Course 2, Chapter 13: Passion of our Lord — Continued

1. Continue the history of the passion?

The Jews having arrived with Jesus before the house of Pilate, would not enter the judgment hall lest they should be defiled and not be able to eat of the Pasch. Pilate, therefore, came out to them and said

Of what do you accuse this man? They replied: If he had not been a malefactor we would not have delivered him up to you. Pilate said to them: Take him vourselves, and judge him according to your law. They answered, It is not permitted us to put any one to death.

Pilate then interrogated Jesus, and said to him: Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus replied that he was a king, but that his kingdom was not of this earth. Pilate" said to the Jews, I find no cause for condemnation in this man. They then be^an to cry aloud: He stirreth up the people. Pilate said to Christ: Do you not hear of how mauy crimes they accuse you? But he answered not. Pilate, learning that Jesus was of Galilee, sent him awy to Herod. Herod desired much to see Jesus Christ, hoping that he would perform some miracle in his presence. His vain curiosity was disappointed. He with all his court despised the Saviour, and having dressed him as a fool, in a white robe, he sent him back to Pilate.*

Pilate said to the Jews: You have brought me this man as one stirring up the people; I have interrogated him in your presence and find nothing worthy of condemnation. Neither has Herod. I will, therefore, scourge him and let him go. Fearing, however, that he would not succeed in saving Jesus, he had recourse to another means. It was the custom, that at the Paschal time the governor should grant to the people the release of one prisoner. There was at that time confined in the prisons a notorious criminal, named Barabbas. He was a seditious robber and a murderer. Pilate said to the people, which of the two shall I release unto vou, Barabbas or Jesus, who is called the Christ'? "fhe priests persuaded the people to choose Barabbas and to have Christ put to death. For this reason, when Pilate asked them which of die two shall I release unto you, they all cried aloud, Give us Ba rabbas and awa with J> tam. Filate then said to them,

162 CATECHISM OF PERSEVERANCE.

What will you that I do to Jesus, the king of the Jews? They replied — Crucify him! He said to them again: But what evil has he done? I do not find any cause of death in him. I will scourge him and set 'him at liberty.

But they cried aloud still more, Crucify him! Then Pilate, taking water, washed his hands in presence of the people, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just man. Look ye to it. They all cried out, His blood be upon us and upon our children. Then Pilate caused the Saviour to be scourged; and the soldiers, having taken off his garments, placed a purple mantle on his shoulders, a crown of thorns on his head, and a reed in his hand; and approaching him, they bent their knee in derision, and said: Hail! King of the Jews! at the same time they forced the thorns into his head, spat in his face and loaded him with buffets.

In this condition Pilate caused the Saviour to be brought forth, and showing him to the people, said to them: Behold the man! Immediately the chief priests cried out, Crucify him! Crucify him! If you release him, you are no friend of Cassar's. At this name, Pilate being intimidated abandoned Jesus to them, to do with him as they wished.

Scarcely was he condemned, when the soldiers seized him, tore off the purple robe, put on his garments again and led him out of the city to crucify him. Jesus went forth carrying his cross, and ascended to wards Calvary. He soon fell under the weight, when they compelled a stranger, named Simon the Cyrenean, to carry the cross after him. The Saviour was followed by a great number of people, and women who were weeping. He turned to the women and said: Daughters of Jerusalem! weep not for me; but for yourselves and your children! Being arrived at Calvary, they crucified him between two thieves. The Saviour, being raised up on the cross, asked for the

pardon of his murderers. My Father, said he, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

The soldiers divided his garments amongst them, casting lots for his robe, whose it should be. The Jews blasphemed, saying, If he be the King of Israel, let him descend from the cross, and we will believe in him. If the Saviour had descended from his cross, he would not have been the Messiah; for the prophets had foretold that the Messiah should die on the cross. The Saviour converted the good thief. Perceiving his Blessed Mother and his well-beloved disciple, he said to the Blessed Virgin: Woman, behold thy son, and to John, Behold thy mother. Mary adopted John as her son, and in his person all Christians as her children. Then darkness covered the whole earth, and the sun was obscured. The Saviour cried out with a loud voice: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? He afterwards said: I thirst. Then they gave him vinegar to drink, fastening a sponge to the end of a reed, and presenting it to him. Now, this happened in order that the prophecy of David might be accomplished, saying: In mi/ thirst they have given me vinegar to drink. Jesus, having tasted of the vinegar, and being satisfied that there was nothing wanting to his sacrifice, nor to the accomplishment of all the prophe cies, nor to his love for man, cried out with a loud voice: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, and saying this, he bowed his head and gave up the ghost.