The Secret of Happiness

by Bridget of Sweden

The
Secret of Happiness

THE FIFTEEN PRAYERS

Revealed by

OUR LORD TO ST. BRIDGET

in the

CHURCH OF ST. PAUL AT ROME

Whoever performs these exercises every day, will have recited in one year as many prayers, together with 15 Paters and Aves, as OUR LORD received blows during His Sorrowful Passion.

THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS

The Fifteen Prayers

revealed by

OUR LORD TO SAINT BRIDGET

in the Church of Saint Paul at Rome

APPROBATION

These prayers and the promises made for their recital, were copied from a book printed in Toulouse in 1740 and published by Father Adrien Parvilliers of the Society of Jesus, Missionary Apostolic of the Holy Land with the approbation, permission and the recommendation to spread the devotion.

At the time of St. Bridget in the XIV century, printing had not been invented but recourse was had to copyists. Pope Urban VI encouraged the multiplication of the number of copies of the revelations of St. Bridget, which Kings, Bishops, Universities, Convents, and Libraries were clamoring for.

PROMISES

As St. Bridget had been desirous for a long time to know the number of blows Our Lord received during His Passion, He one day appeared to her and said, "I received 5,480 blows in my Body. If you wish to honor them in some way, say 15 Our Fathers and 15 Hail Marys with the following prayers (which He taught her) for a whole year. When the year is up, you will have honored each one of my wounds."

He further made the following promises to anyone who recited these prayers for a whole year:

1. I will deliver 15 souls of his lineage from Purgatory.
2. 15 souls of his lineage will be confirmed and preserved in grace.
3. 15 sinners of his lineage will be converted.
4. Whoever recites these prayers will obtain the first degree of perfection.
5. 15 days before his death I will give him my Precious Body in order that he may escape eternal starvation; I will give him my Precious Blood to drink lest he thirst eternally.
6. 15 days before his death he will conceive a deep contrition for all his sins and a perfect knowledge of them.
7. I will place before him my victorious cross for his help and defense against the attacks of his enemies.
8. Before his death I will come with my dearest and beloved Mother.
9. I will graciously receive his soul, and will lead it into eternal joys.
10. And having led it there, I will give him a special draught from the fountain of my Deity, something I will not do for those who have not recited my Prayers.
11. Let it be known that whoever may have been living in a state of mortal sin for 30 years, but who will recite devoutly, or have the intention to recite these Prayers, the Lord will forgive him all his sins.
12. I will defend him against evil temptations.
13. I will preserve and guard his five senses.
14. I will preserve him from a sudden death.
15. His soul will be delivered from eternal death.
16. He will obtain all he asks for from God and the Blessed Virgin.
17. If he has lived all his life doing his own will and he is to die the next day, his life will be prolonged.
18. Every time one recites these Prayers, he will gain 100 days indulgence.
19. He will be assured of being joined to the supreme Choir of Angels.
20. Whoever teaches these Prayers to another, will have continual joy and merit which will last throughout eternity.
21. There where these Prayers are being said or may be said in the future, God will be present there by His grace.

All these privileges were promised to St. Bridget by a picture of Our Lord Jesus Christ crucified, on condition that she say them every day; they are promised also to all those who say them devoutly every day for the space of one year.

FIRST PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus Christ! Eternal sweetness to those who love Thee, joy surpassing all joy and all desire, salvation and hope of all sinners, Thou Who hast proved that Thou hast no greater desire than to be amongst men even to assuming human nature during the course of time for love of men, recall all the sufferings that Thou hast endured from the first moment of Thy conception, and especially during Thy Passion, as it was decreed and ordained from all eternity in the Divine plan.

Remember, O Lord, that during the Last Supper with Thy disciples, having washed their feet, Thou gavest them Thy Precious Body and Blood, and while at the same time Thou didst sweetly console them, Thou didst foretell to them Thy coming Passion.

Remember the sadness and bitterness which Thou didst experience in Thy soul as Thou prayed: "MY SOUL IS SORROWFUL EVEN UNTO DEATH."

