[Editor’s NOTE: In Anno Domini 2024, the Feast of the Annunciation of Our Lord, celebrated on the 25th of March, takes place next week. In his BFP, however, Laache places Annunciation Day on the Fifth Sunday in Lent.]
163. Saturday after Annunciation Day.
Lord Jesus, give us to understand thy suffering of expiation,
and to taste thy love. Amen.
John 19, 28. 29. Psalm 22, 14. 15. Psalm 69, 21. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
❦
Christ bore all the evils which sin has brought upon us, without asking relief of men. The snares of death compassed him, the floods of ungodly men made him afraid, the sorrows of death overwhelmed him, the waters came in unto his soul, the floods overflowed him; the fierce anger of the Lord, and all horrors, swept over him; the wrath of God burned him like fire. God forsook him; yet did he cling to God. Though filled with the sense of God’s wrath, of having been forsaken by the Father, of the agony of death; he still looks to God, and in faith continues on the rock of his promises. That which is written in the Psalms and Prophets is his strength and deliverance. It did not exempt him from death; — for he should and would suffer death with all its pain and its terrors; — but it gave him strength to suffer patiently and without uttering any complaint, and it enabled him to cleave to God even when he felt in the fullest measure that he had been forsaken and was in the midst of the darkness of death. It is above all for his sake, for the support of his faith, that it is written in the Twenty-second Psalm: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me; why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” If there had been no such scripture passages to serve as his stay, he could not have gone through death in the manner in which he did, nor have become the prince of our faith. But it is written for the sake of our faith also; and therefore he uttered these words on the cross. We are to see that in him the prophecies concerning the sufferings of the Messiah are fulfilled to the letter in every detail; and among these prophecies are Psalm 22, 14 and 15, and 69, 21. For this reason he now says: “I thirst.” His preceding cry marks the climax of his soul’s agony; this expresses his most acute bodily pain. He has been suspended on the cross for five or six hours; his wounds are on fire, his blood is exhausted, “he is poured out like water, and all his bones are out of joint; his heart is like wax, melted in the midst of his bowels.” His strength is dried up, and the weakness of exhaustion comes upon him; but his faith and love gain the victory. Now vinegar with gall is put to his mouth. This is the last cup drained by the Son of God on earth; men have nothing else to give him in his last moments. — I keep silence, my dear reader, and only pray the Holy Spirit to explain this to you. — Precious Savior, blessed be thy name forever and ever! The rivers of living water in paradise are thine; yet dost thou thirst unto death and drink vinegar as an expiation for my sinful fleshly desires, in order that thou mayest give me the water of grace while I live, the cup of comfort when I die, and the sweet and blessed draught of eternal life in heaven. Again I say with all my heart: Blessed forever be the precious name of the Savior! Amen.
In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o’er the wrecks of time,
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
When the woes of life o’ertake me,
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me:
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.