Prayer And Meditation: The Crowning

KAC's Catholic Meditations ^ | 3/16/07 | Knitting a Conundrum

[Knitting A Conundrum]

The Crowning

Once they mocked Him with a crown of twisted thorns,
the soldiers there,
a game to amuse themselves
while they passed the time,
to prove how secure they were in this foreign land
how much stronger,
how much in control.
No threat, He,
beaten, bloody, bound,
an interesting toy
to play with in the morning.

Now they mock Him
with a crown of twisted words,
those who choose to despise Him,
soliders in a different war,
yet still in need of games to amuse themselves with,
to prove how much wiser, stronger, smarter they are,
how they can turn their back on his open hand,
They look for ways to push the crown in deeper,
to add their spittle to His face,
other rags for Him to wear
so they can rip them off in mockery,
using Him as an interesting toy
to prove their independence.

And yet, despite of all their lies,
the tomb is still empty,
and the witness of God's mercy still lives,
passing from heart to heart,
life to life,
believer to believer.

Maranatha!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and asked him, "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?" And they spoke many other words against him, reviling him. Luke 22:63-65

Please join me today in remembering the death and sacrifice of Jesus.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Prayer and Meditation ping!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

1. O sacred Head, now wounded,
With grief and shame weighed down,
Now scornfully surrounded
With thorns, Thine only crown.
O sacred Head, what glory,
What bliss, till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory,
I joy to call Thee mine.

2. Men mock and taunt and jeer Thee,
Thou noble countenance,
Though mighty worlds shall fear Thee
And flee before Thy glance.
How art thou pale with anguish,
With sore abuse and scorn!
How doth Thy visage languish
That once was bright as morn!

3. Now from Thy cheeks has vanished
Their color, once so fair;
From Thy red lips is banished
The splendor that was there.
Grim Death, with cruel rigor,
Hath robbed Thee of Thy life;
Thus Thou has lost Thy vigor,
Thy strength, in this sad strife.

4. My burden in Thy Passion,
Lord, Thou hast borne for me,
For it was my transgression
Which brought this woe on thee.
I cast me down before Thee,
Wrath were my rightful lot;
Have mercy, I implore Thee;
Redeemer, spurn me not!

5. My Shepherd, now receive me;
My Guardian, own me Thine.
Great blessings Thou didst give me,
O Source of gifts divine!
Thy lips have often fed me
With words of truth and love,
Thy Spirit oft hath led me
To heavenly joys above.

6. Here I will stand beside Thee,
From Thee I will not part;
O Savior, do not chide me!
When breaks Thy loving heart,
When soul and body languish
In death's cold, cruel grasp,
Then, in Thy deepest anguish,
Thee in mine arms I'll clasp.

7. The joy can ne'er be spoken,
Above all joys beside,
When in Thy body broken
I thus with safety hide.
O Lord of life, desiring
Thy glory now to see,
Beside Thy cross expiring,
I'd breathe my soul to Thee.

8. What language shall I borrow
To thank Thee, dearest Friend,
For this, Thy dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end?
Oh, make me thine forever!
And should I fainting be,
Lord, let me never, never,
Outlive my love for Thee.

9. My Savior, be Thou near me
When death is at my door;
Then let Thy presence cheer me,
Forsake me nevermore!
When soul and body languish,
Oh, leave me not alone,
But take away mine anguish
By virtue of Thine own!

10. Be Thou my Consolation,
My Shield when I must die;
Remind me of Thy Passion
When my last hour draws nigh.
Mine eyes shall then behold Thee,
Upon Thy cross shall dwell,
My heart by faith enfold Thee.
Who dieth thus dies well!

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Lord,
the pain wraps around us,
throbbing,
throbbing,
like the rhythm
of the hammer fall
piercing,
deeper,
lodging in the wood.

The pain,
oh the pain,
a woman crying out
as her loved one is slain,
a child shocked
at the blood
falling from a beheaded parent,
the armwrenching agony
as they hauled you,
nailed to the crossbeam
up up to the drop,
white pain electric
through your arms
as the beam found the mortise,
like the pain of the tortured
screaming beneath their captor's hands,
screaming as the electricity
screams through their bodies,
throbbing,
screaming,
the pain of being stripped
of everything but the paim
and the stares
as they gambled,
waiting for the blood to fall
for the breath to end
like guards at a starvation ward
waiting for thirst to end his praying,
like nurses piling blankets high
in the name of mercy killing,
the pain,
throbbing,
with each beat of your heart,
each hard sought breath,
like the pain of the deserted,
lost in the wilderness,
aching,
bereft,
afraid of the hand of man,
victim of terror,
victim of rape,
victim of starvation,
scurrying by night
seeing her child die,
like your mother,
watching each last breath,
dying inside
watching your death.

