Good Friday, The Ultimate Gift

Good Friday, is a day of mixed emotions. It's hard to think of the pain and suffering Jesus went through for us. Due to my own suffering from chronic illnesses, I have spent lots of time uniting my suffering with Jesus on the cross. I have found a lot of comfort there! There's strength to be found when uniting our suffering to His. There's also comfort knowing that our suffering can be used and have meaning. Uniting our suffering to God's Will can help bring us and others to salvation. There's actually been times when I've been unable to bear the pain or the exhaustion of chronic illness. But, mediating and uniting my suffering to His, I not only found it manageable, but found peace, joy and love there! God is truly amazing!

This same peace, joy and love is the other side of Good Friday. Knowing that the Son of God was sent to give us the ultimate gift of love and sacrifice! To love us so much to be crucified and obliterated for our sins when we so don't deserve it. This brings hope and joy to know we are loved and we have an invitation to live with God eternally. Thank you God for you …"so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

Let me comfort you, Oh Lord! Let me cleanse your precious wounds. I start by removing the crown of thorns. Oh Jesus, my heart breaks as your flesh is torn and my sins have pierced your precious head. My sins have caused you so much pain. I gently pour your cleansing water and you clean my putrid sin from your precious wounds. I gently dab your precious blood of love. Oh how it breaks my heart to see what I’ve done to you! As I kiss your sweet forehead, let my soul be moved by your undeniable gift of love. As I wrap a white bandage around your beautiful head, allow this to stand for purity to guard me from sinning again and causing you any more harm. My Jesus I thank you for your sacrifice and your love for me. Make my heart pure, help me to sin against you no more. As you turn and I see all the welts, deep abrasions and cuts all over your precious back. I ache and am tormented by my actions of sin. I just want to hold you, but where can I touch you, you are covered in wounds for me? Oh, sweet Jesus, I’m so sorry for my sins. Look what I’ve done to you! As I cleanse all these wounds on your back with your precious cleansing water, you wash all the impurities from my sin. As I kiss your sweet back I long for you to know how much I love and adore you. My Jesus I thank you for your sacrifice and your love for me. Make my heart pure, help me to sin against you no more. I next take your hands and the deep holes in your sacred hands take my breath away! I hold them gently and put them to my lips and kiss them. Oh, sweet Jesus I’m so sorry, of what my sin has done to you! I use your precious, cleansing water and you wash away all my inequities from your sweet hands. I look into your beautiful eyes. My Jesus I thank you for your sacrifice and your love for me. Make my heart pure, help me to sin against you no more. As I look down at your feet. These feet that have walked so far to lead me. I bend down and kiss gently each one. The depth of the holes in each foot reminds me of the depth that your love goes for me. I wash them with your cleansing water and you remove all my sin. My Jesus I thank you for your sacrifice and your love for me. Make my heart pure, help me to sin against you no more. Upon standing I see the large wound in your sacred side. This wound you often call me to and hide me there. Oh my Precious Jesus, only you could cleanse your children in your sacred wounds! I take your cleansing water and you remove all my filth of selfishness and disobedience. I fill this hole with my love and sorrow. My Jesus I thank you for your sacrifice and your love for me. Make my heart pure, help me to sin against you no more. I see a large gaping hole on your right shoulder where you carried the cross. I’m taken back on its length across your shoulder. Oh, Jesus how you carried the weight of my sin! I take your cleansing water and you remove my lengthy sin. My Jesus I thank you for your sacrifice and your love for me. Make my heart pure, help me to sin against you no more. As I gaze into your eyes I can see your heart is broken for how I’ve treated you. I lay my head on your chest and long for you to feel my sorrow and my remorse. As I lay against your heart, my Jesus I thank you for your sacrifice and your love for me. Make my heart pure, help me to sin against you no more. As I walk away I still feel your heartbeat and am forever thankful that you remain with me. Oh Jesus, how I love you! I thank you for your sacrifice and your love for me. Make my heart pure, help me to sin against you no more. Amen.

My Lord, My God I am so sorry, I thank you and I bless you... For each torment you received in the Garden. For each wound of abandonment you felt in the Garden. For each anxiety you endured in the garden. For your reliance on the Will of Our Heavenly Father. For your obedience. For your extreme act of love. For the pain of the abandonment of each person who denied you. For each time you were spat on. For each word that was spoke against you. For each piece of flesh that was broken open by the scourges. For each blow to your body. For each time you fell. For each thorn that pierced your precious head. For the wound my cross made in your shoulder. For the piercing of your side. For each drop of blood you lost. For each thirst that wasn’t quenched. For each breath you were unable to breathe. For each anguish when you looked into the eyes of Our Mother. For the sadness you felt for each time you were denied and hated. For each time you lost consciousness. For the humility of bearing yourself naked. For the sadness of only one of the thieves asking for forgiveness. For the acts of love I’m unable to recognize and comprehend. Heavenly Father, I beg you to introduce those to my intellect so that I can learn to love more like you. Amen.