← Orationes sive Meditationes — Collection for Princess Adeliza of Normandy/Book 1 · Orationes sive Meditationes

Chapter 85Ansl.1.85

MEDITATIO IX. De humanitate Christi.

The Call to Honor the Crucified

Christ's unjust condemnation, crucifixion, and exaltation are presented as the foundation for Christian reverence, imitation, and humility.

Jesus of Nazareth was condemned without cause by the Jews and nailed to the cross by the Gentiles; let us who are Christians honor him with acts of divine reverence. We who belong to Christ are the Savior's weak things, and it is both wholesome and honorable to venerate him reverently, embrace him lovingly, and imitate him courageously.^✦ For these are the mightiest instruments by which the almighty power and unsearchable wisdom of God has powerfully and wonderfully worked the restoration of the world — and still works even now. Christ the Lord was made a little lower than the angels, so that he might make us equal to the angels — and who, for the sake of Christ, would not humble himself?^✦ Christ the Lord was crucified for our sins, and he sweetened the bitterness of the cross for those who love him; he died, and by his death destroyed death itself, so that we might live through him — and who would not love Christ the Lord?^✦ Who would not suffer for Christ? Through the shame of the cross Christ passed to the glory of heavenly brightness, and because of his reverence all power in heaven and on earth was given to him by God the Father — so that all the angels of God might worship him, and in his name every knee might bend, of heavenly beings, earthly beings, and those below.^✦^✦

Adoration and Praise of Christ Our Savior

The soul is summoned to glory in Christ's name above every name, adoring him as King, Light, and the precious price of redemption.

So where, then, is your boasting, O Christian — except in the name of your crucified Lord Jesus Christ? That name is above every name, and whoever is blessed in it on earth is blessed in heaven as well.^✦ Glory in his holy name, you sons of redemption; give honor to your Savior, who has done great things among you. Magnify his name together with me, saying: We adore you, Christ — King of Israel, ruler of the kings of the earth, light of the nations, Lord Sabaoth, the most mighty power of almighty God.^✦^✦ We adore you, precious price of our redemption, sacrifice of peace — you who alone, by the wonderful sweetness of your fragrance, inclined the Father who dwells in heaven to look upon the humble. You alone have rendered him favorable toward us.^✦ We proclaim your mercies, Christ; we pour forth the memory of your sweetness in abundance. To you, Christ, we offer the sacrifice of praise for the greatness of your goodness, which you have shown to us — a wicked seed, sinful children.^✦

The Father's Mercy and the Descent of the Son

God looks down upon humanity's misery in the valley of tears and sends not an angel but his own Son, who descends into the Virgin's womb to take on our flesh.

For although we were still your enemies, Lord, and ancient death exercised its dominion over all flesh—to which every offspring of Adam was bound by the law of original guilt—you remembered the abundance of your mercy, and from your dwelling on high you looked down into this valley of weeping and misery.^✦^✦ You saw, Lord, the affliction of your people, and, inwardly moved by the sweetness of love, you set yourself to plan thoughts of peace and redemption for us.^✦^✦ And indeed, although you were the Son of God, true God, co-eternal and consubstantial with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, dwelling in inaccessible light, holding all things by the word of your power—you did not disdain to bend your majesty down into this prison of our mortality, where you would both taste and swallow up our misery, and restore us to glory.^✦^✦^✦ It was not enough for your love, to complete the work of our salvation, to send a cherubim, or a seraphim, or one of the angels: you yourself deigned to come to us, by the commandment of the Father, whose exceeding love for us we have experienced in you.^✦^✦ You came—I say—not by changing your location, but by showing your presence to us through flesh.^✦ You came down from the royal throne of your sublime glory into a maiden humble and despised in her own eyes, one sealed by the first vow of virginal continence.^✦^✦ In whose sacred womb the ineffable power of the Holy Spirit caused you to be conceived and to be born in the true nature of humanity, so that neither the majesty of divinity in you nor the integrity of virginity in your Mother would be violated by the occasion of birth.^✦^✦

The Poverty and Humility of the Incarnation

God becomes a worm, a brother, a servant; the Lord of all chooses the poverty of a manger, calling the rich to shame and the poor to consolation.

O how worthy of love, O how astonishing is this condescension! God of immense glory, You did not scorn to become a contemptible worm; Lord of all, You chose to appear as a fellow servant of servants.^✦ It was not enough for You to be our Father; You also deigned, Lord, to be our brother. And You, Lord of all things, who have no need of anything, at the very beginning of Your birth did not shrink from tasting the hardships of the most abject poverty. For as Scripture says, when You were born there was no room for You in the inn, nor any cradle to receive Your tenderness; but You — You who enclose the earth in the span of Your hand — wrapped in swaddling clothes, were laid down in a vile manger in a filthy stable; and Your lodging, that is, the manger, Your mother borrowed from the brute beasts.^✦^✦ Take comfort, take comfort, you who are nourished in the squalor of poverty, for God is with you in poverty; He does not lie down in the delights of a splendid bed, nor is He found in the land of those who live in ease.^✦ Why do you still boast any further, O rich man — you muddy thing — on your luxurious bed of painted and delicate sheets, when the King of kings chose to honor with His own resting place the straw of the poor? Why do you recoil from rough bedding, when the tender infant in whose hand all things are — the one who chose the harsh stalks of beasts of burden over your silks, over your feathers — made that His choice?

Suffering from the Cradle: The Flight and the Innocents

Even in his tender infancy Christ suffers persecution, fleeing to Egypt while Herod slaughters the innocent children on his account.

But even your tender infancy, O Christ, was not kept safe from the swords of persecutors. While you were still clinging to your mother's sweet breasts, nursing at her milk, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying: 'Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.'^✦¹ From that moment on, good Jesus, you began to suffer. Yet you endured not only that persecution of your infancy in your own person, but also death among your little ones — many thousands of whom, still at their mothers' breasts, Herod's savagery slaughtered on your account.^✦²

Christ's Hidden Years: Humility, Obedience, and Baptism

Christ teaches humility and obedience in his youth, submits to John's baptism to sanctify the waters, and endures forty days of fasting and temptation in the wilderness.

And when your more tender infancy had passed, you gave us a model of truth to be learned humbly. For you did not sit with the counsel of vanity, but in the midst of teachers, questioning them and listening to them — even though you yourself were the Lord of all knowledge, and indeed the very wisdom of God the Father. You also gave us a model of obedience, for while you were the ruler of the world, you humbly placed yourself under the authority of your parents.³ But when the fullness of a stronger age had come, ready to stretch out your hand to mighty deeds, you went forth for the salvation of your people, like a strong giant to run the path of all our misery.⁴ And first of all, so that you might be like your brethren in every way, you approached your servant who was baptizing sinners into repentance as though you yourself were a sinner; and you, the innocent Lamb of God, whom no drop of sin ever stained, also asked to be baptized.^✦ You were baptized — not sanctifying yourself in the waters, but sanctifying the waters in yourself, so that through them you might sanctify us. After your baptism you went out into the wilderness in the Spirit of fortitude, so that the example of the solitary life would not be lacking in you. You calmly endured solitude and a forty-day fast, the bitterness of hunger, and the temptations of the deceiving spirit, in order to make all these things bearable for us.

Christ's Public Mission and Israel's Rejection

Christ proclaims the kingdom to Israel with signs and wonders, but the people respond with ingratitude, blasphemy, and slander.

At last you came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, openly lifting up the lamp of the divine word to light up the world, proclaiming the kingdom of God to everyone, and you became the cause of eternal salvation for all who obeyed, confirming your message by signs for those who followed it, showing the power of your divinity to all who were in deep trouble, and freely offering to everyone, for their salvation, whatever gifts suited them, so that you might win them all.^✦^✦ But their foolish hearts have been darkened, Lord, and they threw your words behind them; nor did they pay attention to all the wonders you worked among them — except for a few more noble athletes whom you chose from among the lowest and most despised things of the world, so that through them you might gloriously overcome the high and the mighty (1 Cor.^✦^✦ 1, 27). Not only did they prove ungrateful for your free gifts, but they also heaped insults on you, the Lord of lords, and did to you whatever they pleased.^✦ While you were doing the works of God that no one else had ever done, what did they say? This man is not from God; he casts out demons by the ruler of demons.^✦ He has a demon; he leads the crowds astray; he's a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.^✦

The Reproaches and the Betrayal

The meditation turns inward, rebuking the proud soul that still chafes at minor insults while Christ endures blasphemy, betrayal for thirty pieces of silver, and the washing of his betrayer's feet.

Why do you weep? Why do you sigh, O man of God, while you endure these verbal abuses? Do you not hear how great are the reproaches that have fallen upon the Lord your God on your account? If they called the father of the household Beelzebub, how much more his own people?^✦ And these things, and the like — blaspheming, and at times even attacking you with stones — good Jesus, you endured patiently, and you became before them like a man who does not hear, who has no reproof on his own lips.^✦ And most recently, your righteous blood was valued by your disciple, a son of perdition, at thirty pieces of silver, so that they might cast your soul down into death without cause.^✦ And the treachery of your most wretched betrayer was not hidden from you — how at the supper, for the sake of washing, you even knelt before him, bending your knee, and deigned to touch with your most holy hands his cursed feet, swift to shed your blood, and to wash and wipe them dry.^✦ And still you walk with head held high, O earth and ashes — still pride lifts you above yourself, still impatience torments you!^✦

The Gentleness of Christ toward Judas

Christ kneels before his betrayer in humility, gently warns him rather than exposing him, and casts out the corrupted vessel unworthy of the pure liquid of his teaching.

Look to your teacher of humility and gentleness: the Lord Jesus Christ, maker of all creation, the awesome judge of the living and the dead, kneeling at the feet of his own betrayer. Learn that he is meek and humble of heart, and be ashamed of your own pride; blush at your impatience. This, too, was part of your gentleness, Lord Jesus: you did not want to expose and shame that faithless man openly in the gathering of the brothers, but after a gentle warning you urged him to hasten what he had set in motion. In all this his fury was not turned away from you; instead, once outside, he busied himself with the repeated crime. How you have fallen from heaven, Lucifer, who once rose in the delights of paradise!^✦ Glorious you appeared, companion of heaven's citizens and guest at the table of the divine Word. You who were fed on the finest things — now you have embraced filth. Then your household was glorified, Christ, into the likeness of angelic fellowship; then at last that blessed assembly was given to drink the most abundant flood of the most divine Word from your mouth. And indeed, that corrupted vessel had already been cast out — the one you knew to be unworthy of the infusion of this most pure liquid.⁵

The Agony in Gethsemane

Christ reveals his sorrow unto death, prays with anguish for the cup to pass, and sweats bloody drops, yet offers himself willingly to the Father.