Remember all the fear, anguish and pain that Thou didst suffer in Thy delicate Body before the crucifixion, when, after having prayed three separate times, bathed in a sweat of blood, Thou wast betrayed by Judas, Thy disciple, arrested by the people of a nation Thou hadst chosen and elevated, accused by false witnesses, unjustly judged by three judges, all this in the flower of Thy youth and during the solemn Paschal season.

Remember that Thou wast despoiled of Thy garments and clothed with the garments of derision; that Thy face and eyes were veiled, that Thou wast buffeted, crowned with thorns, a scepter placed in Thy hands, that Thou wast fastened to a column and crushed with blows and overwhelmed with affronts and outrages.

In memory of all these pains and sufferings which Thou didst endure before Thy Passion on the cross, grant that before I die, I may make with true contrition, a sincere and entire confession, make worthy satisfaction and be granted the remission of all my sins. Amen.

SECOND PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! true liberty of the angels, Paradise of delights, remember the horror and sadness which Thou didst endure when Thy enemies, like furious lions, surrounded Thee, and by thousands of blows, insults, lacerations and other unheard-of cruelties, tormented Thee at will.

Through these torments and insulting words, I beg of Thee, O my Savior, to deliver me from all enemies, both visible and invisible, and under Thy protection, may I attain the perfection of eternal salvation. Amen.

THIRD PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! Creater of Heaven and Earth, whom nothing can encompass nor limit, Thou Who dost enfold and hold all under Thy loving power, remember the very bitter pain which Thou didst suffer when the Jews nailed Thy sacred hands and feet to the cross by blow after blow with blunt nails, and, not finding Thee in a pitiable enough state to satisfy their rage, they enlarged Thy wounds, and added pain to pain, and with indescribable cruelty stretched Thy Body on the cross, and dislocated Thy bones by pulling them on all sides.

I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of this most holy and most loving suffering of the cross, to grant to me the grace to fear Thee and to love Thee. Amen.

FOURTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! Heavenly physician, raised aloft on the cross in order that through Thy wounds ours might be healed, remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy members which were distended to such a degree that never was there pain like unto Thine. From the crown of Thy head to the soles of Thy feet there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not in torment, and yet, forgetting all Thy sufferings, Thou didst not cease to pray to Thy heavenly Father for Thy enemies, saying: "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO".

Through this great mercy, and in memory of this suffering, grant that the remembrance of Thy most bitter Passion may effect in us a perfect contrition and the remission of all our sins. Amen.

FIFTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! mirror of eternal splendor, remember the sadness which Thou experienced, when, contemplating in the light of Thy Divinity the predestination of those who would be saved by the merits of Thy Sacred Passion, Thou didst see at the same time the great multitude of reprobates who would be damned for their sins, and Thou didst complain bitterly of those hopeless, lost and unfortunate sinners.

Through this abyss of compassion and pity, and especially through the goodness which Thou displayed to the good thief when Thou saidst to him: "THIS DAY THOU SHALT BE WITH ME IN PARADISE". I beg of Thee, O sweet Jesus, that at the hour of my death, Thou wilt show mercy to me. Amen.

SIXTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! King most loving and most desirable, remember the grief which Thou didst suffer, when naked and like a common criminal, Thou wast raised and fastened to the cross, when all Thy relatives and friends abandoned Thee, except beloved Mother who remained close to Thee during Thy agony and whom Thou didst entrust to Thy faithful disciple, when Thou saidst to Mary: "WOMAN BEHOLD THY SON!" and to St. John: "BEHOLD THY MOTHER!"

I beg of Thee, O my Savior, by the sword of sorrow which pierced the soul of Thy holy Mother, to have compassion on me and all my afflictions and tribulations, both corporal and spiritual, and to assist me in all my trials, and especially at the hour of my death. Amen.

SEVENTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! inexhaustible Fountain of compassion, Who by a profound gesture of love, said from the cross: "I THIRST!" suffered from the thirst for the salvation of the human race. I beg of Thee, O my Savior, to inflame in our hearts the desire to tend toward perfection in all our acts; and to extinguish in us the concupiscence of the flesh and the ardor of worldly desires. Amen.

EIGHTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit, by the bitterness of the gall and vinegar which Thou didst taste on the cross for love of us, grant us the grace to receive worthily Thy Precious Body and Blood during our life and at the hour of our death, that it may serve us as a remedy of consolation for our souls. Amen.

NINTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! Royal Virtue, joy of the mind, recall the pain that Thou didst endure when, plunged in the ocean of bitterness as the approach of death, insulted, outraged by the Jews, Thou didst cry out in a loud voice that Thou wast abandoned by Thy Father, saying: "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?"

Through this anguish, I beg of Thee, O my Savior, not to abandon me in the terrors and pains of my death. Amen.

TENTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! Who art the beginning and end of all things, life and virtue, remember that for our sakes Thou wast plunged in an abyss of suffering from the soles of Thy feet to the crown of Thy head. In consideration of the enormity of Thy wounds, teach me to keep, through pure love, Thy commandments, whose way is wide and easy for those who love. Amen.

ELEVENTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! deep abyss of mercy, I beg of Thee, in memory of Thy wounds which penetrated to the very marrow of Thy bones and to the depth of Thy being, to draw me, a miserable sinner, overwhelmed by my offenses, away from sin and to hide me from Thy face justly irritated against me, hide me in Thy wounds, until Thy anger and indignation have passed away. Amen.

TWELFTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! Mirror of truth, symbol of unity, link of charity, remember the multitude of wounds with which Thou wast afflicted from head to foot, torn and reddened by the spilling of Thy adorable Blood. O great and universal pain, which Thou didst suffer in Thy virginal flesh for love of us! Sweetest Jesus! what is there Thou couldst have done for us which Thou hast not done?

May the fruit of Thy sufferings be renewed in my soul by the faithful remembrance of Thy Passion, and may Thy love increase in my heart each day, until I see Thee in eternity, Thou Who art the treasure of every real good and every joy, which I beg Thee to grant me, O sweetest Jesus, in heaven. Amen.

THIRTEENTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! Strong Lion, Immortal and Invincible King, remember the pain which Thou didst endure when all Thy strength, both moral and physical, was entirely exhausted. Thou didst bow Thy head saying: "All is consummated!"

Through this anguish and grief, I beg of Thee, O Lord, to have mercy on me at the hour of my death, when my mind will be greatly troubled and my soul will be in anguish. Amen.

FOURTEENTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! only Son of the Father, Splendor and Figure of His substance, remember the simple and humble recommendation Thou didst make of Thy soul to Thy Eternal Father, saying: "Father, into Thy hands I commend my Spirit", and when Thy Body, all torn, and Thy Heart broken, and the bowels of Thy mercy open to redeem us, Thou didst expire. By this precious death, I beg Thee, O King of Saints, comfort me and give me help to resist the devil, the flesh and the world, so that, being dead to the world, I may live for Thee alone. I beg of Thee at the hour of my death, to receive me, a pilgrim and an exile returning to Thee. Amen.

FIFTEENTH PRAYER

Our Father — Hail Mary

O Jesus! True and faithful Vine! remember the abundant outpouring of Blood which Thou didst so generously shed, pressed down and running over as the grape crushed in the wine press.

From Thy side, pierced with a lance by a soldier, blood and water issued forth until there was not left in Thy Body a single drop, and finally, like a bundle of myrrh lifted to the very top of the cross, Thy delicate flesh was destroyed, the very substance of Thy Body withered, and the marrow of Thy bones dried up.

Through this bitter Passion and through the outpouring of Thy Precious Blood, I beg of Thee, O sweet Jesus, to pierce my heart, so that my tears of penitence and love may be my bread night and day. May I be converted entirely to Thee, may my heart be Thy perpetual resting place, may my conversation be pleasing to Thee, and may the end of my life be so praiseworthy that I may merit heaven and there, with Thy saints, praise Thee forever. Amen.

Jesus attached the most MAGNIFICENT PROMISES to the performance of these devotions in favor of those who carry on this Holy practice with faith and devotion.

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PATER

"Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lend us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen."

AVE

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen."

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Imprimatur: Sagli, die XXIV Apristis 1903 F. J. Girard, vic. gen.
Imprimatur: Niciae 23 Sept. 1940 V. Germond, vic. gen.

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