Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/703

 more  than  He  loves  His  Son,  in  that  He  delivered  Him  up  so  that  we might  be  saved! And the  Incarnate  Son  of  God  Himself  gave  up  all for us,  and  sought  out  sufferings  which  He  would  endure,  to  prove  to us  the  excess  of  His  Love  by  the  very  excess  of  His  Sufferings! Nothing could better  reveal  the  love  of  God  for  us  than  the  Sufferings  and  Death of the  Son  of  God. Even the  angels  in  heaven,  on  whom  God  has so lavishly  poured  proofs  of  His  love,  if  they  wish  to  contemplate  the highest possible  proof  of  God’s  goodness,  must  cast  down  their  glances to this  earth  of  ours,  where  the  Creator  suffered  for  the  creature,  and He who  was  offended  died  on  the  Cross  for  those  who  had  offended Him. St. Paul  writes  thus  with  reference  to  Christ’s  Passion:  “Walk in love,  as  Christ  also  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  delivered  Himself  for us, an  oblation  and  sacrifice  to  God,  for  an  odour  of  sweetness”  (Eph. 5,  2). What has  been  said  may  be  briefly  summed  up  thus:  The  divine justice could  have  been  satisfied  with  a lesser  expiation,  and  thus  the chalice would  have  been  removed  from  our  Lord; but  that  which  would have satisfied  the  divine  justice  was  not  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  divine love which  knew  no  measure  in  its  desire  to  draw  us  away  from  sin, and move  our  hearts  to  a grateful  love  in  return.

It was  for  you  that  Jesus  endured  His  agony and shed  His  Precious  Blood  on  the  Mount  of  Olives. The Eternal God suffered  for  you,  ungrateful,  sinful  creature  that  you  are! Will you not  for  the  future  try  to  love  Him  more,  and  serve  Him  better?

Think what  grief  of  soul  your  sins  caused  your  Divine  Saviour! And yet  you  pay  so  little  heed  to  your  sins,  and  have  so  very little sorrow  for  them. Reflect on  the  number  and  grievousness of your  sins,  confess  your  ingratitude  and  indifference,  and  ask  our dear Lord — for  the  sake  of  His  bitter  agony — to  instil  into  your heart a great  hatred  of  sin. Let us  now  kneel  down  and  make a good act  of  contrition!

HILE Jesus  was  yet  speaking,  Judas  came  with  a great crowd of  soldiers  and  servants  from  the  chief  priests and ancients. Now the  traitor  had  given  them  a sign,  saying: