Station 6, Day 3

Station 6, Day 3

Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns

Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” They kept heaping many other insults on him. Luke 22:63-65

And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and striking him on the face. John 19:2-3

Meditation

            Supporters of Jesus in the crowd – certainly there were some present – were in a serious dilemma. Because Jesus was being crucified for insurrection, any overt displays of support for him could be interpreted as their support for his alleged defiance of Roman authority. Perceived supporters might suffer the same fate. As the soldiers cried, “Hail, King of the Jews!” no one in the crowd dared to intervene. Even so, hearts who had loved him would be broken to see their Lord and friend in his current condition.

            Jesus was probably completely dazed and incoherent at this point, falling from soldier to soldier as they tried to keep him upright for everyone to see. Weakened from the pain, blood loss, lack of sleep, and humiliation, Jesus was awash in a tidal wave of suffering, being pushed and shoved closer to the cross.

Spiritual Discipline

Find a quiet place and enter a time of silence for 10 minutes. Attempt to let go of the trials of the moment – your to-do list, your stressors at work or home, the pressing needs of family. Deliberately turn off your inner dialogue by acknowledging thoughts as they come to you, then letting them go. Breathe deeply and internalize whatever degree of silence you can attain. There is no pressure to receive insights or inspiration. Experiencing silence is sufficient.

Prayer

            Jesus, there are no words. The skin on my back crawls as I imagine the flogging. My head aches as I envision your crown of thorns. My body throbs as I try to imagine your pain. My heart aches as I picture this ultimate humiliation. There are no words, but I am present with you, nonetheless. Amen.

This is the 25^thin a daily series titled The Stations of the Cross that will run through Easter 2026, at which time I will return to my weekly Life Notes.Life Notes are my explorations into mysteries that interest me. They are invitations for readers to explore more deeply into life’s mysteries. Engage with me or explore contemplative spiritual direction at ghildenbrand@outlook.com.