Meditations on the Life and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Meditations on the Life and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ [Johannes Tauler] on leondumoulin.nl *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. This is a pre
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Who shall separate me from the charity of Christ? It is sin and sin only that can separate me from Thee. But I hope in the blood Thou hast shed for me, that Thou wilt never again allow me to separate myself from Thy love, and lose Thy grace, which I value more than all else in this world. I give my whole self to Thee. The charity of Christ presseth us. Francis de Sales' explanation of these words: On His bosom I will live and die; neither death nor life shall ever separate me from Him.

It was for this purpose, says St. Paul, that Jesus Christ died, that each one of us should no longer live for the world, nor for himself; but only for Him Who hath given Himself entirely to us: And Christ died for all: This is to live for Jesus Christ; and this is what He claims from each one of us. I ask again, does He claim too much from us, seeing that He has given us His blood and His life? O my God, how is it then that we use our hearts to love creatures, relations, friends, the great ones of the world, who have suffered for us neither scourges, nor thorns, nor nails, nor have they shed for us one drop of blood.

Why not use our hearts to love a God who came down from heaven and became man and shed all His blood for us under the pressure of torments, and finally died of grief on the Cross, to win to Himself the love of these very hearts? And this is not all.

Meditations on the life and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Besides dying for us, He, in order to unite Himself more closely to us, left Himself on our altars, where He makes Himself one with us, that thereby we may understand how ardent is the love which He bears us. John Chrysostom, 'that we may be one with Him; for this is the desire of those who ardently love. Francis de Sales speaking of Holy Communion, adds: But how comes it, O my Lord, that having received from Thee so many proofs of the most tender love, I should, nevertheless, have had the heart to despise Thee?

And with this Thou dost justly reproach me: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have despised me. How could I have turned my back upon Thee to follow the bent of my wicked inclinations? How could I have driven Thee from my soul? The wicked have said to God: How could I have afflicted Thy heart which loved me so much? But what am I now to do? Must I cease to hope in Thy mercy? O my Saviour, would that I had died a thousand times rather than that I had over offended Thee! O Lamb of God! Thou didst bleed to death on the Cross to wash away our sins.

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O my Jesus, have pity on me and pardon me; but Thou knowest my weakness, take then my whole will that it may never more rebel against Thee. Drive out of my heart all love which is not for Thee.

Meditations on the Life and Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. - Christian Classics Ethereal Library

The God of my heart, and the God that is my portion forever. In thy hands I place my salvation. Oh, stupendous sight for heaven and for earth of mercy and of love! To behold the Son of God die through pain on an infamous gibbet, condemned as a malefactor to so painful and shameful a death in order to save sinful men from the punishment which they had merited! This sight has been and ever will be the contemplation of the saints; it has led them to renounce willingly all the goods of this earth, and to embrace, with heroic courage, sufferings and death in order to make themselves pleasing to a God who died for their love.

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The sight of Jesus so despised in having been placed between two thieves has made them love contempt more than worldlings have loved the honours of the world. Beholding Jesus covered with wounds on the Cross, they have turned away with horror from the pleasures of sense, and afflicted their bodies in order to unite their sufferings to the sufferings of Him Who was crucified for them. In contemplating the patience with which our Saviour died, they have accepted with joy the most painful forms of illness and the most cruel torments of tyrants.

Finally, from beholding the love of Jesus Christ shown in the willing sacrifice which He made of His life for us in a sea of sufferings, they have sacrificed to Him all that they had- property, children, and even life itself. Paul, speaking of the love which the Eternal Father bore us, when He saw us dead through sin and willed to restore us to life by sending His own Son to die for us, calls this too great a love: But God who is rich in mercy , for His exceeding charity wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ.

