Monday, March 12, 2007

Image of Our Sorrowful Mother I


Prayer Before an Image of Mary Most Sorrowful
(By Ven. Martin von Cochem)
O Most loving Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ, thou who dost never reject nor despise anyone who turns to thee with a contrite heart, nor refuse to console the afflicted, behold, poor and sinful, I draw near to thy holy image with deep devotion, and beseech thee to obtain for me the grace to honor and love thee with all my strength.
O merciful Heart of Mary, let me obtain mercy from thee, as so many sinners already have obtained it; for what is thy heart, O Mary, but a heart of mercy? How is it possible, then, that grace could be refused to anyone who implores it from this seat of mercy?
Most tender and compassionate Mother, thou knowest how much an afflicted heart is in want of compassion, because the intensity of thy sufferings was so great that all mankind together would have been incapable of supporting it.
Oh, what unutterable bitterness filled thy soul when thou didst contemplate the disfigured form of thy beloved Son, when thou didst receive His mangled and lifeless body into thy virginal arms, and pressing it tenderly to thy maternal heart, didst embrace it countless times, didst bedew it with a stream of burning tears, and finally didst rest thine agonizing heart on the wounded brow of thy Jesus!
(Continued in next posting)

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