At the Cross her
station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
where he hung, the dying Lord.
For her soul of
joy bereaved,
bowed with anguish, deeply grieved,
felt the sharp and piercing sword.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
Psalm 51Miserere
mei, Domine
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your
loving-kindness; *
in your great compassion
blot out my offenses.
Wash me through and through from my wickedness *
and cleanse me from my
sin.
For I know my transgressions, *
and my sin is ever before
me.
Against you only have I sinned *
and done what is evil in
your sight.
And so you are justified when you speak *
and upright in your
judgment.
Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, *
a sinner from my mother's
womb.
For behold, you look for truth deep within me, *
and will make me
understand wisdom secretly.
Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; *
wash me, and I shall be
clean indeed.
Make me hear of joy and gladness, *
that the body you have
broken may rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins *
and blot out all my
iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
and renew a right spirit
within me.
Cast me not away from your presence *
and take not your holy
Spirit from me.
Give me the joy of your saving help again *
and sustain me with your
bountiful Spirit.
I shall teach your ways to the wicked, *
and sinners shall return
to you.
Deliver me from death, O God, *
and my tongue shall sing
of your righteousness,
O God of my salvation.
Open my lips, O Lord, *
and my mouth shall
proclaim your praise.
Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice, *
but you take no delight
in burnt offerings.
The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; *
a broken and contrite
heart, O God, you will not despise.
The first part of the hauntingly beautiful
setting of this psalm by Gregorio Allegri
may be heard in this clip from YouTube:
An Act of Contrition
O God, we love you
with our whole hearts and above all things, and are
heartily sorry that we have offended you. May we
never offend you any more. May we love you without
ceasing, and make it our delight to do your most
holy will in all things, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Our Father....
Hail Mary....
A Collect
Almighty God,
whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he
suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he
was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in
the way of the Cross, may find it none other than
the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your
Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
O how sad and
sore distressed
now was she, that Mother blessed
of the sole-begotten One.
Deep
the woe of her affliction,
when she saw the crucifixion
of her ever-glorious Son.
