CHRIST, YOUR CAPTAIN.

"Deliver me from my enemies, O my God! and defend me from those who rise up against me." (Ps. 58:2)

I.

Consider the words of holy Job: "The life of man upon earth is a warfare." (Job 7:1) We have continually to fight against three most stubborn enemies, which are ever plotting our destruction. These are the devil, the world, and the flesh. Christ, as we read in the Gospel of this day, condescended to be tempted by the devil, in order to show us by His own example, as our Leader and Commander, how we ought to conquer him. Hence David cries out, "Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands to fight, and my fingers to war." (Ps. 143:1)

II.

It is of infinite importance that we should not be overcome in this warfare, for we are fighting for eternity. Examine yourself most strictly, and discover in what points you are weak and defective, and on what occasions you are most frequently wounded. Rely on the defense and conduct of your Captain, who is to visit your soul today and "gird you with strength unto battle" (Ps. 17:40); although "armies in camp stand together against you, your heart need not fear." (Ps. 26:3)

III.

Soldiers are accustomed to take the military oath; so ought you to be sworn to your Captain. This duty you have once performed in Baptism by renouncing the devil and all his works and pomps. But how often have you deserted your colors! Surrender yourself again to your Captain, renew your oath, and promise an exact obedience for the future. Banish from your heart whatever you suspect may have treacherously leagued with his and your enemies, and say with the Psalmist, "Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God." (Ps. 142:9)

CHRIST MEETS JUDAS.

I.

Christ, having ended His prayer, said to His Disciples: "Rise, let us go; behold, he is at hand who will betray me. And as he yet spoke, behold Judas, one of the twelve, came." (Matt. 26:46) Mark the persevering diligence of the traitor in his bad design. The other Apostles had been asleep, and were scarcely roused at the third call of their Master. Judas, on the contrary, was upon the watch to betray him. How attentive are men to temporal affairs, and how careless in spiritual things! Deplore this miserable folly of mankind and of yourself. "Judas, one of the twelve, came." Oh, unheard-of ingratitude! He who had been so highly favored by his Master, appears at the head of His enemies to seize Him. Learn, hence, not to rely too much on gifts that have been received without desert. The more you have, the more will be required from you, and the greater cause you have to fear. "Howl, thou fir-tree, for the cedar is fallen." (Zech. 11:2) Have you not reason to fear, when an Apostle fell?

II.

"And with him [came] a great multitude with swords and clubs." (Matt. 26:47) Mark how this wicked rabble came armed with malice, and prepared to gain their evil object, in regard to Jesus. They were contriving means to seize him, but Judas told them: "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is He; hold Him." Then were verified the words of the Royal Prophet: "Many dogs have encompassed me; the council of the malignant hath besieged me." (Ps. 21:17)

III.

Christ did not fly, nor render Himself invisible, as He might easily have done, nor call down fire from heaven to consume His enemies, as did Elias, but from His desire of suffering for us, courageously went to meet them. "He was offered because it was His own will." (Isa. 53:7) Be grateful for His Passion, learn constancy in adversity, and do not avoid occasions of suffering for Christ, but meet them rather with courage and resolution, like your Divine Instructor.

JUDAS BETRAYS CHRIST.

I.

"And forthwith coming to Jesus, he said, Hail Rabbi, and he kissed Him." (Matt. 26:49) Reflect on the impudence of this treacherous disciple. He fawns upon his Master to destroy Him. Such precisely are the allurements of the world; they appear to be sincere embraces, but they are mingled with poison. They are darts that wound the soul. "His words are smoother than oil, and the same are darts." (Ps. 54:22) Alas, how many are there who carry the outward garb of devotion, and fondly fawn upon our Lord, whilst their minds are hypocritical and treacherous! How many deal in fair and honeyed words, whilst their hearts are filled with enmity, envy, jealousy, and rancor against their neighbor! Take care your character be different from these; do not embrace Christ in the Sacrament so treacherously as did His unworthy Apostle.

II.

