To Jesus crowned with Thorns - Devotion to the Passion

[Hildegard of Bingen]

DEVOTION TO THE PASSION
To Jesus crowned with Thorns.


Our sins, our evil thoughts, were the wicked thorns which pierced the head of Jesus Christ.


(Taken from St. Alphonsus’ Prayer-Book – pages 448-449)

    O Sinful thoughts of men!  It was you that pierced the head of the Redeemer.  Yes, my Jesus, by our criminal consent to sin we have formed Thy crown of thorns.  I now detest this compliance with sin and abhor it more than death or any other evil.  To you, O thorns, consecrated with the blood of the Son of God, I again turn with an humble heart; ah, pierce this soul of mine, make it always sorrowful for having offended so good a God.  O my afflicted Saviour!  O King of the world!  To what do I see Thee reduced?  I behold Thee a king of mockery and sorrow!  In a word, I see the laughing-stock of all Jerusalem!  From the wounded head of Our Lord streams of blood flow down His face and breast.  I am filled with astonishment, O my Jesus! At the cruelty of Thy enemies, who are not content with having, as it were, excoriated Thy flesh from head to foot, but still continue to torment Thee with fresh cruelties and insults; but I admire still more Thy meekness and Thy love in suffering and accepting all with so much patience for the love of us: “Who when He was reviled, did not revile; when He suffered, He threatened not; but delivered Himself to him that judged Him unjustly (I Peter ii. 23).  Ah, my Jesus, true, indeed, it is that love makes Thee sweet and merciful, as regards us, sowing Thee to be a passionate lover of our souls; but it makes Thee pitiless towards Thyself, causing Thee to suffer such bitter torments.  Thou wast willing to be crowned with thorns to obtain for us a crown of glory in heaven: “He was crowned with thorns, that we may be crowned with the crown that is to be given to the elect in heaven.”  O my sweetest Saviour, I hope to be Thy crown in paradise, obtaining my salvation through the merits of Thy sufferings; there will I forever praise Thy love and Thy mercies:  “The mercies of the Lord will I forever sing; yea, I will sing them forever.”  Amen.