Once the Savior's command of love and patience had been given, and the kingdom of your Father had been arranged for the brothers, you turned aside to a place known to your betrayer, knowing full well everything that was about to come upon you. There you were not ashamed to speak openly, in the hearing of the brothers, of the sorrow of your soul, which you had willingly taken upon yourself from the suffering that was closing in on you, and of all the other things you had endured, saying: "My soul is sorrowful, even to death."⁶ And kneeling down as well, you fell forward on your face, praying in anguish, and saying: "Abba, Father, my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me."⁷ And the distress of your most sorrowful heart was revealed by that bloody sweat, which during the time of prayer ran down drop by drop from your most holy flesh onto the ground.⁸ Ruler, Lord Jesus Christ, whence came this sorrow, so intense, of your soul? Whence this distress of such great sweat, and this prayer so full of anguish? Did you not offer to the Father a sacrifice entirely of your own will, and endure nothing unwillingly? Certainly, Lord.

The Purpose of Christ's Weakness and His Surrender

Christ's agony consoles the weak, proves he truly bore our infirmities, and demonstrates his spirit's readiness as he goes willingly to meet his betrayers and receives Judas's kiss.

We believe, moreover, that you also took on this weakness for the consolation of your frail members, so that no one might fall into despair if the weak flesh should rebel, even though the spirit is ready and willing to suffer.^✦ Surely, too, so that we might have greater incentives of love and gratitude toward you, you revealed in yourself the natural weakness of the flesh by clear signs like these, through which we might be taught that you truly bore our infirmities, and that you ran through the thorns of suffering not without a real sense of pain.^✦ For that cry seems to have been the voice of the flesh, not of the spirit, from the fact that you added: 'The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.'^✦ How ready your spirit was, good Jesus, for suffering, you made clearly evident when, as men of blood came with your betrayer, seeking your life with lanterns, torches, and weapons through the night, you went out to meet them of your own accord, and by the signal they had received from the ringleader of the crime, you revealed yourself.^✦ For you did not turn away the blood-stained beast approaching to kiss your mouth, but gently pressed your mouth — a mouth in which no deceit was found — to the mouth that overflowed with malice.^✦

Christ and Judas: Kindness, Warning, and Arrest

Christ calls Judas 'friend,' warns him with horror at his crime, strikes down the arresting mob with a word, and is bound and dragged to sacrifice like a criminal.

O innocent Lamb of God, what has the wolf to do with you — and that one?^✦ What agreement can there be between Christ and Belial?^✦ But this too was part of your kindness, Lord Jesus: you showed him every kindness that might have softened the stubbornness of his depraved heart. For you also reminded him of your old friendship, saying, 'Friend, why have you come?'^✦ And you wished to strike the heart of the impious one with horror at his own crime when you said to him, 'Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?'^✦ And behold, the Philistines are upon you, Samson. It did not deter them from you that in the hour of your arrest you dashed them to the earth with your almighty arm — not in self-defense, but so that human presumption might learn that it can do nothing against you except what is permitted by you.^✦ And who could hear without a groan how in that hour murderous hands were laid upon you, and how they bound your innocent hands with chains, good Jesus — you, the gentlest Lamb, saying nothing in your own defense — and dragged you shamefully to the sacrifice like a common criminal?^✦^✦

Mercy at the Arrest: Healing and Restraint

Even at the moment of arrest Christ heals the ear of Malchus and restrains Peter's zeal, but the obstinate fury of his enemies cannot be broken.

But not even then did the honeycomb of your sweetness, O Christ, cease to drip your mercy down upon your enemies. For you both healed the mutilated ear of the enemy struck off by your disciple, and curbed your defender's zeal from harming those who were dragging you away.^✦ Cursed is their fury, because it was obstinate — a fury that neither the majesty of the miracle nor the kindness of the benefit could break.

Trial, Mockery, and Condemnation

Christ is condemned for blasphemy, spat upon and struck, handed over to Pilate and then Herod, scourged and mocked with a crown of thorns and purple robe.

You were brought before the council of priests plotting against you, and after confessing the truth, as was right, you were condemned to death as though guilty of blasphemy. Most loving Lord Jesus, what great indignities you endured there from your own people! That face of yours, so worthy of honor, which the angels long to gaze upon, which fills all heaven with joy, which all the wealthy of the people entreat — they defiled it with their own spit, struck it with sacrilegious hands, covered it in mockery, and you, the Lord of all creation, they beat like a despised slave.⁹ What's more, they handed your soul over to be devoured by an uncircumcised dog.¹⁰ They led you in chains before the face of Pilate the governor, demanding that you be put to death on the cross — you who had known no sin — and that a murderer be granted to themselves instead of you, preferring a wolf to the Lamb, preferring mud to gold.¹¹ O shameful and wretched exchange!¹² And yet the impious one did not fail to know that this was being done to you out of envy; nevertheless he did not hold back his reckless hands from you, but filled your soul with bitterness without cause.¹³ He sent you to Herod to be mocked; he received you back mocked, made you stand naked in the sight of those who ridicule you, and did not spare your virginal flesh from the bitterest blows as they tore it apart, cruelly inflicting wounds and bruises upon bruises.¹⁴

The Soul's Lament and Confession of Guilt

The meditating soul confesses that its own sin caused Christ's suffering, laments the soldiers' mockery, and beholds Christ stripped, crowned with thorns, and struck.

Chosen child of my Lord, what have you done to deserve such bitterness, what have you done to deserve such shame? Not at all: I, a ruined man, have been the cause of all your contrition, all your confusion. I ate the sour grape, and your teeth were set on edge, because you had to pay the penalty for what you had not seized.^✦ In all this the impiety of the faithless Jews was not satisfied. Finally, you were handed over into the hands of uncircumcised soldiers, to be destroyed by the most shameful of deaths. It was not enough for those sacrilegious men to crucify you, unless they had first filled your soul with mockery. For what does Scripture say about them? They gathered the whole cohort around him in the praetorium; and stripping him of his own garments, they clothed him in a purple tunic, and wrapped a scarlet cloak around him; and weaving a crown of thorns, they placed it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand, and bending the knee they mocked him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' And they struck him with slaps, and spitting on him they took the reed and beat his head.^✦

The Crucifixion and Death of Christ

Christ carries his cross to Golgotha, is crucified between thieves, prays for his enemies, thirsts, declares all finished, commends his spirit to the Father, and has his side pierced so that blood and water flow forth.

And after they had mocked him, they dressed him in his own garments, and led him away to be crucified, carrying his cross for himself.^✦ And they led him to Golgotha, and they gave him wine mixed with myrrh and gall to drink; and when he had tasted it, he refused to drink.^✦ Then they crucified him, and two thieves with him, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle.^✦ Jesus, however, was saying: Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.^✦ Afterward, Jesus, knowing that all things were now finished, said — so that Scripture might be fulfilled — "I thirst."^✦ And one of them ran, took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, placed it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink.^✦ When he had received the vinegar, he said: "It is finished."^✦ And crying out with a loud voice, he said: Father, into your hands I commend my spirit; and bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.^✦ Then one of the soldiers pierced his side with a lance, and immediately blood and water came forth.^✦¹⁵

Behold the King in His Shame

The soul is roused to gaze upon Christ as he walks to execution bearing the likeness of a King crowned with thorns, clothed in purple, mocked, spat upon, and bent under the weight of the cross.

Wake up now, my soul, shake off the dust, and look more closely at this remarkable man whom you see in the mirror of the Gospel narrative as though he were standing right before you. Consider, my soul — who is this who comes bearing the likeness of a King, and yet is filled with the shame of the most despised servant? Crowned he walks, but his very crown is torture to him, and a thousand pricks wound his beautiful head. He is clothed in royal purple, but in it he is despised rather than honored. He carries a scepter in his hand, but with that very thing his revered head is struck. Before him they kneel with knees to the ground, they shout 'King!' — and in the next breath they lunge to spit upon his lovely cheeks, they strike his jaws with their palms, and they dishonor his noble neck. See too how in every way this man is hemmed in, spat upon, and scorned. Under the weight of the cross he is told to bend his back and to carry his own disgrace.

The Compassion of the Crucified

Christ is lifted on the cross, prays for his enemies with unheard-of blessing, and is shown naked, nailed, given vinegar, and pierced—pouring out blood from five wounds, calling the soul to weep and melt with compassion.

Led away to the place of execution, he is given myrrh and gall to drink.^✦ On the cross he is lifted up, and he says: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.^✦ What kind of man is this, who in all his hardships never once opened his mouth — so that he uttered no word of complaint, no word of excuse, no word of threat, no word of curse against those reviling dogs — and at the very last poured out a word of blessing, such as has not been heard since the beginning of the world, over his enemies?^✦^✦¹⁶ What could be more gentle than this man in all this? What kinder sight have you seen, my soul? But look at him even more closely still, for he proves himself worthy of both great wonder and the most tender compassion. See him naked and torn by blows, shamefully fastened to a cross with iron nails in the midst of thieves, given vinegar to drink on the cross, and after death wounded in the side by a spear — pouring out abundant streams of blood from the five wounds of his hands, his feet, and his side.^✦^✦^✦ Shed tears, my eyes; melt, my soul, with the fire of compassion at the grief of that beloved man, whom you see afflicted with such great meekness amid such great sorrows.¹⁷

The Majesty Hidden in His Suffering

The soul turns from Christ's suffering to his majesty: darkness covers the land, the temple veil is torn, the earth shakes, the dead rise, and the soul confesses him as the only-begotten Son of God, cast out from the Synagogue.

And surely by now, my soul, you have seen his sufferings, and you have pitied him. Now turn your attention to his majesty, and you will be astonished. For what does Scripture say? From the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, and the sun was darkened; and the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom; and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split; and tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep rose again.^✦¹⁸ Who is this, that heaven and earth suffer with him, and whose death gives life to the dead? Know this, my soul — know it well: this is the Lord Jesus Christ, your Savior, the only-begotten Son of God, true God, true man, who alone under the sun was found without stain.^✦¹⁹ And see how he was reckoned among the wicked, and regarded as a leper, and esteemed the lowest of men.^✦²⁰ And like an aborted child cast forth from the womb, so he was cast out from the womb of his unhappy mother, the Synagogue.²¹

The Beauty Disfigured and the Burnt Offering

Christ, once beautiful beyond all sons of men, is disfigured and wounded for our iniquities, becoming a whole burnt offering of sweet fragrance to turn away wrath and seat us in heavenly places.

He who was beautiful beyond all the children of men — how disfigured he has become before the children of men!^✦ For he was wounded because of our iniquities, and crushed because of our sins.^✦²² And he has become a whole burnt offering, a most sweet fragrance in your sight, Father of eternal glory, so that he might turn such wrath away from us, and make us sit with himself in the heavenly places.^✦^✦²³²⁴

The Father's Gaze upon the Crucified Son

The soul beseeches the Father to look upon the blood of Jesus crying from the cross, to recognize the tunic of Joseph, and to behold his Son risen from death's prison and received in glory.

