De secundis Vesperis, in Passione Domini
The Request of Joseph
Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple, gains the courage to approach Pilate and secure the body of Jesus for burial.
Joseph makes his request. In the evening, meditate with a mournful and tearful heart on how the Mother of the Lord and four others sit down again near the cross, not knowing what they should do. They can't take down and bury the Lord’s body because they lack both the strength and the tools to do it. Yet they don't dare to leave while He remains there, and they can't stay long as night approaches. See the dilemma they are in, and sympathize with them in your heart. Meanwhile, Joseph of Arimathea—a city of Judea ten leagues from Jerusalem, anciently called Ramatha, where Elkanah and Hannah, the parents of Samuel, lived—was a rich man, noble by birth, and a decurion (that is, a member of the curial order), who administered the offices of the Roman imperial court. He was a good man, both in himself and toward God, and just toward his neighbor. He was a disciple of Jesus, not one of the twelve or the seventy-two, but one of many other believers (for all believers were called disciples from the beginning), yet he was a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, lest he be expelled from the synagogue. He had not consented to the death of the Lord or to the actions and plans of those who persecuted Christ. He himself, like the other disciples, was waiting with the certainty of hope for the kingdom of God—not a temporal and earthly one, but a heavenly and eternal one, that is, the kingdom of heaven promised by Christ to his disciples. He came to bury Christ before the Sabbath began, on which it was not lawful to do such things. Because he was a disciple of the Lord, he wanted to care for His body so it could be buried with honor, rather than being thrown away like that of a condemned criminal. Strengthened now by the power of Christ’s shed blood, he became bolder, casting aside all fear, and confidently went to Pilate, fearing neither the enmity of the Jews nor the power of Pilate. He asked, with a great gift, for permission to take the body of Jesus down from the cross and bury it honorably, valuing this more than any treasure, however precious. He asked for this to be granted because, under human law, the bodies of the condemned shouldn't be taken down or buried without permission. Pilate granted the request, partly out of respect for the man asking, partly because he knew of Christ's innocence, and because he had witnessed many miracles at His death. One historical account says that Joseph had served Pilate for five years, and it was for that service that he asked for and obtained the body of Jesus. Joseph's secular rank is mentioned here not because the Evangelist praises it, but because no one else could have approached the Governor. Because he was a prominent, wealthy man, well-known and familiar to Pilate, he could easily enter and make his request; and because he was a good and just man, he was worthy of this ministry and of burying the body of Jesus. Bede says: 'This Joseph is praised for having great dignity in the eyes of the world, but even greater merit in the eyes of God, so that by the justice of his merits he was worthy to bury the Lord's body, and by the nobility of his secular power he was able to receive that same body; for no unknown or ordinary person could have approached the Governor and obtained the body of the Crucified.' Augustine adds: 'Joseph, confident in the dignity he possessed, approached Pilate familiarly, caring less now about the Jews, even though before, when listening to the Lord, he had avoided their enmity.' Gregory Nazianzen also says: 'Joseph had once been a secret disciple of Christ; in the end, he cast off the chains of fear.' Having become more fervent, he took down the Lord's body as it hung shamefully from the wood, comparing it to a precious pearl through the modesty of his words. Consider now the strength of Joseph: he was bold enough not only to ask for the body of Christ, but even to bury it, acting like a man who possessed power derived more from virtue than from any helpers. Chrysostom says: "Look at this man's strength; he surrendered himself to the danger of death, taking on everyone's enmity for the sake of his love for Christ." Theophilus adds: "He dares a praiseworthy act; for he did not reason, 'I will lose my wealth and be cast out by the Jews if I ask for the body of him who was condemned for blasphemy.'" The man who had previously been timid and an undercover disciple of the Lord because of his fear of the Jews—avoiding their hostility at that time—was now emboldened by the example of Christ's death and strengthened by virtue and vigor. He revealed himself, openly and fearlessly confessing and showing himself to be a disciple of Christ by seeking and carrying out his burial, caring little about what they thought. In this final service.
The Preparation for Burial
Joseph and Nicodemus prepare the burial shroud and spices, symbolizing the virtues required of the faithful.
Once he was granted the body, he called to his side a wise man and expert in the law named Nicodemus, who was also a secret disciple of Christ. Joseph bought a shroud—a clean, white linen cloth—and went to the place of the crucifixion, carrying the tools needed to pull out the nails, take the body down from the cross, and wrap it in the shroud. This clean, white cloth signified the Lord’s innocence and his lily-like purity, so that he who had been reddened by the blood of the Passion might be whitened by the shroud of most innocent purity. For it is written in the Song of Songs: “My beloved is white and ruddy.” Nicodemus also joined him—the man in whom there was no guile, who had previously come to Jesus timidly by night before the Passion, bringing about a hundred pounds of a mixture of myrrh and aloes to embalm him. These spices, myrrh and aloes, keep worms away from dead bodies with their bitterness and preserve them for a long time, preventing them from quickly succumbing to corruption. Before the Passion of Christ, this man—like Joseph—was a secret disciple of the Lord, but after the Passion he revealed himself and became public just as the other did. Yet he didn't have true faith in the Resurrection, because he brought myrrh and aloes as if his body needed protection from decay. And so, although he performed this anointing out of devotion, it seems that he did not have full knowledge of Christ’s Resurrection, for it was written of him: “You will not let your Holy One see corruption,” because of which he did not need anointing to protect against putrefaction. This is why Chrysostom says: They still treated Him as a mere man, yet they showed great love. Regarding this Nicodemus, we read about him in the account of the discovery of the body of the blessed Stephen, the first martyr. Joseph, whose name means 'one who increases,' signifies the person growing in the virtues that the Body of the Lord demands when he prays humbly to God for a worthy reception of the Eucharist. The expert Nicodemus, however, signifies the good teacher who brings the mixture—that is, doctrine drawn from the authorities of Holy Scripture—to anoint the mystical Body of Christ for its salvation. In the clean linen shroud, poverty and chastity are noted; and in the spices, the variety of virtues is designated. Happy is that conscience which does not lack the practice of poverty against the world, the purity of chastity against the flesh, and the fragrance of virtues against the devil.
