Friday

Lord Jesus Christ, the gentle Saviour of my soul, on this day of Your Crucifixion on the Cross You suffered and died for our sins, I confess before You that I am the one who have crucified You with my many sins.

Yet I pray to Your unspeakable goodness that You may deign to grant me Your Gift, O Lord, so that I too may endure suffering for the faith, hope and love I have for You, just as You, the Merciful One, endured for my salvation. Strengthen me, O Lord, that from this day forward I may bear Your Cross with joy and deep repentance, and hate my evil thoughts and desires. Plant in my heart the sorrow of Your death, that I may feel it as Your beloved Mother, Your disciples and the women bearing myrrh, who stood by Your Cross, felt it.

Enlighten my spiritual senses, that they may be stirred and comprehend Your death, just as You caused the inanimate creatures to recognise You when they were stirred at Your Crucifixion, and even more so, as the faithful and repentant thief recognised You and bowed down to You, for You placed him in paradise. Grant me too, O Lord, the wicked thief, Your Gift, just as Yougave it to him, and forgive my sins, for the sake of Your Holy Passion, and through my return to You and repentance, place me together with him in Paradise, as You are my God and Creator.

I worship Thy Cross, O Christ, and for Thy love towards us, I say unto it: Rejoice, O honourable Cross of Christ, upon which the Lord, having been lifted up and nailed, saved the world!
Rejoice, blessed tree, for you bore the fruit of life, which saved us from the death of sin. Rejoice, mighty pillar, who shattered the gates of hell.
Rejoice, O royal key, which hast opened the gate of paradise.

O my crucified Christ, how much did you suffer for us! How many wounds, how much spitting and how much abuse did you endure for our sins, and to set us yet another example of true patience in the sufferings and tribulations of this life!

And since God sends these things upon us because of our sins, so that we may be set aright and draw near to Him, He
punishes us in this life solely for our own good. Therefore, I pray to You, Lord, that in whatever tribulations, temptations and sorrows may come upon me, You may increase my patience, strength and contentment, for I know that I am powerless unless You strengthen me; blind unless You enlighten me; bound unless You set me free; fearful unless You make me bold; lost unless You seek me out; a slave unless You redeem me with Your abundant and divine power and with the Gift of Your Holy Cross, which I worship and glorify, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

Amen.