Second Station of the Cross

Jesus Accepts the Cross

The courtyard is beginning to bake in the morning sun. Within its high walls the heat builds up - stuffy and suffocating. There is no breath of wind to bring relief, or hope. The rising heat makes the cells and the rubbish stink.

He sits in the middle of the courtyard, shackled to a post. The soldiers cannot be bothered to lock Him in a cell, they will be executing Him soon. To them He is just another Jewish rabble rouser - they have no idea that they have in their power the Son of the Most High God. In their ignorance they go about the preparations for the executions. Under the far wall, and in the shade, they prepare the wooden crosses that the prisoners will carry to Golgotha. The carpenters, not caring much, carelessly nail the bloodstained planks together. Jesus’s eyes narrow against the glare as He watches them. In the midst of the pain, thirst and hunger He is transported back to another time when He worked as a carpenter - before He heard God’s fiery call go to all people and tell them that the Kingdom of God had come.

He remembers, remembers ............

          the quiet peace of His father’s workshop,

          the fragrant smell of wood shavings,

          the rasp of sandpaper smoothing the timber,

          the simple pleasure of constructing everyday pieces that ordinary people will use

          the skill in His hands as He turns raw, rough timber into things of beauty.                                                        

                                                                                                                

But the pain from the beating and crown of thorns brings Him abruptly back to the present. They are ready now. The other prisoners have been brought out.

He is hauled to His feet.

          They are handed their crosses.

                     Jesus staggers under its weight.

                               The soldiers do not care overmuch about this prisoner - it is just another execution.

There are no boundaries to Jesus’s love for us.

He willing accepts a lonely death.

Unknown, to be buried in an unmarked grave.

He willingly goes to His execution, He who is innocent amongst dies between men who are thieves and murderers.

He willingly accepts torture and pain, putting Himself into the hands of evil and ignorant men.

He willingly gives up His life.

Faced with such a Love as this how do we respond?