'...Him, despised, and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with infirmity. And His look was as it were hidden and despised; whereupon we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our infirmities, and carried our sorrows. And we have thought Him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted. But He was wounded for our iniquities, He was bruised for our sins; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His bruises we are healed...'
This is taken from the Prophet Isaias, (ch. liii). He is called, by the Holy Fathers of the Church, the fifth Evangelist. He has , as it were, nailed all of the sufferings which our Lord endured for us.
The following is from the Ambrosian missal: it expresses, in a most touching manner, the sentiments which a 'good' Christian should have within him on this vigil of our Lord's Last Supper:
It is meet and just, right and available to salvation, that we should ever, here and in all places, give thanks to thee, O holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God, through Christ our Lord: who, being innocent, willed to suffer for sinners, and be unjustly condemned for the guilty. His death wiped away our crimes, and his Resurrection opened for us the gates of heaven. Through him we beseech thy clemency, that, today, thou cleanse us from our sins, and, tomorrow, feed us on the Banquet of the venerable Supper; that, today, thou receive the confession of our faults, and, tomorrow, grant us the increase of spiritual gifts; that, today, thou receive the offering of our fasts, but, tomorrow, introduce us to the Feast of the most Holy Supper. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: 'We can refuse His mercy, but we cannot escape His justice.'
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