Consider the admirable meekness and charity of Christ upon this occasion. He neither upbraided Judas, nor did He refuse to receive his embrace. He even spoke in a kind and friendly manner to him: "Friend, whereunto art thou come?" By these means, He endeavored to regain him. He styled him friend, in order to make him one; He asked him "why he came thither," to induce him to enter into himself and change his bad resolution, after haying understood the enormity of the crime, which he would commit by betraying his best Friend and Benefactor, his Master, his Lord and his God. Observe the kind and gentle means which Christ made use of to reclaim even Judas, and learn an important lesson from the example.

III.

Christ afterwards said to him: "Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?" (Luke 22:48) What heart, however obdurate, would not these words soften? Yet he is not moved. We justly condemn Judas for his hardness of heart, without reflecting that we are often guilty of the same crime, because we resist the inspirations of God, the remorse of conscience, or its voice, silently asking us: Will you, then, yield to the temptation, will you sin, will you offend God? The crime of the false Apostle was greatly aggravated by the fact of his making a kiss of peace the instrument of his perfidy. Your crimes are aggravated in the same manner, when you render the gifts of God instrumental to guilt and to your own perdition. Let not the misfortune of Judas be a vain warning to you.

CHRIST CASTS HIS ENEMIES TO THE GROUND.

I.

"Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that were to come upon Him," asked the soldier that came with Judas, "Whom seek ye? They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith to them, I am He." (John 18:4) These words cast them on the ground. This was an evident testimony of His divinity; for it showed them that they could not apprehend Him unless He pleased. Ponder the singular comfort contained in those words, "I am He," to the virtuous and just soul. They import: I am your Father, your Protector, and your Comforter, your Sanctification and Redemption. "Be of good heart, it is I; be not afraid." (Matt. 14:27) The wicked have reason to fear; for to them they are words full of indignation and terror, threatening punishment. If these words, now, struck such terror into His enemies, when it was, as He Himself said, "their hour and the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53), what terror will they not cause when it shall be His day, and the hour of exercising His power shall arrive?

II.

"As soon as He had said to them, I am He, they went backwards, and fell to the ground." (John 18:6) This is an emblem of obstinate and impenitent sinners, who fall without considering their misfortune. Beseech your Lord, that, should it be your misfortune to fall, you may immediately acknowledge it by humility and rise again by penance. St. Peter draws his sword, and cuts off the ear of Malchus, but Christ reprehended him for it, forbade all violence and resistance, and healed the servant's ear. Hence you should learn to return good for evil. "All that take the sword shall perish with the sword." (Matt. 26:52)

III.

Christ then said: "If, therefore, ye seek Me, let these go their way." (John 18:8) He forgot Himself, and was only solicitous for His Disciples. "Then they came up, and laid hands on Jesus, and held Him." (Matt. 26:50) Observe the rage and fury with which His enemies rush upon Him, beating and insulting Him in a most outrageous manner. Good God! What a spectacle! "He who sitteth upon the cherubim, is trodden under foot by the wicked." (Ps. 79:2; Heb. 10:29) In the same manner do all sinners act; for "they tread the Son of God under foot." Take care you do not imitate their example.

CHRIST IS BOUND AND HIS DISCIPLES FLY.

I.

"Then the band and the tribune and the servants of the Jews took Jesus and bound Him. (John 18:12) Observe the meekness with which Christ suffers His sacred hands and arms to be bound. He might, notwithstanding, if He had pleased, have as easily broken the bands asunder "as a man would break a thread of tow." (Judges 16:9) It was love alone that could cast fetters upon those hands, that framed the heavens and filled the earth with wonders. "He loved me and delivered Himself for me." (Gal. 2:20) Do you also permit yourself to be bound with the bands of charity and the tie of obedience, and whatever other obligations your state of life imposes upon you. "Put thy feet into her fetters," says the Wise Man of true wisdom, "and thy neck into her chains: bow down thy shoulder and bear her, and be not grieved with her bands." (Ecclus. 6:25-26)

II.

"Then His Disciples leaving Him, all fled away." (Mark 14:50) Think what a deep affliction it must have been to Christ, to see Himself thus abandoned by His dearest friends. Mark the instability of human nature. Christ frequently complains by His Prophets of this desertion: "Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me; they have set me an abomination to themselves. — I have trodden the wine press alone, and of the Gentiles there is not a man with me." (Ps. 87:9 and Isa. 63:3) This desertion, besides, was an act that reflected dishonor and reproach on His school, since it had produced such weak and timorous Disciples. But Christ was chiefly concerned for their want of faith, in which they all wavered. Take care that you do not leave Christ to suffer alone. Keep Him company, at least by affection and condolence. Submit, without repining, to the unmerited desertion of your friends.