O Lord,
the pain,
you wrapped yourself around it,
accepted it,
tasted it,
drank it
down to the bitter dregs,
and bore all the burden
of man's evil,
of man's inhumanity
down to the pit of death,
walking each step with us,
walking each step along with us,
and accepting that last, lone breath,
shattered the chain.

Lord, in our grief,
hold us,
and tell us
as we unite with you,
as we live for you
you live for us,
and when the pain,
the last ache,
the last throb
is over and done,
you will take us
to where
pain is banished.

Amen.

[Mercat]

A friend of mine, my office mate, said today, not unkindly, that I won't talk about religion, I'll talk about politics but not religion. He's correct and I thought about it. This morning I had read the story in Luke of St. Peter denying Christ three times and I realize that I don't want to deny my Lord and Savior but, like Peter, I'm so inadequate to explain the theology. I can't keep up with this man who reads a lot of what I think is garbage on the subject and, since he's a lawyer, argues it so well. So I think I'll explain to him that my relationship to Jesus is very personal and intimate and that like I would not want to debate the pros and cons of my wonderful husband, I won't do debate Jesus with him.

[Mercat]

A friend of mine, my office mate, said today, not unkindly, that I won't talk about religion, I'll talk about politics but not religion. He's correct and I thought about it. This morning I had read the story in Luke of St. Peter denying Christ three times and I realize that I don't want to deny my Lord and Savior but, like Peter, I'm so inadequate to explain the theology. I can't keep up with this man who reads a lot of what I think is garbage on the subject and, since he's a lawyer, argues it so well. So I think I'll explain to him that my relationship to Jesus is very personal and intimate and that like I would not want to debate the pros and cons of my wonderful husband, I won't do debate Jesus with him.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

O good Jesus, Word of the Eternal Father,
Convert me.
O good Jesus, Son of Mary,
Make me her child.
O good Jesus, My Master,
Teach me.
O good Jesus, Prince of peace,
Give me peace.
O good Jesus, my Refuge,
Receive me.
O good Jesus, my Pastor,
Feed my soul.
O good Jesus, Model of patience,
Comfort me.
O good Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
Make my heart like unto Thine.
O good Jesus, my Redeemer,
Save me.
O good Jesus, my God and my All,
Possess me.
O good Jesus, the true Way,
Direct me.
O good Jesus, Eternal Truth,
Instruct me.
O good Jesus, Life of the blessed,
Make me live in Thee.
O good Jesus, my Support,
Strengthen me.
O good Jesus, my Justice,
Justify me.
O good Jesus, my Mediator,
Reconcile me to Thy Father.
O good Jesus, Physician of my soul,
Heal me.
O good Jesus, my Judge,
Absolve me.
O good Jesus, my King,
Govern me.
O good Jesus, my Sanctification,
Sanctify me.
O good Jesus, Abyss of goodness,
Pardon me.
O good Jesus, Living Bread from Heaven,
Satiate me.
O good Jesus, the Father of the prodigal,
Receive me.
O good Jesus, Joy of my soul,
Refresh me.
O good Jesus, my Helper,
Assist me.
O good Jesus, Magnet of love,
Attract me.
O good Jesus, my Protector,
Defend me.
O good Jesus, my Hope,
Sustain me.
O good Jesus, Object of my love,
Make me love Thee.
O good Jesus, Fountain of life,
Cleanse me.
O good Jesus, my Propitiation,
Purify me.
O good Jesus, my Last End,
Let me obtain Thee.
O good Jesus, my Glory,
Glorify me. Amen.

V. Jesus, hear my prayer.
R. Jesus, graciously hear me.

Let Us Pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you," mercifully attend to our supplications, and grant us the gift of Thy Divine Charity, that we may ever love Thee with our whole hearts, and may never cease from praising Thee, Who livest and reignest world without end. R. Amen.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Not all are called to be debaters...I hate to argue theology. I prefer to witness it this way instead.

The importance is not to deny Jesus...but to express our witness in the ways he calls us to do it. If I refused to write and share the prayer poems I do, I would be joining Peter in the courtyard! But if I were to try to seriously get into a religious debate I would be trying to do what I wasn't asked to do.

We all have our charisms. And they are ALL important.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

O Jesus,
your heart beating with love,
beat out the moments
in the garden,
as you prayed there,
filled with sorrow,
while all slept.
Your heart
keeping time
with all the sin
you took upon your shoulders,
cascading down upon you
filth of the years before
dirt of the years ahead,
and you knelt there,
your heart beating in your chest
like the rhythm
of heavenly love
as you accepted the Father's will.

