Can you stay one hour with me? The “Night Watch” of Holy Thursday

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Can you stay one hour with me? The “Night Watch” of Holy Thursday

This tradition of adoring Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday night is also called the "Night Guard" or "Gethsemane Guard" in memory of the invitation of Jesus to his disciples to watch and pray.

PRAYER

My Most Precious Lord Jesus, this night You gathered with Your Apostles to share with them Your last meal. But this was no ordinary meal. This was the gift of Your most Sacred Body and Blood, soon to be broken and poured out on the Cross for the salvation of the world.

Allow me, dear Lord, to spend this night in prayer and meditation with You. After the meal, You invited Your Apostles to join You for one hour, to stay awake and keep vigil as You prepared for Your arrest. The Apostles fell asleep, leaving You in Your bitter agony alone.

I accept Your gentle invitation of love, dear Lord, to spend this night in vigil with You. May I enter Your Heart as it faced the coming persecution You were to endure for my sins. May I console Your Sacred Heart and know the love and Mercy that flowed forth.

Lord, when I face the crosses of my own life, give me Your divine courage and strength to say “Yes” to the Will of the Father. Your love for me is abundant and is perfect in every way. Help me to know that love, to embrace it and to allow it into my life.

I make my vigil with You this night, dear Lord. I love You, help me to love You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.

“The Holy Hour is not a devotion, but a work of redemption”, Bishop Fulton Sheen would say.

The Holy Hour

The Holy Hour is an exercise of mental or vocal prayer, made for an hour on Thursday night at any time after nine o'clock, generally from eleven till midnight, in order to honour and to share the sorrows of Jesus in the Garden of Olives.

Offering of the Holy Hour

O my Sweet Jesus, I desire to spend this Hour with Thee, to console Thee, and to make some reparation by the love of my poor heart for the agony Thou didst suffer in Gethsemane. In that lone hour Thou wast forsaken, and the creatures, whom Thou didst create to love Thee, loved Thee not. The weight of all our sins pressed on Thee, and mine as well; and for the sorrow which I caused Thee then by my sins, I will endeavor to repay Thee now by my love. Strengthen it, my Jesus, that it may in some small measure give Thee consolation.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, strengthened in Thine agony by an Angel, comfort us in our agony.

(300 Days Indulgence)

Prayer to Jesus in His Agony

Which may be used during the Holy Hour.

O my Saviour Jesus, Who, for the great love which Thou bearest to all men, didst will to be "sorrowful even unto death," in the Garden of Olives; and in Thy heaviness and Agony didst deign to be comforted by an Angel, do not reject the consolation which I, Thy most unworthy servant, offer to Thee, with all possible love and veneration. Alas! my sweetest Saviour, I was one of the causes of Thine Agony; for me Thou didst suffer; for me Thou didst pour forth a sweat of Blood, Thy tears and sighs were on my account. O my Jesus, let me unite my prayer to Thy prayer, my sacrifice to Thy sacrifice, for the expiation of my sins, and the salvation of the souls of the dying; and then let me join the Angel in consoling Thee in Thine Agony. Let me be with Thee in the lonely grotto, let me witness Thine Agonies, let me compassionate and share them, and drink with Thee even to the dregs, the chalice of bitterness which Thy Father has given Thee. Glorious Minister of the most High, whose sublime mission it was to console and strengthen God, let me with thee, keep my Saviour company. Would that I could also give some consolation to His heaviness and mortal agony! Give me thy strength, thy courage, thy love, that I may pray with Jesus, suffer with Jesus, and die with and for Jesus. Amen.

Prayer for Those in Their Last Agony

[Recited while kneeling]

O Most Merciful Jesus, Lover of Souls: I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thine Immaculate Mother, cleanse in Thy Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their last agony, and are to die this day. Amen.

Heart of Jesus Agonizing, have mercy on the dying.

(300 Days Indulgence)

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, we love Thee, save souls.

(7 Years Indulgence)

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Veneration of the Thorn-Crowned Savior

"And platting a crown of thorns, they put it up on His head. They began to spit upon Him, and they gave Him blows. Others smote His face and said: 'Prophesy, who is it that struck Thee?' "

O holy Redeemer! Thou art clothed with a scarlet cloak, a reed is placed in Thy hands for a sceptre, and the sharp points of a thorny crown are pressed into Thy adorable head.

