ord's sufferings, save to say that He was CONTENTED, "contented to be
betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death
upon the cross," but are full of prayers that the glorious fruits of His
death may be fulfilled, not only in us and all Christians, but in the
very heathen who have not known Him; drawing us away, as it were, from
looking too closely upon the cross itself, lest we should forget what the
cross meant, what the cross conquered, what the cross gained, for us and
mankind.

Surely, this was not done without a reason. And I cannot but think the
reason was to keep us from seeking the living among the dead; to keep us
from knowing Christ any longer after the flesh, and spending tears and
emotions over His bodily sufferings; to keep us from thinking and
sorrowing too much over the dead Christ, lest we should forget, as some
do, that He is alive for evermore; and while they weep over the dead
Christ or the crucifix, go to the blessed Virgin and the saints to do for
them all that the living Christ is longing to do for them, if they would
but go straight to Him to whom all power is given in heaven and earth;
whom St John saw, no longer hanging on the accursed tree, but with His
hair as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire, and His voice
like the sound of many waters, and His countenance as the sun when he
shineth in his strength, saying unto him, "Fear not, I am the first and
the last; I am He that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for
evermore." This is what Christ is now. In this shape He is looking at
us now. In this shape He is hearing me speak. In this shape He is
watching every feeling of your hearts, discerning your most secret
intents, seeing through and through the thoughts which you would confess
to no human being, hardly even to yourselves. This is He, a living
Christ, an almighty Christ, an all-seeing Christ, and yet a most patient
and loving Christ. He needs not our pity; but our gratitude, our
obedience, our worship. Why seek Him among the dead? He is not there,
He is risen! He is not there, He is here! Bow yourselves before Him
now; for He is in the midst of you; and those eyes of His, more piercing
than the mid-day sunbeams, are upon you, and your hearts, and your
thoughts, and upon mine also. God have mercy upon me a sinner.

Yes, my friends, why seek the living among the dead? He is not there,
but here. We m