Look down, Lord, holy Father, from your sanctuary and from the heights of heaven, your dwelling place, and behold this most holy victim which our great High Priest, your holy child Jesus, offers to you for the sins of his brothers; and be appeased over the multitude of our wickedness.^✦ Listen — the voice of the blood of our brother Jesus cries out to you from the cross.^✦ For what is it, Lord, that hangs upon it? It hangs, I say, because past things are as if present before you. Recognize, Father — this is the tunic of your son Joseph; a savage beast devoured him and trampled his garment in its fury, and defiled all the beauty of that remaining body, and left behind five lamentable tears in it.^✦ This is the garment which your innocent child Jesus left behind in the hand of the Egyptian harlot for the sins of his brothers, judging the loss of a cloak better than the loss of chastity; and choosing rather to be stripped of the cloak of the flesh and descend into the prison of death than, for the glory of the world, to yield to an adulterous voice — that voice, I say, by which it was said: 'All these things I will give you, if you fall down and worship me'; which would surely be to sleep with an adulteress.^✦^✦^✦ And now, Lord Father, we know that your Son lives and rules over all the land of Egypt — indeed, in every place of your dominion.^✦ For he was led out to your dominion from the prison of death and the grave, and shorn of the hair of mortality; with the garment of flesh changed, he blossomed again in the beauty of immortality, and you received him in glory.^✦^✦

Christ Our Brother at the Father's Right Hand

Christ breaks the power of Pharaoh, ascends into heaven by his own strength, and stands crowned at the Father's right hand as our brother and our flesh.

He broke the power of cruel Pharaoh's rule, and in noble triumph he pierced into the heavens by his own strength. And look: crowned with glory and honor, he stands at the right hand of your majesty, before your face, on our behalf.^✦^✦ For he is our brother and our flesh.^✦

The Scars That Intercede

The soul asks the Father never to forget the scars of Christ's wounds, weighs our sins against his suffering, and gives thanks for so great an advocate in the heavens.

Look upon the face of your Christ, Lord, who was made obedient to you even unto death, and do not let the scars of his wounds depart from your eyes forever, so that you may remember how great a satisfaction for our sins you received from him.^✦ Would that you might weigh, Lord, in the balance the sins by which we have deserved your wrath, and the calamity that your innocent Son suffered for us.^✦ Surely, Lord, this will appear more weighty and more deserving — that you would pour out that very mercy upon us, rather than they deserve it, or that within those very mercies you would restrain your wrath. Thanks be to you, Lord, holy Father — let every tongue render praise for the abundance of your tender love. You did not spare your only Son, the delight of your heart, but handed him over to death for us, so that we might have so great and so faithful an advocate in the heavens before you.^✦^✦^✦

The Soul's Debt and the Impossibility of Repayment

The soul confesses it can never repay Christ for plunging entirely into the waters of suffering, giving his soul for ours, and bestowing the double gift of creation and redemption.

And to you, Lord Jesus, most mighty lover — what thanks, what worthy return can I, a mere human being, dust and ashes, a wretched creature, ever repay you?^✦ For what did you not do for my salvation that you ought to have done? From the sole of your foot to the crown of your head, you plunged yourself entirely into the waters of suffering, so that you might draw me wholly out of them — and the waters reached even to your soul.^✦ For you even gave up your soul unto death, so that you might restore my lost soul to me.^✦ And behold, you have bound me with a double debt: for both the gift you gave and the loss you suffered on my account, I am in your debt. And indeed my life was given to me by you twice — once in creation, once in redemption — yet I have nothing more just to give back than that very life itself. But as for your precious soul, so broken and crushed, I cannot find what any human being could worthily repay. For even if I could repay it with heaven and earth and all their splendor, I still would not come anywhere near the measure of what I owe. But so that I may return to you, Lord, even what I have and what I am able to give — that too is your gift.

The Command to Love and Follow

The soul resolves to love Christ with all its heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to follow in his footsteps, recognizing that this is only possible through his grace.

So you are to be loved with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength — and now the one who deigned to die for me, his footsteps must be followed.^✦ And how is that going to happen in me, unless it comes through you? My soul clings to you, because all its strength depends on you.

Adoration of the Instruments of the Passion

The soul adores Christ as true God, bows before the insignia of his passion—cross, thorns, nails, lance, wounds, blood, death, burial, resurrection—and begs for strength to carry the cross and follow him.

And now, Lord Jesus, my Redeemer, I adore you as true God, in you I believe, in you I hope, and with every desire I am able, I sigh for you. Help my imperfection, for I bow all of myself toward the glorious insignia of your passion, by which you accomplished my salvation.²⁵ Christ, I adore the royal banner of your victorious cross in your name: your thorny crown, your nails reddened with your blood, the lance plunged into your holy side, your wounds, your blood, your death, your burial, your victorious resurrection and glorification. Christ, as a suppliant I adore and glorify them all. Through all these things, the fragrance of life breathes on me. By their life-giving fragrance, Lord, raise my spirit from the death of sin. By their power, guard me from Satan's wiles, and strengthen me, so that the yoke of your commandments may become sweet to me, and the burden of the cross — which you order me to carry behind you — may be light and bearable on the shoulders of my soul. For what is my strength, that I should endure the world's many oppressions with an unconquered mind, according to your command? Will my feet be like the feet of a deer, so that I can follow you as you run swiftly through the thorns and broken remnants of the passions?²⁶

Clothed in the Form of the Cross

The soul asks to be fastened to Christ's cross—whose dimensions are love, eternity, omnipotence, and wisdom—with nails of temperance, justice, prudence, fortitude, and the triple thorn of compunction, compassion, and zeal.

But listen, I beg you, to my voice, and bend over your servant that sweet cross, which is the tree of life to those who have laid hold of it, and, just as I hope, may I run eagerly.^✦ I will carry it tirelessly — that cross which, after you, is a cross to your enemies. Place upon my shoulders, I say, that most divine cross, whose breadth is love, stretching out over all creation; whose length is eternity; whose height is omnipotence; whose depth is inscrutable wisdom.^✦ Fasten my hands and my feet to it, and clothe your servant with the whole form of your Passion.^✦ Grant me, I beseech you, to hold myself back from the works of the flesh, which you have hated, and to do the justice which you have loved, and in both to seek your glory; and my left hand, pinned with the nail of temperance, and my right hand, however, with the nail of justice — fastened on that lofty cross, I shall consider myself.^✦ Grant to my mind to meditate continually on your law, and to cast every thought continually upon you; and fasten my right foot with a nail of prudence to that same wood of life.^✦^✦ Grant that the sensuality — the handmaid of my spirit — may not be enervated by the unhappy happiness of this slipping life, nor disturbed by the blessed unhappiness of the life that lasts forever; and my left foot too will be held fast by a nail of fortitude on the cross. So that some likeness of the thorns of your head may appear in me, grant, I beg you, to my mind both the compunction of wholesome repentance and compassion for the misery of others, and the goad of a zeal that emulates what is right before you; and may I be turned to you in my burden, while a triple thorn is fastened into me.^✦

The Vinegar, the Sponge, and the Piercing Word

The soul accepts the bitterness of vinegar as Christ refused the myrrhed wine, learns to taste the emptiness of the world, asks to be conformed to Christ's death, and begs that the living word wound the heart to produce love.

It pleases me that you offer a sponge through a reed to my mouth, and that you apply the bitterness of vinegar to my taste.^✦ It pleases me that through your Scriptures you bring understanding to my reason, to taste and see how this flourishing world, like an empty sponge, is hollow, and all its desire more bitter than vinegar.^✦ So be it done in me, Father, that this golden cup of Babylon, intoxicating all the earth, may not deceive me with empty splendor, nor inebriate me with false sweetness, just as those do who consider darkness light and light darkness, bitter sweet and sweet bitter.^✦^✦ The myrrhed wine is suspect to me, because you refused to drink from it — perhaps because it pointed to the excessive bitterness of your crucified ones.^✦ Conform your servant also to your life-giving death, working in me so that I may indeed die to sin according to the flesh, but live to righteousness according to the spirit.^✦ And so that I may boast of bearing the complete image of the crucified, I ask also this: impress upon me the likeness of what the insatiable malice of the impious exercised against you after your death.^✦ Let your living and effective word wound my heart, more penetrating than the sharpest lance, reaching to the inmost parts of my soul, and from it produce — as if from my right side, in place of blood and water — love of you and of my brothers.^✦^✦ Finally, cleanse my spirit with the linen of the first garment and wrap me in it, so that I may rest as I come to you, entering into the place of the wonderful tabernacle, and hide me until your wrath has passed.^✦

Resurrection Hope and the Embrace of God

The soul asks to be raised on the third day to behold Christ's glory, to grasp and embrace what it now believes and hopes for, and in the meantime to bless and magnify his holy name.

On the third day, however — after the day of labor, after the day of pure glory, on the morning of the first day of the eternal Sabbath — raise me up again, though I am unworthy, among your children, so that in my flesh I may see your glory, and be filled with the joy of your presence.^✦^✦ O my Savior and my God — let it come, let it come, I pray — the time when what I now believe, I may at last behold with lifted eyes; what I now hope for and greet from afar, I may grasp; what I now desire with all my strength, I may embrace and kiss with the arms of my soul; and in the abyss of your love, be wholly absorbed.^✦^✦ O my Savior and my God! But now, in the meantime, bless, O my soul, your Savior; and magnify his name, which is holy and filled with the most exquisite delights.^✦^✦

Christ the Fountain of All Graces

The soul addresses Christ as the most abundant fountain of graces, contemplates the unfading beauty and boundless fountain of the Most High, and begs the sevenfold Spirit for enlightenment, pardon, and safe passage to eternal rest.

