Twenty-fifth meditation. The death of Our Saviour on the Cross

First point.

Keflect that it was on the cross that the eternal Son gave the kiss of love to His heavenly Father in favor of mankind. It was then and there that the Father perceived a sweet odor coming from the garments of His Son, that is to say, from His holy humanity. " Ah! " He exclaimed, " the odor of My Son resembles that of a field blooming and plentiful." Yes; for Jesus, Flower of the fields, having been crushed beneath the press of the cross, gave forth a perfume which rejoiced God, ravished the angels, and redeemed mankind.

Second point.

Our Saviour cried out: " All is consummated/' the redemption of the world is accomplished. My Father, I remit My spirit into Thy hands. I have already given Thee My body, My sweat, My blood; nothing now remains but the soul that animates this mutilated body. O My Father, I remit it into Thy hands, do with it as it shall please Thee. Grant only that Thy will be accomplished, whether Thou desirest My soul still to remain in this body, or that I should breathe it out into Thy hands.

Third point.

Eeflect that our meek J esus sees that His Father desires His departure. Death not being able to enter into Him who holds the keys of life and death, love opened the door to death, so that it might destroy His precious body. And Jesus, bowing His head in order to give the kiss of peace to His blessed Mother and to His nascent Church, expired through His own election of love. Then, O God, sepulchres were opened, the earth trembled, and the veil of the Temple was rent in twain; all things rendered homage to the Conqueror of death.

Affections.

O Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, how precious is the sacred blood that flows from Thy most pure body! Thou art alone, no one assists Thee to turn the heavy winepress, nevertheless Thy sacred body, the divine garment of Thy soul, is crimson with its own blood, because Thou art in the day of Thy vintage. O eternal Father, behold the face of Thy Christ, and have pity on His brethren! Sweet Jesus, mutilated, trodden upon, lacerated in all Thy members, what confusion for me not to wish that I may be torn to pieces by mortification! Nevertheless, it is only by that means that I shall give forth the sweet liquor of virtue. O religious souls, be ashamed to call yourselves members of Jesus Christ, if you are not willing to suffer with Jesus Christ; for it is too great an indignity to see delicate and sensual members under a head crowned with thorns.

0 dear Jesus, I know that torments grievous enough to cause the death of an entire world were Thine, nevertheless they were insufficient to make Thee die. It was expedient that Thou shouldst Thyself remit Thy soul into the hands of Thy Father, all things having been fulfilled. From this I learn the quintessence of the spiritual life, namely, perfect abandonment into the hands of the heavenly Father. Ah, may I often pronounce these blessed words: " Father, I remit my spirit into Thy hands.

Do unto me this or that according to Thy will! My Superiors, I have accomplished your commands, laborious and abject though they be. I abandon myself into your hands that, if it so please you, I may begin anew." Happy shall I be if I live in this manner!

Incline Thy head, O my divine King, and call upon death to give me lif e. O why is death feared? My Jesus has endured it! Ah, Jesus, God of life, grant me the grace at the hour of my death to remit my soul into Thy hands, for Thou art my true Father! Wither away with love and sorrow, O my soul, on beholding Jesus dead for your sins. Depart not from the holy mount of Calvary, until you have entombed the beloved Spouse in your heart.