Page:PassionDeathOfJesusChristV5.djvu/42

 My beloved  Jesus,  how  much  hast  Thou  labored  to show  me  Thy  love,  and  to  make  me  enamoured  of  Thy goodness! Great indeed,  then,  would  be  the  injury  I should  do  Thee  if  I were  to  love  Thee  but  little,  or  to love  anything  else  but  Thee.

Ah, when  he  showed  himself  to  us,  a God,  wounded, crucified, and  dying,  did  he  not  indeed  (says  Cornelius  a Lapide)  give  us  the  greatest  proofs  of  the  love  that  he bears  us? "God showed  his  utmost  love  on  the  cross.”   And  before  him  St.  Bernard  said  that  Jesus,  in  his  Passion, showed  us  that  his  love  towards  us  could  not  be greater  than  it  was:  "In  the  shame  of  the  Passion  is shown  the  greatest  and  incomparable  love."  The Apostle  writes  that  when  Jesus  Christ  chose  to  die  for our  salvation,  then  appeared  how  far  the  love  of  God extended  towards  us  miserable  creatures:  The  goodness and  kindness  of  God  our  Saviour  appeared.

O my most  loving  Saviour! I feel indeed  that  all  Thy wounds speak  to  me  of  the  love  that  Thou  bearest  me. And who  that  had  so  many  proofs  of  Thy  love  could  resist loving  Thee  in  return? St. Teresa  was  indeed  right O most amiable  Jesus,  when  she  said  that  he  who  loves Thee not  gives  a proof  that  he  does  not  know  Thee.

Jesus Christ  could  easily  have  obtained  for  us  salvation without  suffering,  and  in  leading  a life  of  ease  and delight; but  no,  St.  Paul  says,  having  joy  set  before  Him, He endured  the  cross. He refused  the  riches,  the  delights,