Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/754

 the type  of  the  paschal  lamb,  that  it  would  be  so. Why, then,  did  God permit the  Sacred  Body  of  His  Only-Begotten  Son  to  be  pierced  with a lance, and  His  Sacred  Heart  to  be  laid  open? The Crucifixion  being such an  all-important  event  to  the  whole  world,  each  circumstance  of it,  however  small,  must  have  a meaning,  and  have  been  provided  for in the  plan  of  Redemption;  so  that  the  lance-thrust  which  transfixed the Sacred  Heart  must  in  the  wisdom  of  God  have  been  meant  to serve  some  special  end. The end  was  this:  a)  to  confirm  our  faith; b)  to  kindle  our  love.

a) The  wound  inflicted  by  the  lance  was,  by  its  nature,  absolutely mortal,  and  left  no  possible  room  for  doubt  that  our  Lord  really  did die  on  the  Cross,  and  that,  consequently,  His  Resurrection  was  really and  truly  an  awakening  from  death  to  life.

b) When  the  lance  pierced  the  Heart  of  Jesus,  Blood  and  Water flowed  out.  Our  Blessed  Saviour,  therefore,  shed  His  Heart’s  Blood for  us,  thereby  giving  us  the  greatest  proof  of  His  love.  It  was  the love  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  which  impelled  Him  to  suffer  all the  pain  and  shame  that  He  endured,  and  to  die  for  us  on  the  Cross; so  now,  after  His  Body  was  completely  covered  with  wounds,  and  had been  tortured  to  death,  He  willed  further  to  give  His  very  Heart’s Blood  for  us,  and  permitted  it  to  be  pierced,  so  that  it  might  pour out  its  last  drops  of  Blood  for  us.  The  Church  speaks  thus  in  her Office  for  the  Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus:  “For  this  was  His Heart  pierced,  that  we  by  means  of  this  visible  wound  might  perceive the  invisible  wound  of  His  love. How could  this  love  be  better  proved than by  allowing  His  Heart  to  be  wounded  by  the  lance? Who could help loving  this  Heart  thus  wounded?”  “Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  I implore grace to  love  Thee  more  and  more.”

The Blood  and  the  Water  which  flowed  from  the  opened  Side  of Jesus  are  figures  of  the  holiest  and  the  most  indispensable  of  the  Sacraments, namely  the  Most  Holy  Sacrament  of  the  Altar,  and  of  Baptism. These two  Sacraments  (and  with  these  two  greatest,  the  other  five also)  proceeded  from  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  for  it  was  the  love of His  Sacred  Heart  which  moved  Him  to  institute  these  Sacraments for our  salvation. In this  sense,  therefore,  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  is the  source  of  all  sacramental  grace.

The sorrowful  Mother  of  God. The  grief  of  Mary  at  the  Crucifixion of her  Son  was  immeasurably  great. She felt  in  her  own  heatt  all  the torments which  He  suffered,  without  being  able  either  to  help  or  relieve Him. And now  He  was  dead! Her beloved  Son  was  taken  from  her, and even  His  Body  belonged  to  His  enemies. She could  not  tear  herself away  from  the  scene  of  His  Death,  but  remained  by  the  Cross  to keep  guard  over  His  Body,  and,  if  possible,  to  assist  at  its  Burial. Full of anxious  suspense  as  to  what  would  be  done  with  that  Sacred  Body, she implored  the  help  of  the  heavenly  Father. The executioners  were already making  their  preparations  to  take  It  down  from  the  Cross  and