In like manner we ought to call the love wherewith Jesus willed to die for us too great a love. Hence, the same Apostle writes: We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumbling- block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness. The death of Jesus on the Cross, according to St. Paul, appeared a stumbling- block to the Jews, because they expected Him to appear on earth full of worldly majesty, and not as one condemned to die as a criminal on the Cross. On the other hand, it seemed to the Gentiles folly that God should be willing to die, and such a death, for His creatures.

Laurence Justinian has daringly explained: And in truth, does it not seem folly that God who is Almighty and infinitely happy in Himself should be willing of His own accord to be scourged, treated as a mock king, buffeted, spat upon in the face, condemned as a malefactor, abandoned by all and left to die on a Cross of shame to save miserable worms He Himself had created? Considering these things, the enamoured St.

Francis, as he went through the country, wept and exclaimed, ' Love is not loved! Love is not loved! Bonaventure said that he who wishes to persevere in loving Jesus Christ should ever represent to himself his divine Lord hanging on the Cross and dying for him: Souls full of God's love, when hard pressed by temptations of the devil, and by fears for their eternal salvation, derive great comfort from considering in silence, and all alone, Jesus hanging on the Cross and shedding blood from all His wounds.


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At the sight of Jesus crucified all desire of the goods of this world leaves us, and there comes from this Cross a breath of heavenly air which causes us to forget the things of earth, and enkindles within us a desire to quit all in order to use the affections of our hearts only to love that Lord Who was pleased to die for love of us. Isaias foretold that our Redeemer would be a man of sorrows: And we have seen Him.

If, then, you wish to behold this man of sorrows, foretold by Isaias, look at Jesus dying on the Cross: Wherever He turns He finds no relief; His sufferings increase more and more till at last they deprive Him of life: Pardon me, my Lord, first of all, this great sin, to have lived so many years without loving Thee. O my dear Saviour, death fills me with fear, thinking that it is then I shall have to give an account of all the offences I have committed against Thee; but the blood which I see flowing from Thy wounds gives me hope of Thy pardon, and hope that Thou wilt at the same time give me grace to love Thee for the future with my whole heart, and this in virtue of the merit which Thou hast acquired with so much suffering.

I give myself entirely to Thee; I do not wish to be any longer my own; I wish to do and to suffer all that pleases Thee. Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. These words, uttered by Jesus on the Cross when on the point of expiring, bring much comfort to the dying in their last combat with hell, when about to pass into eternity. O my beloved Jesus! I do not wish to wait till the hour of my death to recommend my soul to Thee; from this very moment I recommend my soul to Thee.

By the precious blood which Thou hast shed for me, permit not that my soul be ever separated from Thee. Henceforth I desire to be Thine, all Thine, without reserve. Wretch that I am, how often have I not renounced Thy grace, and by my own acts condemned myself to hell! What would have become of me if Thou hadst not chosen to die for me?

Would that I could die of grief as often as I think of my conduct in having despised Thy infinite goodness. But never shall this be again; from this day forward, aided by Thy grace, I leave everything; it is enough for me to be united to Thee, my God and my all! O men, O men! Behold Him on the Cross sacrificing Himself by death to atone for your sins, and to win your affections. I do not wish to live any longer ungrateful for such goodness. O wounds of Jesus!

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O blood of Jesus! O death of Jesus! Behold, finally, how our Saviour on the Cross, weighed down with sorrow and pain, bows His head and dies; And bowing His bead, He gave up the ghost. I, a wretched creature, have dishonoured Thee by my wicked life; but Jesus Christ in making satisfaction for me by His death, has fully restored Thy honour.

O Jesus, my Saviour, I see Thee now dead on the Cross; Thou no longer speakest; Thou breathest no more, because Thou art dead; having willed to lose Thy life to save our souls. There is no longer any blood in Thy veins, because Thou hast shed it all to wash away our sins. In a word, Thou hast given Thyself up to death through love for us: He hath loved us, and hath delivered Himself for us. Francis de Sales, 'throw ourselves upon Him to die with Him on that Cross on which He willed to die for love of us.

I will hold Him, we ought to say, and I will never let Him go; I will die with Him, and be set on fire by the flames of His love. One and the same fire shall consume the Divine Creator and His miserable creature. My Jesus is all mine, and I am all His. I will live and die pressed to His bosom; neither death nor life shall ever separate me from Him. Yes, my sweet Redeemer, I embrace with tenderness Thy pierced feet, and, full of confidence in seeing Thee dead for love of me, and I love Thee with my whole soul.

At the foot of Thy Cross, I give to Thee, and leave to Thee, my heart and my will; nail Thou, Thyself, my heart to this Cross, so that it may never be separated from Thee, and may have no other desire than to please Thee. We read in the Gospel of St.


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    8. John, that our divine Saviour, in order to make known to His disciples the death He was to suffer on the Cross, said to them: And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself. Now this He said, signifying what death He should die.

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    And, in effect, by showing Himself thus crucified and dead on the Cross, how many souls has not Jesus drawn to Himself, so that they have abandoned all and have given themselves entirely to His love. O my Lord, Thou knowest my weakness and the offences which I have committed against Thee. Take possession of all my affections, so that I may occupy myself only with what pleases Thee, my God, most worthy of all in love.

    Hear me, O Jesus! Leo tells us that he who looks with confidence on Jesus dead on the Cross is healed of the wounds inflicted by his sins: This is why every Christian should constantly keep before his eyes Jesus crucified, and say with St. I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

    From which words it is clear that the Apostle did not desire any other knowledge in this world than that of knowing how to love Jesus crucified. My beloved Saviour, to obtain for me a good death Thou hast chosen one so full of suffering and desolation! I cast myself unreservedly into the arms of Thy mercy. Thou hast called me to penance, and, I hope, hast pardoned me; but if, through my own fault, Thou hast not yet pardoned.

    I repent, O my Jesus! Give me Thy grace; but this is not enough, give me as well strength to love Thee with my whole soul during the remainder of my life; and when I come to die, grant me the grace to expire burning with love for Thee, and saying: From this moment I unite my death to Thy holy death, through which I hope to be saved: In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; let me never be confounded. O great Mother of God! In thee, O Lady, have I hoped; I shall not be confounded for ever. Devout souls, when the devil strives to make you distrustful about your salvation by recalling your past sins, lift up your eyes to Jesus dead on the Cross to deliver you from eternal death.

    Since God has made known to you by means of your holy faith the desire He has of your salvation having sacrificed His life for you, if only you are resolved to love Him truly the rest of your lives, cost what it may be on your guard against any weakness in your confidence in His mercy. Having given us so many proofs of His love, and of His desire to save us, it would be an offence offered to God if we did not trust Him fully and place all our confidence in His goodness. Full of holy confidence, therefore, let us hope for every good from the hands of a God so liberal and so loving; and at the same time let us give ourselves to Him without reserve, let us say: O Eternal God, We are indeed sinners; but Thou, Who art Almighty, canst make us saints; grant that for the time to come we may omit nothing which we know to be for Thy glory, and that we may in all things labour to give Thee pleasure.

    Grant that we may spend the rest of our days in pleasing Thee alone. Punish us as Thou wilt for our past sins, but not with the chastisement of not being able to love Thee; deprive us of all, but not of Thyself. Thou hast loved us without reserve, without reserve also do we wish to love Thee, O infinite Love! O Mary, ever Virgin, draw us wholly to God; thou canst do so; do it for the love which thou bearest to Jesus.

    Let us finish this little book with the prayer of St. Learn how your comment data is processed. Skip to content Fridays: St John Chrysostom wrote: Furthermore, the rewards of doing so are numerous: We need to get to know Our Lord more and deal with Him frequently, meditating on His Sacred Humanity, not only to assimilate his life and teachings, but above all to grow in our intimacy and love with Him. It leads us to be thankful and indebted to Our Lord for all the He has done for us.

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