Why did the Eternal Father choose for His coequal Son that He should close His sojourn on earth by the cruel agony and unspeakable degradation of shedding for man the last drop of the Precious Blood? Would it not have sufficed to redeem us from sin, if He had appeared on earth for one instant clad in human form? Yes, but then man would never have learned the lesson of sacrifice. He would not have been moved to regard suffering as a necessary part of the ideal life. We thank Thee, O Lord, for this Thy commiseration for our blindness and our ignorance!

The lesson of sacrifice for the sake of others, is one taught us throughout our Lord's entire life. Nothing for himself; no concession to His human nature for its own sake. No avoiding of pain or reproach on account of the suffering it entailed, but rather a joyful acceptance of all that might be to man a source of grace and a motive of virtue. May I rejoice, O Lord, to have the privilege of following Thee step by step along Thy path of suffering!

This road of suffering is, also, one that leads us to solid happiness in this world and eternal joy in the next. It is for our own interest to sacrifice ourselves. Who are so happy as they who shed their blood for Christ? For them no Purgatory, whatever be their past life, but an immediate entrance into the celestial Paradise. Such a sacrifice as this may not be asked of me, but do I make those sacrifices that I know would be pleasing to Him, Who sacrificed Himself wholly for me?