'Meditation on the Passion', compiled from Various Sources, with an Introduction by Rev. Reginald Walsh, O.P. , and published by Burns, Oates, & Washbourne Ltd., London, in 1922.
In his introduction Father Walsh writes, 'It is hoped that they who love to contemplate and consider what the Word Incarnate suffered for their salvation will find this work useful. Here, in passing, we may say that the Meditation now presented to all, was in its first shape designed and destined for private circulation only.
A Member of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who, as Mistress of Novices for about thirty years, had gained great experience in the formation of religious as well as in the varied requirements of conventual life, proposed by means of this book to impart to her Sisters the fruit of her own reflections on the Passion, which one so spiritual and enlightened was exceptionally fitted to compile.
As might have been anticipated, the excellence of the work, which she had intended for the use of her Sisters, in course of time became known to several persons in one or other way connected with the Institute of the Blessed Virgin. And among them, some are of opinion that this treasure should no longer be allowed to remain almost hidden in the cloister. They have represented that outside the convents of the Institute there are many devout souls to whom the Meditation would be most acceptable. In accordance with their suggestion, and in compliance with their wish, it is now reprinted.
But in order to increase its utility, so far as persons living in the world are concerned, many passages in the work, as it appeared at first, have been omitted---- those, namely, which were addressed to nuns as such; also some other incidental clauses have been either omitted or else slightly changed.
That the book may continue to be a help to advancement in the spiritual life, and become an abundant source of blessings to a still wider circle of readers, is the earnest desire of those who have had to do with its reissue.'
Reginald Walsh O.P.
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These are quite long posts, each post dealing with a particular aspect of our Lord's Passion. It will not be possible to cover every aspect on this site, but by alternating posts between this site and its 'alter ego' site 'umblepie', I hope that we can present an acceptable review of our Lord's Passion by the end of Lent. This is the second post, the first appearing on 'umblepie' earlier this month.
see here:-
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THE SUPPER AT SIMON'S HOUSE
(Mark xiv. 3-11 John xi. 55)
1st Prelude: History. --- St John gives us the circumstances in detail:
Feast of Pasch at hand; roads thronged with pilgrims; much talk and enquiry about our Lord, and even search for Him before His arrival at Bethany, especially on the part of the ill- disposed. The disturbance was increased by the High Priest's secret orders --- that whoever became acquainted with the whereabouts of Jesus was to give information of it in order that they might arrest Him. The Pharisees took care to make known this measure of the authorities ---”They sought therefore for Jesus; and they discoursed one with another standing in the Temple: what think you, that He is not come to the festival day? And the Chief Priests and Pharisees had given a commandment, that if any man knew where He was, he should tell, that they might apprehend Him” (John xi. 56)
Thus all preparations were made, and snares set. Jesus' obedience to the law was to lead Him into the trap. In spite of all these circumstances, clearly known to Jesus, He came to Bethany six days before the Feast of the Pasch --- that is, on the Friday before His Passion.
2nd Prelude: Composition of Place. --- Bethany, the house of our Lord's true friends. He knew He was always welcome there. (Bethany means the house of obedience --- the soul where true supernatural obedience reigns is always open to receive our Lord.) Let us keep close to our Lord and note all present --- who are for, and who are against Jesus. Mark the love of our Lord for Magdalene. And why?
3rd Prelude: Ask what I want. --- Intimate knowledge. Never weary of asking this priceless grace. Ask courage to be most faithful to our dear Lord; to conquer determinately and perseveringly human respect and every difficulty I may meet in His Divine service.
Points: I. The supper at Bethany
II. Disgraceful conduct of Judas
III. Gratitude of Jesus.
I.
THE SUPPER AT BETHANY.
“The noble love of Jesus impelleth us to do great things, and exciteth us
always to desire that which is the more perfect.”
(See the persons; hear the words; note the actions. Reflect and draw profit from all.)
First, Our dear Lord and Master.
Probably, Jesus went to stay with Lazareth and spent the Sabbath there. On this Sabbath, however, He received an invitation to dine at the house of Simon the leper, who was probably a friend and neighbour of Lazarus' family, and a disciple of our Lord's. It was there then, where the banquet was held. Lazarus was amongst the guests. Martha and Mary and their attendants undertook to wait on them.
There are three important points about this feast or supper: 1) The beautiful act of Mary; 2) the disgraceful conduct of Judas; and 3) our Lord's behaviour to them both.
See Magdalene. This supper at Simon's house was remarkable for Mary's act of devotion to our Divine Lord. She brought an alabaster box of ointment of precious spikenard, and poured it on His Head as He sat at table, then on His feet. Her gift was very pleasing to our Lord for three reasons: (a) She gave of her best; (b) she gave out of pure love; (c) she gave in presence of the assembled guests, fearlessly, and knowing that men would ridicule and blame her.
