Ecce Homo! - John, xix. 5

Today, being Passion Friday, also the commemoration of the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and on Sunday - Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, here's a meditation from my favourite book on the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ, by St. Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri:

Pg 442

III. Ecce Homo! – John xix 5

But what is it that the Jews reply, on their beholding that King of Sorrows? They raise a shout and say, Crucify, crucify Him! (Crucifige, crucifige eum!) – John, xix. 6. And seeing that Pilate, notwithstanding their clamor, was seeking a means to release Him, they worked upon his fears by telling him: If thou release this Man, thou art not Caesar’s friend. – John xix 12. Pilate still makes resistance, and replies, Shall I crucify your King? And their answer was, We have no king but Caesar. – John xix 15.

Ah, my adorable Jesus, these men will not recognize Thee for their King, and tell Thee that they wish for no other king but Caesar. I acknowledge Thee to be my King and God; and I protest that I wish for no other king of my heart but Thee, my love, and my one and only good. Wretch that I am! I at one time refused Thee for my King, and declared that I did not wish to serve Thee; but now I wish Thee alone to have dominion over my will. Do Thou make it obey Thee in all that Thou dost ordain. O will of God, thou art my love. Do Thou, O Dearest Mother Mary, pray for me. Thy prayers are not rejected.

O all ye Dearest Angels and Saints please pray for me.
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And from today's Epistle from the Proper of today's most beautiful Mass :)

Friday in Passion Week
Commemoration of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Jer. 17:13-18 EPISTLE

The prophet foretells the sorrows and anguish of Jesus our Lord, Who feels Himself surrounded by such treacherous and relentless enemies.

In those days Jeremias said: O Lord, all that forsake Thee shall be confounded: they that depart from Thee shall be written in the earth: because they have forsaken the Lord, the vein of living waters. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed: save me, O Lord, and I shall be saved: for Thou art my praise. Behold they say to me: Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come. And I am not troubled, following Thee for my pastor: and I have not desired the day of man, Thou knowest. That which went out of my lips hath been right in Thy sight. Be not Thou a terror unto me: Thou art my hope in the day of affliction. Let them be confounded that persecute me, and let me not be confounded: let them be afraid, and let me not be afraid. Bring upon them the day of affliction, and with a double destruction destroy them, O Lord our God.

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And O how beautiful is the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremias. I will post the words up tomorrow, but the chant was most enchanting. O how I wish I could put music up on this page. :)

Parce Domine, parce populo tuo: ne in aeternum irascaris nobis.

+ Amor meus crucifixus est.

Mater Dolorosa - Mother of Sorrows.

Notice the 7 swords (representing her 7 sorrows) piercing Her Most Sorrowful Heart, all Compassionate. Her Hands embracing the Crown of Thorns and the Nails. O Mother of Sorrows, I love thee!