taken off and put on again several times during His passion," says Catharine Emmerich. O unheard-of cruelty! " Go forth, ye daughters of Sion, and see King Solomon in the diadem, wherewith His mother (the synagogue, which was His mother according to the flesh) crowned Him." (Cant. iii. 11.) Away with all pride, away with sensuality. " Be ashamed," says St. Bernard, " to be a delicate member under a thorn-crowned head."
III. "And they put a reed in His right hand. And bowing the knee before Him, they mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews." What indignities! What torments! Ponder deeply each word of this simple and afflicting detail. Observe how this king of patience holds in His hand this sceptre of scorn and derision in order to incite you to imitation. Then were accomplished the words of Isaias, " Behold my servant, whom I have chosen, in whom my soul hath been well pleased. He shall not contend, nor cry out; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. The bruised reed He shall not break, and the smoking flax He shall not extinguish, till he send forth judgment unto victory." (Matt. xii. 18 and Is. xlii. i.)
TUESDAY.
Behold the Man .— I.
I. " Jesus came forth, bearing the crown of thorns, and the purple garment." (John xix. 5.) In order to move the Jews to compassion, Pilate brought Jesus before the people scourged, and crowned as He was. Conceive what confusion it must have been to our Lord to be thus exposed to the Pharisees and His other enemies, and with what patience our meek Lamb bore this ignominy. Oh, how you are changed, sweet Jesus, from the condi-
