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Turn your eye, the eye of faith, to the cross and see these two things - the crucifiers and the Crucified. See the crucifiers, the haters of God and of His Son. They are yourself. Read in them your own character. See the Crucified. It is God Himself; incarnate love. It is He who made you, God manifest in flesh, suffering, dying for the ungodly. Can you suspect His
grace?
- Horatius Bonar
(How does Christ's crucifixion reveal God's love for you? Spend some time pondering this deep mystery.)
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Is 52:13--53:12; Ps 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25 ; Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Jn 18:1--19:42
R. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me.
Into your hands I commend my spirit;
you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God.
For all my foes I am an object of reproach,
a
laughingstock to my neighbors, and a dread to my friends;
they who see me abroad flee from me.
I am forgotten like the unremembered dead;
I am like a dish that is broken.
But my trust is in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God.
In your hands is my destiny; rescue me
from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors."
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
Take courage and be stouthearted,
all you who hope in the LORD.
USCCB Lectionary
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John 18: 1 - 19: 42 (Jesus arrested condemned, crucified)
Crucifixion was not the kind of death a community would choose for its hero. Roman crucifixion was reserved for the most heinous criminals in society and was intended to discourage other criminals from
testing the Pax Romana. Since the Jews were not permitted to carry out the death sentence, they needed to convince the Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate, that Jesus deserved to die. Though Pilate seems reluctant to comply, he finally gives in, and Jesus is lifted up.”
- After reading through John’s passion narrative, spend some time reflecting on the cost of loving as Jesus
loved.
- Bonhoeffer, a Protestant pastor killed by the Nazis, wrote that when Jesus Christ calls a person, he bids him or her to come and die. How do you feel about this?
- Pray for the grace to be willing to lay down your life today for the sake of love.
Paperback, Kindle
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The Way of Perfection, by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Treats of the great need which we have to beseech the Eternal Father to grant us what we ask in these words: “Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo.” Explains certain temptations. This chapter is noteworthy. And now let us take a test case, for we can only get to the truth of this by keeping a continual watch on ourselves: then, if there is any cause for anxiety on our part, we shall at once recognize the symptoms. Here is someone who has a larger income than he needs -- I mean, needs for the necessaries of life -- and, though he could do with a single manservant, he keeps three. Yet,
when he is sued in the courts in connection with a part of his property, or some poor peasant omits to pay him his dues, he gets as upset and excited about it as if his life were at stake. He says he must look after his property or he will lose it, and considers that that justifies him. I do not suggest that he ought to neglect his property: whether or no things go well with him, he should look after it. But a person whose profession of poverty is a genuine one makes so little account of these
things that, although for various reasons he attends to his own interests, he never worries about them, because he never supposes he will lose everything he has; and, even if he should do so, he would consider it of no great moment, for the matter is one of secondary importance to him and not his principal concern. His thoughts rise high above it and he has to make an effort to occupy himself with it at all. - Chapter 36 (Keep in mind that she is writing to sisters in a cloistered contemplative order.)
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