The hour of Jesus’ death draws near.
WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD?
The sky grows dark, thunder rumbles and the air turns chill.
WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD?
The bickering among the soldiers stops, the murmuring crowd grows quiet.
WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD?
All attention focuses on Jesus.
In the silence His voice in utter anguish cries:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?”
WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD?
Refusing the sponge of wine which might numb his senses and dull his awareness,
He cries aloud as His spirit at last departs from His earthly body.
WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD?
Yes, were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree? WERE YOU?
WHERE WERE YOU?
Were you part of the jeering crowd; caught up in the mob emotion?
Were you a silent on-looker, trembling lest you be recognized (like Peter had been) for one of Jesus’ followers? Or were you one of the soldiers doing a task – not so tasteful but all in day’s work, required to collect that almighty silver coin?
WHERE WERE YOU?
Were you among the women quietly lending mutual support to each other; heart-broken and helpless to do naught but weep and hope for a miracle of deliverance for your Lord?
WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD? Look into your heart . . .
The hour of His death has come. And, gone. Will you gather up your picnic cloth and go home to wait for another day’s excitement? Or, will you silently mourn His passing, confused but confident that He will rise again? He told you “this temple shall be rebuilt.”
WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY LAID HIM IN THE TOMB?
When the sky was dark and the earth quaked; when spirits walked the earth and on-lookers beat their breasts in fear and withdrew from the scene.
WERE YOU THERE?
Were you there to help linen-wrap His broken body, to place it in the newly hewn tomb and set the stone at the entrance?
WHERE WERE YOU?
Were you among the women who went home to prepare spices and perfumes to anoint the body of Your Lord? Valiant women, strong in respectful silence for each other’s grief. Strong in the promise of Passover. Strong in the love of the Man of Nazareth, their Lord, and now their Redeemer.
WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY CRUCIFIED MY LORD? WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY NAILED HIM TO THE TREE? WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY LAID HIM IN THE TOMB? Where were you?
~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB
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