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| Veronica wipes the face of Jesus before arriving on mount Calvary |
Our
Saviour reached the mountain of sacrifice, which is the same one to which,
Isaac, was brought by the patriarch Abraham (Gen. 22, 9). Mount Calvary was
held to be a place of defilement and ignominy, as being reserved for the
chastisement of condemned criminals. Our most loving Jesus
arrived at its
summit so worn out, wounded, torn and disfigured, that He seemed altogether
transformed into an object of pain and sorrows.  |
| So worn out as an object of pain and sorrows. |
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| Mary Magdalene, Blessed Mary and saint John |
When
the most prudent Mother perceived that now the mysteries of the Redemption were
to be fulfilled and that the executioners were about to strip Jesus of his
clothes for crucifixion, She turned in spirit to the eternal Father and prayed
as follows: “My Lord and eternal God,
Thou art the Father of thy only begotten Son. By eternal generation He is
engendered, God of the true God, namely Thyself, and as man He was born of my
womb and received from me this human nature, in which He now suffers. I have
nursed and sustained Him at my own breast; and as the best of sons that ever
can be born of any creature, I love Him with maternal love. As his Mother I
have a natural right in the Person of his most holy humanity and thy Providence
will never infringe upon any rights held by thy creatures. This right of a
Mother then, I now yield to Thee and once more place in thy hands thy and my
Son as a sacrifice for the Redemption of man. Accept, my Lord, this pleasing
offering, since this is more than I can ever offer by submitting my own self as
a victim or to suffering. This sacrifice is greater, not only because my Son is
the true God and of thy own substance, but because this sacrifice costs me a
much greater sorrow and pain. For if the lots were changed and I should be
permitted to die in order to preserve his most holy life, I would consider it a
great relief and the fulfilment of my dearest wishes.” The eternal Father
received this prayer of the exalted Queen with ineffable pleasure and
complacency.
The
patriarch Abraham was permitted to go no further than to prefigure and attempt
the sacrifice of a son, because the real execution of such a sacrifice God
reserved to Himself and to his Only begotten. Nor was Sara, the mother of
Isaac, informed of the mystical ceremony, this being prevented not only by the
promptness of Abraham’s obedience, but also because he mistrusted, lest the
maternal love of Sara, though she was a just and holy woman, should impel her
to prevent the execution of the divine command. But not so was it with most holy
Mary, to whom the eternal Father could fearlessly manifest his unchangeable
will in order that She might, as far as her powers were concerned, unite with
Him in the sacrifice of his Only begotten.
The
Mother perceived that the impious ministers were preparing to give to the Lord
the drink of wine, myrrh and gall. The drink, which was intended to assist and
strengthen other criminals, by the perfidy of the Jews was now mixed with gall,
so that it should have no other effect than to torment his sense of taste by
its bitterness. The blessed Mother was aware of their intentions and in her
maternal tenderness and compassion asked the Lord not to drink of it. Jesus in
deference to the petition of his Mother, without rejecting entirely this new
suffering, tasted of the mixture, but would not drink it entirely. (Matth. 27: 33-34) [33] And
they came to the place that is called Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary. [34] And
they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted, he would
not drink.
