St. Nicolai Notes

EXCHANGES ON THE WAY: LENTEN PRAYERS
Day 39: Seventh Friday
Mark 15:33-41

     Christ Jesus, it hurts to visualize You, there, lifted up^ before vicious and scornful watchers, sinking toward death as the weight of your body took away your ability to breathe. It hurts and shames us to realize that our sins were part of the weight that was sapping the last of your strength.
     Your cry tears through our hearts. It tears through our complacency and indifference. It echoes around us. It resonates with the the deepest cords of our being: "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?"
     We have cried that cry out of our fragility, grief, and sense of abandonment. We have cried that cry in moments of hopelessness that seemed like they would never end. But we have not cried it as innocent ones. We have not cried it as the "one man" who died for the people.* We have not cried it before a crowd of ravenous watchers.+
     Forgive us for contributing to your pain. Forgive us for resisting You and choosing to be your enemies.# Forgive us for making you bear our shame. May we never forget your cry. Amen.

^ John 3:14
* John 11:50
+ Psalm 122
# Romans 5:10