The true ground and principal cause of Christian hope, most beloved, is the cross of Christ: which, although to the Jews it is a scandal and to the Gentiles foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:23) — because it seemed to them unworthy that the Son of God should suffer such great injuries for the salvation of the world — is nevertheless to us the power of God, by which we believe ourselves set free, and the wisdom of God, by which we believe and understand, nay rather know, that we abide from God in the work of His commandments. Wherefore this highest and chief sacrament of the divine mercy is indeed always to be retained in our hearts with all dignity, but most of all when the return of the Lord's passion is celebrated.
And nothing which was wrought for us, both humbly and sublimely, in the Son of God, seemed to us either impossible according to the man, or unworthy according to Himself. Let us truly believe and venerate all this, and neither condemn it as a scandal with the impious Jews, nor as foolishness with the unbelieving Gentiles. For the just and merciful God, who created and redeemed us, when we were dead through sin, willed for our redemption to exercise the power of His Divinity. But He also willed these things to be done by this human passion with the power of His dignity, that man, being lost, should be set free through a man.
Thus therefore was medicine bestowed on the sick, reconciliation on the guilty, redemption on the captives, so that the just sentence of human condemnation should be dissolved by the just work of liberation. For if the Godhead alone had opposed itself for sinners, it would conquer the devil not so much by reason as by power. Therefore the Son of God admitted the impious hands to slay Himself in the body, that He might destroy eternal death in the whole human race, and might gloriously lead forth that same human race to eternal immortality and blessedness and the fellowship of angels. But in all things which the madness of the Jews contumeliously and insolently inflicted upon Him, our sins were being washed away, our offences were being expiated:
because human nature, which had been guilty and captive through sin, suffered innocent in Christ, and free from all fault, that He might take away sins, and grant to all who believe in Him the pardon of their offences through penance and confession. Wherefore, brethren, let us continually remember at what a glorious price we have been redeemed, and from how hard a condemnation of the devil we have been set free. Let us strive, as much as we can, the Lord granting it, to imitate by good works our so glorious redemption, and let us most zealously work out our salvation, at least in these few days, for that which in these days we have done too sluggishly and tardily concerning our correction or amendment.
Let our fasts be fruitful, so that what is withdrawn from our own body may repair the flesh of a needy neighbour. Let the sinner among us receive pardon, that we may deserve from God the pardon of our sins. Let our confession be pure, our penance hard, our prayer tearful, our vigils constant with works of mercy. Let the concupiscence of the flesh be mortified, that eternal salvation and glory may increase for our soul. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honour and glory through all the ages of ages. Amen.