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 their wounds. Thy sacred head could find no rest, because thou hadst no other pillow than the sharp crown of thorns.

O Virgin Mother, how willingly wouldst thou have embraced him in thine arms, thereon to ease and rest himself a little: but the arms of the cross would not permit thee, upon which, if he would repose, the sharp thorns struck deeper into his head. The troubles of the Son were much augmented by the presence of the Mother; which no less crucified his soul, than the Jews, his body, to the cross.

O sweet Jesus, in one day thou didst carry a double cross, the one upon thy body, the other in thy soul; the one of passion, the other of compassion; the one pierced thy body with nails of iron, the other thy soul with nails of sorrow. What tongue is able to express what thou didst suffer to see the anguish of thy dear Mother, whose soul thou didst certainly know to be crucified together with thee, when thou didst behold her heavy heart, pierced with the sword of sorrow? when with bloody eyes thou didst look upon her beautiful face, pale and wan, and didst hear the sighs of her dying soul, lamenting that she could not die? What didst thou suffer to see pure fountains of tears gushing from her eyes, and to hear her pitiful complaints she made in sorrowing for thy sufferings!

Then, consider, the seven words which Christ spoke upon the cross to his heavenly