The Deposition from the Cross
The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross, an act of profound sorrow and devotion shared by the Mother and the disciples.
When Joseph and Nicodemus were near the place of the crucifixion, they knelt and worshipped the Lord. When the Mother saw them wanting to take down the body, her spirit revived a little, as if she were rising from the dead. They were welcomed by her with reverence as they approached, and they prepared themselves to take Him down, while she offered whatever help she could. One pulled the nails from His hands, while another held the body so it wouldn't fall lifeless. Mary stood there, lifting her arms high; when she could reach Him, she pulled His head and hands, which were hanging down, onto her sorrowful breast. Rushing into embraces and kisses, she could not be satisfied with her Beloved, nor could anyone pull her away from the body. Once the Lord’s body was lowered to the ground, the Lady took His head and shoulders into her lap. Magdalena, however, took the feet, at which she had once earned such great grace. Others stood around, and they all made a great lamentation over Him; everyone was mourning Him most bitterly, as if He were an only son. Anselm says: "Wait a little longer, until that noble Decurion arrives and, having pulled out the nails, loosens the hands and feet." See how he embraces him with his most blessed arms and presses him to his chest. At that moment, that most holy man could say: 'My beloved is a bundle of myrrh to me; he will rest between my breasts.' Observe, furthermore, how sweetly and diligently the most blessed Nicodemus handles his most sacred limbs with his fingers and warms them with ointments—so says Anselm. Come, you too, my dearest, with devout steps and spiritual approaches, to take your Lord God down from the cross, to mourn him with his blessed Mother and the others who were there, and to help with the burial and the other things they were doing. Ambrose says: "Come, you too, whether late, at night, or at any hour; for at whatever hour you come, you will find Jesus ready to be received, and in his generous kindness, he pays no smaller reward to those who come late." For even he who came at the sixth hour was not cheated of his reward, and he who came at the eleventh hour received the full reward—so says Ambrose. My good God, Jesus, grant to me—though I am in every way undeserving and unworthy—that since I did not merit to be present in body with your Mother and the others who were there, and to do what they did, I may nevertheless, by contemplating these same things with a faithful mind, experience that same affection of compassion for you, my God, crucified and dead for me, which your innocent Mother and the repentant Magdalene felt in that very hour of your Passion. And it should be known that although this deposition of the Lord from the cross was not a suffering for him, because his body was lifeless, nor was it an insult to him, but rather an honor and a reverence—especially since it was not done by the raging Jews, but by devout believers who loved him greatly, and indeed even by Jews who were sorry for this—that he was taken down, anointed, and buried with such solemnity; yet this act of deposition was in itself very miserable and lamentable, in that the body of such nobility was handled like a vile corpse, even though in truth it was not a corpse, because of the divine Person in whom that body subsisted incorruptibly. And if that body did not feel pain, the blessed Virgin, who was there, felt the greatest pain in this act.
Lessons of the Passion
The author draws spiritual lessons from the deposition, comparing it to the reception of the Eucharist and the conversion of the sinner.
Four lessons from the taking down of Christ's body: acts of conformity and prayer. Two lessons are drawn from the moment the Lord was taken down from the cross. The first is that the faithful who receive the Body of the Lord from the altar are made equal to those who took Him down from the cross. For it is the same thing—or rather, even more—to receive Christ's Body from the altar than from the cross; for they received Him in their arms and hands, but these receive Him in their mouths and hearts. The second lesson is that we, too, ought to willingly take Christ down from the cross with Joseph. As long as a sinner remains in sin, he binds and crucifies Christ on the cross as much as he is able, for our sins are the cause of Christ being crucified. But as soon as he turns to God through repentance, he loosens and takes Him down from the cross, and receives Him into his own arms, just as Joseph did when he took Christ down from the cross and held Him in his arms. Therefore, just as someone holding another in his arms can do whatever he wishes with him—provided it isn't something repugnant—so the sinner, converted through repentance and now holding Christ fast in the arms of love, can obtain from Him whatever he desires. Christ never turns away from anyone who repents; in fact, He is more ready to give grace than that person is to receive it. To align yourself with this moment, consider how heartbreaking it was that such a body—the body of God Himself—was handled like a common corpse, and that the crown of glory lay there, so limp and prostrate on the ground. Think, too, of the lamentation the blessed Virgin must have offered over the body of her beloved and sweet Son, or whatever else the Spirit may give you to meditate upon. Jesus, You who chose not to come down from the cross alive, but to be taken down dead so that You might rise from death for the instruction of Your chosen ones, grant me, from Your holy altar, the grace to... to worthily receive Your true Body from the altar of the cross, and that I might not come down from this cross—which I have taken up as my profession of service—as long as I live; but when it pleases You to call back the soul You gave me from this little body, that I may then, at Your call, be taken down from the cross and, at Your invitation, be led into the rest of paradise.
The Lamentation of the Mother
Mary and the disciples mourn over the lifeless body of Jesus, expressing deep compassion and grief.
