Page:PassionDeathOfJesusChristV5.djvu/36

 be a soul  who  believes  this,  O my  Jesus,  and  yet  loves Thee not?

He hath  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own blood. Behold, O men,  how  far  the  love  of  Jesus  for  us has  carried  him,  in  order  to  cleanse  us  from  the  filthiness of our  sins. He has  even  shed  every  drop  of  his  blood that he  might  prepare  for  us  in  this  his  own  blood  a bath of salvation : “ He  offers  his  own  blood,”  says  a learned writer, “speaking  better  than  the  blood  of  Abel:  for that cried  for  justice; the  blood  of  Christ  for  mercy.”

Whereupon St.  Bonaventure  exclaims,  “O  good  Jesus, what hast  Thou  done?”  O my  Saviour,  what  indeed hast Thou  done? How far  hath  Thy  love  carried Thee? What hast  Thou  seen  in  me  which  hath  made Thee love  me  so  much? “ Wherefore hast  Thou  loved me so  much? Why, Lord,  why? What am  I?” Wherefore didst  Thou  choose  to  suffer  so  much  tor  me? Who am I that  Thou  wouldst  win  to  Thyself  my  love  at  so dear  a price? Oh, it  was  entirely  the  work  of  Thy  infinite love! Be Thou  eternally  praised  and  blessed  for it.

O all ye  that  pass  by  the  way, attend  and  see  if  there  be  any sorrow  like  to  My  sorrow.   The  same  seraphic  Doctor, considering these  words  of  Jeremias  as  spoken  of  our blessed Redeemer  while  he  was  hanging  on  the  cross