A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom [8]
thou must learn
how to know and love Me here in My suffering humanity for this is the
speediest way to eternal salvation.
The Servant.--Then let me remind Thee to-day, Lord,of Thy unfathomable
love, when Thou didst incline Thyself from Thy lofty throne, from the royal
seat of the fatherly heart, in misery and disgrace for three and thirty
years, and didst show the love which Thou hast for me and all mankind,
principally in the most bitter passion of Thy cruel death: Lord, be Thou
reminded of this, that Thou mayest manifest Thyself spiritually to my soul,
in that most sweet and lovely form to which Thy immeasurable love did bring
Thee.
Eternal Wisdom.--The more mangled, the more deathly I am for love, the
more lovely am I to a well-regulated mind. My unfathomable love shows itself
in the great bitterness of My passion, like the sun in its brightness, like
the fair rose in its perfume, like the strong fire in its glowing heat.
Therefore, hear with devotion how cruelly I suffered for thee.
CHAPTER II. WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION
After the Last Supper, when on the Mount of Olives, I gave Myself up to
the pangs of cruel death, and when I felt that he was present before Me, I
was bathed in a bloody sweat, because of the anguish of My tender Heart, and
the agony of My whole bodily nature. I was ignominiously betrayed, taken
prisoner like an enemy, rigorously bound, and led miserable away. After this
I was impiously maltreated with blows, with spittle, with blindfolding,
accused before Caiphas, and pronounced worthy of death. Unspeakable sorrows
of heart were then seen in My dear Mother, from the first sight she had of
My distress till I was hung upon the cross. I was shamefully presented
before Pilate, falsely denounced, and sentenced to die. They stood over
against Me with terrible eyes like fierce giants, and I stood before them
like a meek lamb. I, the Eternal Wisdom, was mocked as a fool in a white
garment before Herod, My fair body was rent and torn without mercy by the
rude stripes of whips, My lovely countenance was drenched in spittle and
blood, and in this condition I was condemned, and miserable and shamefully
led forth with My cross to death. They shouted after Me very furiously, so
that: Crucify, crucify the miscreant! resounded to the skies.
The Servant.--Alas! Lord, the beginning is indeed so bitter, how will
it end? If I were to see a wild beast so abused I should hardly be able to
bear it. With what reason, then, must not Thy Passion pierce my heart and
soul! But, Lord, this is a great marvel to my heart; I would needs seek Thy
divinity, and Thou showest me Thy humanity; I would needs seek Thy
sweetness, and Thou settest before me Thy bitterness; I would needs conquer,
Thou teachest me to fight. Lord, what dost Thou mean?
Eternal Wisdom.--No one can attain divine exaltation or singular
sweetness except by passing through the image of My human abasement and
bitterness. The higher one climbs without passing through My humanity, the
deeper one falls. My humanity is the way one must go, My Passion the gate
through which one must penetrate, to arrive at that which thou seekest.
Therefore, lay aside thy faint-heartedness, and enter with Me the lists of
knightly resolve: for, indeed, softness beseems not the servant when his
master stands ready in warlike boldness. I will put thee on My coat of mail,
for My entire Passion must thou suffer over again according to thy strength.
Make up thy mind to a darting encounter, for thy heart, before thou shalt
subdue thy nature, must often die, and thou must sweat the bloody sweat of
anguish because of many a painful suffering under which I mean to prepare
thee for Myself; for with red blossoms will I manure thy spice garden.
Contrary to old custom, must thou be made prisoner and bound; thou wilt
often be secretly calumniated and publicly defamed by My adversaries; many a
false judgment will people pass on thee; My torments must thou then
diligently carry in thy heart with
how to know and love Me here in My suffering humanity for this is the
speediest way to eternal salvation.
The Servant.--Then let me remind Thee to-day, Lord,of Thy unfathomable
love, when Thou didst incline Thyself from Thy lofty throne, from the royal
seat of the fatherly heart, in misery and disgrace for three and thirty
years, and didst show the love which Thou hast for me and all mankind,
principally in the most bitter passion of Thy cruel death: Lord, be Thou
reminded of this, that Thou mayest manifest Thyself spiritually to my soul,
in that most sweet and lovely form to which Thy immeasurable love did bring
Thee.
Eternal Wisdom.--The more mangled, the more deathly I am for love, the
more lovely am I to a well-regulated mind. My unfathomable love shows itself
in the great bitterness of My passion, like the sun in its brightness, like
the fair rose in its perfume, like the strong fire in its glowing heat.
Therefore, hear with devotion how cruelly I suffered for thee.
CHAPTER II. WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION
After the Last Supper, when on the Mount of Olives, I gave Myself up to
the pangs of cruel death, and when I felt that he was present before Me, I
was bathed in a bloody sweat, because of the anguish of My tender Heart, and
the agony of My whole bodily nature. I was ignominiously betrayed, taken
prisoner like an enemy, rigorously bound, and led miserable away. After this
I was impiously maltreated with blows, with spittle, with blindfolding,
accused before Caiphas, and pronounced worthy of death. Unspeakable sorrows
of heart were then seen in My dear Mother, from the first sight she had of
My distress till I was hung upon the cross. I was shamefully presented
before Pilate, falsely denounced, and sentenced to die. They stood over
against Me with terrible eyes like fierce giants, and I stood before them
like a meek lamb. I, the Eternal Wisdom, was mocked as a fool in a white
garment before Herod, My fair body was rent and torn without mercy by the
rude stripes of whips, My lovely countenance was drenched in spittle and
blood, and in this condition I was condemned, and miserable and shamefully
led forth with My cross to death. They shouted after Me very furiously, so
that: Crucify, crucify the miscreant! resounded to the skies.
The Servant.--Alas! Lord, the beginning is indeed so bitter, how will
it end? If I were to see a wild beast so abused I should hardly be able to
bear it. With what reason, then, must not Thy Passion pierce my heart and
soul! But, Lord, this is a great marvel to my heart; I would needs seek Thy
divinity, and Thou showest me Thy humanity; I would needs seek Thy
sweetness, and Thou settest before me Thy bitterness; I would needs conquer,
Thou teachest me to fight. Lord, what dost Thou mean?
Eternal Wisdom.--No one can attain divine exaltation or singular
sweetness except by passing through the image of My human abasement and
bitterness. The higher one climbs without passing through My humanity, the
deeper one falls. My humanity is the way one must go, My Passion the gate
through which one must penetrate, to arrive at that which thou seekest.
Therefore, lay aside thy faint-heartedness, and enter with Me the lists of
knightly resolve: for, indeed, softness beseems not the servant when his
master stands ready in warlike boldness. I will put thee on My coat of mail,
for My entire Passion must thou suffer over again according to thy strength.
Make up thy mind to a darting encounter, for thy heart, before thou shalt
subdue thy nature, must often die, and thou must sweat the bloody sweat of
anguish because of many a painful suffering under which I mean to prepare
thee for Myself; for with red blossoms will I manure thy spice garden.
Contrary to old custom, must thou be made prisoner and bound; thou wilt
often be secretly calumniated and publicly defamed by My adversaries; many a
false judgment will people pass on thee; My torments must thou then
diligently carry in thy heart with