O my Jesus, the most aggrieved of all men, by right it is not on thine, but on my proud and guilty head, ought to be placed those thorns which pierced thy adorable temples. Yet, O most innocent Saviour, thou wouldst have thyself crowned with thorns, in order that thou mightest crown me with glory. I thank thee, O my God; and in order to become like thee, I shall try to endure the troubles and tribulations of the present life. I renounce forever pastimes and delights of earth, in order to follow thee, suffering Redeemer.
His tormentors, not content with deriding and insulting our afflicted Redeemer, and making him the butt of their sport, they cover his face with spittle. Behold this most meek lamb in the midst of these savage men — his humble deportment — his cast-down look — bearing, with the most wonderful patience and profound humility, the greatest ignominies the perfidy of men can invent and offer.
Consider why Jesus wished to be crowned with thorns. It was to blot out, by shedding of his blood, our sins of thought especially. He came down from heaven to wash out sin by his blood, to satisfy for it by his passion, and to abolish it by his death. One source of sin is the head; there are formed thoughts of impurity, of ambition, of injustice, of hatred, of revenge. It was meet, therefore, that his sacred head should pay their penalty by ignominy and pain. The love of Jesus could not allow this noble part of his sacred body to be without its particular torture. Hence it is that he willingly submits it to the piercing of the thorns. See, my soul, how this innocent victim, destined to be immolated for thy sins, is entirely consumed by suffering. Recognize in these cruel thorns, which transfix his sacred head, the wicked effects of thy sinful thoughts. These have formed a more painful crown for Jesus’ head than the thorns
