As I kneel before Thee on the Cross, most loving Saviour of my soul, my conscience reproaches me for having nailed Thee to that cross with these hands of mine, as often as I have fallen into mortal sin, wearying Thee with my monstrous ingratitude. My God, my chief and most perfect good, worthy of all my love because thou hast ever loaded me with blessings, I cannot now undo my misdeeds, as I would most willingly; but I will loathe them grieving greatly for having offended Thee, at Thy feet, I will try, at least, to compassionate Thee, to give Thee thanks, to ask of Thee pardon and contrition; wherefore, with heart and lips, I say:
To The First Wound, of the Left Foot
Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the sacred Wound of Thy left foot; I compassionate Thee for the most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for the love whereby Thou wast wearied in overtaking me on the way to ruin, and didst bleed amid the thorns and brambles of my sins. I offer to the Eternal Father the pain and love of Thy most holy Humanity, in atonement for my sins, all which I detest with sincere and bitter contrition.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…
Holy Mother, pierce me through, In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified!
To The Second Wound, of the Right Foot
O Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the sacred Wound of Thy right foot; I compassionate Thee for the bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for that love which pierced Thee with such torture and shedding of blood, in order to punish my wanderings and the guilty pleasures I have granted to my unbridled passions. I offer the Eternal Father all the pains and love of Thy most holy Humanity, and I pray unto Thee for grace to weep over my transgressions with burning tears, and to enable me to persevere in the good which I have begun, without ever swerving again from my obedience to the commandments of my God.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…
Holy Mother, pierce me through, In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified!
To The Third Wound, of the Left Hand
O Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the sacred Wound of Thy left hand; I compassionate Thee for the bitter pain which Thou didst suffer, I thank Thee for having, in Thy love, spared me the scourges and eternal damnation which my sins had merited. I offer to the Eternal Father the pain and love of Thy most holy Humanity: and I pray Thee to teach me how to turn to good account of my span of life, and bring forth in it worthy fruits of penance, and so disarm the justice of God, which I have provoked.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…
Holy Mother, pierce me through, In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified!
To The Fourth Wound, of the Right Hand
O Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the sacred Wound of Thy right hand; I compassionate Thee for the bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for Thy graces lavished on me with such love, in spite of all my most perverse obstinacy. I offer to the Eternal Father all the pain and love of Thy most holy Humanity; and I pray Thee to change my heart and its affections, and make me do all my actions in accordance with the will of God.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…
Holy Mother, pierce me through, In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified!
To The Fifth Wound, of the Sacred Side
O Lord Jesus Christ, I adore the sacred Wound in Thy side; I compassionate Thee for the cruel insult Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee, my Jesus, for the love which suffered Thy side and Heart to be pierced, so that the last drops of blood and water might issue forth, making my redemption to abound. I offer to the Eternal Father this outrage, and the love of Thy most holy Humanity, that my soul may enter once for all into that most loving Heart, eager and ready to receive the greatest sinners, and never more depart.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…
Holy Mother, pierce me through, In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified!
The timeline of Prayer to the Most Holy Wounds an Act of Contrition
The Prayer to the Most Holy Wounds an Act of Contrition is a Catholic prayer that is traditionally said during Lent. It is a prayer of contrition and repentance that acknowledges the suffering of Jesus on the cross in order to obtain God’s mercy and forgiveness.
The origins of the prayer are not entirely clear, but it is likely that it has been in use in some form for many centuries. It is a prayer that embodies the Catholic belief in the redemptive power of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The prayer may have been widely used during the Middle Ages, when plagues and other diseases were rampant and the fear of death was prevalent.
The prayer has undergone some changes over time, with various versions appearing throughout history. In some versions, the prayer is longer and includes more specific references to the wounds of Christ. In others, it is shorter and more general, focusing simply on the promise of mercy and forgiveness. Regardless of the version, the prayer always emphasizes the need for repentance and the desire to be free from sin.
Today, the Prayer to the Most Holy Wounds an Act of Contrition continues to be an important prayer for Catholics. It is often said during Lent, when Catholics are called to reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and their need for forgiveness. The prayer serves as a reminder of the power of Christ’s wounds to redeem us and bring us back to God, and to inspire us to turn away from sin and seek a life of holiness.