During a Holy Hour of Reparation
For 1 Fold, 1 Shepherd; For Reparation, for Sinners,
for Thanksgiving, and for a Just Peace
Pope Pius XI wrote, in his encyclical "Miserentissimus": "...that the necessity of Expiation or Reparation is especially urgent today must be evident to everyone who considers the present plight of the world.... The Sacred Heart of Jesus promised to St. Margaret Mary that He would reward abundantly with His graces all those who should render this honor to His Heart."
A "holy hour" may be made individually or in a group. They are held in a Catholic Church preferably where there is Eucharistic Adoration; but also may be held if the Blessed Sacrament is not exposed, but is still in the Tabernacle.
This is HIS HOUR
The Sacred Heart of Jesus began this devotion of the Holy Hour of Reparation, when He entered the Garden of Gethsemane on Mount Olivet. He said to His apostles: "My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Stay you here and watch with Me." Later, He said to them: "Could you not watch one hour with Me? Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation." (Matt. 26: 38, 40, 41)
As Jesus spoke to His apostles, so He pleads with us to stay and watch and pray with Him. His Sacred Heart is filled with sadness, because so many doubt Him, despise Him, insult Him, ridicule Him. In the Sacrament of Love, so many forget Him. Every mortal sin brings down the terrible scourges on His Sacred Body, presses the sharp thorns into His Sacred Head, and hammers the cruel nails into His Sacred Hands and Feet. The ingratitude of mankind continually pierces His Sacred Heart.
When Jesus saw the sins of the world and the reparation that must be made to His Heavenly Father, He began to fear and be sad and sorrowful. "Kneeling down, He prayed: 'Father, if Thou will, remove this chalice from Me. But not My will, Thine be done.' There appeared an angel from heaven to strengthen Him; and being in agony, He prayed the longer, and His sweat became as drops of blood trickling to the ground." (Luke 22: 41, 44)
The Sacred Heart of Jesus said to St. Margaret Mary: "Make reparation for the ingratitude of men. Spend an hour in prayer to appease divine justice, to implore mercy for sinners, to honor Me, to console Me for My bitter suffering when abandoned by My apostles, when they did not watch one hour with Me."
Prayers for the Holy Hour
Make the Sign of the Cross: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
(Here make your intentions for the Holy Hour)
Pray: O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!
Prayer to the Holy Spirit:
Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy spirit, and they shall be created, and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
O God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit, didst instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that in the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise, and ever rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in Thee!
Act of Contrition:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
O Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, have mercy on us!
Act of Spiritual Communion:
My Jesus, I believe that Thou art really present in the most Blessed Sacrament of the altar. I love Thee above everything else, and I long to receive Thee into my soul. I cannot now receive Thee in Holy Communion, but I beg Thee to come to me at least spiritually. I embrace Thee as already there, and unite myself entirely to Thee. Grant that I may never be separated from Thee!
I adore Thee every moment, O Living Bread from heaven, Great Sacrament!
Offering of the Holy Hour:
My Sweet Jesus, I desire to spend this hour with Thee, to console Thee, and to make some reparation by the love of my poor heart for the agony Thou didst suffer in Gethsemane. In that lone hour, Thou wast forsaken, and the creatures, whom Thou didst create to love Thee, loved Thee not. The weight of all our sins pressed on Thee, and mine as well; and for the sorrow which I caused Thee then by my sins, I will endeavor to repay Thee now by my love. Strengthen it, my Jesus, that it my in some small measure give Thee consolation.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, strengthened in Thine agony by an angel, comfort us in our agony.
Opening Prayer to the Blessed Sacrament:
My Lord Jesus Christ, it is Thy great love for men that keeps Thee day and night in this Sacrament, full of pity and love, expecting, inviting, and welcoming all who visit Thee. I believe that Thou art really present in the Sacrament of the Altar. From the depth of my nothingness, I adore Thee, and I thank Thee for the many graces Thou hast given me, especially for the gift of Thyself in this Sacrament, for the gift of Thy most holy Mother as my intercessor, and for the privilege of visiting Thee in this Church.
I now speak to Thy most loving Heart with a threefold intention: to thank Thee for the gift of Thyself, to atone for all the insults which Thy enemies heap upon Thee in this Sacrament, and to adore Thee wherever Thy Eucharistic Presence is dishonored or forgotten.
My Jesus, I love Thee with my whole heart. I am very sorry for my ingratitude to Thy infinite goodness. I now resolve with the help of Thy grace, never to offend Thee again. And, sinful as I am, I consecrate to Thee my entire self, my whole will, my affections, my desires, and all that I have. From now on, do with me and mine as Thou please. I ask for and desire only Thy love, final perseverance, and the grace to always do Thy holy will.
