MARY, OUR MOTHER

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SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #563

And Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, taking water washed his hands before the people, saying: "I am innocent of the blood of this just man. Look you to it." And the whole people answering, said: "His blood be upon us and upon our children." (Matt. 27:24-25)

THE BLOOD OF OUR BLESSED LORD HAS INDEED BEEN ON THE JEWS AND THEIR CHILDREN: In the year 70 A. D. the judgment of God which they challenged overtook them, as has been described before. The Jews had rejected their Messiah and killed Him "by the hands of wicked men," acknowledging the Gentile Caesar as their sole lord; and now this Caesar, by sending his army against Jerusalem, became the instrument of the divine vengeance. Many of those very men who had cried out: "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" were alive at the time of the siege and taking of Jerusalem, and themselves experienced its bloody horrors. Many thousand Jews died on the cross under Titus; a million perished partly by the sword, partly by famine and disease; about 92,000 were sold as slaves for a nominal price (thirty being sold for one piece of silver); and the remaining few were scattered over the face of the earth.
Thus was accomplished the fate of Israel, prefigured by that of Cain, affording to all the world a most clear proof that Jesus Christ, whom Israel rejected, is the true Messiah and Redeemer.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]

(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)