O how good and sweet you are, Lord Jesus, to the soul that seeks you — Jesus, redeemer of captives, Savior of the lost, hope of exiles, strength of those who labor, breadth for the anxious spirit, sweet comfort and gentle refreshment for the tearful soul struggling after you in sweat, crown of those who triumph, sole reward and joy of the heavenly citizens, most abundant fountain of all graces, glorious offspring of the Most High God. Most high God, let everything that is in heaven on high bless you, and let everything that is on earth below bless you; for you are great, and your name is great. O unfading beauty of the Most High God, and purest brightness of eternal light, life that gives life to every life, light that illuminates and sustains every light in unending splendor — a thousand times a thousand, ten thousand times ten thousand shining luminaries before the throne of your divine majesty, from the first dawn.^✦ O eternal and unceasing, clear and sweet stream of the fountain hidden from mortal eyes — whose waters have no source, whose depth has no bottom, whose height has no limit, whose breadth cannot be traced, whose purity cannot be disturbed. The heart of the Most High God pours you forth from the fathomless abyss of its depth — life from life, light from light, God from God, eternal from eternal, immense from immense, and equal to itself through all things. And from your fullness we have all received.^✦ For you — most generous fountain of all good, precious light of sevenfold grace — you, I say, most merciful Spirit, I beg: if in my frailty I have understood anything less than I should about the truth of your majesty, or if through the waywardness of the flesh I have neglected what I did grasp of your Lord's commands, deign to enlighten me by your visitation. Through you may I fittingly and necessarily correct these things, and through your mercy may I obtain pardon for my error — so that through you, whom I have called to my aid in the dangerous sea of this life, I may be brought without shipwreck to the harbor of everlasting rest.^✦ And so, most merciful Father, I ask you — you who first created me and then recreated me through the passion of your only-begotten Son — to make me think about and love whatever brings you praise. But because I am frail and cannot bring this to completion, grant me through diligent confession to apply myself, so that I may obtain the grace of your redemption and salvation.

Perseverance, Pardon, and Eternal Life

The soul asks that all its works be directed to God's praise, kept from sin, strengthened in good works, and that after death it may receive pardon and eternal life through Christ.

And whatever work I do from now on, bring it entirely to your praise through your grace — from your grace, through your grace, in your grace — and from now on keep me from sin, and direct me to be stronger in good works, so that as long as I live in this body, I may always offer you some service. But after my soul's departure from the body, grant me to obtain pardon for all my sins and to receive eternal life. Through him who lives and reigns with you forever and ever. Amen.

Read the original Latin

Jesum Nazarenum a Judaeis innocenter condemnatum, a gentibus cruci affixum, nos Christiani divinis honoremus obsequiis. Salvatoris infirma nos, qui Christi sumus, reverenter venerari, amanter amplecti, fortiter imitari dignum est et salubre et honorificum. Haec enim sunt instrumenta fortissima; quibus omnipotens virtus, et investigabilis sapientia Dei restaurationem mundi potenter ac mirifice operata est, et usque modo operatur. Christus Dominus minoratus est paulominus ab angelis, ut nos aequaret angelis, et quis propter Christum se non humiliet? Christus Dominus pro peccatis nostris crucifixus est, et crucis amara suis amatoribus dulcoravit; mortuus est, et mortem enecavit, ut viveremus per illum; et quis non amet Christum Dominum? quis non patiatur pro Christo? Christus per crucis ignominiam ad supernae claritatis gloriam transivit, et data est ei pro sua reverentia a Deo Patre omnis potestas in coelo, et in terra; ut adorent eum omnes angeli Dei, et in nomine ejus omne genu flectatur, coelestium, terrestrium, et infernorum.

Ubi est ergo gloriatio tua, o Christiane, nisi in nomine crucifixi Domini tui Jesu Christi; in nomine quod est super omne nomen, in quo qui benedictus est super terram, benedicetur in coelis? Gloriamini in nomine sancto ejus, filii redemptionis; date honorem Salvatori vestro, qui magna fecit in vobis, et magnificate nomen ejus mecum, dicentes: Adoramus te, Christe, Rex Israel, princeps regum terrae, lux gentium, Domine sabaoth, virtus Dei omnipotentis fortissima. Adoramus te, pretiosum redemptionis nostri pretium, hostia pacifica, quae sola odoris tui mirabili suavitate Patrem, qui in coelis habitat, ad respiciendum humilia inclinasti, et solus ipse ipsum placabilem reddidisti. Tuas, Christe, miserationes praedicamus; tuae suavitatis memoriam cum abundantia eructamus; tibi, Christe, sacrificium laudis immolamus pro multitudine bonitatis tuae, quam ostendisti nobis, semini nequam, filiis sceleratis.

Cum enim adhuc essemus inimici tui, Domine, et mors antiqua in omnem carnem exerceret dominium, cui omne semen Adam lege primordialis culpae obnoxium erat, recordatus es uberrimae misericordiae tuae, et prospexisti de sublimi habitatione tua in hanc vallem plorationis et miseriae. Vidisti, Domine, afflictionem populi tui, et tactus dulcore charitatis intrinsecus, apposuisti cogitare super nos cogitationes pacis et redemptionis. Et quidem cum esses Filius Dei, verus Deus, Deo Patri sanctoque Spiritui coaeternus et consubstantialis, lucem habitans inaccessibilem, portansque omnia verbo virtutis tuae, non despexisti in hoc nostrae mortalitatis ergastulum altitudinem tuam inclinare, ubi nostram et gustares et absorberes miseriam, nosque reparares ad gloriam. Parum fuit charitati tuae, ad consummandum opus nostrae salutis, cherubim, aut seraphim, aut unum ex angelis destinare: ipse ad nos venire dignatus es per mandatum Patris, cujus nimiam charitatem experti sumus in te. Venisti, inquam, non locum mutando, sed praesentiam tuam nobis per carnem exhibendo. Descendisti a regali solio sublimis gloriae tuae in humilem et abjectam in oculis suis puellam, primo virginalis continentiae voto sigillatam. In cujus sacro utero Spiritus sancti inenarrabilis virtus et te concipi fecit, et nasci in vera humanitatis natura, ita ut nec majestatem divinitatis in te, nec integritatem virginitatis in Matre, violaret nativitatis occasio.

O amanda, o admiranda dignatio! Deus immensae gloriae, vermis contemptibilis fieri non despexisti; Dominus omnium, conservus servorum apparere voluisti. Parum tibi visum est Patrem te nostrum esse; etiam, Domine, frater noster esse dignatus es. Et tu, Domine universorum, qui nullam habes indigentiam, inter ipsa nativitatis tuae initia non horruisti abjectissimae paupertatis degustare incommoda. Ut enim ait Scriptura, tibi, cum nascereris, non erat locus in diversorio, neque cunabula, quae teneritudinem tuam exciperent habuisti; sed tu in vili praesepio sordentis stabuli, tu qui terram palmo concludis, involutus panniculis reclinatus es; et hospitium, scilicet praesepium a brutis animalibus mater tua mutuo accepit. Consolamini, consolamini, qui in sordibus paupertatis enutrimini, quia vobiscum est Deus in paupertate, non cubat in deliciis splendidi cubilis, nec enim invenitur in terra suaviter viventium. Quid ultra gloriaris, o dives, lutea res, in volutabro lecti picti et delicati, cum Rex regum suo recubitu stramenta pauperum honestare maluerit? Quid dura strata detestaris, cum tener infantulus, in cujus manu sunt omnia, tuis sericis, tuis plumis duras jumentorum stipulas praeelegerit?

Sed et tenella haec tua, Christe, infantia a persecutorum gladiis tuta non fuit. Adhuc enim inter dulcia matris ubera sugens dependebas, quando apparuit angelus in somnis Joseph, dicens: Surge, et accipe puerum, et matrem ejus, et fuge in Aegyptum; et esto ibi usquedum dicam tibi; futurum est enim ut Herodes quaerat puerum ad perdendum eum. Jam ex tunc, bone Jesu, pati coepisti. Non solum autem illam infantiae tuae vexationem in te ipso pertulisti, sed et mortem in pusillis tuis, quorum multa millia inter mamillas matrum pro te Herodis trucidavit immanitas.

Infantia vero teneriori decursa, discendae humiliter veritatis nobis exemplum praebuisti. Non enim sedisti cum consilio vanitatis, sed in medio doctorum, interrogans et audiens illos, cum tamen Dominus scientiarum tu esses, atque ipsa Dei Patris sapientia. Sed et obedientiae nobis formam praestitisti, dum parentum imperio tu, imperator mundi, humiliter subditus exstitisti. At ubi robustioris aetatis plenitudo advenit, missurus manum ad fortia, egressus es in salutem populi tui, ut gigas fortis ad currendum viam totius miseriae nostrae. Et primum quidem, ut per omnia te fratribus assimilares, servum tuum baptizantem peccatores in poenitentiam, tanquam peccator adiisti; baptizare quoque te postulasti, innocens Agne Dei, quem nulla peccati stilla unquam maculavit. Baptizatus es, non te in aquis, sed aquas in te sanctificans; ut per eas sanctificares nos. De baptismo in desertum in Spiritu fortitudinis egressus es, ut et vitae solitariae in te non deesset exemplum. Solitudinem ac jejunium quadraginta dierum, famis acerbitatem, tentamenta illusoris spiritus aequanimiter tolerasti, ut omnia haec nobis tolerabilia efficeres.

Demum venisti ad oves quae perierant domus Israel, divini verbi lampadem palam extollens ad illuminationem orbis terrae, et regnum Dei cunctis annuntians, factus es causa salutis aeternae omnibus obtemperantibus, sermonem sequentibus signis confirmasti, virtutem divinitatis tuae ostendisti in cunctis male habentibus, omnia omnibus gratis exhibens quae saluti earum congruerent, ut omnes lucrificares. Sed obscuratum est insipiens cor eorum, Domine, et projecerunt sermones tuos retrorsum; neque attenderunt ad omnia mirabilia, quae operatus es in eis, exceptis perpaucis nobilioribus athletis, quos inter infima et abjecta mundi elegisti, ut per ipsos alta et fortia magnifice expugnares (I Cor. I, 27). Nec solum ingrati gratuitis tuis beneficiis exstiterunt, sed et contumeliis affecerunt te, Dominum dominantium, et fecerunt in te quaecunque voluerunt. Te enim faciente opera Dei, quae nemo alius fecit, quid dixerunt? Non est hic homo a Deo; in principe daemoniorum ejicit daemonia. Daemonium habet; seducit turbas; vorax est et potator vini; amicus publicanorum et peccatorum.

Quid fles? quid suspiras, o homo Dei, dum sustines verborum injurias? Non audis quanta propter te in Dominum Deum tuum ceciderunt opprobria? Si patrem familias Beelzebub vocaverunt, quanto magis domesticos ejus? Et haec quidem et similia blasphemantes, et aliquoties lapidibus te impetentes, Jesu bone, patienter sustinuisti, et factus es coram eis quasi homo non audiens, et non habens in ore suo redargutiones. Novissime autem et justum sanguinem tuum, a discipulo tuo, filio perditionis, triginta argenteis appretiati sunt, ut praecipitarent animam tuam in mortem sine causa. Et te perditissimi proditoris tui perfidia non latebat, quando in coena ablutionis causa etiam coram ipso, genu flexo procumbens, maledictos pedes ejus veloces ad effundendum sanguinem tuum sanctissimis manibus tuis attrectare, lavare et extergere dignatus es. Et adhuc extento collo ambulas, o terra et cinis, adhuc superbia te supra te elevat, adhuc impatientia te exagitat!