After a short while, Joseph asked our Lady to let him take care of the Lord's body, to wrap it in linen cloths, and to bury it. But she resisted, saying, "Do not take my Son away from me so quickly, my friends, or bury me along with him." Leave him with me a little longer, so that I may look upon his face and, by seeing him, find some small comfort. They wanted to take him to bury him, but she wanted to keep him, and so there was a pious and pitiful struggle between them. She wept with inconsolable tears. Such a flood of tears flowed from her that it seemed as if her very flesh and spirit were dissolving into weeping. She bathed the face and the lifeless body of her Son with her tears, and drenched his wounds on every side. She also bathed the stone where his body had been laid and placed with her tears; it is said that her tears still appear on it, and that stone is remembered to be at the entrance of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre today. She washed his wounds, wiped away the blood, and kissed them, along with his most sacred face. She looked at the wounds on his body, his face, and his head; she saw the puncture marks from the thorns, the hair torn from his beard, and his face disfigured by spit and blood—and she could never get enough of looking and weeping. The Virgin's sorrows cannot be described, because they were as profound as they could possibly be. And so, the lamentations, wailing, mourning, and weeping she poured out over that same body of her only Son cannot be expressed in words. Yet we must believe that she didn't wail irrationally, because her sorrow didn't reach the level of her higher reason. Magdalene, however, washed the Lord's feet—which she had once bathed with tears of compunction—now even more abundantly with waves of tears of compassion. She looked at his feet, so wounded, pierced, dried out, and bloodied, and she wept most bitterly; she seemed to faint from the pain, and the others, along with the angels present there, wept just as vehemently. Hence Augustine says: "O, what angel or archangel wouldn't have wept there, where the Author of nature, the immortal God, lay dead as a man, against the very order of nature?" They saw the body of Christ so cruelly treated, so mangled by the wicked, and they saw Mary, entirely stained in his blood, weeping so bitterly; and they could not in any way hold back their tears. For just as it was possible for God to die through the human nature he assumed, so it was possible for the good angels to grieve at the death of their Lord—so says Augustine. Therefore, you too, my dear friend, should weep bitterly and cry out with Bernard, who says: 'O good Jesus, how sweetly you lived among men, how great and abundant the gifts you gave them, how hard and bitter the things you suffered for them: hard words, harder blows, and the hardest torments of the cross!'—so says Bernard.
The Wounds of the Savior
A detailed meditation on the wounds of Christ, showing how each injury corresponds to the healing of human infirmities.
The Lord suffered in all his senses and members so that he might heal the whole. Contemplate your Lord and Savior well; turn him over and over, roll him back and forth, from side to side, from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and you won't find any health in him, but pain everywhere, and blood everywhere. For there isn't a single limb or sense of his body that didn't feel its own affliction, infirmity, or passion. See what he endured in every sense, what he suffered in every part: thorns for his head, insults for his ears, tears for his eyes, gall and vinegar for his mouth, slaps and spit for his face, blows for his neck, and the stench for his nostrils, because he was crucified in a place filled with corpses; nails in his hands and feet, scourges on his back, and a lance in his chest. Because the human race was full of the wounds of sin, according to that saying of Isaiah: "The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint; from the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it," Jesus therefore took on wounds in every part of his body, so that by his bruises we might be healed in our entirety. For man was infirm in his head—that is, in his intention, which is the head of the soul—because he lacked a sound intention in the things he did. He was infirm in his hands because he performed evil or sluggish works. He was infirm in his feet, because he had unclean or earthly attachments; for the foot of the soul is its affection and love, because just as the body moves by its feet, so the soul moves by its affections. He was infirm in his heart because he had harmful and vain thoughts. He was weak in his whole body, because he had a life entirely worldly and a conversation that was vain. So that Christ might heal us with his bruises and wounds, he chose to be wounded in his head to heal all our crooked intentions; he chose to be wounded in his hands to heal our evil and lazy actions; he chose to be wounded in his feet to heal our unclean and earthly attachments; he chose to be wounded in his heart to heal our harmful and vain thoughts; he chose to be scourged and wounded in his whole body to heal our entire life and conversation. Hence Bernard says: "Meditate on the position of the Crucified’s body, and see if there is anything in him that does not plead for you to the Father." That divine head is pressed down by a thicket of many thorns, pierced even to the tenderness of the brain. Why this? So that your head might not ache, and your intention might not be wounded. His eyes grew dim in death, and those great lights that illuminate the world were extinguished for a time. When they darkened, did not darkness fall over the whole earth, and were those two great lights removed along with those other lights? This whole thing was done so that your eyes might be turned away, so they wouldn't see vanity, and if they did see it, they wouldn't cling to it. The ears that hear in heaven, 'Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts,' heard on earth the voices of demons: 'Away with him, away with him; crucify him, crucify him.' Why this? May your ears not grow deaf to the cry of the poor, and may they not, with open pores, take in empty gossip or the poison of slander. That beautiful face, more radiant than the sons of men, was struck with spit, bruised by blows, and handed over to mockery. Why this? It was so that your face might be enlightened, and once enlightened, be strengthened; and so that it might be said of you: 'His virtues are no longer changed into different things; that mouth which teaches angels and instructs men, which spoke and things were made, has been given gall and vinegar to drink.' But this was done so that your mouth might speak truth and judgment, and confess its Lord God. Those hands that founded the heavens were stretched out on the cross and pierced by the harshest nails, so that your hands might be stretched out to the needy. That breast, in which all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God are hidden, was pierced by a lance, so that your heart might be cleansed of wicked thoughts, and once cleansed, be sanctified and kept holy. Those feet, whose footstool we must worship because it is holy, were pierced with a harsh transfixing, so that your feet might not hasten toward evil, but run the way of the Lord's commandments. What more is there to say? He gave up His flesh and soul for you, so that He might claim your body and spirit for Himself. He gave His whole self to you, entirely. Therefore, O human, you owe Him your entire life, because He laid down His own life for yours; and He endured bitter suffering so that you wouldn't have to endure it forever. To whom, then, should I more justly live than to Him, without whose death I would not be alive? These are the words of Bernard. To this end, and to repay the debt owed to the Lord, the same Bernard offers this warning: "O human, look with the eye of your mind at how great a debt of gratitude you owe to the suffering Lord." Call to mind His bloody sweat, the thirty pieces of silver, the kiss of betrayal, the insult of the slaps, the relentless scourging, the blows from the reed, the crown of thorns, the mockery of the spitting, the burden of the cross, the hanging on the gallows, His languishing eyes, the pallor of His face, the gall-laced food, the bitter drink, the service of the sponge, His bowed head, His pierced side, His outstretched arms, His transfixed hands, His feet dug through with nails, His lamentable cry, the thieves on either side, the derisive jeers, the infamous title, the casting of lots for His garment, and the double 'Crucify Him'.1 What more is there to say? He endured the most shameful death and the most disgraceful insults. And again: Look, O human, with the eyes of your mind at the love with which the Lord your God has loved you, so that you might follow in his footsteps. He was bound for your sake, so that he might set you free from the chains of your sins. He was scourged for your sake, so that he might rescue you from the lashes of eternal wrath. He was judged for your sake, so that he might deliver you from the judgment of eternal damnation. He was crowned with thorns for your sake. He did this so that he might crown you in heaven. The Physician was wounded for you, so that you, in your sickness, might be healed. He was crucified for you, so that He might crucify your own desires. He died for you, so that He might raise you from the dead. He was buried for you, so that He might bury your vices within you: this is Bernard. The Lord Jesus endured much for us, yet we wretches, to our own shame, are exhausted by a single word and cast down by a single remark.
