Friday, August 27, 2010

WHERE ARE YOU?

WHERE ARE YOU?

Our church took a field trip to The Shrine of Christ's Passion, at St. John, Indiana. www.shrineofchristspassion.org

What a moving experience.

As I looked at the Stations of the Cross, I noticed three very import things, the Roman Soldiers, the hands of Jesus and our hope.

I was going to tell you about this in one blog, but have decided to make it a three part experience. This is part one on the statues of the soldiers and the weight of the cross.

THE SOLDIERS

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THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CROSS

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BEHIND JESUS

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OVER JESUS

These depictions were not always easy to look at.

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You could see the scars. You could see the tears.

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You could see Jesus getting weaker, as the cross got heavier.

TODAYS SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 27:27:31

Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:

Where are you? Which side of the cross are you on? Are you behind Jesus? Do you have the hammer in your hand? (The answer to this question is yes. That is the answer for all of us.) Do you think the soldiers were doing their job or were they enjoying what they did? Can you see the cross becoming very heavy?

LET US PRAY: (Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.)

My dear Jesus, It is so easy to look at the bronze cross on the altar. It is so easy to look at the empty cross. It is so hard to look at the cross and realize what you did for me. For me! My dear Jesus, I want to wipe away your tears. I want to tend to your wounds. I want to thank you. Amen

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