The Clock of Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by St. Alphonsus Liguori

 

6 P.M.

At six o'clock in the evening. Jesus enters into the Cenacle, to make there the Pasch and to wash the feet of his apostles, and even of Judas.

 

Aspiration. I adore thee, my divine Jesus! in this profound humility. Grant me the grace of abasing myself beneath all creatures, and purify my soul from all the stains of sin.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

7 P.M.

At seven o'clock. Jesus Christ institutes the holy sacraments, and predicts to his apostles that one of them would betray him.

 

Aspiration. I thank thee, my God, for the institution of the holy sacrament, and for the gift that thou then madest us of thy precious body and blood. Never permit me, I conjure thee, to receive thee unworthily.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

8 P.M.

At eight o'clock. Jesus passes the torrent of Cedron to go to the Garden of Olives, followed by his three disciples.

 

Aspiration. Grant me the grace, my divine Saviour, that the three powers of my soul may be always so occupied with thee, that passing the torrent of this life, I may never abandon myself to that of my passions.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

9 P.M.

At nine o'clock. Jesus prays to his heavenly Father, and goes to visit his disciples; he finds them asleep, and lie admonishes them to watch and to pray.

 

Aspiration. O my God! draw my soul from this mortal lethargy in the way of salvation and grant me, by the merits of thy prayer in the Garden of Olives, the true gift of prayer.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

10 P.M.

At ten o'clock. Jesus is consoled by an angel, and begins to sweat blood.

 

Aspiration. My divine Jesus! I renounce with all my heart all natural and human consolations; make thy precious blood flow upon my soul, to purify and to sanctify it.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

11 P.M.

At eleven o'clock. Jesus goes to meet his enemies. Judas betrays him with a kiss.

 

Aspiration. I adore you, my divine Master! I have a horror of the treason of your disciple. Never permit me to imitate him by receiving thee unworthily in the holy communion.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

12 A.M.

At midnight. Jesus is taken, bound and tied with cords, by the Jews, who outraged him, conducting him with many indignities to Jerusalem.

 

Aspiration. Deliver me, sweet Jesus! from the bonds of the servitude of sin, which is thy enemy and mine, and attach me inseparably to thee.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

1 A.M.

At one o'clock. Jesus is conducted to the house of Annas, and from there to the house of Caiphas, accused by false witnesses.

 

Aspiration. I beg of thee the grace, my divine Jesus, to profit so well by the holy example, that I may suffer willingly all the accusations that can be formed against me, without offering any excuse.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

2 A.M.

At two o'clock. Jesus is denied three times by St. Peter, and the cock crew; and Jesus having looked at him, made him sensible of his fault.

 

Aspiration. Cast upon me, my divine Jesus, a look so favorable that it may penetrate my heart with a lively contrition for my sins, and grant me the grace that having imitated St. Peter in his infidelity, I may imitate him in his penitence.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

3 A.M.

At three o'clock. The Jews blindfolded the eyes of Jesus, and striking him, ask him to guess who had struck him.

 

Aspiration. Adorable Jesus! close my eyes and my heart to all the objects of the earth, in order that, being open but to thy sufferings and humiliations, I may unite myself to them with all my heart.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

4 A.M.

At four o'clock. Jesus is sent bound to Pilate, who interrogates him on his royalty; Jesus answers him that his kingdom is not of this world.

 

Aspiration. I acknowledge thee, my God, for the King of my heart: banish from it thy enemies, in order that I may merit that at the hour of my death thou mayst acknowledge me for thy child.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

5 A.M.

At five o'clock. Pilate sends Jesus to Herod, who clothes him with a white garment in derision.

 

Aspiration. Grant me, amiable Saviour, this holy folly, in which consists all true wisdom.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

6 A.M.

At six o'clock. Jesus is compared to Barabbas.

 

Aspiration. My adorable Saviour! it is to cure my pride and my ambition that thou hast willed to be compared to a thief and a murderer. My pride will be extreme if thy humility destroy it not.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

7 A.M.

At seven o'clock. Jesus is fastened to the pillar and cruelly scourged.

 

Aspiration. Pardon me, Lord, my too great sensibility and delicacy, and by the precious blood that thou hast shed in thy flagellation, purify my soul from all the stains of sin.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

8 A.M.

At eight o'clock. Jesus is crowned with thorns, and they put a reed in his Hand in derision.

 

Aspiration. They are my sins of thought, my divine Saviour, which have forced into thy sacred head this cruel crown of thorns! Transpierce my heart with them, I conjure thee, and destroy my pride by thy humiliations.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

9 A.M.

At nine o'clock. Pilate presents Jesus to the people, saying to them, Behold the man.

 

Aspiration. Oh, how much has it cost thee, my divine Jesus, to be made man! However disfigured thou art by my sins, I adore thee and acknowledge thee for my Lord and my God.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

10 A.M.

At ten o'clock. Jesus is condemned to death.

 

Aspiration. My Saviour! you have suffered yourself to be condemned to death to give me the life of grace; grant me, I beseech thee, so to profit by it, that I may not have the misfortune of being condemned by thee at the hour of my death.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

11 A.M.

At eleven o'clock. Jesus is charged with his cross, and carries it to Calvary.

 

Aspiration. Oh! how the weight of my sins oppresses thee, my adorable Saviour! Pardon me them, I conjure thee, by this heavy Cross which thou hast carried to Calvary, and grant me by it the grace to bear patiently all those that thou shalt please to send me.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

12 P.M.

At twelve o'clock. Jesus is fastened to the cross between two thieves.

 

Aspiration. I adore thee, O my Saviour Jesus Christ crucified! I beg of thee, very humbly, the pardon of all my sins; I give thee my heart; fasten it to thy Cross, I beseech thee, with the three divine virtues of faith, hope and charity.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

1 P.M.

At one o'clock. Jesus converts the good thief and prays for his enemies.

 

Aspiration. Remember me, my divine Saviour, now that thou art in thy kingdom, and pardon me my sins, since for the love of thee I pardon, from my heart, all persons who may have offended me.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

2 P.M.

At two o'clock. Jesus exclaims, I thirst, and recommends his holy Mother to his well-beloved disciple.

 

Aspiration. I thirst after thee, adorable Jesus, refresh my languishing soul, which desires but thee, and give me, I conjure thee, to thy holy Mother.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

3 P.M.

At three o'clock. Jesus expires upon the Cross, after having said, "All is consummated."

 

Aspiration. Grant me the grace, my divine Saviour, by this last sigh, which terminated the work of our redemption, in terminating thy life, that the last of mine may be united to it, and may I be so happy as to render it into your heart.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

4 P.M.

At four o'clock. Jesus has his side pierced with a lance; there flowed from it blood and water.

 

Aspiration. Precious blood of mv Saviour, sanctify me; sacred water which flowed from his side, wash and purify my soul from all sin.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.

 

 

5 P.M.

At five o'clock. Jesus is taken down from the Cross and put into the arms of his Holy Mother.

 

Aspiration. Holy Virgin! by this sword, of sorrow which transpierced your sacred heart, imprint in mine all the sufferings of your divine Son; make me feel them so sensibly in this life, that they may be for me a source of glory in the next.

We adore thee O Christ, and we bless thee, because by Thy Holy Cross, thou hast redeemed us.