Meditation for Tuesday

To-day shalt thou think upon the Saviour's Prayer in the Garden, of His being betrayed, and taken to the house of Annas, and of the insults there offered to Him.

Consider then, first, how, when the Mysterious Supper was ended, our Lord went with His disciples to the Mount Olivet, to make His prayer before entering into the battle of His Passion. This was to teach us that, in all the troubles and temptations of this life, we must ever have recourse to prayer, as to the one sacred anchor, by virtue of which either the burden of tribulation will be taken away, or, which will be a greater favour, we shall have grace and strength to bear it.

For His companions here, He took with Him those three most loved disciples, _S. Peter, S. James and S. John. These disciples had been witnesses of His glorious Transfiguration. And now He takes 3 them with Him that they may see how different an appearance He Who had shown Himself so glorious in that Vision, was now to assume for love of mankind. And that they might understand that the interior sorrows of His soul were not less than the outer sorrows which He was now about to manifest, He said those words of grief, “ My soul is exceeding sorrowful, ‘even unto death : tarry ye here, and watch with Me.” 1 S. Matt. xxvi. 38.

And when He had said these words, the Lord separated Himself from the disciples, about a stone’s cast, and having prostrated Himself on the ground, with lowliest reverence, He began His prayer, saying, “O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” And, having said this prayer three times, at the third time, “being in an agony, ... . His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Consider, then, thy Lord in this extremity of pain and sorrow, and observe how we may believe it to have come partly from His foreknowledge of all the torments awaiting Him, and partly from His having before Him all the sins of the world for which He would suffer, and the unthankfulness of so many souls who would neither give heed to His Sacrifice, nor derive any good from so great and costly a redemption. It was for these causes we may believe His soul to have been so “ exceeding sorrowful,” His senses and sacred flesh so troubled, that all the parts and forces of His body were convulsed, and the sacred flesh opening itself at every vein, gave forth the Blood, which flowed in such abundance that It ran down even to the ground. And if the flesh, which bore these pains as coming from the anguish of the soul, so suffered, what shall we think of the condition of the soul which gave being to the pains ? Consider, then, that when this prayer was ended, there came the traitor with his hellish company, who had now renounced his Apostleship, and made himself Captain of the Army of Satan which he had banded together. See how without shame he placed himself at their head, and comeing to his Master, sold Him with the kiss of peace in falsehood. In that hour said the Lord to those who came to take Him, “Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the Temple, ye stretched forth no hands against Me; but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” ‘This is a Mystery for great marvel. What more awful thing to contemplate, than the Son of God taking the likeness, not of a sinner only, but of one condemned! Therefore, He said, “ This is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

From these words it is to be gathered that, in that hour, the Lamb of God most innocent was delivered into the power of the princes of darkness, that is, the devils; that by their means as ministers and servants of hell might be executed all the torments and cruelties they desired.

Consider, then, that depth of degradation to which this, the Supreme Majesty of God, abased Himself for thy sake ; for in this He came down to the lowest pit of all evils, which is being delivered into the power of devils. And this was what thy sins deserved! He vouchsafed to deliver. Himself to this punishment, that thou mightest be set free from it. And when He had said these words, immediately the whole band of enemies, like wolves hungering for an unresisting lamb, laid hold upon Him, some driving Him one way, and some another, as each one could or would.

Think of the inhuman cruelty with which they afflicted Him, the blows bestowed, the dragging Him hither and thither, the cries and words of devilish triumph which they raised, like conquerors going their way with their prey in hand! Those sacred Hands which lately had been performing so great miracles they take and bind so cruelly with twisted ropes as to flay the skin from them and cause blood to flow! And thus they led Him through the public streets, bound and shamefully handled. Think thou seest Him then going on this way, forsaken by His disciples, with enemies all around Him, hurried breathlessly along, with colour changing and face enkindled red with the hasty marching. And yet, with all the shameful treatment of His Person, observe the calm demeanour of His Face, the gravity of His eyes, and that look Divine, which, in the midst of all the world’s dishonours, could never be overcast ! Then next thou shalt go in thought with thy Lord to the house of Annas, and observe how courteously He answers the High Priest’s question as to His disciples and His teaching ; and, when one of the ruffans there struck a heavy blow upon His Face, saying, “ Answerest Thou the High Priest so >” how gently the Saviour answered, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou Me?”?

Oh! my soul, see here the meekness and lowliness of thy Lord, and how that most Holy soul in His humility would even, when smitten on one cheek, turn the other also to the smiter !