Jesus is stripped of his garments. There is nothing left to us but our naked faith that this is the Son of Man, the King of Glory, the Savior of the World.
I was struck in listening to the Passion today by the line in Mark's account: "And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him." I came home this week from giving a talk, dressed in good clothes and nice shoes, and couldn't wait to get back into 'my own clothes' — my comfortable cords and a turtleneck, my feet cuddled in warm socks and clogs. Somehow this line brought out the dissonance of the crucifixion, following so close upon the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and the joy of the Passover celebration. They dressed him in his clothes, which brought not comfort, but pain.
Twenty-five years ago on Palm Sunday, I turned 29. Spring was bursting forth, the weather unseasonably warm, and Tom dragged me out to play tennis and to enjoy the day. Hope, security, joy, warmth, life welling up and out. But I was about to be stripped of all these comforts, of any illusion of safety and left clinging to God by my fingernails.
Twenty-five years ago on Palm Sunday, I turned 29. Spring was bursting forth, the weather unseasonably warm, and Tom dragged me out to play tennis and to enjoy the day. Hope, security, joy, warmth, life welling up and out. But I was about to be stripped of all these comforts, of any illusion of safety and left clinging to God by my fingernails.
Meditation is from the feature published in the March issue of the Catholic Standard & Times. Follow the meditations under the tab above: Via Crucis: Meditation on the Passion.
Oh Michelle, Michelle.
ReplyDeleteEmergence after being stripped is amazing.
ReplyDeleteLove to you, dear dear woman.
ReplyDeleteYou're such a beacon to me.