February: Monthly Devotion

Septuagesima is now but nine days away, and so in the month of February, the Church turns our attention toward the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ - that we may begin to prepare our hearts for the holy season of Lent. 

In the Passion of Christ, the Christian finds the model of how they are to live their life - a life in perfect obedience to the Father, offering all things for the salvation of souls.  The Passion and Death of  Our Lord is the object of contemplation for every religious because, in the model of her Spouse, she finds her consecration's fulfillment: conformity to Jesus Crucified through Our Lady. 
 
Meditation upon Jesus' Passion provides limitless material for contemplation, and the Church gives us ample prayers and resources to use. Common practices are: the prayer before the crucifix (found in most missals), Stations of the Cross, scriptural rosary with meditations on the Sorrowful mysteries, books on the Passion, the Litany of the Passion (below), and a favorite of some of our sisters is "The Holy Hour" prayed weekly by St. Gemma Galgani (a young saint who was spent the majority of her life meditating on Our Lord's Passion and also received the stigmata)

During this time of preparation as Lent approaches, we invite you to prayerfully consider what Our Lord wishes for you to use so that He may draw you deeper into the mysteries of His passion and death. 
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The Litany of the Passion

Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.​
​
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us. 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, . . . 
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,
Jesus, the eternal Wisdom,
Jesus, conversing with men,
Jesus, hated by the world,
Jesus, sold for thirty pieces of silver,
Jesus, prostrate in prayer,
Jesus, strengthened by an angel,
​Jesus, agonizing in a bloody sweat,

Jesus, betrayed by Judas with a kiss,
Jesus, bound by the soldiers,
Jesus, forsaken by your disciples,
Jesus, before Annas and Caiaphas,
Jesus, struck by a servant on the face,
Jesus, accused by false witnesses,
Jesus, declared worthy of death,
Jesus, spit upon in the face,
Jesus, blindfolded,
Jesus, smitten on the cheek,
Jesus, thrice denied by Peter,
Jesus, delivered up to Pilate,
Jesus, despised and mocked by Herod,
Jesus, clothed in a white garment,
Jesus, rejected for Barabbas,
Jesus, torn by sources,
Jesus, bruised for our sins,
Jesus, regarded as a leper,
Jesus, covered with a purple robe,
Jesus, crowned with thorns,
Jesus, struck with a reed,
​Jesus, demanded for crucifixion,
Jesus, condemned to death,
Jesus, given up to your enemies,
Jesus, laden with the Cross,
Jesus, led as a lamb to the slaughter,
Jesus, stripped of your garments,
Jesus, fastened with nails to the Cross,
Jesus, wounded for our iniquities,
Jesus, praying for your murderers,
Jesus, reputed with the wicked,
Jesus, blasphemed on the Cross,
Jesus, reviled by the malefactor,
Jesus, giving Paradise to the thief,
Jesus, commending St John to your Mother as her son,
Jesus, forsaken by your Father,
Jesus, given fall and vinegar to drink,
Jesus, testifying that all things written concerning you were accomplished
Jesus, commending your spirit into the hands of your Father,
Jesus, obedient even unto death,
Jesus, pierced with a lance,
Jesus, made a propiation for us,
Jesus, taken down from the Cross,
Jesus, laid in a sepulcher,
Jesus, rising gloriously from the dead,
Jesus, ascending into heaven,
Jesus, our Advocate with the Father,
Jesus, sending down the Holy Spirit,
Jesus, exalting your Mother,
Jesus, who shall come to judge the living and the dead,

Be merciful, spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.
From all evil, deliver us, O Jesus.
From all sin, . . . 
From anger, hatred, and every evil will,
From war, famine, and pestilence,
From all dangers of mind and body,
From everlasting death,
Through your most pure conception,
Through your miraculous nativity,
Through your humble circumcision,
Through your baptism and fasting,
Through your labors and watchings,
Through your cruel scourging and crowning,
Through your thirst, and tears, and nakedness,
Through your precious death and Cross,
Through your glorious resurrection and ascension,
Through your sending forth the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,
​On the day of judgment, we sinners,
we beseech you, hear us.
That you would spare us,
That you would pardon us,
That you would bring us to true penance,
That you would pour into our hearts the grace of the Holy Spirit,
That you would defend and propagate your Church,
That you would preserve and increase all societies assembled in your holy Name,
That you would bestow upon us true peace, humility, and charity,
That you would give us perseverance in grace and in your holy service,
That you would deliver us from unclean thoughts, the temptations of the devil, and everlasting damnation,
That you would unite us to the company of your Saints,
That you would graciously hear us,

Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world; have mercy on us.
Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
​because by Your holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.