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 brought to  the  sacrifice : He  shall  be  led  as  a sheep  to  the slaughter. What a cause  of  wonder  it  must  have  been to the  angels,  O my  God,  to  behold  their  innocent  Lord led as  a victim  to  be  sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  the  cross for the  love  of  man! And what  a cause  of  horror  to heaven  and  to  hell,  the  sight  of  a God  extended  as  an infamous  criminal  on  a shameful  gibbet  for  the  sins  of his  creatures!

Christ hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law, being made a curse  for  us  ( for  it  is  written, Cursed  is  every  one that  hangeth  on  a tree):  that  the  blessing  of  Abraham  might come to  the  Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ. “ He was  made a curse upon  the  cross," says  St.  Ambrose,  “that  thou mightest  be  blessed  in  the  kingdom  of  God."

O my dearest  Saviour! Thou wert,  then,  content,  in order  to  obtain  for  me  the  blessing  of  God,  to  embrace the dishonor  of  appearing  upon  the  cross  accursed  in  the sight of  the  whole  world,  and  even  forsaken  in  Thy  sufferings by  Thy  Eternal  Father, — a suffering  which  made Thee cry  out  with  a loud  voice,  My  God,  My  God,  why hast Thou  forsaken  Me? Yes, observes  Simon  of  Cassia, it was  for  this  end  that  Jesus  was  abandoned  in  his  Passion in  order  that  we  might  not  remain  abandoned  in  the sins which  we  have  committed : “Therefore  Christ  was abandoned in  his  sufferings  that  we  might  not  be  abandoned in  our  guilt.”  O prodigy  of  compassion! O excess of love  of  God  towards  men! And how  can  there