FOR PASSION WEEK
MEDITATION FOR MONDAY
JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
“And Pilate, seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, taking water washed his hands before the people saying: ‘I am innocent of the blood of this Just Man; look you to it.’ And the whole people answering said: ‘His Blood be upon us and upon our children’” (Matt. 27, 24-25).
First Prelude: Picture Pilate seated on an elevated platform, surrounded by the surging masses. Behold our beloved Saviour Who delivers Himself up to him who unjustly condemns Him.
Second Prelude: O my Jesus, Who wert condemned to death to merit life for me, grant me the victory over all my passions.
First Point
THE CRY OF THE POPULACE: “HIS BLOOD BE UPON US”
Holy Scripture relates that Pilate, seeing the tumult steadily increasing, washed his hands before the whole people saying: “I am innocent of the blood of this just Man; look you to it.” What grief must well-nigh have crushed the Heart of Jesus on hearing the terrible answer, full of malice and hatred, coming from the hearts of His ungrateful people. “His blood be upon us and upon our children!” A heathen judge fears to incur the anger of his gods by the condemnation of Jesus, and the adorers of the true God deliver themselves and their offspring to effect the unjust death warrant.
Let us repeat these words, but with wholly different sentiments. The Precious Blood of our Saviour is the foundation and cause of our hope for eternal salvation. We know that we are not purchased with perishable gold and silver, but with the Precious Blood of the Lamb. Therefore, the children of God, in faith, confidence, and love, cry to this Blood: “Thy Precious Blood, O Jesus, flow upon us and redound to our eternal salvation.” As often as we approach the tribunal of penance, assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the merits of the Precious Blood are applied to our souls. Oh, that it may not be lost in us! May we often consider at what price our souls have been purchased, that in a spirit of gratitude we may be moved to make any sacrifice for our sanctification. I pray so frequently: “Blood of Christ fill all my veins,” and the Saviour answers my prayer when He enters my heart in Holy Communion. Do I strive to be worthy of such inexpressible love?
Second Point
PILATE PRONOUNCES THE DEATH WARRANT
Out of infinite love of us, Jesus suffers the unjust sentence to be passed upon Himself. He wills to die that we may rise from the death of sin to a life of grace, and through it attain eternal glory. Let us recognize here the unutterable love of the merciful Saviour, and seek to penetrate the sentiments that filled His Heart at the moment when He heard the unjust sentence. The chosen people of God, whom He had prepared for His advent for well-nigh four thousand years through the patriarchs and prophets, solemnly renounced their Messiah. This so highly favored nation demanded for Him the most degrading and shameful manner of death. No act of legal justice condemned Him to death; He was the victim of those who hated Him and who savagely and imperiously demanded His death.
Even now similar pain is inflicted upon Jesus by every grievous sin. What an insult, what ingratitude! Let us seek to make atonement by earnestly striving to die to sin, to live for Him alone and to foster His life in us. All the duties of our holy vocation, our Holy Rule, our vows, provided we keep them faithfully, inebriate us more and more with the spirit of Christ. How often is there opportunity by our prayers and acts of charity to aid souls, dead to grace, to regain a new life in Christ! Let us often ask ourselves whether or not we are ready for the love of Jesus gladly to suffer for others, patiently to bear their faults and imperfections and to alleviate their sufferings; whether or not we are willing, like Jesus, to immolate our life for the salvation of souls. On what occasions can I practice charity toward others, especially those in my care?
Affections: Thy Sacred Blood, O Jesus, come upon me and cleanse me of my sins and evil inclinations. May it inflame me with that holy love wherewith Thou hast loved me, and renew in me Thy divine image. O my beloved Saviour, by Thy perfect immolation, whereby Thou didst abandon Thyself to the caprice of Thy enemies and didst suffer Thyself to be unjustly condemned to the most ignominious death, grant me the grace to surrender myself forever, without reserve, to Thee, my God, to Thy wisdom, Thy power and Thy faithful love. Thy love alone shall henceforth live in me and control me, so that I can say in truth, with the Apostle of the Gentiles: “I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2, 20).
Resolution: I will strive energetically to control my evil inclinations and gladly sacrifice self in the interest of my neighbor.
Spiritual Bouquet: “He delivered Himself to him who unjustly condemned Him.”
Prayer: Soul of Christ . . .
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