THE FORTY-FIFTH CHAPTER.

The Sun is darkened.

Nowom the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour, which with us is the twelfth hour, when the sun is highest. But now the sun hath withdrawn his light, and hath put upon him his mourning garment, in order to show, as best he could, his sorrow and compassion for his Maker, Who was at that moment girt about with such anguish and torments; as if the Father, Whose nature cannot suffer, nor have sorrow, nor weep, had given command to His creature to mourn in His stead, and to perform the funeral offices of His Son, and to be the companion of the spotless Virgin in her sorrow, who then alone wept for Christ’s Passion. Peradventure, she was even then complaining gently to the Father in this wise: “O most loving Father, am I alone His Mother? Art not Thou the Eternal Father of Thy Son, Who hangeth here in such pitiable affliction? Why dost Thou suffer me to weep alone, and to suffer this intolerable sorrow, which, of a certainty, is not due to me alone? Hast not Thou 362long before borne witness, that this is Thy beloved Son, in Whom Thou art well pleased? Where are now the signs of Thy love to Him? He hangeth here, not as the Son of God, not as the Son of the King, not as the friend of God, not even as some poor servant of God, but as a transgressor, guilty of death, forsaken, and humbled by God. Hast Thou, then, forsaken Him Whom the disciples have forsaken? What hath He done against Thee, that Thou shouldst deliver Him to His enemies? Is it because Thou art the Lord Almighty, and heedest nothing, that Thou art touched by no pity for Him in His affliction? Because Thou art a spirit, canst Thou not feel? Because Thou dwellest in heaven, hast Thou no concern for what is done on earth? Because Thou art in glory, dost Thou not behold and regard the contempt, and the wrong, and the reproach, and the affliction, and the dreadful death of Thy only-begotten Son? Dost Thou not see, O most just Judge, how the malice of the Jews rageth madly against Thy beloved Son, Who suffereth Himself, like an innocent lamb, to be torn, and wounded, and crucified, and slain, and His precious Blood to be poured out like water? Vouchsafe, O loving Father, to be touched with pity and compassion for this Thy wretched Son, for Thy nature is goodness, and Thy property is ever to 363have mercy, above all, on those who are wretched, and oppressed, and who suffer wrong. Come, too, and help His sorrowing Mother, whom Thou seest in such agony, and alone with Thy Son treading His wine-press!”

Now to these complaints of Christ’s tender Mother, we may imagine the Father of heaven to have made answer in this or in like manner: “Make no complaint to Me, O My chosen daughter, that for a little while I have forsaken thee; for this I have done out of My goodness, for the increase of thy glory and merits, that thy affliction may be in harmony with My Son’s Passion, which He, with perfect resignation, must undergo even to the end. Think not that thy prayers, and groans, and tears, have not come up before Me. Know by what is happening whether I have compassion for My own Son or no. For although no sorrow, no affliction, can fall upon My nature, yet I will do through My creatures what My Godhead cannot do. Lo! I will stir up and move the whole world to sorrow, and to weep bitter tears for My Son, so that all creatures shall celebrate with thee the funeral of My Beloved Son. For all this world was made by Me, and as many creatures as live thereon obey and serve Me. Only these hardened sinners oppose Me, for I, Myself, have given them the faculty of free will. 364Thou, therefore, O sun, withdraw thy pleasant splendour, make the whole world sad, and become the companion of the blessed Virgin Mother in weeping for My Son. Thou, also, O Earth, tremble with horror at such great wickedness and cruelty, and at the crimes of the evil-minded men whom thou bearest on thy shoulders; be horrified at the wrong and contempt inflicted upon Me. Marvel at My patience, loving-kindness, and longsuffering, that I suffer these things so long; shake with fear, and acknowledge thyself unworthy to drink in the precious Blood of My Son. And you, ye hard rocks, chastise and reprove the hardheartedness of the Jews, and of all sinners, whom these fearful torments of My Son cannot soften, nor move their hearts to know Him, and receive My grace. O most cruel death, thou devourer of life, that hast not spared even My only Son. This malice shall fall back on thine own head; thou shalt be caught in the net which thou hast stretched out for My only One: of a truth, thou shalt be slain by Him Whom thou hopedst to swallow up. Unjust and wicked are thy judgments. Thou hast devoured My Son along with the sinners of earth, because He wore a garment of earth, and the likeness of a sinner, although He was without sin. Therefore shall His innocent death fall 365back upon thee; thy strength shall be broken, and thou shalt be cast down from thy lordship, because thou hast abused it against right and reason. It is sin thou oughtest to correct, not to oppress the Just One. But thou hast smitten the just and good one along with the wicked. Thou hast a zeal, indeed, for justice, but not according to knowledge and right reason. The vengeance, therefore, which thou hast wrongfully taken on My Son, shall deliver the whole human race from the punishment it deserves. And that thou mayest know that thou art conquered, and that through life all thy former power hath been taken away from thee, and that all thy dominion hath fallen back into nothing, give up now the dead, whom hitherto, for so many ages, thou hast held captive. For My Son, by the arms and power of His Cross, hath gotten Himself the victory, and obtained possession of them, and hath acquired the right to set them free.” Meanwhile, we may imagine what must have been this new sorrow of God’s Mother, when she saw the elements and senseless creatures give forth such signs of sorrow and compassion for her Son. How did her still recent tears, that had sprung from her former consolation, now begin to flow afresh in sweet and abundant streams, when she found that she had now so many companions in her sorrow!

Now the sun hid the brightness of his light, because Christ, the true Sun of Justice, had set over the whole world, and was hidden in darkness, and because the light of faith had failed above measure, save in the Virgin Mother, and in the thief, who confessed our Lord. The sun was also darkened, because he could not bear to look on the bitter passion, and contempt, and shame, and wrong, which those savage men were inflicting on their Maker.