St. Faustian's Prayer to be Merciful

O Most Holy Trinity! As many times as I breathe, as many times as my heart beats, as many times as my blood pulsates through my body, so many thousand times do I want to glorify your mercy. I want to be completely transformed into your mercy and to be Your living reflection O Lord. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of your unfathomable mercy pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor. Help me O Lord that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors souls and come to their rescue. Help me O Lord that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings. Help me O Lord that my tongue may be merciful so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all. Help me O Lord that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon my self the more difficult and toilsome tasks. Help me O Lord that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor. Help me O Lord that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May your mercy O Lord rest upon me. You yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy. The first; the act of mercy of whatever kind. The second; the word of mercy – if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words. The third; prayer – if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer. My prayer reaches out even there where I cannot reach out physically. O my Jesus, transform me into yourself, for you can do all things.

The Good Friday Reproaches

As we are commemorating our Lord's Passion, one thing we might do as a family is pray the Reproaches. These are the liturgical text the Church asks to be prayed during the veneration of the Cross, and perhaps even more powerful this year as we experience a pandemic that the Lord might be using to bring deeper conversion.

 

The Reproaches (Improperia) 

Antiphon 1 and 2:
We worship you, Lord,
we venerate your cross,
we praise your resurrection.
1: Through the cross
you brought joy to the world. 

1: (Psalm 66:2)
May God be gracious and bless us;
and let his face shed its light upon us. 

Repeat Antiphon by 1 and 2: 

The Reproaches: 

I. 

1 and 2: My people, what have I done to you
How have I offended you? Answer me! 

1: I led you out of Egypt,
from slavery to freedom,
but you led your Savior to the cross. 

2: My people, what have I done to you?
How have I offended you? Answer me! 

1: Holy is God! 
2: Holy and strong! 
1: Holy immortal One, have mercy on us! 

1 and 2: For forty years I led you
safely through the desert.
I fed you with manna from heaven,
and brought you to a land of plenty; but you led your Savior to the cross. 

Repeat "Holy is God..." 

1 and 2: What more could I have done for you.
I planted you as my fairest vine,
but you yielded only bitterness:
when I was thirsty you gave me vinegar to drink,
and you pierced your Savior with a lance. 

Repeat "Holy is God..." 

II. 

1: For your sake I scourged your captors
and their firstborn sons,
but you brought your scourges down on me. 

(Repeated throughout by Choir 2)
2: My people, what have I done to you?
How have I offended you? Answer me! 

1: I led you from slavery to freedom
and drowned your captors in the sea,
but you handed me over to your high priests.
2: "My people...." 

1: I opened the sea before you,
but you opened my side with a spear.
2: "My people...." 

1: I led you on your way in a pillar of cloud,
but you led me to Pilate's court.
2: "My people...." 

1: I bore you up with manna in the desert,
but you struck me down and scourged me.
2: "My people...." 

1: I gave you saving water from the rock,
but you gave me gall and vinegar to drink.
2: "My people...." 

1: For you I struck down the kings of Canaan.
but you struck my head with a reed.
2: "My people...." 

1: I gave you a royal scepter,
but you gave me a crown of thorns.
2: "My people...." 

1: I raised you to the height of majesty,
but you have raised me high on a cross.
2: "My people...."

Hymn for Good Friday

Faithful Cross the Saints rely on,
Noble tree beyond compare!Never was there such a scion,Never leaf or flower so rare.Sweet the timber, sweet the iron,Sweet the burden that they bear!

Cantors:Sing, my tongue, in exultationOf our banner and device!Make a solemn proclamationOf a triumph and its price:How the Savior of creationConquered by his sacrifice!
All:Faithful Cross the Saints rely on,Noble tree beyond compare!Never was there such a scion,Never leaf or flower so rare.

Cantors:For, when Adam first offended,Eating that forbidden fruit,Not all hopes of glory endedWith the serpent at the root:Broken nature would be mendedBy a second tree and shoot.
All:Sweet the timber, sweet the iron,Sweet the burden that they bear!

Cantors:Thus the tempter was outwittedBy a wisdom deeper still:Remedy and ailment fitted,Means to cure and means to kill;That the world might be acquitted,Christ would do his Father’s will.
All:Faithful Cross the Saints rely on,Noble tree beyond compare!Never was there such a scion,Never leaf or flower so rare.

Cantors:So the Father, out of pityFor our self-inflicted doom,Sent him from the heavenly cityWhen the holy time had come:He, the Son and the Almighty,Took our flesh in Mary’s womb.
All:Sweet the timber, sweet the iron,Sweet the burden that they bear!

Cantors:Hear a tiny baby crying,Founder of the seas and strands;See his virgin Mother tyingCloth around his feet and hands;Find him in a manger lyingTightly wrapped in swaddling-bands!
All:Faithful Cross the Saints rely on,Noble tree beyond compare!Never was there such a scion,Never leaf or flower so rare.

Cantors:So he came, the long-expected,Not in glory, not to reign;Only born to be rejected,Choosing hunger, toil and pain,Till the scaffold was erectedAnd the Paschal Lamb was slain.
All:Sweet the timber, sweet the iron,Sweet the burden that they bear!

Cantors:No disgrace was too abhorrent:Nailed and mocked and parched he died;Blood and water, double warrant,Issue from his wounded side,Washing in a mighty torrentEarth and stars and oceantide.
All:Faithful Cross the Saints rely on,Noble tree beyond compare!Never was there such a scion,Never leaf or flower so rare.

Cantors:Lofty timber, smooth your roughness,Flex your boughs for blossoming;Let your fibers lose their toughness,Gently let your tendrils cling;Lay aside your native gruffness,Clasp the body of your King!
All:Sweet the timber, sweet the iron,Sweet the burden that they bear!

Cantors:Noblest tree of all created,Richly jeweled and embossed:Post by Lamb’s blood consecrated;Spar that saves the tempest-tossed;Scaffold-beam which, elevated,Carries what the world has cost!
All:Faithful Cross the Saints rely on,Noble tree beyond compare!Never was there such a scion,Never leaf or flower so rare.

All:Wisdom, power, and adorationTo the blessed TrinityFor redemption and salvationThrough the Paschal Mystery,Now, in every generation,And for all eternity. Amen.