132. Prayer to Our Lord Scourged at the Pillar

100 Days, once a day. (See Instructions, p. 1.) Y divine Saviour, what didst Thou become, when for love of souls Thou didst allow thy- self to be bound to the column? Oh, how literally was then fulfilled the word of the prophet, that from head to foot Thou shouldst be all one wound, and such as not to be recognized for what Thou wast. What shame when they stripped Thee of thy clothes! What torment under the tempest of blows, multiplied without measure! What a pro- fusion of blood from thy streaming wounds! But it was neither the injustice of the Roman governor nor the cruelty of the soldiers that scourged Thee, but my sins.

O miserable plea- sures which have cost Thee such pains!

O hard- ness of heart, when, knowing Thee to be tor- mented for my sake, I have gone on offending Thee! From to-day, then, it shall be so no more. Bound to Thee with eternal bonds and fastened with Thee to the column, as long as my life endures, I will make satisfaction to thy offended justice. 132 Leo XIII, Card. Vic. May 15, 1886. II4 JESUS CRUCIFIED By the column to which Thou wast bound, by the scourges which furrowed thy innocent flesh, by the blood Thou didst shed in such abundance, have pity, O LoRp, have pity, on me in my deso- lation. Release me this day from the snares of the tempter and preserve me from them for ever; and at the end of this exile, receive me in heaven. Amen