Meditation on the Passion

Various | 3/19/06 | Knitting a Conundrum

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Meditation on Christ's Passion



When you prayed in the garden, Lord,
and the heaviness pressed all around you
as the full moon's light peaked through the olive trees,
and your apostles snored in the shadows,
and you sweated blood in the depths of your grief,
how heavy did today weigh on your shoulders,
with a war-torn world,
mad with bloodlust,
despising your peace,
hot with hatred and selfish fulfilment
sometimes done in the name of God,
or done in the name of self,
careless with all you have taught?



When they tied you to the pillar, Lord,
and scourged you in the Roman way,
a beating so severe that it alone could take a life,
as the weights at the ends of the whips,
and the heavy slap of the leather tore your flesh,
did you see the babies ripped for profit,
the innocents blown up to make a political statement,
the slaughtered millions killed
because they belonged to the wrong class,
or bloodline,
or culture
or faith
or country?
Which gave you the most pain,
the cruel leather,
or the knowlege how we would reject you?


When you walked that long walk
with the heavy crossbeam tied to your hands
as they paraded you and the others
to the Place of the Skull
amid a phalanx of proud and hard Roman soldiers
who hated the noise and the crowd and the foreignness
of it all,
and took out their spite by tugging your bonds
and watching you fall with arms extended,
and when you saw your Mother there,
and the aching pain passed between you,
did you see all the other mothers
aching in their pain for what evildoers would do
to their sons and daughters in the days to come,
mothers of the disapeared,
mothers of political prisoners,
mothers of those slain by bombers,
mothers of the beaten and kidnapped,
mothers looking for children buried in mass graves,
mothers who watch their children starve for others'
gain?


When they nailed you to the cross,
and hung you up to die the slow death
reserved for slaves and foreign traitors,
gradual suffocation
in hot, aching, painful breaths,
did our evil make the pain that much harder?
Did our lack of mercy and love
echo down the centuries like a pressing weight
making your sacrifice all the more painful?

And yet, still you managed to love us,
and gave us all you had left,
your mother,
your compassion,
your heart's blood.

Dear Lord,
Forgive us!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Meditation on Jesus about to be Crucified

The last moment
when you stood upon the ground,
felt the dust beneath your feet,
and had the dignity of your clothes,
blood stained and dirty though they were,
did the women who offered you
wine and myrrh wonder at the gently look you gave them,
and the firm rejection
of the small mercy they offered?

Did the soldiers who prepared for your death,
hard men, they,
at your side since the procession began
wonder at how you were diferent,
as you calmly gave them the last of your wordly goods,
garment by garment.
Did they notice,
and did it make them angry,
that you,
who should have been cringing, cursing and crying
calmly waited for the next wave of pain.

Did those travelling into the city that day,
who could not help but see the executioners at work
call out in recognition,
in pity, or in scorn
as the soldiers
threw you to the ground and took out their hammer and nails?


KAC

[Knitting A Conundrum]

[Knitting A Conundrum]

0 Jesus! Mirror of eternal splendor, remember the sadness which Thou experienced, when contemplating in the light of Thy Divinity the predestination of those who would be saved by the merits of Thy Sacred Passion, Thou didst see at the same time, the great multitude of reprobates who would be damned for their sins, and Thou didst complain bitterly of those hopeless lost and unfortunate sinners.

Through this abyss of compassion and pity, and especially through the goodness which Thou displayed to the good thief when Thou saidst to him: "This day, thou shalt be with Me in Paradise." I beg of Thee, 0 Sweet Jesus, that at the hour of my death, Thou wilt show me mercy. Amen.

My sweet Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Jesus, son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified to save mankind, reigning now in Heaven, have mercy on us.

St. Brigit

[Knitting A Conundrum]

On the Crucifixion

Suspended in that place
where heaven and earth meet,
an offering of
love unfathomable,
marked by the red liquid of life
given up in sacrifice.


You wait there,
feeling the life you give
ebb away drop by drop,
throb by throb,
swallowed up
by others' sin,
you,
both scapegoat
and sacrifice,
a poem of love,
a sign of contradition,
Lord.

KAC

[Knitting A Conundrum]

At the Foot of Your Cross

Lord,
let me find refuge
always
at the foot of your cross,
where you bled and died
so that I might live.

Only here,
beneath the cross
where you shed your blood
can I find refuge
from the darkness.

Only here,
beneath the cross,
can I find refuge
from the wages of sin.

Here at the foot of your cross,
I pour out my tears
like the Magdalene,
tears of grief at what my sin has wrought,
tears of sorrow for what you chose to do,
tears of grief at the need.

Here at the foot of your cross,
I stand with your sorrowful mother,
she who I once wanted to comfort
for her pain,
her sorrow,
her loss,
but who sustains me as I collapse in grief.