I intercede with Thee for the Souls in Purgatory, especially for those who were most devoted to the Blessed Sacrament, and to Thy most holy Mother. I recommend to Thee also, all poor sinners. And lastly, my dear Saviour, I unite all my desires with the desires of Thy most loving Heart. Thus united, I present them to Thy Eternal Father, and beg Him in Thy Name and for the love of Thee, to hear and answer them.
~~ St. Alphonsus deLiguori
Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make our heart like unto Thine.
Act of Faith:
O my God! I firmly believe all the sacred truths which Thy holy Catholic Church believes and teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
Act of Hope:
O my God! Relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain the pardon of my sins, the assistance of Thy grace, and life everlasting through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
Act of Love:
O my God! I love Thee above all things with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself, for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
Jesus, I live for Thee; Jesus, I die for Thee; Jesus, I am Thine in life and in death. Amen.
Act of Charity:
O good and merciful Saviour, it is the desire of my heart to return Thee love for love. My greatest sorrow is that Thou art not loved by all men, and, in particular, that my heart is so cold, so selfish, so ungrateful. Deeply sensible of my own weakness and poverty, I trust that Thy own grace will enable me to offer Thee an act of pure love. And I wish to offer Thee this act of love in reparation for the coldness and neglect that are shown to Thee in the Sacrament of Thy love by Thy creatures. O Jesus, my sovereign good, I love Thee, not for the sake of the reward which Thou hast promised to those who love Thee, but purely for Thyself. I love Thee above all things that can be loved, above all pleasures, and above myself and all that is not Thee, protesting in the presence of heaven and earth that I will live and die purely and simply in Thy holy love, and that if to love Thee thus I must endure persecution and suffering, I am perfectly satisfied, and I will ever say with St. Paul: "Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ."
O Jesus, Supreme Master of all hearts, I love Thee, I adore Thee, I praise Thee, I thank Thee, because I am now all Thine own. Rule over me and transform my soul into the likeness of Thyself so that it may bless and glorify Thee forever in the abode of the saints. Amen.
Sweet Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us and on our erring brethren.
Prayer to Christ the King:
O Christ Jesus, I acknowledge Thee King of the Universe. All that has been made has been created for Thee. Make full use of Thy rights over me. I renew the promises I made in Baptism, when I renounced Satan and all his pomps and works, and I promise to live a good Christian life; and especially I undertake to help, to the extent of my means, to secure the triumph of the rights of God and of Thy Church. Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer Thee my efforts to obtain that all hearts may acknowledge Thy Sacred Royalty, and that so the Kingdom of Thy peace may be established throughout the entire universe. Amen.
Jesus, King and Center of all hearts, through the advent of Thy kingdom, grant us peace.
Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus:
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mother's womb, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, united to the Word of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, King and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, keeper of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, where dwells the fullness of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in Whom the Father is well pleased, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in Whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, bruised for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, obedient unto death, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, pierced by a lance, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in You, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in You, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart,
R. Make our hearts like unto Yours.
Let us pray: Almighty and everlasting God, look upon the Heart of Your beloved Son and upon the praise and satisfaction which He offers You in the name of sinners. In Your goodness, grant all people pardon when they seek Your Mercy, in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with You forever and ever. Amen.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Thy love for me.
Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus :
Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thee. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy Most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known Thee; many, too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy Sacred Heart.
Be King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house, lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.
Be King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and the unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.
Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give tranquility of order to all nations; make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the Divine Heart
that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor forever. Amen.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy kingdom come!
Act of Reparation:
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy throne of mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to Thee!
The more Thy mysteries are blasphemed, the more firmly we shall believe them, O Sacred Heart of Jesus! The more impiety endeavors to extinguish our hopes of immortality, the more we shall trust in Thy Heart, sole hope of mankind! The more hearts resist Thy Divine attractions, the more we shall love Thee, O infinitely amiable Heart of Jesus! The more unbelief attacks Thy Divinity, the more humbly and profoundly we shall adore It, O Divine Heart of Jesus! The more Thy Sacraments are despised and abandoned, the more frequently we shall receive them with love and reverence, O most liberal Heart of Jesus! The more the imitation of Thy virtues is neglected and forgotten, the more we shall endeavor to practice them, O Heart, model of every virtue! The more the devil labors to destroy souls, the more w shall be inflamed with desire to save them, O Heart of Jesus, zealous Lover of souls! The more sin and impurity destroy the image of God in man, the more we shall try by purity of life to be a living temple of the Holy Spirit, O Heart of Jesus! The more Thy Holy Church is despised, the more we shall endeavor to be her faithful children, O Sweet Heart of Jesus! The more Thy Vicar on earth is persecuted, the more we will honor him as the infallible head of Thy Holy Church, show our fidelity and pray for him, O kingly Heart of Jesus!
