We beseech You Lord to assist and direct our actions by thy powerful grace, and all our prayers and works may always begin and end with You. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Preparatory Act of Contrition

JESUS, treasure of my soul, infinitely good, infinitely merciful, behold me prostrate at thy sacred feet! Sinner as I am, I fly to the arms of thy mercy, and implore that grace which melts and converts,--the grace of true compunction. I have offended You, adorable Jesus! I repent; let the favor of my love equal the baseness of my ingratitude. This Way of the Cross, grant me to offer devoutly in memory of that painful journey thou have traveled for our redemption, to the Cross of Calvary, with the holy design to reform my morals, amend my life, and gain these indulgences granted by thy vicars on earth. I apply one for my miserable soul, the rest in suffrage for the souls in purgatory, particularly N. N. [Here mention the souls for whom you intend to apply them.] I begin this devotion under thy sacred protection, and in imitation of thy dolorous Mother. Let then this holy exercise obtain for me mercy in this life, and glory in the next. Amen. Jesus!

Our Gracious Redeemer, after suffering blows and blasphemies before Annas and Caiphas, after the cruel scourging, insulting contempts and bloody crown of piercing thorns, is unjustly condemned to death. This iniquitous sentence your Jesus accepted with admirable humility. Innocence embraces condemnation to free the guilty.

Reflect that that your sins were the false witnesses that condemned Him; your stubborn impenitence the tyrant that extorted from Pilate the bloody sentence. Propose now seriously an amendment of life, and while you reflect on the horrid injustice of Pilate, who condemns innocence, lest he should not appear a friend of Caesar, arraign yourself for your many sins of human respect; think how often you have offended God for fear of displeasing the eye of the world, and turning to your loving Jesus, address Him rather with tears of the heart than with expressions of the tongue, in the following prayer.

Prayer

MANGLED VICTIM of my sins, O suffering Jesus ! I have deserved those bloody scourges, that cruel sentence of death; and yet You did die for me, that I should live for You. I am convinced that if I desire to please men, I cannot be Thy servant. Let me then displease the world and its vain admirers. I resign myself into Thy hands. Let love take possession of my heart; let my eyes behold with contempt everything that could alienate my affections from You; let my ears be ever attentive to thy word; let me through this painful journey accompany You, [pleading heart-felt] mercy. Mercy Jesus! Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, etc. .....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us!

You pious Christians who do now draw near,
With relenting hearts now lend a tear,
Your Lord behold with great humility,
Sentenced to die on Mount Calvary.