Scripture Matthew 16:21
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
Comment
Why did Jesus have to go through this terrible ordeal?
What is the meaning of His death?
The question of Jesus death has echoed up and down the centuries.
Let me get at it this way.
Jesus comes as a warrior.
CS Lewis says Jesus came the way He did, a little baby born in a distant outpost of the Roman empire because he was being snuck clandestinely behind enemy lines.
Jesus came as God's own self but entering into a dysfunctional world, a sinful world.
Therefore as He emerged preaching and teaching and performing miracles and radiating the divine presence, He awakened opposition.
We hear that up and down the Gospels from the very beginning.
He's opposed.
Herod tries to stamp Him out and He has to go into exile.
From the minute He appears in the public scene, some cheer, others are opposed to Him.
It comes to His climax of course in the passion.
When you read these great passion narratives in the Gospels, it is as if though all forms of human sin and dysfunction come to meet Him.
We hear for example of the explicit betrayal by Judas.
That you would turn your back on your friend and mentor.
But you also see the more subtle forms of resistance and denial when Peter denies he even know Him and the other disciples fall asleep at His moment of truth.
That sloth in the presence of the good.
You also see the great disorder and injustice of the Sanhedrin.
You see Pontius Pilate who knows the truth but won't follow through on it.
You see the incredible brutality of the Temple guards and the Roman guards as they torture Him and then lead Him out to crucifixion.
You see something even most terrible in those who mock Him even as He hangs dying on this instrument of torture.
It is as though all of human darkness and all of human sin comes out.
It is as though He draws it out by His own goodness and His own perfection and the radiance of His life.
And He's overwhelmed by it. Jesus dies. He really dies.
Not just apparently. Not just as play acting. He dies. Crushed by the evil of the world.
Then in the resurrection, God's love conquers that evil.
He took it on but then in the resurrection what we see when Jesus says shalom to those who had abandoned Him.
He says peace to those who ran from Him, to those who had fallen asleep in His hour of need.
When He says shalom it signals that God's love and forgiveness can swallow up all of the sin of the world.
What you see in the Cross of Jesus is the sin of the world.
The author of life came, Saint Peter said, and you killed Him. That means all is not well with us.
It means you can see in the very wounds of Jesus the dysfunction of the world but now all that sin, all that dysfunction has been swallowed up. It has been conquered by the ever greater forgiveness and love of God.
And that is why in Romans, Paul can say I am certain that neither death not life, nor angels nor principalities... can separate us from the love of God.
Paul knows it because we killed God. We threw all the dysfunction of the world at God and God still loves us.
God can swallow that up in His forgiveness.
That's Christianity.
That's why the Cross of Jesus was necessary.
That's why the Cross of Jesus saves us.
That is why we hold it up on Good Friday and say there is the Cross on which hung the salvation of the world.
We know we are saved.
We are saved precisely through that terrible Cross.
Source: Fr Robert Barron
Showing posts with label '2 Lent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label '2 Lent. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Seven Last Words of Jesus
Scripture
Here are the last words spoken by Jesus just before He died, in the order they likely occurred.
1. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Lk 23:34)
We know that this is the first of the sayings because Jesus made this statement immediately after the soldiers pierced His hands and feet.
2. "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Lk 23:43)
Scripture says Jesus said these words about the sixth hour to one of the criminals hanging on a cross beside Jesus. The hours of the day begin at six for the Jews and so the sixth hour is just after noon.
3. "Woman behold thy son, Son, behold, your mother!" (Jn 19:26-27)
This was later when the soldiers cast lots for His garments, while Jesus was on the Cross.
4. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mt 27:46 and Mark 15:34)
Scripture says He said about the ninth hour
5. "I thirst!" (Jn 19:28)
and
6. "It is finished!" (Jn 19:30)
are said in succession shortly before He died.
7. "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." (Lk 23:46)
Is said just before He died.
