SCENE II.

THE SECOND WORD ON THE CROSS. THE GOOD THIEF.

STATION I.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour (St. Matt. xxvii.).

And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour (St. Mark xv.).

A. When the sixth hour was come.

We are assuming that the Crucifixion is completed before mid-day, that is, before the sixth hour. When our Lord has been lifted up for a little while the sixth hour is come, and the beginning of the darkness is perceived.

The Chief Priests and Ancients are in the very midst of their feverish triumph, hurrying about among the immense crowd, and with one group after another are enforcing despotically their fallacious argument that Jesus is manifestly, by God's silent acquiescence, shown to be a seducer.

As if every martyr, because he dies and is not rescued, were an impostor: whereas his glorious death is the heavenly seal set upon his sanctity by God.

But Ecclesiasticus writes: Laughter I counted error; and to mirth I said: Why art thou vainly deceived? Baltassar, the King, is in the very height of his revel when the hand is seen writing his doom on the wall. The same night Baltassar, the Chaldean King, was slain; and Darius the Mede succeeded to the kingdom.

We have seen how, during the Sacred Passion, power is given to the woman, the second Eve, the Mother of God, to coerce and humble Satan; and how she is ever praying to the Eternal Father: "Glorify Thy Son. Glorify Thy obedient and suffering Son. Let not the enemy prevail against Him." In compliance with this wish of her heart, already the joy of the Priests and Ancients has received one

great check through Pilate's refusal to alter the inscription. Worse things are coming to them. For her heart, seeing that men are blaspheming, has turned to God's inanimate works, and said: May the sun and the moon, the light and the darkness bless the Lord.

B. There was darkness.

On a sudden, the bright noon of the Judean springtide begins to be overcast. It is not the gloom that precedes a coming storm. It is a darkness novel and quite unexpected. The people, already little pleased with the work of their Rulers, are murmuring aloud: "What have our Rulers done? They have brought on us the blood of the just Man. Now what crime had Jesus of Nazareth committed to deserve death?" A little while, and the screaming of frightened birds and the lowing of the cattle helps very much the spread of consternation among the multitude. The Priests and Ancients are struck dumb in the midst of their harangues to the people. For wickedness is fearful: and their conscience tells them how wicked above measure they have been. Their countenances were changed and their thoughts troubled them, and the joints of their loins were loosed (Daniel v.).

However, they are obliged to rouse themselves and put on a bold face, and force their tongues to speak assurances that the darkness means nothing at all; is perfectly natural; that all learned men are quite prepared for it, and that only the ignorant are terrified. "You are not alarmed, Annas, are you? The great leader answers with a smile of scorn. "Is any one of the Rulers alarmed? or we the High Priests?" All the while, they who (are promising) to drive away fear from the sick soul are sick themselves of an excessive fear; for a troubled conscience forecasteth grievous things (Wisdom xvii.). They have no mind to continue their speeches to the multitude. The people are scowling on them. There may be danger near. Therefore the Rulers retire on their mules towards the place of Calvary, where the line of guards is a protection.

STATION II.

And they that were crucified with Him reviled Him (St. Mark xv.).

The self same thing the thieves also that were crucified with Him reproached Him with (St. Matt. xxvii.).

And one of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed Him, saying: If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us (St. Luke xxiii.).

A. The thieves that were with Him reproached Him. One of those robbers blasphemed Him.

Did both the thieves join in reviling Jesus, or did only one blaspheme? As St. Luke writes, one of the robbers; while St. Matthew and St. Mark have: the thieves-they that were crucified, some writers think that only one blasphemed. They argue that historians sometimes say: "The bystanders threw stones," when perhaps only one did it; and that therefore we need not interpret St. Matthew's and St. Mark's words literally. But is there any good reason for thus explaining away the words of St. Matthew and St. Mark? The more common interpretation reconciles sufficiently well these two Evangelists with the narrative of St. Luke.

According to the common opinion, both thieves, after being scourged, come out of prison exasperated against Jesus, and join in reviling Him as the cause of their troubles. But later on, at the moment to which St. Luke alludes, only one robber blasphemes against Him. A great change has by this time been wrought in the soul of Dismas.

B. And they that were crucified with Him reviled Him. We may then contemplate both thieves in their anger reviling Jesus, and His humble Heart answering meekly: What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter (St. John xiii.).

And we may watch our Blessed Lady praying with a most tender compassion for the two sufferers, now become

companions to her Son, "My Son, they have no wine. The poor suffering sinner only wants Thy grace, and all his sorrows will be changed into a holy martyrdom. By Thy holy Cross, have mercy on the crucified sinners at Thy side." "Blessed Mother of God, pray also for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death."

STATION III.

One of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed Him, saying: If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man hath done no evil (St. Luke xxiii. 39-41).

A. One of those robbers blasphemed Him.

One for Dismas does not any longer join. He speaks not; for some time he has become silent and thoughtful.

With amazement he has been listening to the prayer of his Companion, again and again repeated: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Despite his excruciating pains, he turns, and fixes his eyes on the pale, disfigured face of Jesus. He notices the tears that are trickling down His cheeks mixed with the drops of blood. He marks too how this malefactor in the middle does not howl, does not utter curses, as he and his comrade have done. No imprecation, not one, has passed His lips.

Then, too, Dismas also rests his eye on the gentle and sorrowful face of the Blessed Mother; and marks her eyes, sometimes resting on him, and her lips moving as if in prayer. Then he turns back again and gazes on our Lord, without being conscious that he is now fixing his eyes on Jesus because Jesus has first turned His eye of mercy towards him. The night before, Peter did weep till the Lord turning looked on Peter. manner, Jesus has turned and looked on

not begin to Now, in like Dismas, and

the blessed prophecy of Palm Sunday is beginning to be fulfilled: I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to Myself (St. John xii.). While Jesus is making His prayer: Father, forgive: His blessed Mother can do nothing but join heart with Heart. She too is crying, Father, forgive.

In that hour, the Soul of Jesus Crucified has begun to commune silently with Dismas, and the robber's heart of stone is being changed into a contrite heart of flesh. The unexpected darkness helps on the growth of that fear which is the beginning of wisdom. In his secret soul Dismas is saying to his God: "O my God, be merciful to me a sinner. I will repass with Thee my unhappy years gone by." In anguish he is thinking how far away his God is from him. Ah! little he knows how near, how very near He is!

B. One of those robbers.

Dismas is silent now. Never again will he utter one word against this most patient Sufferer, Jesus of Nazareth. For surely, he argues within himself, this meek and humblehearted Man cannot be suffering for any sin of His own. No! Nor ever again will he wound the heart of that gentle and desolate Mother.

For the first time, tears from a contrite and humbled heart are beginning to flow down his rough cheeks; when suddenly he hears his impenitent comrade burst out again: If Thou be the Christ, save Thyself and us. Strongly moved by the grace of the plentiful redemption which is working in him, Dismas rebukes his old accomplice, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing that we are under the same condemnation? Holy fear has entered into his soul, and is piercing his flesh, and makes its wonderful power felt above the cruel agonies of his crucified body.

Neither dost thou fear God? The fear of the coming Judgment is stronger now in Dismas than the sense of present pain; and the grace within him, like a fire, seeks to spread itself into the soul of his comrade.