The Crucifixion

The night air cool, the feelings passing through the air even cooler for hatred not only a thought but a feeling as contagious as leprosy.   A crowd gathers, follows close behind the prisoner taunting Him the entire walk.  It would seem they hate this man though most in the crowd do not even know Him, they are simply feeding off the energy of the men would sought his arrest.  It can't be sure who began the chant but as they walked chanting of, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him!" echoed throughout the streets.  The crowd grew in numbers so by the time they reached the courtyard it would appear to be a mob before Pilate.  "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"  The chanting grew louder and louder and much most hostile.  Jesus bound standing in front of the crowd, the Sanhedrin whisper among themselves leaving Jesus to stand alone while they prepare their accusations.  Looking into the crowd, Eyes look back at Jesus with distain, with bitterness as if they loath Him.  His return glance is pure unconditional love.  Pilate enters the courtyard to hear the chanting, to see the mob gathered and he immediately is taken back, almost frightened for this man, this man they called Jesus, this man whom they call for His death is a man who Pilate, until the recent days, had never heard about yet so many people gather and this man enduring the ignominy of this heinous crowd.  

The nasi, feeling as though the crowd ominous enough, directs his speech toward Pilate, "Pilate, this man refuses to pay taxes, he has been seen kibitzing with local tax collectors, what is to become of your laws if this man is permitted to act as he does?"

"Not only that, sir, but he claims to be a king, the king.  This, I need not tell you, is a threat against Roman, itself.  He lays claim to being a king, what say you about this?"  The crowd pushes and shoves that they may hear the response of Pilate.  

"People...friends...you come here tonight to tell me of this wrongs of this man, let me hear it from the man himself... Man, what say you?  People speak against you, speak for yourself, are these stories true, do you wish to so brazenly go against Roman law?"  The crowd pushes the accused forward that Pilate may speak directly to him.

No sound does Jesus make, He simply looks I to Pilates eyes and Pilate feel something, he feels love. 

"See, sir, he mocks you with silence.  He cannot speak for He knows His speech would be lies."  Someone from the crowd hits the accused.

The nasi sees nothing for all he can do is smile.  The people rioting, yelling and the accused flogged.  As blood pours forth from the innocent man, the nasi looks back to the crowd still cheering, ensued with anger and fury; and all his doing.  The crowd again chanting, “Crucify him, crucify him!” and again, the nasi smiles.  He knows the weakness of Pilate, he knows death will befall this innocent man; he knows that his power is no longer threaten for he as accomplished the impossible…three likely enemies working as one, manipulated really, but working to execute any threat to their livelihood.  

The accused, bloodied and beaten is lead into the prison cell where he will await the final verdict in the morning.  The nasi leaves for home and the mob still chants, still riots.  Jesus is led into the cell, no noise does he make as the guard shoves him into the cell and locks the door behind him.  Both prisoners are anxious to meet the man the crowd hates, for surely he has some gruesome stories to share with his mischievous mates.  

"So?  Don't leave us wondering, man...what did you do?  I mean the crowd really hates you, tell us, tell us" the first prisoner anxiously questions the man yet gets no response.

So the second thief tries his hand, "Seems like the crowd really hates you.  They are still yelling for your crucifixion, you must really have made them angry.  Share your story, I mean after all, we are all going to die together."

With that the Jesus fell to his knees folded his hands and looked to the heavens, yet no sound did he make.  His reverence appalled the first thief who quickly turned away and closed his eyes so as not to witness such a pious site, but the second man just watched.  Hours had passed, the mob still chanting and the man still on bended knees.  An overwhelming feeling came upon the second thief and he found himself next to the man on bended knee.  He knew not what he was doing as he attempted to replicate the actions of Jesus.  Awkwardly he knelt and folded his hands, it was then Jesus put his arm around the thief and the two men knelt silently for some time.  Then they began to speak, exchanging stories of life, not what caused them to be held behind a locked door.  It was then that the thief recognized the man, this man next to him had healed his brother, his brother who had been blind since birth.  At first the thief was tempted to ask the man his secret, how he made it appear to regain his brother's sight but thought better of it.  Jesus asked, "And your brother, how is he?  He still sees, yes?"

Stuttering, he answers, "ah, well, yes I believe so you see I have not seen my family for some time, I..."

Before he could answer Jesus placed his hand back onto the shoulder of the thief and said, "Relax, my son, I only made mention for I could see the perplexed look upon your face.  Relax, let us find peace in this horrid night for tomorrow will bring much anxiety, much hatred, much fear; but tonight we have a chance to feel just the opposite in solace, love and protection for the Father watches, he knows, He knows the call of the heart.  Your heart, my friend is weary, not from the impending events of tomorrow but weary, rather, from life itself.  There is sadness that is untouchable, to be reached only by the Father.  The Father who forgives when asked for forgiveness; a Father who always loves even when dreadful mistakes are made; a Father who offers hope in a never ending life.  Come, my friend, feel this love of the Father, He knows your heart, he feels your sadness, let Him take away all that haunts you..."

