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Meditation for Friday
Jesus at the Court of Herod
“And he questioned Him in many words. But He answered him nothing: And Herod with his army set Him at nought, and mocked Him, putting on Him a white garment and sent Him back to Pilate” (Luke 23, 9, 11).
First Prelude: Behold Jesus, clad in a white garment at the court of Herod, mocked by the Jews.
Second Prelude: Give me the grace O my Jesus, to value the blessed folly of the cross, that I may learn to endure contempt for love of Thee.
First Point
Jesus Regards Herod Unworthy of an Answer
Pilate, being convinced of the innocence of Jesus, dared not condemn Him to death. For fear of the Jews, on the other hand, he dared not liberate Him. Now he heard that Jesus was a Galilean, and wishing to rid himself of so disagreeable a case, he sent Jesus to Herod, who was then in Jerusalem. Contemplate Jesus led about from one judgment seat to another. Follow your beloved Saviour on this painful and exceedingly humiliating journey. Scripture relates that Herod was glad to see Jesus, of Whom he had heard wonderful things, for this pleasure-seeking, worldly minded prince hoped to witness some great miracle. For this reason, prompted by curiosity, he put many questions to Jesus. Herod deserved no answer because he merely wished to amuse himself to satisfy his vain curiosity and by so doing subject the word of God to his scrutiny and judgment. Our Lord further made no answer to indicate His horror of the licentiousness of this hypocritical, wily worldling. Herod had heard the voice of John the Baptist, but had not heeded his warnings: on the contrary, to satisfy his passions, in cold-blooded frivolity had him put to death. Therefore, the Saviour, the purest and holiest One, deemed him unworthy of an answer.
Alas, how many hardened hearts compel Jesus to observe a similar silence in their regard! For so long a time He has favored them with His graces and inspirations, roused them by wholesome pangs of conscience, warned them by the penetrating admonitions of their superiors which they, however, cast aside. Now Jesus remains silent because His words are fruitless. Oh, that not one of us may ever be deserving of such chastisement! How am I disposed at the present moment? Do I love to hear the voice of God and do I obey it readily?
Second Point
Jesus Clad in a White Garment
When Herod saw how despicable he became by the silence of Jesus he sought revenge by making Him the target of the mockery of the populace and the court, as one ignorant and not sound of mind. Accordingly, Herod ordered our Blessed Lord, as a mark of His narrow-mindedness, to be clad in a white garment. Oh, what must have been the sentiments of our Blessed Lord as He stood before this godless king, surrounded by a deriding people, who were making Him the butt of their malice and scorn! Well may the angels have turned away sorrowing from this appalling spectacle. Here the words of the prophet were fulfilled: “I am a worm and no man: the reproach of men and the outcast of the people” (Ps. 12, 7).
Jesus desired to suffer so much for us. He desired to wear the garment of mockery in order to merit for us the robe of innocence with which we were clad in Baptism, and the grace to preserve this robe pure and unstained through life, or to cleanse it in His Precious Blood should we ever have the misfortune to sully it. Jesus willed in particular to acquire bountiful merits for religious that by virtue of their holy vows the robe of innocence may be restored in fullest splendor. He willed further to do honor to the garb of penance, the holy habit of religion, which is so often a mark of derision in the eyes of the world.
All these blessings we owe to the ridicule which Jesus endured for love of us at the court of Herod. It is meet, then, that we, too, suffer a little scorn and shame, in imitation of His marvelous patience and resignation. It is difficult for our pride to accept humiliations: nevertheless, our natural repugnance can tend to great merit and not seldom it is transformed into sweet consolation, a reward God loves to tender courageous souls. Do I yield to sensitiveness and discouragement when reprimanded?
Affections:
O Eternal Wisdom, Divine Word! Thy love and the desire for our salvation pressed Thee so powerfully to endure all manner of interior and exterior sufferings, to be satiated with pain, ridicule, and contempt, as was foretold by the prophet! O my Jesus, I, too, have often offended Thee and requited Thy infinite love with ingratitude. Pardon me, I beseech Thee, and punish me not as Thou didst punish Herod, by refusing to let me hear Thy adorable voice. No, my Jesus, do not remain silent, no matter how unworthy I am to hear Thy words of light and truth. Do not deprive me of Thy holy inspirations. Behold, I am ready to heed Thy voice, and to do whatever Thou wilt require of me. Grant me a true understanding of the folly of the cross, and let me be happy to endure with, and for love of, Thee the contempt, derision, and injustice of men, that Thou mayest recognize in me Thy true disciple.
