MEDITATION XIV
SECOND
SATURDAY
The Greatest
Sorrow of Jesus
Quae utilitas
in sanguine meo, dum descendo in corruptionem?
What profit is
there in my blood, whilst I go down to corruption? Psalm 29: 10
Jesus Christ revealed to the Venerable Agatha of the Cross that whilst he
was in his Mother’s womb, that which afflicted him more than any other sorrow
was the hardness of the hearts of men, who should, after his Redemption,
despise the graces which he came into the world to diffuse. And he had
expressed this sentiment before, by the mouth of David, in the words just
quoted, which are generally thus understood by the holy Fathers: What profit is
there in my blood, whilst I go down, to corruption? St. Isidore
explains whilst
I descend into corruption, whilst I descend to take the nature of man, so corrupted by vices and
sins; as if he had said, O my Father, I am indeed going to clothe myself with
human flesh, in order to shed my blood for men; but what profit is there in my blood?
the greater part of the world will set no value on my blood, and will go on
offending me, as if I had done nothing for the love of them. This sorrow was
the bitter chalice which Jesus begged the Eternal Father to remove from him,
saying: Let
this chalice pass from Me. What
chalice? The sight of the contempt with which his love was treated. This made
him exclaim again on the cross: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me? Our
Lord revealed to St. Catharine of Sienna, that this was the abandonment of
which he complained the knowledge, namely, that his Father would have to suffer
that his Passion and his love should be despised by so many men for whom he
died.
And this same sorrow
tormented the Infant Jesus in the womb of Mary, the foresight of such a
prodigality of sorrows, of ignominy, of blood-shedding, and of so cruel and
ignominious a death, and all to so little purpose. The holy Child saw, even
there, what the Apostle says, that many (indeed the greater number) should
trample under foot his blood, and despise his grace, which this blood would
obtain for them: Treading
underfoot the Son of God, and offering an affront to the Spirit of grace.
But if we have been of the number of these ungrateful men, let us not despair;
Jesus, at his birth, came to offer peace to men of good-will, as he made the
angels sing: And
on earth peace to men of good-will. Let us, then, change our will,
repent of our sins, and resolve to love this good God, and we shall find peace,
that is, the divine friendship.
Affections and
Prayers
O my most amiable Jesus, how much have I too caused Thee to suffer
during Thy lifetime! Thou hast shed Thy blood for me with so much sorrow and love,
and what fruit hast Thou hitherto drawn from me but contempt, offences, and
insults? But, my Redeemer, I will no longer afflict Thee; I hope that in future
Thy Passion will produce fruit in me by Thy grace, which I feel is already
assisting me. I will love Thee above every other good; and to please Thee, I am
ready to give my life a thousand times. Eternal Father, I should not have the
boldness to appear before Thee to implore either pardon or graces, but Thy Son
has told me, that whatever grace I ask of Thee in his name Thou wilt grant it
to me: If ye
shall ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it you. I
offer Thee, therefore, the merits of Jesus Christ, and in his name I ask of
Thee first a general pardon of all my sins; I ask holy perseverance even unto
death; I ask of Thee, above all, the gift of Thy holy love, that it may make me
always live according to Thy divine will. As to my own will, I am resolved to
choose a thousand deaths sooner than offend Thee, and to love Thee with my
whole heart, and to do everything that I possibly can to please Thee. But in
order to do all this, I beg of Thee, and hope to receive from Thee, grace to
execute what I purpose. My Mother Mary, if thou wilt pray for me, I am safe.
Oh, pray for me, pray; and cease not to pray till thou seest that I am changed,
and made what God wishes me to be.
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