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 and tears together." All then together went into the house, Mary Magdalene supporting the mother of Jesus. * * * * * * Now as they came unto Jerusalem they looked down upon the whole city which lay before them. Then said John unto Jesus, "Master, behold what a splendid view of Jerusalem from this spot!" Matthew said, "The majestic temple, how splendidly it is built." Jesus was troubled in spirit, and after gazing for a moment over the city, clasped his hands in grief and cried, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, O that thou hadst known even in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace! but now they are hidden from thine eyes!" Jesus wept.