Background - The Seven Last Words of Jesus
The Seven Last "Words" of Jesus Christ from the cross are actually 7 short phrases that Jesus uttered on Calvary that serve as an excellent holy week meditation. To find all of the seven last words of Jesus Christ, one must read all the gospels since none of the evangelists records all 7 last words. The sayings would have been originally uttered by Jesus in the Aramaic language, but only one of the last seven words of Jesus is preserved for us in the original Aramaic, namely "Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani" or "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me," which is actually a direct quote of the opening verse of Psalm 22. The rest of the seven last words of Jesus are found in the gospels after having been translated into Greek by the four Evangelists. For centuries these seven last words of Jesus have been also used as meditation points for spiritual conferences, retreats, and Lenten missions. (source: http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/43/Seven_Last_Words_of_Christ.html)
Comment
Archbishop Fulton Sheen says from the very beginning of Christs experience of the Passion on the Cross, in this time suffering, Christ reveals the heart of God.
Notice in the first three words, Jesus speaks first to enemies, then to sinners and then to saints.
The first here words are directed from the heart of Christ to humanity, revealing Christs desire that all men be saved and protected in the family of God.
But His first thought was to His enemies, then to the sinner next to him on the cross and thirdly it was to His mother and John – to saints.
I think that says something powerful about Christs love for humanity and His desire that all would be saved.
Then in the fourth and fifth words, we see Christ turns from His hearts desire to see humanity healed, saved and cared for we see Christ turning to His own experience in His own person as the God-man, He experiences both (in the fourth word) the pain of separation from God (not that Christ was separated from God but in His radical union with us in the Incarnation He experiences our pain and our separation in His person in a mystical sense. So He can say for us “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me”. Here Jesus is referencing Psalm 22 which are words of hope and trust, not words of despair.
So He experiences man’s pain of separation or abandonment but in the fifth word He experiences God’s passion, if you will, of being abandoned by men.
When He says “I thirst”, as many spiritual writers tell us, Jesus was not only thirsting for water though it certainly was but He thirsted for souls.
In the sixth and seventh words Christ turns His gaze to His heavenly Father.
In saying “I is finished” it seems as though Jesus is completing His prayer that He began the night before when He said in John 17:4 I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gave me to do;
When Jesus said “It is finished” Jesus finished the task of filling the reservoir of sacramental life, but the work of letting it flood out into our souls is not yet finished. He finished the foundation but we must build upon it. He finished the Ark, opening His side with a spear but we must enter the Ark. He stands at the door and knocks but the latch is on the inside and only we can open it. Whether our work will ever be finished depends entirely on how we re-live His life and become other Christs for His Good Friday Passion will avail us nothing if we don’t take up His Cross and follow Him.
Into your hands I comment my spirit.
It was precisely in death that Christ overcame death.
Source: Catholic Answers Live radio - show - The Seven Last Words with Tim Staples drawing from the reflections in a book by Archbishop Fulton Sheen titled (as you would expect) the Seven Last Words
Here are the last words spoken by Jesus just before He died, in the order they likely occurred.
1. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Lk 23:34)
We know that this is the first of the sayings because Jesus made this statement immediately after the soldiers pierced His hands and feet.
2. "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Lk 23:43)
Scripture says Jesus said these words about the sixth hour to one of the criminals hanging on a cross beside Jesus. The hours of the day begin at six for the Jews and so the sixth hour is just after noon.
3. "Woman behold thy son, Son, behold, your mother!" (Jn 19:26-27)
This was later when the soldiers cast lots for His garments, while Jesus was on the Cross.
4. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mt 27:46 and Mark 15:34)
Scripture says He said about the ninth hour
5. "I thirst!" (Jn 19:28)
and
6. "It is finished!" (Jn 19:30)
are said in succession shortly before He died.
7. "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." (Lk 23:46)
Is said just before He died.
