Prayer Before a Crucifix

Behold, O good and most sweet Jesus,I cast myself upon my knees in thy sight,and with the most fervent desire of my soulI pray and beseech theethat thou wouldst impress upon my heartlively sentiments of faith, hope and charity,with true repentance for my sinsand a firm purpose of amendment;whilst with deep affection and grief of soulI ponder within myselfand mentally contemplate thy five most precious wounds,having before my eyes that which David the prophetspoke in thine own person concerning thee, my Jesus:“They have dug my hands and feet:they have numbered all my bones.”Amen.

The quotation is from Psalm 21:17–18 in the Douay-Rheims (Psalm 22 in Hebrew numbering).

In Latin

En ego, o bone et dulcissime Iesu,ante conspectum tuum genibus me provolvo,ac maximo animi ardore te oro atque obtestor,ut meum in cor vividos fidei, spei et caritatis sensus,atque veram peccatorum meorum paenitentiam,eaque emendandi firmissimam voluntatem velis imprimere;dum magno animi affectu et doloretua quinque vulnera mecum ipse considero,ac mente contemplor,illud prae oculis habens,quod iam in ore ponebat tuo David Propheta de te, o bone Iesu:« Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos;dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea ».Amen.

Latin text: Enchiridion Indulgentiarum (1999).