If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but everyone for those of others. Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped at. Rather He emptied Himself, took the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men. He was known to be of human estate, and it was thus that He humbled Himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross! [ Ep. 2:1/8 ]
We adore You O Christ and we praise You – because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
O Jesus my Lord and my God – grant me to enter into Your pain and trustful surrender to the Holy Will of our Father.
O Divine and Tremendous Lover, O Priest and Redeemer, how my heart aches contemplating You in this stripping, taking upon Yourself every experience of every person when we are completely vulnerable, powerless, overpowered, used, abused, exposed, dispossessed, naked, cold, embarrassed, terrified, alone.
O Jesus my Lord and my God – grant me to enter into Your pain and trustful surrender to the Holy Will of our Father.
O Pure and Modest One, taking upon Yourself the opprobrium of sin. O Chaste One offering Yourself to derision for every time anyone of us has given of our body and emotion to another in the darkness of sin.
O Silent One, devoid of anger and violence taking upon Yourself all silent screams, all torture!
O Jesus my Lord and my God – grant me to enter into Your pain and trustful surrender to the Holy Will of our Father.
O All-forgiving One standing there vested for the Holy Sacrifice by being de-vested, Lamb prepared for the slaughter, completely faithful to the rubrics of sacrifice – for my sins of immodesty, authoritarianism, ritual casualness, slothful preparation for Holy Mass, lack of interior silence, tendency to anger, stirrings of violence, hesitancy to protect the unborn, holy marriage and the family for fear of being exposed and labeled as conservative or uncaring, through the merits of Your Holy Vulnerability – grant me purity of heart and courage.
O Jesus my Lord and my God – grant me to enter into Your pain and trustful surrender to the Holy Will of our Father.
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Priests – pray for me and my brother priests that we be chaste, poor, obedient, dispassionate, interiorly silent, courageous – indeed that we be converted anew each day.
But you, brothers, are not in darkness, for the day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober. Those who sleep go to sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is hope for salvation. For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, indeed as you do. [ 1 Thess. 5:4/11 ]