O good and dearest Jesus,
I kneel before Your face.
With all my heart
I ask You
to place in my heart
more faith, hope and charity.
Give me a true sorrow for my sins
and a strong will to do better
With great sorrow and grief
I look upon your five wounds
and think about them.
Before my eyes are the words
that the prophet David said of You,
O good Jesus:
“They have pierced my hands and feet
They have numbered all my bones.”
Deeper understanding of Prayer before a Crucifix #3
The Prayer before a Crucifix is rooted in the Catholic belief that Jesus Christ is present in a special way in crucifixes, which are a representation of his sacrifice on the cross.
The use of crucifixes in Catholic devotion can be traced back to the early centuries of Christianity, when believers would gather around crosses and other symbols of Christ’s sacrifice to pray and worship.
During the Middle Ages, the use of crucifixes as devotional objects became more widespread, and they began to be placed in homes, monasteries, and churches.
The Prayer before a Crucifix is a reflective prayer that encourages Catholics to meditate on the suffering and sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and to offer their own lives to him in love and service.
The prayer has been used by many of the great saints of the Catholic Church, including St. Francis of Assisi, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Teresa of Avila.
Today, the Prayer before a Crucifix remains a central part of Catholic piety, and is often used in personal prayer time, as well as during the celebration of Lent and other penitential seasons.
Overall, the Prayer before a Crucifix is a powerful expression of the Catholic faith, and a reminder of the centrality of Christ’s sacrifice in the spiritual lives of believers.