Sunday, October 18, 2020 –
The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns
A crown of thorns is placed upon Christ’s head
AS THE SCOURGING was the reparation for the sins of the flesh, so the crowning with thorns was the atonement for the sins of the mind—for the atheists who wish there were no God, for the doubters whose evil lives becloud their thinking, for the egotists, centred on themselves.
The soldiers cursed as the thorns pricked their fingers. Then they cursed the Lord, as they drove the crown of thorns into His head, as a mockery of a royal diadem. Into His hands they placed a reed, the symbol of His kingdom, presumed to be false and unstable like the reed. His flesh, already hanging from Him like purple rags, is now covered with a purple robe to ridicule His claim to kingship of hearts and nations. Blindfolding Him, they struck Him, asking Him to prophesy, or tell who it was that delivered the blow. They then bowed down before Him in mock reverence, spitting in His face, that all the subsequent Mindszentys, Stepinacs, and martyrs of the world might have courage in their hour of martyrdom.
In this Mystery is verified the truth of our Saviour’s warning: “If the world hates you, be sure that it hated Me before it learned to hate you. If you belonged to the world, the world would know you for its own and love you; it is because you do not belong to the world, because I have singled you out from the midst of the world, that the world hates you.” He who expects to preserve His faith without being mocked by the world is either weak in it, or else not so bold in goodness as to draw upon himself the mocking insults of another purple robe and a torturing circle of thorns.
For each bead (1-10) in the decade, meditate (think) on the list below:
- Pilate asks, “Are You a king?” Jesus answers: “I am a King, but My kingdom is not of this world.”
- In the praetorium, the soldiers place an old purple robe on Jesus in mockery of His claim to be a king.
- They fashion a crown out of thorns, and forcefully press it down upon His head.
- In His bound hands they place a reed, as a sceptre, in mockery of His kingship.
- Kneeling before Him in derision, they spit on Him, and cry out: “Hail, King of the Jews!”
- Taking the reed from His hand they strike Him on the head, driving the thorns more deeply into His scalp.
- Pilate brings Jesus before the people, hoping His pitiful sight will soften them: “Behold the man!”
- Their response: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
- Our Blessed Lord submitted to this terrible humiliation to make reparation for our pride.
- Father, by the merits of this painful humiliation, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Spiritual Fruit: Courage and the Reign of Christ in Our Hearts
Queen of patriarchs, pray for us!
NOTE: These meditations are a compilation of several different sources that I have found helpful over the years:
- Meditations on the Fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary by Fulton Sheen
- Praying the Rosary without Distractions from The Rosary Center and Confraternity
- Pray the Rosary Daily from Marian Press
- Quick Meditations on Every Mystery of the Rosary by Ascension Press
