Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, by our now walking together the way of the cross with Jesus, help us to come closer to Him and to share this greater closeness to Jesus with one another, those with whom we live and work and all of our brothers and sisters everywhere. We make our prayer to you through Jesus, your Son and our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and with the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Meditation
The Sanhedrin had Jesus tried and condemned on charges of blasphemy. But they could not themselves execute Him. They had to have the Roman governor try and condemn Him to get Him executed. Besides, they wanted Jesus executed by crucifixion and to put the responsibility for his death on Pilate. So they brought him to Pontius Pilate to be tried and condemned to death on charges of sedition.
Prayer
Jesus, some people are condemned to die by violence, some are condemned to die by hunger, some by disease. Each of us is condemned to die in one way or another. We thank you for sharing our condemnation to death, because your condemnation to death has given us a new lease on life, a lease on life everlasting. Because of you, I can face my own condemnation to death.
Closing Prayer
Loving Father, You made us in your image. When we disfigured it by our sin, You sent us the radiance of your glory and reflection of your being, your very own word and only begotten Son, to make your image clear to us in all that He said and did and suffered for our salvation. We ask you now to pour out upon us always the Holy Spirit Jesus promised us from you that we may understand what He said and do as He did and share in His sufferings for us, growing toward the maturity of Jesus until we are perfected in your image by Him and joined to you with Him for all eternity. We make our prayer in His name, Christ Jesus the Lord. Amen.
