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The Prayers of Saint Bridget

                                First Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus Christ! Eternal Sweetness to those who love Thee, joy surpassing

all joy and all desire, Salvation and Hope of all sinners, Who hast proved

that Thou hast no greater desire than to be among men, even assuming human

nature at the fullness of time for the love of men, recall all the

sufferings Thou hast endured from the instant of Thy conception, and

especially during Thy Passion, as it was decreed and ordained from all

eternity in the Divine plan.

Remember, O Lord, that during the Last Supper with Thy disciples, having

washed their feet, Thou gavest them Thy Most Precious Body and Blood, and

while at the same time Thou didst sweetly console them, Thou didst foretell

them Thy coming Passion.

Remember the sadness and bitterness which Thou didst experience in Thy Soul

as Thou Thyself bore witness saying: "My Soul is sorrowful even unto

death."

Remember all the fear, anguish and pain that Thou didst suffer in Thy

delicate Body before the torment of the crucifixion, when, after having

prayed three times, bathed in a sweat of blood, Thou wast betrayed by

Judas, Thy disciple, arrested by the people of a nation Thou hadst chosen

and elevated, accused by false witnesses, unjustly judged by three judges

during the flower of Thy youth and during the solemn Paschal season.

Remember that Thou wast despoiled of Thy garments and clothed in those of

derision; that Thy Face and Eyes were veiled, that Thou wast buffeted,

crowned with thorns, a reed placed in Thy Hands, that Thou was crushed with

blows and overwhelmed with affronts and outrages.

In memory of all these pains and sufferings which Thou didst endure before

Thy Passion on the Cross, grant me before my death true contrition, a

sincere and entire confession, worthy satisfaction and the remission of all

my sins. Amen.

                               Second Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! True liberty of angels, Paradise of delights, remember the horror

and sadness which Thou didst endure when Thy enemies, like furious lions,

surrounded Thee, and by thousands of insults, spits, blows, lacerations and

other unheard-of-cruelties, tormented Thee at will. In consideration of

these torments and insulting words, I beseech Thee, O my Savior, to deliver

me from all my enemies, visible and invisible, and to bring me, under Thy

protection, to the perfection of eternal salvation. Amen.

                                Third Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Creator of Heaven and earth whom nothing can encompass or limit,

Thou Who dost enfold and hold all under Thy Loving power, remember the very

bitter pain Thou didst suffer when the Jews nailed Thy Sacred Hands and

Feet to the Cross by blow after blow with big blunt nails, and not finding

Thee in a pitiable enough state to satisfy their rage, they enlarged Thy

Wounds, and added pain to pain, and with indescribable cruelty stretched

Thy Body on the Cross, pulled Thee from all sides, thus dislocating Thy

Limbs.

I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of this most Loving suffering of the

Cross, to grant me the grace to fear Thee and to Love Thee. Amen.

                               Fourth Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds

with Thine, remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness

of all Thy Members which were distended to such a degree that never was

there pain like unto Thine. From the crown of Thy Head to the Soles of Thy

Feet there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not in torment, and yet,

forgetting all Thy sufferings, Thou didst not cease to pray to Thy Heavenly

Father for Thy enemies, saying: "Father forgive them for they know not what

they do."

Through this great Mercy, and in memory of this suffering, grant that the

remembrance of Thy Most Bitter Passion may effect in us a perfect

contrition and the remission of all our sins. Amen.

                                Fifth Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Mirror of eternal splendor, remember the sadness which Thou

experienced, when contemplating in the light of Thy Divinity the

predestination of those who would be saved by the merits of Thy Sacred

Passion, Thou didst see at the same time, the great multitude of reprobates

who would be damned for their sins, and Thou didst complain bitterly of

those hopeless lost and unfortunate sinners.

Through the abyss of compassion and pity, and especially through the

goodness which Thou displayed to the good thief when Thou saidst to him:

"This day, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise." I beg of Thee, O Sweet

Jesus, that at the hour of my death, Thou wilt show me mercy. Amen.

                                Sixth Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Beloved and most desirable King, remember the grief Thou didst

suffer, when naked and like a common criminal, Thou was fastened and raised

on the Cross, when all Thy relatives and friends abandoned Thee, except Thy

Beloved Mother, who remained close to Thee during Thy agony and whom Thou

didst entrust to Thy faithful disciple when Thou saidst to Mary: "Woman,

behold thy son!" and to Saint John: "Son, behold thy Mother!"

I beg of Thee O my Savior, by the sword of sorrow which pierced the soul of

Thy holy Mother, to have compassion on me in all my affliction and

tribulations, both corporal and spiritual, and to assist me in all my

trials, and especially at the hour of my death. Amen.

