Pange lingua gloriosi Paraphrase. Adore, my soul, on Calvary, From head and hands, from feet and side. Before they lay it in the tomb. B. And Joseph, taking Him down. Some writers hold that it was the custom among the Jews that men embalmed the bodies of men, and women the bodies of women. If this were so, the commonly received opinion is, that on this occasion an exception was made for the Sacred Body of the Lord. One fact that seems to support this common opinion is that undoubtedly the devout women came to the Sepulchre on Easter Day prepared to continue the work of embalming. One writer on the Sacred Passion tells us that in order to relieve the agonised heart of our Lady, the wounds on the Sacred Body were by a miracle disguised during the washing and embalming, so that they did not appear in all their ghastliness; but this opinion does not seem to find favour. It seems more in keeping with the other scenes of the Sacred Passion, to adopt the common persuasion that while she sat bathing the sacred face with her tears, she was studying most carefully every wound, the length, the breadth, the depth of each, and laying them up one by one in her heart. For each of those precious wounds is saying to her, Set me as a seal upon thy heart. Sancta Mater, istud agas, Cordi meo valide. Do this for me, O Mother blest, C. And Joseph, taking Him down. We read that some horsemen from the country pass by Calvary while they are washing and embalming the sacred wounds, and stop for a time, gazing appalled on the crucified Body. Their question is like that asked heretofore by the disciples, Who hath sinned—this Man or His parents? to bring down such a curse. John, or Joseph, or Nicodemus, explains to them that Jesus was no malefactor, but a Prophet, mighty in word and work, and pointing to the Most Holy Mother, asks, "Do you see any sign of wickedness in her?" "Then what is the cause of all this cruel butchery?" the strangers urge. What evil hath He done? This Man hath done no evil, is the answer. But the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. The only cause in Him is this: He loved me, and delivered Himself up for me -If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema (1 Cor. xvi.). D. And Joseph, taking Him down. When there shall be found in the land the corpse of a man slain, and it is not known who is guilty of the murder, the Ancients of that city shall come to the person slain, and shall wash their hands, and shall say: Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it (Deut. xxi.). Our hands did not shed this Blood. With my lips I dare not say this impious word, but my life says it. (a) So long as I have no deep contrition for my sins, I practically deny that they are the cause of His Death. (b) So long as I live indulging myself, seldom denying self, I virtually deny that I am the cause of these wounds. (c) So long as I am not strongly impressed with gratitude to my Lord and Saviour, my life is denying that He died for me, and that I am the cause of His Death. (d) So long as I remain cold and insensible, and have not that fire enkindled in my heart which He came to cast on the earth, I am living as if He has not died on my account. (e) Worst of all, if by wilful sin I am crucifying again the Son of God, and making Him a mockery (Hebrews vi.), I am proclaiming aloud that I am not the cause of His Death. (f) If I do not hope strongly and firmly that He will pardon me, and give me every necessary grace, I am denying that His death is for me, and on my account, and to cancel all my sins. (g) Amantissime juvenis, St. Augustine writes, "most loving of men, in the flower of Thy youth, what has caused Thy Death? What gave occasion to Thy condemnation ? I, I must bear all the blame of Thy bloody Death." E. Joseph, taking Him down. Contemplate our Blessed Lady. (a) St. Bernard writes: "The most sorrowful Mother is bathing the face of her Son in an abundance of tears, and gazing upon His head, His hands, His feet, His side, and all His mangled limbs ". (b) And oftentimes she kisses His forehead, His cheeks, and His lips. (c) St. Bridget describes what she saw in her contemplation: "The loving Mother is seated, and supporting His head on her knee, and with her linen veil is carefully cleansing the wounds". (d) St. Ephraim makes her say: "Where is now all Thy beauty, my Son? Have pity on Thy bereaved Mother, my most sweet Son." (e) St. Laurence Justinian: "The heart of the Virgin Mother is become a most bright mirror of the Passion of Christ, and a perfect image of His Death". (f) He adds: "As she surpasses all saints in grace, in holiness, in merit, so too in her sorrow, in her anguish, in her suffering". (g) St. Bernard: "I do not believe it possible to form a conception of the sorrow of the Virgin Mother, unless we believe it to be as great as such a Mother could ever suffer for such a Son". F. Joseph, taking Him down. While contemplating our Lord's Body thus resting on the lap of His Mother, call to mind the words of Isaias, A throne shall be prepared in mercy (Isaias xvi.). He is now on the throne of His mercy. "Run to the Virgin Mother," St. Bernard counsels us. "She bears in her hands the King of glory, and is ready to give Him to all that ask." G. "Defunctus adhuc loquitur." The dead is still speaking to me. He is saying: Remember My judgment, for thou also shalt be so. Yesterday for Me, to-day for thee. STATION II. Nicodemus also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes (St. John xix.). A. IN THIS HOUR WE CAN PREPARE FOR OUR LAST ANOINTING AND FOR OUR CONFESSIONS. Lord Jesus, crucified in the presence of Thy Blessed Mother, I beseech Thee : (a) BY THY CROWN OF THORNS AND THY CLOTTed hair, Give me a true contrition for the sins of my head, my sins of thought. Sins of commission.-Uncharitable thoughts, impure thoughts, irreligious thoughts, despairing thoughts. And sins by omission.-The absence of grateful thoughts, compassionate thoughts, lively faith, strong love, thoughts of praise, thoughts of reverence. By Thy bloodstained and clotted hair, pardon the sinful vanity of the hair. (b) BY THY SACRED EYES CLOSED IN DEATh, and the TEARS THEY SHED IN LIFE, Give me true contrition for the sins of my eyes. Sins of commission.-Uncharitable curiosity, scowling, angry and contemptuous looks, impure curiosity, idle and distracting gazing about. Sins too of omission.-Not looking at Thy crucifix, at Thy tabernacle, not reading holy books, turning my eyes away from the needy. (c) BY THY SACRED EARS, Give me true contrition for the sins of my ears. Sins of commission-listening to and encouraging detractions and calumny; listening to immodest words, irreligious words, disobedient murmurs against the Church, against legitimate authority. Sins of omission-by not giving ear to good advice, to sermons, to the cry of the poor. (d) BY THY SACRED MOUTH, DRIED UP AND PARCHED, I beseech Thee, Lord Jesus, in Thy Holy Mother's presence, give me true contrition for the sins of my tongue. Sins of commission-by uncharitable words, immodest words, irreligious words. Sins of omission-by uncharitable silence, not defending the absent, not helping by good advice, not daring to check indecent words and irreligious conversation. Give me true contrition also for sins of the palate in eating and drinking. Give me also, for Thy Holy Mother's sake, hearty sorrow for want of fervour, for all negligence, when Thy Blessed Sacrament has been on my tongue. By Thy Sacred Lips, cold in death and livid, Forgive also, Lord Jesus, every sin of the lips by sensual kissing. (e) BY THY HOLY FACE, DISFIGURED WITH WOUNDS AND DIRT AND SPITTLE, Forgive all sins of vanity, and all wicked desires to attract unduly attention and admiration. (f) By THY SACRED HANDS, NAILED TO THE CROSS AND POWERLESS IN DEATH, Give me a true contrition for all the sins of the hands. Sins of commission-every uncharitable or sinful word written, all deeds of revenge, all wicked actions. Sins of omission-all my neglect to open my hands to help those in want. (g) BY THY SACRED FEET, NAILED TO THE CROSS, COLD AND MOTIONLESS, |