The Passion

With it being lent I feel drawn to spend some time on the Passion of our Lord and a specific book by Luisa, The Hours of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

I first would like to take some time exploring in the Volumes where it talks about this work and it's worth to the individual who meditates on them, it's worth to all souls and it's value to Jesus himself.  In going through the Volumes however I've found so much on this and on the Passion itself I'll need to do this in segments.

Just by reflecting on Jesus' Passion in reference to our own minor sufferings it causes our own crosses to become easier to bear.

“My daughter, crosses, mortifications, are as many baptismal founts, and any kind of cross which is dipped in the thought of my Passion loses half of its bitterness and its weight decreases by half.” 

Vol. 6, June 5, 1905

“My daughter, keep the light of my Passion ever before your mind, for in seeing my most bitter pains, yours will seem little to you, and in considering the cause for which I suffered so many immense pains, which was sin, your littlest defects will seem grave to you.  On the other hand, if you do not reflect yourself in Me, the littlest pains will seem heavy to you, and you will hold grave defects as nothing.”

Vol. 2, Sept. 2, 1899



Reflecting on his Passion is also a way to fortify ourselves against the event of falling into sin and of helping others from doing the same.  It also thereby keeps Divine Justice from having to act.

“My virtues and the merits I acquired for man in my Passion, are as many towers of fortitude on which everyone can lean along the journey on the way to Eternity.  But man, ungrateful, running away from these towers of fortitude, leans on mud and conducts himself along the way of perdition.” 

Vol. 4, Jan. 30, 1901

“My daughter, my Passion, my wounds, my Blood, everything I did and suffered, are in continuous act in the midst of souls, as if I were operating and suffering at this very moment. They serve Me as props on which I can lean, and as props on which souls can lean so as not to fall into sin, and be saved. Now, during these times of scourges, I am like someone who lives up in the air, with no ground underneath, and amid continuous blows: Justice knocks Me from Heaven, and creatures, through sin, from the earth.

“Now, the more the soul remains around Me, kissing my wounds, repairing Me, offering my Blood - in a word, re-doing, herself, what I did during the course of my Life and Passion - the more props she forms so that I can lean on them and not fall, and the larger the circle becomes in which souls find support so as not to fall into sin, and be saved. Do not get tired, my daughter, of being around Me, and of going over my wounds, over and over again. I Myself will administer to you the thoughts, the affections, the words, so that you may remain around Me. Be faithful to Me – times are short, Justice wants to unfold Its fury, and creatures irritate It. It is necessary that these props multiply more; therefore, do not fail the work.”

Vol. 11, August 14, 1915

Reflecting on his Passion is also a cure, a counter to every difficultly in which we find ourselves and in being crucified Jesus makes himself available to the creature in whatever way the creature needs.

“My daughter, the world has become unbalanced because it has lost the thought of my Passion. In darkness, it has not found the light of my Passion which would illuminate it; and as it would make known to it my love and how much souls cost Me, it might turn to loving the One who has truly loved it; and the light of my Passion, guiding it, would put it on its guard against all dangers. In weakness, it has not found the strength of my Passion which would sustain it. In impatience, it has not found the mirror of my patience which would infuse in it calm and resignation; and in the face of my patience, feeling ashamed, it would make it its duty to dominate itself. In pains, it has not found the comfort of the pains of a God which, sustaining its pains, would infuse in it love of suffering. In sin, it has not found my sanctity which, placing itself in front of it, would infuse in it hate of sin. Ah! man has made an abuse of everything, because in everything he has moved away from the One who could help him. This is why the world has lost balance. It behaved like a child who no longer wanted to recognize his mother; or like a disciple who, denying his master, no longer wanted to listen to his teachings, or learn his lessons. What will happen to this child and to this disciple? They will be the sorrow of themselves, and the terror and sorrow of society. Such has man become – terror and sorrow; but a sorrow without pity. Ah! man is getting worse and worse, and I cry over him with tears of blood!”

