Lenten Meditations – 2 April – With Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900) Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Sacred Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ”
“Short Meditations for Lent”
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Wednesday after the Fourth Sunday in Lent-
The Scourging
Read St Matthew xxvii:27-30
[27] Then the governor’s soldiers taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto Him the whole band; [28] and stripping Him, they put a scarlet cloak about Him. [29] And plaiting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His Hea, and a reed in His right Hand. And bowing the knee before Him, they mocked Him, saying: Hail, King of the Jews. [30] And spitting upon Him, they took the reed and struck His Head. [Matthew 27:27-30]
+1. When the Jews had shouted for Barabbas and threatened Pilate to denounce him as disloyal to Rome, if he released Jesus, the governor made one more attempt to save the life of Christ.
He ordered Him to be severely scourged, hoping thereby, to move the Jews to pity. Vain attempt at a fresh compromise with his conscience! Pilate only involved himself in deeper guilt and Christ, in a greater agony of suffering. Nothing ever succeeds, except a bold, fearless obedience to God’s holy inspirations.
+2. Our Lord is handed to the scourgers, who strip Him naked and then begin their impious barbarity. The Pharisees are said to have plied them with drink to make them more reckless in their cruelty. Blow succeeds blow, from those many-lashed , iron-pointed scourgers. First His Sacred Flesh becomes red and swollen under the stripe, then the Blood begins to flow, then the iron points lacerate and tear His delicate Body until it is one great wound!
Listen as He piteously moans under the anguish! See Him covered in Blood ! O my Jesus, what must be Thy love to endure this for me!
+3. At length, the executioners cut the cords and Christ falls heavily in a pool of His own Blood. What has brought the King of Heaven to this condition of abject misery? It is the sins of men, especially the sinful indulgence of the body. It was to atone for sins of luxury and impurity and drunkenness that the spotless Lamb of God was thus tortured.
Alas! how often have I been indulgent to my body!
How have I yielded to the cravings of sense!
AnaStpaul 