O sweet Jesus, whose overflowing charity for menis requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, beholdus prostrate before Thy altar eager to repair by a special act ofhomage the cruel indifference and injuries, to which Thy lovingHeart is everywhere subject.
Mindful alas! that we ourselves have had a sharein such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depthsof our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readinessto atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own personal offenses,but also for the sins of those, who straying far from the path ofsalvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee,their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their baptism,have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy law.
We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorableoutrage committed against Thee; we are determined to make amendsfor the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecomingdress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnarethe feet of the innocent, for the frequent violation of Sundaysand holidays, and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Theeand Thy Saints. We wish also to make amends for the insults to whichThy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the
profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege,of the very Sacrament of Thy divine love;
and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rightsand the teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.
Would, O divine Jesus, we were able to wash awaysuch abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation forthese violations of Thy divine honor, the satisfaction Thou didstonce make to Thy eternal Father on the cross and which Thou dostcontinue to renew daily on our altars; we offer it in union withthe acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints andof the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to makereparation, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for allneglect of Thy
great love and for the sins we and others have committed in thepast. Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purityof conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the gospeland especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our powerto prevent others from offending Thee and to bring as many as possibleto follow Thee.
Oloving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Maryour model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offeringwe make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverancekeep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we oweto Thee, so that we may all one day come to that happy home, whereThou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God,world without end. Amen.
