It’s Lent once again and last Monday right after the launch of God’s Creation and Word website, I received an e-mail of affirmation from my godfather. He also mentioned and talked about one of my artwork “Crown of Thorns” in which I created on Good Friday 2001, out of a tree branch and metal spikes, just so my focus that day was on Jesus. Since I’ve been debating this week if I should use this old piece or not, when he mentioned “The Crown of Thorns”, it confirms that this must be the appropriate piece for the week, reminds me of what real love truly means.

When someone is being prosecuted or when you are faced with prosecutions, it is the most humiliating and embarrassing experience. I once was apprehended, long time ago for fighting on the highway…obviously “not” proud of it and I’ve changed through the grace of God. I was driving on the freeway minding my own business, driving from work after a long day when two people in a car from out of nowhere pulled next to me provoking and throwing racial slurs at me. I reacted the way the world will react and got apprehended because of it. I tried to explain my side but since I was the first one who got out of the car and got physical with them, the officers didn’t want to hear it. I was handcuffed and was placed in the back of a cruiser for a long ride to jail that you never ever want to experience. As everything unfolds witnessed by other motorists and people on the ground, then making that one call to my wife, the embarrassment I felt was unexplainable. I can never see myself or imagine that I will ever experience what I was going through at that moment. I now thank God for the experience, He opened my eyes on how I should react to things and how to be more forgiving as I continue to learn His ways…WWJD (what would Jesus do?) which applies to how we should react to everything that come our way on a daily basis. We are human and we will be faced with many trials and provocations but think about it …WWJD?

This season of Lent, remember this passage, it shows how much Jesus loves for us.

One man disobeyed God, and many became sinners. In the same way, one man obeyed God, and many will be made right.
Romans 5:19

Jesus, without embarrassment and regret faced and endures prosecution...Place yourself in His position for a minute.

People are mocking and spitting on you in front of a big crowd…would you try to fight or flee? They flogged you for a period of time using a whip with sharp pieces of bones and metal attached to it, leaving your body bruised and wounded, and a crown of thorns was placed on your head penetrating your flesh. Then as you bleed from all the wounds, they made you walk and carry a cross as they continue to spit and mock you and kick you all the way to Mt. Calvary for crucifixion…Would you complain? Well, Jesus did not complain a single bit; He knew that was the main reason for His coming. As He hung on the cross and as He took His last breath, He prayed to the Father, saying, “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they do.”

Jesus, needless to say is our loving God, who paid the ultimate price for the forgiveness of sins. Lent is the season to reflect and apply all that we learned from Christ, how to be more like Him to others, to be more forgiving and patient. What Christ experienced during His prosecution is nowhere near the cross we carry from day to day. We are called Christians because we are followers of Christ and His works. The economic crisis we are faced with that gives us suffering is nowhere close to the suffering God endures to show His love for all of us…He died so we can live.

May this Lent season brings all of us the true meaning of love and forgiveness. May this week bring you peace which conquers all your burdens.