The Crown

A crown, so majestic, so noble.
A first thought - robes, red and wavy come to mind...
Jewels, embellished in pure gold and shimmering
for all the see. You do not, (for the most part)
think of pain, suffering and anguish-
Or perhaps Mockery, Humility and Sacrifice.

When you think of the cross, and the pain Jesus
went through, sometimes it's easy to forget the
beauty of the symbolism behind such events that
led Christ there. The Agony in the garden is something
I touched on right before Easter
but the other day for some reason,
I really reflected on the crown of thorns.

How terrible yet humbling that experience must have been.
Jesus, King of all Kings, Lord of Lords...being mocked
by his own creation, by twisting the very thorns that He created
along with God the Father and placing those thorns upon His head.

But of all things, Thorns were chosen to be placed on His head.
It makes you wonder... why thorns?

While I was thinking about this , it occurred to me-
(similar to my last post about thorns) that many times
beauty is found amongst thorns.
If you glance at a rosebush you will see
such delicate buds and blossoming flowers yet in the midst
of that beauty are thorns... thorns that protect the flowers.

Roses are delicate and need protection , thorns are ugly, they
are painful and they are resilient, even when a rose dries up
and loses color and life the thorns are still there to protect it.

This is why I believe Christ chose thorns.
To show us... no matter what his people
does to him or what happens to His people...
he will protect His delicate children.
He will die EVERYDAY, and sacrifice it all for us
in return for our safety and protection.
His will be the thorns, so that we can be the rose.


My Jesus,
So much beauty lies in your crown
sweet suffering, beautiful redemption...
Help me to find that beauty amidst the pain
and know that in all things you are found.

Amen

Let the waters rise

There's a raging sea
Right in front of me
Wants to pull me in
Bring me to my knees...
So let the waters rise
If you want them to
I will follow You

(mike's chair, let the waters rise)

I know this is a occurring theme I've been thinking
about in my blog lately but I guess it's just really powerful
and something we all really need to know
not just think about every once and a while,
we need to know that God is with us
during the pain and sometimes
it's His providence that we go through what we do.

Thinking about intense pain, it reminds me of losing my father.
The pain that a child experiences is profound but I think
my daddy is interceding for me in heaven to bring me to
where I am right now. Who knows where I would be if he was still alive.
And while I'm not saying that he had to die in order for me to be faithful...
I am saying that he died, when he did, for a reason. My daddy had a beautiful devotion to the blessed mother
and his bible and it's funny because I think I have a foundation
that is pretty strong in my faith but the two weak area's are
reading the bible and truly forming a relationship with Our Lady.
Maybe it's because I needed that foundation before I could really
develop these things. But I encourage you to reflect on your pain,
and I know it may be hard and it may bring back some harsh memories
but find God in it, because he worked in that pain.

Almighty, show me the beauty of your Word, and the
journey your Mother took to becoming the bearer of
the Living God. Help me to look to her when I don't
know why...help me proclaim Fiat when I don't know all the answers. Amen