Posted on 08/15/2023 6:50:52 PM PDT by grey_whiskers
Lately i have been getting up early in the morning for a long walk (45 minutes to an hour) and spending the beginning part of the walk in devotional, formal prayers.
Among the prayers is the recitation of the Rosary: in which one reads/meditates upon different episodes in the lives of Jesus, Mary, and the Apostles.
A couple of weeks back, I was praying the Sorrowful Mysteries, in which one meditates upon the Passion -- the Agony in the Garden and the betrayal by Judas, the trial before the Sanhedrin, the trial, scourging and condemnation under Pontius Pilate, the carrying of the Cross, and the Crucifixion.
During the prayers while meditating on the crucifixion, I was suddenly struck by the meditation for the third prayer out of ten:
"This day you will be with Me in Paradise."
So it is written, and these were the words in the Rosary booklet. But they are not what made an impression on me.
Pull back a step, and take a different view. Not as someone hearing the familiar story for the umpteenth time.
But as someone there at the scene.
You have one Jesus of Nazareth, who had been feted into Jerusalem a mere week before ("Hosanna to the Son of David!") suddenly betrayed, tried by a kangaroo court in the middle of the night, and sentenced to a particularly gruesome and ignominious public execution, on ridiculous charges of either blasphemy or rebellion
And executed between two other convicted felons.
And Jesus had been up all night, with no food, knowing what was coming ("Abba, Father let this cup pass from me. But not as I will, but as Thou Wilt."), and pummeled and flogged to the point that the very soldiers escorting him to the execution site, thought he was going to drop dead before they could kill Him.
And now He is hanging naked on the Cross.
And the thief on one side of him, also being crucified, can see Jesus hanging on the cross, and he knows that they are both going to die shortly.
And what does he say?
"Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom."
What kind of faith, what kind of trust does it take, to say that, while you are in the midst of being executed, to say that to your fellow convict, suffering the same fate?
= = = = = = = = = = =
…33Pilate went back into the Praetorium, summoned Jesus, and asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” 34“Are you saying this on your own,” Jesus asked, “or did others tell you about Me?” 35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” 34“Are you saying this on your own,” Jesus asked, “or did others tell you about Me?” 35“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “ Your own people and chief priests handed You over to me. What have You done?” 36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.” -- John 18:33-36
19Pilate also had a notice posted on the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. 21So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but only that He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews.’” 22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” -- John 19:19-22
*PING* to a small Catholic devotional thought — though all believers in Christ are welcome to read.
A very moving meditation upon this very scene.
Very trying times My attention is grabbed and I do not like it. keep your powder dry.
Amen.
Thank you for this!
I am praying the Holy Rosary every morning when I walk my dog. I am just in awe of all of the mysteries of the Rosary and the power of the prayer.
I have heard of Msgr Knox, but have not read that story.
I’ll look it up.
Well said...Thank you for reminding us...
Mark
I too tried to look Msgr Knox up, but found nothing that didn't involve paying for something or another I'm not sure of.
The Rich and the Kingdom of God
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’[a]”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is[b] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Lovely thread. Thank you.
I’m sorry - I’m old fashioned and have an actual print book. the story is worth looking for though. I think it’s still in print.
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