Week 50 Daily Dose of Love
#344 (12/10)
The Crucifixion
Matthew 27:33-35
And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which
means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.
And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots.
Mark 15:22-24
Then
they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). And they offered him
wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them,
casting lots to decide what each should take.
Luke
23:33-34
When they came to
the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[Then
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”]] And they cast
lots to divide his clothing.
John 19:18
There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between
them.
“They
crucified him” Three words summarize the extremely slow, painful and agonizing punishment of innocence.
Three words sum up the effort to undermine love in our world; three words insufficient to stop Jesus from carrying
out his mission. Jesus’ mission was to bring love to our world, to teach us the power of love, and show us that
it is possible to continue loving even under the most difficult circumstances. Forgiveness is an essential component of love. Usually forgiveness occurs after things
have settled down and there has been time to reflect on the larger picture. Jesus transcends deep anguish
and unspeakable suffering to utter words of forgiveness while still in the depths of pain.
Reflection/Discussion:
How can we remember Jesus’ words
of forgiveness when someone has made us suffer?
Principles of Love:
Forgiveness
Pray Through the Day:
Lord, Jesus Christ
Have mercy on us
#345
(12/11)
King of the Jews
Matthew 27:36-37
Then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Over his head they put the charge
against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
Mark 15:25-26
It was nine o’clock in the morning
when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of
the Jews.”
Luke 23:38
There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
John 19:19-22
Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near
the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said
to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’
” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” When
the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also
took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to
one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill what the scripture
says, “They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” And that
is what the soldiers did.
The Romans placed a sign on crosses that designated the crime of the person being crucified.
In Jesus’ case it stated the truth about who he really is. Jesus is our king, the king of
ultimate truth, and the king of love. Worldly kings are put on a pedestal. They are treated with great
honor and have many subjects and possessions. Dying with each painful breath, Jesus had no honor,
respect, or possessions as he hung upon the rough-hewn logs that were his cross. Most of his followers
had scattered. Even his clothes had been taken. The only thing that had not been taken
from Jesus was that which no one can ever take from another: love. Jesus kept his heart open in spite of losing everything. He kept what is permanent and
lasting and let go of what is fleeting and temporary.
Reflection/Discussion:
What are the obstacles to opening our hearts as we suffer?
Principles of Love:
Suffering
Pray Through the Day:
Use our pain
To deepen our love
#346
(12/12)
Behold Your Mother
John 19:25b-27
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said
to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here
is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
Pain and suffering takes us in one of two directions.
One option is to fight and resist. This creates an illusion of control while building tension, which
actually intensifies pain while making us more self-centered and miserable. Jesus demonstrates the other
choice. We can accept pain for what it is and focus on what is really important. There is a
true story of a man dying from a very painful form of lung cancer who was on the phone telling a friend how blessed he felt
because of everyone who had loved and supported him throughout his illness and life. The visiting nurse
interrupted the conversation to ask the man to rate his pain level on a 10-point scale with 10 being the worst pain imaginable.
The man replied, “Oh, it’s a ten” and continued the conversations with his friend by saying, “I
am so blessed.” Jesus transcends his pain to show love and compassion
to his mother. He shows us that it is possible to continue to deepen our love no matter what is happening.
Reflection/Discussion:
What do we need in order to be able to
transcend pain?
Principles of Love:
Suffering; Acceptance
Pray Through the Day:
Use our pain
To
deepen our love
#347 (12/13)
Jesus Derided on the Cross
Matthew 27:38-43
Then two bandits were crucified with him, one on his
right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking 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.” In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking
him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him
come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if
he wants to; for he said, ‘I am God’s Son.’ ”
Mark 15:27-32a
And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right
and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who
would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” In
the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved
others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross
now, so that we may see and believe.”
Luke 23:35-37
And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed
at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” The
soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
Jesus was fully
human at every moment of his passion. In the events leading to his death he performed no miracles and provided
no new revelations. As the Son of God, Jesus had the ability to save himself. He could have overcome
his captors just as he calmed the storm and withered the fig tree. But he chose to suffer as humans suffer
- as we suffer. He could have saved himself but he chose to save us instead. It is more
meaningful to be supported by someone who has “been there” and know what it feels like. Think
of any pain or loss we might suffer. Jesus knows how it feels. He knows unfairness,
betrayal, physical pain, and mental anguish. He knows what it feels like to lose everything, and then be
mocked and ridiculed while experiencing excruciating pain. Jesus was not forced to endure this pain and suffering. He could have ended it but chose
not to. There is only one reason he didn’t save himself - he loves us.