Imitating the Suffering Lord
The author exhorts the reader to arm themselves against anger and injustice by imitating the patience and charity of Christ.
Turn over in your mind everything the Lord Jesus suffered and everything that happened to him, and think it through carefully; then, use these things to arm yourself and prepare to face with courage any adversity you might suffer. As Chrysostom says: Let's arm ourselves against every outburst of rage, against every flash of anger; and if you see your heart becoming inflamed, cross yourself and sign your chest. If someone insults you, remember everything that was done to Christ, and all those feelings will fade away. We shouldn't just read about all this; we should carry it in our hearts. If you keep turning them over in your mind, these things are enough to destroy all anger. And if we suffer insults or injustice, let's say immediately, 'The servant is not greater than his Master.' He endured all these things so that we might walk in his footsteps; let us also bear insults, because they are the very things that cast anger out of the soul. Yet he didn't just endure these things; he did everything he could to save those who were inflicting them on him. Let us be zealous for this, too. Chrysostom says the same thing: "Nothing makes God so favorable as loving your enemies and doing good to those who harm you." When someone harms you, don't look at the person, but at the one who is moving them—the devil—and clear away all your anger toward the person; instead, have pity on them, for they are being moved by him. When you see someone acting injuriously, realize that it's the devil who is moving them; for injuries aren't the way of Christians. So when someone treats you unjustly, remember your Master, for they slandered Him both in word and in deed, and showed Him much mockery; yet He not only did not take revenge, but repaid them with the opposite, in humility and gentleness. Let us also imitate Him, for in this way we'll be able to be rescued from all abuse. For if you don't grieve, you won't suffer abuse. Why, then, do you grieve? If you suffer an insult unjustly, you shouldn't be overly distressed, but rather have pity on the person; but if you suffer it justly, you should be silent all the more—don't complain in words, but make corrections in your actions. Therefore, if you stay alert, you'll gain a double reward: you'll make God favorable through silence, you'll learn how to correct your past actions based on what has been said, and you'll learn to despise this human glory. In fact, this is why we suffer, because so many people crave the approval of the senseless. Let us, therefore, meditate on all these things in our actions; for if we don't direct our lives by them, we have come into the world in vain and pointlessly—or rather, we have come for our own harm. Faith alone isn't enough to lead us into the kingdom; in fact, it is precisely these things that condemn those who lead a wicked life. The servant who knew his master's will and didn't do it will be beaten with many stripes. Let us hurry, then, not toward our end, but because we need many provisions for the journey, so that by receiving the sufficient provisions of eternal life, we may see our Lord Jesus Christ—so says Chrysostom. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, who at the evening hour of the day willed to be taken down from the cross by Joseph and received into his arms, and were mourned by your most sorrowful Mother and your other friends, make me, I pray, grow daily in virtues like Joseph. Grant that I may deserve to take you down from the cross by lamenting and putting away the sins for which you were crucified and are, as it were, bound on the cross again. May I receive you like a bundle of myrrh into the arms of love, where you deign, my Beloved, to dwell always, and may you guard me from the snares of the devil, so that I may never be separated from you, either here or in the future. Amen. 627
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DoifiNi PETiT. — Hora vespertina meditaberis mente lugubri et lacrymabili, quomodo mater Domini, et alii quatuor, ponunt se iterum ad sedendum prope crucem, nescientes quid facere debeant. Corpus enim Domini deponere, et sepelire noa possunt : quia nec vires sufficientes habent, ncc instrumenta quibus deponant. Recedere autem, eo sic manente, non audent; et diu manere , nocte appropinquante , non valent. Vide in quanta s\int perplexitate, et eis corde compatere. Interim autem Joseph ab Arimathia, civitate Judaeae, decetn leucis ab Jerusalem distante, antiquitus dicta Ramatha, unde fuerunt Helcana et Anna, parentes Samuelis, dives et nobilis genere, et Decurio, id est de ordinae curiae, et officia curiae imperii Romanorum administrans; vir bonus, in se et quoad I>eum, etjustus, quoad proximum; ac discipulus Jesu, non de duodecim, vel de septuaginta duobus, sed de multis aliis credentibus, quia omnes credentes a principio discipuli vocabantur, sed occultus, propier meium Judceorum, ne de synagoga expelleretur, qui non consenserat neci Domini, et actibus ei consiliis aliorum Ghristum persequentium; qui et ipse, sicut et alii discipuli exspectabai, scilicet certitudine spei, regnum Dei, non temporale et terrenum, sed coeleste et aeternum, id est regnum coelorum, a Christo discipulis promissum, venit ad sepeliendum Chrisum, antequam intraret sabbatum, in quo talia facere non erat licitum. Quia enim erat discipulus Domini, ideo curam de corpore ejus habere voluit, ut cum honore sepeliretur, et non sicut damnati corpus projiceretur. Hic virtute sanguinis, Christi jam fusi roboratus, auda-^ cier, omni timore deposito, et conG20 tidenter, introivit ad Pilatum, nec Judaeorum timens inimicitias» nec Pilati potestatem; et petiit, magno munere, ut de ejus licentia tolleret corpus Jesu, de cruce, et scpeliret illud honorifice , hoc prasferens omni thesauro quantumlibet pretioso.
