_Spiritual Bouquet._ "His Mother stood without." The Fourth and Fifth Dolours "_And thy own soul a sword shall pierce._" (St Luke ii. 35.) _1st Prelude._ (1) Mary meeting JESUS with His Cross. (2) Mary witnessing the Crucifixion of Her Son. _2nd Prelude._ Grace to understand what a precious gift suffering is. _Point I._--MARY'S SUFFERING Mary, with the knowledge which she had all her life of her Son's Passion, must have known when the hour was approaching. She had noticed the ever-increasing envy and hatred of the Chief Priests. She knew of the various attempts on His life, and of the organised plot to kill Him. And when the Passion itself began, we may be quite sure that, even if she were not actually a witness of some of the scenes, the Apostles kept her informed of what was going on. She would hear of the Agony in the Garden, of Judas' betrayal, of the desertion of the Apostles; then of the trials, of the scourging and crowning with thorns, of Pilate's vain attempts to save Him; _she_ knew that they would be vain. And when at length the death sentence was passed, she set out with the other ministering women to be as near to Him as she could while He carried His Cross to Calvary. _Once_, at any rate, on the Way of the Cross they caught sight of each other, and had that unspeakable consolation which no one could give to JESUS but Mary, and no one to Mary but JESUS. But though it was a consolation, it was also an anguish so great, that this meeting of JESUS with His Blessed Mother is counted as one of the seven swords that pierced her heart. It is the _Fourth Dolour_. Then, on Calvary's hill, she must have heard, even if she did not see, the nails being driven in; and heard, too, something that gave her strength and courage at that terrible moment--her Son speaking to His Father, the crowning point of Whose "business" He had now reached: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Who can measure what the pain of this _Fifth Dolour_ was to Mary! What was it that gave her an almost superhuman courage? The firm belief that everything she saw and heard was GOD'S will; and such was the intensity with which she had said her _Fiat_, that His will was nearer to her even than her own sufferings. In proportion as this is the case with us shall we get the good that GOD intends out of suffering, and join, as Mary did, our prayers with those of JESUS by asking GOD'S forgiveness for all who cause us suffering. _Point II._--MARY'S SACRIFICE