Lignum vitae

Jesus, the sun pale in death.

29. At last, when the innocent Lamb, who is the true sun of justice, had hung upon the cross for the space of three hours, and at the same time this visible sun, suffering with its Maker, had hidden the rays of its light, all things now being consummated, the very Fount of life is dried up at the ninth hour, while Jesus, God and man, with a loud cry and tears, to manifest his affection of compassion and to declare the power of his Divinity, commending his spirit into the hands of the Father, expires. Then the veil of the temple was rent from the top even to the bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent, and the graves were opened. Then the centurion himself knew that he was truly God. Then those who had gathered to mock at the spectacle returned beating their breasts. Then he who is beautiful above the sons of men, with dimming eyes and paling cheeks, appeared deformed for the sons of men, made a holocaust of sweetest odor in the sight of the glory of the Father, to turn away his wrath from us. Look down therefore, holy Lord Father, from your sanctuary and from your high dwelling of the heavens, look, I say, upon the face of your Christ, look upon this most holy victim which our high priest offers to you for our sins, and be appeased over the wickedness of your people. Consider also, O redeemed man, who and how great and of what kind is he who hangs for you on the cross, whose death gives life to the dead, at whose passing both heaven mourns and earth, and the hard stones are split as by natural compassion. O human heart, harder than all hardness of stones, if at the remembrance of so great a crime you are neither shaken with terror nor touched with compassion nor split with compunction nor softened with devotion.

Jesus, pierced with the lance.

30. Moreover, that from the side of Christ sleeping upon the cross the Church might be formed, and the Scripture fulfilled which says: They shall look on him whom they pierced, it was granted by divine ordination that one of the soldiers should pierce that sacred side by opening it with a lance, so that with blood flowing forth together with water the price of our salvation might be poured out, which poured from the fount, namely the secret place of the heart, might give power to the sacraments of the Church to confer the life of grace, and might now be in Christ for those living a draught of the living fount springing up into life everlasting. Behold, now the lance, borne by divine mercy with a frustrated wound into the wall from the treachery of Saul, that is of the reprobate Jewish people, has made a hole in the rock and a hollow in the wall, as a dwelling for doves. Rise therefore, friend of Christ, be as a dove nesting on the upper lip of the opening, there as a sparrow finding a home cease not to keep watch, there as a turtledove hide the young of chaste love, there set your mouth to draw waters from the fountains of the Saviour. For this is the fount going forth from the midst of paradise, which divided into four heads and diffused into devout hearts makes fruitful and waters the whole earth.

Jesus, wet with blood.

31. For Christ the Lord, stained with his own blood poured out copiously first in sweat, then by scourges and thorns, afterwards by nails and at last by the lance, that with God there might be plenteous redemption, bore a pontifical garment dyed red, so that his apparel truly appeared red, and his garments as of those treading in the winepress. And so, with the true Joseph let down into the old cistern, his tunic dipped in the blood of a kid, for the likeness namely of sinful flesh, was sent to the Father to be discerned by the mark of approval. "Know therefore, most merciful Father, the tunic of your most beloved Son Joseph, whom the envy of his brethren according to the flesh devoured as a most evil wild beast and trod his garment in fury and stained all its beauty with remnants of gore, for it left five lamentable rents in it. For this, Lord, is the garment which your innocent Child willingly left in the hand of the Egyptian harlot, that is of the synagogue, choosing rather, stripped of the cloak of the flesh, to descend into the prison of death than by consenting to the voice of the adulterous people to glory for a time." For also, the joy being set before him, he endured the cross, despising the confusion. But you too, my most merciful Lady, behold that most sacred garment of your beloved Son woven by the artifice of the Holy Spirit from your most chaste members, and as we flee to you with him, seek pardon, that we may be held worthy to flee from the wrath to come.

Jesus, laid in the tomb.

32. At last the noble counselor coming, Joseph namely of Arimathea, and having received permission from Pilate, taking down the body of Christ from the cross with Nicodemus, embalmed it with spices and wrapped it in a shroud and buried it with all reverence in a new tomb which he had cut for himself in the rock in a nearby garden. Moreover, with the Lord buried and soldiers appointed to guard the tomb, those devout and holy women who had followed him living, that they might now render officious service of devotion to him dead, bought spices to anoint the most sacred body of Jesus. Among whom Mary Magdalene was borne with so great a fire of heart, was touched with so great a sweetness of devotion, was drawn with so strong bonds of charity that, forgetful of womanly weakness, she was held back neither by the darkness of gloom nor by the cruelty of the persecutors from visiting the tomb, but rather, standing without and watering the monument with tears, when the disciples departed she did not depart, because kindled with the fire of divine love she burned with so prevailing a desire and was wounded with so impatient a love that nothing had savor for her unless she could weep and could truly breathe out that prophecy: My tears have been my bread day and night, whilst it is said to me daily: Where is thy God? My God, good Jesus, grant me, though in every way unmerited and unworthy, who in body merited not to be present at these things, yet faithfully pondering these same things in mind, that I may feel toward you my God crucified and dead for me that affection of compassion which your innocent Mother and the penitent Magdalene felt in the very hour of your passion.