Thou me, O LORD, from Thy Kingdom, and grant me to be now the companion of Thy Cross, that I may one day enter into Thy glory. But I scarcely dare ask it, LORD, that Thou shouldst give me this grace which Thou didst to the penitent thief; for I know how unworthy I am. I acknowledge that my sins have deserved the most ignominious Cross, and that it is necessary to try me by all kinds of affliction, therefore I ask Thee to bind me to Thy Cross. It is true that nothing is nearer Paradise than the Cross; it is the most assured pledge of Thy glory, the channel of Thy mercy, and the throne of Thy Love; but after all, it is the way that I ought to follow, and not the end to which I should aspire; for it is not right to desire the end, without wishing to walk in the way which leads to it.

Prayer.

O LORD JESUS, my Saviour, I praise Thee, I bless and adore Thee, I give thanks to Thee, and ever magnify Thy holy Name, for this instance of Thy mercy to sinners, in that Thou didst graciously promise the glory of Paradise to the Penitent thief, who acknowledged his sins, and confessed Thee his GOD and Saviour. O mercifully look upon me with those Eyes of compassion, which Thou didst turn upon this thief, that I may be brought to saving penitence; and grant that, by the help of Thy grace, I may so faithfully serve Thee in holiness and righteousness all my days, and so devoutly love Thee, that at the end of my life I may be found meet to hear that most blessed promise from Thee, O Holy Redeemer, To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise. Amen, even so, come, LORD JESUS.

VII. THE BLESSED VIRGIN AT THE CROSS.

Prophecy.

Yea, a Sword shall pierce through thy own soul also. S. Luke ii. 35.

Gospel Narrative.

S. John xix. 25-27.

Now there stood by the Cross of JESUS, His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When JESUS therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved,

He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son. Then saith He to the disciple, Behold thy mother. And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Reflections.1

But above all other, O thou Blessed Virgin, the holy Mother of our LORD, how many swords pierced thy soul, while, standing close by His Cross, thou sawest thy dear Son and Saviour, thus indignly used, thus stripped, thus stretched, thus nailed, thus bleeding, thus dying, thus pierced! how wert thou crucified with Him! The care that He took for thee in the extremity of His torments, could not but melt the heart into sorrow; but O, when in the height of His

1 Bp. Hall. See also Williams, page 329.

pain and misery, thou heardest Him cry out, My GOD, My GOD, why hast Thou forsaken Me? what a cold horror possessed thy soul!

He, Who had fore-promised in three days to raise up the ruined Temple of His Body, had, doubtless, given more full intimation unto thee, who hadst so great a share in that sacred Body of His. Lo, that faith of thine in His ensuing resurrection, and in His triumph over death, gives thee life, and cheers up thy drooping soul, and bids it in a holy confidence, to triumph over all thy fears and sorrows; and Him Whom thou seest dead and despised, represents unto thee living, immortal, glorious.

VIII. THE DARKNESS: AND JESUS CRYING WITH A LOUD VOICE.

Prophecy.

See Psalm xxi. 1.

Gospel Harmony.

S. Matt. xxvii. 45-49; S. Mark xv. 33-36; S. Luke xxiii. 44.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land, until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, JESUS cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? Some of those that stood by when they

heard that, said, Behold, He calleth for Elias; and immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave Him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save Him.

Reflections.

From the sixth to the ninth hour there was darkness over the whole land. How many, at these hours, smite Thee in the darkness of pleasures! for in their ingratitude, they little think what CHRIST suffered then. The Sun sympathized with Thee, O LORD JESU, in Thy dying hours; make me to sympathize with Thee, that in life, I rejoice not in the light of temporal glory, nor long for the days of men; but desire Thy day with all the ardour of my soul.

Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? Learn from this, the power of prayer, as a shield against temptation, in the hour of tribulation. The LORD prayed in the garden; He prays also on the Cross; for prayer is our refuge and succour in danger. Mount, O my soul, this tower and fort of prayer; it is the unguent of the sick, the shield of the weak, the perfume of the citizens of heaven. In all thy tribulations have recourse to GOD; complain to Him of thy desolation, that He may look upon thee, and not despise nor abhor thy low estate, but succour and deliver thy soul; that feeling thyself saved by His mercy, thou mayest sing His glory and praise.

Meditations.

O Thou True Consoler of afflicted hearts! only Hope of depressed spirits! Faithful Lover of deso

late souls! O JESUS, the strength of the feeble, and Refuge of the forsaken, what then is this abyss of grief into which I see Thee plunged! Thou didst

accept, with submission and love, the forsaking to which Thy FATHER subjected Thee. Thou didst sustain Thy Holy Humanity in this terrible conflict; Thou didst withhold from it all the consolations which Thou couldst have communicated to it, because Thou wouldst suffer without consolation. Thou didst send Thy Mother from the Cross; Thou didst suffer Thy disciples to forsake Thee; Thou didst conceal Thy Infinite Power, that Thine enemies, seeing only weakness in Thee, might overwhelm Thee with impunity. Thou wast fixed to the Cross as a malefactor, an impostor, a seducer, and disturber of the public peace, as the most wicked of men; naked, covered with wounds, and suffering in every part of Thy Body, abandoned by all the world, and even forsaken by Thy Father. It is true, that all these sufferings were Thy Own choice; but they are not the less grievous, since they oblige Thee to have recourse to Thy FATHER with words so deep and touching.

Is it possible that I dare complain when I am deprived of heavenly consolations, since I see Thee in such great desolation? But, alas! I am so miserable, that when Thou withdrawest Thy consolations, I soon think myself forgotten, rejected, and abandoned by Thee, O my GOD! and instead of seeking Thee more ardently, I go and seek vain consolations from my fellow creatures. I doubt Thy goodness, though I see Thee have recourse to Thy FATHER, remain on the cross, and suffer the agonies of death, until Thou hast