Whilst the Blessed Virgin and John, Magdalen and the sisters of Mary, remained and sat on one side near the Cross, and gazed unceasingly on the Lord Jesus, hanging thus upon the Cross between the thieves, so bare, so afflicted, dead, and forsaken by all ; behold, many armed soldiers came from the city towards them, who had been sent to break the legs of those who were crucified, and thus to kill, and then to bury them, so that their bodies may not remain upon the crosses on the great day of the Sabbath. Then Mary and all rise and look at them, wondering what is going to take place ; and thus their grief is renewed, and their fear and trembling increased. Much, indeed, did His mother fear what was going to be done to her dead Son. We can depict her, turning to Him and saying, “O most Beloved Son, what more do they want to do to Thee ? have not they killed Thee ? I know not what more they can do. Oh, that I might be able to protect Thee now, dead, though I could not, when living. O Heavenly Father, be merciful and shield us. And all weeping came, and took up their position in front of the Cross. Then the soldiers came up with fury and violence, and seeing that the thieves were still alive, brake their legs and killed them, and taking down their bodies from the crosses, perhaps pitched them into some ditch. And then they came to our Lord Jesus. His mother, being moved with deep affliction, resorted to her usual arms of defence, deep humility ; she fell, it may be, on her knees, beseeching the soldiers, with tears streaming down her cheeks, in the name of the Most High, not to do any injury to her son. “I am a mother in deep distress, and I have never committed any offence or injury, for which I should suffer this. And if my Son has seemed to you to have done amiss, you have already put Him to death ; therefore now be merciful. Do not touch His Body now, that it may remain intact for burial. He is dead already. There is no need to break his legs.” John, Magdalen, the sisters, all wept most bitterly. “Oh, what shall we do? Cast yourself before these most wretched men, and implore them ; see if you cannot influence and bend them by piety and lowliness !” But humility is an abomination to the proud ; — you labour in vain.
Then one, said to be named Longinus, at that time impious and proud, but afterwards a penitent, a martyr, and a saint, stretching forth his spear at a distance, notwithstanding the cries and entreaties of the holy women, plunged it into the right Side of our Lord Jesus, making a
T great gash, from which flowed water and blood. The mother of Jesus was stupefied with grief at this sight, and remained upheld by the arms of Magdalen. John, perhaps, was stirred by his sorrow to inveigh against this act. “Infamous men, know you not that He is dead already? wish you to pierce His mother’s heart and to kill her with grief? Begone, that we may bury Him.” Then, as God willed, they departed.
Then the Blessed Mother arose out of her grief, to inquire what farther they had done. Death seemed to touch her, as often as any new indignity was offered to her Son. Then, indeed, were Simeon’s words fulfilled : “A sword shall pierce through thine own soul also.” For surely the same lance pierced the Body of the Son, and the soul bf the mother. And all again placed themselves at the foot of the Cross, not knowing what to do. For they could not take down the Body and bury It, not having sufficient strength nor instruments to do so. They dare not depart and leave Him hanging there, neither could they remain there when night drew on. You see in what great perplexity they were. O God, how dost Thou permit Thine elect to be so afflicted, especially her, the chosen one of all, a mirror of virtues and consolation i But it is time to pause, and take breath a little.