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48. The crucifixion.

A large crowd of people, good and bad, accompanied Jesus to his crucifixion. Among them were pious women who wept and lamented over his fate. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep over me! Weep for yourselves and for your children!” For he thought again of the great calamity that was soon to befall Jerusalem, and in his own grief he did not lose compassion for the stranger. When they had come to Golgotha with him, they crucified him there. They also crucified two murderers with him, one on his right and the other on his left, and mocked him. But the pious sufferer prayed and said: “Father, forgive them! They do not know what they are doing.” That was the first word Jesus spoke on the cross. Many who passed by blasphemed him and shook their heads. Even the chief priests mocked him: “He has helped others and cannot help himself. If he is Christ, the Son of God, let him come down. He has trusted in God, let him now help himself.” Even one of those who had been crucified with him was still able to mock the pain of the innocent man in his own terrible pain. But the other said to him, “Are you not afraid of God, you who are suffering the same punishment? It is true that we receive justly what our deeds are worth. But this man has done nothing wrong.” He then said to Jesus: “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom!” Jesus gladly responded to pious speech. He gave the supplicant the consolation: “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

Jesus' mother was standing opposite the cross with some friends. That was the painful hour in which no one called her blessed. Next to her stood John, the disciple whom Jesus loved so much. When he saw his mother and his beloved disciple, he said to her, “Behold, this is your son,” and to the disciple he said, “Behold, this is your mother.” The word of love and trust was understood by the disciple's pious heart. He took Jesus' mother to himself from that hour, that he might show her filial love and care.

The sky was shrouded in black clouds. Darkness spread over the whole region. Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” That was the moment of his greatest pain. But when pain is at its highest, its resolution is closest. When we seem abandoned by God, God is closest to us. Jesus said, “I thirst,” so that before his death he could refresh himself once more and strengthen himself for his near end. They gave him vinegar to drink. When he had drunk the vinegar and felt that the end was near, he cried out with a loud voice: “It is finished” - “Father,” he cried, ”into your hands I commend my spirit.” That was his last word. Then they were dissolved, the pain of the pious, holy sufferer. He bowed his weary head and died.

But it was not for nothing that the sky was shrouded in terrible clouds. The earth shook so that rocks cracked and tombs spilled out. Yes, the curtain in the temple that covered the Holy of Holies was torn in two. When the captain of the Roman guard saw the earthquake, he said, “Truly he was a devout man and the Son of God.” But the people beat their breasts and turned back.

We don't know what to say about this.