Consider these four words while reflecting on Jesus' Passion
by Sister Elise Cholewinski
This coming week shall stand at the head of our calendars. Beginning with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, we will walk with Him through the days of His life that are at the core of our faith, the Paschal Mystery, which comprises His death and Resurrection. As we prepare to contemplate these sacred mysteries, I offer you four words to accompany you on your journey through Holy Week.
- Silence: As Jesus experienced His Passion, note the amount of time He spent in silence. He spent an hour or two alone in the Garden of Gethsemane, was a prisoner overnight in a dungeon three stories below the ground, refused to speak to Pilate and Herod, made no protest when He was convicted and crucified.
- Violence: Jesus was subjected to violence as He was ridiculed and slapped, scourged and crowned with thorns, carried His cross and was nailed to it.
- Endurance: His love for His Father and for all of us led to an endurance that withstood the pain of crucifixion and death.
- Radiance: And on Easter morning the world would be stunned by a radiance coming forth from an empty tomb.
May we take time during these sacred days for periods of SILENCE, reflecting on the pain and agony Jesus experienced. May we be conscious of the VIOLENCE inflicted on so many people today as Jesus carries His cross again through their suffering unjustly. May we pray for the grace of ENDURANCE in the midst of the struggles in the Church and in the world. And may we come forth on Easter morning glowing with the RADIANCE of the Risen Lord, Who lives among us and within us.
Thank you for your reflection. I took a screenshot of the four words for daily reflection this holy week. Thank you.