Let us study this action of Mary --- “Love often knoweth no measure, but grows fervent above all measure. It can achieve anything; and it doth perform and effect many things, where he that loveth not, fainteth and falleth prostrate.” In Mary's act we note three qualities of special beauty.
Her generosity. She reserved for herself the privilege of showing honour to the Divine Guest, and had bought for this purpose a pound of the purest and most costly spikenard in an alabaster box, for three hundred pence ---- about ten pounds or fifty dollars ---- as Judas, the expert, had rightly estimated. These boxes, or rather vases, were generally made with a long, slender neck sealed up, which had to be broken off when using the ointment. So Mary broke the vase, poured some on Jesus' head, and anointed His feet with the remainder. She did all that generosity could do.
She reveals her loving humility, washing Jesus' feet with her tears and wiping them with her hair. She shows by this not only humility, generosity, gratitude, and reverence, but her deep faith and religious veneration for Jesus. One does not treat a mere man in this manner, but God alone.
It was an act of homage shown to Him as God --- Who can fathom the fervour, love, and devotion with which she did it? The house, St John tells us, was filled with the odour of the ointment --- a figure of the effect of love and generosity on the soul. I can model my daily life on this example --- “Love when wearied is not tired; when straitened is not constrained; when frightened is not disturbed; but like a vivid flame and a burning torch, it mounts upwards, and securely passes through all.”
It says, O my God, my Love, Thou art all mine, and I am all Thine. Lord Jesus, enlarge Thou me in love, that I may learn to taste with the interior mouth of the heart how sweet it is to love, and to be dissolved and to bathe in love. O Jesus, my dear Master, what marvellous, what divine mercy and love Thou dost show to me! How good Thou art to look on me and permit me to belong to Thee. And --- lest, perhaps, I might doubt whether it be allowed to me, a wretched creature, to aspire to a place in Thy Divine Heart --- Thou hast commanded me to love Thee, And shall I not, O most sweet Jesus, love Thee? Shall I not hold Thee supremely dear? Yes, O dear Lord, with all my heart will I love Thee. All that I am, all that I possess, all I desire in this world, is Thy love and Thy grace, and I am rich enough, I have nothing more to ask --- Amorem Tui solum!
Mary, Mother of Divine love, Mother of Jesus, turn thine eyes of mercy towards me. O Mary Immaculate! Make my heart like unto thine, then I shall be able to see Jesus, and from seeing Him, to know and love Him. Mother, I have need of thee. Give me to Jesus!
'Mary Magdalene washes the feet of Jesus' by Bida.
II
DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT OF JUDAS
“Where a man seeketh himself, there he falleth from love”
Note the behaviour of Judas. His conduct on this occasion forms an unworthy, nay a disgraceful contrast to Mary's. The love and religious veneration shown by her to our Lord annoys him, he considers it unfounded and excessive.
It is nothing but hypocrisy, when he says that the ointment would have procured alms for the poor --- “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” “Now, he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the purse, carried the things that were put therein.” (John xii. 5-6). Judas' words were prompted by a low, mean disposition, indifference, unbelief, and aversion to our Saviour; he murmurs, reproves, and calls it senseless waste: “To what purpose was this waste?” (Matt.xvi. 8). It was pure covetousness and a desire of theft. Judas kept the money given to our Lord and His disciples for the poor, and stole from the bag; he only wished Mary had given the price of the ointment, because he might have kept a part or the whole of it for himself. Judas makes himself the mouthpiece of discontent, and disguises his ill-humour under a hypocritical semblance of charity. Mercenary, covetous, crafty, coarse, and selfish, his heart had remained impervious to the teachings and the influence of Jesus; all the holiness and love of Jesus had not altered him--- he hardened his heart against grace and remained unsubdued by the goodness of God.
Our Lord cannot bear anyone to be unjustly accused, and now He takes Magdalene's part: “Let her alone,” He says, “she has wrought a good work upon Me. For the poor you have always with you; but Me you have not always She is come beforehand to anoint My body for the burial.” Did Magdalene understand our Lord's words? It is certain she did not. For she and the other holy women went to the Tomb in order to anoint the body of Jesus. Did she know that the Sacred body of our Lord would be dead before the fragrance of her spikenard had left it? A penitent like Mary gets very near the Sacred Heart --- “Blessed is he, who,” like her, “knows what it is to love Jesus, and to despise himself for the love of Jesus,”
Picture to yourself our Lord's feelings as Judas uttered these words:
“Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” See the indignation of Peter, John, and the other disciples, as they hear the words of Judas. What would I have felt had I had been present, and known and loved our Lord as these faithful, devoted servants loved Him? What would I have done?
I do well to ask, have I ever acted in a like disloyal manner towards my Divine Master? What atonement have I made--- what loving reparation for my insincerity in His service? What ought I to do? What have I to say to Him now?
