be a soul who believes this, O my Jesus, and yet loves Thee not?
IV.
He hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood. [1] Behold, O men, how far the love of Jesus for us has carried him, in order to cleanse us from the filthiness of our sins. He has even shed every drop of his blood that he might prepare for us in this his own blood a bath of salvation : “ He offers his own blood,” says a learned writer, “speaking better than the blood of Abel: for that cried for justice; the blood of Christ for mercy.”
Whereupon St. Bonaventure exclaims, “O good Jesus, what hast Thou done?” O my Saviour, what indeed hast Thou done? How far hath Thy love carried Thee? What hast Thou seen in me which hath made Thee love me so much? “ Wherefore hast Thou loved me so much? Why, Lord, why? What am I?” Wherefore didst Thou choose to suffer so much tor me? Who am I that Thou wouldst win to Thyself my love at so dear a price? Oh, it was entirely the work of Thy infinite love! Be Thou eternally praised and blessed for it.
O all ye that pass by the way, attend and see if there be any sorrow like to My sorrow. [2] The same seraphic Doctor, considering these words of Jeremias as spoken of our blessed Redeemer while he was hanging on the cross
