On the Lord Jesus’ sorrowful departure from this world
On the Lord Jesus’ sorrowful departure from this world
LORD JESUS CHRIST, Life of the living, Hope of the dying, Salvation of all who hope in you, I bless and thank you for your temporary departure from this world, and for your joyful return to the Father through the terrible throes of death and the marvelous martyrdom of the Cross.
I praise and glorify you for the pallid expression on your face at the approach of death, your final last-minute agony, your total loss of bodily strength, and the bitter breaking of your love-filled heart, when you, who endow all spirits with life, did not cringe when it was time for you to submit to death, so that you could open for us the way to the kingdom of heaven.
I praise and glorify you for the strong and loud cry you gave forth from the cross, a cry that exceeded the powers of any ordinary human being. I praise you for the sad and sorrowful separation of your noble soul from your beloved body, for the holy commendation of your spirit into your Father’s hands, for the humble lowering of your sacred and thorn-crowned head on your revered breast—a sign of your ever-faithful filial obedience, for your generous giving of your most holy soul for the world’s salvation, and for the final utterance of your mortal life, when you broke forth with these words in pious prayer: Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.1 Immediately after you said this, you yielded up your spirit and, thus, you completed your earthly pilgrimage and fell into a serene sleep.
O how precious and victorious was that death, which destroyed our death and gave us eternal life! O Christ, may your death be ever fixed in my memory so that whenever I think of your death I may also be mindful of my own, and when the uncertain time for my life’s end does come, I may not be overcome by fear or despair.
This is the hour of which you were aware from the first moment of your conception, and toward which you hastened as a traveler does toward his homeland or a wise workman hastens to accomplish his task. You left the highest of the heavens to come into our world, and from this world you descended into the abode of the dead, and from there you retraced your way to your throne in the high heavens.
My soul, deep anguish should be yours because of the bitter death suffered by your beloved Lord and God. Reflect on the manner of Jesus’ death and on the signs that accompanied his death. Notice how the Just One dies and no one takes it to heart; no one realizes who or how wonderful he is, except his poor sorrowing Mother, who, with several of her friends, stands weeping at the foot of the Cross. She sees her loving Son hanging before her, his body naked and covered with blood; she sees his body gradually lose its color; she sees him in agony and hears his dying cry. After witnessing all this, no wonder she grieves pitifully and grows pale; her soul swoons seeing her crucified and dead Savior before her.
Go, stand beside Mary next to the Cross, and with sadness of heart meditate on Jesus’ death. Observe how Jesus, who is innocent, dies naked and like an outcast. Never was there a man more wretched than he! There was never anyone more beloved by God, nor anyone more despised by men than Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified by his own people.
Notice the gratitude that the world shows him in return for all of his extraordinary deeds and miracles. He is put to death as if he were the worst of thieves and dies as the poorest of men. He does not die in a comfortable feather bed, but on the hard wood of the Cross; not in a house or under a protecting roof, but in the open air, in a frightfully foul place; not in a private room, but publicly on a Cross; not in the company of his disciples, but between two thieves; not in the arms of his loving Mother, but between those of a tall Cross.
He did not even have a few handfuls of straw beneath him, nor over him a covering of the poorest linen. He had no pillow for his head, but a crown of sharp thorns instead. There were no sandals on his feet nor gloves on his hands, but as substitutes he had iron nails that pierced through his flesh and bones.
In this dire distress of his, there was no one to minister to him, but an impenitent thief at his side, a degenerate criminal, who showered him with shameful insults. There was no one to console him—his followers and those with whom he had frequently sat at table had all but deserted him. He could move neither hand nor foot, nor turn on his side—he found no relief for his body’s pain, not even in the slightest. He remained immobile, stretched to the straining point, every organ dreadfully distended. No one there tried to console him. No one thought of helping him. No one was interested in him. His heart all but stopped beating.
There remained only his tongue that he could use. He prayed for his enemies, and from the pulpit of the Cross he preached seven worthy words counter to the seven deadly sins. Nor was his tongue without its torment, for when he was thirsty it was given vinegar and gall. From the soles of his feet to the crown of his head he was bathed in the waters of suffering, and finally at about the ninth hour he gave a loud cry and died.
