THE LITANY OF THE SACRED WOUNDS
BY SAINT CLARE OF ASSISI

Introduction

Pope Francis speaks often about his devotion to the Five Wounds of the Crucified Christ. During a homily not long ago, the Holy Father shared the advice of a spiritual director who once said: “Look at the wounds. Enter into the wounds. By these wounds, we were healed. Do you feel bitter, feel sad, feel that life is not going the right way?…Look there, into the wounds, in silence (2-23-18).”

More recently, in a homily for Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis said: “Let us contemplate those wounds. In them, we recognize our emptiness and our shortcomings; the wounds of our sins, and all of the hurts that we have experienced. But there, too, we see clearly that God points the finger at no one, but rather, he opens his arms to embrace us. His wounds were inflicted for our sake, and by those wounds we have been healed.” The Holy Father then said: “By kissing these wounds, we will come to realize that there, in life’s most painful wounds, God awaits us with his infinite mercy. Because there, where we are most vulnerable, where we must feel the most shame, he comes to meet us. And having come to meet us, he now invites us, to return to him, and to rediscover the joy of being loved (2-17-21).”

As a Fellowship of Franciscans in Spirit, brothers and sisters all, we give thanks to God for the humble guidance and servant leadership of Pope Francis. He is an inspiration to us and God’s family all around the world. We also praise God for the life and example of our patron, Saint Clare of Assisi. Throughout the year, we join her in the Litany of the Sacred Wounds. She composed this devotion and prayed it every day in the cloister at San Damiano.

As we offer these prayers of devotion to the Sacred Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we are united with Pope Francis, Saint Clare of Assisi, and the whole People of God. We are united in a powerful spiritual communion of grief and sorrow over the sufferings of our Lord and Savior. We are united in our hopeful prayers for the Lord’s gifts of love, mercy, and friendship. So now, let us pray together, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

I. In Honor of the Wound in the Right Hand of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Praise and honor to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
by reason of the Sacred Wound in your Right Hand.
By this holy and precious wound,
I beg you to pardon all of the sins that I have committed
by thought, word, and deed;
by neglecting my service to you;
and by self indulgence, both awake and asleep.
Grant me the grace,
so that by a devout and frequent remembrance
of your Holy Passion,
I may honor your precious wounds
and the death that you endured for my sake;
and that by chastising my body,
I may confess my gratitude for your suffering and death.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…

II. In Honor of the Wound in the Left Hand of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Praise and honor to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
by reason of the Sacred Wound in your Left Hand.
By this holy and precious wound,
I beg you to have pity on me
and to change in me whatever is displeasing to you.
By the power of your grace,
grant me victory over your enemies.
And by your holy death,
deliver me from all dangers, present, and future;
and make me worthy to share in the glory
or your eternal kingdom.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…

III. In Honor of the Wound in the Right Foot of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Praise and honor to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
by reason of the Sacred Wound in your Right Foot.
By this holy and precious wound,
I beg you to help me bring forth
a worthy harvest of penance for my sins.
I humbly pray that by your holy death,
you will keep me safe, day and night,
according to your holy will;
and that you will preserve me, body and soul,
from all adversity, so that on the last day,
I may inherit eternal life.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…

IV. In Honor of the Wound in the Left Foot of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Praise and honor to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
by reason of the Sacred Wound in your Left Foot.
By this holy and precious wound,
I beg you to forgive my sins,
and grant me a full pardon,
so that with your help,
I might escape the rigors of your justice.
I humbly pray that by your holy death,
you will give me the grace,
at the hour of my own death,
to confess my sins with perfect contrition,
to receive the Blessed Sacrament of your Body and Blood,
and to receive the Sacrament of the Sick
for the sake of my eternal salvation.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…

V. In Honor of the Sacred Wound in the Side of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Praise and honor to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
by reason of the Sacred Wound in your Side.
By this holy and precious wound,
and by the Sacrament of Baptism,
you purified me from original sin.
I beg you now to deliver me from all evils:
past, present, and future.
I humbly pray that by your holy death,
you will bless me with living faith,
firm hope, and perfect charity;
so that I may love you with my whole heart,
my whole soul, and with all of my strength.
Uphold me by your grace
through the practice of good works,
so that I may serve you in this life
and praise you forever in heaven.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…

A Closing Prayer

Almighty God and Father,
who ransomed the human race
by the five wounds of your Only Son,
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
help us to venerate these sacred wounds;
and to praise you and serve you
forever and ever. Amen.

Glory to the Father,
to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen.

A Prayer for the Intercession of Saint Clare of Assisi

O Saint Clare,
ardent lover of Jesus
in the Most Blessed Sacrament,
help us to grow in love
for Christ Jesus, our Redeemer.
With your strong faith and unwavering hope,
gather our wounded church,
our suffering world, and all people
into your loving heart,
and lift us up to Jesus
with absolute confidence in his merciful love.

O Saint Clare,
help us to be like you:
peaceful, kind, gentle,
strong, patient, and persevering
in the face of every difficulty.
Trusting in your powerful intercession,
we confidently praise and thank God, our Father,
for every blessing we have received.
Glory, praise, wisdom, and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might to our God,
forever and ever. Amen.

May the powerful intercession
of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi
bring us closer to Christ,
closer to the Church,
and closer to each other.

May their prayers comfort us,
empower us, and protect us
as we strive to live the Gospel,
share God’s love,
and rebuild the Church. Amen.

Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us!
Our Lady of the Angels, pray for us!

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Brother Patrick Garvey is a co-founder of the Assisi Project. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine, Saint John Seminary, and the Catholic University of America. He is a writer, spiritual director, retreat leader, and university lecturer. He also serves as Associate Minister of the Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport in Massachusetts. In 2023, on the Feast of the Transitus of Saint Francis of Assisi, Brother Patrick was consecrated as a diocesan hermit by Bishop Mark O’Connell, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Boston. For more information about the Assisi Project and our programs and ministries for adults of all ages and backgrounds, please contact Brother Patrick at brpatrick@assisiproject.com.

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ABOUT US

Founded in 2007, the Assisi Project is a Fellowship of Franciscans in Spirit with friends and followers throughout the world. We are dedicated to helping Christian believers of all ages more faithfully live the Gospel of Christ in the spirit of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. The Assisi Project is a non-profit, tax exempt charitable organization. All are welcome to support our ministry via Pay Pal (see link below) or by mailing a tax-deductible donation to the Assisi Project, Post Office Box 3158, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01931-3158. The Assisi Project Podcast is Produced by the Assisi Project, Inc. Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. May the Lord give you peace!

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BOUT US

Founded in 2007, the Assisi Project is a Fellowship of Franciscans in Spirit with members, friends, and followers in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Africa. We are dedicated to helping Christian believers of all ages to more faithfully live the Gospel of Christ in the spirit of Saints Francis and Clare. The Assisi Project is a non-profit, tax exempt charitable organization. All are welcome to support our ministry via PayPal or by sending a donation to the Assisi Project, Post Office Box 3158, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01931-3158. For more information about the Assisi Project and our upcoming opportunities for formation, prayer, and pilgrimage, please contact Cliff Garvey at cgarvey@assisiproject.com. May the Lord give you peace!

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