Prayer for Lent

Jesus, my Jesus, how great is the love which Thou, in Thy bitter suffering, hast manifested toward me! Thou art the only-begotten Son of God, the Lamb without spot, the Lord of Glory, the Holy One who did no sin: and yet Thou dost willingly endure the most shameful death and the most cruel sufferings for me, who am unrighteous, sinful, and a child of death. O how great, how unspeakable is Thy mercy! The Holy One bears my unholiness; the Perfect One, my wickedness; the Just One, my unrighteousness; the Innocent One, my guilt. My sins are laid upon Thee, that Thy righteousness might be bestowed upon me. My Jesus, in Thy sufferings I see the wrath of God against sin, the heinousness of sin, the punishment of sin. For if, for the sins of others imputed to Thee, God let Thee suffer such agony at the Mount of Olives, and permitted Thine enemies to treat Thee so cruelly, how dreadful will be the punishment of those who do not permit themselves to be moved to repentance, to faith, and to holy living!

My Jesus, I come before Thee, and look in faith upon Thy sufferings. Thou enterest into the garden of Gethsemane, and Thy sweat is, as it were, great drops of blood: O it is for me! that I may be freed from the power of Satan. Thou art led before the judgment-seat, accused, and condemned to death: O it is for me! that I, appearing after my death and on the last day before Thy judgment-seat, may be acquitted. Many are Thy accusers, but none there is that pleads for Thee: O it is for me! that, when my sins and my conscience accuse me, Thou mayest plead for me. Thou art scourged, Thou art bruised and bleeding: O it is for me! that I may not be scourged on account of my sins. Thou art led forth to death: O it is for me! that my death may be a blessing in disguise, the portal to heaven, and my access to the Father. Thou art crucified: O it is for me! for Thou, O Lamb of God, hast borne all my sins. Thou diest on the cross; O it is for me! that through Thy death I might have life. Thou art buried: O it is for me! that Thou mightest hallow my grave. Truly this is love, this is mercy, that I, through Thy dreadful sufferings, obtain life and grace and the forgiveness of all my sins! The chastisement of my peace was upon Thee, and with Thy stripes I am healed. I will keep Thy sufferings before my eyes, wherever I may be. Thy sufferings and death shall abide in my heart till soul and body are sundered.

As Israel was free from guilt when it brought a lamb for the sacrifice and saw its warm blood flow, so I also know that by faith in Thee I am reconciled to God and enjoy His favor, because Thou, O Jesus, wast slain for me as the Lamb of God, and Thy blood was abundantly shed for me. Thy blood is the true blood of reconciliation, purification, and atonement.

O my Jesus, whenever my heart would lead me into sin, I will think of the sufferings which Thou didst endure, and the blood which Thou didst shed. When the world by its evil example would entice me to do wrong, I will set before mine eyes Thy bleeding form at the Mount of Olives, in Thy scourging, and on the cross. When my sins fill me with fear, I will flee to Thy wounds. When my conscience makes me afraid, I will cling to Thy blood as my ransom. And in the hour of death I desire to know nothing but Thee, O Jesus. Thy holy name shall be my last word; Thy bleeding form shall be my last thought; Thy last words on the cross shall be my last sigh in death, “Father, into Thy hands I commit my spirit.” In that last hour, be Thou, O Jesus, my Comfort, my Joy, my Strength, and my Stay. Amen.