Resolution:
I will accept reprimands gratefully and not yield to sensitiveness, even should the reproof be undeserved.
Spiritual Bouquet:
“If I desire to please others, I cannot be a servant of Christ.”
Take, O Lord . . .
Jesus Regards Herod Unworthy of an Answer
Pilate, being convinced of the innocence of Jesus, dared not condemn Him to death. For fear of the Jews, on the other hand, he dared not liberate Him. Now he heard that Jesus was a Galilean, and wishing to rid himself of so disagreeable a case, he sent Jesus to Herod, who was then in Jerusalem. Contemplate Jesus led about from one judgment seat to another. Follow your beloved Saviour on this painful and exceedingly humiliating journey. Scripture relates that Herod was glad to see Jesus, of Whom he had heard wonderful things, for this pleasure-seeking, worldly minded prince hoped to witness some great miracle. For this reason, prompted by curiosity, he put many questions to Jesus. Herod deserved no answer because he merely wished to amuse himself to satisfy his vain curiosity and by so doing subject the word of God to his scrutiny and judgment. Our Lord further made no answer to indicate His horror of the licentiousness of this hypocritical, wily worldling. Herod had heard the voice of John the Baptist, but had not heeded his warnings: on the contrary, to satisfy his passions, in cold-blooded frivolity had him put to death. Therefore, the Saviour, the purest and holiest One, deemed him unworthy of an answer.
Alas, how many hardened hearts compel Jesus to observe a similar silence in their regard! For so long a time He has favored them with His graces and inspirations, roused them by wholesome pangs of conscience, warned them by the penetrating admonitions of their superiors which they, however, cast aside. Now Jesus remains silent because His words are fruitless. Oh, that not one of us may ever be deserving of such chastisement! How am I disposed at the present moment? Do I love to hear the voice of God and do I obey it readily?
Second Point
Jesus Clad in a White Garment
When Herod saw how despicable he became by the silence of Jesus he sought revenge by making Him the target of the mockery of the populace and the court, as one ignorant and not sound of mind. Accordingly, Herod ordered our Blessed Lord, as a mark of His narrow-mindedness, to be clad in a white garment. Oh, what must have been the sentiments of our Blessed Lord as He stood before this godless king, surrounded by a deriding people, who were making Him the butt of their malice and scorn! Well may the angels have turned away sorrowing from this appalling spectacle. Here the words of the prophet were fulfilled: “I am a worm and no man: the reproach of men and the outcast of the people” (Ps. 12, 7).
Jesus desired to suffer so much for us. He desired to wear the garment of mockery in order to merit for us the robe of innocence with which we were clad in Baptism, and the grace to preserve this robe pure and unstained through life, or to cleanse it in His Precious Blood should we ever have the misfortune to sully it. Jesus willed in particular to acquire bountiful merits for religious that by virtue of their holy vows the robe of innocence may be restored in fullest splendor. He willed further to do honor to the garb of penance, the holy habit of religion, which is so often a mark of derision in the eyes of the world.
All these blessings we owe to the ridicule which Jesus endured for love of us at the court of Herod. It is meet, then, that we, too, suffer a little scorn and shame, in imitation of His marvelous patience and resignation. It is difficult for our pride to accept humiliations: nevertheless, our natural repugnance can tend to great merit and not seldom it is transformed into sweet consolation, a reward God loves to tender courageous souls. Do I yield to sensitiveness and discouragement when reprimanded?
Affections:
O Eternal Wisdom, Divine Word! Thy love and the desire for our salvation pressed Thee so powerfully to endure all manner of interior and exterior sufferings, to be satiated with pain, ridicule, and contempt, as was foretold by the prophet! O my Jesus, I, too, have often offended Thee and requited Thy infinite love with ingratitude. Pardon me, I beseech Thee, and punish me not as Thou didst punish Herod, by refusing to let me hear Thy adorable voice. No, my Jesus, do not remain silent, no matter how unworthy I am to hear Thy words of light and truth. Do not deprive me of Thy holy inspirations. Behold, I am ready to heed Thy voice, and to do whatever Thou wilt require of me. Grant me a true understanding of the folly of the cross, and let me be happy to endure with, and for love of, Thee the contempt, derision, and injustice of men, that Thou mayest recognize in me Thy true disciple.
Resolution:
I will accept reprimands gratefully and not yield to sensitiveness, even should the reproof be undeserved.
Spiritual Bouquet:
“If I desire to please others, I cannot be a servant of Christ.”
Take, O Lord . . .
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