View from the Cross

Recently while praying the Holy Spirit has been prompting me to meditate on the crucifixion. More specifically by placing myself on the cross with Christ and looking out to see what he saw. I wanted to share a few of the inspirations I had that I hope will be fruitful for you, as they have been for me in my journey with the Lord.

As I placed myself upon the cross, the first thing that I noticed were the two thieves, one on the right and one on the left of Jesus. We hear a little about these two in Luke’s gospel when it says, “One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43). I can’t help but wonder just how much the thief who mocked Jesus was barraging him while on the cross. I imagined it to be constant as the thief himself was in so much pain and just needed someone to deflect that pain upon. Jesus was the perfect person for him to shout at as the crowd was also shouting at Jesus and mocking him. This scene led to me to reflect upon how I handle pain and suffering. Am I deflecting my pain out upon others in an attempt to make myself feel better?

The thief crucified on the other side of Jesus is known as Saint Dismas. This thief was in the same pain as his counterpart, but instead of deflecting that pain, he entered into it and allowed it to transform his heart. St Dismas recognized the innocent victim who was Jesus Christ, who was paying the price for the redemption of all of humanity. Therefore, Dismas repented of his sins and sought reconciliation from the Lord. He asked for something we should all be seeking and that is eternal life with Christ. Contemplating this story of St Dismas led to me to reflect upon where I still need to be reconciled with the Lord? What am I currently doing to battle the vices I struggle with in my own life? Only when I am able to be honest with myself and unafraid to present my true self to the Lord will I be able to be fully reconciled to his Sacred Heart.

As Jesus looked down from the cross he saw three key figures who are typically depicted in images of the crucifixion, namely the Blessed Mother, St John the Apostle and Mary Magdalene. I imagine that the Blessed Mother had the strength to stand at the foot of the cross. Through her courageous witness at the crucifixion, we are given hope. The sword that pierced her Immaculate Heart was no doubt painful, more painful than we could handle ourselves, yet she was steadfast in faith. Full of grace in even that moment, Mary stands at the injustice of the cross, she stands in fortitude, she stands by way of the abundant love of her Son. What we don’t see the Blessed Mother doing is trying to save her Son from the grave suffering and injustice that he was enduring, but instead she allows Christ to save her, as well as all of humanity. Mary fully surrenders to the cross as she stands beneath it. As I reflected on Jesus looking down upon Mary from the cross, I was filled with tremendous sorrow. Jesus not only endured his own physical and mental suffering, but he also had to watch his mother’s heart being pierced in a such a deep way. Although there was nothing Mary could do to help her Son, her very presence no doubt consoled his heart.

St John the Apostle, who is described as the Beloved Disciple, was also there at the crucifixion. I imagine him going to get the Blessed Mother when Jesus was arrested, thinking not of himself, but of her, and Jesus’ need for his mother. John brings Mary to Jesus and stays with her throughout the passion and crucifixion. John is at the foot of the cross because of Mary. The only disciple present at the crucifixion, John stands in for all of the apostles, as a representation of the ministerial priesthood. “The one priesthood of Christ is made present through the ministerial priesthood without diminishing the uniqueness of Christ’s priesthood” (from CCC 1545). I imagine that St John’s presence at the foot of the cross as a sort of grafting of the ministerial priesthood into the wounds of Christ’s sacrifice. Grafting is a technique where a shoot or twig is inserted into a slit or wound on the trunk or stem of a living plant, from which it receives sap. So too, the ministerial priesthood was inserted into the wounds of Jesus Christ, from which it receives a unique authority and power from the Holy Spirit. How blessed we are to have the ministerial priesthood as a means of bringing Jesus to us in a real and concrete way. I have been encouraged to pray daily for our priests.

I imagine Mary Magdalene in a heap on the ground in a puddle of tears, clinging to the cross and kissing the feet of Christ. It is she, the repentant sinner, who stands in for all of us. Mary Magdalene is the one who looks upon the crucified Christ and fully realizes the price that was paid for her sins. Jesus freed her from numerous demons who were tormenting her and now she was witnessing the price he paid in order to save her. The Blood of the one eternal Sacrificial Lamb was being poured out for her and for all of humanity. Mary Magdalene was only able to be present at this incredible act of redemption through the strength and fortitude of the Blessed Mother. All of us are repentant sinners who approach the altar of the Lord at the one Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We are able to be present at this most holy event through the intercession of the Blessed Mother, who stands forever at the foot of her Son’s cross. It is at mass that we stand face to face with the incredible gift of Jesus Christ on the cross, manifested through the Eucharist.

As Jesus looked down from the cross and sees the Blessed Mother, St. John and Mary Magdalene, I imagine that he saw the Church. In Mary Magdalene he saw all of us repentant sinners. In St John he saw the priest. In his mother he saw the one who led us all there and who stands with us. In contemplating the view of Jesus from the cross, the Lord showed me that this is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. May we approach the Lord in the mass with this awareness of being present, outside of time, at the foot of the cross. May we ask the Lord to help us enter more fully into this divine mystery, so that we may receive the Eucharistic Jesus more fully and be made new. May we present ourselves in humble worship of our Savior and our Lord.