Who is this who cries out with his final breath? How distinguished he must be at whose passing both heaven and earth mourn, from whose sight death flees, at whose voice the dead rise, at whose visage the gates of death are shattered, whose presence the devil cannot endure, whose power no one can resist, before whom hell trembles and heaven worships, whom the angels serve and the archangels obey, by whose splendor the limbo of the fathers is aglow, the assembly of saints rejoices, their fetters are removed and the many captive souls are brought into the light.
The centurion who was standing there remarked: Truly, he was the Son of God.2 That blessed man, upon seeing that Jesus gave up his spirit after he had cried out, discerned the hidden divinity within that human nature and immediately acknowledged that he, whom his own people had despised and crucified, was the Son of God.
O you hard-hearted people, you are neither appeased by the victim’s sufferings, nor are you persuaded by the unusual prodigies at his death. You, who once asked for signs from heaven, are deaf and blind. But now you must see and listen. Signs certainly appeared in the heavens above and on the earth below. The elements of this earth are Christ’s servants, and at the hour of his demise they all went into mourning, while you wretches laughed. The sun went dark at noon, so as not to witness his death, and the earth quaked fearfully, because it could not calmly tolerate the injury done to God. Rocks were torn asunder and with loud voices they mourned their Creator. The veil of the temple was torn in two—this rending indicated that Christ’s sacred mysteries are now made manifest to all.
Christ himself is the true Victim, who takes away all the sins of the world. He is the immaculate Lamb of God, sacrificed on the Cross during the Paschal season. He is the true Priest consecrated by God, and as such has offered himself up as a Victim to the Father in an odor of sweetness. He is the High Priest who once a year enters alone into the Holy of Holies to plead not only for his own people, but for the salvation of all peoples who believe in him. And this Christ truly did, dying once for the entire human race until the end of time.
Tombs were also opened to show that the coming Resurrection of Christ and of the saints was near. And many who had come to witness this scene understood these prodigies and, with consciences powerfully touched, they returned home beating their breasts.
And you, my soul, enter into your most inner self and mourn with those who mourn and weep with those who weep for Christ, lest you be found to be harder than a rock and more faithless than that crowd of observers. Blessed are the tears shed out of love for the Crucified, for it is both holy and fitting to weep for the loving Lord. To weep copious tears out of compassion for one’s beloved is in itself a great consolation to that lover’s soul. Jesus himself often wept over man’s miseries, and when he had no more tears to shed, he shed his blood with even greater love.
The Lord Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross, therefore, let this world be altogether dead to you. From Jesus’ death learn to be mindful of your own and strive to prepare yourself for it. You do not know when the Lord will come, nor do you know when your Maker will call you from this world. So, every hour be on your watch, and pray that you will find your final hour a pleasant hour.
Speak and act as if you are to depart this very day. Learn to die before you actually die, so that when death does come it will not be a horror to you but the gateway to life. Christ has died and so have the prophets, and you too will soon have to follow the way of your fathers. But there is great hope and great consolation in these words of Jesus: Whoever believes in me, even if he should die, will live,3 and again, Whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me, will have eternal life.4 Therefore, while you are still alive, have Jesus as your friend, so that when you do die, you will find him favorable to you.
Throw aside whatever keeps you from the love of Jesus and whatever makes it difficult for you to enter the kingdom of heaven. Beware of anything that can sully the purity of your conscience and leave behind all that can rob you of your peace of mind. Cut yourself off from the world, but remain united to God and be a close companion of Christ. Walk with Jesus in the freedom of the spirit and do not concern yourself with this world’s affairs. Prepare your heart to receive him and show him a large furnished chamber, so that he and his disciples can celebrate the mystical Pasch with you before you die.