O Sacred Heart, through Thy powerful grace, may we become Thy apostles in the midst of a corrupted world, and be Thy crown in the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
Praise and adoration ever more be given to the most Holy Sacrament!
Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary, and then:
Let us pray: O God, Whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation; grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries in the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord, I thank Thee, that Thou didst die on the Cross for my sins.
To the Queen of the Holy Rosary:
O Queen of the most holy Rosary, in these times of brazen impiety, show again thy power, with the signs which accompanied thy victories of old, and from the throne where thou art seated, dispensing pardon and grace, in pity watch over the Church of thy Son, His Vicar, and every order of the clergy and laity, suffering in grievous warfare. Hasten, O most powerful destroyer of heresy, hasten the hour of mercy, seeing that the hour of judgment is daily challenged by innumerable offenses. Obtain for me, the lowest of men, kneeling suppliant in thy presence, the grace which may enable me to live a just life on earth, and reign with the just in heaven, whilst with the faithful throughout the world, O Queen of the most holy Rosary, I salute thee and cry out: Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I give myself to Thee through Mary.
To Jesus Abandoned:
With Mary Immaculate, let us adore, thank, implore and console, the Most Beloved and Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
O Divine Jesus, lonely tonight in so many Tabernacles, without visitor or worshipper, I offer Thee my poor heart. May its every throb be an act of love for Thee. Thou art always watching beneath the Sacramental Veils; in Thy love Thou dost never sleep and Thou art never weary of Thy vigil for sinners. O lonely Jesus, may the flame of my heart burn and beam always in company with Thee.
O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine!
All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!
Veneration of the Thorn-Crowned Head of Our Saviour:
And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His Head. They began to spit upon Him, and they gave Him blows. Others smote His Face and said: "Prophesy, who is it that struck Thee?"
O holy Redeemer! Thou art clothed with a scarlet cloak, a reed is placed in Thy Hands for a scepter, and the sharp points of a thorny crown are pressed into Thy adorable Head. My soul, thou canst never conceive the sufferings, the insults and indignities offered to our Blessed Lord during this scene of pain and mockery.
I therefore salute Thee and offer Thee supreme homage as King of Heaven and Earth, the Redeemer of the World, the Eternal Son of the Living God. O my afflicted Saviour! O King of the World, Thou art ridiculed as mock king. I believe in Thee and adore Thee as the King of kings and Lord of lords, as the supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth.
O Jesus! I devoutly venerate Thy Sacred Head pierced with thorns, struck with a reed, overwhelmed with pain and derision. I adore the Precious Blood flowing from Thy bleeding Wounds. To Thee be all praise, all thanksgiving, and all love forevermore.
O meek Lamb, Victim for sin! May Thy thorns penetrate my heart with fervent love, that I may never cease to adore Thee as my God, my King, and my Saviour.
Behold, O God, our Protector.
And look upon the Face of Thy Christ.
Let us pray: O my beloved Saviour, at sight of Thy most Holy Face disfigured by suffering, at the sight of Thy Sacred Heart so full of love, I cry out with St. Augustine: "Lord Jesus, imprint on my heart Thy sacred Wounds, so that I may read therein sorrow and love; sorrow, to endure every sorrow for Thee; love, to despise every love for Thee." Amen.
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee,
because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
To Our Lord on the Cross:
My Crucified Jesus, mercifully accept the prayer which I now make to Thee, for help in the moment of my death, when at its approach, all my senses shall fail me.
When, therefore, O sweetest Jesus, my weary and downcast eyes can no longer look up to Thee, be mindful of the loving gaze which I now turn on Thee and have mercy on me. When my parched lips can no longer kiss Thy most Sacred Wounds, remember then those kisses which I now imprint on Thee, and have mercy on me. When my cold hands can no longer embrace Thy Cross, forget not the affection with which I embrace it now, and have mercy on me. And when, at length, my swollen and lifeless tongue can no longer speak, remember that I called upon Thee now.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, to you I commend my soul. Amen.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ
to heal the wounds of our souls.
Devotion in Honor of the Five Holy Wounds:
As I kneel before Thee on the Cross, most loving Saviour of my soul, my conscience tells me it is I who have nailed Thee to that Cross with these hands of mine, as often as I have fallen into mortal sin, wearying Thee with my monstrous ingratitude.
