I admit that I am the type of person who skims past the gruesome parts of books. I turn my head or fast forward through shows when the gory scenes occur.
But today is a day of remembrance for the most monumental heartache in history. Today we remember the cross.
The amount of suffering that Jesus bore is impossible to fathom in our human capacity. The brutality of the cross and the prior treatment He endured were repulsive and incomprehensible. It's tempting to turn our heads from disgust, to simply skip ahead to the empty tomb. But in order to honor and appreciate what Jesus did for us, we must take time today to bear witness to His pain.
His suffering was multifaceted.
Betrayal - His closest followers betrayed Him. Judas turned Him over to the Roman soldiers and Peter denied even knowing Him three times.
Abandonment- In every other scenario, except by His own choosing when withdrawing for private prayer, He was surrounded by crowds. People flocked to hear Him speak and witness His miracles. He was magnetic. Yet now, in the time of His greatest need, most of His closest followers deserted Him.
Physical Torture - The soldiers hit Jesus on His head with a staff before pressing a crown of
thorns into His flesh. He was flogged, as ordered by Pilate. This means He was lashed with a multi-strap whip that had lead or stones on the end. This punishment was severe and barbaric. His beaten, bloodied, exhausted body was then forced to carry the weight of the cross to the place of His death. The gruesome brutality of crucifixion will make any stomach churn. Approximately five-inch nails were driven through His wrists and feet, and Jesus hung on the cross for several hours before giving up His last breath. The physical pain and suffering that He endured are incomprehensible.
Humiliation and Ridicule - People that Jesus came to love and serve not only broke His body but broke His heart as well. Unimaginable anguish was caused by the mocking and teasing. They fell to their knees in front of Him in mock praise. They laughed at Him and spit on Him as they taunted Him to save Himself. Ironically, a title was placed over His cross: "King of the Jews", full of disdain and lacking the honor it actually deserved.
Heartache - I can only imagine how distressing it must've been to know His mother was witnessing His torture. His love for her was perfect, and Mary never left His side. It must've pained Him to see her anguish.
He came into the world through a virgin's womb, then His body was laid in a virgin tomb. His infant body was wrapped in swaddling clothes, likely by His earthly father, Joseph. His dead body was wrapped in burial clothes by Joseph of Arimathea.
Our beautiful Savior, our Redeemer. Our Good Shepherd became the sheep led to slaughter.
And the wonder of it all, He did so willingly. He was perfect, the only perfect human to walk this earth, and He came to take on the sin of the world. And, while I'd rather turn my head from the repulsion of His pain, I know I must see it. I cannot fully comprehend His love without doing so.
So today, we must choose to take time to sit with His pain, His sacrifice. Like His mother Mary, we will not look away. Yes, Sunday is coming, but today is dark. This is our opportunity to say, "We see You there on the cross. Bloody and broken. We see Your pain and suffering." This is our opportunity to allow His experience to shape us from the inside out. Suffering is universal, and to sit with our Savior in His pain allows us to sit with others in theirs.
So, today, we see the cross. We encounter it and allow His pain to break our hearts wide open for the world He came to love, serve, and save. May His pain build our empathy and courage to love and serve His people.
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