I watched him die.  There was nothing I could do about it.  There is nothing worse than seeing your child die in any circumstances, but the way he died made it even worse.  He’d been beaten and whipped so badly that I barely recognised him.  The agony was etched across his face. It was just … Continue reading Reflections around the cross – Mary: “Sunshine and Shadows”

My name is Marcus Justus Loginus.  I am a centurion of the Sebastii cohort based at Herod’s fortress in Jerusalem.  It’s our job to keep the peace.  Not an easy task when it’s Jewish festival season.  Hundreds of thousands of people flock from all over the country for their celebrations – and there’s almost always … Continue reading Reflections around the cross – The Centurion – A brand new start?

He really ruined my day, you know.  All was going well in Jerusalem until he came along.  I was doing my bit, keeping law and order – which isn’t easy to do with that riff-raff, especially when it’s their festival season.  I don’t know what they put in the water, but everyone seems to get … Continue reading Reflections around the cross – Pontius Pilate: Playing the blame game

I didn’t sleep a wink.  I couldn’t.  I felt so awful.  Sick in the pit of my stomach.  Those words he had said to me kept going round my head.  “Tonight, before the cock crows, you’ll deny you’ve ever known me.”  I couldn’t believe it! Me, Peter, the one he’d nicknamed Rocky, deny Jesus?  I’d … Continue reading Reflections around the cross – Peter – “I let him down”

Dear Rabbi, I’m writing this although I know it’s too late.  I wish I could turn back the clock, undo what I’ve done, but I know that there’s no going back – it’s past the point of no return, and there’s no way I can make up for what I’ve done. The guilt’s unbearable.  I … Continue reading Reflections around the cross – Judas Iscariot: “The guilt won’t let me go”