DEVOTIONS
FOR CONFESSION
BEFORE
CONFESSION
PRAYER
MOST merciful Father, behold me, Thy prodigal child, who sinned against
Thee by squandering away the spiritual goods with which Thou hadst
enriched me. Reject me not, but remember Thy mercy, and exercise it
towards my soul, unworthy as it is. Permit it not to perish before Thy
eyes after Thy sacred Heart has suffered so great pain to bring it to
life.
Grant, O Sacred Heart, that I know and avoid everything that might
offend Thee. Remove from me, I beseech Thee, everything that might be
an obstacle to Thy love; for I detest and abhor whatever prevents me
from loving and serving Thee perfectly.
(Examination of conscience.)
ACT OF CONTRITION
MOST sacred and adorable Heart of Jesus! humbly and with contrite heart
I prostrate myself before Thee, bitterly bewailing that I was remiss in
Thy love and have offended Thee by my ingratitude and unfaithfulness,
thereby becoming unworthy of the manifestations of Thy love. Filled
with confusion and fear, I can but say, "I have sinned against Thee, I
have sinned!"
Most amiable and Divine Heart, have mercy on me, though I do not
deserve mercy. Reject me not, but reveal, rather, I beseech Thee, the
excess of Thy mercy by granting me, a poor sinner, who appears before
Thee in the abyss of his nothingness and misery, pardon for my sins.
PRAYER FOR PARDON AND GRACE
O DIVINE REDEEMER! humbly prostrate at the foot of Thy Cross, I call
upon Thee to incline Thy Sacred Heart to pardon me.
Jesus, misjudged and despised-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, calumniated and persecuted-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, abandoned by men and tempted in the desert-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, betrayed and sold-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, insulted, accused, and unjustly condemned-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, clothed in a robe of ignominy and contempt-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, mocked and scoffed at-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, bound with cords and led through the streets-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, treated as a fool and classed with malefactors-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, cruelly scourged-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, held inferior to Barabbas-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, despoiled of Thy garments-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, crowned with thorns and reviled-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, bearing the Cross amid the maledictions of the people-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, bowed down by ignominies, pain, and humiliations-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, crucified between thieves-----have mercy on me!
Jesus, dying for my sins amid all kinds of suffering-----have mercy on me!
LET US PRAY!
SACRED HEART of Jesus, my Redeemer! exercise, I beseech Thee, Thy
office of mediator with me, and permit not that Thy sufferings and
cruel death be in vain for my salvation, but let them bring forth, for
Thy glory, fruits of salvation in me, that my heart may love, praise,
and glorify Thee for ever and ever. Amen.
IMMEDIATELY BEFORE CONFESSION
GRANT pardon, O Sacred Heart, grant pardon to this my sorrowful heart,
that places all its confidence and hope in Thee. Do Thou now take my
case in hand, and absolve me of my sins and of the punishment due to
them. Do Thou, my true Friend, defend me and satisfy the judgment
against me.
O Sacred Heart, be my refuge and help now and at the hour of my death.
AFTER CONFESSION
PRAYER
O HEART most mild! how thankful must I be to Thee for having borne with
my ingratitude so long! At an auspicious moment has my poor, inconstant
heart experienced Thy merciful pardon. O Sacred Heart of Jesus! I now
give and bequeath to Thee irrevocably, but filled with confusion for
having so long withheld from Thee Thine Own, my heart and my love. O
Sacred Heart! Thou didst deign to give me a proof of Thine infinite
love by giving me opportunity to serve Thee, but how little did I
improve it! What confusion for me! Amend my faithless heart, O Heart of
Jesus, and grant that henceforth it join its love to Thine, and draw
near to Thee in future as in the past it withdrew from Thee. And as
Thou hast given it its being, I fervently implore Thee to call it one
day to life everlasting. Amen.
(Now perform your penance, if possible. )
COMMENDATION TO THE SACRED HEART
O LORD, I elect Thy Sacred Heart my abiding-place. May it be my
strength in combat, my support in weakness, my light and guide in
darkness; may it supply for my defects and sanctify all my intentions
and actions. In union with Thine Own I offer them up that I may be
prepared to receive Thee.
Strengthen and support, O most sacred Heart, the purpose and desire of
loving and serving Thee with which Thou didst inspire me, and grant
that I perform all the good that according to Thy will I should.
Be Thou, O God, my strength; do Thou support and defend me, for I am
and intend to be forever Thine. |
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