Vol. 11, Feb. 2, 1917

Continuing in my usual state, I was thinking about the Passion of blessed Jesus; and He, making Himself seen crucified, shared with me a little bit of His pains, telling me:

“My daughter, I wanted to be crucified and lifted up on the Cross, so that, if they want Me, souls may find Me. So, someone wants Me as Teacher for he feels the necessity to be instructed, and I lower Myself to teach him both the small things and the highest and most sublime, such as to make of him the most learned. Another moans in abandonment, in oblivion; he would like to find a father, he comes to the foot of my Cross, and I make Myself Father, giving him a home in my wounds, my Blood as drink, my Flesh as food, and my very Kingdom as inheritance. Another one is infirm, and he finds Me as Doctor who, not only heals him, but gives him the sure remedies in order not to fall again into infirmities. Another one is oppressed by calumnies, by scorns, and at the foot of my Cross he finds his Defender, to the point of rendering calumnies and scorns back to him as divine honors; and so with all the rest. So, whoever wants Me as Judge finds Me as Judge; whoever wants Me as Friend, as Spouse, as Advocate, as Priest… such do they find Me. This is why I wanted to be nailed, hands and feet: to oppose nothing of what they want - to make Myself as they want Me. But woe to those who, seeing that I am unable to move even one finger, dare to offend Me.”

While He was saying this, I said: ‘Lord, who are those that offend You the most?’

And He added: “Those who make Me suffer the most are the religious who, living in my Humanity, torment and lacerate my flesh within my very Humanity; while one who lives outside of my Humanity lacerates Me from afar.”

Vol. 6, 1905



Just thinking about our Lord's Passion and offering him compassion fills us with Jesus and embellishes us in his light which carries on through eternity.

 

“My daughter, each pain I suffered, each drop of Blood, each wound, prayer, word, action, step, etc., produced a light within my Humanity, which embellished Me in such a way as to keep all the Blessed enraptured. Now, at each thought that the soul has about my Passion, at each act of compassion, reparation, etc., she does nothing other than draw light from my Humanity, and be embellished in my likeness. So, each additional thought about my Passion will be one more light which will bring her eternal joy.”

Vol. 11, April 23, 1916

'I add that I was thinking to myself about the sweet Mama, and Jesus told me:

“My daughter, the thought of my Passion never escaped my dear Mama, and by dint of repeating it, she filled all of Herself with Me, completely. The same happens to the soul: by dint of repeating what I suffered, she arrives at filling herself with Me.”'

Vol. 11, March 24, 1913


The very act of meditating on Jesus' Passion comforts him and repairs the outrage suffered by him and in doing so Jesus gives the creature a new corresponding grace.

“My daughter, one who meditates continuously on my Passion and feels sorrow for it and compassion for Me, pleases Me so much that I feel as though comforted for all that I suffered in the course of my Passion; and by always meditating on it, the soul arrives at preparing a continuous food.  In this food there are many different spices and flavors, which form different effects.  So, if in the course of my Passion they gave Me ropes and chains to tie Me, the soul releases Me and gives Me freedom.  They despised Me, spat on Me, and dishonored Me; she appreciates Me, cleans Me of that spittle, and honors Me.  They stripped Me and scourged Me; she heals Me and clothes Me.  They crowned Me with thorns, mocking Me as king, embittered my mouth with bile, and crucified Me; while the soul, meditating on all my pains, crowns Me with glory and honors Me as her king, fills my mouth with sweetness, giving Me the most delicious food, which is the memory of my own works; and unnailing Me from the Cross, she makes Me rise again in her heart.  And every time she does so, I give her a new life of grace as recompense.  She is my food, and I become her continuous food.  So, the thing that pleases Me the most is meditating continuously on my Passion.”

Vol. 7, Nov. 9 1906

So just meditating on the Passion of our Lord is of immeasurable worth to the soul which overflows to the good of all creatures and the glory of our Lord.  Jesus ascribes a special value to those who will read and meditate on his Passion using the book The Hours of the Passion.

“My daughter, one who always thinks about my Passion forms a fount within her heart, and the more she thinks about It, the larger this fount becomes.  And just as the waters that spring up are waters common to everyone, in the same way, this fount of my Passion which is formed in her heart serves for the good of the soul, for my glory, and for the good of all creatures.” 
 

And I:  ‘Tell me, my Good, what will You give as recompense to those who will do the Hours of the Passion the way You taught them to me?’
 

And He:  “My daughter, I will look at these Hours, not as yours, but as done by Me.  I will give you my same merits, as if I were in the act of suffering my Passion; and the same effects, according to the dispositions of the souls.  This, while they are on earth - and I could not give them a greater reward.  Then, in Heaven, I will place these souls in front of Me, darting through them with darts of love and of contentments for as many times as they did the Hours of my Passion; and they will dart through Me.  What a sweet enchantment this will be for all the Blessed!”     

Vol. 11, April 10, 1913


To look at these Hours as done by him with the same merits, as if presently in the act of suffering his Passion....  The difference between God acting and his creature acting... it's the difference between a spark of fire which is immediately extinguished and the sun... but this will be another topic for another day.