Luke 23:26-34
Forgive Them Father, for They Do Not Know What They Are Doing
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them,“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then
“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
and to the hills, “Cover us!”’
31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
As St. Luke tells us the Great Story of Jesus and His Great Ability to Forgive...I think to myself that I sometimes have trouble forgiving over little things...
The soldiers led Jesus away to be nailed to a cross...At that very time, there was a man coming into the city from the fields...His name was Simon, and he was from the city of Cyrene...The soldiers forced Simon to carry Jesus’ cross and walk behind him...Simon was meant to help and be with Jesus that day and at that very time...A large crowd of people were following Jesus as He carried His cross...Some of the women were sad and crying...But Jesus turned and said to them, “Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for Me...Cry for yourselves and for your children too!...The time is coming when people will say, ‘Happy are the women who cannot have children!...Happy are the women who have no babies to nurse.’...Then people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’...And they will say to the hills, ‘Cover us!’...If they act like this now when life is good, what will happen when bad times come?”...There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be crucified...Jesus and the two criminals were taken to a place called the Skull...There the soldiers nailed Jesus to his cross...They also nailed the criminals to their crosses, one beside Jesus on the right and the other beside Jesus on the left...Jesus said, “Father, forgive them...They do not know what they are doing.”...
Jesus is forced to carry His own cross to His death...And Jesus would choose to forgive, right in the midst of His floggings, His painful and anxious carrying of His cross to His death...Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”...Jesus is forgiving sinners at this time...This pray for those who would crucify Him, those watching around Him, and the crowd shows His undying forgiveness, and mercy, and LOVE...I think this prayer is also for us...I have never read anything else remotely like this act of forgiveness...Our sins could not overshadow Jesus' LOVE for us...And He chose to forgive, all of us...
Let us remember always to forgive...