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O sweet Jesus, Whose overflowing charity
for men is requited by so much
forgetfulness, negligence and contempt,
behold us prostrate before Thy altar
eager to repair by a special act of homage
the cruel indifference and injuries,
to which Thy loving Heart
is everywhere subject.
Mindful alas! That we ourselves
have had a share in such great indignities,
which we now deplore from the depths of
our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and
declare our readiness to atone by
voluntary expiation not only for
our own personal offenses, but also
for the sins of those, who, straying,
refuse in their obstinate infidelity
to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader,
or renouncing the vows of baptism,
have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy Law.
We are now resolved to expiate
each and every deplorable outrage
committed against Thee; we are
determined to make amends for
the manifold offenses against
Christian modesty in unbecoming
dress and behaviour, for all the
foul seduction laid to ensnare
the feet of the innocent, for
the frequent violations of Sundays
and holidays, and the shocking
blasphemies uttered against
Thee and Thy saints.
We wish also to make amends
for the insults to which Thy Vicar
on earth and Thy priests are subjected,
for the profanation, by conscious neglect
or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the
very Sacraments or Thy Divine Love; and
lastly for the public crimes of nations
who resist the rights and teaching authority
of the Church which Thou hast founded.
Would, O Divine Jesus, we were able
to wash away such abominations with our blood.
We now offer, in reparation for these
violations of Thy divine honor, the
satisfaction Thou didst once make to
Thy Eternal Father on the cross and
which Thou dost continue to renew daily
on our altars; we offer it in union with
the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother
and all the Saints and of the
pious faithful on earth; and we
sincerely promise to make recompense,
as far as we can with the help of
Thy grace, for all the neglect of
Thy great love and for the sins we
and others have committed in the past.
Henceforth we will live a life of
unwavering faith, of purity of conduct,
of perfect observance of the
precepts of the Gospel and
especially that of charity.
We promise to the best of our
power to prevent others from
offending Thee and to bring
as many as possible to follow Thee.
O loving Jesus, through the
intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
our model in reparation, deign to receive
the voluntary offering we make of this
act of expiation; and by the crowning
gift of perseverance keep us faithful
unto death in our duty and the allegiance
we owe to Thee, so that we may one day
come to that happy home, where Thou
with the Father and the Holy Ghost
livest and reignest God, world without end.
Amen.
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