I. Jesus is condemned to death by Pilate

“And Jesus stood before the governor: ”’ Stetit ante praesidem. He stands, because, being the second Adam, He is the Head of all the race which He is about to redeem by His immolation. The first Adam had merited death by his sin: stipendia enim peccatt mors. Jesus, innocent, but laden with the sins of the world, is to expiate them by His sacrifice of blood. The chief priests, the pharisees, His own nation surround Him with furious clamours. Through these clamours our own sins cry out and tumultuously demand the death of the Just: “Crucify Him:” Tolle, tolle, crucifige eum ! The cowardly Roman Governor delivers the Victim up to His enemies that they may hang Him upon the Cross.

Let us contemplate Jesus at this moment.

If He stands because He is our Head; if, as St Paul says, He gives testimony to the truth of His doctrine, to the divinity of His Person, and of His mission, He yet humbles Himself in interior self-abasement before the sentence pronounced by Pilate, in whom He acknowledges an authentic power. In this earthly power, unworthy but legitimate, Jesus beholds the majesty of His Father. Therefore He delivers Himself up more than He is delivered: Tvadebat judicantt se injuste. He humbles Himself in obeying even unto death ; for us He voluntarily accepts the sentence of condemnation, in order to restore life to us: Oblatus est quia tpse volutt.

We ought to unite ourselves to Jesus in His obedience, and accept all that our Heavenly Father shall impose upon us.

Let us, even now, accept death in expiation for our sins, with all the circumstances wherewith it shall please Providence to surround it; let us accept it as a homage rendered to Divine justice and_ holiness outraged by our iniquities ; united with the death of Jesus it will become “ precious in the sight of the Lord.”

My Divine Master, I unite myself to Your Sacred Heart in Its perfect submission and entire abandonment to the Father’s Will. May the virtue of Your grace produce in my soul that spirit of submission which will yield me unreservedly and without murmuring to the Divine good pleasure, and to all that it shall please You to send me at the hour when I must leave this world !