The Second Sunday In Lent The Gospel Matt.17.v.1. Thursday Meditation: A Plaine Path-way To Heaven Thomas Hill 1634

BELLINI, Giovanni 
Transfiguration of Christ 
c. 1487
GOSPEL Matt. 17: 1-9 
At that time, Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo a voice out of the cloud, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him." And the disciples hearing fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them: "Arise, and fear not." And they lifting up their eyes, saw no one, but only Jesus.And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: "Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead."
Thursday 

And behold Moses, and Elias appeareth with Christ speaking together, as Saint Luke saith, of his excess, that is to say of the excess of Christ, which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem: excess in regard of his excessive love, suffering voluntarily such excessive torments, with such excessive love, that whereas any one little act of his either internal or external, had been sufficient to have redeemed all the world, in regard it was God as well as man, every of whose acts was of infinite value: he would yet out of his excessive love, suffer such excessive torments both in themselves and the excessive cruel minds of the people that inflicted them upon him, who, as the Gospel saith, delivered Jesus to the will of the people, that is, to execute their cruelty upon him how they would, and what will not the common people do being incited and incensed , as they were, against him.

Here was excess, such a one as the like was never heard of before. For the accusers or prosecutors of a malefactor to deliver him to the will of the Judge, that they know ill proceed, according to the uttermost rigor of the law that is severe enough, but for the Judge to deliver him to the will of his adversaries, that bloodily bent against him, that is an excess in deed, that hath seldom been heard of.

So was it with Christ and out of his excessive love, he was well contented with this excessive wrong.

Here we may see by Pilate how far the fear of great persons, and ambition of greatness, may transport men from the fear and love of God contrary to their own conscience , and knowledge for this was Pilate case, who would feign have freed Christ, but being urged by the Jews, and threatened, if he did, he was not Caesar friend, as though they would have complained of him,he delivered Jesus to their will against his will.

Also if we would often consider and recogitate and ponder as we ought, the excessive torments and wrongs Christ endured for us and with what excessive love he endured it, Oj what effects of love would it work in our hearts.

This doeth God commend unto us, saying: remember my poverty, and excess, and wormwood and gall, and presently he answered in the person of every goof Christian: I will be very mindful of it and my soul within me shall melt for love thinking all too little I can do for my Sweet Lord Jesus, who thought nothing to much, he could do for me, this likewise did Christ here commend unto us, who could have found many things else to talk of which Moses and Elias, but he took most delight to talk of his excess, that is to say of his excessive love and sufferings for us that we might learn to take delight in talking, thinking and meditating of the same, bearing continually the wounded of our Savior Jesus Christ in our minds as Saint Paul saith he did in his body and Saint Francis in his.


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