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

More documents

Recommendations

Info

The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine Emmerich236Jesus was conducted by a narrow back street, that the procession might not inconvenience thepersons who were going to the Temple, and likewise in order that Pilate and his band might havethe whole principal street entirely to themselves. The crowd had dispersed and started in differentdirections almost immediately after the reading of the sentence, and the greatest part of the Jewseither returned to their own houses, or to the Temple, to hasten their preparations for sacrificingthe Paschal Lamb; but a certain number were still hurrying on in disorder to see the melancholyprocession pass; the Roman soldiers prevented all persons from joining the procession, thereforethe most curious were obliged to go round by back streets, or to quicken their steps so as to reachCalvary before Jesus. The street through which they led Jesus was both narrow and dirty; he sufferedmuch in passing through it, because the archers were close and harassed him. Persons stood on theroofs of the houses, and at the windows, and insulted him with opprobrious language; the slaveswho were working in the streets threw filth and mud at him; even the children, incited by hisenemies, had filled their pinafores with sharp stones, which they throw down before their doors ashe passed, that he might be obliged to walk over them.CHAPTER XXXI.The first Fall of Jesus.237THE street of which we have just spoken, after turning a little to the left, became rather steep, asalso wider, a subterranean aqueduct proceeding from Mount Sion passed under it, and in its vicinitywas a hollow which was often filled with water and mud after rain, and a large stone was placedin its centre to enable persons to pass over more easily. When Jesus reached this spot, his strengthwas perfectly exhausted; he was quite unable to move; and as the archers dragged and pushed himwithout showing the slightest compassion, he fell quite down against this stone, and the cross fellby his side. The cruel executioners were obliged to stop, they abused and struck him unmercifully,but the whole procession came to a standstill, which caused a degree of confusion. Vainly did hehold out his hand for some one to assist him to rise: ‘Ah!’ he exclaimed, ‘all will soon be over;’and he prayed for his enemies. ‘Lift him up,’ said the Pharisees, I otherwise he will die in ourhands.’ There were many women and children following the procession; the former wept, and thelatter were frightened. Jesus, however, received support from above, and raised his head; but thesecruel men, far from endeavouring to alleviate his sufferings, put the crown of thorns again on hishead before they pulled him out of the mud, and no sooner was he once more on his feet than theyreplaced the cross on his back. The crown of thorns which encircled his head increased his paininexpressibly, and obliged him to bend on one side to give room for the cross, which lay heavilyon his shoulders.136
The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine EmmerichCHAPTER XXXII.The second Fall of Jesus.238239THE afflicted Mother of Jesus had left the forum, accompanied by John and some other women,immediately after the unjust sentence was pronounced. She had employed herself in walking tomany of the spots sanctified by our Lord and watering them with her tears; but when the sound ofthe trumpet, the rush of people, and the clang of the horsemen announced that the procession wasabout to start for Calvary, she could not resist her longing desire to behold her beloved Son oncemore, and she begged John to take her to some place through which he must pass. John conductedher to a palace, which had an entrance in that street which Jesus traversed after his first fall; it was,I believe, the residence of the high priest Caiphas, whose tribunal was in the division called Sion.John asked and obtained leave from a kind-hearted servant to stand at the entrance mentionedabove, with Mary and her companions. The Mother of God was pale, her eyes were red withweeping, and she was closely wrapped in a cloak of a bluish-gray colour. The clamour and insultingspeeches of the enraged multitude might be plainly heard; and a herald at that moment proclaimedin a. loud voice, that three criminals were about to be crucified. The servant opened the door; thedreadful sounds became more distinct every moment; and Mary threw herself on her knees. Afterpraying fervently, she turned to John and said, ‘Shall I remain? ought I to go a-way? shall I havestrength to support such a sight?’ John made answer, ‘If you do not remain to see him pass, youwill grieve afterwards.’ They remained therefore near the door, with their eyes fixed on theprocession, which was still distant, but advancing by slow degrees. When those who were carryingthe instruments for the execution approached, and the Mother of Jesus saw their insolent andtriumphant looks, she could not control her feelings, but joined her hands as if to implore the helpof heaven; upon which one among them said to his companions: ‘What woman is that who isuttering such lamentations?’ Another answered: ‘She is the Mother of the Galilæan.’ When thecruel men heard this, far from being moved to compassion, they began to make game of the griefof this most afflicted Mother: they pointed at her, and one of them took the nails which were to beused for fastening Jesus to the cross, and presented them to her in an insulting manner; but sheturned away, fixed her eyes upon Jesus, who was drawing near, and leant against the, pillar forsupport, lest she should again faint from grief, for her cheeks were as pale as death, and her lipsalmost blue. The Pharisees on horseback passed by first, followed by the boy who carried theinscription. Then came her beloved Son. He was almost sinking under the heavy weight of hiscross,. and his head, still crowned with thorns, was drooping in agony on his shoulder. He cast alook of compassion and sorrow upon his Mother, staggered, and fell for the second time upon hishands and knees. Mary was perfectly agonised at this sight; she forgot all else; she saw neithersoldiers nor executioners; she saw nothing but her dearly loved Son; and, springing from the doorwayinto the midst of the group who were insulting and abusing him, she threw herself on her knees byhis side and embraced him. The only words I heard were, ‘Beloved Son!’ and ‘Mother!’ but I donot know whether these words were really uttered, or whether they were only in my own mind.137
Page 1 and 2:
The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Je
Page 3 and 4:
Page 5 and 6:
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45 and 46:
Page 47 and 48:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52:
Page 53 and 54:
Page 55 and 56:
Page 57 and 58:
Page 59 and 60:
Page 61 and 62:
Page 63 and 64:
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
Page 87 and 88:
Page 89 and 90:
Page 91 and 92: The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Je
Page 141: The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Je
Page 193 and 194:
Page 195 and 196:
Page 197 and 198:
Page 199 and 200:
Page 201 and 202:
Page 203 and 204:
Page 205 and 206:
Page 207 and 208:
Page 209 and 210:
show all

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

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?