III.

Blush for the weakness of human nature displayed in these Apostles. They left Him, although they had seen the numerous miracles which He had wrought, and had lately received the Holy Eucharist, while, in the fervor of his zeal, one had said: "Though I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee." (Matt. 26:35) No sooner were they assaulted by temptation than they all fled. Reflect how little reason you have to trust to yourself. "Son," says the Wise Man, "when thou comest to the service of God, stand in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation" (Ecclus. 2:1); and St. Paul commands us all "to work out our salvation with fear and trembling." (Phil. 2:12)

CHRIST IS LED TO ANNAS.

I.

"They led him away to Annas first." (John 18:13) Christ consented to be brought before all the tribunals of Jerusalem, to increase His ignominy. He was therefore first led to Annas, the president of the supreme council, because it was his duty to judge of doctrine. Mark with what clamor, ridicule, and disgrace Christ is conducted along the streets, everyone being occupied in annoying and insulting the captive. How different was His entrance into Jerusalem some days before, when the people exclaimed: "Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest." (Matt. 21:9) Learn from this example to contemn the inconstancy of worldly favor.

II.

Christ is brought as a criminal before the tribunal of this judge. The Creator stands accused before His creature; the eternal Wisdom of God is brought to the bar, to give an account of His Doctrine before an arrogant lawyer. Behold these insolent Doctors surrounding Him, all filled with the idea of their learning, and rejoicing, "as conquerors rejoice after taking a prey, when they divide the spoils"! (Isa. 9:3) Hear how they question Him regarding His Doctrine and His Disciples. Beseech your Lord to instruct you in those things which belong to your salvation, and never suffer you to pursue vain learning, which fills the soul with pride and desire of ostentation.

III.

Christ bears their reproaches in silence; but resolutely answers, when questioned concerning His Doctrine, because on this depended the salvation of many. "I have spoken openly to the world, I have always taught in the synagogue. Why askest thou me? Ask those who have heard what I have spoken to them." (John 18:20) Learn hence to stand resolute in defense of your faith and of truth, and to be silent in your own private injuries. Observe that He says nothing of His Disciples, because He could not commend them; for they were wavering in their faith, and He would not say anything to their discredit. Act in the same manner. Throw a veil over the faults of your neighbors, and hide them; never speak of them, except when some good end is to be obtained.

CHRIST RECEIVES A BLOW.

I.

"And when He had said these things, one of the officers standing by gave Jesus a blow." (John 18:22) Ponder here the general circumstances, who, to whom, and what. 1. Consider how severe was the blow, for it was given by an armed soldier. 2. How ignominious, since it was given before so large an assembly, and inflicted on the person of Him whose sanctity of life and miracles rendered Him an object of admiration and veneration to all mankind. 3. How unjust and injurious, for so just and prudent an answer. O amiable countenance of my Jesus, which the Angels desire so much to behold, how hast Thou been insulted for me! How have I insulted Thee myself by my repeated sins! From this time I will insult Thee no more.

II.

Consider the mildness and patience of our Lord. He is not moved to indignation; He does not revenge Himself, although He had it perfectly in His power, for He could in a moment have annihilated the wretch. He modestly, however, justifies Himself, that He might not seem to have spoken lightly to the high-priest, whose authority and dignity He respected. "If I have spoken ill," He says, "give testimony of the evil; but if well, why strikest thou Me?" (John 18:28.) How different are your justifications of yourself, when you are supposed to have acted incorrectly? Endeavor to imitate your Lord, "and in your patience possess your soul." (Luke 21:19)

III.

"And Annas sent Him bound to Caiphas the high-priest." Imagine what a painful and ignominious journey this was to our Savior. He was dragged through the streets during the night, from one tribunal to another, by the lowest rabble. Reflect what indignities He must have suffered, as He passed along, from all kinds of people; even from those who had received benefits from Him. What a spectacle was presented to heaven when the Lord of Angels was thus outraged! Condole, admire, give thanks, and imitate.