Background - The Seven Last Words of Jesus
The Seven Last "Words" of Jesus Christ from the cross are actually 7 short phrases that Jesus uttered on Calvary that serve as an excellent holy week meditation. To find all of the seven last words of Jesus Christ, one must read all the gospels since none of the evangelists records all 7 last words. The sayings would have been originally uttered by Jesus in the Aramaic language, but only one of the last seven words of Jesus is preserved for us in the original Aramaic, namely "Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani" or "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me," which is actually a direct quote of the opening verse of Psalm 22. The rest of the seven last words of Jesus are found in the gospels after having been translated into Greek by the four Evangelists. For centuries these seven last words of Jesus have been also used as meditation points for spiritual conferences, retreats, and Lenten missions. (source: http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/43/Seven_Last_Words_of_Christ.html)
Comment
Archbishop Fulton Sheen says from the very beginning of Christs experience of the Passion on the Cross, in this time suffering, Christ reveals the heart of God.
Notice in the first three words, Jesus speaks first to enemies, then to sinners and then to saints.
The first here words are directed from the heart of Christ to humanity, revealing Christs desire that all men be saved and protected in the family of God.
But His first thought was to His enemies, then to the sinner next to him on the cross and thirdly it was to His mother and John – to saints.
I think that says something powerful about Christs love for humanity and His desire that all would be saved.
Then in the fourth and fifth words, we see Christ turns from His hearts desire to see humanity healed, saved and cared for we see Christ turning to His own experience in His own person as the God-man, He experiences both (in the fourth word) the pain of separation from God (not that Christ was separated from God but in His radical union with us in the Incarnation He experiences our pain and our separation in His person in a mystical sense. So He can say for us “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me”. Here Jesus is referencing Psalm 22 which are words of hope and trust, not words of despair.
So He experiences man’s pain of separation or abandonment but in the fifth word He experiences God’s passion, if you will, of being abandoned by men.
When He says “I thirst”, as many spiritual writers tell us, Jesus was not only thirsting for water though it certainly was but He thirsted for souls.
In the sixth and seventh words Christ turns His gaze to His heavenly Father.
In saying “I is finished” it seems as though Jesus is completing His prayer that He began the night before when He said in John 17:4 I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gave me to do;
When Jesus said “It is finished” Jesus finished the task of filling the reservoir of sacramental life, but the work of letting it flood out into our souls is not yet finished. He finished the foundation but we must build upon it. He finished the Ark, opening His side with a spear but we must enter the Ark. He stands at the door and knocks but the latch is on the inside and only we can open it. Whether our work will ever be finished depends entirely on how we re-live His life and become other Christs for His Good Friday Passion will avail us nothing if we don’t take up His Cross and follow Him.
Into your hands I comment my spirit.
It was precisely in death that Christ overcame death.
Source: Catholic Answers Live radio - show - The Seven Last Words with Tim Staples drawing from the reflections in a book by Archbishop Fulton Sheen titled (as you would expect) the Seven Last Words
Luke 23:32-33, 39-43 - Two Criminals Crucified Next To Jesus
Scripture Luke 23:32-33, 39-43
Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Comment
"Two thieves," because they thought this would make His death more disgraceful-making Him equal to common criminals.
One of these thieves, called the penitent thief, repented of his sins and received Our Lord´s pardon before his death.
The other thief died in his sins.
Holy writers tell us that one of these thieves was saved to give poor sinners hope, and to teach them that they may save their souls at the very last moment of their lives if only they are heartily sorry for their sins and implore God´s pardon for them.
The other thief remained and died impenitent, that sinners may fear to put off their conversion to the hour of death, thus rashly presuming on God´s mercy.
Persons who willfully delay their conversion and put off their repentance to the last moment, living bad lives with the hope of dying well, may not accept the grace to repent at the last moment, but may, like the unfortunate, impenitent thief, die as they lived, in a state of sin.
Source: Catholic.net
Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Comment
"Two thieves," because they thought this would make His death more disgraceful-making Him equal to common criminals.
One of these thieves, called the penitent thief, repented of his sins and received Our Lord´s pardon before his death.
The other thief died in his sins.
Holy writers tell us that one of these thieves was saved to give poor sinners hope, and to teach them that they may save their souls at the very last moment of their lives if only they are heartily sorry for their sins and implore God´s pardon for them.
The other thief remained and died impenitent, that sinners may fear to put off their conversion to the hour of death, thus rashly presuming on God´s mercy.
