FROM THE WRITINGS OF 

LEO DUPONT

EXTRACTED FROM THE WRITINGS OF LEO DUPONT

I.     Elevation of the heart to Jesus, upon the outrages offered to His Holy Face.

     Who can say how greatly our divine Saviour is offended by blasphemy! Placed as He is between his Father and sinners, the outrages which cannot rise as high as Heaven fall in a rain of ignominy upon his divine Face.

     O Jesus! Thou must be God, since Thou art patient enough still to remain in our midst! If Thou could but find a sufficiency of friends possessed of the courage to interpose between Thee and the miserable people who conduct Thee back to Calvary!...

     But, as on the day of Thy Passion, Thou art alone amongst Thy enemies. Alas! do we not run the risk of losing all, if, illuminated by the light of faith which enables us to see what Thou art, O Jesus! we do not at least imitate the witnesses of Thy death in their lively contrition? If it be not given to all of us to weep like Saint Peter, grant that we may strike our breasts like the populace which returned to Jerusalem distracted with grief at recognizing the proof of a deicide. O Holy Spirit! Thou who didst enlighten the Apostles and didst reanimate their courage so energetically, inflame us with Thy divine fire, put into our mouths burning words after having enkindled in our hearts the fire of Thy love, that becoming new men, we may feel ourselves possessed of sufficient courage to throw ourselves into the midst of the ranks of the enemy. Give us grace to vanquish them and to oblige them to love Thee.

II.     Prayer of Reparation to the Holy Face

     Lord Jesus! after having contemplated Thy features, disfigured by grief; after having meditated upon Thy Passion with compunction and love, how can our hearts help being inflamed with a holy hatred of sin, which even now, still outrages Thy adorable Face? But, not allowing ourselves to be content with mere compassion, give us grace to follow Thee so closely on this new Calvary, that the opprobrium destined for Thee may rebound upon us, O Jesus, and that we may at least have some small share in the expiation of sin. Amen.

III.     Offering of the Holy Face to the Eternal Father

     Almighty God, Eternal Father, contemplate the Face of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We present it to Thee with confidence for the glory of Thy Holy Name, for the exaltation of Thy holy Church, and for the salvation of the world. Most merciful Advocate, He opens his mouth to plead our cause; listen to his cries, behold his tears, O my God, and Thou wilt be touched with compassion towards the poor sinners who ask of Thee grace and mercy. Amen.

IV.     Prayer to the Holy Face for the feast of the Dedication

     O God! who on the day of the dedication of the Temple, in an effusion of merciful goodness, didst promise to listen, from the height of Heaven, to those who should invoke Thy Holy Name, and who should seek Thy Face; grant to the associates of the Work of Reparation of blasphemy, prostrate before Thy adorable Face, the graces of which they have need in order efficaciously to work out their own salvation and to convert the blasphemers themselves, for whom Thy holy Name is invoked with confidence. Thou who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen. (Office of the Dedication.)

V.     Aspiration towards the glorious Face of our Lord

     Lord, at the thought of the blessings which the vision of Thy Face could not but shed upon the earth, the Prophet explains in a holy transport:  “Happy the people who joyfully declare Thy glory…” O Lord! permit us to aspire to this divine science, grant us to walk in the light of Thy Face, and to rejoice in the praises which we will offer day and night to Thy holy Name. (Ps. LXXXVIII, 15, 16, 17.)

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