Intuere humilitatis et mansuetudinis magistrum, Dominum Jesum Christum, universae creaturae factorem, tremendum judicem vivorum atque mortuorum, ante pedes hominis et traditoris sui genua incurvantem. Disce quia mitis est et humilis corde, et confundere in superbia tua, erubesce impatientiam tuam. Hoc quoque erat mansuetudinis tuae, Domine Jesu, quod perfidum illum in coetu fratrum palam detegere et confundere noluisti, sed leniter admonitum accelerare jussisti quod parabatur. In omnibus his non est aversus furor ejus a te, sed egressus foras satagebat circa frequens maleficium. Quomodo cecidisti de coelo Lucifer, qui mane oriebaris in deliciis paradisi? Gloriosus apparuisti, civium coeli socius, et Verbi divini conviva. Qui nutriebaris in croceis, amplexatus es stercora? Tunc clarificata est familia tua, Christe, in modum societatis angelicae, tunc demum divinissimi verbi uberrima inundatione felix ille conventus ex ore tuo potatus est.

Siquidem corruptus ille uter foras missus fuerat, quem hujus limpidissimi liquoris infusione sciebas indignum.

Dato autem charitatis et patientiae Salvatoris mandato, et disposito fratribus regno Patris tui ad locum traditori tuo notum cum illis divertisti, sciens omnia quae ventura erant super te. Ibi animae tuae tristitiam, quam ex imminente passione sponte assumpsisti; sicut et caetera quae passus es in auribus fratrum profiteri non erubuisti, dicens: Tristis est anima mea usque ad mortem. Positis quoque genibus procidisti in faciem tuam, orans in agonia, et dicens: Abba Pater, Pater mi, si possibile est, transeat a me calix iste. Et angustias cordis tui tristissimi indicabat sudor ille sanguineus, qui orationis tempore de sanctissima carne tua guttatim decurrebat in terram. Dominator Domine Jesu Christe, unde animae tuae haec tam vehemens tristitia? unde tanti sudoris anxietas, et tam anxia supplicatio? Nonne voluntarium omnino Patri sacrificium obtulisti, et nihil invitus pertulisti? Utique, Domine.

Arbitramur autem quod et hoc quoque ad consolationem infirmorum membrorum tuorum assumpsisti, ne forte desperet quis, si caro infirma remurmuret, cum tamen ad passionem promptus est spiritus. Nimirum et ut majores erga te amoris et gratitudinis stimulos haberemus, naturalem carnis infirmitatem, hujusmodi indiciis in te expressisti, quibus doceremur quia vere languores nostros ipse portasti; et non absque sensu doloris, passionum sentes percurristi. Vox enim illa, vox carnis fuisse videtur, non spiritus, ex eo quo subjunxisti, Spiritus quidem promptus est, caro autem infirma. Quam promptus enim fuerit spiritus tuus, bone Jesu, ad passionem, evidenter ostendisti, quando venientibus una cum proditore tuo viris sanguinum, quaerentibus animam tuam cum laternis, facibus, et armis per noctem, ultro occurristi, et signo quod a duce flagitii acceperant teipsum manifestasti. Nam accedentem ad osculum oris tui cruentam bestiam aversatus non es, sed os, in quo dolus inventus non est, ori quod abundavit malitia, dulciter applicuisti.

O innocens Agne Dei, quid tibi et lupo illi? Quae conventio Christi ad Belial? Sed et hoc benignitatis tuae erat, Domine Jesu, ut omnia illi exhiberes, quae pravi cordis pertinaciam emollire potuissent. Nam et veteris amicitiae illum commonuisti, dicens: Amice, ad quid venisti? Et horrore sceleris sui cor impii ferire voluisti, cum ei dicebas: Juda, osculo Filium hominis tradis. Et ecce Philistiim super te, Samson. Non illos a te absterruit, quod in hora comprehensionis tuae omnipotenti brachio tuo terrae eos allisisti, non quidem defensionis causa, sed ut cognosceret humana praesumptio nihil se posse adversum te, nisi quantum permitteretur a te. Et quis audiat sine gemitu qualiter in illa hora homicidas manus tibi injecerunt, et innocentes manus tuas, bone Jesu, vinculis constringentes, te Agnum mansuetissimum nihil obloquentem, ad instar latronis, contumeliose pertraxerunt ad victimam?

Sed nec tunc misericordiam tuam super inimicos tuos distillare favus dulcedinis tuae, Christe, cessavit. Nam et mutilam ab discipulo tuo aurem inimici sanasti; et defensoris tui zelum a laesione trahentium te compescuisti. Maledictus furor eorum, quia pertinax, quem nec majestas miraculi, nec pietas beneficii confringere potuit.

Concilio malignantium adversus te pontificum praesentatus es, et veritatem, prout oportuit, confessus, quasi de blasphemia adjudicatus es morti. Amantissime Domine Jesu, quanta illic indigna a propria gente pertulisti? Vultum tuum honorabilem, in quem desiderant angeli prospicere, qui omnes coelos adimplet laetitia, quem deprecantur omnes divites plebis, polluti labii sui sputis inquinaverunt, sacrilegis manibus ceciderunt, velo operuerunt in derisionem, et te Dominum universae creaturae, tanquam servum contemptibilem, colaphizaverunt. Adhuc autem et animam tuam incircumciso cani deglutiendam tradiderunt. Vinctum siquidem ante faciem Pilati praesidis te perduxerunt, postulantes supplicio crucis perimi te qui peccatum non noveras; et virum homicidam donari sibi, lupum Agno, auro lutum praeponentes. O indignum et infelix concambium! Et quidem non ignorabat impius ille per invidiam hoc fieri in te, nec tamen abstinuit a te temerarias manus, sed replevit amaritudine animam tuam sine causa. Illudendum Herodi te misit, illusum recepit, nudum in conspectu irrisorum astare te fecit: nec pepercit amarissimis verberibus virgineam carnem tuam divellere, plagis, livores livoribus crudeliter infligens.

Electe puer Domini mei, quid tanta amaritudine, quid tanta confusione dignum commiseras? prorsus nihil: ego homo perditus, totius contritionis, totius confusionis tibi causa exstiti. Ego uvam acerbam comedi, et dentes tui obstupuerunt, quia quae non rapuisti tunc exsolvebas. In omnibus his non est perfidorum Judaeorum satiata impietas. Novissime autem in manus incircumcisorum militum devolutus es, morte turpissima consumendus. Parum erat sacrilegis istis crucifigere te, nisi prius et ipsi replevissent illusionibus animam tuam. Quid enim de illis ait Scriptura? Et congregaverunt ad eum universam cohortem in praetorium; et exuentes eum vestimentis suis, induerunt eum tunica purpurea, et chlamydem coccineam circumdederunt ei; et plectentes coronam de spinis, imposuerunt capiti ejus, et arundinem in dextera ejus, et genu flexo illudebant ei, dicentes: Ave, rex Judaeorum; et dabant ei alapas, et exspuentes in eum accipiebant arundinem, et percutiebant caput ejus.

Et postquam illuserunt ei, induerunt eum vestimentis suis; et duxeruut, ut crucifigeretur, bajulantem sibi crucem. Et perduxerunt eum in Golgotha, et dabant ei vinum myrrhatum cum felle mistum bibere; et cum gustasset, noluit bibere. Tunc crucifixerunt eum, et duos latrones cum eo, hinc et hinc, medium autem Jesum. Jesus autem dicebat: Pater, dimitte illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt. Postea sciens Jesus quia jam omnia consummata erant, ut Scriptura impleretur, dixit: Sitio. Et currens unus ex eis acceptam spongiam implevit aceto, et imposuit arundini, et dabat ei bibere. Cum autem accepit acetum, dixit: Consummatum est. Et exclamans voce magna dixit: Pater, in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum; et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum.

Tunc unus militum lancea latus ejus aperuit, et continuo exivit sanguis et aqua.

Expergiscere nunc, anima mea, excutere de pulvere, et contemplare attentius virum hunc memorabilem quem in speculo evangelici sermonis quasi praesentem intueris. Attende, anima mea, qui est iste qui ingreditur habens imaginem quasi Regis et nihilominus servi despectissimi confusione repletus est. Coronatus incedit, sed ipsa ejus corona cruciatus est illi, et mille puncturis speciosum ejus verticem divulnerat. Regali purpura induitur, sed potius in ea despicitur quam honoratur. Sceptrum in manu gestat; sed eo ipso caput ejus reverendum feritur. Adorant coram ipso positis in terram genibus, regem conclamant, et continuo ad conspuendum amabiles genas ejus insiliunt, maxillas palmis concutiunt, et honorabile collum inhonorant. Vide alia, quomodo per omnia vir iste coarctatur et conspuitur et spernitur. Sub crucis onere dorsum incurvare jubetur, et suam ipsius portare ignominiam.

Ad locum deductus supplicii myrrha potatur et felle. In cruce sublevatur, et dicit: Pater, dimitte illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt. Qualis est hic, qui in omnibus pressuris suis nec semel os suum aperuit, ut aut querelae, aut excusationis, aut comminationis, aut maledictionis verbum adversus maledictos canes istos proferret et novissime verbum benedictionis, quale a saeculo non est auditum, super inimicos suos effudit? Quid hoc viro mansuetius? quid benignius, anima mea, vidisti? Adhuc autem attentius illum intuere, quia et grandi admiratione et tenerrima compassione dignus apparet. Vide nudum et verberibus laceratum, in medio latronum cruci ignominiose ferreis clavis affixum, aceto in cruce potatum, et post mortem lancea in latere vulneratum, et copiosos sanguinis rivos ex quinque vulneribus manuum, pedum et lateris effundentem. Fletum deducite, oculi mei; liquiesce, anima mea, igne compassionis super contritione amabilis viri illius, quem in tanta mansuetudine tantis vides afflictum doloribus.

Et jam quidem infirma ejus, anima mea, vidisti, et miserata es? nunc majestatem ejus attende, et miraberis. Quid enim ait Scriptura? A sexta autem hora tenebrae factae sunt in universa terra, usque in horam nonam, et obscuratus est sol; et velum templi scissum est a summis usque deorsum; et terra mota est, et petrae scissae sunt; et monumenta aperta sunt; et multa corpora sanctorum, qui dormierant, surrexerunt. Qualis est hic, quia coelum et terra compatiuntur ei, cujus mors mortuos vivificat? Cognosce, anima mea, cognoce; hic est Dominus Jesus Christus Salvator tuus, unigenitus Dei Filius, verus Deus, verus homo, qui solus sub sole sine macula inventus est. Et ecce quomodo cum sceleratis reputatus est, et quasi vir leprosus, et novissimus virorum aestimatus est. Et tanquam abortivum, quod projicitur a vulva, sic projectus est ab utero matris suae infelicis Synagogae.

