[Meditationes seu Contemplationes devotissimae]

but the mouth in which no guile was found abounded with malice toward an iniquitous mouth. You greeted him sweetly, and this was of the benignity of your heart, Lord, so that you might show him everything that the persistence of a perverse heart could soften. For you even reminded him of your old friendship, saying, "Friend, for what have you come?" You wished to strike the impious heart with the horror of its crime when you said, "Do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" Who can hear without groaning how, in that hour, the murderers laid hands on you, and, binding your innocent hands, good Jesus, they dragged you, the most meek lamb, like a thief to the sacrifice? But not even then did your mercy cease to drip the honeycomb of your sweetness upon your enemies, O Christ. For you touched and healed the ear of your disciple, which had been cut off, and restrained the zeal of your defender from the injury of those dragging you away. O well-cursed, persistent fury, which neither the majesty of the miracle nor the piety of the benefit could confuse. Consider also, faithful soul, this point which adds to the magnitude of the ignominy of this capture: that he was abandoned by friends, disciples, and acquaintances who had previously promised to die for him, for then all the disciples left him and fled, overcome by fear, abandoning him to these thieves. Where that which Job said was fulfilled: "My acquaintances have become estranged from me," and that which is read: "All my friends have forsaken me, and have stood against me."

Concerning the leading of the captive to Caiaphas and the elders of the Jews

Let your eyes shed tears, faithful soul, and let your spirit melt with the fire of compassion. Consider how ignominiously, how shamefully, how cruelly your Savior was led to Caiaphas and the elders of the Jews. How much he endured from the counsel of their malignancy, from his own people. For they willed to hold him, the honorable one, whom the angels desire to look upon, who fills all the heavens with joy, whom all the wealthy of the people pray to, and whom they defiled with the spittle of their polluted lips. With sacrilegious hands they struck him, and covered him, and buffeted the Lord of every creature like a contemptible slave. Where that which Isaiah said is fulfilled: "We saw him, and there was no appearance or beauty, because the bruise of the iniquitous had marred his face with beatings." Who, finally bound, is accused before Pilate with false testimonies, and as if guilty of death is sought to be crucified. Before whom stood Jesus, with his head bowed, face placid, speech rare, voice low, with eyes fixed on the ground, prepared for insults and ready for beatings, whom finally, having taken hold of...