COECKE VAN AELST, Pieter
Agony in the Garden
1527-30
FIRST upon the Sunday, we are to have in memory the first Effusion of our Lord and Savior JESUS, the which was in the garden of Olivet.
In this day ought the devout soul to enter into this garden, and to contemplate as if he were present in spirit, beholding how the blessed Son of God was there in marvelous sorrow and agony, when to redeem us, miserable, and ungrateful people from the goulf of het, he was abandoned, and deprived, of all comfort, help, and succor: of his heavenly Father, of his mother, of his Apostles which lay asleep, of his neighbors, and kinfolks, and of all his friends and acquaintance.
Wherefore he had just cause to say: My soul is sorrowful even unto death.
And as the Prophet David faith: My friend's and my neighbors have approached and stood, against me and they that were near me, stood far of.
To wit the ungrateful Jews, the chief Priests , and principal Doctors, to whom of love, he had shewed and done so many works for their good and benefit, and for whose sake especially he was come into this world.
And seeing furthermore, that the merit of his dolorous passion, should nothing profit the greatest part of the world, as the scripture saith.
Many be called, but few, elect (albeit that one only drop of his precious blood was sufficient alone to save the whole world) by this consideration, & by the great desire which he had to accomplish our redemption, and to make satisfaction for our sins, and to save us, he apprehended such an agonious & excessive sorrow, so that there issued out of all parts of his body, abundance of sweat converted into blood, which pierced thorough his garments and ran down upon the earth.
Then might he well ſay with the holy Prophet, My soul is replenished with evils.
And as Elias meaſured himself three times upon the dead infant, saying O Lord I beseech thee, that the soul of this Infant may return again into him: so our Savior and redeemer Jesus, prostrated himself three times upon the earth, praying devoutly unto his Father, to revive our souls which were dead by sin.
And then the devout soul ought to approach, and to join him to Jesus Christ prostrate upon the ground, and by amorous compassion to lift him from the earth, and to gather up the drops of his most precious blood, and to pour them into the vial of his hart, saying devoutly the prayer which follows.
THE PRAYER FOR THE FIRST EFFUSION
Against Mouth I Salute the most noble and precious blood running in great abundance out of the body of my Lord and Savior Jesus, being in the garden of Olivet in prayer: replete with marvelous, and excessive agony, by the consideration of his most bitter and shameful passion, so near approaching; which he was to suffer, for the satisfaction of all the offences and sins, perpetrated and committed from the beginning of the world, and which ever shall be committed, to the latter ending of the fame.
O moſt sweet Jesus, humbly, I beſeech thee, that by the virtue of this blessed bloody sweat, thou would cleanse and purge my poor soul, defiled with diverse sorts of sins, which I have often committed by sloth, ignorance, malice, negligence, omission, faintness of heart, sins of my youth, and perdition of the precious time in idleness: by thoughts, words, and deeds, unprofitable, vain,and worldly occupations: that I may conform my self to the wise man, who saith: He which till his land shall be filled with breads: but he which pursue idleness, is a very fool.
Wherefore I should be most foolish and unwise, if now I should not labor by perfect amendment of my life, to gather up the drops of thy moſt precious blood, which thou haſt shed for my redemption.
Wherefore, Sweet Jesu, I humbly beseech thee, by the virtue of thy sacred blood, shed in the garden of Olivet, thorough ardent love, that it may please thee to give me the virtue of diligence, and the fervor of devotion: illuminate my understanding and in Hame my affection in the love of thee: that for the time to come, I may diligently, attentiuelie, and devoutly, be vigilant, and watchful in Prayer, in hearing of Mass, in saying my hours, or other divine offices and virtuous operations, fruitefullie alſo to emploie my time, in works of piecie, pirtie,and mercy, to thy honor, and glory, to my salvation, and edification of my neighbor.
True it is,o my Lord, that ful often doelt thou enſeigne me, often to call vpon thee , and dooft further in- cite me by promißnge to heare me, ſayingeji All thinges whatfoener you shall åske in prayer beleeuing, you shall receixe..
Wherefore hereafter I will be more diligent, by the help of thy grace, the which for this purpoſe, I will ever ſecke and require, until.
I may attain, Furthermore, my sweet Savior Jesus, for the great sorrow, anguil- she, and the, and oppression of thy blessed hart, for all thy sighes, groans, and drops of bloodiereares shed in this garden, I adore thee, love thee, and laud thee, beſeeching thee bythy ex- ceiliue ſorrowe, and aboundant effusion of thy precious blood, to drive via terly from my hart, all foolish, and worldly vanity, mirth, joy and disordinat pastimes, that I may be wholly estranged from all such vanities, and to say with the Prophet.
Turn away mine eyes • Lord , leaste they behold and locke afrer vanities: And comfort me, I beleech thee, in all my tribulations,as thou haf:. promised me, saying; I am with him in tribulation : I will deliver him, and will glorify him.
Give me also true and how lic Compunction,and tears of Contrition, and of love, the which I desire with the Prophet, saying: v rho shall give unto mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I may weep both day and night.
O Sweet Jesus, let the continual memory of thy dolorous passion, wholly swallow me up in the zeal, and ardor of thy love: and such zeal as thou hadst of thy Fathers house, such zeal let there be in my soul towards thee, that I may not think but of thee , desire nothing but thee, and ever to repose by grace & love, wholly in thee.
Amen. Pater Noster. Ave Maria, Credo. FINIS.
Seven Effusions Of Our Saviors Blood:
Agony In The Garden
Flagellation
Clothed With Purple Mantle
Crowning With Thorns
Carrying Of The Cross
Disrobing
Nailing To The Cross
Lance Was Thrust Into His Side
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