O Jesus,
As you hung on the cross,
the beating of your heart,
a lover's song,
growing strained,
each beat
each breath
reaching out
a lover's
goodbye,
hard,
aching,
until the moment
the last beat
the final farewell,
then silence.

O Jesus,
the miracle
of that heart of love,
rekindled
in a burst of glory
that shattered death,
that made your heart
big enough
to hold the whole world
in a lover's embrace.


Heart of Jesus,
glowing furnace of love,
thank you.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Change My Heart

Change my heart, O Jesus, Thou Who didst empty Thyself for love of me!

Make known to my spirit how excellent were Thy sacred humiliations.

Let me begin this day, illumined by Thy Divine light, to do away with that portion of the natural man, that still lives undiminished in me. This is the chief source of my misery, this the barrier that I constantly oppose to Thy love

[Knitting A Conundrum]

Mercy's call - a song


See them walking to the hill,
Soldiers, priests and prisoners all,
A time to weep, a time to kill --
God With Us answers mercy's call.

Wood and hammer,
nail and rope,
tools of hard death,
tools of hope,
washed in blood,
crowned by thorn,
as He dies,
new life is born.

See them nail him to the cross,
Beaten, bloody, forgiving all,
They glory at His mother's loss --
God With Us answers mercy's call.

Wood and hammer,
nail and rope,
tools of hard death,
tools of hope,
washed in blood,
crowned by thorn,
as He dies,
new life is born.

The sky grows dark as death grows near,
This day more different than them all,
The Son gives all while the wicked cheer --
God With Us answers mercy's call.

Wood and hammer,
nail and rope,
tools of hard death,
tools of hope,
washed in blood,
crowned by thorn,
as He dies,
new life is born.

O Pascal Lamb, O Bridegroom bright,
Who dies for love of one and all!
The earth itself quaked at the sight --
How God With Us answered mercy's call.

Wood and hammer,
nail and rope,
tools of hard death,
tools of hope,
washed in blood,
crowned by thorn,
as He dies,
new life is born.

[Kitty Mittens]

Oh, (((((Knitting))))), this is a Wonderful Place of Reverence for our Lord! Thank you for Sharing the Gifts our Master has Given you, for the Blessing of His Church.

Hail to the King!
Praise Him Who Comes
In the Name of the Lord!
Hail to the King of the Universe! (Mk.11:9,10)

[Knitting A Conundrum]

O Jesus, Who by reason of Thy burning love for us hast willed to be crucified and to shed Thy Most Precious Blood for the redemption and salvation of our souls, look down upon us here gathered together in remembrance of Thy most sorrowful Passion and Death, fully trusting in Thy mercy; cleanse us from sin by Thy grace, sanctify our toil, give unto us and unto all those who are dear to us our daily bread, sweeten our sufferings, bless our families, and to the nations so sorely afflicted, grant Thy peace, which is the only true peace, so that by obeying Thy commandments we may come at last to the glory of Heaven. Amen.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

If you lie empty upon the ground,
do not be frightened when
a strong hand cups your hand around
and you are raised aloft.

Look up and stand and see
where earth and heaven join
the very hand of he
who gives life lifts you up

As he is lifted high
On a cross that looks too frail
to bear up to the sky
the whole world's cares

And yet the cross holds strong
against the tumbling night,
where beaten, naked, bleeding long
the giver gives his life.

Beacon in the midnight
candle in the storm
hope for those without sight,
anchor, peace, home.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

O my Jesus,
I contemplate your poor battered face this evening,
Your hair sticky and wet from the blood beneath your crown,
your cheeks bruised and bloodstreaked,
your nose swollen.

I behold the King on his way to his betrothal,
in just those garments that show
the depth of your love,
how far you are willing to go
in pursuit of you bride,
what a bride price you are willing to pay
to dress her in the dazzling white you promised.

Let me contemplate this gift,
and not forget the pain throbbing through your body
because of me, and all like me,
brother and sister in our lack of holiness,
pain you bear willingly,
pain rooted in our lack of perfection,
and our turning away from your light,
pain rooted in our hunger for good twisted into things we should not want,
all braided together like the thorns you wear around your head.

How heavy this burden you carry
on that abused but precious head, O Lord,
and I, with all of mankind, heaped that burden on you,
hammered the thorns into your flesh,
mocked you for who you are,
King and Bridegroom for an unfaithful world.

What reparations could I make
that would make this reality go away?
Nothing.
But, pricked to the heart,
I offer you my tears,
and grief at the necessity,
and bowing before you,
offer you the little love I have,
my heart,
my abject sorrow,
and eternal gratefulness at your willingness to love.

Amen.

[bboop]

Very sweet poems, thanks.

[Ciexyz]

Lovely poesie, thanks for posting.

[Ciexyz]

Here's wishing a blessed Lenten season to everyone.