Said on Tuesdays and Fridays throughout the year;
and daily from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday.
The Agony in the Garden
“His sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground. When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping from grief.” (Lk 22:44-45)
The Apostles fall asleep; Jesus sweats blood at the thought of His coming passion and death; angels come to comfort Him.
We pray that all priests who are suffering and on the way to Calvary may be comforted by God’s presence; those who have betrayed or denied the Faith through weakness may repent and return to the warmth of God’s love. We pray that all priests may live only to do our Father’s will,as Jesus always did.
The Scourging at the Pillar
“So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.” (Mk 15:15)
Jesus is cruelly scourged and beaten by the soldiers.
We pray for priests who are persecuted, physically or mentally abused; those who are imprisoned or prevented from offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass or receiving Holy Communion. We pray for those priests living under Communist oppression.
The Crowning with Thorns
“And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, and they came to him and said, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they struck him repeatedly.” (Jn 19:2-3)
Jesus is mocked as king and His precious Head is cruelly pierced by thorns.
We pray for priests who suffer for defending authentic Catholic doctrine. We pray that all Bishops will uphold the true teachings of the Catholic Church and resist temptations to compromise doctrine in the face of cultural and social pressures.
The Carrying of the Cross
“So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha.” (Jn 19:16-17)
Bruised, bleeding and exhausted Jesus is forced to drag Himself and His cross up the hill of Calvary.
We pray for all priests with heavy crosses; those who are weak, lonely, or have fallen from God’s grace in some way. We pray for the Holy Father, who perhaps has the heaviest of crosses: the widespread persecution and abandonment of the Church from within and without.
The Crucifixion
“Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit;’ and when he had said this he breathed his last.” (Lk 23:46)
Jesus sheds His last drops of Precious Blood to redeem us from sin and death.
We pray for all priests who are in their last agony and those who will die today. We pray for those who thirst for the salvation of souls. We pray that the crucifixion of their wills may accomplish God’s designs for the salvation of the whole world. We pray that priests may take Mary into their hearts, as St.John the Apostle, one of the first priests, took Mary into his home.