Read St. Luke 22:40–46
1. No words can tell, no human heart can conceive, the intensity of the sacred Agony of Jesus. It would have crushed Him out of His very life had He not by means of His Divinity supported His sacred humanity, and so enabled it to suffer more. See Him pale, haggard, scarce to be recognized in His abasement and His terror! See the sweat of blood pouring from His sacred limbs! Can this be the well-beloved Son of God? My God, make me more contrite at the thought that I have taken part in bringing Thee to this.
2. But He was not without consolation in His Agony. An angel was sent to comfort Him, to present before His vision the innumerable company of the saints won by His precious Blood. He saw their joy and happiness to be won by His sacred Passion, by the labor of His soul, and seeing it He was satisfied to bear it all. O pure, unselfish joy! O joy surpassing all other joys! The joy of seeing others happy was the promised reward which supported Jesus in His Agony.
3. But He had a still greater and stronger support than this. He beheld the honor and glory that would accrue to His Eternal Father. He saw that all the glory God would reap from His works would be as nothing in comparison with this greatest work to be wrought by His Eternal Son, and seeing this He was satisfied, and more than satisfied. In the head of the Book it is written of Him: “Behold, I come to do Thy will, O my God. I am content to do it.” Have I the glory of God at heart as the first and foremost motive of my actions?
Source: Clarke, R. F. (1889). The Sacred Passion of Jesus Christ: Short Meditations for Every Day in Lent (p. 19). Benziger Brothers.
1. No words can tell, no human heart can conceive, the intensity of the sacred Agony of Jesus. It would have crushed Him out of His very life had He not by means of His Divinity supported His sacred humanity, and so enabled it to suffer more. See Him pale, haggard, scarce to be recognized in His abasement and His terror! See the sweat of blood pouring from His sacred limbs! Can this be the well-beloved Son of God? My God, make me more contrite at the thought that I have taken part in bringing Thee to this.
2. But He was not without consolation in His Agony. An angel was sent to comfort Him, to present before His vision the innumerable company of the saints won by His precious Blood. He saw their joy and happiness to be won by His sacred Passion, by the labor of His soul, and seeing it He was satisfied to bear it all. O pure, unselfish joy! O joy surpassing all other joys! The joy of seeing others happy was the promised reward which supported Jesus in His Agony.
3. But He had a still greater and stronger support than this. He beheld the honor and glory that would accrue to His Eternal Father. He saw that all the glory God would reap from His works would be as nothing in comparison with this greatest work to be wrought by His Eternal Son, and seeing this He was satisfied, and more than satisfied. In the head of the Book it is written of Him: “Behold, I come to do Thy will, O my God. I am content to do it.” Have I the glory of God at heart as the first and foremost motive of my actions?
Source: Clarke, R. F. (1889). The Sacred Passion of Jesus Christ: Short Meditations for Every Day in Lent (p. 19). Benziger Brothers.
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