Litany 13 - A Litany of the Cross

Jesus, Son of God and Redeemer of the world:

Have mercy on us, who not worthy of redemption.

Jesus, sold by Judas for thirty pieces of silver:

Have mercy on us, who have sold you and ourselves for less.

Jesus, betrayed by a friend with a kiss:

Have mercy on us, betrayers of friends and you.

Jesus, bound by the soldiers and forsaken by the disciples:

Have mercy on us, bound by our weakness and sin.

Jesus, accused by false witnesses:

Have mercy on us, accused rightly of our sin and guilt.

Jesus, found guilty and sentenced to death:

Have mercy on us, truly guilty and sentenced to death.

Jesus, spat upon, blindfolded and struck on the face:

 Have mercy on us, who spit upon you and others, who blindfold you and others to our sin, who strike you and others.

Jesus, denied three times by Peter:

Have mercy on us, deniers of You three times three thousand times.

Jesus, rejected in favor of Barrabbas:

Have mercy on us, being most worthy of rejection

Jesus, whipped and bruised for our sins:

Have mercy on us, handlers of whips and makers of bruises for the sins of others.

Jesus, covered with a scarlet robe and crowned with thorns:

Have mercy on us, makers the robe of scarlet by our sins and casters of the crown of thorns in selfishness.

Jesus, demanded for crucifixion by Your own people:

Have mercy on us, the very people who wanted and demanded Your crucifixion.

Jesus, burdened with the heavy weight of the cross:

Have mercy on us, loaders of the cross with its weight and you with the cross.

Jesus, stripped of Your garments and nailed to the cross:

Have mercy on us, who stripped you as we have stripped ourselves of innocence and purity, who have nailed you to the cross as we have nailed our unholy desires on the walls of hearts.

Jesus, declaring Yourself forsaken by the cross:

Have mercy on us, forsakers of You through the cross we gave You.

Jesus, crying out in agony that it is finished:

Have mercy on us, who sought and finished you.

Jesus, pierced with spear and taken down from the cross:

Have mercy on us, who have pierced you and taken you down from the place of honor, the place of preference, the place of God.

Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world:

Have mercy on us or we shall be taken away with the sins of the world.

Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world:

Have mercy on us, for we are taken away with the sins of our own lives.

Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world:

Grant us Your peace. Amen