MEDITATION ON OUR LORD'S PASSION: Then The Disciples All Leaving Him, Fled

MEMLING, Hans 

Scenes from the Passion of Christ (left side)

1470-71

Then the disciples all leaving him, fled.Mt.xxvi.

Consider first, that here are two things declared, whereby thou mayest understand the great fury & cruelty which was used in taking Christ and carrying him away: One was the sight of his most ear Disciples, who were stricken into so great a fear, that although they burned in love with him, yet every one of them fled away: The other that a young man in one of the next houses being moved with the tumult rose out of his bed, covered only with linen, came forth to see what was done in the street, whom they thinking to be one of his Disciples, would have apprehended, but he leaving his linen, fled away naked, whereby thou mayest gather what a clamor they made, as if their prey were now taken; and how much they raged and desired to hurt all them, which belonged unto Christ.

Consider secondly that Christ was forsaken by all his friends and followers, and cruelly carried away by the hands of the wicked. Learn hereby not to trust in men which oftentimes in this life, and ever in death do forsake all men: and pray thy Lord that he never forsake thee; although thou be forsaken of all men, especially in the hour of thy death, when thou must go into a strange country without the company of any man with thee. 

Fr. Francis Costerus S.J. 1616