sanctified by the unction of his Sacrament. Our Divine Saviour beheld
with bitterest anguish the ingratitude and corruption of the Christians
of the first and of all succeeding ages, even to the end of the world,
and during the whole of this time the voice of the tempter was
incessantly repeating: 'Canst thou resolve to suffer for such ungrateful
reprobates?' while the various apparitions succeeded each other with
intense rapidity, and so violently weighed down and crushed the soul of
Jesus, that his sacred humanity was overwhelmed with unspeakable
anguish. Jesus--the Anointed of the Lord--the Son of Man struggled and
writhed as he fell on his knees, with clasped hands, as it were
annihilated beneath the weight of his suffering. So violent was the
struggle which then took place between his human will and his
repugnance to suffer so much for such an ungrateful race, that from
every pore of his sacred body there burst forth large drops of blood,
which fell trickling on to the ground. In his bitter agony, he looked
around, as though seeking help, and appeared to take Heaven, earth, and
the stars of the firmament to witness of his sufferings.

Jesus, in his anguish of spirit, raised his voice, and gave
utterance to several cries of pain. The three Apostles awoke, listened,
and were desirous of approaching him, but Peter detained James and
John, saying: 'Stay you here; I will join him.' Then I saw Peter hastily
run forward and enter the grotto. 'Master,' he exclaimed, 'what has befallen
thee?' But at the sight of Jesus, thus bathed in his own blood, and
sinking to the ground beneath the weight of mortal fear and anguish, he
drew back, and paused for a moment, overcome with terror. Jesus made
him no answer, and appeared unconscious of his presence. Peter returned
to the other two, and told them that the Lord had not answered him
except by groans and sighs. They became more and more sorrowful after
this, covered their heads, and sat down to weep and pray.