Steps of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by St. Alphonsus de Liguori

[Hildegard of Bingen]

Steps of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

A short devotion to the suffering of Our Saviour

(Taken from St. Alphonsus Prayer-Book, page 169-171)

O Most Sweet Jesus, Who while praying in the Garden, didst sweat blood, wast in agony, and didst suffer a sorrow so great as to suffice to cause Thee death, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, Who was betrayed by Judas with a kiss, and delivered over into the hands of Thine enemies, and then wast taken prisoner by them, and bound in chains and ropes, and abandoned by Thy disciples, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, declared by the council of the Jews guilty of death, and in the house of Caiphas was blindfolded with a piece of cloth, and then punched, buffeted, spat upon, and derided, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, led away as a malefactor, a criminal before Pilate, and then turned by Herod into ridicule, and treated as a madman, as a fool, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, stripped of Thy garments and bound to the pillar, and so cruelly scourged, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, crowned with thorns, covered with a red mantle, punched, buffeted and in mockery saluted as King of the Jews, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, rejected by the Jews, and placed after Barabbas, and then unjustly condemned by Pilate to die upon the cross, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, laden with the wood of the cross, and as an innocent lamb led away unto death, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, nailed upon the cross, placed between two thieves, ridiculed and blasphemed, and for three hours suffering in agony of the most horrible torments, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, dead upon the cross, in sight of Thy most holy Mother, transfixed in Thy side with the spear, from whence there issued forth blood and water, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, taken down from the cross, and place in the bosom of Thine afflicted Mother, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Most Sweet Jesus, Who, torn with stripes and stamped with Thy five wounds, wast laid in the sepulchre, have mercy on us.
R.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

V. Surely, He hath borne our infirmities.
R. And He hath carried our sorrows.

Let us Pray

O God, Who for the redemption of the world, didst will to be born, to be circumcised, rejected by the Jews, betrayed by the traitor Judas with a kiss, bound with cords, led as an innocent lamb to the sacrifice, and with so many insults taken before Annas, Caiphas, Pilate and Herod, accused by false witnesses, beaten with scourges and punches, overwhelmed with ignominies, spat upon, crowned with thorns, struck with the reed, blindfolded, stripped of Thy garments, fastened with nails to the cross, lifted up on the cross, numbered amongst thieves, with gall and vinegar given Thee to drink and wounded with the spear in Thy heart – do Thou, Lord, by these sacred pains which I unworthy venerate, and in by Thy holy cross and death, deliver me from  hell, and vouchsafe to conduct me whither Thou didst conduct the thief that was crucified with Thee:  Thou Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost forever and ever.  Amen. 

So do I hope, and so may it be.  Amen.