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 God Who is about to die. Nevertheless ye cannot harm Christ: for wisdom overcomes malice, and the patience of Jesus no insults can exhaust.

The thief, too, who hung on the left hand, and remained impenitent in his sin, joined in these reproaches, saying: " If Thou he Christ, save Thyself and us." That unhappy man, alas, treats Thee with contempt, and plunges into an abyss of horrors. Instead of praying, as he should, for forgiveness of his evil deeds, he insulted Thee, the Bestower of pardon. And so, the wretched man met his death in despair, and perished miserably.

I praise and glorify Thee for Thy unflinching steadfastness in clinging to the Cross to which Thou hadst submitted Thyself, and from which no revilings, no specious suggestions, could move Thee to descend — not even for one short moment wouldst Thou leave that Cross upon which, of Thy Own free will. Thou hadst been raised on high It was Thy will there to abide to the end, where of Thy exceeding love Thou hadst placed Thyself; there to remain and to die, and there to consummate, in a way fitted to accomplish Thy purpose, the work which for our sakes Thou hadst begun. Thou Who didst teach men to persevere in every good work, didst Thyself upon the Cross first make profession of obedience, and didst affirm Thy precept by leaving to Thy followers Thy own example.

Come near now to the Tree of the Crucified, thou who art a despiser of the world, a lover of the Holy Cross, and professed in Religion. Play the man, and hold fast to the holy purpose thou hast laid down for thyself To hold fast thy rule, to live under obedience, and to persevere in discipline is work for Christ, and the perfecting of