“My God, My God!”--into the night went forth That lonely cry, Piteous as never plaint from burdened breast Its misery. Went forth _for me_ into the night, that wail Of woe divine; His bitter dereliction bared, to draw The sting from mine. And yet another cry ere shades of death Around Him stole, Revealed the sanctuary dark and lone Of Jesu’s soul: “Father, into Thy hands”--a Son’s bequest, That we might know The filial, all unshaken trust, beneath That depth of woe. “Father, into Thy hands”--that we might learn Since Jesus died Theirs first the right to claim the Father’s love, His crucified. XXIII. “WHAT IS TRUTH?” --_John_ xviii. 38. “Pilate saith to Him: What is truth? And when he said this he went out.” Too often, O Lord, in my dealings with You I am like Pilate. Moved by Your grace to desire the things that are for my peace, I come to You to know my way: “_What shall I do to possess everlasting life?_”[69] “_Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk._”[70] “_Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God._”[71] And when I have said this I go out. I do not wait to hear an answer which may exact more of me than I am prepared to give. I am afraid to remain in Your Presence, lest You should beckon whither I am not willing to follow. And so I ask lightly: “What is truth?” without waiting to hear what the Lord my God will speak in me.[72] How much more readily I pray for light than for strength. “_Lord, that I may see!_” And when the scales begin to fall from my eyes, I turn away lest I should find what I am seeking. It is not Your way, O Lord, to constrain our free will. You meet us half-way, more than half-way by a great deal. But You have decreed that further and more abundant grace, the grace that is efficacious, shall be the reward of correspondence. If we withhold this, we enter upon a terrible contest between Your invitation on the one hand and the shrinking of nature on the other. “Pilate saith to Him: What is truth? And when he had said this he went out again to the Jews and said to them: I find no cause in Him.... Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him.... And went forth again and saith to the Jews: Behold I bring Him forth unto you that you may know that I find no cause in Him.... Take Him you and crucify Him for I find no cause in Him.... The Jews answered: He ought to die because He made Himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore had heard this saying he feared the more. And he entered into the hall again and said to Jesus: Whence art Thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. From thenceforth Pilate sought to release Him.... And he saith to the Jews: Behold your King.... Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified.” * * * * *