The Sorrowful Mysteries - The Way Through the Heart
The Agony in the Garden
Do we accept today as a gift the meditation on the sorrowful mysteries? Do we agree that such mysteries also touch us? If this is troublesome for us, if fear arises in us, then we can also understand the very intimate mystery of the Heart of Jesus, which, because of the covenant with us, is to be bruised for our iniquities, is to agree to terrible, painful hours that lead exclusively toward death. The Heart of Jesus is to accept a time that gives no hope; it is a straight line toward a difficult death. There is no doubt that this is for the good of the world, people, all of us, our loved ones, and ourselves. Jesus knows that He came for this, to do the Father's will and save us. He Himself spoke of this time, forewarned the Apostles, was after all aware of the coming events, prepared. And yet - Jesus does not behave like heroes without fear and dread; He cannot serve as an example of a person without a heart, feelings, and imagination, who does not foresee His own suffering. Jesus has a truly human Heart, like ours. If we are afraid of difficult situations, of our pain and that of our loved ones, of severe suffering, we can find support in the Heart of Jesus, in this mystery. Holiness and devotion to God do not mean a heart of stone, resistant and blind; they do not bring a lack of sensitivity. We have the right, like the Son of God, to pray for the removal of what terrifies us, what we would like to escape from.
We know that the Father sent an Angel of consolation to the Son. However, this does not mean that pain and suffering will be removed. Jesus, for that matter, did not expect this. He Himself knows the Father and knows that the Father's will is good, even if it does not correspond to our dreams and desires of the moment. The Son has trust in the Father and does not want to direct the world and life Himself; He entrusts everything to the mercy and wisdom of God.
If it is hard for us, let us be close to the Heart of Jesus. If it is hard for our loved ones, let us be close to the Heart of Jesus and Mary; She too faithfully and trustingly agreed to the pain of Her Son's Heart, although She herself would certainly have gladly removed all suffering from Her beloved Child. Let us pray for the mothers of suffering, terminally ill children; let us ask for strength and faith for them.
The Scourging at the Pillar
It is hard for us to imagine the beating of defenseless Jesus. For us it is a terrible punishment, which courts today do not use in our country or civilization; once flogging, more or less severe, was considered a basic punishment. That is how criminals pardoned from the death penalty were punished, although often even scourging caused such great bodily damage that the convict died a few days later or remained a cripple. Jesus will still have to reach the place of sentence carrying the burden. The Heart of Jesus, bruised for our iniquities, obedient unto death, agrees to everything, to every blow tearing the flesh. He could after all stop this torment with His power at any moment, but He endures it in the name of our salvation. He does not lose trust in the Father in heaven; He endures without blaming anyone, without anger.
This is a terrible situation; it would be difficult for us to watch such growing suffering. Some of us know all too well increasing pain, prolonged suffering that can be compared to scourging. It is natural that instinctively most of us prefer to imagine ourselves in the role of the weeping women, Simon of Cyrene, or sympathetic onlookers. Yet perhaps we too have been the cause of unnecessary suffering?
The most terrible thing is that inflicting punishment, although it was the duty of soldiers, often aroused satisfaction in both the executioners and the spectators. To this day it happens that there are people who find pleasure in watching the humiliation of others, the infliction of pain, causing suffering, often with an internal justification that the punishment is right, that it is deserved.
Let us pray for all convicts, including those justly condemned. Let us ask for their hearts, that they may not fall, may not close themselves off in anger or resentment. Let us ask that punishment may not lead to hardness of heart. Let us ask for the closeness of the convicts' hearts to the suffering Heart of Jesus and Mary. Let us entrust the hearts of convicts' mothers to Jesus and the Mother of God. Let us ask for support for them in such an endlessly difficult situation. Let us pray for ourselves, that our hearts may be close to the suffering Mother of the tormented Convict.
The Crowning with Thorns
Why such a strange event? It was not in the sentence against Jesus, Pilate did not recommend it, the crowd did not expect it. The law did not provide for such a punishment. A convict could be flogged up to a specific number of blows provided by law. One could be sentenced to death. It is hard to expect gentleness and courtesy in executing subsequent sentences; perhaps indifference was even a learned form of self-defense for soldiers; since orders were given to them, they had to carry them out, otherwise they themselves would be punished. However, no one inspired the crowning with thorns - it was a personal idea of the executioners. Such cruel entertainment, a mockery physically and spiritually painful. An additional, by no one commissioned, downright abuse. Let us see how many different people want to cause pain to Jesus, who hurt no one. Some part of the Sanhedrin, some crowd of after all random people, soldiers who probably did not know Him or barely recognized Him. Why then this additional, unnecessary inflicting of a wound? Maybe some animosity of the soldiers toward Jews played a role, maybe ordinary human thoughtlessness and habit of inflicting pain? Maybe they knew no other entertainment, and here they felt strong and dominant? They clearly counted on impunity; no one could stand up for the convict, no one watched over or protected the prisoner. A specific idea is visible here. Since the Convict was called the King of the Jews, they give Him a crown, a symbol of authority or dignity, but one that brings wounds and humiliation. Yet even in this terrible event a certain symbolism is visible - indeed, the royal authority of Jesus is painful for Him. His Heart is wounded in every possible way, abandoned and mocked, ridiculed and humiliated.
