March has ended. We are in the midst of the season of Lent. Our minds are in a serious mode inclined towards prayer, fasting, almsgiving, listening attentively to sermons & homilies, attending Missions and Retreats that guide us to change our old ways. We truly have a hunger to be changed persons, both from inside and out.
With the passage of time, I have realised for myself that Lent is about focusing on Jesus and what He suffered in order to redeem me. Dwelling daily on the Word of God, has deepened my knowledge and understanding of Jesus my Saviour. He has become very real for me. I would like to put down some of my insights on the passion of Jesus.
The Gospel of Mark, chapter 15 versus 15 to 32 is what I use for meditation. Do read it.
At the first reading this passage may not give us much. We have been hearing about Jesus’ suffering in the Stations of the Cross, the Sorrowful Mysteries, in the I believe and in homilies. But if we pick out the verbs (words that tells the action someone does) and keep repeating each word, the real feeling of Jesus’ suffering will come through to us powerfully.
Jesus was first flogged. The whips had metal pieces at the end and Jesus’ robe had been removed. His back was sore, bruised and bleeding. The soldiers dragged Him to the courtyard and put a purple robe on Him, which stuck to His back. They forced a crown of thorns on His head. With a stick they hit Him on His crowned head. They spat on His face. They mocked Him saying “Long life to the king of the Jews” Little did they know that they themselves would die unknown / forgotten. Jesus was, is and will be king for all eternity.
Then the soldiers pulled off the purple robe which was stuck to His back and put on His own robe. This robe was woven in one piece. It was dragged over the crown of thorns roughly and cruelly, to rest again on Jesus’ already sore back.
The passage uses the word “they” for each of the acts, which means that even if there were 10 soldiers, each act of mocking, hitting, spitting happened 10 times or more. Jesus bore this all without a plea for mercy – for my sins and the sins of the whole world.
While meditating on this passage, I try to get into the mind of Jesus. What was the thinking – about Pilate, Herod, Scribes, Pharisees, the soldiers, Judas, Peter and other apostles? Could there ever be thoughts of anger, revenge, of getting even with all of them someday?
For me, the only thought Jesus would have is “Father forgive them” through every moment of the hitting, spitting, flogging and insults – merciless treatment. This is what gave Jesus the Power to finally say aloud “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”. Our thoughts convert into words. We need to be careful of what we think. This Lenten season can we begin to take care of what kind of thoughts we have, especially about the persons who have wronged us? When angry, negative thoughts arise, the simple prayer “Father forgive them” can bring about an immediate change in our thought process and make our minds peaceful. Let us experiment with this for some days. It will become a habit and transform our lives.
There are books, videos, talks on forgiveness, but Jesus is the only Teacher on the art of forgiveness because He did it perfectly. That is why Resurrection happened.

J. Rodrigues