His defenceless side smitten with a sharp spear; behold His fair
face, which the angels desire to look upon, marred and shorn of all
its beauty; behold His blessed heart, which no impure thought ever
stained, weighed down with inward sorrow. Behold, O loving Father,
Thy sweet Son, stretched out upon the harp of the Cross, and harping
blessings on Thee with all His members. Wherefore, O my God, I pray
Thee to forgive me, for the sake of Thy Son's Passion, all the sins
that I have committed in my members. O merciful Father, look on Thy
only-begotten Son, that Thou mayst have compassion on Thy servant.
Whenever that red blood of Thy Son speaks in Thy sight, do Thou wash
me from every stain of sin. Whenever Thou beholdest the wounds of
this Thy Son, open to me the bosom of Thy fatherly compassion.
Behold, O tender Father, how Thy obedient Son does not cry, "Bind my
hands and my feet, that I may not rebel against Thee," but how of
His own will He extends His hands and feet, and gladly allows them
to be pierced with nails. Look down, I pray Thee, not on the brazen
serpent hanging on a pole for the salvation of Israel, but on Thine
only Son hanging on the Cross for the salvation of all men. It is
not Moses who now stretches out his hand to heaven, that the thunder
and lightning and the other plagues may cease, but it is Thy beloved
Son, who lovingly stretches out His bleeding arms to Thee, that Thy
wrath may depart from the human race. Aaron and Hur are not now
holding up the hands of Moses that he may pray more unweariedly for
Israel; but hard and cruel nails have fastened the hands of Thy only
Son to the Cross, that He may wait with long-suffering for our
repentance, and receive us back into His grace, and that He may not
turn away in wrath from our prayers. This is that faithful David,
who now strings tight the harp-strings of His body, and makes sweet
melody before Thee, singing to Thee the sweetest song that has been
ever sung to Thee: "Father forgive them, for they know not what they