                               Seventh Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Inexhaustible Fountain of compassion, Who by a profound gesture of

Love, said from the Cross: "I thirst!" suffered from the thirst for the

salvation of the human race. I beg of Thee O my Savior, to inflame in our

hearts the desire to tend toward perfection in all our acts; and to

extinguish in us the concupiscence of the flesh and the ardor of worldly

desires. Amen.

                               Eighth Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit, by the bitterness of

the vinegar and gall which Thou didst taste on the Cross for Love of us,

grant us the grace to receive worthily Thy Precious Body and Blood during

our life and at the hour of our death, that they may serve as a remedy and

consolation for our souls. Amen.

                                Ninth Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Royal virtue, joy of the mind, recall the pain Thou didst endure

when plunged in an ocean of bitterness at the approach of death, insulted,

outraged by the Jews, Thou didst cry out in a loud voice that Thou was

abandoned by Thy Father, saying: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken

me?"

Through this anguish, I beg of Thee, O my Savior, not to abandon me in the

terrors and pains of my death. Amen.

                                Tenth Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Who art the beginning and end of all things, life and virtue,

remember that for our sakes Thou was plunged in an abyss of suffering from

the soles of Thy Feet to the crown of Thy Head. In consideration of the

enormity of Thy Wounds, teach me to keep, through pure love, Thy

Commandments, whose way is wide and easy for those who love Thee. Amen.

                              Eleventh Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Deep abyss of mercy, I beg of Thee, in memory of Thy Wounds which

penetrated to the very marrow of Thy Bones and to the depth of Thy bing, to

draw me, a miserable sinner, overwhelmed by my offenses, away from sin and

to hide me from Thy Face justly irritated against me, hide me in Thy

Wounds, until Thy anger and just indignation shall have passed away. Amen.

                               Twelfth Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Mirror of Truth, symbol of unity, link of Charity, remember the

multitude of wounds with which Thou was covered from head to foot, torn and

reddened by the spilling of Thy adorable Blood. O Great and Universal Pain

which Thou didst suffer in Thy virginal Flesh for Love of us! Sweetest

Jesus! What is there that Thou couldst have done for us which Thou hast not

done! May the fruit of Thy sufferings be renewed in my soul by the faithful

remembrance of Thy Passion, and may Thy Love increase in my heart each day,

until I see Thee in eternity, Thou Who art the treasury of every real good

and every joy, which I beg Thee to grant me, O Sweetest Jesus, in Heaven.

Amen.

                             Thirteenth Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Strong Lion, Immortal and Invincible King, remember the pain which

Thou didst endure when all Thy strength, both moral and physical, was

entirely exhausted, Thou didst bow Thy Head, saying: "It is consummated!"

Through this anguish and grief, I beg of Thee Lord Jesus, to have mercy on

me at the hour of my death when my mind will be greatly troubled and my

soul will be in anguish. Amen.

                             Fourteenth Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! Only Son of the Father, Splendor and figure of His Substance,

remember the simple and humble recommendation Thou didst make of Thy Soul

to Thy Eternal Father, saying: "Father, into Thy Hands I commend My

Spirit!" And with Thy Body all torn, and Thy Heart Broken, and the bowels

of Thy Mercy open to redeem us, Thou didst Expire. By this Precious Death,

I beg of Thee O King of Saints, comfort me and help me to resist the devil,

the flesh and the world, so that being dead to the world I may live for

Thee alone. I beg of Thee at the hour of my death to receive me, a pilgrim

and an exile returning to Thee. Amen.

                              Fifteenth Prayer

Our Father - Hail Mary

O Jesus! True and fruitful Vim! Remember the abundant outpouring of Blood

which Thou didst so generously she from Thy Sacred Body as juice from

grapes in a wine press.

From Thy Side, pierced with a lance by a soldier, blood and water issued

forth until there was not lift in Thy Body a single drop, and finally, like

a bundle of myrrh lifted to the top of the Cross Thy delicate Flesh was

destroyed, the very Substance of Thy Body withered, and the Marrow of Thy

Bones dried up.

Through this bitter Passion and through the outpouring of Thy Precious

Blood, I beg of Thee, O Sweet Jesus, to receive my soul when I am in my

death agony. Amen.

                                 Conclusion

O Sweet Jesus! Pierce my heart so that my tears of penitence and love will

be my bread day and might; may I be converted entirely to Thee, may my

heart be Thy perpetual habitation, may my conversation be pleasing to Thee,

and may the end of my life be so praiseworthy that I may merit Heaven and

there with Thy saints, praise Thee forever. Amen.