Good Friday: The agony begins (WARNING...THIS GETS GRAPHIC)

The final hours of Christ's Passion begin. He is scourged and beaten, abused and tortured. In great pain these thoughts pass through his mind:

Although Pilate did try to convince the crowds that he didn't want to have anything to do with me otherwise he has shown me no mercy. They are tying me to a pillar in the back courtyard of the praetorian. My body is wrenched as they viciously tear my clothes from me. A Roman soldier grabs a whip. It has a sharp spike on the end. I see him raise his arm and swing the whip toward my body. Agonizing pain shoots through my body as the whip strikes my side and wraps around my back. He swings again. I twist against the chains as searing pain racks my body. He swings again and the whip wraps completely around me smearing my cheek with my own blood. Again and again he strikes me. I can feel the whip literally rip flesh off my sides, my back, my arms. I weakly look down to the ground and see my blood pooling on the stones. After what seems like hours, the soldier stops. They untie me from the pillar. I can't even stand and fall to the ground. I don't even have enough strength to put my arms out and my face slams in to the stone. I am laying in the pool of my own blood.

They're dragging me to my feet and shoving me against a wall. Out of the corner of my eye I see one of the soldiers with something in his hand. It's a branch from a thorn bush that has been made into a ring. He places it onto my head and pushes down hard. I feel sharp stabs of pain as the thorns puncture my skin. Blood is running down my temple into my eye. It mixes with my sweat and burns but my hands are being held to my side by the soldiers. They drag me away from the wall and out into the main courtyard. We stop in front of a wooden cross nearly 9 feet tall. It takes three soldiers to lift it up. Then they drop it hard onto my shoulders. The weight is nearly unbearable. My knees go weak and a soldier puts out a hand to steady me. The soldiers lead me down the street. I struggle to walk as I drag this immense piece of wood along. My Way has begun.

Until noon...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 06:11 | link | comments (1) |
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Comments:

#1  23 March 2008 - 20:36

 

This commentary is very moving, using Jesus' thoughts. Whenever I think of the crucifixtion from within Jesus or Mary, I find the experience truly heartbreaking. It is almost overwhelming projecting oneself into their shoes.

ksmabba

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