee all the days of my life, with the best thanksgiving and blessing of which my lips are capable, with all the love which my inmost heart can contain, and with gratitude which knows no bounds, for Thy supreme and tender condescension in openly showing to Thy disciples the five sacred Wounds, Which Thou hadst preserved in Thy most holy and glorified Body after Thy blessed and glorious Resurrection; in presenting them before Thy disciples’ eyes for them to look upon; and in graciously and unmistakably allowing Saint Thomas the doubting Apostle to touch them, thus establishing him in the faith. It was also Thy holy Will that these things should be set forth and proclaimed as a sign of Thy never-failing love for Thy disciples, and for all Thy faithful servants throughout the world, to the intent that their hearts might be full of love for Thee, and that they might never cease to praise Thee.
Right therefore and profitable is it that I should daily meditate upon Thy supreme love for me; so that, as those five most sacred Wounds of Thine remained ever in Thy glorified Body, like fresh and ineffaceable gashes in a shield, shining ever brighter than all the stars of heaven, so (on account of the innumerable benefits conferred by them, both in averting and removing the ills of this life, and in assuring us of eternal happiness to be enjoyed with Thee, O loving Jesus, in realms of bliss hereafter) They may remain for ever fixed in my memory, and in that of all Thy faithful people.
Praise, honour, might, glory, and victory be to Thee, O Lord, for those sacred Wounds of Thine with which Thou hast redeemed me, hast cleansed the world, hast despoiled Hell, hast opened Paradise, hast illumined Heaven, and hast made the Angels to rejoice. In order that Thou mightest draw lost mankind to Thee, mightest reconcile it to the Father, and mightest turn aside His wrath, Thou didst, on Thy Ascension into Heaven, still preserve those sacred Wound prints: in order that thereby Thou mightest obtain mercy for me, and for all who believe in Thee and repent them of their sins, Thou didst take them with Thee to the Right Hand of the Father; and Thou hast never ceased to show them to all the inhabitants of Heaven, in token of Thy victory over death.
O Thou Wonder and Gladness, Thou Hope unbounded of those who believe in Thee; O Jesus Christ, King of glory, Brightness of the Father, Honour of Thy Mother, the Virgin’s Joy, Son of Mary, Flower of the field, Lily of the valley, Comfort of the afflicted, Health of the sick, Joy of the devout, Blessedness of Saints, Delight of Angels, imprint, I pray Thee, with Thy Precious Blood, upon the tablets of my heart These Thy sacred and precious Wounds, that so I may inwardly suffer with Thee, may love Thee supremely and above all else; and may rejoice to bear willingly some slight reproach at any rate for the love of Thy most sweet and holy Name—that Name Which, infinitely above every name of holy Angels and of men, is blessed for ever, world without end.
Painted in scarlet, framed in gold, keep ever before my wandering eyes the picture of Thy sacred Wounds, that I may neither see nor heed the vanities of the world, may be deaf to distracting gossip, and may not listen to those who would speak to me of other things than of Thee, O Jesus, my Lord and my God: for utterly worthless is everything that would keep me from meditating on the bliss of Heaven, and from bedewing with my tears Thy sacred Wounds.
Pierce my feet with Thy holy Nails as with sharp spurs to make me follow Thy steps along the rough path of adversity, and to keep me from being lifted up when things go well with me, or cast down when troubles come upon me. Cripple both my feet, so that I may not be able to stray far from Thee. Into my left foot drive the nail of fear, that from fear of the pains of Hell I may abstain from fleshly lusts. Into my right foot drive the nail of holy love, that with a soul on fire with a spirit of devotion to Thy service I may by day and by night run in the way of Thy commandments—giving thanks to Thee with eager zeal in hymns and spiritual songs; or if I am busy about earthly labours for the common good, working obediently and with a heart full of love for my brethren. Soon passing and easy to bear are all earthly toil and labour, thirst and bodily pain, for Thy sake, O my God, Who in the Flesh didst suffer and wert wounded; but long, infinitely long, are the everlasting torment and that fire of Hell which never shall be quenched.
Into my hands drive, I pray Thee, two of Thy Nails, so that while time is left me, I may be fruitful in good works, may shun contemptible idleness, that great enemy of the soul, and may with loving arms embrace Thee hanging for my sake upon the Cross, covered with wounds, but still praying for Thy enemies.
Draw me therefore to Thee from the flesh to the Cross, from earth to Heaven. I long to depart, to die with Thee upon the Cross, to be washed by Thy Wounds from my sins, and to be rescued from everlasting death.
Thou art my God, and I will confess my sins unto Thee: heal me by Thy sacred Wounds, so cruelly for my sake inflicted upon Thee. Who can cleanse me from all my sins and from all my negligences, but Thou alone, O God my Redeemer, Who for me wast crucified and wounded with many wounds. Among these stand specially forth, shedding sweet perfume, shining as seals reddened with the Blood of the Lamb of God, Thy five precious Wounds, pierced with the nails and the lance. Burnt in are They with the brand of God’s love, indelible and most sure proofs of my eternal redemption: full are they of grace and sweetness, displayed for me and all mankind to behold with the eye of faith, and to caress: offered are They to weeping penitents as passports into the inmost recesses of the courts of Heaven.
Enter then, enter boldly, O my soul, through the bowels of the mercy of Thy God as He hangs upon the Cross; enter into the deep clefts of His Wounds, and take refuge there from the serpent who everywhere, both openly and secretly, is laying snares for thee. There lie still in safety, as a turtle-dove cooing in the wilderness, as a cushat lying hid in the cleft of a mighty rock; spurn all earthly joys; meditate on the sacred Wounds of Christ; and hope, relying on Them, to win those heavenly rewards which He Himself has in store for thee.
Speak now, I pray Thee, O most loving Jesus Christ, speak to my soul, those saving words which Thou spakest to holy Thomas Thy Apostle when Thou didst confirm him in the faith, and as a proof of Thy surpassing love didst pardon all his sins: “Put in hither thy finger, and behold My Hands fixed with hard nails to the wood of the Cross for love of thee; reach hither thy hand so as to touch Me with it by faith; put it into My Side laid open in pity for thee, pierced so cruelly with the soldier’s lance that thereout came there forth a plenteous stream of blood and water, for the perfect remission of all sins and the grant of mercy to all who believe. Be not faithless, but believing; give way no more to doubts, but stand firm and steadfast; be not over-curious, but simple and devout; be not sluggish and heedless, but warm-hearted and full of thankfulness to God for all His benefits to thee.”
Give me grace, O good and beloved Jesus, often to think over and to ponder these things; to believe on, and to hold fast to Thee; never to doubt Thy words and Thy unchanging truth: give me grace in every temptation and trial to have recourse at once to Thy Passion, to look to Thy sacred Wounds and Agony for my comfort, and ever to find for my soul peace and rest in Thee—Who with the Father, etc. Amen.