Behold the Lamb of God

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"I saw the Lord Jesus tied to a pillar, stripped of His clothes, and the scourging began immediately. I saw four men who took turns at striking the Lord with scourges. My heart almost stopped at the sight of these tortures." (445)

"I saw how the Lord Jesus suffered as He was being scourged. Oh, such an inconceivable agony! ... His blood flowed to the ground, and in some places His flesh started to fall off. I saw a few bare bones on His back. The meek Jesus moaned softly and sighed." (188).

"The Lord said to me, I suffer even greater pain than that which you see. And Jesus gave me to know for what sins He subjected himself to the scourging: these are sins of impurity. Oh, how dreadful was Jesus' moral suffering during the scourging!" (445)

Source: Excerpts from St. Faustina's Diary on Our Lord's Scourging at the Pillar.

Although St. Faustina does not mention it, I often wonder if Mary stood and watched in silence to witness this act of great cruelty - as she did under the cross. Just imagine what it must have been like to watch helpless as your only child is thus tortured. Let us think often of our mother's suffering also during Holy Week.

Visions of St. Bridget IV

Scourging at the Pillar

(Source: The Revelations of St. Bridget by TAN Books available here.)

Our Lord's scourging is a subject not normally associated with the Sorrows of Mary, but through a vision to St. Bridget of Sweden, Our Lady revealed how she witnessed her Son's Passion. The focus seems to be on her Son's experience rather than on her own suffering, which is to be expected. This is much in line with the theology of "to Jesus through Mary" for as we venerate the Blessed Virgin and compassionate her sorrows she brings us to be disciples of her Son. As we think on her and her sufferings, she points us to her Son and leads us on the Way of the Cross.

The Blessed Virgin Speaks: "When the time of my Son's Passion arrived, His enemies seized Him, striking Him on His cheek and neck; and spitting upon Him, they mocked Him. Then, led to the pillar, He stripped Himself, and Himself stretched out His hands to the pillar, which His enemies, pitiless, bound. Now, while tied there He had no clothing, but stood as He was born, and suffered the shame of His nakedness. Then His enemies rose up, for they stood on all sides, His friends having fled, and they scourged His body, pure from all spot or sin. At the first blow, I, who stood nearest, fell as if dead, and on recovering my senses I beheld His body bruised and beaten to the very ribs, so that His ribs could be seen; and what was still more bitter, when the scourge was raised, His very flesh was furrowed by the thongs. And when my Son stood thus, all bloody, all torn, so that no soundness could be found in Him nor spot to sourge, then one, his spirit roused within Him, asked: 'Will you slay Him thus unjudged?' and he immediately cut His bonds. Then my Son put on His clothes, and I beheld the spot where my Son's feet stood all full of blood, and I knew my Son's course by His footprints, for wherever He went, the earth seemed stained with blood...."

And so Our Sorrowful Mother followed her Divine Son's bloody footsteps on this the first Way of the Cross. See how her heart breaks with each painful movement, her heart and will united to His and accepting His will, yet this does not one bit lessen the pain. Think on your Mother's sorrow, what she has borne and continues to bear for you. Continue not to pierce her heart anew with your sin and lack of compassion. Take a moment to meditate on your Mother's sorrow and pray for an increase in virtue for you and your benefactors.

Prayer

Hail Mary, Full of Grace

the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God

pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Amen+