Thursday after the Third Sunday in Lent — On the Love that Christ has shown us in his Passion

Consider, first, those words of our Saviour, St. John xv. 13, Greater love than this no man hath that a man lay down his life for his friends. And, indeed, history scarce furnishes us any instances of a friendship so perfect, as that one friend should be willing to lay down his life for another. But, O, divine Saviour of our souls, how imperfect is all human friendship compared with thine! What love, betwixt man and man, could ever bear the least resemblance with that divine charity which burnt in thy sacred breast, and which obliged thee to offer up thyself in sacrifice, in the midst of all kinds of ignominies, and the very worst of torments, for thy very enemies; for those very wretches that crucified thee; for us miserable sinners, who were like to make no better return, for all thy love, and for all thy sufferings, than sin and ingratitude; and this to that degree as scarce ever to think of thy sufferings, or thank thee for them, but rather, by repeated treasons, to be daily treading under foot thy precious blood! O blessed by all creatures, for evermore, be this infinite goodness, and love of our dearest Redeemer! O my dear Saviour, 1 beseech thee, by all this love, and by all this precious blood, which thou hast so lovingly shed for me, that thou wouldst never more suffer me to be thus ungrateful to thee.

Consider, secondly, what the world would think of a prince, the only son and heir of some great monarch, who should entertain such love and friendship for one of the meanest of his slaves, as to offer himself to die a cruel and ignominious death, to rescue this slave from the just punishment of his crimes. Would not all mankind stand amazed at such an extraordinary love? and this much more, if the crime, for which this slave was condemned to die, were no lesser than a treasonable conspiracy against this prince, by whom he was so tenderly beloved? Ah! Christian souls, this is but a faint resemblance, a very imperfect image, of that inconceivable and inexpressible love, which our Saviour has shown to us, in laying down his life upon a cross, to rescue us, his ungrateful creatures, rebels and traitors to him and his Father, from the eternal torments of hell, which we have a thousand times deserved by our treasons against him. For as there is an infinite distance between the sovereign majesty of God and any of his creatures, how dignified soever; so there is between that love which our God has shown in dying for us, worms of the earth, and slaves of hell, and that love which would oblige oue mortal to die for another. O dear Jesus, never suffer mf tc forget this love, which thou hast shown me! O give me grace to return thee love for love.

Consider, thirdly, how truly sweet our Lord has showed himself to us in his passion, and how rick in mercy. For, supposing it was his pleasure to deliver us from sin and hell, he could have brought this about with the same ease with which he created all things out of nothing; one only word, one act of his, would have been sufficient; or, if he must needs suffer, and shed his blood, for our redemption, one drop alone of his sacred blood, by reason of the infinite dignity of his divine person, would have been abundantly enough to atone for all the sins of ten thousand worlds. But his infinite love for us, and the desire he had to gain our hearts, and to oblige us to love him, would not be content with this, nor with any thing less than with pouring out the last drop of his most sacred blood, by suffering for us the worst of torments, and the worst of deaths. O infinite goodness, how little art thou considered by us here! O, how astonishing shalt thou appear to the saints and angels for all eternity!

Conclude with admiration at the ingratitude and insensibility of Christians, wlio make profession of lieving this infinite goodness, mercy and love; and yet are so little touched with it, or restrained by the consideration of it, from going on, daily crucifying their Lord with their sins. O divine love, let me never be so unhappy! O let me never forget thee! O come and take full possession, at least, of my soul; and let nothing in life or death ever separate me from thee!