685 ukrzyżowany mówca THE FIRST WORD OF THE CRUCIFIED ORATOR “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Lk 23:34)1 Forgiveness Is Obtained by Forgiveness. Vespasian, the well-known [Roman] emperor, who through his own talent obtained the distinguished office of the Roman magistrate, was so diligent and assiduous in carrying out the imperial duties that he often stated: “The emperor should die standing.”2 Indeed, he breathed his last breath in no other way — but while standing. What he maintained about the duty of the emperor, I can say about the duty of the preacher: He must indeed conclude his words with his last breath and end his preaching with his life. Thus, Jesus, the Eternal Word and Preacher from Heaven, while speaking and preaching from the pulpit of the Cross, handed over His Most Holy Spirit to the Eternal Father. At the exact moment that He finished preaching, He died. St. [Robert] Bellarmine,3 a writer clothed in scarlet [as a Cardinal], having pondered this event with great devotion and deepest respect, explained the statement of the Crucified Word and the teaching that flows from the statement in this 1 Scripture quotations will be taken from Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, unless otherwise noted. Cf. The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version. 2nd Catholic ed. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006). [Hereafter this version of the Bible will be abbreviated as RSV.] 2 Cf. Bersanetti, Gastone M., Vespasiano, Tito Flavio, Imperatore Romano, EI XXXV, 220. 3 Cf. Piolanti, Antonio, Roberto Bellarmino, santo (1542-1621), ECat X, 10431049, where we read that this Doctor of the Church was admitted to the Society of Jesus in 1560 and was made a cardinal in 1599.
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