Petiit autem hoc sibi concedi, quia, secundum leges humanas, corpora damnatorum, non debent sine licentia deponi, vel sepeliri. Et permisii Pilatus : tum propter petentis reverentiam; tum propter Christi innocentiam sibi notam; et quia plura in morte ejus viderat miracula. In quadam historia dicitur, quod Joseph servierat quinque annis Pilato, et pro servitio petiit et obtinuit corpus Jesu ab eo. Fit autem hic secularis dignitatis Joseph mentio , non quod Evangelista hanc commendet, sed quia ad Praesidem nisi talis accedere non poterat : quia ergo dives erat valde insignis, ac Pilato notus et familiaris, potuit de facili ad Pilatum intrare, et ab eo impetrare; quia vero bonus et justus, dignus fuit hoc ministerio, et mcrutt corpus Jesu sepelire. Unde Beda : « Magnae quidem Joseph iste dignitatis apud seculum, sed majoris apud Deum meriti fuisse laudatur, ut et per justitiam meritorum, sepeliendo corpore Dominico dignus foret, et per nobilitatcm potentiae secularis, idem corpus accipere posset; non enim quilibet ignotus, aut mediocris ad Praesidem accedere, et crucifixi corpus poterat impetrare. » Unde et Awgustinus : « Joseph fiducia dignitatis, qua praeditus erat familiariter introivit ad Pilatum , jam minus cnrans de Judaeis, quamvis antea in audiendo Domino devitaret inimicitias eorum. » Unde et Gregorius Na:[iaH^enus : a Fuerat quandoquc Joseph occultus Christi discipulus; denique vincula timoris nimpens. ferventior factus, Dominicum oorpus turpiter pendens a ligno deposuit, comparans pretiosam margaritam verborum modestia.
» Considera nunc fortitudinem Joseph : quia non solum audct corpus Christi petere, sed etiam sepelire, sicut homo potestatem habens, plus ex virtute quam ex adjutoribus. Unde Chrysostomus : « Inspice autem hujus viri fortitudinem i in mortis enim periculum se tradidit, inimicitiam ad omnes assumens, propter benevolentiam Christi. » Unde et Theophilus : a Audet ausum laudabilem; non enim excogitavit, a divitiis decidam , et expellar a Judaeis, si corpus petam ejus qui est blasphemiis condemnatus : » haec Theophilus» Qui ergo prius ex imperfectione meticulosus, et occultus discipulus Domini fuerat , propter metum Jud^eorum, vitans tunc inimicitias eorum, nunc exemplo mortis Christi animatus, ac virtute et vigore auctus^ manifestat se; ac palam et fiicto fatetur, et ostendit se Christi Jiscipulum, petendo ejus sepulturam et exsequendo, minus curans de illis,. in hoc extremo officio.
Concesso autem sibi corpore, vocavit ad se quemdam virum sapientem et Legisperitum, disdpulum Christi similiter occultum^ Nicodemum nomine. Joseph autem mercatus sindonem, id est pannum lineum, candentem et mundum» venit ad crucifixionis locum, portans secum instrumenta, quibus clavis evulsis, corpus de cnice deponat , et ipsam sindonem qua involvat. Iste pannus munduset candidus, innocentiam Domini, et liliosam significabat castitatem, ut qui rubricatus fuerat sanguine Plassionis, candidaretur sindone innocentissimae castitatis. Legitur enim in Canticis : Dilectus meus candi'^ dus et ruhicundus. Venif autem cuin eo et Nicodemus, se illi associans, in quo dolus non erat qui prius timidus nocte ad Jesum venerat primum, scilicet ante P^ssionem, ferens secum mixturam myrrhcB et aloes, quasi libras centum, ad ipsum condiendum. Haec enim aromata, myrrha scilicet et aloes, sua amaritudine arcent vermes a corporibus mortuorum, et quam plurimum ea conservant, nec cito corruptioni subjici permittunt. Iste, ante Passionem Christi, sicut et Joseph, erat discipulus Domini occultus, sed post Passionem manifestavit se, sicut et ille, et factus est pubixcus, sed nondum habens veram fidem de Resurrectione, quia attulit myrrham et aloe, quasi corpos-ejus muniri indigeret a putrddine. Et ideo, licet ex devotione stam unctionem faceret,^ videtur tamen quod plenam notitiam de Resurrectione Christi non haberet, quta de eo scriptum erat : Non dabis Sanctum tuum videre corruptionem, propter quod non indigebat unctione consenrante contra putrefactionem.
Unde ait Chrysostomus : 9. Adhuc enim ut de nudo homine disponebant , sed tamen multam dilectionem demonstrabant. » De isto Nicodemo legitur in revelatione corporis beati Sthephani, protomartyris. Per Joseph, qui interprctator accrescens, significabatur persona crescens in virtutibus, quse corpus Domini postulat, quando pro digna receptione Eucharistiae Deum suppliciter orat. Per Nicodemimi vero peritum, significatur doctor bonus, ferens mixturam, id est doctrinam ex auctoritatibus sacrae Scripturs confectam, ad ungendum corpus Christi mysticum» ad ejus salutem. In sindone etiam munda, paapertas et castitas notantur; et in aromatibus, virtutum varietas designatur. Felix talix conscientia cui non deficit defunctio paupertatis, contra mundum ; munditia castitatis, contra carnem ; fragrantia virtutum, contra diabolum.
Cum autem Joseph ct Nicodemus fuerunt prope crucifixionis locum , genua flectentes adoraverunt Dominum. Q,uos dum vidit mater, volentes deponere corpus, quasi de morte consurgens paululum revixit spiritus ejus. Et applicantes recepti fuerunt per eam reverenter, et paraverunt se ad deponendum eum, quibus ipsa quod poterat ministrabat adjutorium. Unus clavos de manibus trahebat, alius ne corpus caderet exanime sustinebat. Stabat Maria levans brachia in altum; etdum tangere eum valuit, caput et manus ejus dependentia trahebat supra triste pectus suum » et ruens in amplexus et oscula, de Dilecto suo satiari non poterat, nec quis ipsam desuper corpus detrahere vaiebat. Corpore igitur Domini in terram deposito, Domina suscepit caput cum scapulis suis in gremio. Magdalena vero pedes, apud quos olim tantam gratiam meruerat. Alii autem circumstant, et omnes planctum magnum super eum faciunt; omnes enim amarissrme ptangunt eum, quasi unigenitum.
