MEDITATION FOR FIRST TUESDAY IN LENT.

ON THE SAME SUBJECT.

1ST POINT. Jesus is the victim of all time and of all men; the victim of sinners and of the just. As he has loaded himself with all our crimes, he has crowned himself with all our sufferings As there are none of his creatures whom he has not loved, there are none for whom he has not suffered. But he suffered principally for myself, as he bestows more graces on me than on others, which are the fruits of his sufferings. He has ever held me in remembrance, and I never think of him! I do not love him, or desire to suffer for his sake.

2ND POINT. Why did Jesus die? Why did he desire the unspeakable anguish and misery that he endured? Alas! he died to return to me the life which I lost through sin; he rendered himself miserable to secure for me an eternal felicity; he delivered himself to the power of his enemies to deliver me from mine! He did not question the judgment of Pilate, he did not work miracles as he might have done, to deliver himself from their hands. He was crucified

throughout his life. His heart was transfixed to the cross with his body. The greatest of all his sufferings was in not suffering; it was his chief desire to be baptized in his own blood, to drain the chalice of his passion, and die.

Oh, sweetest Jesus! thou wert not displeased with thy enemies for doing that which thou didst so much desire, and which enabled thee to suffer without measure. It was only their sins and malice which diminished thy satisfaction, and added to thy griefs. The torments which they inflicted on thee cannot be surpassed in cruelty, nor could they make thee suffer more. They loaded thee with opprobriums and ignominy, and treated thee as the most miserable of all slaves, and the most abandoned of all men. Couldst thou have suffered more than thou didst suffer, or die in more cruel agonies than thou didst ?

3RD POINT. And I avoid all suffering and mortification, and would even escape death. I wish to live surrounded by delights and enjoyments, when, if justice were awarded me, I should at this moment be suffering all the pains of hell. Where is it that I do not find examples of thy goodness and tender mercy? Where is it that I do not discover my own malice and

presumption? Where is it that my ingratitude is not apparent?

WORDS OF SCRIPTURE.

"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporally."-Colossians, ii.

"And Christ died for all."-2 Corinthians, v. "Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us."—Galatians, i.

"And I have a baptism, wherewith I am to be baptized and how I am straitened until it is accomplished?"-St. Luke, xii.

:

"From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, there is no soundness therein: wounds and bruises and swelling sores: they are not bound up, nor dressed, nor fomented with oil." -Isaias, i.

MEDITATION FOR FIRST WEDNESDAY IN LENT.

JESUS IN THE GARDEN OF OLIVES.

1ST POINT. Jesus is sorrowful even unto death. What is the cause of his sadness? Is it the foreknowledge of all that he is to suffer? Alas, no! it is the sight of my sins, my ingratitude, my misery! I laugh at those things which

should cause me to weep! I take pleasure in that which ought to render me miserable! He has compassion on me, and I have none on him.

2ND POINT. He is seized with fear to prove that he is man, that he is human and infirm like myself. He has divested himself of his strength, and clothed himself with my weakness; he has given me his courage, and taken my timidity; he trembles to assure me, fears to encourage me, falls to raise me! Oh, what goodness! what charity! Where can we find a physician who is willing to give his health and strength to his patients in exchange for their maladies and feebleness? Oh! surely, he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows.

3RD POINT. Pleasure and grief constitute the causes of the sins of men; desire and fear their passions. Jesus has vanquished these two enemies, and imparted to us his strength, that we also may vanquish them. He has abstained from all pleasure, suffered all griefs, renounced all the desires of nature, triumphed over all fears ; sweat blood and water from all his veins, and contended even unto death.

MEDITATION FOR FIRST THURSDAY IN LENT.

ON THE BLOODY SWEAT.

1ST POINT.

Consider, my soul, how rude was this first shock of his sacred passion to our divine Saviour! Behold him kneeling, bathed in his own blood, which oozes from every pore. It is the fear of his approaching torments; it is the horror inspired by your crimes, and the desire for your salvation, which excites this intolerable combat in his sacred heart. He has concentrated in himself all the iniquities of the human race, and conceived for them so great a sorrow, that he must have expired had not his life been preserved by a miracle. He wrought miracles that he might suffer, but none to exempt himself from suffering. And I am impatient, because God does not constantly interpose miracles to exempt me from suffering and dying.

2ND POINT. Oh, Saviour of my soul! this first combat of thine has been a bloody and fearful one! What pains it cost thee to dissipate, by the violence of thy sorrow, the multitude of our crimes, which thou hadst before