Adornment of our prayer, O Jesus, fortify our supplication, that it might ascend with Thee to Thy Father and obtain for us the object of our request!

Through Thy loving-kindness Thou defendest us before Thy Father, for Thou art the chosen sacrifice, offered for the world.

For Adam, who tasted the fruit, Thou didst embrace the pillar at the judgment place. For Adam’s children, who sinned before Thee, the executioners pierced Thee with nails.

Thou hast taken upon Thyself the common debt of all in order to pay it back to Thy Father, pay back also, O guiltless Lord, those sins with which our freedom has indebted us.

Thou hast redeemed us from the curse of the law by Thy precious blood. Deliver also those redeemed by Thy blood from harsh justice

May the debts of Thy servants not exceed the compassion of the kindhearted Lord, for no matter how great our errors might be, Thy loving-kindness is yet greater.

It is true that many, many debts are upon us, but Thou hast a multitude of compassions. And if truth itself should weigh them, then all our debts shall be less than Thy compassions.

Who shall set about weighing Thy compassions and comparing them to our iniquities? The mountains can be weighed, but Thy compassions are beyond measure.

Thy compassions are more precious than life, for life has its measure, but Thy compassions are immeasurable. May Thy compassions be also our rampart.