Scripture Reading
John 19: 13-17
13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. 15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).
Please take time to reflect on the image below.
Meditation from our Preachers
From Vanda Chittenden
It wasn’t too many weeks ago that we knelt attentively, lovingly, joyfully in front of an empty manger awaiting the moment that the greatest treasure in all of creation; the Son of the Most High God, our Lord, Jesus Christ would be laid before our eyes to behold and gaze upon. A manger that would cradle our Infant King’s ten tiny little fingers that would splay when a startling noise occurred, a tummy that would rise and fall with deep breaths taken and toes that would curl when we irresistibly tickled His feet. And our attention was held captive with this tiny Babe whose infinite love stole our hearts immediately. Perhaps, as we kept watch so closely, with our hands resting on the side of the manger, we incurred a few splinters from the rough wood. But we were quick to overlook this little pain as joy resided in our heart. Attentive to this Infant’s every need, we moved the manger to the warmer place in the cave and then to the more quiet place and then perhaps picked it up once again so He could rest near His blessed Mother. More splinters, but we bore them easily because of Love.
As Jesus grew, he watched his father, Joseph, a carpenter by trade, wield various tools to form rough wood into tables, doors, carts and anything else requested. Just like any young boy in love with his father, Jesus would have been in the midst of these projects, helping Joseph- perhaps handing His dad a hammer, or holding a nail in place or even balancing a long 2×4 piece of wood over His shoulder, feeling the edge of it resting against His neck. The grain and smell of the particular types of wood became familiar to Him and He could easily recognize which wood was best suited for the project at hand. Soon, our Lord would find Himself initiating and completing His own projects as His skills, under Joseph’s direction, were perfected through His adulthood.
Then, the day was upon Him. Scourged, crowned with thorns and covered with only a tunic -the great wood of the Cross was laid on His shoulder. The smell, the grain, the weight of the wood He knew well. It had been present in His life since the day He was born. Traces of the wood of his cross were woven throughout His entire life. He knew it well and He embraced it. Submitted in love to His Heavenly Father’s will, He was now in the midst of the world’s redemption. All the splinters boring into His neck and shoulders were received in joy. His attention was held captive on you and me as He modeled for us the lightness of His yoke, if we bear it with Him. May we fix our gaze, once again, on He who carries His Cross to Calvary.
Oh Lord, how much sweeter and easier it is to carry my Cross when I know it is the same precious wood of the cradle. I once, all too gladly, desired to carry your cradle for however long to wherever you needed when you were my precious Infant King. I bore those splinters with joy for love of you.
Now, when you present the wood of the Cross, I shudder and shrink back from accepting this wood, which, too, is your gift. Help me to lovingly embrace this Cross as I did so readily your cradle knowing you desire my joy and freedom.
Vanda
REFLECTION
Our beloved Jesus is now bearing the heavy weight of the Cross on his body. He not only carries the burden of the Cross but all the heaviness and darkness of our sin and the sins of the whole world throughout time onto his shoulders. Jesus knew how hard this journey would be for him. The previous night in his distress in the Garden of Gethsamene Jesus fervently prayed not once but three times
“My Father, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26: 39-44).
Yet because of his surrender and obedience to his Father, Jesus willingly accepted what he knew will be a long and difficult road ahead and he now takes up the Cross with quiet humility, out of his love for all of us.
I heard this message below awhile ago, (cannot remember from who).
We should not be afraid of the cross and that the only way to be with Jesus is to walk towards the cross.
I didn’t know how that message would impact my life until this last year when I felt the burden of many crosses on my shoulders. We will all experience trials and tests in life but the true test will be if it brings us closer to Christ. God will never give us a cross that is too heavy or a challenge too difficult for us if we remain close to him in prayer and reach out for help. He will always be there to comfort and give us hope on the journey because it is through the Cross that we can have eternal life and happiness with our Lord – AMEN to that!
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, bearer of our crosses,
give us the strength to meet the challenges of these difficult days.
Help us to live your call to serve the poor, to heal the sick, to clothe the naked.
Bless us with the creativity and the courage to find ways we can continue to serve
the least among us. We pray this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.