The View From the Cross
James Tissot: What Jesus Saw From the Cross
I have followed You through the days of Your ministry. I have watched You teach, heal and console all who came to You. Now the lips that have taught and consoled have been dealt harsh blows by prideful hands, the hands that have healed have been pierced with nails as have the sacred feet that have walked this earth.
My journey with You has lead to this mountain, the place of the skull. As I walk among the crowd that has gathered here, I see familiar faces. There is BarTimeaus whose sight You restored, the woman who was brought to You for her crime of adultery but left You that day and strives now to live Your forgiveness, and there are the siblings from Bethany~ Lazarus and his sister Martha stand amongst the crowd, but Mary, the Magdalen is where she always was, at Your feet. Even now as You are nailed to the Cross she is there weeping at the foot of it.
As Your Cross is raised, You can see all of them~those who are here out of love and those who are here with hearts hardened by hatred.
Not all are here to jeer and taunt their God. There are those whom You have touched and healed who remember what You did for them, and they are here to console You. They were there 2000 years ago at Your Crucifixion, and we are here now on this day when we remember and commemorate it.
As we approach Your Cross to venerate it today, may we each remember what You have done in our lives. You have and continue to teach, heal and console each one of us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
We praise You and bless Your Holy Name. By Your Cross and Precious Blood, you have redeemed each one of us.