Persons who willfully delay their conversion and put off their repentance to the last moment, living bad lives with the hope of dying well, may not accept the grace to repent at the last moment, but may, like the unfortunate, impenitent thief, die as they lived, in a state of sin.
Source: Catholic.net
Luke 23:33-34 - Jesus is Nailed To The Cross
Scripture Luke 23:33-34
And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.
And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." …..
Reflection - 11th Station – Jesus is Nailed To The Cross
Wounded, mangled, made to bleed, You consent to the violent attack of the hammer.
Patient in Your agony, You allow the cruel penetration of Your Body to make us one with You.
You give Bread of life to fill us as You receive our nails.
From Your love You bleed.
For love of us, for love of the Father, the Child bleeds for the children.
Brother bleeds for the brother who is killing Him.
You become one with the cross, absorbing completely the burden of sin, allowing it to permeate You – all the rage and loneliness and anxiety and despair and hatred and lust and greed and incessant lies of all mankind through all the ages, sinking into You, filling You up.
You are bombarded with poison and still You love.
Source: Meditations on the Stations of the Cross www.feastofsaints.com
And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left.
And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." …..
Reflection - 11th Station – Jesus is Nailed To The Cross
Wounded, mangled, made to bleed, You consent to the violent attack of the hammer.
Patient in Your agony, You allow the cruel penetration of Your Body to make us one with You.
You give Bread of life to fill us as You receive our nails.
From Your love You bleed.
For love of us, for love of the Father, the Child bleeds for the children.
Brother bleeds for the brother who is killing Him.
You become one with the cross, absorbing completely the burden of sin, allowing it to permeate You – all the rage and loneliness and anxiety and despair and hatred and lust and greed and incessant lies of all mankind through all the ages, sinking into You, filling You up.
You are bombarded with poison and still You love.
Source: Meditations on the Stations of the Cross www.feastofsaints.com
Matthew 7:7 - The Problem in Asking God
Scripture – Matthew 7:7
Ask and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.
Comment
The Problem in Asking God
We have all asked for something in prayer and not received it.
How can Jesus say, “Ask, and it will be given you?”
There are no guarantees our prayers will be answered the way we want.
Sometimes we ask and God says, “No!”
One Bible expert suggests that we mistranslated Jesus’ words. He said the gist of what Jesus meant was, “Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.” He thinks Jesus was telling us to persist in prayer.
We’ll never know the context in which Jesus spoke these challenging words.
Matthew puts them in one setting; Luke (11:9) in another. Luke ties them to Jesus’ urging perseverance in prayer.
In practice we are face to face with mystery. We do not know why God does what God does, or doesn’t do.
We comfort ourselves by remembering two things.
First, Paul tells us that when we pray, it is the Holy Spirit praying with us (see Romans 8:26). The idea of God asking God should give us some confidence.
Second, remember the blessing of seemingly unanswered prayer.
Sometimes we ask for what is not good for us, even if we can’t understand it at the moment.
Pray
Lord Jesus, when you taught us to pray you added, “Your will be done.”
That phrase has always been the kicker.
Just when I am about to tell you what I want, you remind me that all prayer must be couched in terms of the will of God.
So here are the things I ask for…. Let them happen if you think it is a good idea.
Amen.
Act
Ask God for something that seems beyond the realm of possibility.
Don’t ask for something selfish (a million dollars or a new car).
Pray for world peace, for an end to abortion, for all people to come to know Jesus Christ.
Source: Lent 2009 - Daily Reflections for Lent by Rev. Norm Langenbrunner
Ask and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.
Comment
The Problem in Asking God
We have all asked for something in prayer and not received it.
How can Jesus say, “Ask, and it will be given you?”
There are no guarantees our prayers will be answered the way we want.
Sometimes we ask and God says, “No!”
One Bible expert suggests that we mistranslated Jesus’ words. He said the gist of what Jesus meant was, “Keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.” He thinks Jesus was telling us to persist in prayer.
We’ll never know the context in which Jesus spoke these challenging words.
