Veneration of the Holy Wounds

Lord Jesus, You said: “Venerate my Holy Wounds.”

PRAYER TO THE SCOURGING WOUNDS OF CHRIST

“Pilate wanted to please the crowd, so he set Barabbas free for them. Then he had Jesus whipped and handed him over to be crucified.” (Mark 15:15)

“Many enemies surrounded me like bulls; they are all around me, like fierce bulls from the land of Bashan. They open their mouths like lions, roaring and tearing at me. My strength is gone, gone like water spilled on the ground. All my bones are out of joint... You have left me for dead in the dust.” (Psalms 22:12-15)

“They cut deep wounds in my back and made it like a plowed field.” (Psalms 129:3)

Lord Jesus, we venerate the Holy Wounds on Your Body caused by the cruel scourging that you endured – those wounds that tore at Your Flesh and wounded Your bones, leaving You bloodied, weak, and almost dead, long before You reached Calvary. We adore Your painful and bloody wounds that purchased for us eternal salvation. Eternal Father, for the sake of the cruel scourging wounds of Your Divine Son, have mercy on us, forgive our sins, and grant salvation to us, to our families, and to the whole world. Amen.

(1) Our Father, (1) Hail Mary, (1) Glory Be.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY WOUNDS ON THE HEAD OF CHRIST

“They made a crown out of thorny branches and placed it on His head. They spat on Him, and took the stick and hit him over the head.” (Matthew 27:29-30)

“Many people were shocked when they saw Him; He was so disfigured that He hardly looked human. But now many nations will marvel at him, and kings will be speechless in amazement. They will see and understand something they had never known.” (Isaiah 52:14)

“I am no longer a human being; I am a worm, despised and scorned by everyone.” (Psalms 22:6)

Lord Jesus, we adore and venerate the Holy Wounds on Your Head, caused by the crown of thorns which the cruel soldiers pressed against Your Forehead and around Your Head, to hurt and mock You, calling You a false king, and the blows that You received on Your Face and Head – those painful and cruel wounds from which flowed blood that left imprints of Your Sacred Face on the veil of Veronica, and on the Holy Shroud, reminding us of the cruelty and profound humiliation that You endured in the hands of Your enemies. Almighty Father, for the sake of the precious wounds on the Head of Christ that He endured for our sake, have mercy on us, sinners, and grant conversion to the whole world. Amen.

(1) Our Father, (1) Hail Mary, (1) Glory Be.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY WOUNDS ON THE KNEES OF CHRIST

“So they took charge of Jesus. He went out, carrying His cross, and came to “The Place of the Skull,” as it is called.” (John 19:17-18)

“An evil gang is around me; like a pack of dogs they close in on me.” (Psalms 22:16)

“All who see me make fun of me; they stick out their tongues and shake their heads.” (Psalms 22:7)

Lord Jesus, we venerate the Holy Wounds on Your Knees caused by Your stumbling many times, and falling to the ground three times, on the stony streets of Calvary, as Your enemies closed in on You – weak from the cruel scourging that You endured, dismayed by the mockeries and insults of the people, and burdened by the exceedingly heavy cross which You, nevertheless, lovingly carried for our sake – the Cross that we made You carry because of our sins. When You could no longer carry Your Cross, the soldiers seized Simon the Cyrene and forced him to carry it behind You. (Mark 15:21) Eternal Father, for the sake of the Holy Wounds on the Knees of Your Divine Son, have mercy on us, on our priests and religious, and on the holy souls in purgatory, forgive our sins, and lead us all to life everlasting with the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – God, world without end. Amen.

(1) Our Father, (1) Hail Mary, (1) Glory Be.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY WOUNDS ON THE HANDS AND FEET OF CHRIST

“They tear at my hands and feet. All my bones can be seen.” (Psalms 22:16-17)

“He was put to death for the sins of our people.” (Isaiah 53:8)

Jesus said: “Look at my hands and feet, and see that it is Myself.” (Luke 24:39)

Lord Jesus, we venerate and adore the Holy Wounds on Your Hands and Feet – those wounds through which the cruel nails were pierced and hammered to hang you on the Cross, piercing through your veins and between the bones of Your Hands and Feet, from which profusely poured forth Your Precious Blood – those wounds that remind us of how You lived, and died, for us, showing us that the way to the Father is through loving sacrifice.

