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| The Robin Where Jesus spoke, people came to listen. The more he spoke, the greater the crowds. He was thought by some who heard him to be the Saviour who, God had promised, would lead the Jewish people to their own land, a land, blessed by the Lord, that would be green enough for cows to graze, where trees would bear fruit, where flowers would grow, and where the air would be sweet, a land of milk and honey. Many called Jesus the King of the Jews, and his fame spread all the way to Tiberius, the Emperor of Rome. Tibeius was angered by the idea that there were people who believed Jesus was more important than he. "King indeed!" he thought. "We'll see." Tiberius sent a message to his governor, Pontius Pilate, that the "king" should be arrested. So the governor's soldiers found Jesus and brought him to Pontius Pilate, who condemned Jesus to death by crucifixion. They would nail him to a cross. (In those days, that's how common criminals were punished. ) The soldiers stripped Jesus of his clothes, dressed him in a scarlet robe, and put a crown of thorns on his head. Then they laughed and bowed before him. "Here is our King of the Jews," they mocked. When they had had enough, they took off his scarlet robe and gave him back his own clothes, leaving only the crown made of thorns upon his head. The Romans crucified their criminals on the hill called Calvary, just outside the old city of Jerusalem. They made Jesus carry up this road the very cross to which he would be nailed. As it is told by some who say they were there, a little robin saw that a thorn from Jesus' crown had pierced his forhead, and he was bleeding. The tiny bird flew down and plucked out the thorn. But as he did a drop of Jesus' blood fell upon the bird's breast, staining it red. From that time to this, it is said, robins have had red breasts as a reminder that one of them was kind to Jesus that sad day. |
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