MEDITATION ON OUR LORD'S PASSION: And Apprehending Him

UNKNOWN MASTER, Italian 
Scenes from the New Testament: The Arrest of Christ 
1290
And apprehending him. Lk.xxii.

Consider first the wonderful insolence of these men in taking thy Lord, think of the greatness of their envy, whereby they desired to do all mischief unto Christ, and that our lord had given them power to satisfy their desires.  The Apostle Paul was taken with great cruelty, pulled out of the Temple by force; presently beaten with their fists, & almost killed with stripes, but it was nothing to this cruelty, which surpassed all cruelty: Consider the antient predictions of this his captivity: many clogs compassed me about, they took me as a Lion prepared for his prey, casting me down, they compassed me about; they compassed me like Bees, and they burned like fire in the thorns: being pushed I was overthrown, that I fell.

Secondly mark the words of the Evangelists: (a company, the tribune & Ministers) not a few, but the whole army labored for this captivity, every one went about some thing, (they came) they leaped with great violence as blessed Gregory Nazianzene affirmeth. (laid hands on him) not only apprehending him, but grievously beating him. (they held him) as St. Leo saith, they pulled him hither & thither, (and they bound him) O how many, cords were pulled, not by one, but by many, both because he should not escape, and also because being seen in such habit he might be judged worthly of death by all men. These bands were due unto thee for thy sins, & except thou be partaker of them thou shalt be bound with everlasting chains in hell.  Suffer hen with thy lord, who was so cruelly bound for thy cause, and endeavor to be thankful, and pray him that by this captivity he will deliver thee free from all the power of the Devil, and from all bomds of evil desires, which according to the Devils will might draw thee into any sin, & restore thee to spiritual liberty, that being delivered out of the hand of thy enemy thou mayest serve him.

Fr. Francis Costerus S.J. 1616

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