Prayer to the shoulder wound of Jesus (St. Bernard?)

Prayer to the shoulder wound of Jesus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  

   This Roman Catholic prayer is variously attributed to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux^[1] or to St. Gertrude or St. Mechtilde. ^[2]

Fifth Station, Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus to Carry the Cross
by Fr. Gabriel, Nunraw Abbey

In English:

'"O Loving Jesus, Meek Lamb of God, I, a miserable sinner, salute and worship the most Sacred Wound of Thy Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross, which so tore Thy Flesh and laid bare Thy Bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound of Thy Most Blessed Body. I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise and glorify Thee and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and painful Wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain and by the crushing burden of Thy heavy Cross, to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and venial sins and to lead me on towards Heaven along the Way of Thy Cross. Amen."

According to St. Bernard, he asked Jesus which was His greatest unrecorded suffering and the wound that inflicted the most pain on Him in Calvary and Jesus answered:

"I had on My Shoulder, while I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a grievous Wound which was more painful than the others and which is not recorded by men. Honor this Wound with thy devotion and I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost ask through its virtue and merit and in regard to all those who shall venerate this Wound, I will remit to them all their venial sins and will no longer remember their mortal sins."^[3]

The modern version of the prayer bears the imprimatur of Bishop Thomas D. Bevan ^[4].

[edit] The Prayer in Latin

O Iesu amantissime, Agne Dei mansuetissime, ego miser peccator saluto et veneror sacratissimum vulnus, quod in humero tuo, dum gravem crucis tuae trabem portares, persensisti : ob quod singularem dolorem et cruciatum in benedicto corpore tuo sustinuisti. Adoro te, Iesu afflictissime, et ex intimo corde laudo, benedico et glorifico te gratiasque ago pro hoc sacratissimo poenosissimoque vulnere humeri tui, humiliter deprecans, ut ob nimium illum dolorem, quem illud tibi inflixit, et propter grave onus crucis tuae, quod te tam dire afflixit, miserearis mihi peccatori, peccata mea venialia et mortalia remittas meque per viam crucis tuae ad caelum deducas. Amen.

[edit] References

1. ^ Catholic Online - Prayers
2. ^ Preces Gertrudianae sive vera et sincera medulla precum potissimum ex revelationibus BB. Gertrudis et Mechtildis excerptarum. Editio nova, accurate recognita et emendata a monacho ordinis S. Benedicti Congregationis Beuronensis, 1903
3. ^ Catholic Tradition http://www.catholictradition.org/Children/st-bernard.htm
4. ^ Prayer to the Shoulder Wound of Jesus http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=31

[edit] See also

Brother Aidan Hunt OCSO first anniversaryBr. Aidan

 Friday of the Fifth week of Lent Jn 10:34 

 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Fr. Raymond ...
To: Donald Nunraw
Sent: Friday, 30 March 2012, 10:52
Subject: All of you are Gods

“All of you are Gods”

When Jesus answered those who did not believe his claim to be Son of God, he reminded them that the psalms spoke of even themselves being called “gods”, so how could they object to his calling himself the “Son of God”.

He says:

“Be tactful with those who are not Christians and be sure to make the best use of your time with them.  Talk to them agreeably and with a flavour of wit and try to fit your answers to the needs of each one.”

These instructions could be summed up as:  Tact, Opportuneness , Courtesy and Wit. In answering them thus Jesus was giving us a perfect example the way in which St Paul teaches us to speak to unbelievers. 

+ + + 

 

 On this day the INTERCSSIONS included 

the First Anniverary of
Brother  Aidan OCSO.

Brother Aidan OCSO 1934 d. 30 March 2011

Annunciation Pope in Mexico

 

Sunday, March 25, 2012The ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD (transferred) -
The Pope Leaves Mexico, Heads for Cuba

Dear brothers and sisters, do not forget that true devotion to the Virgin Mary always takes us to Jesus, and “consists neither in sterile nor transitory feelings, nor in an empty credulity, but proceeds from true faith, by which we are led to recognize the excellence of the Mother of God, and we are moved to filial love towards our Mother and to the imitation of her virtues” (Lumen Gentium, 67). To love her means being committed to listening to her Son, to venerate the Guadalupana means living in accordance with the words of the blessed fruit of her womb.

At this time, when so many families are separated or forced to emigrate, when so many are suffering due to poverty, corruption, domestic violence, drug trafficking, the crisis of values and increased crime, we come to Mary in search of consolation, strength and hope. She is the Mother of the true God, who invites us to stay with faith and charity beneath her mantle, so as to overcome in this way all evil and to establish a more just and fraternal society.

