We have approached the end of the Lenten Season. With our daily practices of prayer, fasting, abstinence, almsgiving, stations of the cross and listening to the word of God (maybe online) there is sense of being enfolded in the sufferings of Jesus, which He undertook in obedience to His Father. God so loved us that He sent His ONLY begotten son to deliver us from sin and a life of everlasting torment, to live a life of holiness and enter His kingdom to a life of bliss for all eternity.
Over the years we have got accustomed to work with Jesus and Mary through the 14 stations of cruelty and brutality. Today I would like to share my meditation and invite you to view the passion of Jesus as it were from above i.e through the eyes of our loving father along with the Prophets of old, all the Angels and Saints.
Watch Jesus enter Jerusalem on Sunday on a colt, with palm leaves and cloaks lining the road, people shouting “Hosanna, Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord”. Fast forward to Friday – 5 days later, the same crowd shouts “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Watched from a distance, one can see the fickleness of a crowd and how easily they are misled by those who want to kill Jesus.
On Thursday, Watch Jesus in the Upper room. His heart is in agony knowing He will be betrayed, denied and abandoned by His own. Yet not a moment is lost in self-pity. He washes the feet of His 12 Apostles (not an easy or pleasant task) and wipes with a towel – a significant act of purification. Then going back to the table, He offers His very Body and Blood, instituting a new commandment – “Love one another as I have loved you.”
In the Garden of Gethsemane, in the dark of the night, Jesus is arrested. Watch as He is shuffled on foot from Annas to Caiaphas. From there to Pilate who sends Him to Herod. Herod mocks and ridicules Him, sending Him back to Pilate who releases Barabbas and sentences Jesus to death.
Viewing from the top, we see the soldiers scourging Jesus, forcing a crown of thorns on His Head and hitting His Head with a reed. They blind –fold Him, mock, ridicule, abuse, slap and spit on His face. Finally drag Him out, drop a heavy Cross on His shoulder to carry it to Calvary.
Can you sense the pin-drop silence of Heaven? Imagine the agony of the Father who permitted every single act of cruelty in order to save our souls from damnation.
The Cross is dropped on the ground and Jesus is laid on it. His right hand is placed on the Cross and a huge nail is hammered into it. Jesus’ body curls. The sound of the hammer. How many times, I don’t know. But my name was on every blow. Forcing out and stretching first the left hand and then the feet, the nails were hammered. Jesus’ screams had to pierce the heart of God. Picture His anguish and that of the Prophets, Moses & Elijah who were at the Transfiguration; Isaiah who predicted this Passion (ch. 50 & 53) and all the others of the Old Testament.
At noon the land was covered with darkness till 3 o’clock. Then, forgiving His tortures Jesus gave up His Spirit. Silence continued through Friday and Saturday. A sense of expectancy pervaded heaven.
On Saturday, at midnight, the incredible happened. JESUS ROSE FROM THE TOMB. Heaven was surely filled with trumpet blasts, music, dancing, singing and rejoicing.
There was no human witness to the Resurrection. I believe that if God sent a host of Angels to light up the sky and inform the shepherds of the birth of Jesus, then a GREAT CELEBRATION would befit His Son, who won the victory over Sin and Death. I believe that the night turned to the brightness of day. There must have been a mad rush in heaven to come down and worship Jesus – the Victorious.
May you see Christ’s Resurrection not only as a Glorious Mystery, but as a Power-packed, Incredible and Unrepeatable one.
HAPPY & BLESSED EASTER!!
Josephine Rodrigues