Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/218

 for Thee,  Jesus,  my  Son,  my  Son  Jesus!"  (2  Kings  xviii. 33.)  She  resigned  herself,  however,  to  the will  of  God, saying,  "  Nevertheless,  as  it  shall  be  the  will  of  God  in heaven,  so  let  it  be  done."    (1  Mac.  iii.  60.)

II. Notwithstanding her  sorrows,  it  is  most  probable that she  resolved  immediately  to  go  to  the  place  of  execution, and  give  her  last  embrace  to  her  Son. She remains, therefore,  with  the  other  women,  by  the  side  of the  way  through  which  her  suffering  Son  was  to  pass. Reflect on  her  agonizing  pains  when  she  saw  the  rabble advancing with  ladders,  hammers,  and  nails,  and  other instruments of  punishment. But what  must  her  feelings have been  when  she  beheld  her  Son  proceeding  between two thieves,  loaded  with  a  heavy  cross,  and  beaten  along by inhuman  soldiers. Condole with  the  two  sufferers, and grieve  that  your  sins  have  been  the  cause  of  their pains and  torments.

III. Consider the  words  of  Christ  addressed  to  the other women  who  shed  tears  as  He  passed  by:  "Daughters of  Jerusalem,  weep  not  over  Me;  but  weep  for  yourselves, and  for  your  children:  for  if  in  the  green  wood they  do  these  things,  what  shall  be  done  in  the  dry?" (Luke xxiii.  28,  31.)  Christ  was  the  green  wood,  and  we sinners  are  the  dry  wood,  more  calculated  for  the  fire. If the  green  wood  underwent  such  a  heat  of  sufferings for the  sins  of  others,  how  great  will  be  the  sufferings of sinners  in  hell,  or  purgatory,  for  their  own! If the Father so  severely  chastised  the  sins  of  others,  in  the person of  His  most  innocent  and  well-beloved  Son,  how much more  will  He  punish  them  on  the  offenders  themselves. "That day  of  wrath,  calamity,  and  misery" will certainly  arrive  for  us  all. Weep, therefore,  for yourself now,  that  you  may  not  be  forced  to  weep  forever.