With that the second thief broke down in tears and the two men embraced.  The conversation about the Father continued into the night until the sun broke through the small window of the cell.  A bell tolled.  The door opened and Jesus was forcefully taken from the cell.  Jesus was escorted to a small room where He was met by Pilate.

 "This is your last chance, my friend, this crowd hates you and yet I cannot figure out why for when I look into your eyes I see and feel only love.  Save yourself, talk to me that I may persuade the crowd of your innocence.  Why do you not speak?  Maybe this will help..."  Mary comes from behind the thrown.  Jesus immediately goes to His mother, they embrace and speak softly to each other, such a whisper that, even straining to hear, Pilate is unable to make out the conversation.

"My son, I love you.  I know you are to do the Father's will.  We have spoken of your fears and now I see no fear in your eyes.  I only see love.  My son, you now accept your strength.  This day, this day, there are no words for what this day will bring but know this, my son,  I am always with you.  The love your eyes show is a tribute to your heart, You are amazing, my son.  Though at times throughout the day it will feel as though you are alone, even abandoned, you are not for our hearts connect, for God the Father is with you.  Your struggles real, You will grant salvation to a world who, at this moment, hates You but love will endure.  Remember our conversation at the house, this will be your strength.  I love you."

"I love you too, mother."  

He kissed her cheek and walked over to Pilate, "It is time."

Crushed, Pilate motions to the guards who, once again, bind Jesus while another goes to toll the bells.  Jesus is lead outside to the crowd where they loudly shout, “Crucify him, crucify him!"  In one last attempt, Pilate silences the crowd then he speaks to them about releasing one prisoner.

"It is customary to release to you one prisoner, tell me who you wish released."

"Barabbas", the unanimous acclamation from the crowd.

"Barabbas?  He has brought much heartache to many of your families, what say you to release this man before you, the one you call, Jesus?"

The chanting began, "release Barabbas, release Barabbas."

Horrified that his last tactic did not work, Pilate calls for the release of Barabbas and the crowd shouts with excitement.

"What do you want of this Jesus?" Pilate again addresses the crowd.

"Crucify him, crucify him!"

Their chanting hauntingly eerie and with Pilate unsure of his place among the crowd,  he calls for Jesus death.

Immediately, the head guard grabs Jesus and takes him over to the poll where His hands are rebound around the poll so as to give the guard a perfect, unthreatening target.  

"Crack", the whip strikes Jesus' back, blood pours forth from His back.  Again, the whip cracks and more blood.  Again, and again, the leather whip with crude pieces of metal fastened to the end break the skin of Jesus splattering blood onto the clothes of anyone in the vicinity of this beating.  With each whip Jesus feels His skin separate yet hatred never enters His heart.  The whippings cease and Jesus is presented to the crowd as a bloodied mess.  The crowd cheers as if their team had just won the World Series.  Jesus, meek and humble, stands before the crowd, before Pilate in silence.  Only a moment passes but it seems like a lifetime.  Jesus looks to Pilate and, without words, says "Continue what has been started."  

The bells again toll.  The crowd, obnoxious in their cries, for now they mock Jesus as the bow and say, "All hail the king, all hail the king of the Jews".

A guard plays to the crowd as he retrieves thorns and fastens them into a crown and pushes it onto Jesus head.  Blood pours forth from His temple and the crowd excitedly filled with hatred again cheered with satisfaction.  The mocking, the chanting, the hate-filled courtyard stirs at such an early hour.  Finding it difficult to see for the blood covers His eyes, Jesus looks to the crowd.  He feels their distain, their hatred.  This is why He is here, this is why He suffers.  The physical pain is nothing compared to the crippling pain of withstanding the weight of our sins.  He looks to each person in the crowd, He feels their disgust and though unprovoked, He accepts their feelings, accepts their shortcoming, accepts their flaws as his own that they may be set free to acknowledge and accept the love of the Father.  "Violence their way, but my way is a way of love, a way of truth, a way home to the Father", Jesus thought as stared out into the crowd.