Iste formosus prae filiis hominum, quam deformis prae filiis hominum factus est! Siquidem vulneratus est propter iniquitates nostras, et attritus est propter scelera nostra. Et factus est holocaustum suavissimi odoris in conspectu tuo, Pater aeternae gloriae, ut averteret indignationem tam a nobis, et consedere sibi nos faceret in coelestibus.

Respice, Domine sancte Pater, de sanctuario tuo, et de excelso coelorum habitaculo, et intuere hanc sacrosanctam hostiam, quam tibi offert magnus Pontifex noster, sanctus puer tuus Jesus pro peccatis fratrum suorum; et esto placabilis super multitudinem malitiae nostrae. Ecce vox sanguinis fratris nostri Jesu clamat ad te de cruce. Quid enim est, Domine, quod pendet in ea? Pendet, inquam, quia praeterita quasi praesentia coram te sunt. Cognosce, Pater; tunica filii tui Joseph haec est fera pessima devoravit eum, et conculcavit in furore suo vestimentum ejus, et omnem decorem illius reliqui corporis inquinavit, et ecce quinque scissuras lamentabiles in eo dereliquit. Hoc est vestimentum quod in manu Aegyptiae meretricis, innocens puer tuus Jesus pro peccatis fratrum suorum dereliquit, meliorem aestimans jacturam pallii quam pudicitiae; magisque eligens spoliatus a carnis pallio in carcerem mortis descendere quam pro mundi gloria adulterinae voci acquiescere; illi, inquam, voci, qua dictum est: Haec omnia tibi dabo, si cadens adoraveris me; quod utique esset dormire cum adultera. Et nunc, Domine Pater, scimus quia vivit Filius tuus, et dominatur in tota terra Aegypti, imo in omni loco dominationis tuae. Eductus enim ad imperium tuum de carcere mortis et inferorum, et attonsus mortalitatis comam, mutata veste carnis, in immortalitatis decore refloruit, et cum gloria suscepisti eum.

Subnervavit diri Pharaonis imperium, et cum triumpho nobili virtute propria coelos penetravit. Et ecce gloria et honore coronatus in dextera majestatis tuae assistit vultui tuo pro nobis. Frater enim et caro nostra est.

Respice, Domine, in faciem Christi tui, qui tibi usque ad mortem obediens factus est, nec recedant ab oculis tuis cicatrices vulnerum ejus in perpetuum, ut memineris quantam satisfactionem pro peccatis nostris ab eo susceperis. Utinam, Domine, appendas in statera peccata quibus iram meruimus, et calamitatem, quam passus est pro nobis innocens Filius tuus. Certe, Domine, haec gravior apparebit, et magis digna, ut ipsam effundas misericordiam super nos quam sint illi, aut in ipsis contineas in ira misericordias tuas. Gratias tibi, Domine sancte Pater, referat omnis lingua super abundantia pietatis tuae, qui unico Filio cordis tui non pepercisti, sed pro nobis illum tradidisti in mortem, ut tantum, tamque fidelem advocatum haberemus in coelis coram te.

Et tibi, Domine Jesu, fortissime zelotes, quid gratiarum, quid retributionis digne retribuam ego homo, pulvis, et cinis, et vile figmentum? Quid enim pro salute mea facere debuisti, et non fecisti? Ab imo pedis usque ad summum verticis totum in aquis passionum te demersisti, ut me totum de illis extraheres; et intraverunt aquae usque ad animam tuam. Nam et animam tuam in mortem perdidisti, ut animam meam perditam mihi redderes. Et ecce duplici debito me obligasti; nam et pro eo quod dedisti, et pro eo quod mei causa perdidisti, debitor tibi sum. Et pro mea quidem vita bis a te mihi data, semel in creatione, semel in redemptione, quid magis juste tibi reddam quam ipsam, non habeo; pro tua autem pretiosa anima ita contribulata, quid ab homine digne rependi possit, non invenio. Nam si coelum et terram et omnem ornatum eorum pro ea rependere possem, certe nec sic usque ad mensuram debiti ullatenus attingerem. Ut autem et idipsum quod habeo et possum, tibi, Domine, retribuam, tui muneris est.

Diligendus ergo es toto corde, tota anima, tota mente, tota virtute, et tua modo sequenda vestigia qui mori dignatus es pro me. Et quomodo fiet istud in me, nisi per te? Adhaereat anima mea post te, quia tota virtus ejus pendet ex te.

Et nunc, Domine, Jesu Redemptor meus, te ut verum Deum adoro, in te credo, in te spero, et quibus possum desideriis ad te suspiro. Adjuva imperfectionem meam, ad tuae passionis gloriosa insignia, in quibus salutem meam operatus es, totum me inclino. Tuae victoriosae crucis regale vexillum in nomine tuo, Christe, adoro; tuum spineum diadema, tuo rubentes sanguine clavos, tuo sancto lateri immersam lanceam, tua vulnera, tuum sanguinem, tuam mortem, tuam sepulturam, tuam victoriosam resurrectionem et glorificationem, Christe, supplex adoro et glorifico. Odor enim vitae mihi spirat in omnibus his. Horum vivifico odore spiritum meum, Domine, a peccati morte ressuscita. Horum virtute ab astutiis Satanae me custodi, meque conforta, ut et jugum mandatorum tuorum suave mihi fiat, et onus crucis, quod post te bajulare me jubes, humeris animae meae leve sit atque portabile. Quae est enim fortitudo mea, ut juxta praeceptum tuum mundi pressuras tam multiplices animo invicto sustineam? Nunquid pedes mei tanquam cervorum, ut te velociter currentem per spinas et confraga passionum consequi valeam?

Sed audi, quaeso, vocem meam, et inclina super servum tuum suavem illam crucem, quae lignum vitae est his qui apprehenderint eam, et ut et spero, curram alacriter. Portabo infatigabiliter eam quae ab inimicis est crucem post te. Illam, inquam, divinissimam crucem humeris meis impone, cujus latitudo est charitas, super omnem creaturam se extendens; cujus longitudo, aeternitas, cujus sublimitas, omnipotentia; cujus profunditas, inscrutabilis sapientia est. Confige illi manus meas, et pedes meos, et totam formam passionis tuae servo tuo indue. Da mihi, obsecro, continere ab operibus carnis, quae odisti; et facere justitiam, quam dilexisti; et in utroque tuam quaerere gloriam, et sinistram quidem meam clavo temperantiae, dexteram vero clavo justitiae in illa sublimi cruce confixam arbitrabor. Da menti meae jugiter meditari in lege tua, et omnem cogitatum jugiter jactare in te; et dexterum pedem meum eidem ligno vitae prudentiae clavo affige. Da ut ministram spiritus mei sensualitatem nec enervet labentis vitae infelix felicitas, nec conturbet perennis vitae praemia felix infelicitas, et sinister quoque pes meus fortitudinis clavo in cruce tenebitur. Ut autem et spinarum capitis tui aliqua in me similitudo appareat, detur, obsecro, menti meae et salubris poenitentiae compunctio, et alienae miseriae compassio, et stimulus zeli aemulantis quod rectum est coram te, et ad te convertar in aerumma mea, dum triplex mihi configitur spina.

Libet ut et spongiam per arundinem ori meo porrigas, et aceti amaritudinem gustui meo adhibeas. Libet ut per Scripturas tuas rationi meae conferas gustare et videre quomodo florens hic mundus tanquam spongia inanis est, et omnia concupiscentia ejus aceto amarior. Ita, Pater, in me fiat, ut calix iste Babylonis aureus inebrians omnem terram, nec inani me splendore seducat, nec falsa dulcedine inebriet, quemadmodum eos qui tenebras lucem, et lucem tenebras, amarum dulce, et dulce amarum arbitrantur. Vinum myrrhatum suspectum est mihi pro eo quod tu ex eo bibere noluisti, forte quia nimiam acerbitatem, crucifixorum tuorum indicabat. Tuae quoque vivificae morti servum tuum configura, faciens in me ut moriar quidem peccato secundum carnem, vivam autem justitiae secundum spiritum. Ut autem integram crucifixi imaginem portare me glorier; illud quoque quaeso, quod post mortem tuam insatiabilis malitia impiorum in te exercuit, hanc in me similitudinem exprime. Vulneret cor meum vivus et efficax sermo tuus penetrabilior omni lancea acutissima, et pertingens usque ad interiora animae meae producat ex ea, tanquam a dextro latere meo, vice sanguinis et aquae, amorem tuum, et fratrum meorum. Postremo et munda sindone primae stolae spiritum meum involve, in qua requiescam ingrediens ad te in locum tabernaculi admirabilis, et abscondas me, donec pertranseat furor tuus.

Die autem tertio, post diem laboris, post diem simplicis gloriae, mane prima Sabbati perpetui inter filios tuos me indignum resuscita, ut in carne mea videam claritatem tuam, et adimplear laetitia vultus tui. O Salvator meus, et Deus meus, veniat, veniat, oro, tempus, ut quod nunc credo, relevatis tandem oculis aspiciam, quod nunc spero et a longe saluto, apprehendam, quod nunc pro viribus meis desidero, ulnis animae meae amplectar ac deosculer, et amoris tui abysso totus absorbear. O Salvator meus, et Deus meus! Sed nunc interim benedic, anima mea, Salvatorem tuum; et magnifica nomen ejus, quod est sanctum, et sanctissimis deliciis plenum.

O quam bonus et suavis es, Domine Jesu, animae quaerenti te, Jesu redemptor captivorum, Salvator perditorum, spes exsulum, laborantium fortitudo, anxiati spiritus latitudo, animae lacrymosae et post te in sudore currentis dulce solatium et suave refrigerium, corona triumphantium, unica merces et laetitia supernorum civium, uberrimus fons omnium gratiarum, inclyta proles summi Dei. Summe Deus, te benedicant omnia quae in coelo sunt sursum, et quae sunt in terra deorsum; quia magnus es tu, et magnum nomen tuum. O immarcescibilis decor Dei excelsi, et purissima claritas lucis aeternae, vita omnem vitam vivificans, lux omne lumen illuminans et conservans in perpetuo splendore mille millena millia luminum fulgentia ante thronum divinae majestatis tuae a primaevo diluculo. O aeternum et incessabile, clarum et dulce profluvium fontis absconditi ab oculis mortalium, cujus unda sine ortu, profundum sine fundo, cujus altum sine termino, cujus latitudo incirconscriptibilis, cujus puritas imperturbabilis. Eructat te cor Dei altissimi de suae profunditatis impenetrabili abysso, vita vitam, lux lucem, Deus Deum, aeternus aeternum, immensus immensum ac per omnia sibi coaequalem, et de plenitudine tua omnes accepimus. Te enim, largissime fons omnis boni, septemplicis gratiae pretiosum lumen, te, inquam, piissime spiritus, deprecor ut si qua pro fragilitate mea in veritate majestatis tuae minus intellexi, et in praeceptis Dominicis intellecta per lasciviam carnis neglexi, tua me visitatione illustrare digneris; quibus ea me decenter et mihi necessarie corrigam, meique erroris per te misericordiam consequar, ut per te, quem in periculoso hujus vitae pelago in auxilium advocavi, sine naufragio ad portum perennis requiei perducar. Te itaque, Pater clementissime, peto, ut qui me primitus creasti, per passionem Unigeniti tui recreasti, qui quidquid ad laudem tuam pertinet, me cogitare facias et amare. Sed quia fragilis sum, nec possum perficere, sedula tamen confessione concedas me studere, ut redemptionis ac salvationis tuae gratiam consequar.

