of the saints, nay, more even than the blessed Virgin, His mother,
felt her own sharp sorrow and sickness of heart. For if an earthly
father loves his child so much, that in fatherly pity he takes upon
himself the sorrows of his child, and grieves for them as if he
suffered them himself, what must have been Christ's Cross and
compassion for the affliction of His members, and above all, of
those who suffered for His name's sake? Truly He bore witness to His
members, how much He suffered from their afflictions, and how great
was His inward pity for their sufferings, when He took all their
debt upon Himself, and abolished all the penalties which they had
merited, so that they might depart free. The same is most amply
proved by the words which He spoke to St Paul, when He said, "Saul,
Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" For the persecution which Saul had
stirred up against the disciples, the members of the Lord, was not
less grievous to Him than if He had suffered it Himself. Therefore
He says to His friends and members, "He who touches you, touches the
apple of Mine eye." For is there anything suffered by the members,
which the Head does not suffer with them, He whose nature is
goodness, and whose property is always to have mercy and to forgive?

THE FIFTH WORD

OUR most tender Lord was so worn out and parched by the extreme
bitterness of His pain and suffering, and by the great loss of
blood, that He cried, "I thirst." A little word, but full of
mysteries.

In the first place it may be understood literally. For it is natural
for those who are at the point of death to feel thirst, and to
desire to drink. But how great was the drouth felt by Him who is the