A Little Reflection

SO. This weeks gospel reading has a TON packed into it (not surprising when it's so freaking long...)!

I thought I'd share a couple insights that I not only noticed, but have learned from talks and lectures at Franciscan University and my home parish.
The first is that you have to go back to Jewish customs of the time (I don't know if they still hold). The biggest was there belief of where the soul was held, in the blood. Many cultures and religions have had there theories on where the soul lies, but that's a topic for another time. But, it's beautifully portrait in the movie Passion of Christ when Jesus is taken away after being scurged at the pillar. Mary of Nazareth and Mary Magdalen are portrayed soaking up his blood with towels given to them by Pialts wife. The scene is just so moving and, well I highly recommend the movie. (But warning: it is extremely graphic and I would not recommend watching it unless you feel you are emotionally ready/prepared to deal with such cruelty)

Another thing I want to point out is that Jesus refuses any drink offered to him, they point out specifically that Jesus tastes it and immediately rejects it. It's not because he isn't thirst or wants to show some sort of glorified version of sacrifice. Like what we all see around Lent, the "Oh, you gave up sweets? That's so cute! I gave up: everything but bread and water, and I am doing 6:30am mass every morning. But you gave up sweets, way to go." No! He wasn't turning into the Pharisees. He was fulfilling a prophesy, along with allowing himself to feel every ounce of pain that courses through his body as he walks. That drink that he rejects is a mixture that was meant to be a pain killer to allow criminals the ability to suffer longer while being crucified. If there pain is dulled for a little
while then when it wears off, it's even worse than they could ever imagine.
All of this plus all of the medical aspects to not only the amount of blood Jesus lost just during the scourging alone, proves that Jesus was no mear man. No normal human being could loose most of the blood in your body, have you lungs punctured from whips with shards of metal attached to the ends, a crown of thorns being shoved onto your skull, on top of falling and having the weight of two beams crushing you into the ground, and then being nailed to the same cross by your hands and feet, most likely having your shoulders dislocated in the process of being nailed. No man. Not one. Could survive all of that and more.
Especially not long enough to have conversations with his loved ones before he dies. And leave the world forever changed. He savored every last pain of the cross so that we may rise again with him on Easter.

Easter has always been special to me. I was confirmed into the Catholic church in 2008. That day will forever be in my heart.
I hope that my story and my reflections may bring you closer to a man who has, and still is, changed my life more than I could have ever known.
May this Easter be fruitful and full of joy!
And please, if you have more reflections or thoughts on this gospel or Easter in general comment below and share :)
or if you want to have a personal conversation about any of this you can e-mail me at: writesolo@gmail.com