One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side (John 19:34)

So the world made its last gesture to its Saviour; and yet his Sacred Heart was pierced more by his compassionate love for mankind than it was by the soldier’s spear.

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (RSV, John 15:13) was what he had said to his Apostles the evening before as he defined the limit of natural human love.

But as St Paul has reminded us, the Divine love in the Heart of Jesus was of a higher and a different order altogether, for he laid down his life for his enemies – for Caiaphas and for Judas, no less than for Peter and for John.  And in his limitless love he gave himself not just for particular individuals but for all mankind in every age.