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The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine EmmerichCHAPTER XLIII.Eclipse of the Sun.—Second and third Word of Jesus on the Cross.263264A LITTLE hail had fallen at about ten o’clock,—when Pilate was passing sentence,—and after thatthe weather cleared up, until towards twelve, when the thick red-looking fog began to obscure thesun. Towards the sixth hour, according to the manner of counting of the Jews, the sun was suddenlydarkened. I was shown the exact cause of this wonderful phenomenon; but I have unfortunatelypartly forgotten it, and what I have not forgotten I cannot find words to express; but I was lifted upfrom the earth, and beheld the stars and the planets moving about out of their proper spheres. I sawthe moon like an immense ball of fire rolling along as if flying from the earth. I was then suddenlytaken back to Jerusalem, and I beheld the moon reappear behind the Mountain of Olives, lookingpale and full, and advancing rapidly towards the sun, which was dim and overshrouded by a fog.I saw to the east of the sun a large dark body which had the appearance of a mountain, and whichsoon entirely hid the sun. The centre of this body was dark yellow, and a red circle like a ring offire was round it. The sky grew darker and the stars appeared to cast a red and lurid light. Both menand beasts were struck with terror; the enemies of Jesus ceased reviling him, while the Phariseesendeavoured to give philosophical reasons for what was taking place, but they failed in their attempt,and were reduced to silence. Many were seized with remorse, struck their breasts, and cried out,‘May his blood fall upon his murderers!’ Numbers of others, whether near the Cross or at a distance,fell on their knees and entreated forgiveness of Jesus, who turned his eyes compassionately uponthem in the midst of his sufferings. However, the darkness continued to increase, and every oneexcepting Mary and the most faithful among the friends of Jesus left the Cross. Dismas then raisedhis head, and in a tone of humility and hope said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when thou shaltcome into thy kingdom.’ And Jesus made answer, ‘Amen, I say to thee, This day thou shalt be withme in Paradise.’ Magdalen, Mary of Cleophas, and John stood near the Cross of our Lord andlooked at him, while the Blessed Virgin, filled with intense feelings of motherly love, entreatedher Son to permit her to die with him; but he, casting a look of ineffable tenderness upon her, turnedto John and said, ‘Woman, behold thy son;’ then he said to John, ‘Behold thy mother.’ John lookedat his dying Redeemer, and saluted this beloved mother (whom he henceforth considered as hisown) in the most respectful manner. The Blessed Virgin was so overcome by grief at these wordsof Jesus that she almost fainted, and was carried to a short distance from the Cross by the holywomen.I do not know whether Jesus really pronounced these words, but I felt interiorly that he gave Maryto John as a mother, and John to Mary as a son. In similar visions a person is often conscious ofthings which are not written, and words can only express a portion of them, although to the individualto whom they are shown they are so clear as not to require explanation. For this reason it did notappear to me in the least surprising that Jesus should call the Blessed Virgin ‘Woman,’ instead of‘Mother.’ I felt that he intended to demonstrate that she was that woman spoken of in Scripturewho was to crush the head of the serpent, and that then was the moment in which that promise wasaccomplished in the death of her Son. I knew that Jesus, by giving her as a mother to John, gave152
The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine Emmerichher also as a mother to all who believe in him, who become children of God, and are not born offlesh and blood, or of the will of man, but of God. Neither did it appear to me surprising that themost pure, the most humble, and the most obedient among women, who, when saluted by the angelas ‘full of grace,’ immediately replied, ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me accordingto thy word,’ and in whose sacred womb the Word was instantly made flesh,—that she, wheninformed by her dying Son that she was to become the spiritual mother of another son, should repeatthe same words with humble obedience, and immediately adopt as her children all the children ofGod, the brothers of Jesus Christ. These things are much easier to feel by the grace of God than tobe expressed in words. I remember my celestial Spouse once saying to me, ‘Everything is imprintedin the hearts of those children of the Church who believe, hope, and love.’265CHAPTER XLIV.The Fear felt by the Inhabitants of Jerusalem.—Fourth Word of Jesus on the Cross.266IT was about half-past one o’clock when I was taken into Jerusalem to see what was going on there.The inhabitants were perfectly overcome with terror and anxiety; the streets dark and gloomy, andsome persons were feeling their way about, while others, seated on the ground with their headsveiled, struck their breasts, or went up to the roofs of their houses, looked at the sky, and burst forthin bitter lamentations. Even the animals uttered mournful cries, and hid themselves; the birds flewlow, and fell to the ground. I saw Pilate conferring with Herod on the alarming state of things: theywere both extremely agitated, and contemplated the appearance of the sky from that terrace uponwhich Herod was standing when he delivered up Jesus to be insulted by the infuriated rabble. ‘Theseevents are not in the common course of nature,’ they both exclaimed: ‘they must be caused by theanger of the gods, who are displeased at the cruelty which has been exercised towards Jesus ofNazareth.’ Pilate and Herod, surrounded by guards, then directed their hasty trembling steps throughthe forum to Herod’s palace. Pilate turned away his head when he passed Gabbatha, from whencehe had condemned Jesus to be crucified. The square was almost empty; a few persons might beseen reëntering their houses as quickly as possible, and a few others running about and weeping,while two or three small groups might be distinguished in the distance. Pilate sent for some of theAncients and asked them what they thought the astounding darkness could possibly portend, andsaid that he himself considered it a terrific proof of the anger of their God at the crucifixion of theGalilæan, who was most certainly their prophet and their king: he added that he had nothing toreproach himself with on that head, for he had washed his hands of the whole affair, and was,therefore, quite innocent. The Ancients were as hardened as over, and replied, in a sullen tone, thatthere was nothing unnatural in the course of events, that they might be easily accounted for byphilosophers, and that they did not repent of anything they had done. However, many persons wereconverted, and among others those soldiers who fell to the ground at the words of our Lord whenthey were sent to arrest him in the Garden of Olives.153
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