Sorrowful - Daily Walk 3/5

Beads of Joy 06-30-10

The Sorrowful - Daily Walk 3/5
©2010 James Dacey, Jr. SFO

Sorrowful Walk - 3/5
Hello Everyone,

This is the one day we all dread. The day we look at the third Sorrowful Mystery - The Crowing with Thorns. Today let us see how we in our lives experience that which our Lord had to experience. Public humiliation unlike anything we could possibly imagine, is what today is all about. No one deserves to be treated like this, why were they so cruel and so mean to my Lord? How would we feel being humiliated before everyone in our community, spit upon, accused of all sorts of things we know we didn't do? Jesus took all that for all our sins. Scripture again didn't place His mother at this scene. But I find it very hard to believe otherwise. I know I keep referring the movie The Passion, but I really feel that was probably the closest to the reality of what Jesus suffered along with how involved His mother really was. Our heart knows He suffered horribly for our sins. That is why we must seriously give our life, our heart and our every thought to Him.

Jesus sacrificed everything He was, everything He had, every breathe He was breathing for us. And in the process of His horrific murder on a cross, He was humiliated, and disgraced. Are we willing to put our faith and our pride out on our sleeve, and risk being humiliated? I would hope and pray that you are bold enough in your own personal relationship with Jesus; that you never place your own ego or pride before Jesus. You do realize that even if you associate yourself with someone who has been humiliated and disgraced, for whatever reason you become linked to them and you even suffer with them at times. Why do you think the disciples ran away from Jesus and didn't want to be associated with Him, when He was condemned and humiliated? Obviously they didn't stay away from their association with Him, eventually they represented Jesus and most of them suffered horribly also. When Jesus asked us to follow Him, He has basically asked us to die to be with Him. When we die to self, it includes our pride, and most importantly our own defending of ourselves. We must not fear humiliation, especially when our humiliation is in the Lord.

Being humble will be our first step in dealing with humiliation. There is no place for pride in our walk with Jesus. Being bold in our faith and our love for Him, isn't pride; think of it more like your conviction. And in your conviction you dearly love Jesus for the love He has given us first in His death for our sins. He died so that we (all of us) might live eternally with Him. Why would anyone care about what someone else thought of you when your humility is in the Christ, Jesus who gave of His life to save yours? If someone wants to criticize you or make fun of you, maybe because you make the sign of the cross when passing a church; or you say a prayer at meal time, no matter where you are; or you openly acknowledge Jesus and thank Him in public; or you freely share your love and devotion to Him and His most precious Mother. Being so bold and being so solid in your faith and your belief isn't arrogance, please don't make this sound like you must be stuck up. That's not what I am saying here. What this is all about is your life in Christ, and your true life's purpose and what your life is for: His service to draw others to Him.

BE BOLD.. Yes you will be humiliated at times. Some might openly make a joke out of your actions, or a statement you make in defense of your love and devotion to our Lord. So be it. Smile and tell them you are praying for them. I've been punched around verbally many times these past 27 years of my faith-filled life. Sometimes I get outright defensive and yell louder than my offender. Then I retract and realize, I need to be more like Jesus, silent in prayer, knowing in Christ I am made strong in my love and belief in Him. We must remember, "They will know we are Christians by our love." Not our anger and defensiveness. Though I admit, when someone attacks my faith, my Lord or His Mother, I do not like to just take it. My immediate response is, HOW DARE YOU. I don't say that, but wow, do I think it. Try to be humble, take the punches, show others, that we are not offended, but we understand that they clearly don't understand. So we must pray for them, and allow the Lord to work His will through us for them. Plant the seeds of peace, hope and joy. In time they will grow, our patience and love will eventually penetrate the hearts of the unfaithful. Always pray to yourself in these situations, "Jesus, I trust in You."


Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO