Even as a dying father’s last words are indelibly imprinted on his children’s memory as a precious legacy, so ought we to observe and take to heart the words which our Lord spoke on the Cross. His first word thus uttered was one of intercession for His deadly enemies. Robbed of His liberty of action, and nailed to the Cross, it might have
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Fig. 91. Golgotha in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
(Phot. Bruno Hentschel, Leipzig.)
been thought that He was powerless to do anything more for His people. His Hands, which had distributed benefits, are made fast to the Cross; His Feet, which went about so untiringly in search of sinners, can move no more; His Head is incapable of further movement, being bowed
Jesus, and led them on step by step, until, literally, they did not know what they did. Their ignorance was, indeed, their own fault, but, such as it was, love used it as a plea for mercy” (Schegg). It was at any rate an excuse for the common people, that they were misguided by their authorized leaders.
