Thirty-first Day.
After terrible exertion in consequence of His exhaustion, loss of blood, want of food and rest, Our Lord arrives at the summit of Mount Calvary, called Golgotha, the place of execution, the mount of skulls. Our Lord would have died in consequence of the terrible punishment He had received, only the power of His heavenly Father kept Him [pg 161] alive. Arriving on the spot, His clothes are cruelly torn off His sacred body, the wounds are reopened and bleed afresh. He kneels down, and at the command of His executioners He extends His arms and feet to the places to which they were to be attached. The soldiers take nails and hammers, and drive nails into the palms of His hands, fixing them to the cross; then His feet are nailed also. When all this has been done they raise the cross to an erect position and set it in the ground. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is present; she hears the strokes of the hammer—every sound pierces her heart. O Mother of sorrows! make me feel the dreadful crucifixion in my soul; divide thy sorrows with me. Mary Magdalen, the penitent woman, hastens to the foot of the cross. St. John, the beloved disciple, is there also.
Prayer.
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.
Thirty-second Day.
The executioners then sat down before the cross, and watched Our Lord. They played dice for His garments; it was their sinful perquisite to take possession of anything that a dying criminal left. Our Lord was poor and had nothing but His garments, and these were accordingly distributed. Our Lord hung on the cross; not a word had so far passed His lips; uncomplaining, sunk in deep prayer, the sacrifice of the cross was going on for our sins, the Lamb of God was on the slaughter bench, pouring forth His blood without giving a sign of pain. He hangs between two murderers. He is not distinguished [pg 162] from them in misery, except that He prays and they blaspheme. The Jews now celebrate their triumph; they are gathered about in knots, mocking and laughing. They invite Him to descend from the cross: that then they would believe in Him. Jesus still wears the crown of thorns, and over His head, attached to the wood, are the words: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”
Prayer.
Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.