My God, my chief and most perfect Good, worthy of all my love, seeing Thou hast ever loaded me with blessings, I cannot now undo my misdeeds, as I would most willingly, but I can and will loathe them, grieving greatly for having offended Thee Who art infinite Goodness. And now, kneeling at Thy Feet, I will try at least to compassionate Thee, to give Thee thanks, to ask of Thee pardon and contrition. Wherefore, with heart and lips I pray:
To the Wound of the Left Foot: Holy Wound of the Left Foot of my Jesus, I adore Thee! I compassionate Thee, O my Jesus, for that most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for the love whereby Thou wast wearied in overtaking me on the way to ruin, and didst bleed amid the thorns and brambles of my sins. I offer to the Eternal Father the pain and love of Thy most sacred humanity, in atonement for my sins, all of which I detest with sincere and bitter contrition.
To the Wound of the Right Foot: Holy Wound of the Right Foot of my Jesus, I adore Thee! I compassionate Thee, O my Jesus, for that most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for the love which pierced Thee with such torture and shedding of Blood in order to punish my wanderings and the guilty pleasures I have granted to my passions. I offer to the Eternal Father all the pain and love of Thy most sacred humanity, and I pray unto Him for grace to weep over my transgressions with burning tears, and to enable me to persevere in the good which I have begun, without ever swerving again from my obedience to the commandments of my God.
To the Wound of the Left Hand: Holy Wound of the Left Hand of my Jesus, I adore Thee! I compassionate Thee, O my Jesus, for that most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for having in Thy love, spared me the scourges and eternal damnation which my sins have merited. I offer to the Eternal Father the pain and love of Thy most sacred humanity, and I pray Him to teach me how to turn to good account my span of life, and bring forth in it worthy fruits of penance, and so disarm the angry justice of my God.
To the Wound of the Right Hand: Holy Wound of the Right Hand of my Jesus, I adore Thee! I compassionate Thee, O my Jesus, for that most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee for Thy graces lavished on me with such love, in spite of all m y miserable obstinacy. I offer to the Eternal Father all the pain and love of Thy most sacred humanity, and I pray Him to change my heart and its affections, and make me do all my actions in accordance with the will of God.
To the Wound of the Sacred Side: Holy Wound in the Side of my Jesus, I adore Thee! I compassionate Thee, O my Jesus, for that most bitter pain which Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee, my Jesus, for the love which suffered Thy Side and Heart to be pierced, that the last drops of Blood and Water might issue forth, making my redemption to abound. I offer to the Eternal Father this outrage, and the love of Thy most sacred humanity, that my soul may enter once for all into that most loving Heart, eager and ready to receive the greatest sinners, and from It may never more depart.
Sacred Heart of my Jesus, grant that I may ever love Thee more and more.
Prayer for Increase of Daily Holy Communions:
O Sweetest Jesus, Who camest into this world to give to all the life of Thy grace, and Who, to preserve and sustain it, didst will to be the remedy of our daily infirmities, and our daily Food; humbly we pray Thee, by Thy Heart, all on fire for love of us, to pour out Thy Holy Spirit upon all, so that those who are unhappily in mortal sin may be converted to Thee, and recover the life of grace which they have lost; and those who by Thy gift still live this divine life, may every day, when they are able, approach devoutly to Thy holy table, where, in daily Holy Communion, receiving every day the antidote to their daily venial sins, and nourishing the life of grace in their hearts, and purifying more and more their souls, they may come at last to the enjoyment with Thee of eternal beatitude. Amen.
Heart of Jesus, burning with love for us, inflame our hearts with love of Thee.
Prayer for Those in Their Last Agony:
O Most merciful Jesus, Lover of Souls; I pray Thee, by the agony of Thy most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thy Immaculate Mother, cleanse in Thy Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their agony and are to die this day. Amen.
Heart of Jesus Agonizing, have mercy on the dying.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph.
Prayers for the Holy Father:
O God, the Shepherd and Ruler of all the faithful, look down with favor upon Thy servant, (name), whom Thou hast deigned to appoint the supreme Pastor of Thy Church; grant, we beseech Thee, that both his word and example may benefit those over whom he has been placed, so that together with the flock entrusted to his care he may attain unto life everlasting, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, pour in richest fullness Thy blessings upon Holy Church, the Pope, and all the clergy; grant perseverance to the just, conversion to sinners; enlighten the unbelievers; bless our relatives, friends, and benefactors; assist the dying; deliver the souls in Purgatory; and extend over all hearts the gentle dominion of Thy love.
Lord Jesus, shelter our Holy Father the Pope, under the protection of Thy Sacred Heart.
Be Thou his light, his strength, and his consolation.