The death of Jesus Christ our hope

What art thou afraid of, O sinner? How shall He condemn thee penitent, Who dies that you may not be condemned? Behold, He says, I have graven thee upon my hands. I keep thee engraven upon My hands in these Wounds I have suffered for thee, Love Me and have confidence.

I. Oh, how great is the hope of salvation which the Death of Jesus Christ imparts to us: Who is he that shall condemn? Christ Jesus who died, who also maketh intercession for us-(Rom. viii. 34). Who is it, asks the Apostle, that has to condemn us? It is that same Redeemer Who, in order not to condemn us to eternal death, condemned Himself to a cruel death upon a Cross. From this St. Thomas of Villanova encourages us, saying: What dost thou fear, sinner, if thou art willing to leave off thy sin? How should that Lord condemn thee, Who died in order not to condemn thee? How should He drive thee away when thou returnest to His feet, He Who came from Heaven to seek thee when thou wert fleeing from Him? “What are thou afraid of, sinner? How shall He condemn thee penitent, Who dies that you may not be condemned? How shall He cast thee off returning, Who came from Heaven seeking thee?” But greater still is the encouragement given us by this same Saviour or ours when, speaking by Isaias, He says: Behold, I have graven thee upon my hands; thy walls are always before my eyes-(Is. xlix. 16). Be not distrustful, My sheep; see how much thou didst cost Me. I keep thee engraven upon My hands in these Wounds which I have suffered for thee; these are ever reminding Me to help thee, and to defend thee from thine enemies: love Me, and have confidence.

Yes, my Jesus, I love Thee and feel confidence in Thee. To rescue me, yea, this has cost Thee dear; to save me will cost Thee nothing. It is Thy will that all should be saved, and that none should perish. If my sins cause me to dread, Thy goodness reassures me, more desirous as Thou art to do me good than I am to receive it. Ah, my beloved Redeemer, I will say to Thee with Job: Even though Thou shouldst kill me, yet I will hope in Thee, and Thou wilt be my Saviour-(Job xiii). Wert Thou even to drive me away from Thy Presence. O my Love, yet I would not leave off from hoping in Thee, Who art my Saviour. Too much do these Wounds of Thine and this Blood encourage me to hope for every good from Thy mercy. I love Thee, O dear Jesus; I love Thee, and I trust in Thee.

II. The glorious St. Bernard one day in sickness saw himself before the Judgment-seat of God, where the devil was accusing him of his sins, and telling him that he did not deserve Paradise: “It is true that I deserve not Paradise,” the Saint replied, “but Jesus has a twofold title to this kingdom in the first place, as being by nature Son of God; in the next place, as having purchased it by His Death. He contents Himself with the first of these, and the second He makes over to me; and therefore it is that I ask and hope for Paradise.” We, too, can say the same; for St. Paul tells us that the will of Jesus Christ to die, consumed by sufferings, had for its end the obtaining of Paradise for all sinners that are penitent and resolved to amend. And hence the Apostle subjoins: Let us run … to the fight proposed unto us, looking on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of faith, who, having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame-(Heb. xii. 1, 2). Let us go forth with courage to fight against our enemies, fixing our eyes on Jesus Christ, Who, together with the merits of His Passion, offers us the victory and the crown.

He has told us that He is gone to Heaven to prepare a place for us: Let not your heart be troubled … I go to prepare a place for you-(John xiv. 1, 2). He has told, and is continually telling His Father that since He has consigned us to Him, He wishes us to be with Him in Paradise: Father, those whom thou hast given me, I will that where I am they also may be with me-(John xvii. 24). And what greater mercy could we have hoped for from the Lord, says St. Anselm, than for the Eternal Father to have said to a sinner, already for crimes condemned to hell, and with no means of delivering himself from its punishments: Take thou My Son, and offer Him in thy place? And for the same Son to have said: Take Me, and deliver thyself from hell? What greater mercy can we imagine than that to one who, being a sinner, cannot redeem himself, God the Father should say: Accept of My only begotten Son, and deliver Him over to be punished in thy stead; and that the Son should say: Take Me, and redeem thyself?

Ah, my loving Father, I thank Thee for having given me this Thy Son for my Saviour; I offer to Thee His death; and, for the sake of His merits, I pray Thee for mercy. And ever do I return thanks to Thee, my Redeemer, for having given Thy Blood and Thy Life to deliver me from eternal death. “We pray Thee, therefore, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood.” Help, then, us, Thy rebellious servants, since Thou hast redeemed us at so great a cost. O Jesus, my one and only Hope, Thou dost love me. Thou hast power to do all things; make me a Saint. If I am weak, do Thou give me strength; if I am sick, in consequence of the sins I have committed, do Thou apply to my soul one drop of Thy Blood and heal me. Give me love of Thee and final perseverance, making me die in Thy grace. Give me Paradise; through Thy merits do I ask it of Thee, and hope to obtain it. I love Thee, O my most lovely God, with all my soul; and I hope to love Thee always. Oh, help a miserable sinner who wishes to love Thee alone!