Duc in Altum

The month of July is set aside for special devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus. One of the devotions associated with the Precious Blood, is a meditation on the seven references in Scripture to the shedding of Christ's blood. In this fourth installment, I would like to reflect on the Lord's shedding of His blood when he was crowned with thorns.

And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head. (John 19:2)

The drama of the Passion of our Lord contains the ironic act of crowning the King of kings with a crown made of thorns. As part of their mockery and revelry, the soldiers make a crown which they think is fitting for the One who is considered to be the King of the Jews. They know who is really the King of the Jews. It is Herod. As for this poor Jewish serf, He must be mad if He thinks that He is the King of the Jews.

The soldiers hold a coronation for Him. The crown is shoved down on His head in order to drive the sharp spikes into the soft flesh on our Lord's head. Immediately the Precious Blood begins to come out and slowly stain His scalp and hair. The mockery does not end there but continues with acts of false obedience before this King of the Jews. "Hail, King!", they cry out as they bow in a grand sweeping motion before the One who is silent before them. Each one attempts to proclaim "Hail, King of the Jews!" with greater feigned seriousness.

Yet before them stands the One who created each one of them. He knows their names. He understands their deepest concerns and desires. He knows their hopes and fears. He knows absolutely everything about them. And He loves them with love that only God can have because He is God.

He is on His way to the Cross where He will pour Himself out completely for you and for me, and for the soldiers who think all of this is oh so humorous. When I am like the soldiers because I mock Him by the way that I act, I hope to remember that the blood I helped Him shed when I put that crown on His head is the same blood that He pours out on the Cross in order that I might be saved.
Next Installment: The Carrying of the Cross

Previous Posts:

The Circumcision

The Agony in the Garden

The Scourging at the Pillar