PRAYER TO THE SHOULDER WOUND OF JESUS
O most loving Jesus, meekest Lamb of God, I, a miserable sinner, salute and worship the most sacred Wound of the shoulder on which thou didst bear thy heavy cross, which so tore thy Flesh and laid bare thy Bones as to inflict on thee an anguish greater than any other wound of thy most blessed Body. I adore thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise thee, I bless and glorify thee, and give thee thanks for this most sacred and most painful Wound; beseeching thee, by that exceeding pain, and by the crushing burden of thy heavy cross, to be merciful to me a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and all my venial sins, and to lead me on towards heaven along the way of thy cross. Amen.
“It is related in the annals of Clairvaux that St. Bernard once asked our Lord, which was his greatest unrecorded suffering, and that our Lord condescended to answer: I had on my shoulder, while I bore my cross on the way of sorrows, a most grievous wound, which was more painful to me than the others, and which is not recorded by men because they knew not of it. Honour this wound with thy devotion, and I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost ask through its virtue and merit. And in regard of all those who shall venerate this wound, I will remit to them all their venial sins, and will no more remember their mortal sins.”
Source: Preces Gertrudianæ (1861).
O most loving Jesus, Son of God, our Saviour; I, a miserable sinner, salute and worship the Blessed Bruised Wound of the Sacred Shoulder whereon Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross, which so tore Thy flesh and laid bare Thy bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound of Thy most blessed body. I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise Thee, I bless and glorify Thee, and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and most painful wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain, and by the crushing burden of Thy heavy Cross, to be merciful to me a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and all my venial sins, and to lead me on towards heaven along the way of Thy Holy Cross. Amen.
My sweet and gentle Jesus, Who didst so meekly suffer that cruel pain from the wound inflicted by Thy Cross on Thy Sacred Shoulder, I desire to honor that hidden suffering of Thine all the days of my life. It is but little honored, because it is little known; but I offer Thee the love with which, throughout the ages, the angels have worshipped that Sacred Wound. I unite my adoration and my love to theirs, and I desire to bear in silence whatever hidden sufferings Thou mayest send me, in memory of that secret pain Thou didst endure in carrying Thy Cross for me. Amen.
O Jesus! by that Wound which Thou didst suffer in Thy Shoulder, the Blessed Bruised Wound, from the weight of Thy Cross, have mercy, I entreat Thee, on those who have a lifelong cross to bear, especially—; as also upon such as have secret sorrows which only Thou canst know, especially—. May the memory of Thy painful cross-bearing give them strength to carry theirs with courage and fidelity to the end, and may the thought of that secret suffering Thou didst endure teach them to sanctify their hidden sorrows, that so they may be faithful to Thy glory. Amen.