MEDITATION ON OUR LORD'S PASSION: The Jews Answered Him: We Have A Law, And According To The Law He Ought To Die, Because He Made Himself The Son Of God

MUNKÁCSY, Mihály 
Ecce Homo! 
1896

The Jews answered him: we have a law, and according to the law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

Consider first, the proud answer of the Jews (we have a Law) They believed in the law, which they had in writing; and did not fulfill it in work. Those men do imitate them first, which boast of the word of God, and continually object the same, and are wholly in the commendation of faith: when in the mean time they do nothing worthy neither of faith, nor of the holy Scriptures, nor yet of a Christian man. Secondly, they which place all piety in outward ceremonies only, and not in the worship of God, & in brotherly charity.

Consider 2. That according to the Law Christ ought to die. For the whole law of Moses, and of the Prophets, foreshadowed the death of Christ; for all the sacrifices of the old Law, were shadows of the sacrifice of the Cross: and all the Prophets referred their prophecies to the death of the Messias. Therefore the Jews said true, but not according to their own intention, whose meaning was, that the sin and blasphemy of Christ deserved death by the Law, that thou maist learn, that God turneth to thy good those things, which are badly spoken or done by the wicked: and also that thou shouldest draw goodness even out of wicked men.

Consider thirdly the cause of his death (Because he made himself the Son of God.) A most true cause of death: First if thou doest consider, God the Father; for the Son of God, being made man, made man the Son of God, assuming human nature into one person of the Son of God. For we should never have come into grace with the eternal Father, but by the death of that man, who was the true and very Son of God Secondly, if thou consider the Jews; because he lived the life of the Son of God. For therefore their envy was exasperated to the death of Christ, because his most Holy life reprehended their wicked behaviors. Take thou heed, that never any other fault be noted in thee, but only that thou art the son of God. For if thou doest suffer for that cause, thou art happy, and the faithful Disciple of Christ. And because the Son of God did undergo this death to make thee the Son of God, pray him that he will lighten thy soul with his Grace, and exalt thee to be the Son of God, and after this life by communicating his Divinity unto thee, he will number thee amongst the Sons of God, and grant thee thy portion among his Saints, which shall be called the sons of God.

Fr. Francois Coster S.J.

Comments

Popular Posts