Tuesday, the Fourth Week of Lent

Tenth Station of the Cross – Jesus is stripped of His garments

   Jesus had survived the journey from Pilate’s home to Golgotha.  During that ordeal His clothing would have adhered to the blood drying on His body.  As the Roman soldiers tore off His clothing they would have also reopened many wounds causing even more pain and suffering to our Lord.

   The Roman crucifixion was not only an extremely slow and painful way of death but a humiliating one as well.  Those being crucified were completely stripped of their clothing.  They were then hung on the cross naked and raised for all to see.

   Before Him was His mother, other women who had followed Him and the apostle John.  In the crowd were the Jewish leaders who had demanded His death.  On the road were those going to and from Jerusalem.  Jesus hung beaten, bloody and naked before them.

   When I think of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross I am first of all saddened.  Why should the Son of God have freely chosen to experience such a death for me?  Then I am amazed that He would freely choose to die in such a manner in order to offer salvation to the world.  The only answer is love; pure, enduring, everlasting love.  Love not only for those who follow Him but for those who have refused.  He died for those who hate Him as well as for those who love Him.  As He hung on the cross He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34)

   When I consider the nakedness of Christ on the cross I think of how we must come before Him when we plead for forgiveness and salvation.  We must strip ourselves of our pride, our selfishness, and the desires of this world. We must bare our souls and our sinfulness and place ourselves before Him in humility and sorrow.   As He hung naked before the world we must come naked before Him.