Matthew puts them in one setting; Luke (11:9) in another. Luke ties them to Jesus’ urging perseverance in prayer.
In practice we are face to face with mystery. We do not know why God does what God does, or doesn’t do.
We comfort ourselves by remembering two things.
First, Paul tells us that when we pray, it is the Holy Spirit praying with us (see Romans 8:26). The idea of God asking God should give us some confidence.
Second, remember the blessing of seemingly unanswered prayer.
Sometimes we ask for what is not good for us, even if we can’t understand it at the moment.
Pray
Lord Jesus, when you taught us to pray you added, “Your will be done.”
That phrase has always been the kicker.
Just when I am about to tell you what I want, you remind me that all prayer must be couched in terms of the will of God.
So here are the things I ask for…. Let them happen if you think it is a good idea.
Amen.
Act
Ask God for something that seems beyond the realm of possibility.
Don’t ask for something selfish (a million dollars or a new car).
Pray for world peace, for an end to abortion, for all people to come to know Jesus Christ.
Source: Lent 2009 - Daily Reflections for Lent by Rev. Norm Langenbrunner
Luke 23:22-24 - Jesus is Condemned To Death
Scripture: Luke 23:22-24
A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him."
But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.
So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted.
Reflection
First Station – Jesus is Condemned To Death
Unjustly accused.
Jesus stands condemned. He is subjected to merciless indignities.
Those participating in the harassment of Jesus are not cruel and heartless persons.
They are everyday folks like us, caught in the fervour of the crowd.
They are afraid; afraid of authentic authority, the Authority of Truth. They are afraid of change
Prayer
O condemned Redeemer and Author of life, we’re afraid.
There have been times when our fearfulness has not let us set aside our pride, our need for security, our need to be right; we have hurt and bruised each other.
Reflecting on your own sentencing, Lord, we lower our eyes in sadness and sorrow.
We have condemned that which is demanding of us. Forgive us and teach us to forgive each other.
Source: Stations of the Cross For Married Couples – Kass P Dotterweich
A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him."
But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.
So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted.
Reflection
First Station – Jesus is Condemned To Death
Unjustly accused.
Jesus stands condemned. He is subjected to merciless indignities.
Those participating in the harassment of Jesus are not cruel and heartless persons.
They are everyday folks like us, caught in the fervour of the crowd.
They are afraid; afraid of authentic authority, the Authority of Truth. They are afraid of change
Prayer
O condemned Redeemer and Author of life, we’re afraid.
There have been times when our fearfulness has not let us set aside our pride, our need for security, our need to be right; we have hurt and bruised each other.
Reflecting on your own sentencing, Lord, we lower our eyes in sadness and sorrow.
We have condemned that which is demanding of us. Forgive us and teach us to forgive each other.
Source: Stations of the Cross For Married Couples – Kass P Dotterweich
1 John 1:8 - Repent
Scripture: 1 John 1:8
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Comment
Lent prods us to repentance.
There is something wrong with us and the world. I am not OK; neither are you.
We are insufficient. This life is not enough.
This is not easy for a world given to excuses and plea bargaining.
The most we admit to is making a mistake or behavioral problems.
But to admit we are in profound trouble? Why?
We all know there is nothing so terribly wrong with us.
Even some of our hymnals have rewritten an old song here and there to mollify our tender ego’s.
I’ve caught myself doing the same, balking before the admissions of “Amazing Grace”.
I’ve thought of rephrasing it: something like” … how sweet the sound that saved a nice fellow like me”
Come to think of it, singing that I was once “lost” and “blind” seems to be overdoing it a bit.
We here in the real world know that we are all really rather nice guys and gals.
Sure, we make mistakes now and then. But who’s to blame us for our fumbling?
And surely no one of us would deserve such a thing as hell.
Surely we are not in such desperate need as the drama of Lent seems to suggest.
Surely we do not need someone to die for our sins.
Some of us do not even know what such a strange concept might mean.
Or do we?
Source: Daybreaks – Daily Reflections for Lent and Easter Weeks – John F Kavanaugh
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Comment
Lent prods us to repentance.
