Page:PassionDeathOfJesusChristV5.djvu/33

 death in  punishment  of  his  sins,  chose  to  take  upon himself human  flesh,  and  thus  to  pay  by  his  death  the penalty due  to  man:  He  was  offered  because  it  was  His  own will. And his  Eternal  Father  caused  him  to  die  upon  the cross to  save  us  miserable  sinners:  He  spared  not  His  own Son, but delivered  Him  up  for  us  all. What dost  thou think, O devout  soul,  of  this  love  of  the  Son  and  of  the Father?

Thou didst,  then,  O my  beloved  Redeemer,  choose by Thy  death  to  sacrifice  Thyself  in  order  to  obtain  the pardon of  my  sins. And what  return  of  gratitude  shall I then make  to  Thee? Thou hast  done  too  much  to oblige  me  to  love  Thee;  I should  indeed  be  most  ungrateful to  Thee  if  I did  not  love  Thee  with  my  whole heart. Thou hast  given  for  me  Thy  divine  life;  I,  miserable sinner  that  I am,  give  Thee  my  own  life. Yes, I will  at  least  spend  that  period  of  life  that  remains  to  me only  in  loving  Thee,  obeying  Thee,  and  pleasing  Thee.

O men, men! let us  love  this  our  Redeemer,  who,  being God, has  not  disdained  to  take  upon  himself  our  sins,  in order  to  satisfy  by  his  sufferings  for  the  chastisement which we  have  deserved:  Surely  He  hath  borne  our  infirmities, and  carried  our  sorrows.

St. Augustine  says  that  our  Lord  in  creating  us  formed us by  virtue  of  his  power,  but  in  redeeming  us  he  has saved us  from  death  by  means  of  his  sufferings: "He created  us  in  his  strength; he  sought  us  back  in  his weakness."