The 15 Prayers of Saint Bridget

(in a more contemporary language)

First Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Lord Jesus Christ! Eternal Sweetness to those who love You; Joy surpassing all joy and all desire; Salvation and Hope of all sinners;
You who wanted to be so much with your human children that you became one of us at the fullness of time for love of us:

Recall all the sufferings that You have endured from the moment of your conception,
and especially during your Passion, as it was decreed and ordained from all eternity in the Divine plan.

Remember, O Lord, that during the Last Supper with Your disciples, after having washed their feet,
You gave them Your Most Precious Body and Blood, and while you foretold them your coming Passion, at the same time You sweetly consoled them.
Remember the sadness and bitterness that you experienced in your Soul as you said yourself: "My Soul is sorrowful even unto death."

Remember all the fear, anguish and pain that you suffered in your delicate Body before the torment of crucifixion, when,
after having prayed three times bathed in a sweat of blood, you were betrayed by your disciple, arrested by the people of your chosen nation,
accused by false witnesses, unfairly judged by three judges in the flower of Your youth and during the solemn Paschal season.

Remember that your garments were taken from you and you were clothed in those of derision;
that you were blindfolded, scourged, crowned with thorns, and given a reed in your Hands.
You were crushed with blows and overwhelmed with affronts and outrages.
In memory of all these pains and sufferings that you endured before your Passion on the Cross:

Grant me before my death true contrition, a sincere and entire confession, worthy satisfaction and the remission of all my sins. Amen.

Second Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! True liberty of angels. Paradise of delights.
Remember the horror and sadness that you endured when your enemies surrounded you like furious lions.
By thousands of insults, spits, blows, lacerations and other unspoken-of cruelties they tormented you at will.
In consideration of these torments and insulting words, I ask you, O my Savior:
Deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible. Bring me under your protection to the perfection of eternal salvation. Amen.

Third Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Creator of Heaven and earth, whom nothing can encompass or limit;
You, who enfolds and holds all under your Loving power.
Remember the very bitter pain that you suffered when the Jews nailed your Sacred Hands and Feet to the Cross
by blow after blow with heavy nails.

Not finding you in a pitiable enough state to satisfy their rage, they enlarged Your Wounds, adding pain to pain.
With indescribable cruelty they stretched your Body on the Cross, pulling you from all sides, dislocating your Limbs.

By the memory of your most Loving suffering of the Cross, I beg of You, O Jesus:
Grant me the grace to fear you and to love you. Amen.

Fourth Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised high upon the Cross to heal our wounds with yours.
Remember the bruises that you suffered and the weakness of all your Members
that were distended to such a degree that there never was a pain like yours.
From the crown of Your Head to the Soles of Your Feet there was not one spot on your Body that was not in torment.
Yet, forgetting all Your sufferings, you did not cease to pray to your Heavenly Father for your enemies, saying:
"Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

Through this great Mercy, and in memory of this suffering: Grant that the remembrance of your Most Bitter Passion
may effect in us a perfect contrition and the remission of all our sins. Amen.

Fifth Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus, Mirror of eternal splendor.
Remember the sadness that you experienced when contemplating in the light of your Divinity
the predestination of those who would be saved by the merits of Your Sacred Passion,
You saw at the same time the great multitude of reprobates who would be damned for their sins
and You cried bitterly for those hopeless lost and unfortunate sinners.

Through this abyss of compassion and pity,
and especially through the goodness that you displayed to the good thief when you told him:
"This day, you shall be with Me in Paradise."
I beg of you, O Sweet Jesus: Have mercy on me at the hour of my death. Amen.

Sixth Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Beloved and most desirable King, remember the grief that you suffered,
when naked and like a common criminal you were fastened and raised on the Cross.
All Your relatives and friends had abandoned you, except your Beloved Mother who remained close to you during your agony,
and You entrusted her to your faithful disciple when you told Mary: "Woman, behold your son!"
and Saint John: "Son, behold your Mother!"
By the sword of sorrow, which pierced the soul of your holy Mother: I beg of you O my Savior:
Have compassion on me in all my afflictions and tribulations, both in body and spirit.
Assist me in all my trials, especially at the hour of my death. Amen.