With these sentiments, I place once again this country, all of Latin America and the Caribbean before the gentle gaze of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I entrust all their sons and daughters to the Star of both the original and the new evangelization; she has inspired with her maternal love their Christian history, has given particular expression to their national achievements, to their communal and social initiatives, to family life, to personal devotion and to the Continental Mission which is now taking place across these noble lands. In times of trial and sorrow she was invoked by many martyrs who, in crying out “Long live Christ the King and Mary of Guadalupe” bore unyielding witness of fidelity to the Gospel and devotion to the Church.

I now ask that her presence in this nation may continue to serve as a summons to defence and respect for human life. May it promote fraternity, setting aside futile acts of revenge and banishing all divisive hatred. May Holy Mary of Guadalupe bless us and obtain for us the abundant graces that, through her intercession, we request from heaven.

Benedict XVI, Angelus Message, Mexico, 25-03-2012

 

 * * * * * *

Lent healed and inspired Atlas Martyrs

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Gospel, John 12;20-33.

Jesus foretells his passion and explains its sacrifice.

HOMILY by the Redemptorist The Living Word illustrates the Gospel, Jn 12;20-33, by the testimony of the Monks of Tibhirine, Algeria 1996.

“Just as the French monks in the film demonstrate the best of radical discipleship, interfaith peacemaking and universal love, we too are called to serve God and the world. In particular we are called to find our common humanity amidst all that divides people today. Jesus will help us in this, and there will be times when his presence breaks in upon us and becomes so real that we will feel like one of the disciples sitting in his actual presence.”

"lt anyone serves me, my Father will honour him."

Illustration

An award-winning 2010 French film, Of Gods and Men, tells the story of seven French Trappist monks based at a monastery in Algeria. They were kidnapped and beheaded in spring 1996 after being caught up in a bloody conflict between the Algerian government and an extremist Islamic group. The Trappists saw the danger they were in but opted to remain in their monastery. They wanted to continue to serve the local people who were also suffering from the conflict.

They lived simply, praying their liturgies, sharing manual labour, selling honey at the local market, and serving their Muslim neighbours. The monastery was known as a safe place of friendship between Muslims and Christians. Despite warnings for foreigners to leave, the monks maintained their daily witness to peace, offering employment in the monastery gardens and medical care. As the film unfolds, we join their prayer, discussion and discernment. We witness their brave decision to remain with the people and suffer their fate. A "last supper" brings them all together, during which - sipping a glass of wine that already represents their sacrifice - each face reflects the fear of what awaits them, and the serenity of the choice they've made.

After their deaths we learn of an open letter written by the prior, Brother Christian, in which he thanks God for his life and pardons his killers.

Gospel Teaching

Today's Gospel marks a turning point in the life of Jesus. He acknowledges this himself with the words, "Now the hour has come." It is as if everything in his life has been building up to this moment. Some biblical scholars take the view that the visit of the Greeks asking to be introduced to Jesus is a watershed in the Gospel story. At that time, Greeks were considered with suspicion by most Jews, but here are Greeks recognising that Jesus is somebody they should meet. The disciples don't know what to do about the visit, but when they finally decide to tell Jesus he reacts positively. It is as if everything is falling into place, and he and God will at last be glorified.

Another way to put this is that the new covenant that Jeremiah talks about in the first reading - probably from a prison cell - is being realised. God will pursue sinners and people can have a direct relationship with God. Jesus says that the lives he and the disciples have lived and loved up to now will have to be left behind to begin the new life ahead. This new development will bring pain and suffering, but it is necessary, not only for Jesus but for his followers as well. At the end of today's Gospel Jesus says that when he is lifted up from the earth, he will draw all people to himself. With these words Jesus reveals a great truth - that we all belong together, and the basis of our togetherness is that we are all equally loved by God.

Application

To believe and live out that truth of God's love is simultaneously our greatest joy and our greatest difficulty. Christians are not protected from pain and sacrifice. Just as the French monks in the film demonstrate the best of radical discipleship, interfaith peacemaking and universal love, we too are called to serve God and the world. In particular we are called to find our common humanity amidst all that divides people today. Jesus will help us in this, and there will be times when his presence breaks in upon us and becomes so real that we will feel like one of the disciples sitting in his actual presence.

Lent is the season of the year when many Christians give up something as an outward expression of an inward transformation. To give up something is to relinquish it, to lose it, to renounce it. Today Jesus hints at the ultimate loss anyone might experience, to give up life as one might normally live it. There are also losses that are thrust upon us that are totally involuntary, like the death of a loved one, sickness, or getting fired from a job. In giving up, letting go and dying to some things, says Jesus, we can position ourselves to live life all the more fully.

Lent is about changing whatever it is that is blocking the fullness of life in us right now. Lent urges us to wake up out of our apathy and complacency and choose a path that gives us life and brings life to others.