es might have to
suffer torments such as he was about to endure, and be tempted to
impatience or anger.

The enemies of our Lord did not allow him a moment's respite, even in
this dreary prison, but tied him to a pillar which stood in the centre,
and would not allow him to lean upon it, although he was so exhausted
from ill treatment, the weight of his chains, and his numerous falls,
that he could scarcely support himself on his swollen and torn feet.
Never for a moment did they cease insulting him; and when the first set
were tired out, others replaced them.

It is quite impossible to describe all that the Holy of Holies
suffered from these heartless beings; for the sight affected me so
excessively that I became really ill, and I felt as if I could not
survive it. We ought, indeed, to be ashamed of that weakness and
susceptibility which renders us unable to listen composedly to the
descriptions, or speak without repugnance, of those sufferings which
our Lord endured so calmly and patiently for our salvation. The horror
we feel is as great as that of a murderer who is forced to place his
hands upon the wound he himself has inflicted on his victim. Jesus
endured all without opening his mouth; and it was man, sinful man, who
perpetrated all these outrages against one who was at once their
Brother, their Redeemer, and their God. I, too, am a great sinner, and
my sins cause these sufferings. At the day of judgment, when the most
hidden things will be manifested, we shall see the share we have had in
the torments endured by the Son of God; we shall see how far we have
caused them by the sins we so frequently commit, and which are, in
fact, a species of consent which we give to, and a participation in,
the tortures which were inflicted on Jesus by his cruel enemies. If,
alas! we reflected seriously on this, we should repeat with much
greater fervour the words which we find so often in prayer books: 'Lord,
grant that I may die, rather than ever wilfully offend thee again by
sin.'

Jesus continued to pray for his enemies, and they being at last
tired out left him in peace for a short time, when he leaned against
the pillar to rest, and a bright light shone around him. The day was
beginning to dawn,--the day of his Passion, of our Redemption,--and a faint
ray penetrating the narrow vent-hole of the prison, fell upon the holy
and immaculate Lamb, who had taken upon himself the sins of the world.
Jesus turned towards the ray o