the walls with drapery, cleared the higher openings
in the sides, and put up three lamps. Peter and John then went to the
Valley of Josaphat, and summoned our Lord and the twelve Apostles. The
disciples and friends who were also to make their Pasch in the
supperroom, came later.

MEDITATION VI.

The Last Pasch.

Jesus and his disciples ate the Paschal Lamb in the supper-room.
They divided into three groups. Jesus ate the Paschal Lamb with the
twelve Apostles in the supper-room, properly so called; Nathaniel with
twelve other disciples in one of the lateral rooms, and Eliacim (the
son of Cleophas and Mary, the daughter of Heli), who had been a
disciple of John the Baptist, with twelve more, in another side-room.

Three lambs were immolated for them in the Temple, but there was a
fourth lamb which was immolated in the supper-room, and was the one
eaten by Jesus with his Apostles. Judas was not aware of this
circumstance, because being engaged in plotting his betrayal of our
Lord, he only returned a few moments before the repast, and after the
immolation of the lamb had taken place. Most touching was the scene of
the immolation of the lamb to be eaten by Jesus and his Apostles; it
took place in the vestibule of the supper-room. The Apostles and
disciples were present, singing the 118th Psalm. Jesus spoke of a new
period then beginning, and said that the sacrifice of Moses and the
figure of the Paschal Lamb were about to receive their accomplishment,
but that on this very account, the lamb was to be immolated in the same
manner as formerly in Egypt, and that they were really about to go
forth from the house of bondage.

The vessels and necessary instruments were prepared, and then the
attendants brought a beautiful little lamb, decorated with a crown,
which was sent to the Blessed Virgin in the room where she had remained
with the other holy women. The lamb was fastened with its back against
a board by a cord around its body, and reminded me of Jesus tied to the
pillar and scourged. The son of Simeon held the lamb's head; Jesus made a
slight incision in its neck with the point of a knife, which he then
gave to the son of Simeon, that he might complete killing it. Jesus
appeared to inflict the wound with a feeling of repugnance, and he was
quick in his movements, although his countenance was grave, and his
manner such as to inspire respect. The blood flowed into a basin, and
the attendants brought a branch of hys