Day 24 of Lent :: Raising the Cup

“Organized religion has domesticated the crucified Lord of glory,

turned him into a tame theological symbol. Theological symbols do

not sweat blood in the night.”*

Brennan Manning

Be still and know that God is present both within you through His Spirit. Settle yourself for a few minutes with this thought. Welcome Him in your own words. Read and/or sing the following old hymn as a prayer, preparing your heart to contemplate the Cross of Christ today.

O Love Divine, What Hast Thou Done?

Charles Wesley, 1742

O Love divine, what hast thou done!
The immortal God hath died for me!
The Father’s co-eternal Son
bore all my sins upon the tree.
Th’immortal God for me hath died:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!
Is crucified for me and you,
to bring us rebels back to God.
Believe, believe the record true,
ye all are bought with Jesus’ blood.
Pardon for all flows from His side:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!
Behold Him, all ye that pass by,
the bleeding Prince of life and peace!
Come, sinners, see your Savior die,
and say, “Was ever grief like His?”
Come, feel with me His blood applied:
My Lord, my Love, is crucified!

“Get up, let us be going,
behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand.”

Matthew 26:46

Reflection: What do you think went through Jesus’ mind as he spoke the words; “Arise let us be going, the one who betrays me is at hand”?

What emotions might he have been experiencing as he prepared for his own arrest?

What kinds of thoughts do you think filled his mind? Spend a few minutes considering these things.

Prayer: Dearest Savior, I find myself wanting to run from your struggle. I’d rather see you fighting battles on my behalf, waging war against demonic armies. Maybe I’m afraid of what I’ll see if I look too close at the cup you cried out against. Oh God, immerse my callous heart in the dark waters of Gethsemane. Weaken me with the weight of my unworthiness, and perhaps I will glimpse my own soul in that vile and putrid cup. May I cry out in desperation as you did: “Abba . . . Father . . .”*

Prayer: Dearest Savior, I find myself wanting to run from your struggle. I’d rather see you fighting battles on my behalf, waging war against demonic armies. Maybe I’m afraid of what I’ll see if I look too close at the cup you cried out against. Oh God, immerse my callous heart in the dark waters of Gethsemane. Weaken me with the weight of my unworthiness, and perhaps I will glimpse my own soul in that vile and putrid cup. May I cry out in desperation as you did: “Abba . . . Father . . .”*


*Brennan Manning, The Signature of Jesus, 35
*Prayer by Tricia McCary Rhodes in Contemplating the Cross, 16, 25