XIII. The body of Jesus is taken down from the Cross

XIII. The body of Jesus is taken down from the Cross and given to His Mother.

The mangled body of Jesus is restored to Mary. We cannot imagine the grief of the Blessed Virgin at this moment: never did mother love her child as Mary loved Jesus. The Holy Spirit had fashioned within her a mother’s heart to love a Man-God. Never did human heart beat with more tenderness for the Word Incarnate than did the heart of Mary ; for she was full of grace, and her love met with no obstacle to its expansion.

Then she owed all to Jesus ; her immaculate conception, the privileges that made of her a unique creature had been given to her in prevision of the death of her Son. What inexpressible sorrow was hers when she received the blood-stained body of Jesus into her arms !

Let us throw ourselves down at her feet and ask her forgiveness for the sins that were the cause of so many sufferings. O

Mother, fount of love, make me understand the strength of your love, so that I may share your grief; make my heart glow with love for Christ, my God, so that I may think only of pleasing Him!