Colloquy. --- O my dear Lord, how often I have been disloyal and most ungrateful to Thee. Have pity on me, my Jesus, pardon the past. Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me Thy true and devoted servant --- that is my one desire. O Jesus, Master, kindle in my heart the fire which Thou camest to cast on earth, that I may love Thee more ardently, that I may be more perfectly conformed to Thee, that I may follow Thee more closely.
O Mother of Jesus, I implore of thee to cover me with the mantle of thy Immaculate purity, that so I may be able to love thy Divine Son more absolutely.
Renew me wholly, I entreat thee, my dear Mother; help me to get rid of my slothful, ungenerous, cowardly spirit; win for me, O my Mother, a fulness of the Holy Spirit, that He may cleanse my heart, and inflame it with an ever-increasing, an ever-glowing love --- ever cheerful --- a love that will never suffer me to grow sluggish; but urge me on strongly and gently to a more perfect imitation of thyself, who art the Mother of divine love, and my own dear Mother too. O Mother, be propitious to me --- give me Jesus.
Enlighten me, O good Jesus, with the brightness of eternal light, and cast out all darkness from the dwelling of my heart. Lift up my heart to Thee, and suffer me not to wander from Thee. Be Thou, my Jesus, my Blessed Lord and Master; be Thou alone pleasing to me, henceforth for evermore. Turn into bitterness for me all carnal consolation; make me, Lord Jesus, a true and loyal servant --- ready to suffer and die for Thee.
III
GRATITUDE OF JESUS
“ I know Mine and Mine know me”
Notice the gratitude of the Heart of Jesus. A little box of ointment poured on His feet earns for the donor a commemoration of her gift wherever the Gospel shall be preached in the whole world --- “Amen I say to you, wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done shall be told for a memory of her” (Matt.xxvi. 13)
And not only this: it obtains for her also many graces on earth and great glory in Heaven. There is no-one so grateful as Jesus Christ; no-one who will reward with such divine generosity everything done from love of Him. Nothing will be forgotten, nothing is too small to be noticed and richly recompensed by Him --- our dear Lord!
Let me watch and try to understand our Lord's love for souls wholly devoted to Him.
First, Jesus takes Mary's part against Judas: “Let her alone, why do you molest her?” (John xii. 7) “Our God is a faithful God” --- He will always stand by those who are devoted to Him. I have nothing to fear from my enemies --- the devil, the world, or my own evil inclinations, if I am devoted to Him like Mary.
Secondly, Jesus expressly declares that she has wrought a good work upon Him, and proves it by refuting the objection made on behalf of the poor --- “The poor you have always with you; but Me you have not always.” Jesus is poor and stands far above all other poor; indeed, it is only for His sake that people do good to them, and now it is the very time to perform good works for Him, since He is about to go away, whilst the poor never leave us. Jesus develops from this last thought a very touching motive to account for Mary's action in His regard. She has anointed Him for His burial as the Evangelists, St Mathew and St Mark, plainly tell us.
It appears that Mary did not know the deep meaning of this anointing beforehand. At all events her loving heart in this matter obeyed the inspiration of Providence.
The manner in which Mary and Judas are represented in this incident affords us matter for deep thought and earnest consideration. How different, how entirely opposite, are the paths they tread! Where did they both begin and where do they end?
Judas, the Apostle, chosen friend and companion of Jesus --- now an unbeliever, a thief, and a traitor. Magdalen, a poor sinner notorious for her evil life, now the generous disciple of Jesus, glowing with love for Him! Alas, how often it happens that while some rise from the lowest depth to holiness, others fall from Heaven to hell! How great reason we all have to dread and distrust our own inconstant nature, and to strive earnestly to keep close to our Lord and our Immaculate Mother. See how gently, calmly, and with what moderation Jesus defends His own cause and Mary's against this base man and his reproach.
What did Judas deserve? Yet how quietly and tenderly Jesus speaks! Calvary and the sepulchre are ever present to Him, and yet how patient, how loving, how large-hearted Jesus is in His dealings with the traitor! Oh tender, compassionate Heart of Jesus, make my heart like to Thine! What precious lessons Jesus, my Divine Master, here gives me.
Colloquy--- What have I to say to our Lord? What would I have said and done had I been present? Let me offer Jesus all the love and sympathy of my heart and beg courage, strength of will, and fidelity to Him, under all circumstances, till death. Remember, love is proved by deeds. How true a friend Jesus is to His own! Shall I not, like Magdalene, be true to Him --- give of my best; give fearlessly and from purest love?
Ask this grace from the loving heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary ---- “Mother, I have need of thee!”
(to be continued)
(from 'Meditation on the Passion' compiled from various sources by Rev Reginald Walsh O.P. and published by Burns, Oates, and Washbourne, London, 1922)
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