My soul, thou canst never conceive the sufferings, the insults and indignities offered to our Blessed Lord during this scene of pain and mockery.

I therefore salute Thee and offer Thee supreme homage as King of Heaven and earth, the Redeemer of the world, the Eternal Son of the living God.

O my afflicted Savior! O King of the world, Thou art ridiculed as a mock king. I believe in Thee and adore Thee as the King of kings and Lord of lords, as the supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth.

O Jesus! I devoutly venerate Thy sacred head pierced with thorns, struck with a reed, overwhelmed with pain and derision.

I adore the Precious Blood flowing from Thy bleeding wounds. To Thee be all praise, all thanksgiving and all love for evermore.

O meek Lamb, Victim for sin! May Thy thorns penetrate my heart with fervent love, that I may never cease to adore Thee as my God, my King and my Savior.

V. Behold, O God, our Protector,

R. And look upon the face of Thy Christ.

Let us Pray:

O my beloved Savior, at sight of Thy most holy face disfigured by suffering, at the sight of Thy Sacred Heart so full of love, I cry out with St. Augustine: "Lord Jesus, imprint on my heart Thy sacred wounds, so that I may read therein sorrow and love: sorrow, to endure every sorrow for Thee; love, to despise every love for Thee." Amen.

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee, because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

(3 Years Indulgence)

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Prayer to Mary Standing at the Foot of the Cross.

O Mary, glorious and Blessed Virgin, who didst die consumed by the ardour of divine love; to whom death was a sweet sleep, soon ended by thine awakening to immortality, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Do not forsake thy poor children at that awful moment. Thou, who didst stand at the foot of the Cross of thy dying Son, come to receive the last sighs of those who now invoke thee with entire confidence. Remember that if death was a triumph to thee, it is a chastisement to us. Have mercy on all afflicted souls, who call on thee as their Mother and their hope. Pray for us all, assist us all. Obtain for us grace to bear our sufferings with resignation, and to make the sacrifice of our life cheerfully to God.

In preparation for the hour of death, we unite ourselves beforehand to the holy dispositions of thy compassionate Heart, and of the Agonizing Heart of thy Divine Son Jesus in the Garden of Olives, and upon the Cross. Sanctify our sufferings, sanctify our agony. Let thy maternal protection be extended even to those poor souls who know thee not, who outrage thy Beloved Son, who persevere in refusing the offers of His mercy and of His love. Obtain for them the powerful grace of conversion which breaks and transforms the heart, and of the most hardened sinners often makes the greatest saints. Amen.

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Prayer to Mary, Mother of Sorrows.

O most sorrowful Mother, by the cruel martyrdom which thou didst suffer at the foot of the Cross, during the three hours of the Agony of thy beloved Son Jesus, assist us in our agony, for we are the children of thy sorrows, and intercede for us that we may pass from our deathbed to join the blessed, who are ever with thee in heaven. Amen.

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Short Prayer to the Most Holy Virgin in Her Desolation

Hail Mary, full of sorrows, the Crucified is with thee: tearful art thou amongst women, and tearful is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of the Crucified, grant tears to us crucifiers of thy Son, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

(Indulgence 100 days Pius IX--1847)

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Seven "Ave Maria's" and Seven "Sancta Mater's"

Pope Pius VII., by a Brief of Dec. 1, 1815, in order to augment in all the faithful devotion towards the sorrows of most holy Mary, and the more to excite in them grateful recollections of the Passion of her Son, Jesus, granted a 300 days indulgence, once a day, to all who, contrite in heart, shall say seven Ave Maria's, with the versicle to each:

Sancta Mater istud agas,

Crucifixi fige plagas

Cordi meo valide.

Or in English:

Holy Mother, pierce me through;

In my heart each wound renew

Of thy Saviour crucified.

Prayer for Mercy for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Have Mercy, O gentle Jesus! on the Souls detained in Purgatory. Thou Who for their ransom didst take upon Thyself our human nature and suffer the most cruel death, pity their sighs and the tears shed when they raise their longing eyes toward Thee; and by virtue of Thy Passion, cancel the penalty due to their sins.