Unde Anselmus : a Sed adhuc exspecta, donec nobilis ille Deeurio veniens, extractis clavis, manus pedesque dissolvat. Vide quomodo felicissimis brachiis amplectitur, ac suo astringit pectorL Tunc potuit vir ille sanctissimus discere : Fascicutus myrrhce, dilectus meus mihi, inter ubera mea commorabitur. Cerne praeterea , quam duldter , quam diligenter beatissimus Nicodemus , sacratissima membra ejus tractat digitis, fovet unguentis : » hxc Anselmus. Venias et tu, carissime, devotis gressibus, et spirituaibus accessibus , ad deponendufh Dominum Deum tuum de cruce, et ad plangendum eum cum sua benedicta Matre, et aliis qui ibi aderant, et ad sepeliendum, et alia faciendum quse ipsi faciebant. Unde Ambrosius : a Veni et tu vel sero, vel nocte, vel quacunque hora; quacunque cnim hora veneris, Jesum invenies ad suscipiendum paratum, nec minorem serius venientibus mercedem pia iargitale soiventem. Nam et qui hora sexta venit, non est mercede fraudatus, et qui undecima, plenitudinem mercedis accepit : » haec Ambrosius. Deus meus bone, Jesu, concede mihi quanquam per omnem modum immerito et indigno, ut qui his cum Matre tua et aliis qui tunc aderant corpore interesse, et ea facere non merui, fideli tamen hcec eadem mente pertractans, illum ad te, Deum meum pro me crucifixum et mortuum, compassionis affectum experiar, quem innocens mater iua, et posniiens Magdalena in ipsa Passionis tuce hora senserunt, Et sciendum, quod quamvis ista depositio Domini de cruce, non fuerit sibi in poenam quia corpus erat exanime, nec fieret ei in contumeliam, sed potius in honorem et reverentiam, praesertim cum non tieret a Judaeis saevientibus, sed a devotis fidelibus eum multum diligentibus, imo etiam Judaeis et hoc dolenlibus, quod cum tanta solemnitate deponebatur, condiebatur, et sepeiiebatur; istud tamen factum depositionis, in se valde miserabile fuit et lamentabile, quod videlicet corpus tantae nobilitatis, tractabatur tanquam cadaver vile, licet in veritate cadaver non fuerit, propter divinum suppositum, in quo corpus illud imputribiliter subsistebat. Et si corpus illud non sensit poenam, beata tamen Virgo, quae ibi aderat, pcenam in hoc facto sensit maximam.
4 DOCUMENTA DUO E DEPOSmONB coRPORis Christi, actus conforxaTiONis ET ORATio. — Ex hoc articulo depositionis Domini de cruce, habentur duo documenta. Primum est , quod fideies communicantes Corpus Domini de altari, aequiparantur illis qui ipsum deposuerunt de cruce. Perinde enim est, imo plus Christi Corpus sumere de ara altaris, quam de ara crucis, Uli enim acceperunt eum in brachiis et manibus ; sed isti sumunt in ore et cordibus. — Secundum do* cumentum est, quod et nos liben> ter debemus Chriatum cum Joseph de cruce deponere. Quandiu enim peccator in peccatis est, Christum in cruce distentum, quantum in se est, vinculat et crucitigit, peccata enim nostra sunt in causa quod Christus crucifixus est. Sed mox cum per poenitentiam ad Deum convertitur, ipsum de cruce sohnt et deponit, et inter brachia sua eum recipit, sicut fecit Joseph, qui in deponendo Christum de cruce, intra brachia sua eum complectebatur. Unde sicut quis complectens aliquem inter brachia, potens est de eo facere quidquid vult, maximc si illud non repugnet; sic peccator conversus per pcenitentiam, constringens jam Christum brachiis amoris, potens est de eo omnia quae voluerit obtinere.
Nequaquam enim Christus repugnat poenitenti, sed paratior est ad dandum gratiam, quam iste ad reclpiendum. Ad conformandum se huic articulo, recogitet homo, quam lamentabile factum fuit^ quod tale corpus quod erat Deus, sic tractabatur ad modum cadaveris, et quod corona gloriae, jacuit sic supina et postrata in terra ; qualem etiam planctum tunc beata Virgo fecerit super corpus dilecti et dulcis Filii sui, vel alias, sicut dederit meditanti. Jesu, qui de cruce non vivus descendere, sed mortuus deponi voluistiy ut de morte resurgeres ad electorum informationem, da mihi, de sacro altari iuo, ac . VI de ara crucis, Corpus tuum verum digne suscipere, et ut de hac cruce, quam suscepi in tui professionem servitii, quousque vixero, non descendamj sed cum tibi placuerit ab hoc corpusculo repetere animam quam dedisti^ nunc, te vocante, de cruce depgnar, et, te invitante, ad requiem paradisi perducar.
Post aliquam vero moruiam, rogat Joseph Dominam, ut permiltat corpus Domini perfungi ac linteaminibus involvi et sepeliri. Ipsa vero contendebat, dicens i^^Noiite, amici mei, tam cito mihi Filium meum auferre, vel me secum sepelite. Illum adhuc pauiulum reiinquite mihi, ut faciem ipsius vaieam contemplari, et videndo aiiquantuium inde consoiari. Illi volebant eum tradere sepuiturx, et ipsa voiebat eum retinere, et sic erat liflec pia lis et miseranda contentio inter eos. Flebat ilJa iacrymis irremediabilibus. Ipsius lacry^ marum tanta ubertas fluebat, ut caro cum spiritu in iacrymis resoivi putaretur. Rigabat lacrymis faciem et exstinctum Filii sui corpus, et perfundebat undique piagas ejus. Lapidem quoque quo corpus ejus positum et locatum fuerat, lacrymis madebat, in quo ejus lacrymae adhuc apparere dicuntur, qui nunc in ingressu ecciesiae Sancti Sepuichri esse memoratur.
