Also excitement, because three men is going to be executed. You force your way through the crowds. You catch the sight of the Roman soldiers and the three men – each one carrying a crossbar. You recognize Jesus as one of them. All your attention is now on Jesus.

You see the crown of thorns around his head – stripes of blood through his clothes; he has been flogged.

You hear the scorns of the mob, and the crying and weeping of a group of women.

Jesus falls under the heavy burden of the crossbar. The soldiers order a man from the crowd to lift up his crossbar.

You follow Jesus and the soldiers through the town gate. In front of you the hill that looks like a skull. On top of the skull three wooden posts.

Your attention is still focused on Jesus on your way up the skull hill.

You reach the top. They strip Jesus of his clothes, his wounds are teared open.

They stretch his arms out on the crossbar and hammer nails through his hands. Pain is seen on his face, but he does not cry out.

The soldiers lift the crossbar unto the post and Jesus starts at it finds it place. They nail his feet to the post. The weight of his body makes his breathing difficult.

My God, my God! Why have you forsaken me?

Keep the image of the cross in front of you but take a look inside you for a moment, asking what is the greatest pain or sorrow in my life just now…

Now form a bowl mentally or with your hands in front of you, and put your pain or sorrow in the bowl. Lift the bowl up in front of your mouth. Breathing out you let go of your pain or sorrow. Your breath carries the sorrow or pain to the cross. The sky darkens, a solar eclipse, and the earth is shaking. It is as if all pain and sorrow together with yours gather at the cross of Jesus.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

“Truly I tell you; today you will be with me in paradise.”

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

Jesus he bows his head and gives up his spirit. He gives up his Spirit into your empty bowl.

Take the bowl to your heart, and let the Spirit of Life from the cross heal and restore you where you sorrow or pain were sitting, and notice the working of the Spirit in you while we listens to some music….

Let the process continue during the next piece of music

Play meditative music

We are about to conclude our meditation. Take some deep breaths, and when you are ready you may open your eyes, and move the limbs.

Blessing

May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep my heart and my mind in the love of Christ Jesus.