May Thy Blood, O tender Jesus, Thy Precious Blood, descend into Purgatory to solace and refresh those who there languish in captivity. Reach forth Thy hand to them, and lead them into the realms of refreshment, light and peace. Amen.

Divine Heart of Jesus, convert sinners, save the dying,

and set free the holy souls in purgatory.

(300 Days Indulgence)

By the Sign of the Holy Cross, deliver us from our enemies, O our God!

(3 Years Indulgence)

Prayer for Final Perseverance

Eternal Father, I humbly adore and thank Thee for having created me, and for having redeemed me by means of Jesus Christ. I thank Thee for having made me a Christian by giving me the true faith, and by adopting me for Thy child in holy Baptism. I thank Thee for having given me time for repentance after my many sins, and for having, as I hope, pardoned all my offenses against Thee. O Infinite Goodness! I thank Thee also for having preserved me from falling again as often as I should have done if Thou hadst not held me up and saved me. But my enemies do not cease to fight against me, nor will they until death, that they may again have me for their slave; If Thou dost not keep and help me continually by Thine assistance, I shall be wretched enough to lose Thy grace anew. I therefore pray Thee, for the love of Jesus Christ, to grant me holy perseverance till death. Thy Son Jesus has promised that Thou wilt grant us whatever we ask for in His name. By the merits, then of Jesus Christ, I beg of Thee for myself, and for all those who are in Thy grace, the grace of never more being separated from Thy love, but that we may always love Thee in this life and in the next.

Sweet Heart of Jesus, be my love,

Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.

(300 Days Indulgence)

Traditional Stations of the Cross by St. Alphonsus Liguori

No comments:

We will recognize them by their fruits.

Prayer to St. Michael

Please protect us, St. Michael the Archangel, against violence, murder, and robbery. In your goodness preserve us today from all the malice of sinful and wicked persons. In your sleepless vigilance watch over the safety and welfare of our homes, and keep guard over our possessions. Ever hold in your special care, most triumphant St. Michael, the forces of public order against the crimes of evil people, and defend all honest citizens in time of peril. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Novena Prayer to St. Michael

(Pray for nine consecutive days)
Saint Michael the Archangel, loyal champion of God and His Catholic people, I turn to thee with confidence and seek thy powerful intercession. For the love of God, Who hast made thee so glorious in grace and power, and for the love of the Mother of Jesus, the Queen of the Angels, be pleased to hear my prayer.
Thou knowest the value of my soul in the eyes of God. May no stain of evil ever disfigure its beauty. Help me to conquer the evil spirit who tempts me. I desire to imitate thy loyalty to God and Holy Mother Church and thy great love for God and men. And since thou art God’s messenger for the care of His people, I entrust to thee this special request: (here mention your request).
Saint Michael, since thou art, by the will of the Creator, the powerful intercessor of Christians, I have great confidence in thy prayers. I earnestly trust that if it is God’s holy will, my petition will be granted.
Pray for me, Saint Michael, and also for those I love. Protect us in all dangers of body and soul. Help us in our daily needs. Through thy powerful intercession, may we live a holy life, die a happy death and reach Heaven where we may praise and love God with thee forever. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.
St. Michael, Guardian of souls, Vanquisher of rebel spirits, Pray for us.

St John Chrysostom

Our Lord having reproached the Jews with blindness, they might have said, We are not blind, but we avoid you as a deceiver. Our Lord therefore gives the marks which distinguish a robber and deceiver from a true shepherd. First come those of the deceiver and robber: Verily, verily, I say to you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. There is an allusion here to Antichrist, and to certain false Christs who had been, and were to be. The Scriptures He calls the door. They admit us to the knowledge of God, they protect the sheep, they shut out the wolves, they bar the entrance to heretics. He that uses not the Scriptures, but climbs up some other way, i.e. some self-chosen, some unlawful way, is a thief. Climbs up, He says, not, enters, as if it were a thief getting over a wall, and running all risks. Some other way, may refer too to the commandments and traditions of men which the Scribes taught, to the neglect of the Law. When our Lord further on calls Himself the Door, we need not be surprised. According to the office which He bears, He is in one place the Shepherd, in another the Sheep. In that He introduces us to the Father, He is the Door, in that He takes care of us, He is the Shepherd. (Catena Aurea)

