Gospel: John 18:1—19:42*
Bearing his cross, Jesus went out of the city to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. There he was crucified, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice written and fastened to the cross, which read: Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews. (…) The chief priests said to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews’; but, ‘This man claimed to be King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered them, “What I have written, I have written.”
When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one part for each of them. But as the tunic was woven in one piece from top to bottom, they said, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots to decide who will get it.” This fulfilled the words of Scripture: They divided my clothing among them; they cast lots for my garment. This was what the soldiers did.
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister Mary, who was the wife of Cleophas, and Mary of whom he loved, he said to the mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “This is your mother.” And from that moment the disciple took her to his own home.
Jesus knew all was now finished and, in order to fulfill what was written in Scripture, he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar full of bitter wine stood there; so, putting a sponge soaked in the wine on a twig of hyssop, they raised it to his lips. Jesus took the wine and said, “It is accomplished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up the spirit. (…)
Reflection:
"Am I indifferent?"
I once walked the Way of the Cross in Jerusalem. You start where the Antonia Fortress stood at the time of Jesus and, for the first few steps, you walk where Jesus would have walked, as you stand on the smooth large stones of the Roman road. The route then follows the streets as they are now. This can be off-putting at first, as you walk through shops and crowds, but this is what Jesus would have done. Along the way, someone spat on the ground and a boy, clutching his lunch, rushed past and pushed the cross out of the way. It was just another day for them. In our liturgies and devotions, such as the Stations of the Cross, much of the ordinariness of the event is overlooked to emphasize the powerful significance of Christ’s saving Passion. That sacrifice for humanity was made among humanity, and yet his people did not accept him (Jn 1:11). The gestures of spitting and pushing out of the way can be symbols for us of the rejection or indifference with which many treat Christ’s saving Passion. Am I indifferent? Pray for those who don’t care. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you…
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