Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

As they went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he wants to; for he said, ‘I am God’s Son.’” The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.

From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”

Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

-Matthew 27:27-56

(please read through the passage 3 times using the practice of lectio divina)

Reflection

The beatitudes are almost a script for Holy Week as they end with, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” Before he is crucified, Jesus is mocked, spit upon, whipped, stripped naked, ridiculed, taunted, insulted, and derided. His disciples have fled. In a final moment of agony, he cries, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Action (Engage)

While Jesus is mocked for his title as king, he is modeling how God rules through the power of self-sacrificing love. In this light, when he is lifted up to the cross, we see the enthronement of the true king. The kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus has torn down all the border walls and invites us all to cross into a realm of unimaginable blessing.

As a way of loving God, can you watch with the women at the crucifixion? If possible, set aside half an hour or whatever time you have available. Light a candle and read through the above scripture account slowly. Notice every way that Christ is persecuted. If you want to fill the half hour, read through it multiple times, each time imagining yourself as a different character. As that character, what are you thinking and feeling? Now sit in the presence of the crucified Christ. Use Titian’s portrayal of Christ’s crucifixion as a visual touchpoint if helpful. Across time and space, watch with Jesus. At the end of your time, read through the account once again.