Page:StJosephsManual1877.pdf/821

 ness as  well  as  the  painfulness  of  his  wounds,  to  hold out, falls  under  its  weight.

O most loving  Jesus,  thou  art  the  the  Son  of  God, the adorable  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth  — infinitely great and  powerful. How is  it,  therefore,  that  thou languishest and  fallest  under  the  weight  of  the  cross? O Lord, what  a terrible  evil  must  sin  be,  since,  when placed on  thy  divine  shoulders,  it  makes  thee  fall  to the  earth  for  very  horror! The cross  weighed  thee down only  when  on  the  way  to  Calvary; but  my  sins have weighed  on  thee  night  and  day  during  the  whole of thy  mortal  life,  painting  thee  with  their  deformity, and present  to  thy  mind  in  all  their  malice. I am sorry for  having  committed  them; and  would  to  God they had  never  been  committed! I thank thee  for having, with  so  much  love,  taken  upon  thyself  the burden of  my  sins,  to  free  me  from  the  chastisement due to  them. I love thee,  O loving  Lord; I love  thee, my amiable  Redeemer; I wish  always  to  love  thee, and never  more  to  offend  thee.

The sorrowful  Jesus  having  arrived  with  extreme difficulty on  Calvary,  the  executioners  strip  him of his  clothes,  tearing  them  violently  from  his  sacred body, to  which  they  adhered  closely  by  the  wounds and clotted  blood. Meditate, O my  soul,  what  pain must have  been  caused  to  our  suffering  Lord  in  opening his  wounds  in  this  manner. Then say  to  thyself: Behold the  repose  that  is  given  to  my  suffering Redeemer, after  so  long  and  painful  a journey! See the comfort  they  provide  for  him  before  his  cruel crucifixion! Jesus, the  victim  destined  for  the sacrifice, having  received  orders  to  lie  down  upon  the gibbet prepared  for  him,  in  obedience  and  silence