What  now  became  of  Abel's  sheep  ?  Doubt
less  they  were  scattered  about  on  the  hills
and  rocks,  making  them  echo  with  their  sad
bleatings,  as  they  wandered  hither  and
thither  in  quest  of  their  gentle  shepherd,
and  found  him  not.  So  was  it  with  the  dis
ciples  of  Jesus,  as  He  had  Himself  foretold
on  the  last  evening,  quoting  the  prophetic
Zach.  xiii  7.  words  of  Zachary's  song  :  "I  will
s.  MaHt,  xiv.  gm^e  t|ie  gjiep]ierdj  and  the  sheep

shall  be  scattered  asunder."  They  were
s  John,  scattered  "every  one  to  his  own,"
xvi.  32.1  and  left  him  alone  in  the  terrible
scenes  of  His  Passion,  all  except  His  Blessed
Mother  with  Her  cousin,  and  those  two
chosen  types  of  innocence  and  penitence,
S.  John  and  S.  Mary  Magdalen  :  « There
ib.xix.  25.  stood  by  the  cross  of  Jesus  His
mother  and  her  cousin  Mary  and  Mary
Magdalen,  and  the  disciple  whom  He  loved."
If  the  sun  had  been  darkened,  if  night
had  overspread  the  earth,  if  the  ground  had


JESUS   THE   PRIEST    OF    CALVARY.  43

quivered  and  the  rocks  been  rent  asunder,
at  the  accomplishment  of  Cain's  bloody
deed,  perchance  he  had  been  at  least  awe-
stricken,  perchance  repented.  At  the  crime
of  the  Jews,  at  the  accomplishment  of  that
fratricide,  "the  sun  was  darkened,  s.  Luket
night  overspread  the  world,  the  earth  xxiii.44-5.
did  quake  and  the  rocks  were  riven  asun
der;"  not  so  their  hearts,  but,  in  imitation
still  of  Cain,  they  added  blasphemies  to  their
impious  deed  :  "  Am  I  my  brother's  Gen.  iv.  9.
keeper?"  « Vah !  thou  that  de-  s^Iatt>
stroyest  the  temple  and  rebuildestit  xxvii.4o.
