Then Jesus Said To Them: All You Shall Be Scandalized In Me This Night

ALTDORFER, Albrecht 

Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane 

c. 1518

Then Jesus said to them: All you shall be scandalized in me this night. For it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Mt.xxvi.

And Jesus saith to them: You will all be scandalized in my regard this night; for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Mk.xiv.

Christ in his passion took the beginning of his griefs from his Disciples, who seeking to save themselves by flight, did all either waver in faith, or openly deny our Lord:

Consider every word:

All First not one shall stand for me.

Yee Secondly, whom I have bestowed so many benefits upon, & loved so dearly.

Shall suffer scandal that is, shall sin being estranged from me, and none of you in this time of my passion shall be free from sin: yet shall suffer scandal, but I will not give it.

In me of whose words and deeds after the flight so many miracles ye can justly take no manner of offence:

In this night that is, by and by, or in the night of ignorance.

Now call thy wits unto thee, and mark whether these same things may not happen unto thee, I say, unto thee, on whom God hath bestowed do many good things at whose councils & deeds nevertheless thou takest offense, for that trouble of thy vicious mind in adversity is referred unto Christ our lord, who either sendeth them, or at the least permitteth them. But such kind of scandal riseth always in the night, that is, from thy blindness, for if thou wouldest all at once look upon the benefits received at Gods hands, & the rewards prepared for thee, and the evils which thou hast committed, thou wouldest resolve in thy mind never to be moved with any adversity. Consider here the cause of thy offense and scandal, I say, thine own evil and troubled will, and pray unto God, that he will lighten thy darkness, because thou hast never any just cause of anger & discontent. Christ promiseth that he will go before them into Galilee, in which promise he declareth this own goodness, who never foretelleth any afflictions, without hope of consolation. Admire here the benignity of Christ, and pray him that he never suffer thee to be tempted above thy power, but that he will increase his grace in thy temptations, that thou mayest be able to sustain it.

Fr. Francis Costerus S.J. 1616