Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII (of 8)Newman, John Henry
Religion
Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII (of 8)
Newman, John Henry
Church of England -- Sermons; Sermons, English -- 19th century
Do you think that those who saw these things had much heart for eating
or drinking or enjoying themselves? On the contrary, we are told that
even "the people who came together to that sight, smote their breasts
and returned[7]." If these were the feelings of the people, what were
St. John's feelings, or St. Mary Magdalene's, or St. Mary's, our Lord's
blessed mother? Do we desire to be of this company? do we desire,
according to His own promise, to be rather blessed than the womb that
bare Him, and the paps that He sucked? do we desire to be as His
brother, and sister, and mother[8]? Then, surely, ought we to have
some portion of that mother's sorrow! When He was on the cross and she
stood by, then, according to Simeon's prophecy, "a sword pierced
through her soul[9]." What is the use of our keeping the memory of His
cross and passion, unless we lament and are in sorrow with her? I can
understand people who do not keep Good Friday at all; they are indeed
very ungrateful, but I know what they mean; I understand them. But I
do not understand at all, I do not at all see what men mean who do
profess to keep it, yet do not sorrow, or at least try to sorrow. Such
a spirit of grief and lamentation is expressly mentioned in Scripture
as a characteristic of those who turn to Christ. If then _we_ do not
sorrow, have _we_ turned to Him? "I will pour upon the house of
David," says the merciful Saviour Himself, before He came on earth,
speaking of what was to come, "upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon Me whom
they have pierced, and they shall _mourn_, for Him, as one mourneth for
his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in
bitterness for his first-born[10]."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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