AGONY OF THE CROSS

AGONY OF THE CROSS 

( The Crown of Thorns Chaplet )

Enter into a deep internal presence, of meditation and prayer, with the beads, of the crown of thorns. As your fingers hold each bead, an awareness of the Crucifixion takes place. From the crucifix, the Lord's hands reach outward, drawing you inward to a compassionate meditation, of the Way of the Cross. Reflecting on the crown of thorns, and embracing each Station of the Cross, cultivates your heart to the presence of sorrow. For in sorrow, your soul is opened to an intimate level with the Lord. It is in sorrow, the Lord gave His life for eternal salvation, for all: a Divine Sacrifice, a love so great, a love unbounded, and pristine. 

Surround yourself, in this Divine Love, of sorrow. Surround yourself with the agony of the Cross, and the crown of piercing thorns that penetrated: sharp thorns digging into the Lord, inflicting deep, painful, bleeding wounds. Surround yourself in the Lord's mercy, as He hangs on the Cross, for each one of us. And yet, many go on with their daily lives, un-sensitive, unresponsive, unapproachable to the Cross. The resurrection of our Lord on Easter Sunday, is forefront in our minds, and emphasis is placed on the joyful aspect of our lives, that, because of His death and resurrection, we, are saved. But yet, because of Good Friday, the Lord’s heart is still pierced, still bleeding; waiting for another, to take Him down. Each of us, either nourishes his compassion to take Him down, or is in the crowd looking on, and walks away. The Lord’s hands of divine mercy stretch outward waiting, waiting for someone. Is it you? Have you ever thought about taking Him down? Holding Him? Just loving Him? Just being with Him? 

And yet, the crown of thorns also, pierces the Lord’s soul. He gave His life, He gave this divine sacrifice, but in many souls, has been rejected. Rejection that still remains for thousands of years, for thousands of rejections. 

Place yourself at the foot of the Cross, as Mary our Blessed Mother, watches in horror, as her beaten, naked son, hangs on the cross from above. This innocent suffering man, looks out at His mother, seeing her eyes of sorrow and brokenness, feels the piercing thorns of her agony, in His heart. The piercing nails in His hands, separating, two hearts: the love of a mother, the love of a son. The piercing thorns of separation: the Lord unable to wrap His arms around His mother, unable to spare her the torment and sorrow; and Mary, unable to save her son, unable to touch Him, and alleviate His suffering. This man, was the Messiah, the Lord of miracles and healing. The crowds cheered, and the scoffers laughed. He was spat upon, and kicked, and tortured. Where, are you? Are you in the crowd, unaffected; you turn away, and go about your business? Or is it, you see Mary, His mother, and with compassion go to her. You put your arms around her to comfort her; and cry, tears, tears of the heart, together; for the piercing thorns touch you, also. Could you be there? Could you, take away, the crown of thorns? 

The agony of the Cross, is a burning echo in the soul, a burning, from a piercing thorn: a divine thorn, from the crown of thorns, that took His life--to give life. 

From the Cross, Jesus spoke these words: “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke-23:24) Of all this pain, torment, and sacrifice, the Lord’s love is endless, in forgiveness, and divine mercy. 

The beads of the crown of thorns: 14 thorns, one for each station of the cross; and 33 beads, one for each year of the Lord’s life. These beads of the crown of thorns, a devotion to the passion of Jesus Christ, is prayed in compassion and mercy, to levitate your spirit, in remembrance of the Lord’s need, in His darkest moments. 

Jesus, was in the garden, alone, praying, seeking refuge from His impending death. These piercing thoughts, striking the inner torment, of His emotions. That evening the thorns of fear, were pursuing and piercing the unchangeable events, yet to come. The Lord was seeking comfort, to help comprehend what was before Him. What about you, are you there, asleep, like the others; do you avoid this confrontation, with your spiritual self? Could you, with compassion stay awake, take away just one piercing thorn? 

The agony of the Cross: love, compassion, salvation--the passion of one man, for all mankind. What He gave, is unmeasurable! What He gave, was the Divine Sacred Heart, of Himself! 

The crown of thorns, is a magnitude of sorrows. It holds the fallen tears of our Blessed Mother, as she takes away this piercing crown, while holding her son’s broken, lifeless body, in her arms. The little baby Jesus, thirty-three years ago, now, lays still and silent, as the sorrow of the heart, weeps in anguish. 

It is in sorrow, that one's outer shell falls away, and the inner self of your being, finds truth, and mercy. It is in this state of remorse and searching, love blooms, sincere, and reverent. It is here, the tears of mercy find your heart, and immerse your soul with the gifts of the spirit, and the gift of yourself. Let us be still and silent, mindful of this ultimate compassionate love, of the Lord’s death and resurrection. Let the beads, of the crown of thorns, take you inward, to the Lord’s mist, of Divine Mercy. Let your mediation flow from your heart reaching the foot of the Cross, to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Let it be, these beads of the crown of thorns, you now hold, the ones you have removed from the Lord’s head. You hold them in compassion, embracing the Lord’s Passion, relieving the Lord’s pain, of rejection. In these moments of closeness, in your heart and soul, you have been there, at the Cross, with Mary, our Blessed Mother; in the garden; at the tomb; at the resurrection. Each time you meditate the beads of the crown of thorns, the piercing thorns are removed, and the suffering of rejection, is alleviated. The tears and sorrow of our Blessed Mother, are comforted, that your heart of mercy, has consumed your thoughts, in remembrance, of her son. It is here, you take up your cross, and follow Him. 

This is the agony of the Cross: the crown of thorns, a devotion, that awakens your sensitivity to the sorrowful Passion, of our Lord, Jesus.

FOOTNOTE: This Crown of Thorns chaplet may be used for your private use.

THE CROWN OF THORNS - MEDITATION AND PRAYERS 

May the tears of your sorrow be melted, and the piercing thorns be cast away, as our hearts flourish, in your mercy. 

Jesus, Mary, full of grace. Fill me, with your grace.

PRAYER OF THORNS 

O Lord, this crown of thorns, I grasp in my heart. The thorns, that sting like swords, that speak of sorrow, like no other. You surrendered all. And the crown, cried. The tears of my sorrow, embrace your wounds of thorns, one tear for each, *110 wounds in all. Let these tears, quench the fires of Your inflictions, and instill my merciful tears of sorrow, in You. Amen. 

*From the Letter of Oration: “Pricks of thorns in the head, 110.” The number given to St. Elizabeth, St. Matilda and St. Bridget in an apparition of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Benedetta DA S.S., Pope Leo XIII, in Roma, 5 April, 1890

Robert J Varrick

rjvarrick@gmail.com