Behold O God Our Protector,
And Look On The Face Of Thy Christ Psalms 83:10
Scores or artists have carved or painted the Face of Jesus. The remarkable similarity can be seen as you view these pictures. Here we prtesent three of them.
The Prayer
Divine Master, my suffering Lord, what a wealth of priceless lessons in Thy bruised and battered Face! What a depth of meaning in Thy parched and silent Lips! What a store of endless peace, of sweet restfulness lies hidden in the tattered rags, the corded Hands, the thorn-crowned Head! O let me look upon my thorn-crowned Prince until pride is crushed, until my thoughts become worthy of this grandly humble King, until my judgments are punified by the drippings from the bleeding Head of my cherished Master. Let me look upon the King of Sorrows, my King, until my soul is steeped in peace, until its hunger is satisfied, until my life is one long-continued hymn of praise and joy and never-ending love. Let my heart burn brightly before Thee, like the little Sanctuary Lamp, until the day when I may please Thee, to extinguish it softly below in order to light it again in Heaven.
I firmly wish that My Face reflecting the intimate pains of My soul, the suffering and love of My Heart be more honored! Whoever gazes upon Me already consoles Me."
"I will give you My Adorable Face, and each time that you present It to My Father, My mouth will be open to plead your cause."
"By My Holy Face, you shall obtain the conversion of many sinners."
"By My Face, you shall work miracles".
(Our Lord said the words above to Sister Marie de Saint Pierre, Carmelite of Tours, France.)
The first of these pictures, is
entitled "Ecce Homo". It was painted by Meinrad
Guggenbichler in the parish church of St. Wolfgang in the Salzkammergut, Austria.
This picture Was Drawn From
The Shroud of Turin
by Celine, Sister of St
. Therese, The Little Flower.
"The Veil of Veronica" was painted by Domenico Fetti, sometime between 1618-1622 and is now part of the Samual H. Kress Collection and can be seen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Promises Of Our Lord Jesus Christ To Those Devoted To His Holy Face
1. I will give them contrition so perfect, that their very sins shall be changed in My sight into jewels of precious gold .
2. None of these persons shall ever be separated from Me.
3. In offering My Face to My Father, they will appease His anger, and they will purchase as with celestial coin, pardon for poor sinners.
4. I will open My Mouth to plead with My Father to grant all the petitions that they will present to Me.
5. I will illuminate them with My light. I will consume them with My love. I will render them fruitful of good works.
6. They will, as the pious Veronica, wipe My adorable Face outraged by sin, and I will imprint My divine Features in their souls.
7. At their death, I will renew in them the image of God effaced by sin.
8. By resemblance to My Face, they will shine more t han many others in eternal life, and the brilliancy of My Face will fill them with joy.
These inestimable promises are drawn from the works of St. Gertrude of St. Mechtilde and from the writings of Sister Marie de Saint Pierre, a Carmelite who died at Tours, in the odor of sanctity)
How To Say The Chaplet Of The Holy Face
Make the Sign of the Cross:
On the Crucifix, say:
Incline unto my aid, O God,
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, etc.
On the six (larger) beads, say:
My Jesus mercy! Glory be to the Father, etc.
On the 33 smaller beads, say:
Arise, O Lord, and let Thine enemies be scattered.
And let them that hate Thee, flee from beforeThy Face. (Nums: 10:35).
(St Athanasius said the devil hates these words, (above), more than any other verse in Sacred Scripture.)
The prayers on the medal and the three beads are said last.
On the medal say: Behold, O God, our Protector,
And look on the Face of Thy Christ!
On the three beads say: Arise, O Lord, etc.
(Holy Face Chaplets are usually available at any Carmelite monastery).
Offering Of The Holy Face Of Our Lord To His Heavenly Father
Our Lord said to Sister Marie de Saint Pierre: "Nothing you ask in making this offering, (of the Holy Face), will be refused to you". Nov. 22, 1846
Prayer
Eternal Father, I offer Thee Thee the Adorable Face of Thy Beloved Son, for the Honor and Glory of Thy Name, for the conversion of sinners, and the salvation of the dying.