Seventh Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Inexhaustible Fountain of compassion,
Who by a profound gesture of Love said from the Cross: "I thirst!" suffered from the thirst for the salvation of the human race.
I beg of You, O my Savior: Ignite in our hearts the desire to tend toward perfection in all our acts.
Extinguish in us the concupiscence of the flesh and the ardor of worldly desires. Amen.

Eighth Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit.
By the bitterness of the vinegar and gall which you tasted on the Cross for Love of us:
Grant us the grace to receive worthily your Precious Body and Blood during our lifetime and at the hour of our death,
that they may serve as a remedy and consolation for our souls. Amen.

Ninth Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Royal virtue, joy of the mind.
Recall the pain that you endured when plunged in an ocean of bitterness at the approach of death,
insulted, outraged by the Jews, you cried out in a loud voice your abandonment to your Father, saying:
"My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?"

Through this anguish, I beg of you, O my Savior: Do not abandon me in the terrors and pains of my death. Amen.

Tenth Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Who are the beginning and end of all things, life and virtue.
Remember that for our sakes you were plunged in an abyss of suffering from the soles of your Feet to the crown of your Head.
In consideration of the enormity of your Wounds, teach me to keep through pure love your Commandments,
whose way is wide and easy for those who love you. Amen.

Eleventh Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Deep abyss of mercy,
I beg of you in memory of your Wounds, which penetrated to the very marrow of your Bones and to the depth of your Being:
Draw me, a miserable sinner overwhelmed by my offenses, away from sin.
Hide me from your Face justly irritated against me.
Hide me in your Wounds, until your anger and just indignation shall have passed away. Amen.

Twelfth Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Mirror of Truth. Symbol of unity. Link of Charity.
Remember the multitude of wounds with which you were covered from head to foot,
torn and reddened by the spilling of your adorable Blood.

O Great and Universal Pain that you suffered in your virginal Flesh for Love of us!
Sweetest Jesus! What is there that you could have done for us that you have not done!
May the fruit of your sufferings be renewed in my soul by the faithful remembrance of your Passion.
May your Love increase in my heart each day, until I see you in eternity,
You who are the treasury of every real good and every joy,
which I beg you, O Sweetest Jesus, to grant me in Heaven. Amen.

Thirteenth Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Strong Lion. Immortal and Invincible King.
Remember the pain that you endured when all your strength, both moral and physical, was entirely exhausted
and You bowed your Head and said: "It is fulfilled!"
Through this anguish and grief, I beg of you, Lord Jesus:
Have mercy on me at the hour of my death when my mind will be greatly troubled and my soul will be in anguish. Amen.

Fourteenth Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! Only Son of the Father, Splendor and figure of His Substance.
Remember the simple and humble recommendation that you made of your Soul to your Eternal Father, saying:
"Father, into your Hands I commend My Spirit!"
With your Body all torn, your Heart Broken, and the bowels of your Mercy open to redeem us, you expired.
By your Precious Death, I beg of you, O King of Saints: Comfort me.
Help me to resist the devil, the flesh and the world, so that being dead to the world I may live for you alone.
Receive me at the hour of my death, a pilgrim and an exile returning to You. Amen.

Fifteenth Prayer: Our Father - Ave Maria

O Jesus! True and fruitful Vine!
Remember the abundant outpouring of Blood, which you shed from your Sacred Body
as generously as grapes their juice in a wine press.
From your Side, pierced with a lance by a soldier, blood and water issued forth until there was not left in your Body a single drop.
Finally, like a bundle of myrrh lifted to the top of the Cross your delicate Flesh was destroyed,
the very Substance of your Body withered, and the Marrow of your Bones dried up.
Through this bitter Passion and through the outpouring of your Precious Blood, I beg you, Sweet Jesus:
Pierce my heart so that my tears of penitence and love will be my bread day and night.
May I be converted entirely to you. May my heart be your perpetual habitation.
May my conversation be pleasing to you, and may the end of my life be praiseworthy,
that I may merit Heaven and there with all your saints praise you forever.
Amen.