In 1928, Pope Pius XI issued the encyclical, MISERENTISSIMUS REDEMPTOR (On Reparation to the Sacred Heart).
His Holiness included the following prayer in his encyclical, Perhaps this is something we could add to our devotions, even if only weekly.
O sweetest Jesus, whose overflowing charity towards men is most ungratefully repaid by such great forgetfulness, neglect and contempt, see, prostrate before Thy altars, we strive by special honor to make amends for the wicked coldness of men and the contumely with which Thy most loving Heart is everywhere treated.
At the same time, mindful of the fact that we too have sometimes not been free from unworthiness, and moved therefore with most vehement sorrow, in the first place we implore Thy mercy on us, being prepared by voluntary expiation to make amends for the sins we have ourselves committed, and also for the sins of those who wander far from the way of salvation, whether because, being obstinate in their unbelief, they refuse to follow Thee as their shepherd and leader, or because, spurning the promises of their Baptism, they have cast off the most sweet yoke of Thy law. We now endeavor to expiate all these lamentable crimes together, and it is also our purpose to make amends for each one of them severally: for the want of modesty in life and dress, for impurities, for so many snares set for the minds of the innocent, for the violation of feast days, for the horrid blasphemies against Thee and Thy saints, for the insults offered to Thy Vicar and to the priestly order, for the neglect of the Sacrament of Divine love or its profanation by horrible sacrileges, and lastly for the public sins of nations which resist the rights and the teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast instituted. Would that we could wash away these crimes with our own blood! And now, to make amends for the outrage offered to the Divine honor, we offer to Thee the same satisfaction which Thou didst once offer to Thy Father on the Cross and which Thou dost continually renew on our altars, we offer this conjoined with the expiations of the Virgin Mother and of all the Saints, and of all pious Christians, promising from our heart that so far as in us lies, with the help of Thy grace, we will make amends for our own past sins, and for the sins of others, and for the neglect of Thy boundless love, by firm faith, by a pure way of life, and by a perfect observance of the Gospel law, especially that of charity; we will also strive with all our strength to prevent injuries being offered to Thee, and gather as many as we can to become Thy followers. Receive, we beseech Thee, O most benign Jesus, by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Reparatress, the voluntary homage of this expiation, and vouchsafe, by that great gift of final perseverance, to keep us most faithful until death in our duty and in Thy service, so that at length we may all come to that fatherland, where Thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God for ever and ever. Amen.
And perhaps the words of the Prophet Osee (Hosea) in Sacred Scripture will comfort us that, no matter what, Our Lord is fully in control and aware of what is happening, and His judgments will be rendered in justice and beauty.
Osee, Ch 4 (Douay Rheims) Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel, for the Lord shall enter into judgment with the inhabitants of the land: for there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God in the land. [2] Cursing, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood. [3] Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth in it shall languish with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the air: yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be gathered together. [4] But yet let not any man judge: and let not a man be rebuked: for thy people are as they that contradict the priest. [5] And thou shalt fall today, and the prophet also shall fall with thee: in the night I have made thy mother to be silent.
[6] My people have been silent, because they had no knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee, that thou shalt not do the office of priesthood to me: and thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children. [7] According to the multitude of them so have they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame. [8] They shall eat the sins of my people, and shall lift up their souls to their iniquity. [9] And there shall be like people like priest: and I will visit their ways upon them, and I will repay them their devices. [10] And they shall eat and shall not be filled: they have committed fornication, and have not ceased: because they have forsaken the Lord in not observing his law.
[11] Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness take away the understanding. [12] My people have consulted their stocks, and their staff hath declared unto them: for the spirit of fornication hath deceived them, and they have committed fornication against their God. [13] They offered sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burnt incense upon the hills: under the oak, and the poplar, and the turpentine tree, because the shadow thereof was good: therefore shall your daughters commit fornication, and your spouses shall be adulteresses. [14] I will not visit upon your daughters when they shall commit fornication, and upon your spouses when they shall commit adultery: because themselves conversed with harlots, and offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and the people that doth not understand shall be beaten. [15] If thou play the harlot, O Israel, at least let not Juda offend: and go ye not into Galgal, and come not up into Bethaven, and do not swear: The Lord liveth.
[16] For Israel hath gone astray like a wanton heifer: now will the Lord feed them, as a lamb in a spacious place. [17] Ephraim is a partaker with idols, let him alone. [18] Their banquet is separated, they have gone astray by fornication: they that should have protected them have loved to bring shame upon them. [19] The wind hath bound them up in its wings, and they shall be confounded because of their sacrifices.
And the Haydock Commentary:
Osee iv.
