Page:PassionDeathOfJesusChristV5.djvu/24



In my  book  on  the  Glories  of  Mary,  I promised  to  Write for you  another  that  should  treat  of  the  love  of  Jesus Christ; but  on  account  of  my  corporal  infirmities,  my Director  would  not  permit  me  to  keep  my  promise. I have been  scarcely  able  to  publish  these  short  Reflections on  the  Passion  of  Jesus  Christ. These Reflections, however, contain  the  gist  of  what  I had  gathered  for  my subject,  withholding  only  what  had  reference  to  the  Incarnation and  birth  of  our  Saviour,  as  I intended  to compose  from  it  a little  work  for  the  Novena  of Christmas,  which  I shall  afterwards  publish,  if  I obtain permission. Nevertheless, I hope  that  the  little  work that I offer  you  to-day  will  be  pleasing  to  you,  especially since  it  will  put  before  you,  in  regular  order,  the passages of  Holy  Scripture  referring  to  the  love  that Jesus Christ  showed  us  in  his  death;  for  there  is  nothing more apt  to  stimulate  a Christian  to  the  love  of  God than the  word  of  God  itself  that  is  drawn  from  Holy Writ.

Let us,  therefore,  love  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  our Saviour, our  God,  and  our  supreme  good. This is  the reason why  I invite  you  to  cast  a glance  at  the  Passion; for you  will  find  therein  all  the  motives  that  we  can have to  hope  for  eternal  life  and  to  love  God;  and  in  this our salvation  consists.

All the  saints  cherished  a tender  devotion  towards Jesus Christ  in  his  Passion;  this  is  the  only  means  by which  they  sanctified  themselves. Father Balthasar Alvarez, as  we  read  in  his  life,  used  to  say  that  one