LIBERTAS ENCYCLICAL OF POPE LEO XIII ON THE NATURE OF HUMAN LIBERTY
35. And as to tolerance, it is surprising how far removed from the equity and prudence of the Church are those who profess what is called liberalism. For, in allowing that boundless license of which We have spoken, they exceed all limits, and end at last by making no apparent distinction between truth and error, honesty and dishonesty. And because the Church, the pillar and ground of truth, and the unerring teacher of morals, is forced utterly to reprobate and condemn tolerance of such an abandoned and criminal character, they calumniate her as being wanting in patience and gentleness, and thus fail to see that, in so doing, they impute to her as a fault what is in reality a matter for commendation. But, in spite of all this show of tolerance, it very often happens that, while they profess themselves ready to lavish liberty on all in the greatest profusion, they are utterly intolerant toward the Catholic Church, by refusing to allow her the liberty of being herself free.

“If you want to be certain of being in the number of the Elect, strive to be one of the few, not one of the many. And if you would be quite sure of your salvation, strive to be among the fewest of the few; that is to say, do not follow the great majority of mankind, but follow those who enter upon the narrow way, who renounce the world, who give themselves to prayer, and who never relax their efforts by day or night, so that they may attain everlasting blessedness.” -Saint Anselm, Father and Doctor of the Church

PRAYER TO SAINT JOSEPH, THE PROTECTOR OF CHRISTIAN FAMILIES Great Saint Joseph, who wast chosen of God to be the head of the holiest and most august of families, deign to cast thy eyes upon us, and take us this day under thy special protection. Holy Patriarch, model of the holiest faith, and of the most perfect virtues, obtain for all the members of this family grace to withstand the dangers and seductions of the world, and to remain stedfastly attached to the LORD. Obtain for us that, always united by the bonds of the most tender charity, and encouraging one another mutually in good works, we may taste under thy auspices the sweetness of that peace which JESUS has promised to His true disciples. But above all, when our last hour shall come, obtain for us that we may find grace before the Sovereign Judge, so that, reunited in heaven at the foot of Thy Throne, we may celebrate everlastingly the glory of GOD and thy praise. Amen.

St. Vincent Ferrer -- Sermon on the Last Judgment: In the same way, in the time of Antichrist, the Sun of justice will be obscured by the interposition of temporal goods and the wealth which Antichrist will bestow on the world, inasmuch as the brightness of faith in Jesus Christ and the glow of good lives will no longer shine among Christians. For, lest they should lose their dominion, temporal rulers, kings and princes will range themselves on the side of Antichrist. In like manner, prelates for fear of losing their dignities, and religious and priests to gain honors and riches, will forsake the Faith of Christ and adhere to Antichrist.

Neither living nor lifeless faith remains in a heretic who disbelieves one article of faith. The reason of this is that the species of every habit depends on the formal aspect of the object, without which the species of the habit cannot remain. Now the formal object of faith is the First Truth, as manifested in Holy Writ and the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth. Consequently whoever does not adhere, as to an infallible and Divine rule, to the teaching of the Church, which proceeds from the First Truth manifested in Holy Writ, has not the habit of faith, but holds that which is of faith otherwise than by faith. Even so, it is evident that a man whose mind holds a conclusion without knowing how it is proved, has not scientific knowledge, but merely an opinion about it. Now it is manifest that he who adheres to the teaching of the Church, as to an infallible rule, assents to whatever the Church teaches; otherwise, if, of the things taught by the Church, he holds what he chooses to hold, and rejects what he chooses to reject, he no longer adheres to the teaching of the Church as to an infallible rule, but to his own will. Hence it is evident that a heretic who obstinately disbelieves one article of faith, is not prepared to follow the teaching of the Church in all things; but if he is not obstinate, he is no longer in heresy but only in error. Therefore it is clear that such a heretic with regard to one article has no faith in the other articles, but only a kind of opinion in accordance with his own will. (Saint Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 5, a. 3)

Thursday, April 9, 2020