Et quidquid deinceps operis agam, ex tua, et per tuam, et in tua gratia ad laudem tuam totum pervenire facias, meque deinceps tuere a peccatis, et in bonis operibus validiorem esse praecipias, et ut quandiu in hoc corpore vivam, aliquid servitii tibi semper exhibeam. Post exitum vero animae meae a corpore veniam omnium peccatorum consequi et vitam aeternam me percipere concedas. Per eum, qui tecum vivit et regnat per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Scripture echoes

↩1Cor.1.27 — But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
↩Heb.2.9;Ps.8.6 — But we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Ps.8.6 — You have made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor.
↩1Cor.15.54-1Cor.15.55 — But when this perishable puts on imperishability, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 1Cor.15.55 — Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?
↩Phil.2.10-Phil.2.11 — so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, Phil.2.11 — and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
↩Matt.28.18 — And Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.'
↩Phil.2.9 — Therefore God also exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name above every name,
↩Isa.49.6 — And he said, "It is too light a thing for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will also make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."
↩Isa.6.3 — And one called to another and said, 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the fullness of the earth is his glory.
↩Ps.137.6 — Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my chief joy.
↩Ps.115.17;Heb.13.15 — The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who descend into silence. Heb.13.15 — Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God—that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
↩Rom.5.12-Rom.5.14 — Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and through sin death, and so death spread to all people, because all sinned— Rom.5.13 — For sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Rom.5.14 — Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a type of the one who was to come.
↩Ps.12.5;Ps.14.6 — Because they say, 'With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are with us—who is lord over us?' Ps.14.6 — You would shame the counsel of the poor, but the LORD is his refuge.
↩Jer.29.11 — For I know the plans that I am planning for you — declares the LORD — plans for well-being and not for harm, to give you a future and a hope.
↩Exod.2.25 — And God saw the children of Israel, and God knew.
↩John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
↩Heb.1.3 — He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's own being, and he upholds all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
↩Phil.2.6-Phil.2.8 — who, existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to exploit, Phil.2.7 — but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness, and appearing as a human being. Phil.2.8 — And he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
↩John.3.16 — For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.
↩Heb.1.1-Heb.1.2 — Long ago, in many parts and in many ways, God spoke to the fathers through the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us through a Son. Heb.1.2 — God appointed him heir of all things, and through him also made the ages.
↩John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
↩Luke.1.48 — For he has looked upon the lowliness of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
↩Luke.1.34-Luke.1.35 — But Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I have not known a man?" Luke.1.35 — And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the one to be born will be called Son of God."
↩Luke.1.35 — And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the one to be born will be called Son of God."
↩Isa.7.14 — Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Look, the young woman will conceive and bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel.
↩Ps.21.7 — For you have placed blessings upon him forever; you gladden him with joy in your presence.
↩Luke.2.7 — And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
↩Isa.40.12 — Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and marked off the heavens with a span, and enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
↩Isa.40.1 — Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
↩Matt.2.13 — Now after they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him."
↩Matt.2.16-Matt.2.18 — Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all its region who were two years old and under, according to the time he had carefully determined from the wise men. Matt.2.17 — Then was fulfilled what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Matt.2.18 — A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be comforted, because they are not.
↩John.1.29 — The next day he sees Jesus coming toward him and says, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
↩Matt.10.6;Matt.15.24 — But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matt.15.24 — But he answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
↩1Cor.1.27 — But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
↩Rom.1.21 — For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened.
↩1Cor.1.27-1Cor.1.28 — But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1Cor.1.28 — and God chose the lowborn of the world, and the despised - the things that are not - so that he might nullify the things that are,
↩Rev.19.16 — And on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.
↩Mark.3.22 — And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, 'He has Beelzebul,' and, 'By the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.'
↩Matt.11.19 — The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.
↩Matt.10.25 — It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!
↩Isa.53.7;Matt.12.19 — He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to slaughter, and like a sheep silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth. Matt.12.19 — He will not quarrel, nor cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.
↩Matt.26.15;Zech.11.12-Zech.11.13 — and he said, 'What are you willing to give me, and I will hand him over to you?' And they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver. Zech.11.12 — And I said to them, "If it is good in your eyes, give me my wages; but if not, let it go." So they weighed out my wages — thirty pieces of silver. Zech.11.13 — And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter — the magnificent price at which I was valued by them." So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter.
↩John.13.1-John.13.17;John.17.12 — Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. John.13.2 — And during supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him. John.13.3 — Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God. John.13.4 — So he rose from supper, laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around himself. John.13.5 — Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, wiping them with the towel tied around him. John.13.6 — So he comes to Simon Peter. He says to him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?' John.13.7 — Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." John.13.8 — Peter said to him, 'You will never wash my feet!' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.' John.13.9 — Simon Peter said to him, 'Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!' John.13.10 — Jesus said to him, 'The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not all of you.' John.13.11 — For he knew the one who was betraying him; therefore he said, 'Not all of you are clean.' John.13.12 — So when he had washed their feet, taken up his garments, and reclined again, he said to them, 'Do you understand what I have done for you?' John.13.13 — You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you are right, for that is what I am. John.13.14 — If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. John.13.15 — For I have given you an example, that just as I have done to you, you also should do. John.13.16 — Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. John.13.17 — If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. John.17.12 — While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
↩Gen.3.19 — By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
↩Isa.14.12 — How you have fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who laid low the nations!
↩Matt.26.41 — Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
↩Isa.53.4 — And Surely he carried our sicknesses and bore our pains, yet we considered him stricken, struck by God, and afflicted.
↩Matt.26.41 — Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
↩Matt.26.47-Matt.26.48;Mark.14.43-Mark.14.44;Luke.22.47-Luke.22.48;John.18.3-John.18.6 — And while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Matt.26.48 — Now the one who was betraying him gave them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is he; seize him." Mark.14.43 — And while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrives, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Mark.14.44 — Now the one who was betraying him had given them a signal, saying, 'The one I kiss is he; seize him, and lead him away under guard.' Luke.22.47 — While he was still speaking, a crowd came up, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him. Luke.22.48 — But Jesus said to him, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?' John.18.3 — So Judas, having received the cohort and officers from the chief priests and from the Pharisees, comes there with lanterns and torches and weapons. John.18.4 — Jesus, knowing everything that was coming upon him, went out and said to them, 'Whom are you seeking?' John.18.5 — They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." He said to them, "I am he." And Judas, the one who was betraying him, was standing with them. John.18.6 — When he said to them, 'I am he,' they drew back and fell to the ground.
↩1Pet.2.22 — He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
↩John.1.29 — The next day he sees Jesus coming toward him and says, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
↩2Cor.6.15 — What harmony has Christ with Beliar? Or what share does a believer have with an unbeliever?
↩Matt.26.50 — But Jesus said to him, 'Friend, for what purpose are you here?' Then they came forward, laid hands on Jesus, and arrested him.
↩Luke.22.48 — But Jesus said to him, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?'
↩John.18.6 — When he said to them, 'I am he,' they drew back and fell to the ground.
↩Isa.53.7 — He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to slaughter, and like a sheep silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth.
↩Isa.53.12 — Therefore I will give him a share among the many, and he will divide spoil with the strong, because he poured out his life to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors.
↩John.18.10;Luke.22.50-Luke.22.51 — Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. Now the name of the servant was Malchus. Luke.22.50 — And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. Luke.22.51 — But Jesus answered, 'Enough of this!' And he touched the man's ear and healed him.
↩Jer.31.30 — but each person shall die for his own iniquity; every person who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.
↩Mark.15.16-Mark.15.20;Matt.27.27-Matt.27.30 — Then the soldiers led him away into the courtyard, that is, the Praetorium, and called together the whole cohort. Mark.15.17 — And they clothed him in purple, and after twisting together a crown of thorns, they placed it on him. Mark.15.18 — And they began to greet him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Mark.15.19 — And they kept striking his head with a reed and spitting on him, and kneeling down they bowed before him. Mark.15.20 — And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. Matt.27.27 — Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorion and gathered the whole cohort around him. Matt.27.28 — And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. Matt.27.29 — And they twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' Matt.27.30 — And they spit on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.
↩Matt.27.31 — And after they had mocked him, they stripped off the robe and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him.
↩Matt.27.33-Matt.27.34 — And they came to a place called Golgotha, which is the place of a skull. Matt.27.34 — They gave him wine to drink mixed with gall; and when he tasted it, he was not willing to drink.
↩John.19.18 — There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle.
↩Luke.23.34 — Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided his garments by casting lots.
↩John.19.28 — After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, said, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, 'I thirst.'
↩John.19.29 — A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and held it to his mouth.
↩John.19.30 — When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, 'It is finished,' and bowing his head he gave up his spirit.
↩Luke.23.46 — And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." Having said this, he breathed his last.
↩John.19.34 — But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
↩Mark.15.23 — They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.
↩Luke.23.34 — Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided his garments by casting lots.
↩Isa.53.7 — He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to slaughter, and like a sheep silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth.
↩Luke.23.34 — Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided his garments by casting lots.
↩Matt.27.29 — And they twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!'
↩John.19.34 — But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
↩Ps.22.16-Ps.22.17 — My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; and you lay me down in the dust of death. Ps.22.17 — For dogs have surrounded me; a company of evildoers has encircled me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
↩Matt.27.45-Matt.27.52 — Now from the sixth hour darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour. Matt.27.46 — And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' Matt.27.47 — Some of those standing there, when they heard it, were saying, "This man is calling for Elijah." Matt.27.48 — And immediately one of them ran, took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink. Matt.27.49 — But the others said, 'Wait, let us see whether Elijah comes to save him.' But another, taking a spear, pierced his side, and out came water and blood. Matt.27.50 — Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. Matt.27.51 — And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook, and the rocks were split. Matt.27.52 — and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised
↩John.1.14 — And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
↩Isa.53.3-Isa.53.4 — He was despised and rejected by people, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we did not regard him. Isa.53.4 — And Surely he carried our sicknesses and bore our pains, yet we considered him stricken, struck by God, and afflicted.
↩Song.5.10-Song.5.16 — My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand. Song.5.11 — His head is finest gold; his locks are wavy, black as a raven. Song.5.12 — His eyes are like doves beside streams of water, washed in milk, sitting upon a brimming pool. Song.5.13 — His cheeks are like beds of spice, towers of perfumed herbs. His lips are lilies, dripping flowing myrrh. Song.5.14 — His hands are rods of gold set with beryl; his body is ivory work overlaid with sapphires. Song.5.15 — His legs are pillars of marble, set upon bases of fine gold; his appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars. Song.5.16 — His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.
↩Isa.53.5 — But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
↩Eph.5.2 — and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant aroma
↩Eph.2.6 — and raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus
↩Gen.4.10 — And he said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground."
↩Gen.4.10 — And he said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground."
↩Gen.37.31-Gen.37.33 — Then they took Joseph's tunic, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood. Gen.37.32 — They sent the long-sleeved robe and brought it to their father and said, "This we have found. Recognize now whether it is your son's robe or not." Gen.37.33 — And he recognized it and said, "It is my son's tunic. A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces."
↩Gen.39.12 — She seized him by his garment and said, \"Lie with me.\" But he left his garment in her hand, fled, and went outside.
↩Matt.4.9 — And he said to him, 'All these things I will give you, if you fall down and worship me.'
↩Luke.4.7 — If you will worship before me, it will all be yours.
↩Gen.45.8 — So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord over all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
↩Acts.2.31 — he foresaw this and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see decay.
↩Acts.1.9 — And after he said these things, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.
↩Ps.8.5-Ps.8.6;Ps.8.6-Ps.8.7 — What is man that you remember him, and the son of Adam that you visit him? Ps.8.6 — You have made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor. Ps.8.6 — You have made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor. Ps.8.7 — You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet—
↩Heb.1.3 — He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's own being, and he upholds all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
↩Heb.2.11 — For both the one who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all from one; for this reason he is not ashamed to call them brothers.
↩Phil.2.8 — And he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
↩Dan.5.27 — TEKEL: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.
↩Rom.8.32 — He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
↩1John.2.1 — My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One.
↩Matt.3.17 — And behold, a voice from the heavens said, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
↩Gen.18.27 — Then Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have now ventured to speak to the Lord, though I am but dust and ashes."
↩Ps.69.1-Ps.69.2;Ps.69.2-Ps.69.3 — To the choirmaster. According to Shoshannim. Of David. Ps.69.2 — Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. Ps.69.2 — Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. Ps.69.3 — I have sunk into deep mire, and there is no foothold; I have come into the deep waters, and the flood has swept over me.
↩Isa.53.12 — Therefore I will give him a share among the many, and he will divide spoil with the strong, because he poured out his life to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors.
↩Deut.6.5 — And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
↩Gen.2.9;Prov.3.18 — And the LORD God made to grow from the ground every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, and the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Prov.3.18 — She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and those who hold her fast are called blessed.
↩Eph.3.18 — rooted and grounded in love, that you may have the power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
↩Ps.22.16;John.20.25-John.20.27 — My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; and you lay me down in the dust of death. John.20.25 — So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord.' But he said to them, 'Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.' John.20.26 — And after eight days his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and he stood in the midst and said, 'Peace be to you.' John.20.27 — Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it into my side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing."
↩Gal.5.19-Gal.5.21 — Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, Gal.5.20 — idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, factions Gal.5.21 — envies, drunkennesses, revelries, and the like — which things I forewarn you, just as I have already said, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
↩Ps.1.2;Ps.119.15 — But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. Ps.119.15 — I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
↩Gen.2.9;Prov.3.18 — And the LORD God made to grow from the ground every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, and the tree of life in the middle of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Prov.3.18 — She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and those who hold her fast are called blessed.
↩Matt.27.29;Mark.15.17;John.19.2 — And they twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' Mark.15.17 — And they clothed him in purple, and after twisting together a crown of thorns, they placed it on him. John.19.2 — And the soldiers, having woven a crown of thorns, placed it on his head, and they clothed him in a purple robe.
↩Matt.27.48;Mark.15.36;John.19.29 — And immediately one of them ran, took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink. Mark.15.36 — And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, 'Let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.' John.19.29 — A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and held it to his mouth.
↩Ps.34.8 — The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
↩Isa.5.20 — Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
↩Rev.17.4 — And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and the unclean things of her sexual immorality.
↩Mark.15.23;Matt.27.34 — They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. Matt.27.34 — They gave him wine to drink mixed with gall; and when he tasted it, he was not willing to drink.
↩1Pet.2.24;Rom.6.10-Rom.6.11 — He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness — by whose wounds you were healed. Rom.6.10 — For the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. Rom.6.11 — So also you, consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
↩Gal.6.14 — But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
↩Heb.4.12 — For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
↩John.19.34 — But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
↩Isa.25.9;Ps.57.1 — And it will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we waited for him, and he will save us. This is the LORD; we waited for him. Let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Ps.57.1 — To the choirmaster. Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.
↩1Cor.15.43 — It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.
↩Ps.17.15 — “But I, in righteousness, shall behold your face; I shall be satisfied when I awake with your likeness.”
↩Phil.3.13-Phil.3.14 — Brothers, I do not yet consider myself to have taken hold of it; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, Phil.3.14 — I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
↩Song.1.2 — Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for your love is better than wine.
↩Ps.145.2 — Every day I will bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.
↩Ps.103.1 — Of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
↩Dan.7.10 — A river of fire flowed and poured out before him. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.
↩John.1.16 — For from his fullness we all received, grace upon grace.
↩Isa.11.2-Isa.11.3 — And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. Isa.11.3 — And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, nor decide by what his ears hear.

