Our ingratitude towards Jesus Christ

O ye sons of men, why do you not love Jesus Christ? Tell me, what more could He have done to make you love Him? If the vilest of mankind had suffered for us the torments Jesus Christ suffered, could we help giving him all our affection and showing him our gratitude?

I. O my Jesus, what greater proof of Thy love couldst Thou have given me, than the sacrificing of Thy life upon the disgraceful gibbet of the Cross, to make satisfaction for my sins, and to conduct me with Thee into Paradise?

He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross (Phil. ii. 8). The Son of God, therefore, for the love of man, obedient to His Eternal Father, Whose will it was that He should die for our salvation, humbled Himself to die, and to die on a Cross! And are there men to be found who believe this and love not such a God!

O Jesus, how much has it cost Thee to make me understand Thy burning love for me; and I have basely repaid Thee with ingratitude. Oh, accept me now and suffer me to love Thee, since I will no more abuse Thy love. I love Thee, my Sovereign Good, and desire to love Thee forever. Remind me continually of the pains Thou didst suffer for me, that I may never forget the love I owe Thee.

O God, the Passion of Jesus Christ is spoken of, and is listened to as though it were a fable, or story about the sufferings and death of someone unknown to us, or something that did not concern us at all!

O ye sons of men, why do ye not love Jesus Christ? Tell me, what more could our Blessed Redeemer have done to make us love Him than to die in the midst of humiliations and torments?

If the vilest of mankind had suffered for us the torments Jesus Christ suffered, could we help giving him our affection and showing him our gratitude?

But, my Jesus, why do I speak of the ingratitude of others and not rather of my own? What has hitherto been my conduct towards Thee? Alas, I have repaid Thy love only with offences against Thee!

Pardon me, O Jesus! From this day, I desire to love Thee, and to love Thee much. I should be too ungrateful, if, after so many favours and mercies, I loved Thee but little.

II. Let us reflect that this Man of Sorrows, nailed to the disgraceful wood of the Cross, is our true God, and suffers and dies there for no other motive but for love of us.

Do we, then, believe that Jesus Christ crucified is our God, and really dies for us, and can we love aught but Jesus crucified?

O beautiful flames of love which consumed the life of my Saviour on Calvary, come and consume in me all worldly affections! Cause me ever to burn with love for such a God, Who was pleased to die and to sacrifice Himself entirely for the love of me.

What a spectacle for the Angels of Heaven to behold the Divine Word fastened to a gibbet, and dying for the salvation of us, His miserable creatures!

O my Saviour, Thou hast not refused me Thy Blood and Thy life, and shall I refuse Thee the affection of my heart? Shall I refuse Thee anything Thou askest of me? No, my Jesus! Thou hast given Thy whole Self to me, and I will give my whole self without reserve to Thee.