Reflection/Discussion:
How did Jesus deal with the temptation
to save himself and end his suffering?
Principles of Love:
Decision; Suffering; Acceptance
Pray Through the Day:
Help us always
To choose love
#348 (12/14)
The Two Thieves
Matthew 27:44
The bandits who were crucified with him also taunted
him in the same way.
Mark 15:32b
Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.
Luke
23:39-43
One of the criminals
who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? 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 have been condemned justly, for we are getting what
we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus,
remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today
you will be with me in Paradise.”
Louis Colin wrote, “Respect is both the root and witness of love.” Respect literally means, “to look again,” to see someone as they
really are, as God created them to be. The religious leaders, soldiers, and crowd all failed to respect Jesus, they failed
to see who he really is. This passage reinforces the message that it is never too late to take another look for
the potential of love. The criminal who defended Jesus was experiencing the same intense pain as Jesus
but was able to look again and see himself and Jesus more clearly. He was in a hopeless situation after
likely living a life with little reason for hope, but he took another look and saw that the personification of hope on earth
was there beside him. Jesus is always beside us when we are in pain.
He resides in our hearts. He is in the heart of every other human being, no matter what they have
done. That is good reason to respect everyone, no matter what they have done.
Reflection/Discussion:
What is the essential difference between
the two criminals who were crucified next to Jesus?
Principles of Love:
Compassion; Acceptance; Vision
Pray Through the Day:
Open our hearts
To your creation
#349 (12/15)
The Death of Jesus
Matthew 27:45-50
From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until
three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli,
Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When
some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” At
once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But
the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” Then Jesus
cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last.
Mark 15:33-37
When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until
three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi,
Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” When
some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” And someone
ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether
Elijah will come to take him down.” Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last
Luke 23:44-46
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s
light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into
your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last.
John
19:28-30
After this, when
Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), “I am thirsty.” A jar full
of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When
Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Emptiness is among
the most difficult human conditions to endure. All hope and sense of connection with God and others is
draining into a black hole along with the last of our energy, motivation, and sense of purpose. Emptiness is
different from depression where we become numb to pain. Spiritual emptiness is like a dry desert at midday,
or an isolated forest in the deepest cold of winter. The unending silence and oppressive frozenness penetrate
deep into our bones with no hope of relief. It seems that even God has forsaken us. St. John of
the Cross called this “the Dark Night of the Soul.” It is a time of spiritual cleansing which
deepens the roots of God’s love in our hearts and unclutters our inner space so we can more fully embrace his love in
order to share it with the rest of creation.
Jesus knows exactly what emptiness
feels like. He has been there.
Reflection/Discussion:
What is it like to feel that God has forsaken us?
Principles of Love:
Acceptance; Suffering
Pray Through the Day:
Not my will
But yours be done
#350
(12/16)
Reaction to Jesus’ Death
Matthew 27:51-54
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were
split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection
they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who
were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man
was God’s Son!”
Mark 15:38-39
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion,
who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”
Luke 23:47-48
When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.”
And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating
their breasts.
The curtain of the temple enclosed the sanctuary that Jews believed was the place where God resided on earth.
Only the high priest was allowed to move past the veil to insure that nothing profane or impure would enter the sanctuary. Jesus consistently
made contact with those who were impure during his ministry. At the moment of his death, the curtain separating
God from humanity was torn in two, top to bottom, allowing everyone direct access to the love of our heavenly father. The Gospels
state that the first person to realize this was a Roman soldier, likely a pagan with no religious training or background.
The reaction to the death of Jesus could be described as “The Great Opening.” The earth
itself opened. Even the tombs of those long dead were opened. The events following the death of Jesus make it clear that no one person or group has exclusive access to
God. Anyone whose heart and mind are open can share in his love.
Reflection/Discussion:
What is the curtain that separates us
from God and each other?
Principles of Love:
Opening; Unity
Pray Through the Day:
Open our hearts
To your love
