They Slapped Him

They Slapped Him

“They all voted against him:  he was guilty and should be put to death ….  Some of them began to spit on Jesus, and they blindfolded him and hit him.  ‘Guess who hit you?’ they said.  And the guards took him and slapped him.” (Mark 14: 64 – 65)

This is the moment of the reign of darkness and the forces of evil are at their best game:  lies, condemnation, insults, cruelty, torture and death.   Who is the victim in this case?  A man who is absolutely innocent.  Why are they doing this to Jesus?  His Father decreed that he should go through this in order to save us from these same forces of evil.  

Through the passion and death of Christ, we gain strength to overcome the forces of evil in our own lives.  We do not succumb to threats of lies, insults, torture and death.   How did Christ behave as a captive of the forces of darkness?  He behaved with calm dignity and acceptance.  He had prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane for strength to endure and now he enjoys that strength.  

As a disciple of Jesus, temptations will surely come.  It could come in many guises.  As a good soldier, I prepare for the worst through faith and prayer.  We draw inspiration from Jesus Christ, our model.  We follow his example.