3.27.09

Opening Prayer

Enlighten our heart, Holy Spirit, to see Jesus more fully, and to hear, through his suffering, the lamentations of all people. Amen.

 

Lamentations 4:15-20

“Away! Unclean!” people shouted at them;
“Away! Away! Do not touch!”

So they became fugitives and wanderers;
it was said among the nations,
“They shall stay here no longer.”

 

The LORD himself has scattered them,
he will regard them no more;

no honor was shown to the priests,
no favor to the elders.

 

Our eyes failed, ever watching
vainly for help;

we were watching eagerly
for a nation that could not save.

 

They dogged our steps
so that we could not walk in our streets;

our end drew near; our days were numbered;
for our end had come.

 

Our pursuers were swifter
than the eagles in the heavens;

they chased us on the mountains,
they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

 

The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life,
was taken in their pits—

the one of whom we said, “Under his shadow
we shall live among the nations.” ^NRSV

 

Mark 15:12-15

Pilate spoke to them again, “Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has he done?”

But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. ^NRSV

 

 

“And thus I saw our Lord Jesus languoring a long time. For his deity gave strength to his humanity for love to suffer more than all mortals might suffer: I mean not only more pain than all mortals might suffer, but also that He suffered more pain for our salvation than all mortals who ever were from the first beginning unto the last day might tell or fully think. This is so, contrasting the worthiness of the highest most worshipful King with the most shameful, despised, painful death. For He that is highest and worthiest was most fully made-nought and most utterly despised. —St. Julian of Norwich (1342-1416?), Revelations of Divine Love ch. 20.

 

practicing the story

Read Mark 15:12-15 again, replacing “them” with “me” and “they” with “I” as you read the section again. Consider, what causes you to rebel?