good friday

meditation on the cross for the comfortable

Lord,

i've prayed to know your cross, to know your suffering, pain, and death, to be in perfect union with your life on earth. i don't know what i'm asking.

you were spit upon, blunt iron nails ruined your hands and feet and the scorn of others made your life a failure. even your friends deserted you, and your Father even refused to save you from a hideous death. my life is so good. i am not homeless as you were, and i have friends and family that have not deserted me yet. my health is good. i can go out when i feel like it, seek entertainment and lawful pleasure.

how can i experience your passion in my life when there are so many good things? i cannot become a monk because of family obligations, and monks eat well anyway, and few seem to be suffering with you. i want to pray with you in gethsemane and be taken with you in the garden.

let some of the scourging you received fall on me. grant me thorns, too, and let my blood mingle with yours. i don't know why i want this, except maybe that i need you so much. i will take your company any way i can get it. i would rather be crucified with you than be separated from you for another moment.

please grant this prayer, that as much as it is possible, i may share in your sufferings and so be united with you completely.

amen.

unknown origin

for further reflection, go here.

scot mcknight has written a great piece about why Jesus chose passover for his death. you can read it here.

finally, as we reflect on Christ on the cross, "look at him with whatever faith you have and know that your worry about your lack of faith is itself a sign of faith....look at him. keep looking, and faith will take care of itself." - richard john neuhaus