the way to Jerusalem."
"To Jerusalem," said his mother. "There is the temple of Jehovah, whither I once carried thee in my arms to offer thee to the Lord."
"Mother," said Jesus in solemn sadness, "the hour is come when according to the will of the Father I shall offer myself. I am ready to complete the sacrifice which the Father demands from me."
"Ah," cried Mary with bitter and piteous cry, "I foresee what kind of a sacrifice that will be."
John and Mary Magdalene had joined the mother of Jesus, and the two Marys standing together united their lament.
"How much we had wished," said the Magdalene, "to keep back the master and make him remain with us."
"It is of no use," said Simon gloomily, "his purpose is fixed."
Then said Jesus to his mother, tenderly beholding her, "My hour is come."
All the disciples cried, "Oh, ask the Father that he should let it pass by."
Then all the women said, "The Father has always listened to thee."
But Jesus said: "How is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, deliver me from this hour! But for this hour came I into the world."
But Mary hearing him, exclaimed as in a trance, "Oh, venerable Simon, now will be fulfilled that which thou once prophesied to me, 'A sword shall pierce through thine own soul!'" And as she spoke Mary Magdalene gently supported her from falling.
Jesus said in terms of gentle reproach, "Mother, the will of the Father was also ever sacred to thee." His word rallied her courage and she replied, "It is so to me still. I am the handmaid of the Lord. What he requires of me I will bear patiently. But one thing I beg of thee, my son."
"What desirest thou, my mother?"
"That I may go with thee into the fierce conflict of suffering, yea, even unto death!"
"Oh, what love!" exclaimed John, who stood tearfully beside the two Marys, wistfully looking for some ray of hope to illumine the darkness beyond.
Jesus embraced her lovingly. "Dear mother, thou wilt suffer with me, thou wilt fight with me in my death struggle, but thou wilt also rejoice with me in my victory, therefore be comforted."
"Oh, God!" she cried in heartrending accents, "give me strength that my heart may not break."
"We all weep with thee, thou best of mothers," said the holy women, adding their tears to those of the mother of Jesus.
"I will go with thee, my son, to Jerusalem," said Mary.
And the holy women declared they also would go with her.
But Jesus, holding her hand, tenderly forbade her: "Later you may go thither, but not now. For the present stay with our friends at Bethany. I commend to you, O faithful souls, my beloved mother, with those who have followed her here."
Eagerly the Magdalene accepted the charge.
"After thee," she exclaimed, "there is no one dearer to us than thy mother."
But even at the eleventh hour Lazarus interposed one last word of entreaty: "If only thou, O master, couldst remain!"
Not noticing this, Jesus said, "Comfort ye one another. After two days you may come up together to Jerusalem, to be there on the great day of the feast."
Mary said: "As thou wilt, my son."
But the holy women said: "How sadly will the hours pass when thou art far from us."
Then Jesus spoke to his mother and said, "Mother, mother, for the tender love and motherly care which thou hast shown to me for the three and thirty years of my life, receive the warmest thanks of thy son." And stooping down he kissed her. Then raising his head, he said, "The Father calls me. Fare thee well, best of mothers."
Mary asked him: "My son, where shall I see thee again?"
And Jesus replied: "There, beloved mother, where the Scripture shall be fulfilled: 'He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and he opened not his mouth.'"
Mary sobbing, cried aloud, "Jesus, thy mother, oh! Oh, God, my son!"
Half fainting she was held up by the holy women, who exclaimed, "O beloved, faithful mother!"
The disciples departed, muttering, "We cannot endure it. What will be the end of all this?"
Then burst from their lips the despairing cry, "Alas, what affliction lies before us all?"
But Jesus said, "Sink not in the first conflict. Hold fast by me."
And the disciples repeated, "Yea, master, fast by thee."
Lazarus and the women looking back after Christ as he passed out of sight, exclaimed, "Ah! our dear teacher," while Simon said, "He brought happiness to my house."
Simon then turned tenderly to Mary and said: "Come, mother, and condescend to enter in." "One consolation remains to us in tribulation," said Mary Magdalene, and Martha added, "To have the mother of our Lord with us." Turning to the other women, Lazarus said, "And you, beloved ones, come with us, we will share our woe
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