The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. - documenta ...

The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine Emmerich165THE Blessed Virgin was ever united to her Divine Son by interior spiritual communications; shewas, therefore, fully aware of all that happened to him—she suffered with him, and joined in hiscontinual prayer for his murderers. But her maternal feelings prompted her to supplicate AlmightyGod most ardently not to suffer the crime to be completed, and to save her Son from such dreadfultorments. She eagerly desired to return to him; and when John, who had left the tribunal at themoment the frightful cry, ‘He is guilty of death,’ was raised, came to the house of Lazarus to seeafter her, and to relate the particulars of the dreadful scene he had just witnessed, she, as alsoMagdalen and some of the other holy women, begged to be taken to the place where Jesus wassuffering John, who had only left our Saviour in order to console her whom he loved best next tohis Divine Master, instantly acceded to their request, and conducted them through the streets, whichwere lighted up by the moon alone, and crowded with persons hastening to their homes. The holywomen were closely veiled; but the sobs which they could not restrain made many who passed byobserve them, and their feelings were harrowed by the abusive epithets they overheard bestowedupon Jesus by those who were conversing on the subject of his arrest. The Blessed Virgin, whoever beheld in spirit the opprobrious treatment her dear Son was receiving, continued ‘to lay up allthese things in her heart;’ like him she suffered in silence; but more than once she became totallyunconscious. Some disciples of Jesus, who were returning from the hall of Caiphas, saw her faintingin the arms of the holy women, and, touched with pity, stopped to look at her compassionately, andsaluted her in these words: ‘Hail! unhappy Mother—hail, Mother of the Most Holy One of Israel,the most afflicted of all mothers!’ Mary raised her head, thanked them gratefully, and continuedher sad journey.When in the vicinity of Caiphas’s house, their grief was renewed by the sight of a group of menwho were busily occupied under a tent, making the cross ready for our Lord’s crucifixion. Theenemies of Jesus had given orders that the cross should be prepared directly after his arrest, thatthey might without delay execute the sentence which they hoped to persuade Pilate to pass on him.The Romans had already prepared the crosses of the two thieves, and the workmen who weremaking that of Jesus were much annoyed at being obliged to labour at it during the night; they didnot attempt to conceal their anger at this, and uttered the most frightful oaths and curses, whichpierced the heart of the tender Mother of Jesus through and through; but she prayed for these blindcreatures who thus unknowingly blasphemed the Saviour who was about to die for their salvation,and prepared the cross for his cruel execution.166‘Mary, John, and the holy women traversed the outer court attached to Caiphas’s house. Theystopped under the archway of a door which opened into the inner court. Mary’s heart was with herDivine Son, and she desired most ardently to see this door opened, that she might again have achance of beholding him, for she knew that it alone separated her from the prison where he wasconfined. The door was at length opened, and Peter rushed out, his face covered with his mantle,wringing his hands, and weeping bitterly. By the light of the torches he soon recognised John andthe Blessed Virgin, but the sight of them only renewed those dreadful feelings of remorse whichthe look of Jesus had awakened in his breast, Mary approached him instantly, and said, ‘Simon,tell me, I entreat you, what is become of Jesus, my Son!’ These words pierced his very heart; hecould not even look at her, but turned away, and again wrung his hands. Mary drew close to him,and said in a voice trembling with emotion: ‘Simon, son of John, why dost thou not answer94