Notes

1 ↩Direct quotation of Matthew 2:13. Anchor and final resolution deferred to tx-08 Moses stage.
2 ↩pusillis tuis rendered 'your little ones' — the possessive tuis links the infants to Christ as members of his people, not biological offspring.
3 ↩imperio (dat./abl. sg.) rendered as 'authority' to capture the sense of parental command without over-specifying the case.
4 ↩ut gigas fortis — the simile of Christ as a giant draws on traditional patristic imagery (cf. Ps 18:6 Vulg.); rendered literally to preserve the boldness of the comparison.
5 ↩Latin uter here rendered as 'vessel' (a container) rather than 'womb'; the metaphor is of a corrupt receptacle unfit to receive a precious liquid. Siquidem functions as a confirmatory/explanatory connective ('and indeed'), anchoring the sentence to the preceding context about Judas's corruption.
6 ↩Quotation of Christ's words in Gethsemane; cf. Matthew 26:38 / Mark 14:34 (Tristis est anima mea usque ad mortem).
7 ↩Quotation echoing Christ's prayer in Gethsemane; cf. Mark 14:36.
8 ↩Allusion to the agony in Gethsemane and the bloody sweat; cf. Luke 22:44.
9 ↩Vultum tuum honorabilem: 'face' carries the force of Christ's personal, bodily presence and dignity; 'honorabilem' rendered 'worthy of honor' to keep the concrete sense of the face rather than abstract 'honor.'
10 ↩Incircumciso cani deglutiendam: the image is of Christ's soul/body being given to the Gentile (Roman) power; 'uncircumcised dog' preserves the contemptuous Jewish-Gentile idiom of the source. Some manuscripts vary between cani and crudi; the normalized reading is followed here.
11 ↩Lupum Agno, auro lutum praeponentes: the metaphors are compressed; 'wolf' for Barabbas, 'Lamb' for Christ, 'mud' for Christ's apparent worthlessness, 'gold' for Barabbas' perceived value — the inversion is the point. Rendered to keep the stark contrast.
12 ↩Concambium: rare word for 'exchange, barter'; the exclamation is a devotional lament over the injustice of the trade.
13 ↩Impius ille: likely Caiaphas or the high priest figure; 'per invidiam' clarifies the motive. 'Sine causa' — without cause, without justice — is preserved as 'without cause.'
14 ↩Virgineam carnem: 'virginal flesh' preserves the theological emphasis on Christ's body as born of a virgin and now subjected to violence; the phrase carries both physical and theological weight.
15 ↩The flow of blood and water from Christ's pierced side is traditionally read as a sign of the sacraments — the water of Baptism and the blood of the Eucharist — flowing from the crucified Lord.
16 ↩The ut clause (ut…proferret) is rendered as result ('so that he uttered no word') rather than purpose; the context favors result — the fact that he never opened his mouth had the effect that no such word came forth.
17 ↩liquiesce is a rare verb; rendered as 'melt' to convey the sense of being dissolved or liquefied by the fire of compassion. The gloss is uncertain but the devotional sense is clear.
18 ↩Composite quotation echoing Matthew 27:45–52 (Vulg. sexta hora … tenebrae factae sunt … usque in horam nonam; obscuratus est sol; velum templi scissum est; terra mota est; petrae scissae sunt; monumenta aperta sunt; multa corpora sanctorum … surrexerunt). Final resolution deferred to Moses stage.
19 ↩unigenitus rendered 'only-begotten' to preserve theological precision regarding the Son's unique generation.
20 ↩quasi vir leprosus et novissimus virorum echoes Isaiah 53:3–4 (despectus … novissimus virorum) and the leper typology applied to Christ's humiliation.
21 ↩abortivum rendered literally as 'aborted child' to preserve the starkness of the image; the term carries the sense of something prematurely expelled and unwanted.
22 ↩Direct echo of Isaiah 53:5 (Vulgate): 'Ipse autem vulneratus est propter iniquitates nostras, attritus est propter scelera nostra.' This is a quotation of the third Servant Song, applied here to Christ's Passion.
23 ↩Holocaustum (whole burnt offering) evokes the Levitical holocaust in which the entire offering is consumed by fire for God — here applied to Christ's total self-giving on the cross. The 'most sweet fragrance' (suavissimus odor) echoes the Old Testament 'pleasing aroma' (odor suavitatis) of sacrifice (cf. Genesis 8:21, Exodus 29:18, Ephesians 5:2).
24 ↩Consedere sibi nos faceret in coelestibus — 'make us sit with himself in the heavenly places' — resonates with Ephesians 2:6 ('conresuscitavit et consedere fecit in caelestibus in Christo Iesu'), indicating glorification and heavenly communion with Christ.
25 ↩tuae is morphologically ambiguous: it could agree with passionis (genitive) or with insignia (accusative plural neuter). The rendering follows the more natural reading 'of your passion' (tuae passionis as a single genitive phrase), yielding 'insignia of your passion.'
26 ↩confraga is a rare or hapax form; meaning uncertain. Rendered as 'shattered remnants' following the likely sense of things broken or shattered, modifying passionum.

Orationes sive Meditationes — Collection for Princess Adeliza of Normandy companion

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