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

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The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine EmmerichThe last-mentioned were those who were converted after the death of Jesus, and who were inconsiderable numbers, for neither Jesus nor Mary ever ceased praying, in the midst of their sufferings,for the salvation of these miserable beings.226When, during visions of this kind, I turn my thoughts to the holy souls of Jesus and Mary, and tothose of the enemies of Christ, all that takes place within them is shown me under various forms.I see numerous devils among the crowd, exciting and encouraging the Jews, whispering in theirears, entering their months, inciting them still more against Jesus, but nevertheless trembling at thesight of his ineffable love and heavenly patience. Innumerable angels surrounded Jesus, Mary, andthe small number of saints who were there. The exterior of these angels denotes the office they fall;some represent consolation, others prayer, or some of the works of mercy.I likewise often see consolatory, and at other times menacing voices, under the appearance of brightor coloured gleams of light, issuing from the mouths of these different apparitions; and I see thefeelings of their souls, their interior sufferings, and in a word, their every thought, under theappearance of dark or bright rays. I then understand everything perfectly, but it is impossible forme to give an explanation to others; besides which, I am so ill, and so totally overcome by the griefwhich I feel for my own sins and for those of the world, I am so overpowered by the sight of thesufferings of our Lord, that I can hardly imagine how it is possible for me to relate events with theslightest coherency. Many of these things, but more especially the apparitions of devils and ofangels, which are related by other persons who have had visions of the Passion of Jesus Christ, arefragments of symbolical interior perceptions of this species, which vary according to the state ofthe soul of the spectator. Hence the numerous contradictions, because many things are naturallyforgotten or omitted.Sister Emmerich sometimes spoke on these subjects, either during the time of her visions on thePassion, or before they commenced; but she more often refused to speak at all concerning them,for fear of causing confusion in the visions. It is easy to see how difficult it must have been for her,in the midst of such a variety of apparitions, to preserve any degree of connection in her narrations.Who can therefore be surprised at finding some omissions and confusion in her descriptions?227CHAPTER XXIX.Jesus condemned to be crucified.PILATE, who did not desire to know the truth, but was solely anxious to get out of the difficultywithout harm to himself, became more undecided than ever; his conscience whispered—‘Jesus isinnocent;’ his wife said, ‘he is holy;’ his superstitious feelings made him fear that Jesus was theenemy of his gods; and his cowardice filled him with dread lest Jesus, if he was a god, should wreakhis vengeance upon his judge. He was both irritated and alarmed at the last words of Jesus, and he130
The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine Emmerichmade another attempt for his release; but the Jews instantly threatened to lay an accusation againsthim before the Emperor. This menace terrified him, and he determined to accede to their wishes,although firmly convinced in his own mind of the innocence of Jesus, and perfectly conscious thatby pronouncing sentence of death upon him he should violate every law of justice, besides breakingthe promise he had made to his wife in the morning. Thus did he sacrifice Jesus to the enmity ofthe Jews, and endeavour to stifle remorse by washing his hands before the people, saying, ‘I aminnocent of the blood of this just man; look you to it.’ Vainly dost thou pronounce these words, OPilate! for his blood is on thy head likewise; thou canst not wash his blood from thy soul, as thoudost from thy hands.228Those fearful words, ‘His blood be upon us and upon our children,’ had scarcely ceased to resound,when Pilate commenced his preparations for passing sentence. He called for the dress which hewore on state occasions, put a species of diadem, set in precious stones, on his head, changed hismantle, and caused a staff to be carried before him. He was surrounded with soldiers, preceded byofficers belonging to the tribunal, and followed by Scribes, who carried rolls of parchments andbooks used for inscribing names and dates. One man walked in front, who carried the trumpet. Theprocession marched in this order from Pilate’s palace to the forum, where an elevated seat, usedon these particular occasions, was placed opposite to the pillar where Jesus was scourged. Thistribunal was called Gabbatha; it was a kind of round terrace, ascended by means of staircases; onthe top was a seat for Pilate, and behind this seat a bench for those in minor offices, while a numberof soldiers were stationed round the terrace and upon the staircases. Many of the Pharisees had leftthe palace and were gone to the Temple, so that Annas, Caiphas, and twenty-eight priests alonefollowed the Roman governor on to the forum, and the two thieves were taken there at the timethat Pilate presented our Saviour to the people, saying: ‘Ecce homo!’Our Lord was still clothed in his purple garment, his crown of thorns upon his head, and his handsmanacled, when the archers brought him up to the tribunal, and placed him between the twomalefactors. As soon as Pilate was seated, he again addressed the enemies of Jesus, in these words,‘Behold your King!’But the cries of ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’ resounded on all sides.‘Shall I crucify your King?’ said Pilate.‘We have no King but Cæsar!’ responded the High Priests.Pilate found it was utterly hopeless to say anything more, and therefore commenced his preparationsfor passing sentence. The two thieves had received their sentence of crucifixion some time before;but the High Priests had obtained a respite for them, in order that our Lord might suffer the additionalignominy of being executed with two criminals of the most infamous description. The crosses ofthe two thieves were by their sides; that intended for our Lord was not brought, because he was notas yet sentenced to death.The Blessed Virgin, who had retired to some distance after the scourging of Jesus, again approachedto hear the sentence of death pronounced upon her Son and her God. Jesus stood in the midst ofthe archers, at the foot of the a staircase leading up to the tribunal. The trumpet was sounded to131
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