Prayer to the Holy Wounds of Jesus

Prayer to the Holy Wounds of Jesus

O Divine Jesus, look upon Your Holy Wounds with mercy and love. Through Your sacred wounds in Your hands, feet, and side, You endured unspeakable suffering for our salvation.

I adore Your Holy Wounds, I praise Your infinite love, and I offer You my heart, my life, and all my sins.

O most merciful Savior, by the power of Your Holy Wounds, heal my body, mind, and soul. Protect me from sin and evil, strengthen me in temptation, and bring me closer to You in holiness and love.

Most Sacred Wounds of Jesus, have mercy on us, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

The devotion to the Holy Wounds of Jesus is a significant practice within Christianity, focusing on the physical injuries Christ sustained during His Passion and Crucifixion. These wounds are contemplated as sources of divine mercy, healing, and atonement for sins.

The practice of venerating the Holy Wounds gained prominence in the 12th and 13th centuries, with various saints promoting it as a means to deepen love for Jesus by reflecting on His suffering. More recently, Pope Francis has encouraged this devotion, suggesting that praying an Our Father for each of the five principal wounds allows believers to "enter through Jesus’ wounds inside, inside, right to His heart" to learn "the great wisdom of Christ’s mystery, the great wisdom of the cross"

The Five Principal Wounds

Traditionally, the devotion centers on five principal wounds: those in Jesus' two hands, two feet, and His side. Each wound is often associated with specific prayers and intentions:

• Wound in the Right Hand: Adored with gratitude for Christ's infinite love and suffering for sins. Prayers often seek victory for the Church and grace for believers to live righteously.

• Wound in the Left Hand: Adored with pleas for grace for sinners, the dying, and those unreconciled with God.

• Wound in the Right Foot: Adored with a request for an increase in holiness among the clergy and consecrated individuals.

• Wound in the Left Foot: Adored with an appeal for the deliverance of holy souls in purgatory, especially those who were devout to the sacred Wounds during their lives.

• Wound in the Sacred Side: Adored with prayers for blessings and to graciously hear those who have requested prayers. This wound, from which blood and water flowed, is seen as a source of redemption and a gateway to Christ's loving Heart.

Other Significant Wounds

Beyond the five principal wounds, other aspects of Christ's suffering are also venerated:

• The Shoulder Wound: This wound, sustained from carrying the cross, is believed to have been particularly painful and unrecorded by men. Devotion to it is said to grant requests and remit venial sins, with mortal sins no longer remembered. Pope Eugenius III granted a 3,000-year indulgence for reciting the Lord's Prayer and Hail Mary three times in honor of this wound.

• Wounds from Scourging: The lacerations on Jesus' back from the scourging are offered for pardon and mercy for sinners, the dying, and souls in purgatory.

• Wounds of the Sacred Head (Crowning with Thorns): The wounds from the crown of thorns, causing swelling, bruises, and bleeding, are offered to the Eternal Father to atone for humanity's sins.

• Desecration of the Divine Face: The wounds, slaps, spit, and insults to Jesus' face are contemplated for pardon and mercy.

• Wounds from Falls: The injuries to Jesus' knees and elbows from His falls are also included in comprehensive devotions.

• Precious Blood and Water: The blood shed from all wounds and the water from His side are offered for healing and mercy.

The Rosary of the Holy Wounds

A specific devotion known as the Rosary of the Holy Wounds utilizes regular rosary beads.This devotion was revealed by Our Lord to Sister Mary Martha Chambon (1841-1907). The prayers involve:

• On the crucifix and first three beads: "O Jesus, Divine Redeemer, be merciful to us and to the whole world. Amen. Strong God, holy God, immortal God, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Amen. Grace and mercy, O my Jesus, during present dangers; cover us with Thy Precious Blood. Amen. Eternal Father, grant us mercy through the Blood of Jesus Christ, Thine only Son; grant us mercy, we beseech Thee. Amen, Amen, Amen."

• On the large beads: "Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal the wounds of our souls."

• On the small beads: "My Jesus, pardon and mercy, through the merits of Thy Holy Wounds."

Numerous promises are associated with devoutly praying the Rosary of the Holy Wounds, including the granting of requests, purification of souls, covering of sins, and obtaining mercy for sinners and souls in purgatory.

Act of Contrition and Other Prayers

Many devotions to the Holy Wounds begin with an Act of Contrition, acknowledging one's sins as the cause of Christ's suffering and expressing sorrow. Other prayers include those to Our Lady of Sorrows, asking for her intercession due to her shared suffering during Christ's Passion.

The contemplation of the Holy Wounds serves as a powerful reminder of Christ's sacrifice and an invitation to seek healing, forgiveness, and a deeper relationship with God through His Passion.