Eternal Father, as we recall Your promise to save us from the consequences of our sin, we cannot help but be amazed at Your handiwork. You said: “I will do great things such as have never been done anywhere on earth among any of the nations. All the people will see what great things I, the Lord, can do, because I am going to do an awesome thing for you.” (Exodus 34:10). And You also said: “I will never forget you. See upon the palms of my hands I have written your name.” (Isaiah 49:15-16)

We believe that You have wonderfully fulfilled Your promise. You have indeed done a great thing for us. You have written our names on the palms of Your Hand, with the Precious Blood of Your Divine Son. The Wounds on His Hands and Feet bear witness to it. Almighty Father, forgive us for the many times that we do not appreciate fully the infinite value of the great Gift that you have given us. For the sake of the Holy Wounds on the Hands and Feet of Your only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and on the whole world, and grant conversion to all sinners. Amen.

(1) Our Father, (1) Hail Mary, (1) Glory Be.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY WOUND ON THE SIDE OF CHRIST

Jesus said to Thomas: “Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!”

”But when they came to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead, so they did not break His legs. One of the soldiers, however, plunged his spear into Jesus’ side, and at once blood and water poured out. (John 19:33-34)
“Do not break any of the animals’ bones.” (Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12) “They will look at the one whom they stabbed to death.” (Zechariah 12:10)

“My heart is like melted wax.” (Psalms 22:14)

Lord Jesus, only when we contemplate your Passion and Death on the Holy Cross do we realize who You really are, the true meaning of what You did for us, and how much the Father loves us. Not only did You, Loving God, die an ignominious death hanging from the Cross like a slave, You spent all of it to save us from eternal damnation, down to the very last drop of Your Precious Blood, that You shed after You died on the Holy Cross, with a Wound that pierced through all the way to Your Loving Heart. Eternal Father, cast a merciful look upon us sinners, for the sake of the Most Holy and Precious Wound on the Side of Your Divine Son. Through the merits of His Most Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us, and grant conversion to pagans all over the world. Amen.

(1) Our Father, (1) Hail Mary, (1) Glory Be.

VENERATION OF THE HOLY FACE ON THE HOLY SHROUD

Lord Jesus, we venerate Your Most Holy Face miraculously imprinted on the Holy Shroud, in which Your Sacred Body was wrapped after it was taken down from the Cross, and laid in the his own tomb by one of Your disciples, Joseph of Arimathea. We adore Your Holy Face bloodied from Your Most Sorrowful Passion on Death on the Cross – Your Eyes blood-filled and sunken from the torture and suffering that You endured, Your Face wounded, bleeding, disfigured and swollen from the blows that You received, Your Hair stiffened by blood, and Your Skin matted by blood which flowed from the mortal wounds on Your Head, caused by the crown of thorns that You wore, and the blows and beatings that You received on Your Sacred Head.

Yet, despite the Immeasurable pain that You endured for our sake, Your Holy Face still manages to shine with Your gentleness and Divinity – manifesting no trace of bitterness whatsoever from Your physical suffering – and still radiates with Your infinite Love for us, sinners, showing us that You are, indeed, a Loving God who willingly took on the punishment that we, not You, rightfully deserve, in order to free us from the consequences of our sin – to lighten our burdens; to teach us how to love You, who are all-worthy and deserving of all our love, and to learn to forgive one another, in order that we may live in love and peace with our brothers and sisters.

Teach us how to repent for our sins, and mend our ways, in order that we may become worthy of Your heavenly kingdom. Give us the gift of faith that, together with Your angels and saints in heaven, we may sing Your praises for all eternity. Amen.

Eternal Father, thank you for the wonderful gift of Your Divine Son. For the sake of His Most Sorrowful Passion and Death on the Cross, have mercy on us, and on the whole world. Amen.

(1) Our Father, (1) Hail Mary, (1) Glory Be.

“The voice of the Lord makes the lightning flash. His voice makes the desert shake.” (Psalms 29:7-8)