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"I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." -St. Luke, ix.

"He was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed."-Isaias, liii.

MEDITATION FOR TUESDAY IN
PASSION WEEK.

JESUS ON THE CROSS.

1ST POINT. The inhuman persecutors of Jesus renewed his sufferings, by stripping him. roughly of his garments, which adhered to his sacred wounds; after which they laid him on the cross. They handled him with taunts and jeers, extended his limbs with cruel violence, and nailed his hands and feet to the wood; then, raising him on high, he was exposed to view, a spectacle for angels and men. He rested only on his wounds, from which issued forth those precious streams which enrich the Church that he came to establish, and efface the sins of mankind.

He desired the cruel and ignominious death of the cross, to encourage you, by his example,

to die for him; to repair the sin of the first man, who ate the fruit of the forbidden tree; to raise our hearts to heaven, according to what he had foretold, that he would draw all hearts to him, when he should be lifted up from the earth; to signify, by the four extremities of the cross, the four quarters of the world whose inhabitants he came to save; to show his goodness and mercy, by extending his arms to receive all sinners, and make known to us the height and depth, the length and breadth, of divine charity. Finally, he died on it to accomplish the design which he had prefigured, when he said that the world should be saved by the wood of the cross, as it had been before saved by the ark of Noe and the rod of Moses. Oh, how shall those who have a horror of the cross, and evade it whenever they can, be saved!

2ND POINT. They gave him vinegar, mixed with gall, to drink, and he accepted the bitter draught, that nothing might be wanting that could augment his grief, or lend weight to his sufferings. His enemies insulted his miseries, railed at him, assailed him with curses and blasphemies, and, in derision, invited him to come down from the cross! Oh, it is a difficult and painful thing for one who is innocent to remain

silent and patient under injury, when it is in his power to be revenged on the enemies who triumph over his misfortune, and take advantage of his weakness. But we must imitate Jesus in the ignominies he suffered, if we desire to be partakers of his glory in the world to come. Alas! how is it that we can seek only sweetness and consolation, when Jesus has drained the chalice of bitterness and grief!

3RD POINT. Oh, Saviour of the world! I adore thee on this thy throne of sorrow and ignominy; I cast myself into thy arms, which thou hast opened to receive me; I throw myself at thy feet, that I may be washed in the saving fountain that flows from them! Oh sacred Victim, consumed by suffering! Oh High Priest of the New Law! Why dost thou remain on this altar? Why dost thou not descend from the cross? If thou wouldst descend, all men, seeing thy power, would believe in thee.

Do not descend, oh divine Wisdom, from the cross. If thou art the Son of God, thou wilt die thereon! If thou shouldst come down and save thyself, they will not follow thee, they will also fly the cross; they will refuse to carry it, or die on it.

My soul, regard your SAVIOUR on the cross.

Your sins have nailed him there! He was crucified once on Calvary; but how often have you not crucified him in your heart! As often as you have sinned mortally, so often have you crucified Jesus! You must crucify him or your passions.

Oh, sweet Jesus! destroy my life, for fear I may be so miserable as to destroy thine in my soul by mortal sin. Crucify my body, for fear I may crucify thy spirit. Fasten me to thy cross with the nails of fear, hope, and love, that I may never again be separated from thee.

WORDS OF SCRIPTURE.

"They crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the midst." St. John, xix.

"And they gave him wine to drink, mingled with gall."-St. Matthew, xxvii.

"With Christ I am nailed to the cross.' Galatians, ii.

"And they that are Christ's have crucified their flesh with the vices and concupiscences."Galatians, v.

"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world."Galatians, vi.

MEDITATION FOR WEDNESDAY IN PASSION WEEK.

JESUS PRAYS FOR HIS ENEMIES.

1ST POINT. Exalted on the cross, Jesus Christ was exposed to the profane gaze of a blasphemous multitude. No complaint escaped his lips. He uttered not a word, until, moved with tender compassion for his enemies, he cried out, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." The blood of Abel demanded vengeance, the blood of Jesus pleads only for mercy and grace for those who shed it; and when they insulted his mercy, he excused their sin, diminished their malice, and assumed the office of advocate for them, notwithstanding that they had accused him falsely, judged him through passion, condemned him through malice, and crucified him between two thieves, as the greatest indignity they could offer him. He forgot his own bitter anguish, to think of those who persecuted him unto death. Their guilt afflicted him more than all the torments he endured.

2ND POINT. Keep silence, Christian soul, when on the cross of suffering. Complain not of your misfortunes, lose not the fruit of your trials, pray for your enemies, forget the injuries

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