Twenty-fifth Day. the Agony of the Heart of Jesus
The Heart of Jesus is filled with terror at the sight of the torments that await Him. He seems to forget what He is and why He came into this world. He prostrates Himself on the ground, and beseeches His Father to remove from Him, if possible, the chalice of suffering which He sees in store for Him. His agony is so intense that He is covered with a sweat of blood, which oozes out in great drops and trickles down to the ground. O my soul, hast thou ever beheld a sight like this? Only Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has loved man, has suffered like this. O my Jesus, my sweet Jesus, Thou hast willingly suffered the divine vengeance which should have fallen on me. What more couldst Thou have done for me? Surely if our hearts are human, if there is one fibre of pity or gratitude in our souls, the memory of Thy agony would never be obliterated. By Thy presence on the altar, Thou has made me acknowledge the enormity of my sins. Thou hast compelled me to own that my sins have, as far as they could, reacted every scene in Thy Passion. And yet do I linger under the shadow of Thy tabernacle? Do I weep over the wounds I have made in Thy body? Oh, no, dear Jesus! I have forgotten Thee, and like the Jews, with Thy blood on my hands, I have eaten and made merry. O tender Heart of Jesus, let it be so no more. Let my heart be filled with sorrow on account of my iniquities. Let my repentance be like Magdalen’s; then I shall be happy and I shall be saved, because Thou wilt never despise a truly contrite heart. O loving Jesus, make my heart so just, so upright, and so conformable to Thy Heart, that between Thee and me there may be nothing to offend Thee.
Prayer.
I adore Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, suffering in the Garden of Olives. It is I who deserve all the pains Thou endurest, for I am the cause of them. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, through Thy sorrow my soul finds consolation, and by Thy agony my death is made sweet. Give me a contrite and humble heart, that can participate in Thy pains and sorrows. Teach me how to offer up the prayer of suffering and patience. Amen.