S1, E15 - The Crucifixion Decade Meditation

The mission of the Ponder and Magnify Podcast is to seek an encounter with Jesus through praying the rosary, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary. In this episode, listeners are invited to pray with their imaginations through a decade meditation on the account of the Jesus' Crucifixion from Luke 23: 32-34, 39-43. Praise be to God!

Transcript

Jessica: 0:05

Hello and welcome to the Ponder and Magnify podcast, where our mission is to seek an encounter with Jesus through praying the Rosary, relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary. I am so happy that you are here. This episode will feature a decade meditation on the fifth sorrowful mystery of the Rosary, the crucifixion of Jesus. It'll be an imaginative meditation where, with each Hail Mary, you're led to think about something different in the scene. So come, Holy Spirit, please help this bear fruit for us. Before we begin, let's take a second to pause and consider what we're bringing to prayer. What are your joys in this moment? What sorrows are you feeling right now? Do you have any fears in this moment? What are you desiring? Who do you wish to pray for? I encourage you to pause, as you need to really reflect on this before you begin praying. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen, Jesus, we ask you to speak directly into our circumstances. Mary, thank you for praying with us and for us now. Holy Spirit, please anoint the gift of our imagination so that we might come to encounter Jesus more deeply through it. The fifth sorrowful mystery is Jesus' crucifixion. A reading from the Gospel of Luke. Now two others, both criminals, were led away with Jesus to be executed. When they came to the place called the skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them. They know not what they do. Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us. The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply "have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation, and indeed we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes. But this man has done nothing criminal. Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him "Amen, I say to you today you will be with me in paradise. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil, amen. Jesus, though he was innocent of any crime deserving death, was crucified among two criminals. He accompanied these men in their dying, praying for their conversion, undeterred by the crime which had gotten them there. 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, "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do. Jesus was interceding for those who intended him harm, for the criminals on either side of him, for all of humanity. It took such effort to speak from the cross, and yet it was worth it to Jesus to speak this word of mercy into the world that all would know of his desire to be our Savior. Hail Mary full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed are 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. "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.

Jessica: 4:29

One of the criminals spoke to Jesus, reviling him. The criminal was blind to the fact that Jesus was in the very act of saving him at that moment, because it did not look as the criminal thought it should. 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.

Jessica: 5:00

Jesus would not condemn the criminal who insulted him. Instead, he continued to intercede for the criminal in his heart. Father, forgive him. Father, forgive him. Father, forgive him. 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. The other criminal was moved by Jesus' mercy when Jesus could have instead condemned. With Jesus' words "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. The other criminal recognized the Savior of the world. It was Jesus' love that gave it away. 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.

Jessica: 5:57

The criminal did not know when he would die. He labored to spend what could be his last words defending Jesus and then appealing to his mercy. He did not have the time or capacity to explain himself or to give a lengthy apology to convince Jesus of this change of heart. It was simply, "Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. And that was enough for Jesus. 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. Oh how Jesus was consoled in his crucifixion by the criminal appealing to his mercy. This passion would all be worth it, even if just for this one man's salvation.

Jessica: 7:02

Hail Mary, full of grace.

Jessica: 7:04

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, esus spoke, "Amen I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.". It would not be enough for Jesus to just remember the man from heaven, as the man had asked, Jesus wanted to be with the man for all eternity. Jesus's desires for us are even greater than our desires for ourselves. 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. And the man who was promised paradise and Jesus continued on in their dying, mutually consoled that they would be with one another soon, with the weight of their present suffering lifted. 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. And together they prayed in unison in their hearts. "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do, desiring that every soul would join them. 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. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen. O, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. Amen. Hail Holy Queen, mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor, banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious, advocate thine eyes of mercy toward us and, after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, o loving, o sweet Virgin Mary, pray for us, o Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen, Count on my continued prayers and please, please, keep praying for us. Thank you so much. Praise be to God.