Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/749

 separated from,  and  rejected  by  Him. By this  suffering  He  merited precious graces  for  us,  by  means  of  which  we  can  overcome  temptations to faint-heartedness  or  despair.

The thirst  of  Jesus.  The  cry:  “I  thirst”,  revealed  not  only  the torturing bodily  thirst  which  our  Blessed  Lord  was  suffering,  but  also His burning  desire  for  our  salvation  and  our  love. The desire  for  our salvation was  the  cause  of  all  our  Lord’s  pain. It is  our  business — not that of  His  executioners — to  quench  His  burning  thirst  by  appreciating and responding  to  His  infinite  love,  and  by  caring  for  the  salvation  of our  own  souls.

The wonderful  rending  of  the  veil  of  the  Temple  showed  I.  that Jesus by  His  Death  had  opened  to  all  men  the  way  into  the  real  Holy of Holies,  even  heaven;  2. that the  Temple  of  the  Old  Covenant,  with its typical  laws  and  sacrifices,  had  lost  its  meaning,  and  that  from henceforth substance  and  fulfilment  would  take  the  place  of  shadows and types.

The rending  of  the  rocks  gives  us  an  idea  of  the  effect  which  the contemplation of  our  Lord’s  sufferings  and  death  ought  to  produce  on us. At the  sight  of  our  crucified  Saviour,  our  hearts  ought  to  “quake” with terror  at  the  evil  of  sin,  and  “heave”  with  pain  at  the  thought of His  sufferings;  and  they  ought  to  be  “rent”  with  contrition,  even if they  be  as  hard  as  stone! They ought  to  open  and  cast  off  their dead works  and  sins  by  a good  confession,  and  rise  to  a new  life with Jesus  Christ  (St.  Bernard).

Holy week. Good  Friday  is  a day  of  mourning  and  penance,  for on that  day  sin  caused  the  death  of  the  Incarnate  Son  of  God. On the sixth  day  of  Creation  God  made  man; and  on  the  sixth  day  of the  week,  God  Incarnate  redeemed  fallen  man.

A summary of  the  Passion  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. The  sufferings of our  Blessed  Lord  were  caused  by  men, Jews,  Gentiles  and  even  His own apostles  (Peter  and  Judas); by  the  light  which  revealed  His  nakedness; and  by  the  air  which  inflamed  His  wounds. He suffered  in  His honour, by false  accusations,  insults,  and  unjust  judgment; in  His  liberty, by being  seized,  bound  and  fastened  with  nails. His Soul  suffered from fear,  sadness  and  complete  desolation,  and  from  the  scorn,  mockery and ignominy  that  were  heaped  upon  Him; His  whole  Body  was tortured by  the  innumerable  bruises  and  wounds  of  the  scourging; His Head by  the  crown  of  thorns; His  Face  by  the  blows  and  spittle; His Hands and  Feet  by  being  pierced  with  nails;  His  Knees  by  being wounded and  torn  by  His  falls; and  His  Neck  by  the  halter  laid  round it. His Eyes  were  wounded  by  the  looks  of  His  enemies  who  hated Him, as  well  as  by  the  sight  of  His  sorrowful  Mother;  His  Ears  were lacerated by  the  curses,  cries  of  execration  and  blasphemy  of  His  tormentors. Truly “from  the  sole  of  His  Foot  unto  the  top  of  His  Head, there is  no  soundness  therein”  (Is.  1,  6). Added to  all  these  sufferings