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

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The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine Emmerichalthough the Galilæans had not always profited by this right, yet its existence was incontestablyproved by Nicodemus; and the anger of the Pharisees was heightened by his remarking that themembers of the Council had cause to be greatly offended at the gross contradictions in the statementsof the witnesses, and that the extraordinary and hurried manner in which the whole affair had beenconducted showed that malice and envy were the sole motives which induced the accusers, andmade them bring the case forward at a moment when all were busied in the preparations for themost solemn feast of the year. They looked at Nicodemus furiously, and could not reply, butcontinued to question the witnesses in a still more precipitate and imprudent manner. Two witnessesat last came forward, who said, ‘This man said, “I will destroy this Temple made with hands, andwithin three days I will build another not made with hands.”’ However, even these witnesses didnot agree in their statements, for one said that the accused wished to build a new Temple, and thathe had eaten the Pasch in an unusual place, because he desired the destruction of the ancient Temple;but the other said, ‘Not so: the edifice where he ate the Pasch was built by human hands, thereforehe could not have referred to that.’155The wrath of Caiphas was indescribable; for the cruel treatment which Jesus had suffered, hisDivine patience, and the contradictions of the witnesses, were beginning to make a great impressionon many persons present, a few hisses were heard, and the hearts of some were So touched thatthey could not silence the voice of their consciences. Ten soldiers left the court under pretext ofindisposition, but in reality overcome by their feelings. As they passed by the place where Peterand John were standing, they exclaimed, ‘The silence of Jesus of Nazareth, in the midst of suchcruel treatment, is superhuman: it would melt a heart of iron: the wonder is, that the earth does notopen and swallow such reprobates as his accusers mast be. But tell us, where must we go?’ Thetwo Apostles either mistrusted the soldiers, and thought they were only seeking to betray them, orthey were fearful of being recognised by those around and denounced as disciples of Jesus, for theyonly made answer in a melancholy tone: ‘If truth calls you, follow it, and all will come right ofitself.’ The soldiers instantly went out of the room, and left Jerusalem soon after. They met personson the outskirts of the town, who directed them to the caverns which lay to the south of Jerusalem,on the other side of Mount Sion, where many of the Apostles had taken refuge. These latter wereat first alarmed at seeing strangers enter their hiding-place; but the soldiers soon dispelled all fear,and gave them an account of the sufferings of Jesus.The temper of Caiphas, which was already perturbed, became quite infuriated by the contradictorystatements of the two last witnesses, and rising from his seat he approached Jesus, and said:‘Answerest thou nothing to the things which these witness against thee?’Jesus neither raised his head nor looked at the High Priest, which increased the anger of the latterto the greatest degree; and the archers perceiving this seized our Lord by the hair, pulled his headback, and gave him blows under the chin; but he still kept his eyes cast down. Caiphas raised hishands, and exclaimed in an enraged tone: ‘I adjure thee by the living God that thou tell us if thoube Christ the Messiah, the son of the living God?’88
The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.Anne Catherine Emmerich156157A momentary and solemn pause ensued. Then Jesus in a majestic and superhuman voice replied,‘Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you, Hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting on theright hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds of Heaven.’ Whilst Jesus was pronouncingthese words, a bright light appeared to me to surround him; Heaven was opened above his head; Isaw the Eternal Father; but no words from a human pen can describe the intuitive view that wasthen vouchsafed me of him. I likewise saw the angels, and the prayers of the just ascending to thethrone of God.At the same moment I perceived the yawning abyss of hell like a fiery meteor at the feet of Caiphas;it was filled with horrible devils; a slight gauze alone appeared to separate him from its dark flames.I could see the demoniacal fury with which his heart was overflowing, and the whole house lookedto me like hell. At the moment that our Lord pronounced the solemn words, ‘I am the Christ, theSon of the living God,’ hell appeared to be shaken from one extremity to the other, and then, as itwere, to burst forth and inundate every person in the house of Caiphas with feelings of redoubledhatred towards our Lord. These things are always shown to me under the appearance of somematerial object, which renders them less difficult of comprehension, and impresses them in a moreclear and forcible manner on the mind, because we ourselves being material beings, facts are moreeasily illustrated in our regard if manifested through the medium of the senses. The despair andfury which these words produced in hell were shown to me under the appearance of a thousandterrific figures in different places. I remember seeing, among other frightful things, a number oflittle black objects, like dogs with claws, which walked on their hind legs; I knew at the time whatkind of wickedness was indicated by this apparition, but I cannot remember now. I saw thesehorrible phantoms enter into the bodies of the greatest part of the bystanders, or else place themselveson their head or shoulders. I likewise at this moment saw frightful spectres come out of the sepulchreson the other side of Sion; I believe they were evil spirits. I saw in the neighbourhood of the Templemany other apparitions, which resembled prisoners loaded with chains: I do not know whether theywere demons, or souls condemned to remain in some particular part of the earth, and who werethen going to Limbo, which our Lord’s condemnation to death had opened to them.It is extremely difficult to explain these facts, for fear of scandalising those who have no knowledgeof such things; but persons who see feel them, and they often cause the very hair to stand on endon the head. I think that John saw some of these apparitions, for I heard him speak about themafterwards. All whose hearts were not radically corrupted felt excessively terrified at these events,but the hardened were sensible of nothing but an increase of hatred and anger against our Lord.Caiphas then arose, and, urged on by Satan, took up the end of his mantle, pierced it with his knife,and rent it from one end to the other, exclaiming at the same time, in a loud voice, ‘He hathblasphemed, what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy:what think you?’ All who wore then present arose, and exclaimed with astounding malignancy,‘He is guilty of death!’During the whole of this frightful scene, the devils were in the most tremendous state of excitement;they appeared to have complete possession not only of the enemies of Jesus, but likewise of theirpartisans and cowardly followers. The powers of darkness seemed to me to proclaim a triumphover the light, and the few among the spectators whose hearts still retained a glimmering of light89
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