735 the sixth word formed the mother into a child. So, St. Ambrose calls out to the penitent in a very beautiful and apt manner: “Such is the power of a completed amendment that it restores one, as it were, to one’s spiritual childhood.”102 And therefore, the heavenly Teacher well advises His disciples: “Let the children come to [M]e, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” You too (He said to us), “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3). How can we be converted? Through penance. How can we become children? Through consummated penance. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, before He handed over His Spirit to the eternal Father, uttered that royal and divine word: “It is finished.” By this, however, He desired to say that all things, which related to the redemption of the human race, have been perfectly fulfilled. The cardinal103 from the very learned Society [of Jesus] has this same thought in mind when he emphatically clarifies this text: “From this word, ‘It is finished,’ we know that the Lord completed the work of His Passion from the beginning to the end so that nothing was lacking.”104 Jesus hurried to perform this work with such a fervent desire, with such determination, that neither the most awful torture, nor the most atrocious death, nor the shouts of the enemies were able to deter or divert Him. For, they cried out: “He is the King of Israel; let [H]im come down from the cross, and we will believe [H]im” (Mt 27:42). As if hearing this, St. Bernard says: “Indeed, because He is the King of Israel, let Him not betray the title of royal dignity.”105 Why? [Well], so that they want to believe, as in Messiah, if He descended from the Cross? Descend, Jesus, from the Cross; descend, and the Jews will believe and be saved. Otherwise, the obstinate will perish in their lack of faith. Bernard holds 102 The source of this text was not able to be found. 103 St. Robert Bellarmine. 104 Cf. Bellarminus, Robertus, De septem verbis a Christo in Cruce prolatis, Ratisbonae 1925, Liber II, p. 187 (cap. 18). 105 Cf. Bernardus, Sermo 1 in die Paschae, in: CLCE, t. II: [Commentarium] In S. Matthaeum, P. II (c. XXII, 42), p. 387.
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