The guards must have been speaking to Jesus but He was so engrossed in thought that He did not hear them so they began to manhandle Him for they thought him  defiant.  A huge wooden cross was placed upon His shoulder and the guards motioned Him to walk.  So walk He did.  With each step He looked to the crowd and with each step He felt heaviness, heaviness of the burdens, heaviness of the animosity, heaviness of the poor choices represented by the persons of this crowd.  No noise does Jesus hear, the crowd could be silent for all He knows for His focus is on their hearts, their soul, their feelings of being lost.  Each step He takes, the weight bears down upon Him, their feelings too much for His body to handle and Jesus falls to the ground.  The crowd yells, they want Him to continue so the guard scream at Him to return to His feet.  He does and the procession continues.  The crowd more violent than before, they throw rocks at Jesus among the torment of their words; but again He hears nothing only feels the pain of their sorrow, the pain of their regrets.  Walking slower, the guards whip Jesus and His blood splatters onto the crowd.  It is not the weight of the huge wooden cross that begins to set in; rather the weight of the sorrows of the crowd that plague His body, tormenting His very soul.  Just then, when He felt that this long haul to Golgotha impossible, His mother comes forth from the crowd.  She touches His face, their eyes meet and souls connect.  Among all this hatred that has begun to weigh Him down, He feels love, unconditional love.  It is enough for Him to keep going, enough to reinvigorate His soul that it not be too weary and withstand in His way of the Cross.  The guards push Him forward and His mother returns to the crowd.  The guards fearing Jesus is too weak to withstand the weight of the huge wooden cross, grab a man from the crowd and force him to carry the cross for Jesus.  Simon takes the cross and looks directly into the eyes of Jesus.  He feels only compassion, as if this man standing before him, bloodied and beaten forgives all the wrongs he had ever done.  Simon carries the cross and Jesus walks along side him.  The weight of the cross makes no bearing on the weight of Jesus' shoulders for though he carries not the huge wooden cross, He struggles to walk under the weight of our sins.  Seeing that Jesus still struggles and He carries not the cross, the guards take the cross from Simon, push him back into the crowd and place the cross back onto Jesus' shoulder.  Deafened by the agony of listless spirits, Jesus marches to the whip of the Roman soldiers.  A woman fights her way through the crowd and steps in the way of the procession.  The guards are taken back by her brazen attitude and attempt not to stop her from approaching Jesus.  She takes a towel from her pouch and wipes His face.  Jesus knows that Veronica's wiping of His face is a foretelling of the Father's wiping aways of our sins, and so He looks upon her with compassion and love and continues His march.  Now that the blood has been wiped from His face, Jesus is better able to see the crowd, see their hatred, see their ambulance which penetrates His heart like lasers cutting through stone.  He falls, their contempt crippling and he falls under its weight.  A guard kicks him and spits upon Him.  "Get up, get up and walk you are making us look bad!"

Jesus musters the strength to regain His footing and the procession again begins. Each step He takes, His legs wobble ready to give out but then the guard stops, three women have made their way to the streets and are indignant about seeing Jesus.  Tears run down their face, they weep for His pain but they weep, too, for the pain of the crowd.  Jesus can see this in the women, He can feel their sincerity, feel their love, feel their faith in the Father.  Their spiritual astuteness reminds Him that it is humanity which is flawed and that even these people before Him, those with hatred in their hearts have a chance of salvation, salvation because of His trek with the cross.  The exchange of love is enough for Jesus and He nods to the women who then exit the street.  The procession continues and the long walk to the "place of the skull" seems intimidating.  As He carries the cross, Jesus looks to the heavens, the sun beats down upon His face, the warmth reminds Him of His Father's love.  Once again His purpose in sight, His heart strengthened to withstand the most egregious death; death on a Cross.  The crowd still throwing rocks at Jesus, one of which falls under foot and He trips taking Himself and the cross to the ground for a third time.  Quickly the guards pick Him and the cross up so as not to further prolong the procession and lose the support of the crowd.  

Finally, they each the top of the hill, Golgotha, what is set to be the final resting place of Jesus' human body.  Further attempting to humiliate Jesus and win back the support of the crowd, the guards strip Jesus of His clothes.  As He stands there, with only a loin cloth, the sun once again beats upon His bloodied body and, once, again, He feels pure love.  The Father loves from within, the Father kept His promise of never leaving Jesus alone.  The guards grab Jesus and throw him onto the cross; the guards have tired and just want this finished.  With outstretched arms, Jesus offers Himself as our sacrifice to the Father.  His body broken, bloodied and beaten; the physical suffering pales in comparison to the suffering of the heart for He has assumed the sins of us all; this His pain, this His agony.  As the stakes are driven into His wrists He hears, for the first time.  It is the sound of the metal upon metal, it is as if the bells again toll.  It is almost finished and Jesus knows it, the time is almost at hand.  He closes His eyes and He offered Himself to the Father. 

"Father, I am the offering these people are not strong enough to make.  They know not of what they do or what they speak.  Their minds clutter their souls, they have lost their way, they do not understand love.  They feel unworthy of love and so they hate what they do not know.  I offer myself, Father, that their hearts become uncluttered, that they may see their worthiness, that they begin to understand that all they need do is come to you and you will heal their pain.  Their pain, Father, it is real, I feel each and ever ounce of their pain.  It has weighed me down, I have fallen under its weight.  Take this weight, Father, that they may be able to walk with heads held high, heads looking to the heavens to discern life's problems; not crumble under its weight.  Father, I have gathered their sins, their short comings in my heart that they may be free to feel your love.  Love them Father, scorn them not for their actions; for these actions come from fear and ignorance.  Sooth them, instruct them in You love and they will love Father, they will love.  My life, my offering to you for their salvation."  Then he said aloud, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."  With that Jesus died.  In the distance the bells tolled and everyone knew the crucifixion was complete.  

Today, the bells toll yet what do we remember?  Do we just hear bells?  Are reminded of the ultimate sacrifice, a sacrifice of human life for spiritual birth?  Let us stop and utter the words of Christ, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."  If we but give our life to Christ, we become alive in the Spirit and walk with Christ in love.