As I pray the Sorrowful Mysteries
I find myself thinking
about the Roman soldiers
who decided to entertain themselves
at the expense of Jesus –
dressing Him royally
in fake robes
with a stick for a sceptre
and with a crown of thorns
cruelly shoved
onto His tender head.

Jolly japes for the Roman soldiers
as they paraded Jesus around.
Pain and utter humiliation for Jesus.

A war news story
comes to mind.

A soldier is captured, tortured
and finally bayonetted five times
by his torturers
who then leave him for dead.
Some time later
the torturers are, themselves,
captured
and brought to an interrogation room.

Imagine their astonishment
and horror
when into room walks the very man
whom they had bayonetted five times
and left for dead.

This man sat before his torturers
and asked one simple question –
“Why?”

I wonder …
is that how the Roman soldiers
will react
at Judgement Day
when they find themselves
face to face again with Jesus
whom they humiliated?

Will I be equally
shocked and dismayed
on that same day
when I see in Jesus
the faces of those
whom I myself hurt
or simply failed to help?

5th February 2023