in the
ranks of the clergy. While teaching at Cologne he suddenly lost his
memory, probably as a result of his excessive studies. He died
November 15th, 1280. He was placed on the calendar of saints in
1615. His works, collected by Peter Jammy, and published at Lyons in
1651, make twenty-one volumes, folio.

THE MEANING OF THE CRUCIFIXION

It was surrounded by the thick wreath of thorns even to the tender
brain. Whence in the Prophet,--the people hath surrounded me with
the thorns of sin. And why was this, save that thine own head might
not suffer--thine own conscience might not be wounded? His eyes
grew dark in death; and those lights, which give light to the world,
were for a time extinguished. And when they were clouded, there was
darkness over all the earth, and with them the two great lights of
the firmament were moved, to the end that thine eyes might be turned
away, lest they should behold vanity; or, if they chance to behold
it, might for his sake condemn it. Those ears, which in heaven
unceasingly hear "Holy, Holy, Holy," vouchsafed on earth to be
filled with: "Thou hast a devil,--Crucify him, Crucify him!" to
the intent that thine ears might not be deaf to the cry of the poor,
nor, open to idle tales, should readily receive the poison of
detraction or of adulation. That fair face of him that was fairer
than the children of men, yea, than thousands of angels, was
bedaubed with spitting, afflicted with blows, given up to mockery,
to the end that thy face might be enlightened, and, being
enlightened, might be strengthened, so that it might be said of
thee, "His countenance is no more changed." That mouth, which
teaches angels and instructs men "which spake and it was done," was
fed with gall and vinegar, that thy mouth might speak the truth, and
might be opened to the praise of the Lord; and it was silent, lest
thou shouldst lightly lend thy tongue to the expression of anger.

Those hands, which stretched abroad the heavens, were stretched out
on the cross and pierced with most bitter nails; as saith Isaiah, "I
have stretched forth my hands all the day to an unbelieving people."
And David, "They pierced my hands and my feet; I may tell all my
bones." And Saint Jerome says, "We may, in the stretching forth of
his hands, understand the liberality of the giver, who denieth
nothing to them that ask lovingly; who restored health to the leper
that requested it of him; enlightened him that was blind fro