Meditation On The Passion: Thirdly After His Whipping

FERNÁNDEZ, Alejo 

The Scourging of Christ

Thirdly after his whipping.

Consider first, the tormentors were wearied; the whips and rods failed; and Christ, being spent with pains and loss of blood, was scant able to stand upon his feet. Spare not thou thyself, but spend thy youthful years and strength in the service of thy Lord.

Consider secondly how thy Lord crept up and down to gather up his scattered clothes, and put them on, not without great pain, which cleaved to his wounds, and were spotted with blood, and hurt his sores. Do thou gather together the Church being the vestment of Christ:and spare no labor to gain souls which are washed with that blood. Wash the wounded body of Christ with thy tears, and anoint it with the oil of Charity and Devotion, and omit nothing which thou thickest may help towards the cure of this body, and of the members thereof.

Consider thirdly, that Christ our Lord did drink his blood thus plentifully unto thee in this his whipping, & in his corronation following in the third hour,in which same hour after his Ascension into Heaven, he sent down the holy Ghost into the hearts of his Apostles & of his whole Church. That thou mayest learn, first that the blood of Christ was plentifully shed, that the grace of the holy Ghost might plentifully be communicated unto thee. Secondly that at the same time, when the effusion of this blood is remembered, & renewed in the Church by the Sacrifice of the Mass, thou being present shouldest with open heart plentifully receive the fruit of this blood, the grace of the holy Ghost, and divers other gifts. The Meditation hereof stirred up admiration, increaseth confidence, enkindleth love, moveth compassion, bringeth sorrow for sins, exhorteth to labor, and melteth the soul in giving thanks.

Fr. Francois Coster S.J.