When you find your health beginning to give way, and you feel that the time for you to be called hence is near at hand, then offer this humble prayer to Jesus, using the words of Mary and Martha: Lord, the one you love is sick.5 The mighty and merciful Jesus, who wept for Lazarus and raised him from the dead, can also heal your wounds and raise your dead body up on the last day. Give special thought to the Lord’s Supper, when Jesus humbly washed the feet of his disciples and before leaving them he instituted for their spiritual comfort the Sacrament of his sacred Body. Then meekly ask the Lord Jesus to absolve you from all your loathsome sins and generously to strengthen you, before you depart on our journey, by receiving his precious Body. After you have received this, make your thanksgiving and meditate devoutly on the consoling words of his new commandment and then, with eyes raised to heaven, desire from the depths of your heart to be united to Christ. Following this, turn your thoughts to Christ’s Passion and draw true consolation from that source. Enter with Jesus and his disciples into the garden near the Mount of Olives and, though your friends are present, retire within yourself so that you may more freely and privately spend time with God, praying to your heavenly Father for a happy ending to your earthly sojourn. Kneel next to Jesus and, falling forward on your face on the earth, abandon yourself into God’s hands and speak these most perfect words of Christ: Father, not my will, but your will be done.6 He knows better than anyone whether living or dying is more advantageous for your soul’s salvation.
Ask your brethren and all your devoted friends who come to see you, to watch with you in prayer, lest the devil attempt to disturb you with his deceits. When anxiety takes hold of you, turn to Jesus and follow him as he carries his Cross to Mount Calvary. Make that your final station; choose to have your life end there, and there hand over your spirit. Place Jesus’ Passion and death between you and your future judgment and with steadfast gaze look upon the Crucified. If the devil tries to terrorize you, invoke the name of Jesus and raise the standard of the holy Cross. If he counters by narrating your many sins and past misdeeds, then respond by reciting the infinite merits of Christ.
Also remember the seven words Jesus spoke from the Cross for your instruction. As soon as he and his Cross were raised on high, he prayed for his enemies and forgave them their sins. This he did so that you too might, from the depths of your heart, forgive all who have wronged you, and once again you should ask that your sins be forgiven.
Second, he promised the penitent thief the joys of paradise, and this that you might not yield to despair because of the enormity of your sins, but that you might confidently ask him to be remembered in the kingdom of heaven.
Third, he commended his Blessed Mother, the Virgin, to the virgin John, so that when you are in your final agony, you may trustingly turn to Mary, his most loving Mother, Help of Christians, and that you may also confidently commend yourself to the blessed apostle John and all the saints. Commend yourself likewise to the prayers of your brethren and devoted friends, that after your death they may be kind enough to remember you in their prayers and Masses.
Fourth, Jesus revealed that he felt abandoned in his sufferings. Do not give in to impatience when you feel yourself overburdened with many worries. If you are not relieved of them in time, then submit to the divine will as in all things.
Fifth, Jesus said: I thirst, so that you may eagerly thirst after God, the living fountain, and desire to die and to be with him. This is far better than prolonging one’s pilgrimage in this world and exposing oneself to its constant dangers.
Sixth, he spoke: It is finished, so that when you sense that your final days are near, you are to praise God for all the good you have accomplished in your life—and ask that whatever you have done less than well—be wholly remedied by Christ.
Seventh, with a loud cry he placed his soul into his Father’s hands to teach you that, when you are about to depart this world, you are not to be remiss in voicing and frequently repeating the words of his final commendation. You will find at the end that there are none more meaningful than these.
O most loving Jesus, Splendor of the Father’s glory and Sun of righteousness, you have chosen to suffer so shameful a punishment for me your unworthy servant, and on Mount Calvary you delivered your soul to the Father for the world’s redemption and commended it to him with a prayer. Grant that I may always carry in my heart a sorrow and a love for your most dolorous death. Also grant that by mortifying all my sinful inclinations I may daily share in your death, and that when my end approaches I may be found worthy to dwell in the light of your mercies and joyfully enter with you into paradise.
Be with me, Lord, as I lie dying, strengthen me in my agony, visit me when I call upon you, defend me from my enemies, free me from my anxieties, console me in my mourning, be my comfort when I am fearful, revive me when I feel faint, and finally, receive me when I die.
May your last word from the Cross be also my final word in this life. And when I am no longer able to utter another word, let this express my definitive desire: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. O Lord, God of Truth, you have redeemed me. Amen.”