Lavit ei tersit vulnera ejus cruentata, et oscuiabatur ea, et faciem ejus sacratissimam. Aspiciebat vulnera corporis, et vuitum ejus et caput, videbat spinarum puncturus, depiiationem IxEurbae, faciem ex sputis et sanguine deturpatam ; et de aspiciendo et flendo non poterat satiari. Virginis dolores narrari non possunt quia maie iiii erat, sicut esse poterat. Et ideo quantas iamentationes, uiuiatus, pianctus et fletus super idem corpus unici Filii sui tunc fecerit, verbis explicari non posset. Credendum tamen est, quod nulios planctus irrationabiles fecerit, quia dolor ejus ad rationem superiorem non pertingebat. Magdalena vero pedes Domini, quos alia vice iacrymis compunctionis rigavit, nunc muito magis undis iacrymarum compassionis iargiter lavit. Aspiciebat pedes sic vulneratos et perforatos, desiccatos et sanguinoientos, et flebat amarissime, et prae doiore videbatur dcficere ; similiter flebant vehementer et aiii, ac etiam Angeli praesentes ibi. Unde Augu^ stinus : « O quis Angelorum vei Archangelorum iilic non flevisset , ubi contra naturam, auctor naturae immortaiis Deus, mortuus homo jacebat?
Videbant Christi corpus sic maie tractatum, ab impiis sic iaceratum jacere, et Mariam totan* suo cruentatam in cruore sic amarissime flere ; et nuilo modo suas lacrymas poterant refrenare. Sicut enim possibiie fuit, Deum per assumptum hominem mori, sic possibiie fuit Angelos bonos in morte Domini sui dolere : » haec Augustinus, Plange ergo et tu, carissimc, amare, et clama cum Bernardo dicente : « O bone Jesu, quam dulci ter cum hominibus conversatus es, quam magna et abundantissima eis iargitus es, quam dura et aspera pro eis passus es, dura verba, durriora verbera, durissima crucis tormenla l » haec Bernardus. 6 In omnibus sensibus et membris passus est dominus, ut totum .
Contempleris ^ etiam bene Dominum et Salvatorem tuum, gira et regira, voive et revoive, a iatere in latus, a planta pedis usque ad verticcm, et non invenies in eo sanitatem, sed undique dolorem, ubique cruorem. Non enim est in eo membrum, vel sen* sus corporis, qui suam afHictionem et intirmitatem, vel passionem non senserit. Vide quid in quoiibet sensu, quid in qualibet parte sustinuit : in capite spinas, in auribus opprobria, in oaulis fletum, in ore fei et acetum, in facie alapas et sputa, in collo colaphos, in naribus fcetorem, quia in loco ex cadaveribus comipto fuit crucifixus : clavos in manibus et pedibus, flagella in Jorso, lanceam in pectore. Quia enim genus humanum vulneribus peccatorum fuit plenum, secundum illud Isaiae : Omne caput langtndum, et omne cor moerens, a planta pedis usque ad verticem non est in eo sanitas, ideo Jesus in omni parte corporis sui plagas suscepit, ut per ejus livores in toto sanaremur. Homo enim erat infirmus in capite, id est in intentione, quae est caput animae, quia his qu» faciebat non sanam intentionem h^ bebat. Erat infirmus in manibus, quia faciebat opera mala vel remissa. &at infirmus in pedibus, quia habebat afifectionem immundam aut terrenam, pes enim animae est affectus et amor ejus, quia sicut corpus vadit pedibus, sic anima vadit afifectibus. Erat infirmus in corde, quia habebat cogitationes noxias et vanas.
Erat infirmus in toto corpore, quia habebat totam vitam mundanam et conversationem vanam. Ut igitur Christus suis livoribus et vulneribus nos sanaret , voluit vulnerari in capite, ut sanaret omnes nostras obliquas intentiones; voluit vulnerari in manibus, ut sanaret nostras malas et remissas operationes ; voluit vulnerari in pedibus, ut sanaret nostras immundas et terrenas afif^ctiones; voluit Tulnerari tn corde, ut sanaret noxias et vanas cogitationes ; voluit flagellari et vulnerari in toto cor^ pore, nt sanaret totam nostram vitam et conversationem. Unde Bernardus : « Meditare, inquit; positionem corporis Crucifixi, et vide si aliquid est in eo quod non peroret pro te ad Patrem. Divinum illud caput muitiplici spinamm densitate depressatur, usque ad cerebri teneritudinem confixum est. Ad quid hoc i: Ne doleret capnt tuum, ne tua vulneraretur intentio. Caligaverunt in morte oculi siu, et illa luminaria magna, quae illuminant orbem , ad horam exstincta sunt. Nonne illis obtenebrantibus, tenebrce factae sunt super umpersam terram, et illa duo luminaria magna cum illis luminaribus aemota sunt i Hoc autem totum fiictum est, ut averterentur oculi tui, ne viderent vanitatem, et si vidcrent, non adhaererent. Aures tlfae quae in coeiis audiunt : Sanctus, sanctus , sanctus Dominu^ , Deus Sabbaotk, audierunt in terra dsemo niacorum voces : Tolle, tolle; crucifigc, cruciftge, Urquid istud?
Ne aures tuae obsurdescerent ad damorem pauperis, ne recipereat niditum vanum, ne detractionis firus, apertis poris, usquequaque snsciperent. Speciosa illa feicies spedost forma prce filiis hominum, sputis illata est, at^Aicta colaphis, addicta delusionibus. Quare hoc ? Ut fiictes tua illuminaretur, illuminata caafirmaretur, et diceretur de te : "Wrftus illius non sunt ampiius m diversa mutati, Os illud quod Abgelos docet^ homines instru*^t,quod dixit et facta sunt^ feile potatum est et aceto. Sed hoc factum est ut veritatem et jodicium loqueretur os tuum , et confiteretur Dominvm Deum suum. Manus iilae quse fundaverunt coelos, extensae sunt in cruce, ciavisque transver)>eratae dvrisstmis, ut manus tuae extendemr tur ad inopem. Pectus illud, iic fvo sunt omnes thesauri sapienHct tt scientias Dei absconditi, kmcea mi* Iltarl perfossum est, ut pectus tuum a pravis cogitationibus mundaretur^ mundatum sanctificaretur, et conservaretur sanctificatum. Pedes illi, quorum scabellum adorare debemus, quoniam sanctum est, dura transfixione transfixi sunt, ne pedes tui festinarent ad malum, sed cur" rerent viam mandatorum Domini.