Notes & Commentary:
Ver. 1. Israel. They are chiefly addressed, (Chaldean; St. Jerome; Calmet) or what follows to ver. 15, regards all. (Worthington) --- Judgment. Hebrew, "a trial." --- Mercy. The want of humanity and of practical knowledge is urged. (Calmet) --- The knowledge of God includes the observance of the commandments, 1 John ii. 4. (Worthington) --- This science alone is requisite, Jeremias ix. 3., and Isaias v. 13. Blind leaders prove their own and other's ruin.
Ver. 2. Blood. The successors of Jeroboam II were mostly murdered. (Calmet) --- Incestuous marriages take place. (Haydock)
Ver. 3. Together. The waters shall be dried up, or infected. (Calmet) --- When the people are taken away, beasts will not long remain, Jeremias ix. 10., and Sophonias i. 2. (Haydock)
Ver. 4. Judge, &c. As if he would say: It is in vain to strive with them, or reprove them, they are so obstinate in evil. (Challoner) --- Priest. Such must be slain, Deuteronomy xvii. 12. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "my people are like a priest contradicted," (Haydock) or degraded. (Theodoret)
Ver. 5. Prophet, both true and false. --- Night of tribulation. Hebrew and Septuagint, "I have compared thy mother to the night."
Ver. 6. Silent. Septuagint, "like those who had," &c. --- Knowledge. Jeroboam I had appointed unlawful priests, and some of the house of Aaron went over to him, and were excluded from officiating at Jerusalem, after the captivity, 1 Kings xii. 31., and Ezechiel xliv. 10. Knowledge is always expected of priests, Deuteronomy xvii. 8., and Malachias ii. 7. (Gratian. dist. 38. c. omnes.) (Calmet) --- When the power of sacrificing is withdrawn, all spiritual functions cease, as sacrifice belongs properly to a priest. (Worthington)
Ver. 7. Me. A father rejoices in a numerous offspring. But my people take occasion to offend me the more they increase. (Calmet)
Ver. 8. Sins: victims. (Worthington) --- Iniquity; or "they seek for support in their propitiatory offerings," and lull the people asleep in their sins. The priests of the golden calf imitated the sacred rites of Moses. It would have been too difficult to make the people change altogether.
Ver. 9. Priest. They are equally dissolute, and shall meet the like punishment. --- Devices, or thoughts. (Calmet) --- Cogitatio mali operis pænas luet. (St. Jerome)
Ver. 10. Ceased. Hebrew, "increased." They have no children living. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "let them not succeed."
Ver. 11. Understanding. Literally, "heart." (Haydock) --- Some sins darken reason more than others; but none so much as spiritual fornication. (Worthington)
Ver. 12. Staff. It was customary to use this mode of divination, (Ezechiel xxi. 21.) and likewise incense, ver. 13. --- Oak. These terms are variously rendered as the trees and stones mentioned in Scripture, will probably never be ascertained.
Ver. 14. Visit. This is the most dreadful of God's judgments. He permits those who offend him to receive discontent from their own families. --- Effeminate, like the Galli, &c., (St. Jerome) and votaries of Priapus, 3 Kings xv. 11. Hebrew, "the consecrated women." Septuagint, "initiated," to honour a lewd idol by prostitution. (Calmet) --- Beaten. Septuagint, "adhere to a harlot. But thou, Israel, be not ignorant, and Juda go," &c. (Haydock)
Ver. 15. Offend. It was more culpable for Juda to commit idolatry (as they had the temple, &c., of the true God) than for Israel, whom Jeroboam hindered from going to Jerusalem, after he had set up his golden calves. (Worthington) --- Galgal and Bethaven. Places where idols were worshipped. Bethel, which signifies the house of God, is called by the prophet Bethaven, that is, the house of vanity, from Jeroboam's golden calf which was worshipped there. (Challoner) --- Galgal was on the confines of the two kingdoms, and always venerated by the Jews. Idols had been there in ancient times, and probably a sort of oracle, Judges iii. 19. If Israel be thus abandoned, let not Juda imitate them. (Calmet) --- Lord. Profane not this sacred name by giving it to idols. (Theodoret) --- Use not this expression, since you do not worship me. (St. Jerome)
Ver. 16. Wanton. Septuagint, "stung," or rendered furious. Thus Israel gives way to ungovernable passions. The people shall be led into captivity, and have room to range about.
Ver. 17. Partaker. Hebrew, "tied to abominations." --- Alone. His case is desperate. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "he has placed stumbling-blocks for himself." (Haydock)
Ver. 18. Separated from that allowed to God's people, Deuteronomy xii. 12. Hebrew, "insipid," or spoiled. Chaldean, "their princes have sought after banquets." Septuagint, "He has provoked (surpassed) the Chanaanites." These two have not read as we do. --- They. Hebrew, "their shields (chiefs) have loved shame:" dissolute practices, or "presents," which are disgraceful. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "They have loved shame by her rage. (19) A whirlwind shall whistle in," &c. (Haydock)
Ver. 19. Wings. They shall be quickly removed hence. (Calmet)
