Third Day.
Our Lord desires that we should think of His Passion, in order that we may imitate Him in our own sufferings: for we have many things to endure in this life on account of the original fault of our first parents. You will learn to die with Christ, and your sympathetic heart will avoid sin. By the frequent thought of the Passion the Lord will have you love the sacrifice of the Mass, where in an unbloody manner the Passion of Our Lord is repeated, and we begin to appreciate it the more the better we understand their relation to each other. The Lord will have you show sympathy for Him in His sufferings; for you must remember that it was for you that He suffered, that you caused His suffering by your sins. Now, if you have inflicted these punishments on the Lord, would it not be an act of horrible ingratitude if you were not to show your sympathy for Christ? Another effect of the contemplation of the Passion will be that you shall be stirred up to do great things for Christ. Your time of labor will be sanctified, and your life will be given to the service of Jesus.
Prayer.
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.
Fourth Day.
We should think often of the Passion of Our Lord, but not with coldness or repugnance. It is a sad subject, and not at all pleasing to the human feelings, but when we have learned to love Jesus it will be an exercise that will make us very happy. We are dreadfully poor spiritually, and nowhere will we be able to find more spiritual wealth than in the Heart of Jesus in His Passion. “There flow living fountains of blessed waters, there is the bread of life.” Approach, then, with a lively faith to the foot of the cross, and remain there faithfully; let the blood of the Lord flow upon your body and soul, realize that Jesus died for you, see Mary, our dear Mother, beneath the cross; St. John and Mary Magdalen, with some other faithful followers of Christ at a short distance from it; associate yourself with them and study what were their sentiments; try to bring them home to yourself, and your heart will surely fill up with love, gratitude, and confidence.
Prayer.
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.