Here at the foot of your cross,
I confront the reality of my self,
sinful,
weak,
undeserving,
and find not the condemnation or rejection I deserve,
but only love.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

[Knitting A Conundrum]

0 Jesus! Beloved and most desirable King, remember the grief Thou didst suffer, when naked and like a common criminal, Thou was fastened and raised on the Cross, when all Thy relatives and f riends abandoned Thee, except Thy Beloved Mother, who remained close to Thee during Thy agony and whom Thou didst entrust to Thy farthful disciple when Thou saidst to Mary: "Woman, behold thy son!" and to St. John: "Son, behold thy Mother!"

I beg of Thee 0 my Saviour, by the sword of sorrow which pierced the soul of Thy holy Mother, to have compassion on me in all my affliction and tribulations, both corporal and spiritual, and to assist me in all my trials, and especially at the hour of my death. Amen.

My sweet Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Jesus, son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified to save mankind, reigning now in Heaven, have mercy on us

+ Bridget

[Knitting A Conundrum]

On the Road to Jerusalem One Friday in Spring

Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted - Isaiah

Those coming into the city
may have wondered about the small group
on the hill,
wondered idly about who was being executed
so close to the sabbath,
and at the feast-time, too.

Perhaps they shuddered at the thought
of such a shameful death
coming to them or theirs.

Perhaps they felt pity
that anyone would die that way.

Perhaps they stopped a moment to taunt.

Did they notice
a knot of women
standing close,
oblivious to the soldiers,
or to the mockers,
lost in their grief,
waiting?

Did they notice
how the sky darkened,
as if even the heavens
longed to weep?

[Knitting A Conundrum]

The First Sorrowful Mystery: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane


1. Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemani; and He began to experience sorrow and distress.
(Mt. 26: 36-37)

2. Then He said to them, My heart is nearly broken with sorrow. Remain here and stay awake with Me. (Mt. 26: 38)


3. He withdrew from them and knelt down and prayed. (Lk. 22:41)

4. Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Still, let it be as You would have it, not as I. (Mt. 26:39)

5. When He returned to His disciples, He found them asleep. He said to Peter, So you could not stay awake with Me for even an hour? Be on guard and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but nature is weak.
(Mt. 26: 40-42)

6. In His anguish, He prayed more earnestly. An angel appeared to Him, coming from Heaven to give Him strength.
(Lk. 22: 44,43)

7. The hour is on us when the Son of Man is to be handed over to the power of evil men. (Mt. 26:45)

8. While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived accompanied by a great crowd with swords and clubs.
(Mt. 26: 47)

9. He immediately went over to Jesus, said to Him, Peace, Rabbi, and embraced Him. (Mt. 26: 49)

10. Jesus answered, Friend, do what you are here for. At that moment they stepped forward to lay hand on Jesus and arrest Him. (Mt. 26: 50)

[trillabodilla]

Thank you, KAC. Honey, that is just beautiful.

Thank you, Jesus, for your perfect life, for me,
and your death, to pay a price that I could never pay.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Second Sorrowful Mystery: Jesus is scourged at the pillar

1. As soon as it was daybreak, the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate. Pilate interrogated Him, Are You the King of the Jews? (Mk. 15: 1-2)

2. Jesus answered, My Kingdom does not belong to this world. At this, Pilate said to Him, So then You are a King? Jesus replied, It is you who say I am a King. The reason I was born, the reason why I came into the world is to testify to the truth. Anyone committed to the truth, hears My voice. (Jn. 18:36-37)

3. This much only will I say, From now on, the Son of Man will have His seat at the right hand of the Power of God. (Lk. 22: 69)

4. So You are the Son of God? they asked in chorus. He answered, It is You who say that I am. (Lk. 22: 70)

5. Pilate's next move was to take Jesus and have Him scourged. (Jn. 19:1)

6. Despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows. (Is. 53: 3)

7. And yet, ours were the sufferings He bore. (Is. 53: 4)

8. He was pierced through for our faults, crushed for our sins. (Is. 53: 5)

9. They blindfolded Him, slapped Him and then taunted Him. (Lk. 23: 64) - Hail Mary...

10. And after He had Jesus scourged, Pilate handed Him over to be crucified.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

The Third Sorrowful Mystery: Jesus is Crowned with Thorns


1. The soldiers now led Jesus away into the hall known as the Praetorium; at the time they assembled the whole cohort. (Mk. 15: 16)

2. They dressed Him in royal purple, then wove a crown of thorns and put it on Him. (Mk. 15: 17)

3. They began to salute Him, All hail! King of the Jews! (Mk. 15: 18)

4. Continually striking Jesus no the head with a reed and spitting at Him, they genuflected before Him and pretended to pay Him homage. (Mk. 15: 19)

5. Pilate said to the crowd: Observe what I do. I am going to bring Him out to you to make you realize that I find no case against Him. (Jn. 19: 4)

