He was despised and rejected by others; A man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account. Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53: 3-6
At the end of yesterday’s reflection, I suggested we ask God what He desires us to do with our lives. For us, this is a challenging question to ask God honestly. Today, God tells us what He is willing to do for us. God the Son, the second Person of the Holy Trinity, was willing to lay down His life in the most humiliating and torturous suffering possible: crucifixion. The Romans crucified their criminals naked. Jesus, who did nothing wrong in His entire life, suffered such extreme humiliation, scourging, and death, at the behest of the religious leaders of His beloved people. In short, He has shown us how far He was willing to sacrifice His life out of pure love for us. Not just for the collective “us” – but for you, and me, and every individual who ever has or ever will live. Jesus said the Father knows the number of hairs on our head. He is a personal God, who knows us intimately – even if we have never thought of Him that way.
Let us pray with St. Gregory:
He submitted himself willingly to the cross of death, like an innocent lamb led to slaughter,
and girded himself with mighty self-discipline for the salvation of those he created.
He truly suffered like a mortal. He was placed in a tomb with no special treatment for his divinity. With the voice of the blissful, you are even for me, miserable soul that I am, a kind intercessor,
a living mediator, an immortal offering, an endless sacrifice,
a gift of purity, a priceless burnt offering,
an inexhaustible cup.
Merciful Lord, who loves mankind,
to you glory forever.
Amen
Prayer 34 F, M
