Devotion for today: we stand at the foot of the cross

We now place ourselves on the hill of Calvary where some people jeer and mock our Lord, and others…

Scripture for meditation: Luke 23: 35-38

The people stood there watching, and the leaders kept jeering at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, the chosen one.” The soldiers also made fun of him, coming forward to offer him their sour wine and saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” There was an inscription over his head: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

Scripture for reflection: Isaiah 50:2
Why was no one there when I came: Why did no one answer when I called?

Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC asks us to enter into a meditation:

Mary is with us. Let us go with confidence to the foot of the cross. Let’s run there. Nothing can harm us. Mary is with us! She’ll teach us what to do. Let’s go console Jesus with Mary….The ugly mob parts like the Red Sea…. We arrive at the foot of the Cross. Look up. Behold that Heart which loves so much yet is so little loved…. Mary takes you into her arms and lifts you close to the broken face of the Savior…. You smile and speak to him from your heart:
Lord, don’t look at them. Look at me…Lord Jesus; even though my sins are many, I know the mercy of your Heart. I’m sorry I left you alone. But look, here I am. Please forgive me my sins. I’m going to try to do better. Please forgive them their sins, too. Lord, if only they knew you, they’d love you. Lord, I can’t offer much right now except for my weak trust and love. Jesus, I do trust in you, and I love you. Praise you, Jesus, and thank you for everything, especially for what you’re suffering right now out of love for me. I’ve come to be with you, my friend. Don’t be sad. I love you, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right here, praising you, thanking you, and consoling your broken Heart”…. Of course, Jesus still feels the pain of rejection and sin, but as he looks from the Cross and sees your confident love, you really do distract him from the circus of abuse that surrounds him. Suddenly, he says to you, “My beloved friend, seeing your great confidence and love, I wish I could suffer even more.” Yes, seeing you here, loving him and thanking him, makes it all worth it to him. This is what he’s been waiting and hoping for. Now his suffering is somehow relieved, and he continues speaking to you: “Child, you are a delight to my Heart.” (Consoling the Heart of Jesus, Fr. Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, Marian Press, 2011)

Prayer: Prayer Before a Crucifix

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Your face I humbly kneel,
with burning soul, pray and beseech You, to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments
of faith, hope, and charity; true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment.
While I contemplate, with great love and tender pity, Your five most precious wounds, pondering over them within me and calling to mind the words which David, Your prophet, said of You, my Jesus:
"They have pierced My hands and My feet, they have numbered all My bones." Amen.

My thoughts:  We would like to think of ourselves as someone who would have been brave enough to walk through an angry crowd and step up to console Jesus on the cross. It would have been scary. Then we realize that we face that very fear every single day of our lives. When we walk away from gossip, we are met with angry stares and behind-the-back comments. When we leave a job, party, or social circle because we can no longer tolerate the immoral or unethical behavior of the people there, we are faced with ridicule, scorn and rejection; yet when we turn away from all this, we turn into the arms of Christ. We stand at the foot of His cross. We comfort His breaking heart. We were not on the hill, not at the cross, not in history, anyway. But we are there now, and we know what we must do. Let us pray for the grace to stand with our King forever.

Our prayer to God:  Today we fast from all indecision and wishy-washy faith practices. Let us repeat over and over: I have decided to follow Jesus; there is no turning back for me. With the Cross before me, and the world behind me, there is no turning back. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory!