upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins and a most firm desire of amendment, whilst with deep affection and grief of soul I consider within myself and mentally contemplate Thy five most precious wounds; having before my eyes that which the prophet David said of Thee, O good Jesus: "They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones."
Novena for Easter. In Honor of the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord.
O JESUS, Who didst confound all Thine enemies by clothing in glory and splendor that body which had been the victim of the cruelty of man, give me grace to die to myself that I may rise again with Thee, and after Thy likeness lead a new, divine, immortal life : new, by change of conduct, divine by the generosity and purity of my love, immortal by perseverance in well doing. Work in my heart, O Lord, this happy change; make me pass from death to life, from darkness to light, from a life full of imperfections to a life perfect and worthy of Thee. Make me go on from light to light, from virtue to virtue, till I come at last to Thee, O God of virtue, source of all life, and of all light. To thee also I turn, O holy Virgin, who had the greatest share in the sufferings and the glory of thy divine Son; deign to make me a partaker of that divine joy which thou didst feel on the blessed day of His Resurrection. Dry my tears and free my heart from all oppressive sadness. Let Thy risen Son enter into my heart, as through the closed doors, into the upper chamber. Let Him say to me, as to the Apostles, "Peace be to thee;" let Him show to me, as to Thomas, His sacred wounds; let Him abide with me continually, and never more depart from me.
TO THE GLORIOUS WOUNDS OF JESUS RISEN.
I.MY risen Jesus, I devoutly kiss and adore the glorious wound of Thy left foot, and pray Thee to give me
