10. Jesus is stripped of his clothes
We
adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the
world.
Matthew 27:28-30
They stripped him and put a scarlet
robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his
head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him,
saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They spat on him, and took the reed and
struck him on the head.
Reflection
The elderly gentleman stands upright and dignified in the courtroom, as he tells of the attacks, the threats against his family, because of their faith. The Home Office official accuses him of lying. On leaving the court he remarks with extraordinary kindness that he thinks the official has a difficult job. He who has been through so much suffering retains his dignity and humanity in the face of their attempts to humiliate him.
Prayer
Lord, we pray for all who are humiliated,
stripped of their dignity, their humanity:
the homeless man sitting in the shop doorway
with his paper cup;
the woman who looks round to see if she is observed
going into the food bank;
the refugee family
herded into a crowded, unsanitary camp.
Remind us that we are all your children.
Help us reach out to our sisters and brothers.
Amen.