Thursday, April 13, 2006

Via Crucis Grid Blog: Station 10- Jesus is stripped of his garments




After experiencing many Easters as a Christian, I still struggle to fathom the love of God. That the Father would let His Son be sacraficed, and that the Son would willingly do the will of the Father is, to me, incredible.

As we contemplate what Christ did for us, may we be able to impact others for Him.

"Jesus arrives at Golgotha. The soldiers take away the cross-beam from his shoulders and neck. Jesus is relieved from this weight. He stands there motionless. Everyone around him is doing his job. He just waits. They move around.

Jesus looks up and sees the two thieves already in their place. They are screaming with pain. He looks down again and, keeping his eyes fixed to the ground, awaits his turn. Suddenly the soldiers came. He knew it was his time.

They took off his clothes. They threw them in a heap nearby. Jesus is again humiliated. He stands there almost naked. The bloodstained body showed to all those present the bruises and the open wounds of the lashes. He started shivering. The northerly breeze was chilling his sweating body.

They had placed the cross-beam on the ground in front of him, while the soldiers were debating what to do with his garments: "Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it." (Jn 19,24) This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, "They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing"(Ps 22,18). So this is what the soldiers did.

And Jesus lifting up his eyes to heaven repeated the prayer: "But you, O Lord, be not far off! O my Strength, come quickly to help me!" (Ps 22,19)."

More stations of the cross at Via Crucis.

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