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Before I Forget…
· To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda, nor in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one's life would not make sense if God did not exist.
-Cardinal Suliard
Next Sunday, Palm Sunday, and again on Good Friday, we listen to the proclamation of the passion of Jesus Christ. None of us who are adults are strangers to suffering because suffering is a part of every life. We try to shield our children from suffering, but we know only too well that many children suffer from abuse in their homes, violence in their neighborhoods, meanness from their peers, homelessness and hunger, and now from the fear of war and terrorism.
In the popular imagination, most people seem to think that Jesus' death was required by a God whose honor had been injured by the sins of the human race. Since we mere mortals could not atone properly, the Second Person of the Trinity took flesh and suffered the pain of the cross. His blood was poured out for our salvation.
But, read the passion stories again! When we think of the "sufferings" of Jesus in His crucifixion, surprisingly they are not given detailed treatment. The writers of the gospels do not try to elicit sympathy for Christ by dwelling on everything He endured for our salvation. We are not exposed to the "poor Jesus" as we read and meditate on the cross of Christ. The writers are not trying to elicit our sympathy.
Nowhere in the gospels is Jesus presented as a tragic victim of injustice. The sufferings are not denied because the mere idea of a suffering Messiah was a contradiction for the people of those days. The writers could not ignore the sufferings of the messiah. What explanation could be given for these sufferings? But the suffering is not the main focus, and the term passion that we use to describe it, which seems to imply a passive endurance of pain, is not found. If we continue to call the cross the "passion", it is the type of passion we would find in people who are in love. The love of Jesus was so great that He died for our sakes. Jesus' love is active, not passive.
In the gospel of John (and our new icon is based on John's version of the crucifixion) Jesus is practically reigning from the cross. He is shown as being in control, in serene possession of Himself. As Jesus stands before Pilate He is the real king of the Jews. Jesus is totally different from Peter who goes out of control as a coward. Jesus is the true Paschal Lamb who goes with assurance to the cross, in complete control. No one helps him carry the cross in John's gospel.
The Gospels show us Jesus as gaining victory over suffering, evil, the Evil One, and the grave. The human race is restored to the status it had before the fall of Adam. We see Christ as victor, but also as an example for us. Our salvation lies not in any external action of Christ, but rather the example He gave of total commitment and obedience to God. Jesus did to allow evil and pain to crush His spirit, to diminish Him, to reduce Him to the level of those taking His life. Jesus remained the model of fidelity to His calling, and commitment to the God He knew so intimately.
Jesus was able to rise above the pettiness and intrigue, the suffering and the pain. He became the master of His soul- His spirit. The power of the life-giving Spirit was already with Him in His life, guiding, strengthening, enriching His person.
We believe that we are called by baptism to live, to share in Christ's suffering, death and resurrection. The victory of Christ is also our victory! As we reflect on our lives as human beings and all the suffering in them, as we reflect on the Catholic Church and the suffering caused by the sexual abuse of children and adults and the role of our shepherds (bishops); as we reflect on the world community and the U.S. involvement in a war that causes suffering for families both here and in Iraq, we must hold on to the example of Jesus Crucified. We must hang tough with Him. There will always be "trials" for us, the Church, our country, our world.
The life-giving Spirit will help us rise to new life, as we remain committed and faithful to God, to Christ, and to the Gospel,
The Christian life is worth the suffering! Fr. Bill
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