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Avantages des la patience

VII.

Mais, avant de répandre son sang jusqu’à la dernière goutte, que d’injures, que d’outrages, que d’insultes supportées avec patience! Il reçut des crachats sur son visage auguste, lui dont la salive guérissait les aveugles; il fut déchiré à coups de verges, lui dont les disciples, d’une seule parole, flagellent et chassent les démons; il fut couronné d’épines, lui qui tresse aux martyrs une couronne éternelle; il subit l’ignominie des soufflets, lui qui donne aux vainqueurs les honneurs du triomphe; il fut dépouillé de ses vêtements, lui qui nous revêt d’immortalité; il fut nourri de fiel, lui qui donne la nourriture céleste; il fut abreuvé de vinaigre, lui qui nous présente la coupe du salut. Lui, l’innocent, le juste, que dis-je, l’innocence et la justice mêmes, est confondu (363) avec les scélérats; la vérité est étouffée sous des témoignages menteurs; le juge suprême est traduit en jugement, et le Verbe divin marche au supplice en gardant le silence.

En présence de la croix de Jésus-Christ, les astres sont confondus, les éléments se troublent, la terre tremble, le jour se change en nuit; pour ne pas éclairer le forfait des Juifs, le soleil se cache, il voile ses rayons... et Jésus se tait: pas un mouvement qui, au milieu de ses souffrances, trahisse sa majesté divine; il supporte tout jusqu’à la fin, afin de nous montrer, dans son éclat et dans sa perfection, la véritable patience.

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On the Advantage of Patience

7.

And moreover, in His very passion and cross, before they had reached the cruelty of death and the effusion of blood, what infamies of reproach were patiently heard, what mockings of contumely were suffered, so that He received ¹ the spittings of insulters, who with His spittle had a little before made eyes for a blind man; and He in whose name the devil and his angels is now scourged by His servants, Himself suffered scourgings! He was crowned with thorns, who crowns martyrs with eternal flowers. He was smitten on the face with palms, who gives the true palms to those who overcome. He was despoiled of His earthly garment, who clothes others in the vesture of immortality. He was fed with gall, who gave heavenly food. He was given to drink of vinegar, who appointed the cup of salvation. That guiltless, that just One,--nay, He who is innocency itself and justice itself,--is counted among transgressors, and truth is oppressed with false witnesses. He who shall judge is judged; and the Word of God is led silently to the slaughter. And when at the cross, of the Lord the stars are confounded, the elements are disturbed, the earth quakes, night shuts out the day, the sun, that he may not be compelled to look on the crime of the Jews, withdraws both his rays and his eyes, He speaks not, nor is moved, nor declares His majesty even in His very passion itself. Even to the end, all things are borne perseveringly and constantly, in order that in Christ a full and perfect patience may be consummated. ²