FRIDAY MORNING.

HAIL, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory, be to Thee, O Christ, who, given up to the will of Thy persecutors, didst suffer exceeding torments when they took off the purple robe which stuck to Thy wounds, and put on Thee Thine own garments. Grant that after I have put off the clothing of this body, I may be clad with the robe of perfect charity, and that I may appear adorned with Thy merits, and may, through Thy mercy, be introduced as an adopted Son into the heavenly inheritance.

Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory, be to Thee, O Christ, who, in the midst of reproaches and injuries, didst bear Thy cross with excessive pain on Thy sacred and lacerated shoulders, and wearied and panting for breath didst toil exceedingly under its heavy weight. Give me grace to take hold of the cross of self-denial with ardent devotion, and to imitate, with the most fervent charity, the example of Thy virtues, and to follow Thee in all humility even unto death.

Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory, be to Thee, O Christ, who, led 62out of the city with two thieves, didst not refuse to be pressed on and thrust, and hastened, and to be afflicted in many other ways. Draw me after Thee, and O may I quickly follow Thee! Grant that for Thy sake I may entirely deny, forsake, and go out of myself. Give me grace to think of Thee alone, and to find no joy save in Thee, my afflicted Redeemer. Grant that I may love Thee alone, may return love for love, may earnestly seek after Thee, and live to Thee alone.

Hail, sweet Jesus! praise, and honour, and glory, be to Thee, O Christ, who, bowed down with the weight of Thy cross, didst at length reach the place of punishment, where, quite exhausted, they offered Thee wine mingled with gall. O mayest Thou extinguish in me all gluttonous and carnal desires, and give me grace never to consent to any impure. or unlawful pleasure: but may I take my food in moderation to the glory of Thy name, and may hunger and thirst after Thee alone, and find no pleasure or gladness save in Thee.

Hail, sweet Jesus! praise, and honour, and glory, be to Thee, O Christ, who wert stripped before the gaze of the people on 53Mount Calvary, and the soreness of Thy wounds being increased by the pulling off of Thy garments, Thou didst not refuse to undergo for my sake most dreadful pain. Grant me to love the spirit of poverty, and never to be disturbed by want or scarcity. Give me grace to bear patiently any straits or troubles in this life for the glory of Thy name. Strip my heart of every vain fancy And affection, and give me a holy intention, and pious desires,. and renew within me daily a most pure love for Thyself.

Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, and honour, and glory, be to Thee, O Christ, who didst vouchsafe to be extended naked upon the wood of the cross, and the joints of Thy most holy limbs being wrenched asunder, wert most cruelly nailed and fastened thereunto. And thus, for my sake, Thou didst suffer Thy most delicate hands and Thine undefiled feet to be most deeply wounded. Grant me, O Lord, to remember with a faithful and grateful heart, this Thine unspeakable charity, when Thou didst of Thine own accord stretch forth Thy hands to be bored and Thy feet to be pierced through and through. O Lord, enlarge and extend my heart by a perfect love of Thee: 54pierce it, and fix it to Thyself with the nail of Thy sweetest love, and shut up within Thyself alone all my senses, all my thoughts and affections. Amen.