earnestly begs of him to see that not one of the sacred relics of Calvary be left behind.

And now, with her own eye, that has ever looked well to the paths of her house (Prov. xxxi.), Holy Mary surveys carefully all that they have collected together. She is that admirable and prudent woman who considered the field and bought it (ibid.); and poor as she is to-day, the watching providence of her God has taken care that from Joseph and Nicodemus and loving Magdalen, alms come in plenty to enable them to buy for her the precious relics she had so well considered. Part of her treasure, indeed, is gone; the sacred nails, which they had purchased, and which she carried in her bosom, are gone, but many things remain of which her heart now makes a faithful inventory.

Here is the holy crown. John promises to carry it most carefully; not a thorn shall be lost.

Here is the seamless tunic, the dyed garment, the apparel red and stained, like theirs that tread in the wine-press; Magdalen will keep it safely.

Here is the purple mantle the soldiers put upon Him, for it also has been secured.

Longinus cannot as yet give up the sacred lance that opened the Master's side. Duty forbids it, it is not his to give. 'Tis well, 'tis well, the Blessed Mother commends his fidelity; "fear not, it will come later to be the treasure of His Church".

But they have the hyssop, and the sponge that moistened His lips; and they have the reed that was His sceptre. "Here, too," St. John says, "are the sponges that helped to wash His Sacred wounds."

"These are the cords that bound His hands and arms last night and this morning; and these the cords used to fasten Him to the Cross while they were nailing Him."

STATION IV.

DESCENT FROM THE PLACE OF CALVARY.

And Joseph went his way (v. 60).

A. When the Admirable Mother is satisfied that no sacred relic is missing, and has confided each to its faithful keeper, they begin to descend from the Sacred Sanctuary. Joseph leads the way southward towards the city, but the Holy Mother points to one spot very near on the north side, and thither they first bend their steps.

Longinus explains to Joseph and Nicodemus: "In this grotto they imprisoned your Master while they were preparing the holes in the rock for the crosses. They humbled His feet in fetters. If the Greek tradition be true, the Blessed Mother finds there the stone stocks in which His legs were fastened that He might not escape. Here, too, they offered Him the wine mixed with myrrh and gall, which when He had tasted He would not drink.

"Blessed Mother and holy Saints of Calvary, obtain for us grace to imitate the abstinence of our Lord."

B. Joseph went his way.

From the prison they begin to go southward; and passing between Calvary on the left hand, and the Holy Sepulchre on the right, arrive in a few minutes at the Stone of Unction, and pause a little while, remembering all they witnessed there.

Sancta Mater, istud agas,
Crucifixi fige plagas,

Cordi meo valide.

Do this for me, O Mother blest,
Deeply imprint within my breast
The wounds of Jesus crucified.

SCENE XIII.

FAREWELL TO CALVARY.

STATION I.

Joseph went his way (St. Matt. xxvii. 60).

A. Their backs are now turned on Calvary, and they are moving southward.

"O vos omnes." Oh, let us all take notice how in body only the Blessed Mother is leaving Calvary. Her heart will remain where her treasure shall be. Look well, and do according to the pattern.

Whenever we go into the Holy Altar and the Tabernacle, may the Lord guard (our) going in and coming out (Psalm cxx.). Holy Simeon went into the Temple in the spirit. Alas! shall we go in only in body? And when there in body, shall our hearts be elsewhere? Shall our souls haste away from thence even before our bodies retire ?

B. Joseph went his way.

Very soon they halt once more.

and Longinus know well the reason.

Magdalen and John

Here for the third

and last time Jesus fell, to adore His Eternal Father before going to the Altar of Sacrifice.

"Blessed Mother and holy Saints, pray for us sinners who have fallen, not only three times, but many times." C. Joseph went his way.

Here are the crossroads. It was here that He said to the daughters of Jerusalem: Weep not over Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. Oh, with what unspeakable emotion the Blessed Mother now does His bidding, and pleads for her poor children-the children of her pain; the children of Calvary. "I have delivered up my firstborn, Eternal Father, to save my other children. Tantus labor non sit cassus-Let not all this agony be void."

D. Joseph went his way.

Walking slowly southwards, they have reached the Judgment Gate.

Here they all turn round with the Holy Mother; for this is the last point whence they can see Calvary; and here on their knees, they breathe their farewell to the Sepulchre and the holy Cross.

"We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee; because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world."

When they have lifted her up, Joseph, as St. Bonaventure writes, with great humility, approaches our Lady to tell her that there is hard by a cottage belonging to him of which she can take possession as her home. She will then be near to Calvary and the Tomb. He reminds her how greatly she needs repose, and how relieved all her companions will be if they can see her having a little rest. The Blessed Mother thanks him most heartily and most reverently for his great charity; but answers that she is confided to the keeping of John, and wishes only to go wherever he leads. John replies that it seems to him that the proper resting-place for the Holy Mother is in the sacred Conaculum where she spent the last night.

Magdalen, too, St. Bonaventure tells us, earnestly entreats our Lady to come to her dwelling-place, where she will be safe.

If St. Magdalen makes this offer, either she has a lodging in town, besides her home at Bethany, or she intends to provide some kind of carriage for the Blessed Mother. We can scarcely believe that she would propose that Holy Mary, in her state of extreme weakness, should go either on foot or on horseback to the loved home at Bethany, beyond Mount Olivet.

To Magdalen's affectionate entreaties, John's answer is that it will be better if she accompanies the Holy Mother to the Conaculum. Magdalen, with the impetuosity of her love, answers at once that most surely she will go wherever the Blessed Mother goes, and nowhere else.

E. Joseph went his way.

Joseph, therefore, now bids a sorrowful farewell and retires; and the Holy Mother, with her companions, passes through the Judgment Gate into the city.

Here they see the stone near the gate where the written sentence was affixed in the forenoon.

Immediately after, they make a short stay on the spot where the Lord fell for the second time. There His sacred face was bruised by the pavement, and all the wounds in His Body renewed.

Eia Mater, fons amoris,
Me sentire vim doloris
Fac, ut tecum lugeam.

O Mother, Fount of charity,

Let me share thy agony,
Make me weep with thee.

They have to take great care of the Holy Mother, as she descends the steep pavement and arrives at length at the door of Veronica. This faithful disciple is, we are told, a most intimate friend of our Lady, and possibly prevails upon her to enter into her house; not indeed to rest, but to contemplate the image of the sacred face left upon her veil. Gladly she offers the relic to the Blessed Mother, but Holy Mary cannot consent to rob her of her treasure, but with great gratitude accepts the use of it for this hour of

sorrow.

Whether Veronica was able to induce her to cool her burning thirst even with a little water, we know not.

After the cruel murder of Abner, David, when pressed to take food, answered: So do God to me, and more, if I taste bread or anything else before sunset (2 Kings iii.). Our Lady has made no vow, but she could safely say with her Son: I have meat to eat which you know not (St. John iv.). Her love, strong as death, is supporting her; and, moreover, it is possible, as we are told by holy servants of God, that the Blessed Eucharist is still miraculously preserved within her, giving her strength.

Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.