February 10

JESUS FORETELLS HIS PASSION TO HIS DISCIPLES

“And they were on the way going up to Jerusalem: and Jesus went before them, and they were astonished, and following they were afraid. And taking again the twelve He began to tell them the things that should befall Him saying: ‘Behold, we go up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man shall be betrayed to the chief priests, and to the Scribes and the ancients, and they shall condemn Him to death and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles’” (Mark 10, 32-33).

First Prelude: Behold Jesus in the company of His disciples going to Jerusalem.

Second Prelude: Let me ever better realize the infinite love with which Thou, O Jesus, didst enter upon Thy passion, that I may love Thee more ardently and follow Thee more closely.

FIRST POINT

JESUS CONFIDES THE MYSTERY OF HIS PASSION TO HIS DISCIPLES

Our Divine Saviour had twice foretold His passion to His disciples. Now he announced it once more, in the valley of the Jordan, where heaven had opened upon Him and the voice of the heavenly Father had proclaimed Him His well-beloved Son, and where He Himself had said: “It becometh us to fulfill all justice” (Matt. 3, 15). Here he addressed His Apostles whom He had called apart from the other disciples, and gathered about Himself, saying: “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem and all shall be fulfilled what the prophets foretold, concerning the Son of Man.”

To them, as His elect, He imparted the mystery of His passion and referred them to the prophets, whose words were soon to be verified. The Apostles, full of fear and apprehension for their Divine Master, were amazed at the rapidity with which He preceded them, facing danger so magnanimously. By the exact prediction of His suffering, even in the minutest details, Jesus willed to confirm their faith, so that they would not doubt in Him when they should see Him in His abasement. In the fulfillment of this prophecy He willed to give them a new proof of His Divinity. How admirably was this revelation calculated to encourage the Apostles and to reanimate faith and love in them!

O my soul, our Blessed Saviour has chosen thee, also, to share most intimately the mysteries of His love! He would often encourage thee, also, to walk “His ways” by reminding thee of His infinite love and sacred passion. So many, alas, do not understand the mystery of the cross! Distracted and lukewarm souls fail to comprehend it because they do not sufficiently ponder it. They see the image of the Crucified, they assist at the unbloody renewal of the Sacrifice of the Cross, which was consummated for them on Calvary, but their unbridled spirit fails to grasp the stupendous mystery. Likewise, effeminate souls, who are opposed to suffering and who lose patience in the least affliction, who anxiously keep aloof whatever might cause them pain, who fly from penance and mortification, and who seek in all things self-gratification, fail to comprehend it. The lesson of the cross is understood by those only who accept sufferings cheerfully at the hand of God, who crucify their flesh and gladly participate in the sufferings of Jesus. These are His most intimate friends, to whom He vouchsafes new consolation and strength in the contemplation of His passion and death.

To which class do I belong? Can it not be said of me that I have but little understanding of such things?

SECOND POINT

JESUS ASKS US TO SHARE HIS SUFFERINGS WITH HIM

“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem,” says Jesus, calling our attention to the fact that He does not will to walk the way alone, but that He desires us to accompany Him. He knows full well that there is no other way to true peace and happiness than the way of the cross. For this reason He constantly urges and presses His elect to make sacrifices, to mortify themselves and to do penance. Looking upon the Saviour, what could souls who truly love Him find difficult or irksome? They go “to Jerusalem” with Him, to embrace crosses, contempt and humiliations. Even if, like the Apostles, they recoil in consequence of weak nature, they take refuge with Jesus and seek new courage and strength in the contemplation of His sufferings and His infinite love.

Let us thank our beloved Saviour that He reveals to us more and more the mystery of the cross and permits us to share His sufferings. “Behold, we go to Jerusalem,” He seems to say to us when the injunctions of obedience are repugnant to nature. When we note the generosity with which Jesus fulfilled the Will of His heavenly Father, and the love that quickened His steps as He hurried on to Jerusalem, leading the way for His disciples, should we not be prepared for any trial? “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem” He exhorts us when we shrink from humiliations.

What a shame if the spouse refused to accompany her Bridegroom on the rough and thorny way which He walked so lovingly! In the face of such a truth, could we hesitate to walk the same way with our dear Lord? “Behold, we go to Jerusalem!” Oh, that we were mindful of these words of Jesus in every suffering and trial, in every reverse; that with sincere good will and determination we were ready to say with St. Thomas: “Let us also go that we may die with Him” (John 11, 15). What sacrifice will I make today to console my Jesus, when so many children of the world leave him to walk the ways of sin?

Affections: O my Jesus, for love of me Thou embracest sufferings and death, and I, Thy spouse, should flee from the least sacrifice, evade the slightest humiliation! No, that is not loving Thee truly! Oh, how am I filled with confusion when I consider how much Thou hast done for me and how slight is my return. Ah, destroy such abominable self-love in my heart, O my beloved Saviour. Grant that my love may be true, generous and constant, and that I may rejoice in being able to testify my love by sacrifices.

Resolution: I will be zealous in making sacrifices for Jesus today in order to atone for my own infidelity and for the sins of others.

Spiritual Bouquet: “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem.”

Prayer: Soul of Christ . . .