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

The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine Emmerichme?’—‘Mother!’ exclaimed Peter, in a dejected tone, ‘O, Mother, speak not to me—thy Son issuffering more than words can express: speak not to me! They have condemned him to death, andI have denied him. three times.’ John came up to ask a few more questions, but Peter ran out of thecourt as if beside himself, and did not stop for a single moment until he reached the cave at MountOlivet—that cave on the stones of which the impression of the hands of our Saviour had beenmiraculously left. I believe it is the cave in which Adam took refuge to weep after his fall.167The Blessed Virgin was inexpressibly grieved at hearing of the fresh pang inflicted on the lovingheart of her Divine Son, the pang of hearing himself denied by that disciple who had firstacknowledged him as the Son of the Living God; she was unable to support herself, and fell downon the door-stone, upon which the impression of her feet and hands remains to the present day. Ihave seen the stones, which are preserved somewhere, but I cannot at this moment remember where.The door was not again shut, for the crowd was dispersing, and when the Blessed Virgin came toherself, she begged to be taken to some place as near as possible to her Divine Son. John, therefore,led her and the holy women to the front of the prison where Jesus was confined. Mary was withJesus in spirit, and Jesus was with her; but this loving Mother wished to hear with her own ears thevoice of her Divine Son. She listened and heard not only his moans, but also the abusive languageof those around him. It was impossible for the holy women to remain in the court any longer withoutattracting attention. The grief of Magdalen was so violent that she was unable to conceal it; andalthough the Blessed Virgin, by a special grace from Almighty God, maintained a calm and dignifiedexterior in the midst of her sufferings, yet even she was recognised, and overheard harsh words,such as these: ‘Is not that the Mother of the Galilæan? Her Son will most certainly be executed,but not before the festival, unless, indeed, he is the greatest of criminals.’The Blessed Virgin left the court, and went up to the fireplace in the vestibule, where a certainnumber of persons were still standing. When she reached the spot where Jesus had said that he wasthe Son of God, and the wicked Jews cried out, ‘He is guilty of death,’ she again fainted, and Johnand the holy women carried her away, in appearance more like a corpse than a living person. Thebystanders said not a word; they seemed struck with astonishment, and silence, such as might havebeen produced in hell by the passage of a celestial being, reigned in that vestibule.The holy women again passed the place where the cross was being prepared; the workmen appearedto find as much difficulty in completing it as the judges had found in pronouncing sentence, andwere obliged to fetch fresh wood every moment, for some bits would not fit, and others split; thiscontinued until the different species of wood were placed in the cross according to the intentionsof Divine Providence. I saw angels who obliged these men to recommence their work, and whowould not let them rest, until all was accomplished in a proper manner; but my remembrance ofthis vision is indistinct.CHAPTER XII.95