Perhaps we remember how we were mocked, some malicious remarks wrapped in seemingly polite sentences, apparent praise... that hurt, tear the heart apart. Perhaps we ourselves participated, even if as spectators and listeners, in mocking someone who suddenly was not protected, no longer had any support.
Let us pray for all Christians who are persecuted, mocked and ridiculed, painfully humiliated as children of God, as believers in Christ. Let us pray for the mothers of the persecuted. Let us ask for their strong covenant of heart with the Sweetest, suffering Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of the Mother, co-suffering with a Son treated so cruelly.
The Carrying of the Cross
Carrying the cross is an agreement to take upon oneself a burden beyond strength, which will afflict, will press us down and hurt more and more; it will be a sign of our shame, a shameful, visible sign that isolates us from our surroundings. Carrying the cross is a good image of suffering that cannot be hidden or feigned not to exist; we walk with it as if among people, yet beside them; lonely, at the same time in the crowd, as someone marked out, set apart from others. The sign of the cross - of suffering that is inelegant, incurable, endless, so unpleasant for an ordinary spectator that one turns one's eyes away, because it is unpleasant even to look. It is hard to blame people that something in them rebels and recoils from something so terrible.
It is shameful even to acknowledge a Man carrying such suffering - who surrounds Him? The healed have disappeared, the raised are not there; where are those who ate bread with Him and shared fish? Where are the delighted, attentive listeners? The man carrying the cross looks such that many turn their faces away and cover them; simple sensitivity dictates this to many people; they cannot bear the sight of Him. One cannot help; in people grows the desire to escape, to attend to their own affairs. Few approach the one carrying the hideous instrument of torture, tormented, shamed, who after all may have brought himself to such a situation... A few people express sympathy, and the helper is forced. Many of us know the loneliness of suffering.
The Mother cannot help either. What is it like to be the Mother of a tormented, beaten, bloody, stumbling Convict? The loneliness of the Mother no longer of the Healer, no longer of the Miracle Worker, no longer of the Teacher, but of the Prisoner, led through the city to death. This is no longer the delight of the crowd, no longer crowds of the fed and listening, but shame, pain, perhaps stealthily cast glances from the side: behold the Mother of the Punished... Jesus carries the instrument of torture to the end, agrees to endure to the end. He carries the burden that is to inflict on Him in the end wounds tearing His flesh, leading to death. The Mother's Heart guesses, feels, co-suffers together with the Son's Heart. She cannot in any way stop this torment.
Let us pray today for the sick, carrying the cross of a shameful, distressing, incurable illness. Let us pray for the hearts of parents of sick, despised, blamed, accused children, passed by with indifference. Today let our fervent prayer encompass hospitals, nursing homes, homes of the sick, hospices...
The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus
On the cross hangs Jesus - how few people wanted to accompany Him in this terrible moment! The Mother of God can do nothing to help; only faith and love sustain Her strength. Jesus is already so beaten, weakened, tormented that it is doubtful whether He would survive even if He were set free at this moment. There is no turning back. Yet another portion of suffering awaits Him; He cannot simply die; nailing to the cross still awaits Him, agony still awaits Him. The Heart full of pity, mercy for others, nevertheless retained its generosity, graciousness, kindness toward people. Dying Himself, in pain, He notices beside Himself a repentant convict who does not rebel against the cruel sentence, does not shift blame onto anyone. Many people, regardless of the court verdict and punishment, are convinced of their innocence, mitigating circumstances, see others more guilty than themselves, and accuse judges of injustice. Many do not even reflect on the issue of guilt, punishment, and retribution, but only cry out their pain or insult others to relieve their feelings.
Yet the convict does not behave like many, or even most. Despite his own suffering, shame, disgrace, and painful death, he is able to recognize Jesus, to properly assess his own situation. This alone would be strong proof of his ability to assess himself and others. Yet the convict turns out to be the first of the sinners who receive the fruits of Christ's suffering on the cross. Is it not astonishing that a man guilty of serious crimes and already condemned confesses in pain his faith in Christ as the Messiah, a strong, certain Savior? He is able to see in the bloody, beaten and helpless, nailed and condemned to death Man his Redeemer, the perfect Mediator, who is able in an instant, out of grace, to show him mercy. How great a faith, how great a trust, what incredible wisdom! Many saw miracles and did not believe, yet here a suffering man, seeing absolutely no manifestations of power, is steadfastly convinced of the great possibilities of the Dying One!
Here is a man who used the single moment he had at his disposal to save himself and secure for himself a great blessing; he is a teacher of faith, humility, penance, and trust. Jesus receives this sinful, open heart with His whole Heart open for sinners. His promise is strong and certain. Let us pray for the dying, let us ask for the opening of their hearts in the last hour of life.