Our Lord’s precious shoulder that carries the weight not just of our sins, but of the entire world in love. How strong He is.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Last night I was in a lot of physical pain. I have osteoarthritis along with degenerative disks in my back and neck. Add a pinched nerve and well, it’s just painful at times to do basic things. As I prayed last night, I focused on the our Lord’s painful shoulder wound. How could I not join my suffering with His when His is the only suffering there truly is. I offered it up to Him.
It is related in the annals of Clairvaux that St. Bernard asked our Lord which was His greatest unrecorded suffering, and Our Lord answered: “I had on My Shoulder, while I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a grievous Wound, which was more painful than the others, and which is not recorded by men. Honor this wound with thy devotion, and I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost ask through its virtue and merit. And in regard to all those who shall venerate this Wound, I will remit to them all their venial sins, and will no longer remember their mortal sins.”
When I awoke this morning, I had no pain what so ever. I hadn’t taken any medication before heading to bed. My bed is not what you would call comfortable in any way. I was full of joy and my husband even asked me what I was so happy about. HA! All I could say was, God is Wonderful and He just does that.
The pain I have is much less intense today, especially when I focus on Him and the weight His precious shoulder continues to carry today. When I feel the physical pain, I am reminded of the mental anguish and physical pain my sins have caused Him. I never want to be the cause of that pain to anyone ever again.
The prayer:
O Loving Jesus, meek Lamb of God, I miserable sinner, salute and worship the most Sacred Wound of Thy Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross, which so tore Thy flesh and laid bare Thy Bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound of Thy Most Blessed Body. I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise and glorify Thee, and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and painful Wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain, and by the crushing burden of Thy heavy Cross to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and venial sins, and to lead me on towards Heaven along the Way of Thy Cross. Amen
One Our Father and three Hail Marys following the above paryer.