I read in the Little Black Book for Lent that contains six-minute meditations on the Passion in Matthew, that none of the Gospel writers describe the crucifixion. It was such a shameful and painful form of execution that they do not describe it. Matthew, "looks the other way and then says: '...After they had crucified him...' That's it. Five words. Nothing about throwing Jesus on the ground, stretching his arms on the cross-beam and holding him down as they drive in the nails. Nothing about hoisting the cross beam to the stake already fixed in the ground, his body writhing as they did it. Nothing about wrestling his feet in place and then nailing them to the bottom of the stake. Nothing about the screams of pain. It was too awful to tell, which is why not one of the four evangelists tells it."
We even get used to looking at the Crucifix and thinking only of God's love for us and forgetting the terrible suffering.
Now, am I with Jesus in His suffering as we live through another Holy Week? Am I even aware of all the suffering in the world? This week is not an easy week and we need to face what is going on in so many places right now where people are being treated inhumanly; the injustice and cruelty that causes so much anguish is everywhere. But, Jesus has come and died for us. Easter is coming! But how am I going to stay with Jesus this week to live more fully the Paschal Mystery?
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