Quid plura ? Pro te carnem et animam posuit ut corpus et spiritum sibi vendicaret. Totum toto, se te oomparavit. Huic igitur omnem vitam tuam, o homo, debes, quia vitam suam pro tua posuit ; et crudatus amaros sustinuit, ne tu perpetuo sustineres. Cui vero justius vivam quam illi, qui si non moreretUTy, ego non viverem ? » haec Bemardus. Ad hoc etiam iaciendum, et debitum Domino rependendum , idem Bernardus quasi monendo sic dicit : <c O homo, respice ocuio mentali , quanto remunerationis debito astringaris Domino patienti. Recole sudorem sanguineum, triginta argenteos, fictionis osculum, alaparum contumeliam , flagellorum instantiam , ictus arundinis, coronam spineam» sputi ludibria, crucis angariam, patibuti suspendium, oculos languentes, oris pallorem, fellita cibaria, amara pocula, spongiae obsequium, Caput inclinatum, latus perforatum, utnas extensas, manus transfixas, pedes confossos, vocem iamentabilem, latrones altrinsecos, garrulationes irrisorias, titulum famosum, vestimenti sortem, geminatum Crudfige.
Quid plura ? vilissimum mortis supplicium, et probra nefandissima. » Etiterum : u Vide, homo, quo amore te dilexit Dominus Deus tuus, ut vcstigia ejus sequaris. Pro te ligatus est, ut te vinculis peccatorum absolveret. Pro te flagellatus est, ut te a flagellis aeternae irae erueret. Pro te judicatus est, ut te a judicio seternae damnationes liberaret. Pro te coronatus est spinis,. ut te coronaret in coelis.
Pro te vulneratus est medicus, ut tu sanareris aegrotus. Pro te crucifixus, ut tuas concupiscentias crucifigeret. Pro te mortuus est, ut te a mortuis suscitaret. Pro te sepultus est, ut in te vitia sepeliret : » haec Bernardus^ Multa igitur pro nobis sustinuit Dominus Jesus , sed nos miseri ad confusionem nostram, uno sermone fatigamur, uno verbo dejicimur.
Omnia erga quae Dominus Jesus passus, quae circa ipsum gesta sunt, mente revolve, et diligenter pertracta ; et ex his te ad patientiam in omnibus adversis, quae pateris, accinge viriliter et arma. Unde Chrysostomtts r a Armemus nosmetipsos adversus omnem furorem, adversus omnem iram ; et si inflammatum videris cor tuum, signa pectus, impone crucem. Convitiatus est tibi aliquis, recordare omnium quae in Christo gesta sunt; et omniaexstinguentur. » Non solum legamus haec omnia, sed et mente feramus ea. Sufficientia enim sunt haec, continue revoluta, universam iram destruere. Et si contumeliam, et si injustitiam patiamur, dicamus continuo : Non est servus mafor Domino suo Propterea enim haec omnia sustinuit, ut secundum ejus semitam gradiamur; et nos contumelias feramus, quia maxime convitia a mente abjiciunt. Sed tamen ipse non solum tulit haec, sed om nia egit ut salvaret eos qui haec faciebant. Haec et nos zelemur.
Unde idem Chrysostomus : a Nihil enim Deum ita propitium facit, ut inimicos amare, et his qui officiunt benefacere. Cum quis oflBcit, non ad ipsum respicias, sed ad eum qui movet, scilicet daemonem, et iram universam adversus illum evacua; ipsius autem et miserere, qui ab illo movetur. Cum injuriantem videris, excogita quoniam diabolus est qui movet eum ; non enim Christianorum sunt injuriae. Cum igitur quis injuriatus fuerit, memento tui Domiiiatoris, quoniam et per verba, et per res ei detrabebant, et ironiam m^iltam ostendebant; ipse vero non solum non ulciscebatur, sed et contrariis remunerabat in humiiitate et mansuetudine. Hunc itaque et nos zelemur, ita enim poterimus et a convitio eripi omni. Si enim non doiueris, non convitium patieris. Quid enim doles? Si quidem injuste convitium pateris , hoc maxime tristari non oportet , sed iilius misereri ; si vero juste , multo magis silere oportet : -neque doleas in verbis, sed corrigas in rebus.
Quare si vigilaveris, dupla lucraberis : et propitium facere Deum silentio; et actionem accipere, ex his quae dicta sunt , corrigere ea quae acta sunt; et gloriam hanc humanam despicere. Etenim hinc dolor nobis sit, quoniam multi ad insensatorum suspicionem inhiant. Haec igitur universa meditemur in operibus ; si enim non haec direxerimus, > inaniter et vane in mundum venimus, magis autem et in malo. Non enim suSicit fides in regnum ducere, sed haec maxime condemnare habet eos qui vitam malam demonstrant. Qui enim cognovit voluntatem Domini et non fecit, plagis vapulabit multis, Properemus igitur non ad exitum ; etenim multis nobis opus est viaticulis, ut sufficientia aeternae vitae accipientes viaticula, videamus Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum : » haec Chrysostomus. ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, qui hora diei vespertina a Joseph de cruce deponi, et inter brachia ejus recipi voluisti , a Matre quoque tua moestissi'^ ma, et aliis amicis tuis planctus fuisti, fac me, quaeso, Joseph crescentem in virtutibus quotidie; et da ut peccata propter qux crucifixus es, et iterum quasi in cruce ligaris, plangendo et deponendo merear te de cruce deponere ; teque quasi fasciculum myrrhae inter brachia amoris recipere , ubi digneris, Dilecte mi, semper commorari, etme a laqueis diaboli custodire, ne unquam vel hic, vel in futuro valeam a te separari. Amcn. 627
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin 'utnas' is likely a corruption of 'ulnas' (arms).
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