TENTH MEDITATION OF OUR SAVIOR'S PASSION ~ LUCY HERBERT

UNKNOWN MASTER, Italian 

Christ in Repose 

c. 1420

X, Meditation

LET us more attentively consider this cruel Spectacle, and view our dear Saviour's body all in a gore blood, and his flesh torn from his bones. What a sight is it to see the Lord of the creation tied to a pillar and whipped like a malefactor! What can this mean my God! What punishment is this? What crimes have you committed, my Lord, to be thus scourged? Ha! it is plain that my sins are the cause for having taken upon him my debts, he is liable to the payment due for them. 

Draw near to his Divine Majesty, and Imagine that while he suffers this for you he says to you: Will there never, do you think, O my God. Must those sins which I have committed so easily and lightly cost you so much ? Was so great a penalty due to me for them? Yes, my soul, while we were sporting in the streets of Babylon, sentence of death was pronounced against us in the Royal Chamber; whereupon the only begotten Son of God, carting away his diadem, with ashes sprinkled on his head, barefoot, and weeping, went to the place of execution, and offered himself to die: instead of his Servant. What an excess of goodness! And shall we, after this, still mock and scoff at his tears? Shall we, with the perfidious Jews, give sentence against him by our sins? Crying, with them, Take him away and crucify him!

Be confounded! and falling at his feet beg pardon for having ever done it, and resolve, with bis Grace, never to do so any more; but to make him for the future the only object of your Love, and your only recourse in distress. When in affliction, say to yourself. Behold the Man, who is the only one that can comfort me. When attacked with fear, say. Behold the Man, in whom I trust and confide, and will ever do so. In sufferings and pains think on his, and unite yours with them; and so likewise in all difficulties have recourse to that God-man, and keep close to him for time and for eternity.

LUCY HERBERT