6. When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak, Pilate said to them, Look at the Man!
(John 19: 5)

7. As soon as the chief priests and the temple guards saw Him they shouted, Crucify Him! Crucify Him! (Jn. 19: 6)


8. Why, what crime has He committed? asked Pilate. They only shouted the louder, Crucify Him! (Mk. 15: 14)

9. Pilate said to the Jews, Look at your King. (Jn. 19: 14)

10. In the end, Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified. (Jn. 19: 16)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: Jesus Carries His Cross

1. When they had finished making a fool of Him, they stripped Jesus of the cloak, dressed Him in His own clothes, and led Him off to crucifixion. (Mt. 27: 31)

2. On their way out they met a Cyrenian named Simon. This man they pressed into service to carry the cross. (Mt. 23: 27)

3. A great crowd of people followed Him, including women who beat their breasts and lamented over Him. (Lk. 23: 27)


4. Jesus turned to them and said: Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep for yourselves and for your children. (Lk. 23: 28)

5. Two others who were criminals were led along with Him to be crucified. (Lk. 23: 32)

6. Upon arriving at the site called Golgotha, (a name which means Skull Place), they gave Him a drink of wine flavoured with gall, which He tasted but refused to drink. (Mt. 27: 33-34)

7. When they had crucified Him, they divided His clothes among them by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over Him. (Mt. 27: 35-36)

8. Whoever wishes to be My follower must deny his very self. (Lk. 9: 23)

9. He must take up his cross every day and follow in My steps. (Lk. 9: 23)

10. Whoever would save his life will lose it, whoever loses his life for My sake, will save it. (Lk. 9: 24)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: Jesus Dies on the Cross

1.Jesus said, Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing. (Lk. 23: 32)

2. One of the criminals said: Jesus, remember me when You enter upon Your reign. And Jesus replied, I assure you; this day you will be with Me in paradise. (Lk. 23: 42-43)

3. Seeing His Mother there with the disciple whom He loved, Jesus said to His Mother, Woman, there is your son.
(Jn. 19: 26)

4. In turn He said to the disciple, There is your Mother. From that hour onward, the disciples took Her into his care.
(Jn. 19: 27)

5. Then toward midafternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud tone, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Mt. 27: 46)

6. Jesus realizing that everything was now finished, said to fulfill the Scriptures, I am thirsty. There was a jar there, full of common wine. They stuck a sponge soaked in this wine on a stick, and raised it to His lips. (Jn. 19: 28)

7. When Jesus took the wine, He said, Now it is finished. (Jn. 19: 30)

8. Jesus uttered a loud cry and said, Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit. After He said this, he expired.
(Lk. 23: 46)

9. Darkness came over the whole land until midafternoon with an eclipse of the sun. The curtain in the sanctuary was torn in two. (Lk. 23: 44-45)

10. They took Jesus' body, and in accordance with Jewish burial custom, bound it up in wrappings of cloth with perfumed oils. (Jn. 19: 40)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Mary's Son

Perfectly little baby,
Mary's little son,
lying in her loving arms
While Joseph looks on,
The joy of his mother,
God's only son,
and the heavens sing out their song
while shepherds look on.

Wondrous young man,
Mary's little son,
sitting in the temple
while the teachers looked on.
Frightened was his mother
for God's only son,
Feeling how the sword would feel
As she searched on.

Battered was his body,
Mary's precious son
as they pulled him off the cross
as soldiers looked on.
The sorrow of his mother
for God's only son
when they laid him in her lap
so hard to look on.

Empty was the tomb
Gone was Mary's son
when the stone was rolled away
as soldiers ran on.
The joy of his mother
for God's only son
Still echos in that empty tomb
As Heaven sings on.

KAC

[Alamo-Girl]

Amen!

[Kitty Mittens]

Unto Him be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout the Ages, World Without End, Amen! (Eph.3:21)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Behold the Man! say Pilate,
wishing to make you look small,
frail,
worthless,
nothing for the authorities to worry about.

Behold the Man, say the nonbeliever,
wishing to strip you of the power of God,
to make you safe,
ignorable,
worthless,
nothing to worry about.

Behold the Man, say some,
wishing you were the person they want you to be,
ascended master,
apostle of hate,
elder brother,
letting your message be nothing to worry about.

Behold the Man, say I,
Wishing to follow you with all my heart,
True God and true man,
who lovingly laid down his life
to bring us all home,
let me proclaim clearly,
Jesus Christ is Lord!

KAC

[Knitting A Conundrum]

[Knitting A Conundrum]

0 Jesus! Inexhaustible Fountain of compassion, Who by a profound gesture of Love, said from the Cross: "I thirst!" suffered from the thirst for the salvation of the human race. I beg of Thee 0 my Saviour, to inflame in our hearts the desire to tend toward perfection in all our acts; and to extinguish in us the concupiscence of the flesh and the ardor of worldly desires. Amen.

My sweet Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Jesus, son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified to save mankind, reigning now in Heaven, have mercy on us

+ Bridget