But Joseph, wishing to return to the city, after he had finished this last duty, says to the Blessed Virgin, “O lady, I beseech you for God’s sake, and for the love of your Son and my Master, if it please you, to withdraw to my house, for I know that you have not one of your own ; use mine as your own, for all is at your disposal ; and Nicodemus said the same. O what compassion ! The most exalted of all creatures has not where to lay her head, and must pass those days of bitterness and widowhood under another’s roof. Truly those were days of widowhood, because Jesus was all to her— her Lord, Son, Spouse, Father and Mother, all in one, and in losing Him she lost all. Truly was she then a widow and forsaken, not having whither to turn. Then she bowed humbly, giving thanks to them, and replied that she was committed to the care of John. And when they still continued to question her, John answered, that he wished to take her to Mount Zion, to the house in which his Master supped the evening before, with His disciples, and there to abide with her. Then they, bowing and worshipping at the Sepulchre, retired; and the rest, as the Gospel states, remained sitting over against the Sepulchre. But as night drew on, John said to the Blessed Virgin, “It is not fitting that we should continue here too long, or return into the city at night; and therefore, if you please, let us go away.” Then the mother, rising and bending the knee, embraces the Sepulchre, uttering words of blessing : “My Son, since I can no longer stay with Thee, I commend Thee to Thy Father.” Then with eyes raised to heaven, and with tears and intense affection, she says, “O Eternal Father, I commend to Thy care my Son, and with Him I commend my soul, which I resign to Thee.” Then they began to depart. But when they came to the Cross, she there knelt and said, “Here my Son departed, here He poured forth His most precious Blood.” And the others did likewise. For we may well believe that His mother was the first to make an act of devotion at the Cross. They then went into the city, though again and again she turned to look behind her. And when they came to a point, after which the Sepulchre and Cross were beyond their sight, she turned and knelt devoutly, as also did the rest. And when they came upon the entrance to the city, the sisters of Mary veiled her as a widow, covering, so to speak, her whole face, and preceded her, whilst she followed between John and Magdalen, in a most mournful condition. Then perhaps Magdalen, wishing, upon eptering into the city, to take the way which led to her house, and to lead them there, made arrangements accordingly, and said, “O lady, I pray you, for love of my Master, to come to my house, for that is the best course; for you know how He liked to come to it. It is your own — all I have is yours; I beseech you, come.” Then they again began to weep. But the Virgin Mother kept silence, and made signs to John, and Magdalen continued her entreaties. But he said, “It is more fitting that we should go to Mount Zion, chiefly because there we shall be better able to meet with our friends. Do you go with us thither.” Magdalen replied, “You know well that I will accompany her wherever she goes, and never leave her.” On entering the city, a number of virgins and good matrons come to meet her, as soon as they know that she has arrived, and join themselves to her to comfort her, but great was their lamentation. Also some good men compassionated her, as they passed amongst them, and were moved to tears, saying, “This was, indeed, a great injustice, which was done to-day by our rulers against the Son of this lady ; and God for Him has wrought great miracles; let them be careful what they are doing.”
But when they arrived at the house, then the Virgin Mother, turning herself towards those good women who had gone with her, bade them adieu, thanking them for their sympathy, and bowing to them most courteously. And they in turn inclined themselves and reverently departed, making great lamentation. Then Mary went into the house, and Magdalen and her two sisters. But John stood at the door, and desired the rest to retire to their own homes, for the hour was late ; and, thanking them, he shut the door. Then the Blessed Virgin, looking round the house, exclaimed, “O my sweetest Son, where art Thou ; I can see Thee no longer here? O John, where is my Son ? O Magdalen, where is thy Father, who so tenderly loved thee? O beloved sisters, where is my Son? Our joy, our sweetness, the light of our eyes ; He has gone from us, with what anguish you know well. This it is which intensifies our grief, when I think of Him covered with wounds, filled with bitterness, parched with thirst, goaded, oppressed, afflicted, unable to be helped ; all forsook Him, even the Almighty Father did not will to support Him. And how quickly, too, all these sufferings followed one upon another, you yourselves saw. What vile criminal was ever condemned with such haste, and violent cruelty ? O my Son, at night wast Thou taken, and treacherously betrayed; at the third hour wast Thou condemned, and at the sixth crucified, and thus Thou didst die ! O Son, how bitter is this parting from Thee, and the memory of Thy most shameful death !” At last, John asked her to desist, and consoled her. Do you, as far as possible, be present at this scene, and unite in spirit with John in those ministries of consolation and reflection which followed, that you may receive a heavenly blessing, and then retire.