Beloved in Christ, be watchful, lest the mysteries of this Passiontide pass us by without our gaining from them their due fruit. Abundant is the blessing; we must bring clean vessels to receive it, and offer loving souls and watchful senses, sober affections and pure consciences for such great gifts of grace. All Christians practice more than usual devotion in these seven days and try to be more humble and more serious than is their wont, so that in some way they may share in Christ’s sufferings; and rightly so. For the Passion of Our Lord is here in truth, shaking the earth, rending the rocks, and opening the tombs; and his Resurrection also is at hand. Nothing better could have been done in the world than that which was done by the Lord in these days; and nothing better or more profitable could be recommended to the world, than that it should commemorate the Passion and the Resurrection year by year with longing love. For both were for our sakes; the fruit of our salvation and the life of our souls is in both. Marvelous, Lord Jesus, is thy Passion, the suffering that has warded off the sufferings of all of us, that has atoned for all our sins, and cures effectually our every plague! For what is there that tends to death, that thy death does not utterly destroy?