Eclipse of the Sun.
Second and Third Word of Jesus on the Cross.
A little hail had fallen at about ten o'clock,--when Pilate was passing
sentence,--and after that the weather cleared up, until towards twelve,
when the thick red-looking fog began to obscure the sun. Towards the
sixth hour, according to the manner of counting of the Jews, the sun
was suddenly darkened. I was shown the exact cause of this wonderful
phenomenon; but I have unfortunately partly forgotten it, and what I
have not forgotten I cannot find words to express; but I was lifted up
from the earth, and beheld the stars and the planets moving about out
of their proper spheres. I saw the moon like an immense ball of fire
rolling along as if flying from the earth. I was then suddenly taken
back to Jerusalem, and I beheld the moon reappear behind the Mountain
of Olives, looking pale and full, and advancing rapidly towards the
sun, which was dim and over-shrouded by a fog. I saw to the east of the
sun a large dark body which had the appearance of a mountain, and which
soon entirely hid the sun. The centre of this body was dark yellow, and
a red circle like a ring of fire was round it. The sky grew darker and
the stars appeared to cast a red and lurid light. Both men and beasts
were struck with terror; the enemies of Jesus ceased reviling him,
while the Pharisees endeavoured to give philosophical reasons for what
was taking place, but they failed in their attempt, and were reduced to
silence. Many were seized with remorse, struck their breasts, and cried
out, 'May his blood fall upon his murderers!' Numbers of others, whether
near the Cross or at a distance, fell on their knees and entreated
forgiveness of Jesus, who turned his eyes compassionately upon them in
the midst of his sufferings. However, the darkness continued to
increase, and everyone excepting Mary and the most faithful among the
friends of Jesus left the Cross. Dismas then raised his head, and in a
tone of humility and hope said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when thou
shalt come into thy kingdom.' And Jesus made answer, 'Amen, I say to thee,
This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.' Magdalen, Mary of Cleophas,
and John stood near the Cross of our Lord and looked at him, while the
Blessed Virgin, filled with intense feelings of motherly love,
entreated her Son to permit her to die with him; but he, casting a look
of ineffable tenderness upon her, turned to John and said, 'Woman, behold
thy son;' then he said to John, 'Behold thy mother.' John looked at his dying
Redeemer, and saluted this beloved mother (whom he henceforth
considered as his own) in the most respectful manner. The Blessed
Virgin was so overcome by grief at these words of Jesus that she almost
fainted, and was carried to a short distance from the Cross by the holy
women.
I do not know whether Jesus really pronounced these words, but I
felt interiorly that he gave Mary to John as a mother, and John to Mary
as a son. In similar visions a person is often conscious of things
which are not written, and words can only express a portion of them,
although to the individual to whom they are shown they are so clear as
not to require explanation. For this reason it did not appear to me in
the least surprising that Jesus should call the Blessed Virgin 'Woman,'
instead of 'Mother.' I felt that he intended to demonstrate that she was
that woman spoken of in Scripture who was to crush the head of the
serpent, and that then was the moment in which that promise was
accomplished in the death of her Son. I knew that Jesus, by giving her
as a mother to John, gave her also as a mother to all who believe in
him, who become children of God, and are not born of flesh and blood,
or of the will of man, but of God. Neither did it appear to me
surprising that the most pure, the most humble, and the most obedient
among women, who, when saluted by the angel as 'full of grace,' immediately
replied, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to
thy word,' and in whose sacred womb the Word was instantly made flesh,--that
she, when informed by her dying Son that she was to become the
spiritual mother of another son, should repeat the same words with
humble obedience, and immediately adopt as her children all the
children of God, the brothers of Jesus Christ. These things are much
easier to feel by the grace of God than to be expressed in words. I
remember my celestial Spouse once saying to me, 'Everything is imprinted
in the hearts of those children of the Church who believe, hope, and
love.'