Revelations of St. Bridget/Chapter 16. The Passion of our Lord
CHAPTER XVI.
THE PASSION OF OUR LORD.
The Blessed Virgin speaks.
At that time, my Son was suffering, and as Judas the traitor approached, he stooped towards him, for Judas was of low stature, giving him a kiss, saying: “Friend, wherefore hast thou come?” And immediately some seized him, others dragged him by the hair, others defiled him by spitting upon him. Then my Son spoke, saying: “I am reputed as a worm, which lies in winter as if dead, on which the passer-by spits and tramples. The Jews have this day treated me like a worm, because I was deemed most abject and unworthy by them.” — Lib. iv., c. 99.
When the time of my Son’s Passion arrived, his enemies seized him, striking him on his cheek and neck; and spitting upon him, they mocked him. Then, led to the pillar, he stripped himself, and himself stretched his hands to the pillar, which his enemies pitiless bound. Now, while tied there he had no clothing, but stood as he was born, and suffered the shame of his nakedness. Then his enemies rose up, for they stood on all sides, his friends having fled, and they scourged his body, pure from all spot or sin. At the first blow, I, who stood nearest, fell as if dead, and on recovering my senses, I beheld his body bruised and beaten to the very ribs, so that his ribs could be seen; and what was still more bitter, when the scourge was raised, his very flesh was furrowed by the thongs. And when my Son stood thus, all bloody, all torn, so that no soundness could be found in him, nor any spot to scourge, then one, his spirit roused within him, asked: "Will you slay him thus unjudged ?” and he immediately cut his bonds. Then my Son put on his clothes, and I beheld the spot where my Son’s feet stood all full of blood, and I knew my Son’s course by his footprints, for wherever he went, the earth seemed stained with blood; nor did they suffer him to clothe himself, but they compelled and urged him to hasten.
Now, as my Son was led away like a robber, he wiped away the blood from his eyes. And when he was condemned, they gave him his cross to bear. When he had carried it a short way, one came up and assumed it. Meanwhile, as my Son was going to the place of his Passion, some smote him on the back, others struck him in the face. And so violently and rudely was he struck, that though I did not see the person striking, I distinctly heard the sound of the blow. And when I came with him to the place of the Passion, I there beheld all the instruments prepared for his death. And my Son himself coming thither, divested himself of his clothes, the attendants saying to each other: “ These vestments are ours, nor can he have them again, that is condemned to death.” Now, while my Son stood as naked as when he was born, one running up, handed him a doth, with which, exulting inwardly, he covered him. Then his cruel executioners seized him, and stretched him on the cross. First they fixed his right hand to the beam, which was pierced for nails, and they transfixed his hand in the part where the bone was firmest. Then drawing his other hand with a T.ope, they affixed it in like manner to the cross. Then they crucified his right foot, and over it the left, with two nails, so that all the nerves and veins were extended and broken. This done, they fitted a crown of thorns to his head, which so acutely wounded the venerable head of my Son, that his eyes were filled, his ears stopped up, with the blood that streamed down, and his whole beard matted with the gore. And as he stood thus pierced and bloody, condoling with me as I stood mourning, he looked with blood-stained eyes to John, my kinsman, and commended me to him. At that time, I heard some saying that my Son was a robber, others that he was a liar, others that none better deserved death than my Son, and these words renewed my grief. But, as has been said, when the first nail was driven into him, horrified at the first blow, I fell as though dead, my eyes darkened, my hands trembling, my feet quivering, nor for bitterness could I look again before be was nailed fast. On rising, I beheld my Son hanging miserably, and I, his most wretched mother, filled with terror on all sides, could scarcely stand for grief. But my Son, seeing me and his friends weeping disconsolately, in a loud and tearful voice cried out to his Father, saying: “ Father, why hast thou forsaken me ?” Then his eyes appeared half dead, his cheeks hollow, and his countenance mournful, his mouth open and his tongue bloodstained, his body collapsed as though he had nothing within, the humors being all drained; his whole body, pale and languid from the loss and flow of blood. His hands and feet were stretched out most rigidly, drawn and shaped to the form of the cross, his beard and hair all clotted with blood. Now when my Son was thus torn and livid, his heart alone was vigorous, it being naturally very good and strong; for at his birth he assumed a most pure body of my flesh, and an excellent constitution. His skin was so tender and fair, that it could not be slightly struck without blood issuing at once. His blood was so fresh, that it could be seen in his clear skin; and as he was of an excellent temperament, life struggled with death in his pierced body. For sometimes the pain mounted from his pierced limbs and nerves to his heart, which was very vigorous and uncorrupted, and thus tortured him with incredible pain and suffering. And sometimes the pain shot from his heart to his lacerated members, and thus prolonged death with bitterness. And when my Son, surrounded with these pains, looked to his weeping friends, who would have preferred with his assistance to bear that penalty in their own persons, or to burn forever in hell, rather than see him thus tortured, this' pain, from the grief of his friends, exceeded all bitterness and tribulation, which he endured either in body or in heart, because he loved them tenderly. Then in his great anguish of body, he cried in his humanity to his Father: “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” When I, his most afflicted mother, heard these words, all my limbs trembled in my bitter grief of heart. And as often as I thought of this word, it was present and fresh in my ears. And as death came on, when his heart was breaking from excessive pain, then all his members quivered, and his head, rising slightly, inclined. His mouth was seen to open, disclosing his tongue all covered with blood. His hands shrunk a little from the holes of the nails, and the feet bore more of the weight of the body. His fingers and arms extended in a manner, and his back was pressed back on the cross. Then some said to me: “ Mary, thy Son is dead.” Others said: “ He is dead, but he will rise again.” While all were thus speaking, one came up and drove his lance so stoutly into his one side, that it almost came out on the other; and when he drew out the lance, its point was all ruddy with blood. Then it seemed to me as if my heart was pierced, when I beheld the heart of my most beloved Son pierced through. Then he was taken down from the cross, and I received him into my bosom, like a leper, and all livid, for his eyes were dead and full of blood; his mouth cold as snow; his beard like cords; his face contracted. His hands were so stiffened, that they could not be raised above the navel. As he stood on the cross, so I held him in my arms, like a man contracted in every limb. Then they swathed him in clean linen, and I with my veil wiped his wounds and limbs, and I closed his eyes and mouth, which were open in death. Then they laid him in the sepulchre. Oh, how readily would I have laid myself there alive beside my Son, had it been his will! When all was over, John the good came and led me home. See, my daughter, what my Son endured for thee. — Lib. i., c. 10.