well
acquainted with this man, for at the last Pasch, at Bethania, it had
been he who prepared the meal for Jesus, and this is why St. Matthew
says: a certain man. They were to follow him home, and say to him: the
Master saith, My time is near at hand, with thee I make the Pasch with
my disciples (Matt. 26:18). They were than to be shown the supper-room,
and make all necessary preparations.

I saw the Apostles ascending towards Jerusalem, along a ravine, to
the south of the Temple, and in the direction of the north side of
Sion. On the southern side of the mountain on which the Temple stood,
there were some rows of houses; and they walked opposite these houses,
following the stream of an intervening torrent. When they had reached
the summit of Mount Sion, which is higher than the mountain of the
Temple, they turned their steps towards the south, and, just at the
beginning of a small ascent, met the man who had been named to them;
they followed and spoke to him as Jesus had commanded. He was much
gratified by their words, and answered, that a supper had already been
ordered to be prepared at his house (probably by Nicodemus), but that
he had not been aware for whom, and was delighted to learn that it was
for Jesus. This man's name was Heli, and he was the brother-in-law of
Zachary of Hebron, in whose house Jesus had in the preceding year
announced the death of John the Baptist. He had only one son, who was a
Levite, and a friend of St. Luke, before the latter was called by our
Lord, and five daughters, all of whom were unmarried. He went up every
year with his servants for the festival of the Pasch, hired a room and
prepared the Pasch for persons who had no friend in the town to lodge
with. This year he had hired a supper-room which belonged to Nicodemus
and Joseph of Arimathea. He showed the two Apostles its position and
interior arrangement.

MEDITATION II.

The Supper-Room.

On the southern side of Mount Sion, not far from the ruined Castle
of David, and the market held on the ascent leading to that Castle,
there stood, towards the east, an ancient and solid building, between
rows of thick trees, in the midst of a spacious court surrounded by
strong walls. To the right and left of the entrance, other buildings
were to be seen adjoining the wall, particularly to the right, where
stood the dwelling of the major-domo, and close to it the house in
which the Blessed Virgin and the holy women spent most of their