Father, Forgive Them
Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To share Christ's sorrow with Him, to better appreciate His spirit of love for me.
Mental Picture (cf. Luke 23:34): The spikes have been driven into Jesus' hands, feet... the cross is raised... dropped with a thud into the hole prepared for it. Jesus groans... the unspeakable pain... fresh blood spurts from His wounds. Jesus, unjustly tried, scourged, condemned as the worst criminal, laughed at, spat upon, hangs there and looks out at the mocking crowd and at the soldiers, His blood still on their hands, dividing His clothes among them. Will He speak about His great pain, the injustice done to Him, ask for something for Himself? No! His words are, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." To the end, even in His dying agony, Christ thinks more about us and the evil we do to ourselves than He thinks about Himself.
My Personal Application: When anyone treats me unfairly even in little things, the first thing I usually think of is how to get even, how to hurt him back. How unlike Christ I am! Have I ever simply taken it on the chin, when I could have fought back - even tried to do that person a good turn instead of a bad one? How hard this is! How much Christ showed He loved me by doing this for me - sure1y I can do the same for Him once in a while.
I Speak to Christ: Lord, how differently you act from the way the world acts. You are showing me the way. Teach me to love men as you loved us. Only great love can forgive. I need this kind of love. Please help me learn from you.
Thought for Today: "Father, forgive them."
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
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