Ave Maria Meditations
He is a Man of Sorrows. He is covered in bruises and stripes. He has made a laughingstock. He is crowned with a crown of thorns. A reed is put into His hand for a scepter, a tattered soldier’s cloak is thrown over His neck and shoulders. His eyes are blindfolded. His face is covered with spitting. He is bound like a dangerous animal. His own people have chosen a murderer before Him. His friends have forsaken Him. The kiss of treason burns on His cheek.
“He has no comeliness whereby we shall desire Him!” He is condemned to death.
He had put on our humanity, He had covered Himself with our shame, blindfolded His eyes with our blindness, bound Himself with our slavery to self. He is bruised by our falls. He bleeds from our wounds. He sheds our tears. He has made Himself weak with our weakness. Faint with our faintheartedness, He is going to die our death.
“Behold the Son of God!”
Behold we have seen Him disfigured and without beauty; His aspect is gone from Him; He has born our sins and suffers for us; and He was wounded for our iniquities and by His stripes we are healed.
+ Caryll Houselander
