St. Bridget of Sweden Bride of Christ
(1303-1373)
 |
| St. Bridget of Sweden |
A woman who
changed the world--A saint for our time
Christ
said to Bridget:
"Bridget, I am speaking not only to you but to all Christians.
You will be My bride...and it shall be through you that I will speak to the
world. My spirit will dwell in you until your death."
The Fifteen Prayers revealed by Our Lord to Saint Bridget of Sweden in the Church of St. Paul at Rome
Are
published under sanction of the Decree of November 18, 1966, published in the
Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Vol. 58, No.16 of December 29, 1966.
Prayers
Magnificent
Promises to Saint Bridget of Sweden Pope Benedict XV expressed himself as
follows on the approved by Pope Pius IX
Revelations
of St. Bridget: "The
approbation of such revelations implies nothing more than, after mature
examination, it is permissible to publish them for the unit of the faithful.
Though they don't merit the same credence as the truths of religion, one can,
however, believe them out of human faith, conforming to the rules of prudence
by which they are probable, and supported by sufficient motives that one might
believe in them piously. (Les Petits Bollandistes, tome XII)
The
14th of June 1303, at the moment Bridget was born, Benedict, the curate of
Rasbo, prayed for the happy deliverance of Ingeborde. Suddenly he found himself enveloped by a
luminous cloud out of which Our Lady appeared:
"
A child has been born at Birger; her voice will be heard by the entire
world."
Sagii,
die XXIV Aprilis 1903 Imprimatur
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.
Who hast proved that Thou hast no greater desire than to be among men, even
assuming human nature at the fullness of time for the love of men, recall all
the sufferings Thou hast endured from the instant 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 Most Precious Body
and Blood, and while at the same time Thou didst sweetly console them, Thou
didst foretell them Thy coming Passion.
Remember the sadness and bitterness which Thou didst experience
in Thy Soul as Thou Thyself bore witness saying: "My Soul is sorrowful even unto
death."
Remember all the fear, anguish and pain that Thou didst
suffer in Thy delicate Body before the torment of the Crucifion, when, after
having prayed three 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 during
the flower of Thy youth and during the solemn Paschal season.
Remember that Thou wast despoiled of Thy garments and
clothed in those of derision; that Thy Face and Eyes were veiled, that Thou
wast buffeted, crowned with thorns, a reed placed in Thy Hands. That Thou was
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 me before my death true
contrition, a sincere and entire confession, worthy satisfaction and the
remission of all my sins. Amen
Second Prayer
Our
Father -Hail Mary.
O Jesus! True liberty of 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 insults, spits, blows,
lacerations and other unheard-of-cruelties, tormented Thee at will. In
consideration of these torments and insulting words, I beseech Thee, O my
Saviour, to deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible, and to
bring me, under Thy protection, to the perfection of
eternal salvation. Amen.
Third Prayer
Our
Father -Hail Mary.
O Jesus! Creator of Heaven and earth Whom nothing can
encompass or limit, Thou Who dost enfold and hold all under Thy Loving power,
remember the very bitter pain Thou didst suffer when the Jews nailed Thy Sacred
Hands and Feet to the Cross by blow after blow with big 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, pulled Thee from all sides, thus dislocating Thy
Limbs.
I beg of Thee, O Jesus, by the memory of this most
Loving suffering of the Cross, to grant 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
to heal our wounds with Thine, 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 I 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
sadnesswhich 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 me mercy. Amen.
Sixth Prayer
Our
Father -Hail Mary.
O Jesus! Beloved and most desirable King, remember the
grief Thou didst suffer, when naked and like a common criminal, Thou was
fastened and raised on the Cross, when all Thy relatives and friends abandoned
Thee, except Thy 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: "Son, behold thy
Mother!"
I beg of Thee O my Saviour, by the sword of sorrow I which
pierced the soul of Thy holy Mother, to have compassion on me in all my
affliction 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
Saviour, 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 vinegar and gall 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 they may serve as a remedy
and consolation for our souls. Amen.
Ninth Prayer
Our
Father -Hail Mary.
O Jesus! Royal virtue, joy of the mind, recall the pain
Thou didst endure when, plunged in an ocean of bitterness at the approach of
death, insulted, outraged by the Jews, Thou didst cry out in a loud voice that
Thou was abandoned by Thy Father, saying: "My God, My God, why hast Thou
forsaken me?"
Through this anguish, I beg of Thee, O my Saviour, 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 was 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 Thee. 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, over-
whelmed 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 just indignation shall 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 was covered 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 that 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 treasury 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: "It is
consummated!" Through this anguish and grief, I beg of Thee Lord Jesus, 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 with 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 of Thee O King of Saints, comfort me and help me 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 fruitful Vine! Remember the abundant
outpouring of Blood which Thou didst so generously shed from Thy Sacred Body as
juice from grapes in a 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 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 receive my soul when I
am in my death agony. Amen.
Conclusion
O Sweet Jesus! Pierce my heart so that my tears of
penitence and love will be my bread day and night; may I be converted entirely
to Thee, may my heart be Thy perpetual habitation, 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment