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| STATIONS
OF THE CROSS We Adore You, O Christ, And We Praise You. Christ, largest of the three figures and exhibiting a strong
look about him--chest and arm wise--is being disrobed, stripped
of his clothes but not his dignity. The two guards, in a sense,
are dwarfed by Jesus as the artist continues to emphasize that
Christ freely chose to allow the stripping to happen. He was in
control from the beginning even if his physical power was drained
from him from the scourging and his painful journey to Golgotha.
The face of Christ is here portrayed outward; one soldier, less
in stature than the other one, exhibits a look of deception. The
second guard, appearing to grab at Jesus' body and ripping the
garment from the Lord's shoulder, represents the soldier who later
on pierces Christ's body with a lance, and from his side, according
to Scripture...immediately blood and water flowed out (John
19: 34). |
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Yes, Jesus was stripped of his clothes
but not his dignity. The ripping off of Jesus' clothes symbolized
what his total life had been, that of emptying himself so that He
could become one with the Father. And, being one with the Father,
Jesus did not resist his clothes being ripped from his body, for
his garments did not portray his true self. Rather, his clothing,
like our own, only represents the outer self, layers of which will
one day be of no value and will be stripped from our bodies. Jesus,
then, again invites us to follow him and to come to know his mercy
and love, Anyone who loves me will be true to my word, and
my Father will love you; we will come to you and make our dwelling
place with you (John 14:23). Stations of the Cross Walking Tour Map |