There is something wrong with us and the world. I am not OK; neither are you.
We are insufficient. This life is not enough.
This is not easy for a world given to excuses and plea bargaining.
The most we admit to is making a mistake or behavioral problems.
But to admit we are in profound trouble? Why?
We all know there is nothing so terribly wrong with us.
Even some of our hymnals have rewritten an old song here and there to mollify our tender ego’s.
I’ve caught myself doing the same, balking before the admissions of “Amazing Grace”.
I’ve thought of rephrasing it: something like” … how sweet the sound that saved a nice fellow like me”
Come to think of it, singing that I was once “lost” and “blind” seems to be overdoing it a bit.
We here in the real world know that we are all really rather nice guys and gals.
Sure, we make mistakes now and then. But who’s to blame us for our fumbling?
And surely no one of us would deserve such a thing as hell.
Surely we are not in such desperate need as the drama of Lent seems to suggest.
Surely we do not need someone to die for our sins.
Some of us do not even know what such a strange concept might mean.
Or do we?
Source: Daybreaks – Daily Reflections for Lent and Easter Weeks – John F Kavanaugh
Mark 9:28-29 - Fasting
Scripture Mark 9:28-29
And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it (the unclean spirit) out?"
And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting."
Comment
Lent is just around the corner, and is a time when many Christians introduce fasting one again into their spiritual exercises.
Of course you don’t need to fast only in Lent as www.e5men.org attests to.
I was in a local Christian bookstore recently I noticed a book written by Franklin Jentezen (senior pastor of a nondenominational church) entitled “Fasting”.
I haven’t read this book in order to recommend it however it has highlighted the fact that fasting is a Christian tradition that is gaining some momentum in some Christian denominations. Fasting is biblical. Fasting permeates both the Old and the New Testaments. The prophets fasted, Moses fasted, Jesus fasted, and the apostles fasted. Jesus told his apostles to ratchet up the power of prayer by adding fasting.
I am not trying to promote this book as I would offer other alternative resources to consider however the following points below about fasting taken from the introduction to this book and two reviews highlight the surprising reward on offer to any Christian who fasts.
***********
Experience for yourself the deeper, stronger relationship with God that comes through prayer and fasting. Know about the purpose and practice of biblical fasting, and the blessings that flow from it!
I was so thankful I bought this book. It confirmed what I had previously learnt about fasting and brought added revelation. An easy read. Motivated my own fast which resulted in blessing and victory. A must for every Christian to bring Jesus his reward.
Reviewing Biblical fasts from the Old & New Testaments, this easy to read book sets out the motivations behind the fasts and the breakthroughs that happened as a result. It also applies those principles to our own lives. It started off my own personal journey of fasting, and I have not looked back since.
And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it (the unclean spirit) out?"
And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting."
Comment
Lent is just around the corner, and is a time when many Christians introduce fasting one again into their spiritual exercises.
Of course you don’t need to fast only in Lent as www.e5men.org attests to.
I was in a local Christian bookstore recently I noticed a book written by Franklin Jentezen (senior pastor of a nondenominational church) entitled “Fasting”.
I haven’t read this book in order to recommend it however it has highlighted the fact that fasting is a Christian tradition that is gaining some momentum in some Christian denominations. Fasting is biblical. Fasting permeates both the Old and the New Testaments. The prophets fasted, Moses fasted, Jesus fasted, and the apostles fasted. Jesus told his apostles to ratchet up the power of prayer by adding fasting.
I am not trying to promote this book as I would offer other alternative resources to consider however the following points below about fasting taken from the introduction to this book and two reviews highlight the surprising reward on offer to any Christian who fasts.
***********
Experience for yourself the deeper, stronger relationship with God that comes through prayer and fasting. Know about the purpose and practice of biblical fasting, and the blessings that flow from it!
I was so thankful I bought this book. It confirmed what I had previously learnt about fasting and brought added revelation. An easy read. Motivated my own fast which resulted in blessing and victory. A must for every Christian to bring Jesus his reward.
