Crucify Him!

Nothing drives home the meaning for the season quite like having to face our collective guilt for the death of Our Blessed Lord.

A couple of things from the readings tonight that I hadn't really thought of before:

1. If you release him, you are not a friend of Caesar.

Along with every bishop and priest who remains silent in the face of allegedly Catholic politicians who advocate for license to murder children.

2. We have no king but Caesar.

Along with every other Catholic who thinks that voting for a guy who was ok with denying emergency care to dying abortion survivors or that FOCA and its ilk are worthy ideas.

3. They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless,
woven in one piece from the top down.
So they said to one another,
“Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be, “
in order that the passage of Scripture might be fulfilled that says:
They divided my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.

The new High Priest's garment is left intact prior to His sacrifice. The old High Priest rent his own as a prelude to his sin.

4. But when they came to Jesus and

saw that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs,
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,
and immediately blood and water flowed out.
An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;
he knows that he is speaking the truth,
so that you also may come to believe.

There's a longstanding tradition that a major motivating factor for St. John's Gospel was the Docetist heresy. A big part of this heresy was the claim that Jesus had physical body. This segment here mentioning Longinus's piercing of Christ's side seems kind of weird in its insistence that it comes via an eyewitness. Perhaps this was to make it more persuasive to folks who might be doubting the Incarnation. Seems obvious, I guess, but I never really thought about it as specifically targeting this one group.

See you all again for Easter.

Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.