Eloquence in silence.
Reflection on a reading from today's Church of England Lectionary. 5 October 2021. Mark 15: 16 - 32.
There is eloquence in silence. After his inevitable conviction Jesus is led away to be crucified. Throughout the long period of humiliation and agony that follows Jesus remains silent until just before his death. Firstly, he is mocked by the Roman soldiers who put an imperial purple robe on him and then a crown made from thorns. They mock him by falling on their knees in false homage and they have a lottery to see who would claim his clothes.
As if death by crucifixion wasn't horrific enough the soldiers crucify Jesus between two robbers who also mock him though they are just as doomed as he is and finally he is mocked by random onlookers and then those who took greatest delight in his passivity, the chief priests and law teachers.
How and why did Jesus remain silent? I think he had incredible strength of mind and will, the strength that came from knowing who he was, who he was acting for, his relationship with God and mankind, and what would happen beyond his death. Would we ever have that strength, could we get that strength from God, if the sacrifice was asked of us? How eloquently Jesus speaks to us is in his last, silent journey.