Reviewing Biblical fasts from the Old & New Testaments, this easy to read book sets out the motivations behind the fasts and the breakthroughs that happened as a result. It also applies those principles to our own lives. It started off my own personal journey of fasting, and I have not looked back since.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Jesus is nailed to the Cross
ELEVENTH STATION
Jesus is nailed to the Cross
Scripture - Matthew 27:37-42
And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews”. Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right hand and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging 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”. So also the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the Cross and we will believe in him”.
MEDITATION
Jesus is nailed to the Cross. The shroud of Turin gives us an idea of the unbelievable cruelty of this procedure. Jesus does not drink the numbing gall offered to him: he deliberately takes upon himself all the pain of the Crucifixion. His whole body is racked; the words of the Psalm have come to pass: “But I am a worm and no man, scorned by men, rejected by the people” (Ps 22:7). “As one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised... surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Is 53:3f.).
Let us halt before this image of pain, before the suffering Son of God. Let us look upon him at times of presumptuousness and pleasure, in order to learn to respect limits and to see the superficiality of all merely material goods. Let us look upon him at times of trial and tribulation, and realize that it is then that we are closest to God. Let us try to see his face in the people we might look down upon.
As we stand before the condemned Lord, who did not use his power to come down from the Cross, but endured its suffering to the end, another thought comes to mind. Ignatius of Antioch, a prisoner in chains for his faith in the Lord, praised the Christians of Smyrna for their invincible faith: he says that they were, so to speak, nailed with flesh and blood to the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ (1:1). Let us nail ourselves to him, resisting the temptation to stand apart, or to join others in mocking him.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, you let yourself be nailed to the Cross, accepting the terrible cruelty of this suffering, the destruction of your body and your dignity. You allowed yourself to be nailed fast; you did not try to escape or to lessen your suffering. May we never flee from what we are called to do. Help us to remain faithful to you. Help us to unmask the false freedom which would distance us from you. Help us to accept your “binding” freedom, and, “bound” fast to you, to discover true freedom.
Source: WAY OF THE CROSS AT THE COLOSSEUM
GOOD FRIDAY 2005
MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS BY CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER (Pope Benedict XVI)
Jesus is nailed to the Cross
Scripture - Matthew 27:37-42
And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews”. Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right hand and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging 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”. So also the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the Cross and we will believe in him”.
MEDITATION
Jesus is nailed to the Cross. The shroud of Turin gives us an idea of the unbelievable cruelty of this procedure. Jesus does not drink the numbing gall offered to him: he deliberately takes upon himself all the pain of the Crucifixion. His whole body is racked; the words of the Psalm have come to pass: “But I am a worm and no man, scorned by men, rejected by the people” (Ps 22:7). “As one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised... surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Is 53:3f.).
Let us halt before this image of pain, before the suffering Son of God. Let us look upon him at times of presumptuousness and pleasure, in order to learn to respect limits and to see the superficiality of all merely material goods. Let us look upon him at times of trial and tribulation, and realize that it is then that we are closest to God. Let us try to see his face in the people we might look down upon.
As we stand before the condemned Lord, who did not use his power to come down from the Cross, but endured its suffering to the end, another thought comes to mind. Ignatius of Antioch, a prisoner in chains for his faith in the Lord, praised the Christians of Smyrna for their invincible faith: he says that they were, so to speak, nailed with flesh and blood to the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ (1:1). Let us nail ourselves to him, resisting the temptation to stand apart, or to join others in mocking him.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, you let yourself be nailed to the Cross, accepting the terrible cruelty of this suffering, the destruction of your body and your dignity. You allowed yourself to be nailed fast; you did not try to escape or to lessen your suffering. May we never flee from what we are called to do. Help us to remain faithful to you. Help us to unmask the false freedom which would distance us from you. Help us to accept your “binding” freedom, and, “bound” fast to you, to discover true freedom.
Source: WAY OF THE CROSS AT THE COLOSSEUM
GOOD FRIDAY 2005
MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS BY CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER (Pope Benedict XVI)
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