Thou didst suffer a most unspeakable Agony, until the sweat strained through Thy pure skin like drops of blood, and there didst sigh and groan, and falling down upon the earth in prayer didst submit to the intolerance of Thy Father's wrath, which we had deserved and Thou sufferedst. V. O Saviour of the world, Who by Thy Cross and Precious Blood hast redeemed us. R. Save us and help us, we humbly beseech Thee, O Lord. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Have mercy upou us. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Grant us Thy peace. Blessed be Thy Name, O Holy Jesus, and blessed be Thy lovingkindness and pity by which Thou didst neglect Thine own sorrows, and go to comfort the sadness of Thy disciples, quickening their dulness, encouraging them to their duty, and arming their weakness with excellent precepts against the day of trial. Blessed be that humility and sorrow of Thine, Who, being Lord of the Angels, yet wouldest need and receive comfort from Thy servant the Angel : Who didst offer Thyself to Thy persecutors: and didst receive the traitor's kiss; and wouldest do a miracle to cure a wound of one of Thy spiteful enemies, and, reproving Thine over-zealous servant didst go like a lamb to the slaughter, without noise, or violence, or resistance, when Thou} couldest have commanded millions of Angels for Thy guard and rescue. V. O Saviour of the world, Who by Thy Cross and Precious Blood hast redeemed us. R. Save us and help us, we humbly beseech Thee, O Lord. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Have mercy upon us. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Grant us Thy peace. Blessed be Thy Name, O Holy Jesus, and blessed be that holy sorrow Thou didst suffer, when Thy disciples fled, and Thou wert left alone in the hands of cruel men who thirsted for Thy Blood: when Thou wert led to the house of Annas, and thence to the house of Caiaphas, and there asked ensnaring questions, and smitten on the face, enduring all night long affronts and scorn and intolerable insults; and all this for man who was Thine enemy, and the cause of all Thy sorrows. V. O Saviour of the world, Who by Thy Cross and precious Blood hast redeemed us. R. Save us and help us, we humbly beseech Thee, O Lord. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Have mercy upon us. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Grant us Thy peace. Blessed be Thy Name, O Holy Jesus, and blessed be Thy mercy, Who, when Thy servant Peter denied Thee and forsook Thee, didst but look upon him, and by that gracious and chiding look didst call him back to himself and Thee; Who, being accused and examined before the High Priest and the Jewish Council, wast declared guilty of death as a blasphemer, and mocked, and buffeted, and blindfolded, and spit upon: Who wert sent to Pilate and found innocent, and sent to Herod and still found innocent, and there arrayed in white, both to declare Thine innocence, and yet to deride Thy person and wert sent back again to Pilate, and again examined, and yet nothing but innocence found in Thee, and malice round about Thee to devour Thy life, which yet Thou wert more desirous to lay down for them than they to take it from Thee. V. O Saviour of the world, Who by Thy Cross and precious Blood hast redeemed us. R. Save us and help us, we humbly beseech Thee, O Lord. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Have mercy upon us. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Grant us Thy peace. Blessed be Thy Name, O Holy Jesus, and blessed be that patience and charity, by which Thou wert content to be rejected for Barabbas, and scourged most rudely by unhallowed hands, till the pavement was empurpled with Thine Holy Blood: to be condemned to a sad and shameful, a public and painful death; to be arrayed in a scarlet robe for mockery and crowned with thorns; to suffer that Holy Face, which Angels with joy and wonder do behold, to be spit upon in contempt, and thus to be exposed to the scorn of the multitude that clamoured for Thy death; to be rejected of them over whom Thou camest graciously to reign; to be led away to be crucified, loaden with the Cross, bound hard with cords, and dragged most vilely and most piteously till the load was too great, and did sink Thy Body to the earth, Thyself the while seeking to comfort the weeping women, and pitying more Thy persecutors than Thyself, being grieved for the miseries of Jerusalem that were to come, more than for Thy present Passion. V. O Saviour of the world, Who by Thy Cross and precious Blood hast redeemed us. R. Save us and help us, we humbly beseech Thee, O Lord. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Grant us Thy peace. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Have mercy upon us. Blessed be Thy Name, O Holy Jesus, and blessed be that incomparable sweetness and holy patience wherewith Thou sufferedst, when Thy holy Hands and Feet were nailed upon the Cross, and the Cross, being set up in the opened ground, did in its fall rend Thy Wounds wider; when, naked and bleeding, sick and faint, a very scorn of men and the outcast of the people, Thou didst hang upon Thy Wounds three whole long hours, numbered with the transgressors; there praying for Thy persecutors, satisfying Thy Father's wrath, reconciling the penitent thief, providing for Thy holy Mother in her affliction, forsaken of Thy God, tasting when athirst the vinegar and gall; and when the fulness of Thy Suffering was accomplished, commending Thy Spirit into the Hands of Thy Heavenly Father, and descending into the regions where longing souls in their prisons of hope waited for the revelation of this Thy day; whilst from Thy most holy Body, pierced with the soldier's spear, there issued forth two Sacraments, the Water and the Blood; after which It was taken down from the Cross, and being composed to burial, lay in the darkness of the grave three days and nights until Thy glorious Resurrection on the First Day of the week. R. For which all praise and glory be to Thee, O Lord. V. O Saviour of the world, Who by Thy Cross and precious Blood hast redeemed us. R. Save us and help us, we humbly beseech Thee, O Lord. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Grant us Thy peace. V. O Lamb of God, That takest away the sins of the world. R. Have mercy upon us. O Christ, hear us O Christ, hear us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Our Father, Which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy Will be done |