Meditation J 18,1-19,42

In Holy Week, I invite you to reflect on the Passion of the Lord according to the gospel of Saint. John, which will be read on Good Friday. It is a long text for one meditation. I suggest that, starting from today, you should consider a fragment of a passage every day or read slowly slowly word by word imagining the scenes described, as if you were participating in them. Also use footnotes, they are also important. When meditating, you can use the following punctuation.

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love. 

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: Jesus before Pilate. Here is a trial that has the characteristics of a formal court hearing. However, it is not conducted properly, because the prosecutors are unable to give the reason for putting Jesus in court. More in the process, it comes to the paradoxical situation in which Jesus would have to say that the is accused of … See the place of this hearing where the governor sits Roman, where prosecutors and where Jesus is. Listen to the shouts of the crowd, Pilate’s questions to Jesus and Jesus’ answers. See what Jesus looks like. He can be very tired, sweaty, thirsty.

The image in meditation can change depending on the meditated fragment.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: for getting to know Jesus and emphatizing with him

1. Responsibility.

Jesus is led to Pilate, who condemns him to death. He is run by people who want Pilate to judge him according to their calculation, according to their measure. At the same time they consider themselves very god-fearing, so that they do not want to enter the headquarters. They prefer that someone else does what they are demanding, they want to have clean hands, they run away from responsibility. They can say: it was not me who gave the sentence to Jesus.

How is it in your life? You were supposed to do … I did not touch anything, I did not touch … I did not say it, I just asked myself … What responsibility do you carry for your actions, behavior, words?

2. Anxiety and courage.

Listen to Pilate’s dialogue with Jesus. Jesus talks with everyone in the same way. He is calm, confident in his opinion and ready to bear the consequences. It does not mean that he has no fear in himself, some kind of disagreement about what is happening. He is, however, above all aware of the closeness of the Father, his love and the Father gives him courage.

Look at Jesus, see His fear and peace at the same time. What is your hope, an inner light that gives courage in dealing with difficult situations?

3. Humiliation.

Feel Jesus’ emotions (internal feelings). Do not concentrate only on pain, blood and wounds. See how specific people, hands humiliate Jesus, rob off his clothes, how can a man humble himself, rob him and leave him naked. Perhaps Jesus needs your gaze with love and compassion. You can give it to him …

How do you show you show compassion and love for yourself, your loved one? What is your openness to understanding other people?

4. Way of the Cross.

The beam that Jesus carried was probably a passerby, used for execution. It could be covered  by sweat, tears, other people’s blood. See how Jesus carries this beam of blood and try walk very slowly with him. See also how Jesus loses his strength. You can be Szymon from Cyrene.                                                

Jesus wants you to be with him. How can you help Him? Give him your presence.

How do you give your presence, mindfulness to your relatives, wife, husband, children, parents, people you meet?

5. It happened.

There is no happy ending, Jesus dies. You can escape from terror, you can fasten and organize a funeral ceremony. You can also just be. If you have strength, be it. If you want to cry, then cry. If you want to hold Jesus’s hand, hold it. Above all, however, be like you can …

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)